what is the religion of Shinto?

basic beliefs, is it a church sect or cult, how is it organized, and how does it affect society. also how it relates to sociology and any other info. Thanks

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SHINTOISM
Chapter 27

Shinto, the national religion of Japan, is one of the oldest of all the world's religions. It is unlike other religions inasmuch as it is basically not a system of beliefs. It has been variously defined.

Shinto is purely a Japanese religion, the origins of which are buried in antiquity. The Japanese name for their country is Nippon, which means "sun origin." Until the end of World War II, Japanese children were taught at school that the emperors were descendants of the sun-goddess, Ama-laterals. Amaterasu had allegedly given the imperial house the divine right to rule. In 1946, in a radio broadcast to the Japanese people, Emperor Hirohito repudiated his divine right to rule.

Shinto's history can be divided into a number of stages. The first period was from prehistoric times to A.D. 522 when Shinto reigned supreme among the people of Japan without any serious competition.

In A.D. 522 Buddhism started gaining in popularity among the Japanese people. In the year 645, the Emperor Kotoku embraced Buddhism and rejected Shinto.

From 800 to 1700, Shinto combined with other religions, mixing with both Buddhism and Confucianism and forming what is called Ryobu Shinto, or dual-aspect Shinto. Shinto, by itself, experienced a considerable decline during this period.

Around 1700 Shinto experienced a revival when the study of archaic Japanese texts was re instituted. One of the most learned Shinto scholars of the period was Hirata, who wrote:

The two fundamental doctrines are: Japan is the country of the Gods, and her inhabitants are the descendants of the Gods. Between the Japanese people and the Chinese, Hindus, Russians, Dutch, Siamese, Cambodians and other nations of the world there is a difference of kind, rather than of degree.

The Mikado is the true Son of Heaven, who is entitled to reign over the four seas and the ten thousand countries.

From the fact of the divine descent of the Japanese people proceeds their immeasurable superiority to the natives of other countries in courage and intelligence. They "are honest and upright of heart, and are not given to useless theorizing and falsehoods like other nations."

Japanese Emperor Meiji established Shinto as the official religion of Japan in place of Buddhism. However, since the people continued to embrace both religions, in 1877 Buddhism was allowed to be practiced by the people, with total religious liberty granted two years afterward.

Meaning of Shinto (click the above link to read the rest of the article.

Hey Ho!

The basis of Shinto is that the Emperor and the royal family were deities, and that the Imperial family were the origin of all creation. This did not change until after WWII, when American forces forced the Emperor of Japan to renounce his divinity.

Shinto goes back to the 8Th century BC, when the Imperial family of Japan consolidated their power, and comes from the Chinese "Shin Tao" or "way of the Gods."


Followers of Shinto practice the moral codes of Confucianism.