Christianity in Japan

[doudesuka]

Is that near Tokyo?

I hope Great Holiday Greetings to you all!

 

[traveljapan]

It is about 5 hours east of Tokyo.

Thanks,

 

[doudesuka]

 

[ratvideo]

Ok, christianity in japan should not exist at all. christianity should not exist in any asian countries. only buddhism should exist. europeans corrupted the japanese, and later japanese invades china. dont follow european teachings

 

[stephenmunday]

Wow, great thread guys. Very interesting views. I am a Christian in Japan attending Japanese church with Japanese in Japanese with a Japanese pastor, two Korean members and one Taiwanese member. Japanese and yet international with all of us having the common bond of being believers in a Jew who is God's Messiah for all people, including British people like me.

To counter ratvideo's point, there seems to be good evidence that Christianity came to Japan at the same time or a little before Buddhism. Apparently, it was transmitted along the Silk Road that ran from the Middle East to Japan. I have seen some good stuff online (where ?) and went to an interesting exhibition on the subject in Nara about 5 years ago. Does anyone else have any info about this?

 

[Hachiko]

Wow, great thread guys. Very interesting views. I am a Christian in Japan attending Japanese church with Japanese in Japanese with a Japanese pastor, two Korean members and one Taiwanese member. Japanese and yet international with all of us having the common bond of being believers in a Jew who is God's Messiah for all people, including British people like me.

To counter ratvideo's point, there seems to be good evidence that Christianity came to Japan at the same time or a little before Buddhism. Apparently, it was transmitted along the Silk Road that ran from the Middle East to Japan. I have seen some good stuff online (where ?) and went to an interesting exhibition on the subject in Nara about 5 years ago. Does anyone else have any info about this?

Here and here.
Btw, ciao, and welcome to the fora, ratvideo.

 

[10almonds]

I thought that I would like to ask about some things from before .
How many times does the Catholic Christian of other countries do confession in one year?
I do it once or twice for a year.
Now, i only go to church for Christmas and Easter.(TT;{oh, Criste eleison!

Is the Mass solemn in your country?
It is not rare that fork guitar and electric guitar is used on the Mass in japan.
Is this an ordinary thing in your country?
The Buddhistic rites is more solemn and mystical.
When I traveled Rome, I looked at the solemn Mass in the Vatican.
I was surprised.

i'm sorry to be strange English.

 

[Jean-Francois]

How many times does the Catholic Christian of other countries do confession in one year?

I don't know about other country. But when I was studying at a catholic high school in the U.S., we were "forced" to confess every Wednesday night. When I told the nuns I had done nothing wrong so I had nothing to confess, my home form teacher frowned and shouted at me :angryfire, "It's been a week. Everybody must have done something bad enough to confess!!!" O-kay...

For grown-ups, I think there is no limit for confessions. It's whenver you feel like it.

 

[10almonds]

we were "forced" to confess every Wednesday night. When I told the nuns I had done nothing wrong so I had nothing to confess, my home form teacher frowned and shouted at me :angryfire, "It's been a week. Everybody must have done something bad enough to confess!!!"

they (forced confess and teacher's words) sounds terrible.....

well...

There are very few Japanese Christians.
Christians are a minority in Japan.
There are more less Catholic Christians.
However, the number of priests is a problem more than it. may be....
In the diocese to which I belong, the bishop had said that a priest will not come out from our diocese for five years or more from now on.
It's ordinary that a believer distributes a holy body.( Of course, he or she was trained, and only distributes.)
Probably, in Brazil, there are many believers, so it is in this system.
In Japan, there are too few priests,so it is in this way.
A priest is always busy and it's difficult to find a priest which moves around.
Confession before a Mass may be not welcomed.
and also after a Mass, a priest is busy .
I don't want to interfere with a priest.
On the foreign movie, the priest of the cathedral (in the United States or Italy)
is sitting on the confession seat mostly.
I think it enviable.

The situation of other countries gives me a fresh impression.
Thank you for reply.
Please forgive me my strange English .

 

[Genius]

if a japanese person is christian would he necessarily shun traditional ways of worship? it he/she didn't could he still be considered a "true" christian?

 

[bossel]

What's a true Christian? I've seen US Southern baptists call the pope evil.

I suppose it very much depends on the denomination in how far non-Christian practices are accepted.

 

[10almonds]

Of course, the same chapter as Rome is read, in the same Bible as Rome.
The Mass approved by Rome is performed in Japan .
The system which a believer distributes is also accepted by Rome.
This has no problem of regulation.
Because this is not a Mass.
It's only a gathering.
I have memorized such.
(but, I can't understand that a believer helps distribution in the Mass
which bishops and many priests attend.)

well,
i think a traditional problem may be not a problem only for Japan.
i remembered that priest of Europe or U.S. carried out
strange action in the Fatima parish.

About incidents of the Mass , I know only the diocese to which I belong.
sometimes a popular song was sung in the Mass.
(Only thing of a few years ago I know.
Because I have not gone to the church almost for a few years.)
The old-man fathers of a local parish prize the traditional Mass.

Anyway,

I think like this.
"Only God and i can decide, i am a Christian , or not."
(this may be my personal opinion.)
And God refuse nobody .

Japan is also Buddhistic culture.

"Even by the instruction of the Buddha,
it may become your egoism. Aim at escaping from all your egoism. "

Mostly Japanese people do not understand the Christianity , Islam,and Judaism
which also war under the name of God ,even today.

Probably,i think that Japanese people respect Christianity,
disappointment and contempt are also large.

 

[nikki_the_insane]

What's a true Christian? I've seen US Southern baptists call the pope evil.

That's the reasoning for other churches such as the protestants branching of from the Catholic religion and creating their own religion. They hated the Pope and didn't want to go by his teachings so they decided to start their own church that was basically the same as the Catholic religion except for not following the Pope and a few other trivial things.

I think the catholic religion is fluctuating. During Easter many people were converted Catholic in the U.S. but also a lot of people leave the church because of some scandals that have arisened. I'm Catholic because of my family, but we rarely go to church once or twice a month. I'm not sure if I believe in everything my church teaches, but I know that I don't always have to go to church to be saved. Though that might be my personal opinion.

I think someone posted that Christianity in Asia was horrible and shouldn't be tought there. I don't think that's neccesarily the case. Everyone should have their choice of what they want to believe in, whether that be God, Buddha or a cow.

One question; is there catholic schools in Japan? Or any other christian schools for that matter.

I know here in Utah if your from out of country and your LDS you get treated special with nice hefty scholarships from Brigham Young University. In fact if your any type of minority and you're LDS you get a nice scholarship. Wow, I'm screwed over for school aren't I? I'm not LDS, I can't barely pass as a minority because I'm only a fourth french and a fourth Nicaraguian and it really doesn't show. My only chance is that I'm a first generation college student.

I wonder if Christians or Buddhist that aren't from Japan get the same treatment if they go to college in Japan.

 

[Foxtrot Uniform]

One question; is there catholic schools in Japan? Or any other christian schools for that matter.

The answer to that is yes. I actually go to a Catholic school, called Marist and I think theres are a few more Catholic schools in Tokyo, like Sacred Heart, and some other ones that I forgot the name to.

Even though I go to a Catholic school, I am an atheist and a bit on the anti-religious sides. All the japanese students who go to the same school as I do are 99% non-Christian. At my school, there are actually very few students who are actually Catholic. The only Catholic I know of who is my friend is from Indonesia.

There seems to be many more Protestants that Catholics in Japan, and more than once has the peace of my home been disturbed by Mormons and Jehovah's Witness trying to convert me and ny neighbors, but they are not half as annoying as the @#$%ing soka-gakai!!

 

[nikki_the_insane]

There seems to be many more Protestants that Catholics in Japan, and more than once has the peace of my home been disturbed by Mormons and Jehovah's Witness trying to convert me and ny neighbors, but they are not half as annoying as the @#$%ing soka-gakai!!

Protestants seem to make more of an effort than Catholics when they try to seek new members. But not as much as Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses. I live in Utah (Mormon Country) and they bothered us before we had even fully moved in. We told them we weren't Mormon and that we were Catholic and they left us alone after that. Any missionaires or other mormons in the area know we aren't LDS and they're good about it and they're all good friends to us and such. It's those ones from out of town or out of state that come knocking at the door. Yesterday two of them came to my door trying to preach about families. Hey, it's cool how they're trying to keep families and stuff together but our church talks about that stuff too so they need to shove it and go preach to their own members.

 

[bossel]

They hated the Pope and didn't want to go by his teachings so they decided to start their own church that was basically the same as the Catholic religion except for not following the Pope and a few other trivial things.

I don't know if they hated the pope so much, maybe. But one of the main reasons for the split was one of those trivial things: selling of indulgences.

 

[Mandylion]

First, kudos to everyone on this thread who did not respond to ratvideo's trolling. Notice he/she only posted once. When nobody got mad, our late troll decided to go elsewhere. Nobody needed to be banned, nobody needed to be warned. That is exactly how these things are supposed to work! Great job guys.

if a japanese person is christian would he necessarily shun traditional ways of worship? it he/she didn't could he still be considered a "true" christian?

I have had a number of discussions with Japanese Christians on this point. They all seem to wiggle on this one quite a bit. On one side, most of the people I have spoken with say they really shouldn't be going to shrines and praying at Buddhist temples on occassions like obon (festival of the dead) but that they feel a familial duty to do so. Others in their family might not be Christian, and shunning the family for the sake of their own beliefs is not something most want to do - to them, such actions are very selfish and disrespectful.

They say that when custom dictates, they will participate in Buddhist or Shinto rites, but otherwise avoid them. Also, no church could hope to keep the pews filled if they said people could never again go to pray for their grandparents or attend New Years or local Shinto and Buddhist festivals.

 

[nikki_the_insane]

First, kudos to everyone on this thread who did not respond to ratvideo's trolling. Notice he/she only posted once. When nobody got mad, our late troll decided to go elsewhere. Nobody needed to be banned, nobody needed to be warned. That is exactly how these things are supposed to work! Great job guys.



I have had a number of discussions with Japanese Christians on this point. They all seem to wiggle on this one quite a bit. On one side, most of the people I have spoken with say they really shouldn't be going to shrines and praying at Buddhist temples on occassions like obon (festival of the dead) but that they feel a familial duty to do so. Others in their family might not be Christian, and shunning the family for the sake of their own beliefs is not something most want to do - to them, such actions are very selfish and disrespectful.

They say that when custom dictates, they will participate in Buddhist or Shinto rites, but otherwise avoid them. Also, no church could hope to keep the pews filled if they said people could never again go to pray for their grandparents or attend New Years or local Shinto and Buddhist festivals.

I guess it falls under what family traditions you'd like to uphold. Sure you may have become a different religion but there are still those family traditions that go way back that you just can't drop like that. I can understand them going to festivals with their family members that are still Buddhist or Shinto. I don't think there's anything wrong with that and I'm sure their new religion won't be worried about them practicing traditions.

 

[jieshi]

i myself am a christian. What you guys have been saying about these fanatics is quite true. Screaming through loud speakers about weird things like jesus being reborn in ginza is what we would maybe call a cult. Also you need to repsect other religions so people not wanting to set foot in a temple of their country is a little bit wrong you need to be able to accept. also knowing about other religions is important. Especially if you need to back your religion up and you dont have an excuse to mouth off about another religion if you dont know a thing about it or understand its perspective

 

[nikki_the_insane]

i myself am a christian. What you guys have been saying about these fanatics is quite true. Screaming through loud speakers about weird things like jesus being reborn in ginza is what we would maybe call a cult. Also you need to repsect other religions so people not wanting to set foot in a temple of their country is a little bit wrong you need to be able to accept. also knowing about other religions is important. Especially if you need to back your religion up and you dont have an excuse to mouth off about another religion if you dont know a thing about it or understand its perspective

There are so many religions that it's hard to read up on all of them. It sooo much easier just to make stuff up as you go along! XD Just kidding.

I try to learn about different religions but it just isn't something I'm really into. I like my religion, they aren't pushy, and I believe in God. That's as religious as I really get.

 

[Legato]

I know that might not be the right place but when I asked about that on the anime forum I couldn't get a satisfying answer so I ask again. Obviously the christian population in Japan is very small, yet in animes you can see many references to the christian religion (crucifix, christian names, churches, angel...) If it's not a wide spread religion why use it in something purely Japanese, although it also reaches occidental market? Here is the original post:influence in animes??
I hope I can get some answer here, please

 

[60Yen]

Ok, christianity in japan should not exist at all. christianity should not exist in any asian countries. only buddhism should exist. europeans corrupted the japanese, and later japanese invades china. dont follow european teachings

I call that nonsense. I think everyone has to believe whatever they feel atracted to. If it's Christianity, Buddism or Islam, I don't care. But they should have respect for other people. If that happens, it's ok to me. My parents are Christians, fine, that's their choice. I don't know yet, I'm 16 years old now and I can't make a choice about that. My parents don't force me to be Christian, they think it should be a choice of myself.

If there are Japanese people who want to be Christian, it's their choice. It's not a way of corrupting. Just as you could be a Buddist, a Japanese person could be Christian. I see it as a right to believe whatever you want to believe and you should be happy with it. Now, I know it's not cool in Europe to be Christian, but I can tell you that many people have died for the freedom of religion. Be happy with it and Japanese people have the same right.

 

[Trista]

Last December, some fundamentalist-proselytist-sect-like Christian group was delivering some message in loudspeakers in Japanese about Jesus being (re)born in the streets of Ginza. I found that they were disturbing the usually peaceful astmosphere and the way they spoke, like indoctrinated machines repeating endlessly the same message during hours and standing with people carrying loudspeakers at every street corner, was spooky !

The scary things with Japanese Christians is that they are mostly new converts and thus more fanatics than most Western Christian, who are Christian by tradition or just because of their family rather than by choice. I don't know any Japanese Xian, but I know a few Koreans who are (both catholics and protestants). I was flabbergatsed to hear that they didn't want to enter a traditional temple of their country because it was Buddhist and they were Christians. It's rather alarming that these young people should be so intolerant just because they were so indocrinated by missionaries (my friends weren't born Christian, but converted in their teens or early twenties).

My best friend is Korean. His family immigrated to the USA a few years before he was born. They are Presbyterian(sp?). Eric, my friend, says that his family is extremely radical in their Christian beliefs and they do not wish to embrace more asian traditions. I found that to be strange. He, personally, does not agree with their religious practices.

 

[Kei_Shugojin]

Well...

Well, here's how I see it. There are two types of christians. Fanatical, and tolerant. Although I'm not a christian myself, I was raised as one and my family is from the more tolerant branch. The tolerant branch believes that you should respect and learn about other religions.

Now, the fanatical branch. These people are like walking evangelistical radioes. lol I had a neighbor who I used to hang out with. He'd give me the Letterman list of why I was going to hell whenever we came around. And, at the same time, he was breaking the same rules that he had made up for us. The time that I finally got sick of it was when he made an oral sex joke in front of me... while my sister was in earshot. Let's just say I... reacted badly. He hasn't been around since, and I always turn my radio up real loud with the windows down whenever I drive by his house to piss him off.

In short, not all christians are annoying. It's just that select few, usually baptist. And, even so, it's better to ignore them. (although, if it seems like they're disturbing people, that'd be a good time to call the cops)


thanks for letting me get my 2 cents in.

 

[God]

heh..............................................