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Shinto Views
To begin, Shintoism is not a religion, and yet it is. It’s the native belief system of Japan, and still in a sense very much alive and well, but it doesn’t identify itself as a body. Shintoism focuses on this life. They aren’t concerned with teachings to earn your way into an afterlife. Their rites…
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Shinto Harmony
Shintoism is very concerned with purity, but this purity is not the moral concept we think of. They believe that by doing, or being associated with disharmonious things, you pick up a spiritual stain. You aren’t a bad person, nor will you necessarily be damned, but it is seen to be in your best interests…
Category: Shintoism
In the Shinto view you live in the world, and so do the spirit/gods. Shintoism focuses on this life. It’s hard to say anything categorical about Shintoism, because it’s not structured like that, and is not really a unified belief. Their rites and prayers are a show of reverence for the “kami”, the living spirits in the world. In a sense if you recognize the spirits then you are Shinto. Shinto comes from shin = spirit, and to = way.
“Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God.” Ko-ji-ki, Hachiman Kasuga of the Shinto tradition, circa 500 AD
“In contrast to many monotheist religions, there are no absolutes in Shinto. There is no absolute right and wrong, and nobody is perfect. Shinto is an optimistic faith, as humans are thought to be fundamentally good, and evil is believed to be caused by evil spirits. Consequently, the purpose of most Shinto rituals is to keep away evil spirits by purification, prayers and offerings to the kami.” (Quote from japan-guide.com)