Shinshūkyō
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Shinshūkyō (新宗教?) are new religious movements in Japan. They are also known as Shinkō shūkyō (新興宗教?) in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese new religions in English. Japanese theologians classify all religious organizations founded since the middle of the 19th century as shinshukyo. Thus, the term includes a great diversity and number of organizations. Most are influenced by much older traditional religions including Shinto, Buddhism, Hindu and Christianity. Some are syncretic, some share similarities with fundamentalism, and many claim they are not influenced by other religions.
Many regard the Shinshūkyō as cults, and warn against associating with them, as a result of being nervous about their beliefs, their methods and goals, and their methods of persuading others to join them. Unfortunately, modern usage of the terms 'cult' or 'sect' is usually associated with negativity, so many people have a negative image of organizations labelled as cults or sects without knowing anything about them. Even though some new religions have been found to be dangerous (the best-known example is Aum Shinrikyo), there is no evidence of danger in most of the new religions. On the contrary, many people have reported being helped by them. Most of the Shinshūkyō came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century, and most draw heavily upon elements of Shinto and Buddhism. In the West, the best-known Shinshūkyō is probably Aum Shinrikyo, the group which released a Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995.
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[edit] Shinshukyo before World War II
In the 1860s, Japan was subject to great social turmoil and rapid Westernization. Social conflicts emerged and some new religious movements appeared. Among them were Tenrikyo, Kurozumikyo and Oomoto. Sometimes these are called Nihon Sandai Shinkoshukyo (lit. Japan's three large Shinkoshukyo). and were influenced heavily by Shinto and shamanism.
The Emperor Meiji made Shinto the national religion, and some major Shinshukyo based on Shintoism appeared. At the same time, the 250-year ban on Christianity was lifted, and Christian missionaries stimulated other religious movements.
Some Buddhism-influenced Shinshukyo also appeared during this time, including Soka Gakkai.
The Japanese government was very suspicious toward these movements and made attempts to suppress them at times. Such suppression was especially severe in the early 20th century, when Shinto was tied strongly into nationalism.
[edit] Shinshukyo after World War II
[edit] Background
After Japan lost World War II, its government and policy changed radically under occupation by Allied troops, whose core was United States military personnel. Although Shinto and its priests were formerly a part of the administrative system, they became a religious organisation, losing government protection. The Occupied Army (GHQ) practiced censorship, but the former suppression was removed.
GHQ invited many Christian missionaries from the United State to Japan, through Douglas McArthur's famous call for 1,000 missionaries. At that time it ranged not only to traditional churches but also to some modern denominations, such as Jehovah's Witnesses. The Jehovah's Witnesses missionaries were so successful that they have grown to become the second largest Christian denomination in Japan with over 210,000 publishers (The largest is Roman Catholic with about 500,000 baptized faithfuls).
However, the majority of Shinshukyo are Buddhist- or Shinto-related sects. Major sects include Soka Gakkai, Rissho Kosei Kai and Shinnyoen.
[edit] Influence
After World War II, the structure of the state was changed radically. Prior to WWII, the National Diet was restricted and the real power lay with the executive branch, in which the prime minister was appointed by the emperor. Under the new Constitution of Japan, the Diet had the supreme authority for decision making in state affairs and all its members were elected by the people. Especially in the House of Councillors, one third of whose members were elected through nationwide vote, nationwide organizations found they could influence national policy by supporting certain candidates. Major Shinshukyo became one of the so-called "vote-gathering machines" in Japan, especially for the conservative parties which merged into the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955.
Soka Gakkai has a particular influence to politics, thanks to their affiliated party Komeito, later New Komeito, since 1964.
[edit] Analysis
Most scholars agree that the post-war success of Shinshūkyō was partly caused by the spiritual void created by the denial of Shintoism that occurred during the occupation period. However, the reason of its success compared to other non-Shinto religions is still not clear. Neil McFarland has attributed the success to wide-spread use of media advertising by various Shinshūkyōs, which range from simple flyers to radio and TV advertising. Worth Grant has further speculated on Christianity's failure to make a major impact in Japan. He believes it was caused by its focus on education and intellectuals, an emphasis that was caused by severe restrictions on missionary activities in the late Edo to early Meiji periiod. Additionally, some evangelical Christian denominations, which have a greater focus on evangelism compared to other groups, greatly changed when they were introduced to Japan. For example, the Japan Baptist Convention, created by the Southern Baptist Convention, gradually changed into a liberal denomination under the influence of missionaries such as E. Luther Copeland. Other people have pointed to the general apathy of post-war Japan towards religion and the religious ignorance that emerged as a result. However, the true reason why various Shinshūkyō have been successful is still widely debated. One reason worth researching is that they actually help people in concrete ways. There are many such reports from members.
[edit] The Role of Judaism in Shinshūkyō
Though the mainstream of Shinshūkyō is based on the view of the world of Shinto, Buddhism or Shamanism, a significant number of Shinshūkyō draw upon Judeo-Christian concepts, history, and beliefs in forming the core of their own beliefs. A few consider themselves Jewish, or Christian, though they are not recognized by the greater communities (or authorities) of these religions. Some Shinshūkyō subscribe to some version of the belief that the Japanese people are connected strongly to the Jewish people, culturally if not ethnically. Some claim that Japan is the Garden of Eden, that Abraham, Moses, and Jesus were Japanese and are buried there, or that the Japanese people are descended from one of the Lost Tribes of Israel.
There are even several Shinshūkyō sects which also believe in a Jewish conspiracy for world domination as described in The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. Despite their adoption of Judeo-Christian beliefs and principles, most Judeo-Christian-inspired Shinshūkyō are in fact quite anti-Semitic.
[edit] Mahikari
Some scholars claim that the Mahikari, started by Yoshikazu (Kotama) Okada (1901-1974), are one of these Jewish-inspired groups; they say that Mahikari members believe themselves to be descended from the Levites, the priests of Israel. It is claimed that according to their doctrine, the rest of the Jewish people have failed God, and so have been punished throughout history. However, one of the Okada-inspired groups, the Sukyo Mahikari organization considers these views to be distorted. For instance, they claim, the term 'levites' in the Mahikari organization does not refer to the Jewish people of the Bible. It is claimed that the Mahikari believe that their worship and devotion is all that stands between mankind and apocalypse. The original Mahikari, established in 1963, built a "New Solomon's Temple" called Su-za in the Izu Peninsula, where they worship. However, one of the other Mahikari organizations, the Sukyo Mahikari, established in 1978, built another "New Solomon's Temple" in Takayama, called Suza. Both Okada-inspired groups claim an entity called Creator God is enshrined in these temples.
Sukyo Mahikari members claim it is not anti-Semitic and promote their belief that all humankind has the same origin and that people should strive to live in love and harmony (Sukyo Mahikari Jews), (allegations refuted) . While all other religions are regarded as valuable and true for their times, Mahikari is seen as the final teaching, or the teaching of the final age. [1] "First, in order to understand the significance of Mahikari’s aspirations to be a 'Supra-Religion' it is necessary to examine not only the group's teachings but also their possible sources, as well as the time and circumstances of the sources' 'discovery.' Some of the texts that most likely informed Okada’s thought were published during the militaristic period earlier this century, so we need not be overly surprised if they attempt to prove that Japan is the land of the gods and therefore has a legitimate claim to rule the world (though peacefully, for example, SAKAI would insist [1930])."
[edit] Makuya
The Makuya are another Judeo-Christian group of note. Though not affiliated with any Jewish or Christian denominations or authorities around the world, they consider themselves Christian, worshipping God and Jesus in much the same way they believe the earliest Christians would have, obeying Jewish laws, and ignoring secondary objects of worship, such as the Christian Cross or the Virgin Mary. They are strongly Zionist, and make regular trips to Jerusalem to worship at the Western Wall.
[edit] Aum Shinrikyo
Aum Shinrikyo does not claim to draw upon Jewish beliefs or principles, nor to have any ethnic connection to Judaism. However, its doctrine is based largely on The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and on the belief that an apocalypse is coming, and that they are the shepherds who will guide humanity into a new age of light and peace. In the year 2000, they changed the name of the group to Aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
[edit] Some Shinshūkyō of Note
- Aleph, formerly known as Aum Shinrikyo.
- Church of Perfect Liberty, famous for its high school, PL Gakuen, which has a strong baseball program
- Kofuku no Kagaku, also known as The Institute for Research in Human Happiness
- Konkokyo
- Mahikari Kyodan (True Light Sect)
- Makuya
- Sukyo Mahikari-Official North American Website
- Oomoto
- Seicho no Ie
- Tenrikyo
- Agon Shu
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] Further reading
- Clarke, Peter B. (ed.), A Bibliography of Japanese New Religious Movements: With Annotations, Surrey, Japan Library, 1999 ISBN 1-873410-80-8
- Clarke, Peter B. (ed.), Japanese New Religions: In Global Perspective, Surrey, Curzon Press, 2000 ISBN 0-7007-1185-6
- Hardacre, Helen, Kurozumikyo and the New Religions of Japan, New Jersey & West Sussex (UK), Princeton University Press, 1988 ISBN 0-691-02048-5
- Wilson, Bryan R. and Karel Dobbelaere, A Time to Chant, Oxford, Clarendon/Oxford University Press, 1994 ISBN 0-19-827915-9
