Anna Lee, Jason Lewis, Nahya Pelito, Sora Shojae |
Morality in japan
Morality in Japan: Is It Religious?
Shinto: A Time Before Ethics
Shinto has affected the daily lives of Japanese people, but the people's morality is one thing did not stem from the religion.
Shinto is one of Japan's oldest belief systems, dating back to around 500 BCE. Shinto comes from a time when the Japanese population lived in clans or small villages, hunting and gathering. The morals that the Japanese had during these times were associated with these clans; for example, one wouldn't steal from fellow clansmen because he or she may become isolated (shunned) and/or threaten the clan's unity, decreasing one's chances of survival.
Therefore, morality, during the time in which Shinto originated, did not have much to do with virtue or religion. Rather, the people did ethical things for survival purposes and followed belief systems for ritualistic purposes -- two different things.
Shinto: A Time Before Ethics
Shinto has affected the daily lives of Japanese people, but the people's morality is one thing did not stem from the religion.
Shinto is one of Japan's oldest belief systems, dating back to around 500 BCE. Shinto comes from a time when the Japanese population lived in clans or small villages, hunting and gathering. The morals that the Japanese had during these times were associated with these clans; for example, one wouldn't steal from fellow clansmen because he or she may become isolated (shunned) and/or threaten the clan's unity, decreasing one's chances of survival.
Therefore, morality, during the time in which Shinto originated, did not have much to do with virtue or religion. Rather, the people did ethical things for survival purposes and followed belief systems for ritualistic purposes -- two different things.