Religion in Japan

Japan's National Religion is Shinto. You should know that. You should also know that the average Japanese is born into Shinto, marries under the Christian faith, but in the end everyone dies as a Buddhist.

What does this say about Japanese society? Does it prove that the ones who follow this pattern don't fully understand the teachings of these faiths? Well, I believe that can be a factor, but even more close to the answer lies the possibility that maybe the average modern Japanese person doesn't dedicate his or herself to just one belief; it's much more about the blending of these religions that makes their beliefs about life, death, and morality so different from other cultures.

But does religion even matter? Most westerners don't find themselves to be religious, but still believe in ideas such as divine intervention, the existence of God, spiritual connections with nature, and an afterlife that follows death.

Following a religion, according to me, is to follow a teaching from a group of people who aren't God, but have some sort of authority close to Him/Her/It. Therefore, following a religion essentially means following doctrine, something governed and altered by a human. No wonder why Atheists exist; we can't trust each other.

Japan is no different. For the average working person, there's no time to go to church, nor is there time to read a Bible. There's no time for anything besides eat, sleep, #2, and work. And every New Year, there's a little time to see the local Shinto Shrine.