At The Heart of The Shinto Religion

The origin of the Shinto religion can date back to and beyond the beginning of history. At the heart of the Shinto is the idea that nature spirits (called Kami) exist in a plane adjacent to our own and as such we can feel their influence everywhere. These Kami encompass many different spirits, from the creators of the nature world to our own ancestors-- allowing the everyday practitioner to feel closer to nature, their ancestors, and even the emperors of the past. One of the common activities of the Shinto practitioners is to wash their hands and mouth in a water basin, to purify their body and spirit. The Shinto practitioners believe that all pollutants can be removed by keeping your home and body clean.

A turning point for the Shinto religion was when the Emperor Meiji took the throne in 1868. This emperor was different from the recent emperors in that he created massive reforms, which included the military, school system, and Shinto religion. This religion reform created a form of the Shinto religion called "State Shinto" (which was government funded) and "Sect Shinto" (which was privately funded). This backing of the Shinto religion by the government allowed the emperor to generate patriotism during World War II. After the defeat of the Japanese government at the end of World War II, the occupation forces demanded that Japan become a secular country. State Shinto was abolished and the Shinto religion was released to private party practitioners.

Dao - From the Viewpoints of Daosim and Confucianism

Daoism and of Confucianism share some common points of view, the main focus of Daoism is to unite human kind with the Dao, and the main focus of Confucianism is to create good relationships between all humans. Below I have listed the main ideas and virtues of Daoism and Confucianism. The main differences between Doaism and Confucianism are Doaism focuses on humans and nature and Confucianism focuses on relationships between humans and society.

Daoism as a whole is mostly focused with 5 main ideas, these ideas are: Dao, a mysterious force that sculpts nature and everything in it; Wu wei, or the ideal of effortlessness; Simplicity, the elimination of unnecessary things and appreciate the simple and ordinary; Gentleness, the act of not doing any harm to other people or nature; Relativity, the ability to view the things around you as more than just simple opposites;

Confucianism focuses on the relationships between humans and society, they practice these 5 virtues: Ren (jen), the blending of two pictographs -- "person" and "two". The idea that one most be considerate of ones actions and how the effect others; Li, which is translated as "propriety". The idea of doing what is appropriate in the current situation; Shu, the common translation is "reciprocity". This idea reminds one to remember the Golden Rule, "Do not do unto others what you would not like done to yourself"; Xiao (hsiao), translated as "filial piety". The devotion of a son or daughter to a parent; Wen, which is translated as "culture". Reminding people that education and art are important aspects of owns one enlightenment;

Dao is recognized by both religions, but in different ways... Daoists concerned with improving the relationship between humans and nature, and Confucians concerned with improving the relations of humankind and society.

Jainism vs Sikhism - A Comparision

It is impossible to not notice any similarities between the religions of Jainism and Sikhism, but it appears the best way to tackle this task is first to list a few similarities and then to list the differences. One of the major similarities is the belief in nonviolence (ahimsa), a belief taken to the utmost extreme by the Jain monks which brush the ground careful before they sit -- to ensure that no animal is crushed. This idea of nonviolence is the foundation of the Jainism ethics and one of the things that comes to mind when most think of the Jain religion. This particular similarity is what I am going to focus on, as this similarity is only valid based on the time that you compare these religions.

It appears that the idea of nonviolence was impossible to retain for some of the rather harsh times the Sikhs had to endure. The Sikhs held this idea to heart until the imprisonment and decapitation of the ninth guru Tegh Bahadur by the Muslim emperor Aurangzeb, who saw the Sikh religion as a potential threat to his control. After the murder of the ninth guru Sikhism took a drastic turn, which started with the tenth guru Gobind Rai. The first major change was introduced when the tenth guru created the Khalsa, which is a special military order he used to protect the people and interests of the Sikhs. Any member of the Khalsa is required to wear 5 pieces of clothing, which they belief promote strength and self identity.

My general ideals are not reflected in either of these religions, but if I had to choose one I would choose Jainism, for its devotion to non-violence and its ideas of self exploration.