Comments on: There’s Religion and Then There’s Religion http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/#comment-4670 Doug Sun, 03 Oct 2010 23:22:16 +0000 https://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=9106#comment-4670 Hi Everyone: <strong>Nellalou:</strong> Sorry the big comment didn't make it through, but thanks for advice. You may well be right. On the other hand, I fear that without a community (one of the three treasures), there's not much support either. <strong>Johnl:</strong> I certainly have been more terse and less compassionate lately, and indeed it's easier to criticize others than to reflect on oneself. I am not happy with my own sense of hypocrisy, but also feeling at the end of my rope too. :-/ I forgot to mention in this post that I've seen Japanese priests do the same bashing of other sects, so I guess the behavior isn't limited to Westerners. <strong>EID:</strong> Thanks very much and welcome. The "Martyrs" book is familiar to me through the recommendations of another online friend, so I really should take a look. :D I see you're in much the same boat though as far as communities go. <strong>LiT:</strong> Always good to hear from you> :D Hi Everyone:

Nellalou: Sorry the big comment didn’t make it through, but thanks for advice. You may well be right. On the other hand, I fear that without a community (one of the three treasures), there’s not much support either.

Johnl: I certainly have been more terse and less compassionate lately, and indeed it’s easier to criticize others than to reflect on oneself. I am not happy with my own sense of hypocrisy, but also feeling at the end of my rope too. :-/ I forgot to mention in this post that I’ve seen Japanese priests do the same bashing of other sects, so I guess the behavior isn’t limited to Westerners.

EID: Thanks very much and welcome. The “Martyrs” book is familiar to me through the recommendations of another online friend, so I really should take a look. :D I see you’re in much the same boat though as far as communities go.

LiT: Always good to hear from you> :D

]]> By: Lost in Translation http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/#comment-4669 Lost in Translation Sun, 03 Oct 2010 13:49:12 +0000 https://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=9106#comment-4669 @ElD: Thanks for that informative response to this (already very insightful) posting. @NellaLou: I agree with your assessment as well. @ElD: Thanks for that informative response to this (already very insightful) posting.
@NellaLou: I agree with your assessment as well.

]]> By: ElD http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/#comment-4668 ElD Sun, 03 Oct 2010 12:40:07 +0000 https://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=9106#comment-4668 There has been a ton of scholarly research on this in both English and Japanese in the last couple of years. As the dissertation I am currently writing tangentially focuses on some of these topics, I hope you will excuse my hubris in suggesting some readings on exactly these topics and pardon the long post. One of the best articles is in the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, by Jason Ananda Josephson, "When Buddhism Became a Religion." it is available online at http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/publications/jjrs/pdf/732.pdf. Josephson cites much of the relevant Japanese language scholarship in this debate as well, which I won't bother to list here. Interestingly, I believe there has also been some new scholarship regarding the combining of zong and jiao as well. This translation of religion was introduced by Japanese scholars (probably Shin Buddhists) working as part of the Japanese imperial campaign. Although not the most interesting read on this topic (but the most readily available) is Xue Yu "Buddhism, War and Nationalism," published by Routledge. Finally, the classic study of all of this is James Ketelaar "Heretics and Martyrs in Meiji Japan" which was published by Princeton. Of all of these studies, it is the one that I make sure to at least once a year as I always get something new out of it. On the second part of your post, I understand completely. And this is exactly why when I go to temples I tend to attend the service and then leave. In that regard I guess I think NellaLou has it right. There has been a ton of scholarly research on this in both English and Japanese in the last couple of years. As the dissertation I am currently writing tangentially focuses on some of these topics, I hope you will excuse my hubris in suggesting some readings on exactly these topics and pardon the long post.

One of the best articles is in the Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, by Jason Ananda Josephson, “When Buddhism Became a Religion.” it is available online at http://nirc.nanzan-u.ac.jp/publications/jjrs/pdf/732.pdf. Josephson cites much of the relevant Japanese language scholarship in this debate as well, which I won’t bother to list here.

Interestingly, I believe there has also been some new scholarship regarding the combining of zong and jiao as well. This translation of religion was introduced by Japanese scholars (probably Shin Buddhists) working as part of the Japanese imperial campaign. Although not the most interesting read on this topic (but the most readily available) is Xue Yu “Buddhism, War and Nationalism,” published by Routledge.

Finally, the classic study of all of this is James Ketelaar “Heretics and Martyrs in Meiji Japan” which was published by Princeton. Of all of these studies, it is the one that I make sure to at least once a year as I always get something new out of it.

On the second part of your post, I understand completely. And this is exactly why when I go to temples I tend to attend the service and then leave. In that regard I guess I think NellaLou has it right.

]]> By: johnl http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/#comment-4667 johnl Sun, 03 Oct 2010 07:29:39 +0000 https://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=9106#comment-4667 It's easy to feel contempt for such people, but it is difficult to feel compassion. It’s easy to feel contempt for such people, but it is difficult to feel compassion.

]]> By: NellaLou http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/10/03/theres-religion-and-then-theres-religion/#comment-4666 NellaLou Sun, 03 Oct 2010 06:57:06 +0000 https://nihonshukyo.wordpress.com/?p=9106#comment-4666 I wrote a big long comment but it really boils down to this. Maybe the solution is to keep the Buddhism but keep a distance from the "Buddhists". I wrote a big long comment but it really boils down to this.
Maybe the solution is to keep the Buddhism but keep a distance from the “Buddhists”.

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