From: nibber@nevada.edu (KEIKO SHIMMYO)
Subject: Re: Culture and Religion (was Re: Japanese Bible
Keywords: Bible, Japanese, Religion, Culture
Organization: University of Nevada System Computing Services
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 15:07:51 GMT

In article <1992Jul28.034226.5303@bnr.ca> davev@bnr.ca writes:
>
>The Japanese are very tollerant of religion.  I was in a business
>Hotel in Saporo (Hotel Rivage) and they had a Bible and a book of
>Sutra's on the bookshelf.  This is quite surprising since the 
>Hotel staff indicated they they had never had any foreign guests
>before.

I think they are supplied *free of charge* by the religious groups
in Japan.

>
>Although the "official" religion of Japan is Buddhist and Shinto,
>the current trend tends to be more towards materialism.  In 
>North America, the predominant belief has also significantly
>moved towards Humanism. 
>
>Of course, I myself am a Christian.  For many years I have offered
>English Lessons through studying the Bible, mostly with PRC students
>in Canada.  Of course my hope is that through the study they would
>believe in Christ, but never was that forced upon them.  Some 
>chose to become Christians eventually, but not all of them did.
>I will not hide the fact that I am doing that here in Japan too.
>I do it for fun, not profit.
 
I am one of those that got English lessons in a neighborhood where 
people will stare at the sight of "gaijin" - we would listen to
the priest for one hour - in Japanese, and then we would get one hour
of free English lesson from an American.  It was exciting to me - to be
able to converse with a real live English-speaking person.
                        ^^^^ ^^^^
Sometimes it was non-religious English conversation, and other 
times we read some passages from the English-Japanese bible which I 
believe was given to us *free of charge*.

(The books are quite expensive in Japan, and they do not have
book clubs.  At least they did not have when I was there.)

I am still not a Christian, but I enjoyed and benefited from the
experiences.  

For the exchange student, I would give (or let him use) an 
English bible, rather than the one in Japanese, since he is
coming over to learn the English, not Japanese, among other things.
If you want have a passege or two that you like, you can 
read them and expalin why you like, etc.
You have Zen stories posted here, but (almost) nobody takes it
as a serious offense, or does anybody?


In Japan, the Buddism temples offer lodgings, sight-seeing,
and some even run Youth Hostel.  Most of us enjoy them, and do not
take them too seriously.  Even when we happen to be in a situation
where we are compelled to listen to a preacher, we do not take it 
*too seriously* (sorry, this is not really right word).

I think the only time most Japanese feel that religion 
(or anything else) is forced upon them is when the boss shows 
preference to it.  At work or privately. Then, they will take 
it very seriously.  Especially guys do.  Women are allowed to
be more eccentric at work then men could, if one chooses to do so.  
Serious to the extent that they feel they have to show at least
the interest in the matter.

After all, look at the golf-craze. How many of them do you 
think really enjoy trying to hit the white little ball and
missit it.  Most men would rather stay home watching TV on 
their weekend, but they drive three and half hours to 
the XXXX Country Club, because it is "Otsukiai". It is part of
one's job now.

Kay Shimmyo
nibber@nevada.edu