Buddhism and Christianity

[ModernLogic]

Japanese Christians are kinda weird, though - especially the Protestant ones (maybe I'm just biased 'cause I'm a Catholic). You should hang out with other Japanese too.

I didn't even know Japanese Christians exist.

From my knowledge of history, the Japanese did not recieve Christianity well (as opposed to Koreans). I believe it was during the Tokugawa period when Dutch missionaries first introduced Christianity into Japan. The local Japanese converts initially created a bizarre Buddhist-Christian hybrid religion (where Christ was a later reincarnation of the Buddha) but that didn't turn out well. Later on, the Japanese officials feared that Christianity would threaten their authority and began persecuting Japanese Christians with brutal tactics rivaling the Spanish Inquistion.

Anyways, I guess the handful of Japanese who converted to Christianity did so after WW2 during the American occupation.

[YuheiCarreau]

I didn't even know Japanese Christians exist.

From my knowledge of history, the Japanese did not recieve Christianity well (as opposed to Koreans). I believe it was during the Tokugawa period when Dutch missionaries first introduced Christianity into Japan. The local Japanese converts initially created a bizarre Buddhist-Christian hybrid religion (where Christ was a later reincarnation of the Buddha) but that didn't turn out well. Later on, the Japanese officials feared that Christianity would threaten their authority and began persecuting Japanese Christians with brutal tactics rivaling the Spanish Inquistion.

Anyways, I guess the handful of Japanese who converted to Christianity did so after WW2 during the American occupation.

This is not true... There have been Christians in Japan since the first contact with European missionaries, and even the torture and slaughter of Christians by the shogunate did not wipe them out. My family has been Christian since at least my great-grandparents, because my grandmother was born eastern Orthodox and later converted to Catholicism. However, it's never been a popular religion, and less than one percent of the population is Christian (that's about eight hundred thousand).

[SunWuKong]

The local Japanese converts initially created a bizarre Buddhist-Christian hybrid religion (where Christ was a later reincarnation of the Buddha) but that didn't turn out well.

some Buddhists believe that Jesus was a bodhisattva.

[BeTheReds]

I didn't even know Japanese Christians exist.

From my knowledge of history, the Japanese did not recieve Christianity well (as opposed to Koreans). I believe it was during the Tokugawa period when Dutch missionaries first introduced Christianity into Japan. The local Japanese converts initially created a bizarre Buddhist-Christian hybrid religion (where Christ was a later reincarnation of the Buddha) but that didn't turn out well. Later on, the Japanese officials feared that Christianity would threaten their authority and began persecuting Japanese Christians with brutal tactics rivaling the Spanish Inquistion.

Anyways, I guess the handful of Japanese who converted to Christianity did so after WW2 during the American occupation.


You are correct, most of the current Japanese Christians are either converts themselves or their parents or grandparents were converts.

But christianity has always been around in Japan. It times when it was outlawed, it was practiced in secret and covertly.

Today there are about 1 million Christians in Japan. So while it is a major religion, there are very few followers.

[Fireblade]

some Buddhists believe that Jesus was a bodhisattva.

I've heard of that. You got more information on that?

[SunWuKong]

I've heard of that. You got more information on that?

not online. i've flipped through some new age type books with a buddhist bend that talked about this.

[BeTheReds]

Jesus was a communist and a hippie too.

Kuan Yin also is based on the Virgin Mary. Or, elements of her being in some areas largely borrow from the Virgin Mary image.

[kuilong]

Jesus was a communist and a hippie too.

Kuan Yin also is based on the Virgin Mary. Or, elements of her being in some areas largely borrow from the Virgin Mary image.

I recall she was originally borrowed from India as Avalokiteshvara, and as a he.

In contrast to people believing Jesus is a bodhisattva, there's also St. Josaphat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josaphat), a Saint (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintjaq.htm) whose story turns out to be a corrupted version of Siddhattha Gotama's story.

[SunWuKong]

this thread was split from this (http://forums.yellowworld.org/showthread.php?t=10046).

[yoMAMA]

I recall she was originally borrowed from India as Avalokiteshvara, and as a he.

In contrast to people believing Jesus is a bodhisattva, there's also St. Josaphat (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josaphat), a Saint (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintjaq.htm) whose story turns out to be a corrupted version of Siddhattha Gotama's story.

yeah, i remember talking a world religion course a while back, and kuan yin "the bodhisatva of compassion" was really a dude with mustaches...... :tongue:

Man....... :wink:

Anyways, too be serious, i was told that my great grandparentswere devout christians...back in da dayz in shanghai......

I'm pretty indifferent to religions, as i believe that they are all right and all wrong at the same time....

they are all right because they teach you that in life, you have to do good things and be a good person.

they are also all wrong because they all say that "my god is bigger than your god, your god has a small johnson :tongue: and stuff like that...."

[BeTheReds]

they are also all wrong because they all say that "my god is bigger than your god, your god has a small johnson :tongue: and stuff like that...."

Lots of religions don't say that they are right and other religions are wrong.

Also, isn't it possible that one of the religions that says they are right and everyone else is wrong be right?

LOL

[yoMAMA]

Lots of religions don't say that they are right and other religions are wrong.

Also, isn't it possible that one of the religions that says they are right and everyone else is wrong be right?

LOL

Theoratically, it's possible.

But then, they don't have any evidence whats so ever to prove that they are the only one right...so when you ask them about it, they resort to the same old...."oh, but that's why you have to have faith".......... :rolleyes:

and my all time favorites:

newton and einstein believed in god too!
evolution is about change, not creation (now this is really lame :tongue: )

[kuilong]

Lots of religions don't say that they are right and other religions are wrong.

Also, isn't it possible that one of the religions that says they are right and everyone else is wrong be right?

LOL

Remember that episode of south park?

(Long Pan to Hell. The entrance. All the world's recently departed are
standing around the entrance to hell. Marcie's Dad appears out of thin air.)

Marcie's Dad: Where...where am I?!

New Hellion #1: WHERE ARE WE?!

New Hellion #2: Oh, my God! I've gone to Hell!

New Hellion #3: (Italian Woman) WAZZAPANING?!

New Hellion #4: AAAAAH!

Hell Director: (on a stage near the entrance. on a microphone.) Hello,
new-commers! Welcome! Can everybody hear me?! Hello! (taps his mic.) Can
everybo...okay! Uh, I'm the Hell Director! Uh, It looks like we have about
eight-thousand, six-hundred, and fifteen of you newbees today, and for those
of you who were a little confused, uh, you ARE dead and this is Hell! So,
abandon all hope and, uh, yadayadayada! Uh, we're now going to start the
orientation process which will last about...

New Hellion #5: Hey, wait a minute! I shouldn't be here! I was a totally
strict and devout Protestant! I thought we went to Heaven!

Hell Director: Yes, well, I'm afraid you were wrong!

New Hellion #6: I was a practicing Jehova's Witness!

Hell Director: Uh, you picked the wrong religion as well!

New Hellion #7: Well, who was right?! Who gets into Heaven?!

Hell Director: I'm afraid it was the Mormons! Yes! The Mormons were the
correct answer!

New Hellions: AWW!

[yoMAMA]

LOL!

and in the southpark movie, the devil was sleeping with saddam....... :biggrin:

[seanp]

LOL!

and in the southpark movie, the devil was sleeping with saddam....... :biggrin:


i remember that episode... they even add a little bit of gay porn clips in it lol.. hmm.. think again.... :biggrin:

[yoMAMA]

i remember that episode... they even add a little bit of gay porn clips in it lol.. hmm.. think again.... :biggrin:

Yeah, all saddam wanted to do was........[S_X].....while the devil wants to takeover the world........makes a very strange relationship, certainly..... :eek:

[kboy75]

There are plenty of Christians in Japan. Though not percentage wise in regard to total Japanese population. Many people do not know at all what it is all about.

I went on a mission trip with my church in 1995 to mainland and Okinawa and stayed with a lot of host Japanese Christian families.

[Faithless]

There are plenty of Christians in Japan. Though not percentage wise in regard to total Japanese population. Many people do not know at all what it is all about.

I went on a mission trip with my church in 1995 to mainland and Okinawa and stayed with a lot of host Japanese Christian families.
Speaking of Japanese Christians and Okinawa.

My grandparents received some sort of national recognition for their work with a leper colony near Okinawa.

They have been Christians for a long time -- probably since WWII.

You talk about good honest people.

[DragonKnight]

Jesus was a communist and a hippie too.
The man turned water into wine, got's long ass hair, advocated love and peace, and chilled with the so-called corrupted. Dunno what's up with these conservative christians with flagpoles up their asses. :wink:

[robotic]

I didn't even know Japanese Christians exist.

ah, quite a few of those, my friend.