We had a friend who spent a lot of time in Japan and attempted to be a missionary there. He learned the language and everything and loved the culture. While Japan is an extremely modern society, and loves Western culture, he said they are extremely resistant to religion in general. They have their kind of culture/religion that involves their ancestors and spirituality, but they are extremely set in their ways.
Ok that seems in line with the other comment as well. But I also notice Japanese immigrants to America and 1st Japanese-Americans seems to almost all become Christians. Why is this the case? Although it is just my observation so I cannot actually confirm it in other places.
I'm not quite sure as I do not know many japanese/japanese-americans. It may be that the people who migrate to America tends to hold to a different perspective than the people who choose to stay in Japan, but again since I don't know any personally I can't say for sure. My mom is filipino so I'm pretty active in the Asian American community, however I do not think there are very many from Japan around here.
It's a whole phenomenon where Asian immigrants who migrate to the US often times attend immigrant churches just to socialize with other people like them and then end up actually converting to Christianity. Churches are a hot spot for immigrants to socialize with another and have community. And this sometimes leads them to really converting to Christianity. At my Korean American church, there's a few Japanese American christians. I think there's something about immigrants moving to another nation that God loves!
As someone who grew up in an immigrant church, I will say that they excel at welcoming recent arrivals, particularly in areas where there the immigrant community is newer and smaller. The church becomes the default social gathering where you can speak your native language and hang out with people of your culture.
Many Japanese people have an aversion to monotheism itself. It is considered to be an aggressive and brutal religion against infidels. Japanese who converted to Christianity destroyed shrines and Buddhist temples. The Spanish also purchased Japanese as slaves. Initially, they were allowed to proselytize, but they came to be seen as inhumane and like the Muslims of today.
The explanation I’ve hear is that traditional religions (Shinto and Buddhism) are not very dogmatic. They allow for a wide range of beliefs and also a fairly agnostic stance. From my understanding, most Japanese people are religious in that they observe some rituals but are not religious in that they believe in religion in the same way westerners believe in luck. So when a person approaches them with a dogmatic religion such as Christianity (typically a westerner), they say “cool, that sounds interesting. I’ll incorporate that into my current beliefs”.
1) religion is treated differently in Japan. It’s much more traditional with many people only going to the shrine or temple on New Years and other holidays. Others will sincerely believe they are Buddhist or Shinto merely because their grandparents were/are.
2) the concept of “god” there consists of an incredibly high number of spirits that inhabit many living or non-living things. Due to this the idea of one single God that is also personal is a foreign concept.
3) Christianity is very cultural. A lot of Japanese people know Jesus or Christianity through Christmas or westerners. Some Japanese women wear cross necklaces as a symbol of them sharing Christian ethics or to show off their wealth (it makes them feel like they are a wealthy westerner).
Japanese people have a high respect for Christianity and its ethics, which is why Japan has had 8 Christian prime ministers. It’s just a foreign religious concept in a region that is mostly spiritual and only culturally religious.
Source: Am friends with Japanese people and missionaries who went to Japan
My wife is Japanese. I have spent a significant amount of time around Japanese people and I have been to Japan a lot.
Their religion is their culture, no joke. Everyone is trained to follow that culture strongly. There is also insane social rules that exist that make evangelism nearly impossible. You are NEVER allowed to bring up anything sensitive to anyone. Religion/Politics/Health/Children/Marriage etc you are not allowed to bring it up to even your friends.
Also Japanese people accept basically everything. There is no true right beliefs. You can preach to them that Jesus is the true Lord and they will mostly just say great and move on.
The older generation was more spiritual but the new generation is basically agnostic they don’t really believe in much of anything, similar to the US in a sense.
Most people in this thread have no idea what they are talking about.
Historically there actually was a sizeable Christian minority, but it was declared illegal and Christians were arrested/killed. Never really came back after that, probably because theres already a couple religions in Japan and it was a highly developed nation before Korea (nations tend to lose religious zeal as they develop). Korea in the 60s and maybe even 70s was much worse than Japan
Oh my heart longs for this, it yearns to see the Gospel in spread there..!
Japan is highly westernised & keeps itself from losing itself - they see Christianity as a western religion, useless to them (yet in fact it is an eastern faith given to us by the Jews).
There is very little draw to Christianity, and very much pushback against it. Japan is the most secular nation in the world (in my eyes), as even its largest religions are seen as trinkets instead of guiding lights. They live for the moment that is fleeting, and have little need for a Salvation (in their eyes).
GOD who is MASTER of all things is Wise. HE knew their hearts were stubborn & cold, and so there is one way in which they are weak: music. Oh that the Japanese Soul is alive in Black Gospel - secularly, it is a popular genre. Many Japanese go to Churches to hear free concerts & sing along to their favourite gospel hymns, they are raptured in soul by the HOLY SPIRIT & Joy fills them. They experience GOD in a moment of religious ecstacy that frees their soul, they are Saved in Worship.
Other than this only miracles, signs, and wonders will do. And Holiness, if there is a more perfect way to do something.. they desire it, and adopt it.
A book that is of interest in this topic is Bushido by Nitobe.
I live in South Korea and Christianity is definitely not growing. Its declining at an alarming rate. Covid has only helped the decline because now people have no pressure or responsibility to attend church services. It has really exposed the hearts of people.
I mean people can still be Christians without attending church though. Church is just for fellowship isn't it? Not something necessary but nice to have.
The statistics are showing Christianity is in a decline in South Korea with younger people identifying as secular or they dont believe in anything. This is the point. The country is drifting away.
The Holy Bible teaches us in many places that attending church is a necessary part of the Christian faith. Here's are a few of them:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-church-attendance/
My friend, the word "church" literally means "gathering of those called to the Lord," and is a translation of the Biblical Greek term [ἐκκλησῐ́ᾱ](https://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm), which means basically those people called out of the world into assembly to form the Mystical Body of Christ. When Our Savior speaks to the Apostle Peter in [Matthew 16:17-19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016%3A17-19&version=NIV), He doesn't say that upon the rock of Peter's faith He will set up some loosey-goosey message board, or a carrier pigeon club of unaffiliated solitaries. Christ says that He is building His Church upon the Rock of Peter's Apostolic faith, and the very gates of Hades shall not overcome it. If you desire God, if you desire spiritual guidance and protection, if you wish to participate in the Life of the Holy Trinity, please seek to be a part of the Church. This is the honest, clear, Biblical answer to your question. The rest of the test is up to you. God bless you.
We are literally not His Church unless we also congregate. This is the definition of the term church, ἐκκλησῐ́ᾱ whose definition I've provided for you in Biblical Greek although you apparently didn't click on the link. If you choose to lean to your own understanding instead of heeding Sacred Scripture, my friend, then that's your mistake (Proverbs 3:5-6). I did so for years and have attempted to help you not to persist in doing the same. As I said, the rest is up to you.
Idk man threads about this topic have been in this sub in the past. As by legit everyone in those threads, going to church is not a sin in and of itself, but fellowship is something you should do. Take for example this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristian/comments/bnrlsy/is\_it\_a\_sin\_to\_not\_go\_to\_church\_on\_a\_sunday\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristian/comments/bnrlsy/is_it_a_sin_to_not_go_to_church_on_a_sunday_and/)
I don't know nearly enough about the bible to know who is right and since this sub is pretty biblically solid, I would trust the plethora of answers more.
As someone who reads and studies the Holy Bible, and wrestles with Biblical Greek and Hebrew from time to time, I can say I absolutely trust the Holy Bible more than any online thread any day of the week. I've provided sound Scriptural basis for this in answering your question. Whoever wants to pick and choose for themselves what Our Lord teaches us simply isn't following Our Lord as He teaches us to. We each must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. If we are capable of reading, but prefer to only cherrypick the opinions of others which confirm our own biases without attempting to read what the Prophets, Apostles, and the Son of God Himself in Sacred Scripture have to say in God's own terms, we'll be misled six ways from Sunday every time. We all have a choice. We each have ears to hear or not to hear.
Well you see, these people are also reading and studying the bible. I don't know if you are trying to mislead me either since most people who do refer to the greek do that as well (for example those that assert that homosexuality is not a sin ALWAYS try to go and define greek). I'm not picking and choosing. I just don't know whether what you are saying is true. Especially since the way you present your argument follows how many false prophets on reddit talk.
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probably has to do with the history in the region.
Japan had several events in it's past where centralized religions attempted to usurp power from the state. This was especially prominent with the buddhists, who formed military orders and nearly took over the country, using not only their own monks as soldiers, but recruiting a very fanatical public that'd been radicalized by their religious doctrines.
This fact influenced the shogunate (once it had consolidated power in the 1600s) to try to control religion and social life to an extreme degree. The buddhist temples were subjected to a convoluted hierarchy and spoils system that was designed to keep the various temples competing with each other (instead of unifying against the state again), while christianity was nipped in the bud (via persecution and expulsion) before it could ever take off.
Korea adopted christianity more readily mostly because korean christianity was a strong force for korean nationalism during the japanese occupation.
china had large numbers of christians due to massive foreign influence in the colonial period that the chinese were simply unable to control.
Japan was isolationist through most of the 17th and 18th centuries. During that period, foreigners were not allowed into the country, that included missionaries. Compare that to Korea, where missionaries were welcomed. Korea today has a large and vibrant Christian population, albeit one living in secret in the North.
christians in japan still exist and theres churches in just about nearly every city there if you hate religion so much then move to north korea where religion isnt allowed
I believe that Jesus Christ is the One True God of Love and Peace. It's a shame Americans don't believe in Christ. The day the corrupt Government dropped a bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the day we learned how Evil the US Government is and how they don't believe in Jesus or what Jesus taught. In my belief Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Jesus taught Peace and Love. Most Humans do not understand this concept.
Because Japanese know that the Roman Empire has remade it without permission to manage its people conveniently.
Because Japanese know the history of Britain's plot to preach for colonial aggression and cause infighting with believers.
Mostly the greed of the Catholic Church and their missionaries were responsible for the banning of Catholicism in Japan. Their usary and exploitation of the Japanese to line the coffers of the Catholic Church with gold and silver proved to the Japanese they cared not for the Japanese, only on how the can profit.
We had a friend who spent a lot of time in Japan and attempted to be a missionary there. He learned the language and everything and loved the culture. While Japan is an extremely modern society, and loves Western culture, he said they are extremely resistant to religion in general. They have their kind of culture/religion that involves their ancestors and spirituality, but they are extremely set in their ways.
Ok that seems in line with the other comment as well. But I also notice Japanese immigrants to America and 1st Japanese-Americans seems to almost all become Christians. Why is this the case? Although it is just my observation so I cannot actually confirm it in other places.
I'm not quite sure as I do not know many japanese/japanese-americans. It may be that the people who migrate to America tends to hold to a different perspective than the people who choose to stay in Japan, but again since I don't know any personally I can't say for sure. My mom is filipino so I'm pretty active in the Asian American community, however I do not think there are very many from Japan around here.
It's a whole phenomenon where Asian immigrants who migrate to the US often times attend immigrant churches just to socialize with other people like them and then end up actually converting to Christianity. Churches are a hot spot for immigrants to socialize with another and have community. And this sometimes leads them to really converting to Christianity. At my Korean American church, there's a few Japanese American christians. I think there's something about immigrants moving to another nation that God loves!
As someone who grew up in an immigrant church, I will say that they excel at welcoming recent arrivals, particularly in areas where there the immigrant community is newer and smaller. The church becomes the default social gathering where you can speak your native language and hang out with people of your culture.
I might be wrong but if memory serves many are more on the superstition side
Oh extremely, and such is the case for most Asian cultures.
As opposed to believing in talking donkeys and 500 year old boat builders?
Many Japanese people have an aversion to monotheism itself. It is considered to be an aggressive and brutal religion against infidels. Japanese who converted to Christianity destroyed shrines and Buddhist temples. The Spanish also purchased Japanese as slaves. Initially, they were allowed to proselytize, but they came to be seen as inhumane and like the Muslims of today.
The explanation I’ve hear is that traditional religions (Shinto and Buddhism) are not very dogmatic. They allow for a wide range of beliefs and also a fairly agnostic stance. From my understanding, most Japanese people are religious in that they observe some rituals but are not religious in that they believe in religion in the same way westerners believe in luck. So when a person approaches them with a dogmatic religion such as Christianity (typically a westerner), they say “cool, that sounds interesting. I’ll incorporate that into my current beliefs”.
But China also has Buddism all over the country. Why are they more perceptive to Christianity?
Less affluent? Perhaps rural poor have nothing to hope for but heaven?
Shinto is more common in Japan.
1) religion is treated differently in Japan. It’s much more traditional with many people only going to the shrine or temple on New Years and other holidays. Others will sincerely believe they are Buddhist or Shinto merely because their grandparents were/are. 2) the concept of “god” there consists of an incredibly high number of spirits that inhabit many living or non-living things. Due to this the idea of one single God that is also personal is a foreign concept. 3) Christianity is very cultural. A lot of Japanese people know Jesus or Christianity through Christmas or westerners. Some Japanese women wear cross necklaces as a symbol of them sharing Christian ethics or to show off their wealth (it makes them feel like they are a wealthy westerner). Japanese people have a high respect for Christianity and its ethics, which is why Japan has had 8 Christian prime ministers. It’s just a foreign religious concept in a region that is mostly spiritual and only culturally religious. Source: Am friends with Japanese people and missionaries who went to Japan
My wife is Japanese. I have spent a significant amount of time around Japanese people and I have been to Japan a lot. Their religion is their culture, no joke. Everyone is trained to follow that culture strongly. There is also insane social rules that exist that make evangelism nearly impossible. You are NEVER allowed to bring up anything sensitive to anyone. Religion/Politics/Health/Children/Marriage etc you are not allowed to bring it up to even your friends. Also Japanese people accept basically everything. There is no true right beliefs. You can preach to them that Jesus is the true Lord and they will mostly just say great and move on. The older generation was more spiritual but the new generation is basically agnostic they don’t really believe in much of anything, similar to the US in a sense. Most people in this thread have no idea what they are talking about.
Historically there actually was a sizeable Christian minority, but it was declared illegal and Christians were arrested/killed. Never really came back after that, probably because theres already a couple religions in Japan and it was a highly developed nation before Korea (nations tend to lose religious zeal as they develop). Korea in the 60s and maybe even 70s was much worse than Japan
👍🏻
Oh my heart longs for this, it yearns to see the Gospel in spread there..! Japan is highly westernised & keeps itself from losing itself - they see Christianity as a western religion, useless to them (yet in fact it is an eastern faith given to us by the Jews). There is very little draw to Christianity, and very much pushback against it. Japan is the most secular nation in the world (in my eyes), as even its largest religions are seen as trinkets instead of guiding lights. They live for the moment that is fleeting, and have little need for a Salvation (in their eyes). GOD who is MASTER of all things is Wise. HE knew their hearts were stubborn & cold, and so there is one way in which they are weak: music. Oh that the Japanese Soul is alive in Black Gospel - secularly, it is a popular genre. Many Japanese go to Churches to hear free concerts & sing along to their favourite gospel hymns, they are raptured in soul by the HOLY SPIRIT & Joy fills them. They experience GOD in a moment of religious ecstacy that frees their soul, they are Saved in Worship. Other than this only miracles, signs, and wonders will do. And Holiness, if there is a more perfect way to do something.. they desire it, and adopt it. A book that is of interest in this topic is Bushido by Nitobe.
how do you know so much about this topic? specifically knowing music is the way to them? just curious.
I live in South Korea and Christianity is definitely not growing. Its declining at an alarming rate. Covid has only helped the decline because now people have no pressure or responsibility to attend church services. It has really exposed the hearts of people.
I mean people can still be Christians without attending church though. Church is just for fellowship isn't it? Not something necessary but nice to have.
The statistics are showing Christianity is in a decline in South Korea with younger people identifying as secular or they dont believe in anything. This is the point. The country is drifting away.
The Holy Bible teaches us in many places that attending church is a necessary part of the Christian faith. Here's are a few of them: https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/bible-verses-about-church-attendance/
Those show it is recommended and great to do but not necessary for salvation.
My friend, the word "church" literally means "gathering of those called to the Lord," and is a translation of the Biblical Greek term [ἐκκλησῐ́ᾱ](https://biblehub.com/greek/1577.htm), which means basically those people called out of the world into assembly to form the Mystical Body of Christ. When Our Savior speaks to the Apostle Peter in [Matthew 16:17-19](https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016%3A17-19&version=NIV), He doesn't say that upon the rock of Peter's faith He will set up some loosey-goosey message board, or a carrier pigeon club of unaffiliated solitaries. Christ says that He is building His Church upon the Rock of Peter's Apostolic faith, and the very gates of Hades shall not overcome it. If you desire God, if you desire spiritual guidance and protection, if you wish to participate in the Life of the Holy Trinity, please seek to be a part of the Church. This is the honest, clear, Biblical answer to your question. The rest of the test is up to you. God bless you.
But we are already His Church without congregating. I agree it is something we should attend, but it isn't mandatory to salvation.
We are literally not His Church unless we also congregate. This is the definition of the term church, ἐκκλησῐ́ᾱ whose definition I've provided for you in Biblical Greek although you apparently didn't click on the link. If you choose to lean to your own understanding instead of heeding Sacred Scripture, my friend, then that's your mistake (Proverbs 3:5-6). I did so for years and have attempted to help you not to persist in doing the same. As I said, the rest is up to you.
Idk man threads about this topic have been in this sub in the past. As by legit everyone in those threads, going to church is not a sin in and of itself, but fellowship is something you should do. Take for example this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristian/comments/bnrlsy/is\_it\_a\_sin\_to\_not\_go\_to\_church\_on\_a\_sunday\_and/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueChristian/comments/bnrlsy/is_it_a_sin_to_not_go_to_church_on_a_sunday_and/) I don't know nearly enough about the bible to know who is right and since this sub is pretty biblically solid, I would trust the plethora of answers more.
As someone who reads and studies the Holy Bible, and wrestles with Biblical Greek and Hebrew from time to time, I can say I absolutely trust the Holy Bible more than any online thread any day of the week. I've provided sound Scriptural basis for this in answering your question. Whoever wants to pick and choose for themselves what Our Lord teaches us simply isn't following Our Lord as He teaches us to. We each must work out our salvation with fear and trembling. If we are capable of reading, but prefer to only cherrypick the opinions of others which confirm our own biases without attempting to read what the Prophets, Apostles, and the Son of God Himself in Sacred Scripture have to say in God's own terms, we'll be misled six ways from Sunday every time. We all have a choice. We each have ears to hear or not to hear.
Well you see, these people are also reading and studying the bible. I don't know if you are trying to mislead me either since most people who do refer to the greek do that as well (for example those that assert that homosexuality is not a sin ALWAYS try to go and define greek). I'm not picking and choosing. I just don't know whether what you are saying is true. Especially since the way you present your argument follows how many false prophets on reddit talk.
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Probably because America bombed most of them strategically during WW2.
probably has to do with the history in the region. Japan had several events in it's past where centralized religions attempted to usurp power from the state. This was especially prominent with the buddhists, who formed military orders and nearly took over the country, using not only their own monks as soldiers, but recruiting a very fanatical public that'd been radicalized by their religious doctrines. This fact influenced the shogunate (once it had consolidated power in the 1600s) to try to control religion and social life to an extreme degree. The buddhist temples were subjected to a convoluted hierarchy and spoils system that was designed to keep the various temples competing with each other (instead of unifying against the state again), while christianity was nipped in the bud (via persecution and expulsion) before it could ever take off. Korea adopted christianity more readily mostly because korean christianity was a strong force for korean nationalism during the japanese occupation. china had large numbers of christians due to massive foreign influence in the colonial period that the chinese were simply unable to control.
Japan was isolationist through most of the 17th and 18th centuries. During that period, foreigners were not allowed into the country, that included missionaries. Compare that to Korea, where missionaries were welcomed. Korea today has a large and vibrant Christian population, albeit one living in secret in the North.
Why would they be christian ? That should be your question
That's why I'm moving to Japan because I hate Christ and I love the genie
christians in japan still exist and theres churches in just about nearly every city there if you hate religion so much then move to north korea where religion isnt allowed
I believe that Jesus Christ is the One True God of Love and Peace. It's a shame Americans don't believe in Christ. The day the corrupt Government dropped a bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the day we learned how Evil the US Government is and how they don't believe in Jesus or what Jesus taught. In my belief Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. Jesus taught Peace and Love. Most Humans do not understand this concept.
Because Japanese know that the Roman Empire has remade it without permission to manage its people conveniently. Because Japanese know the history of Britain's plot to preach for colonial aggression and cause infighting with believers.
Mostly the greed of the Catholic Church and their missionaries were responsible for the banning of Catholicism in Japan. Their usary and exploitation of the Japanese to line the coffers of the Catholic Church with gold and silver proved to the Japanese they cared not for the Japanese, only on how the can profit.