Post by matthewmussolini on Feb 3, 2021 16:31:15 GMT
So, to be a Shinto adherent, you essentially believe the dead become Kami, that is good or malevolent Spirits that can continue to influence the world and respond to our attempts at contacting them or enshrining them.
In Shinto, Kamidanas are created as small homes for enshrined Kami about the size of a cupboard, or Hondens, that is a structure or room closed off to people , reserved entirely for enshrined Kami.
Then there are other prayer halls, rooms, or shrines where people may enter and pray to Kami.
In Shinto, no one knows who founded the Religion, the are no Scriptures to argue about, and none of the ancient writings of Shinto Prophets are considered to be without error. There essentially are no Shinto "Prophets" , but rather people charged with Kami, chanelers of messages from the Spirit world to the material world, Shaman, or Emperors (the highest Shinto priest).
But unlike Bible Prophets, none of them are considered to be inerrant. This is actually beautiful, because Christians have had inquisitions and are constantly judging and condemning people over different interpretations of Scripture and Prophetic revelations of Prophets.
It really makes me extremely nauseous when I see it anymore because I've seen it come from Christians and Muslims (not really Jews) with anger and hatred that is repulsive. I have also seen too many Scripture verses that say the opposite of what other verses say, so I believe Scripture is misleading people.
When there are no Prophets, and there are no founders, there really isn't anything to argue about. Scripture and Dogma distracts from devotion to and relationship with Kami.
So, Amaterasu isn't really known outside of Japan and devotion to her is practiced by relatively a small percentage of even the Japanese.
I find in Amaterasu and Shinto, a faith where I can accept that Jesus died to atone for my sin, and not contradict Shinto. In fact, in Shinto, you don't even have to believe in Amaterasu, but she is the most important and venerated Kami (despite being female and not being the omnipotent creator).
![]()
Amaterasu rose to be essentially greater than her maker based off of the tradition that she defeated 140,000 Mongolian invaders when she struck their fleet with a Kamikaze (Divine wind) when it wasn't typhoon season, helped the Samurai defeat the 100,000 shipwrecked Mongolians who made it to shore (the most miraculous military victory I know of in the history of humanity), but most importantly, she answers more of the prayers of the Japanese people than even the creator himself.
She also founded the Imperial dynasty when she gave a circular mirror to her grandson who descended to earth and gave it to the first legendary Emperor Jimmu, who founded the Imperial dynasty of Japan, the longest surviving dynasty on earth with the only person who carries the title "Emperor".
I didn't believe the story about the circular mirror , and didn't even believe Amaterasu existed, but I kept a picture of Emperor Meiji, Taisho, and Hirohito on my wall, who are believed to descend from Amaterasu. Out of respect for them and the fact that I practiced their faith , I decided to enshrine Amaterasu, and I asked them to reveal to me if Amaterasu really existed, and if not that they would get God to assign a Japanese female sentient being to be my Amaterasu, that when I invoke a Kami by the name "Amaterasu", she hear me and respond.
On September 14, 2019, a day I call "Japan day" due to coincidences involving Japan on the 14th of each month, I went to the Cathedral to pray for Japan (also known as "the land of the Gods"). I turned around from my prayers and noticed a paper with the words "Japan" on it, Maximilian Kolbe, a missionairy to Japan, a picture of a famous Shinto shrine, and I grab the paper because I had just been praying for Japan and was fond of the coincidence.
I left the Cathedral and immediately on the ground was a circular mirror with brown lining. The picture of Amaterasu that I had enshrined next to the Imperial Spirits was her gazing into a mirror with the same color lining (an identical mirror just larger). Circular mirrors are the greatest relic in Shintoism. It is believed Spirits actually enter the circular mirrors kept at Shinto shrines, making the circular mirror almost the equivalent of a Catholic Eucharistic host, only it isn't eaten.
Keep in mind this is a day I call "Japan day", and I had just been praying for Japan and I have a Japan paper in my hand as I'm holding the newly discovered mirror.
Shortly after, I go to Capitol Hill to discover a shrine to deceased firemen. The year 1987 is carved into it next to a ladder. My Chinese Zodiac is the year of the firebunny (1987). The ladder I identified as Jacob's ladder which in Scripture means "the ascent to God". So I ascend the ladder and see my reflection everywhere I look. The ladder goes through a circular mirror. I couldn't believe it.
I became a zealous believer in Amaterasu as a result of that and very devoted to the Imperial Spirits who are believed to descend from her. On the last day of last July I spent all night praying to Emperor Hirohito and the soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni shrine. (Yasukuni Shrine has a Honden where is contained a "Book of souls" where everyone who dies for the Emperor since the shrine was erected in 1869 has their name , birthday, place of birth, and location of death written in a "book of souls", and a priesthood pays them homage. We should have that in America me thinks for our departed vetrans.
I asked if Emperor Hirohito would be my patron Saint, and if I could receive the Shinto equivalent of the Sacrament of confirmation where "Hirohito" became my confirmation name (when Catholics get confirmed, they take a sacred name as of a holy person as their confirmation name.)
Instead of writing out Hirohito, I just wrote H. That morning of August 1, I found a coat with a big H, and above it was a Japanese flag. This was extremely bizzare because minutes prior to that I was at mass receiving Holy Communion for Hirohito and the soldiers of Yasukuni shrine. I found that coat on the sidewalk outside of the Church while I was offering up the treasures of Holy Eucharist for Japan.
It's a military Jacket. Here is what it looks like:
So now, I'm wondering, does my Religious views actually contradict Catholicism though. I go to daily mass usually, I pray many hail Mary's and believe in the Immaculate conception, perpetual Virginity, Assumption, the crucifixion to atone for my sins, and the resurrection.
I go to confession every now and then. I fail to see anything dangerous to my soul as a result of Shinto. In fact, I was a much worse sinner before I started practicing Shinto, and I have received many signs that I am supposed to embrace and practice Shinto. Since no one knows who founded Shinto, I believe it was God who founded it.
Let me know your thoughts. Thank you :-)
In Shinto, Kamidanas are created as small homes for enshrined Kami about the size of a cupboard, or Hondens, that is a structure or room closed off to people , reserved entirely for enshrined Kami.
Then there are other prayer halls, rooms, or shrines where people may enter and pray to Kami.
In Shinto, no one knows who founded the Religion, the are no Scriptures to argue about, and none of the ancient writings of Shinto Prophets are considered to be without error. There essentially are no Shinto "Prophets" , but rather people charged with Kami, chanelers of messages from the Spirit world to the material world, Shaman, or Emperors (the highest Shinto priest).
But unlike Bible Prophets, none of them are considered to be inerrant. This is actually beautiful, because Christians have had inquisitions and are constantly judging and condemning people over different interpretations of Scripture and Prophetic revelations of Prophets.
It really makes me extremely nauseous when I see it anymore because I've seen it come from Christians and Muslims (not really Jews) with anger and hatred that is repulsive. I have also seen too many Scripture verses that say the opposite of what other verses say, so I believe Scripture is misleading people.
When there are no Prophets, and there are no founders, there really isn't anything to argue about. Scripture and Dogma distracts from devotion to and relationship with Kami.
So, Amaterasu isn't really known outside of Japan and devotion to her is practiced by relatively a small percentage of even the Japanese.
I find in Amaterasu and Shinto, a faith where I can accept that Jesus died to atone for my sin, and not contradict Shinto. In fact, in Shinto, you don't even have to believe in Amaterasu, but she is the most important and venerated Kami (despite being female and not being the omnipotent creator).
Amaterasu rose to be essentially greater than her maker based off of the tradition that she defeated 140,000 Mongolian invaders when she struck their fleet with a Kamikaze (Divine wind) when it wasn't typhoon season, helped the Samurai defeat the 100,000 shipwrecked Mongolians who made it to shore (the most miraculous military victory I know of in the history of humanity), but most importantly, she answers more of the prayers of the Japanese people than even the creator himself.
She also founded the Imperial dynasty when she gave a circular mirror to her grandson who descended to earth and gave it to the first legendary Emperor Jimmu, who founded the Imperial dynasty of Japan, the longest surviving dynasty on earth with the only person who carries the title "Emperor".
I didn't believe the story about the circular mirror , and didn't even believe Amaterasu existed, but I kept a picture of Emperor Meiji, Taisho, and Hirohito on my wall, who are believed to descend from Amaterasu. Out of respect for them and the fact that I practiced their faith , I decided to enshrine Amaterasu, and I asked them to reveal to me if Amaterasu really existed, and if not that they would get God to assign a Japanese female sentient being to be my Amaterasu, that when I invoke a Kami by the name "Amaterasu", she hear me and respond.
On September 14, 2019, a day I call "Japan day" due to coincidences involving Japan on the 14th of each month, I went to the Cathedral to pray for Japan (also known as "the land of the Gods"). I turned around from my prayers and noticed a paper with the words "Japan" on it, Maximilian Kolbe, a missionairy to Japan, a picture of a famous Shinto shrine, and I grab the paper because I had just been praying for Japan and was fond of the coincidence.
I left the Cathedral and immediately on the ground was a circular mirror with brown lining. The picture of Amaterasu that I had enshrined next to the Imperial Spirits was her gazing into a mirror with the same color lining (an identical mirror just larger). Circular mirrors are the greatest relic in Shintoism. It is believed Spirits actually enter the circular mirrors kept at Shinto shrines, making the circular mirror almost the equivalent of a Catholic Eucharistic host, only it isn't eaten.
Keep in mind this is a day I call "Japan day", and I had just been praying for Japan and I have a Japan paper in my hand as I'm holding the newly discovered mirror.
Shortly after, I go to Capitol Hill to discover a shrine to deceased firemen. The year 1987 is carved into it next to a ladder. My Chinese Zodiac is the year of the firebunny (1987). The ladder I identified as Jacob's ladder which in Scripture means "the ascent to God". So I ascend the ladder and see my reflection everywhere I look. The ladder goes through a circular mirror. I couldn't believe it.
I became a zealous believer in Amaterasu as a result of that and very devoted to the Imperial Spirits who are believed to descend from her. On the last day of last July I spent all night praying to Emperor Hirohito and the soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni shrine. (Yasukuni Shrine has a Honden where is contained a "Book of souls" where everyone who dies for the Emperor since the shrine was erected in 1869 has their name , birthday, place of birth, and location of death written in a "book of souls", and a priesthood pays them homage. We should have that in America me thinks for our departed vetrans.
I asked if Emperor Hirohito would be my patron Saint, and if I could receive the Shinto equivalent of the Sacrament of confirmation where "Hirohito" became my confirmation name (when Catholics get confirmed, they take a sacred name as of a holy person as their confirmation name.)
Instead of writing out Hirohito, I just wrote H. That morning of August 1, I found a coat with a big H, and above it was a Japanese flag. This was extremely bizzare because minutes prior to that I was at mass receiving Holy Communion for Hirohito and the soldiers of Yasukuni shrine. I found that coat on the sidewalk outside of the Church while I was offering up the treasures of Holy Eucharist for Japan.
It's a military Jacket. Here is what it looks like:
So now, I'm wondering, does my Religious views actually contradict Catholicism though. I go to daily mass usually, I pray many hail Mary's and believe in the Immaculate conception, perpetual Virginity, Assumption, the crucifixion to atone for my sins, and the resurrection.
I go to confession every now and then. I fail to see anything dangerous to my soul as a result of Shinto. In fact, I was a much worse sinner before I started practicing Shinto, and I have received many signs that I am supposed to embrace and practice Shinto. Since no one knows who founded Shinto, I believe it was God who founded it.
Let me know your thoughts. Thank you :-)
