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Glimpses of World Religions
Shinto Dharma, but clarifications on the following three matters will be beneficial :(1) The nature of ‘Kami' :
The untimate element or entity is called 'Kami' in Shinto religion. There are in all, 16 opinions available. They can be read in three sections : (1) Pure or holy. (2) The best or supermost. (3) Strange, mysterious or extra-sensory. 'Kami' is the ultimate or supreme element of the universe. “Not only men but all those for which and on account of which fear is generated - beast, bird, plant or stem, tree, ocean, breeze and some extra-sensory power – all of these objects are included in “Kami”. (2) Polytheism :
When all darkness disappeared, the earth and the sky were born, after that the Gods were born. In the beginning, there were two Gods only, and then, the number of Gods began to increase. Reference to 8 Ayut crore or 800 crore Gods is available. Thus, Shinto Dharma is polytheistic. The Sun, the moon, the stars, the earth, the rain, the fog-goddess etc. are the most respected Gods for the Japanese people. Of these the importance of Sun-goddess is the most. We see the symbol of sun-goddess on the natioanl flag of Japan The Divine origin of Japan
The people of Japan believe that God has created the country of Japan and the kings ruling over it also are representations of the Divine.
The king is believed to be the representative of Sun-God. And so, in the Shinto Dharma, loyalty to the kingdom and to the nation as well as worship of the Sun are the two important aspects. A small child of Japan also is taught that your parents are simply givers of your birth only; your real parents are your
