Also, in the USA, Koreans have many Christian churches, but Japanese do not. What accounts for the differences between Japanese and Koreans on this point?
2006-06-16 10:56:51 · 15 answers · asked by Maldives 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Japan's history is more deeply rooted in Buddhism and less U.S. occupancy.
2006-06-16 10:59:18 · answer #1 · answered by anh51787 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesuit missionaries arrived in both Korea and Japan in the 1500s. At that time, the missionaries were actually more sucessful in converting the Japanese. The spread of the Christian religion alarmed those in power and the policy of sakoku ("closed country") was instated. Korea also heavily limited its foreign contact. However, missionaries reappeared in the late 1800s to a much more receptive populace. Christian missionaries contributed a lot to Korea society by creating schools, etc. Japan had made significant progress on its own.
Also, the Japanese concept of religion varies greatly from Western concepts of relgion. A religion like Christianity, which excludes the practice of other religions concurrently does not make sense to a typical Japanese person. Most Japanese person do not believe in a particular practice of a religion, and they see feeling a certain spirituality as more important than a devotion to a particular ideal.
2006-06-20 02:40:41 · answer #2 · answered by sariana09 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I think someone asked Pastor Yonggi Cho this questions about 20 years ago and he pointed to the border with North Korea.... I know this happened with a Korean in Korean, but I don't remember for sure if it was Pastor Cho.
2006-06-16 18:04:06 · answer #3 · answered by Rossonero NorCal SFECU 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Koreans hate the Japanese.... that might be part of it... Japanese and Koreans do not share a religion is another... Why do the Japanese have to give up their religion anyway?
2006-06-16 17:59:26 · answer #4 · answered by Uncle Tim 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The Japanese have always been isolationists from the founding of their culture. They've segregated themselves from China, Korea, and other Asian cultures. Since they live on an island, it has been easy for them to focus on what they believe in.
Why have they not embraced 'Christianity'??? Well, I suspect that when the primarily dominate 'Christian' nation of the USA bombed them, 'Christianity' became a joke to them. Even when the "Western" cultures traveled and landed in Japan in the 1500's, "Westerners" were frounded upon by Japanese because they "SMELL"!!!
They're kinda elitist snobs ... Gotta love 'em.
2006-06-16 18:05:49 · answer #5 · answered by Giggly Giraffe 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Because the Japanese and Koren cultures are completely different. The Koren culture also has a huge western influence where the Japanese culture does not. Also, Japan has a huge Buhdist population.
2006-06-16 18:01:57 · answer #6 · answered by Pixel Pusher 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Korea has had more influence from Europeans. Japan has remained a sovereign nation for a long time.
2006-06-16 17:59:29 · answer #7 · answered by bc_munkee 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Japan has the highest average IQs in the world. Still wonder why christianity hasn't gotten a good hold?
2006-06-16 18:00:50 · answer #8 · answered by The Resurrectionist 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Japan is a country that is very proud of its success and heritage. They feel that by adopting Christianity, they are giving up on their heritage, and adopting a foreign religion. Any country that is very proud of its heritage will not adopt a foreign religion (at least 95% of the people will not).
2006-06-16 18:04:14 · answer #9 · answered by Cor 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Maybe it's just that most Japanese aren't fooled by that 'Holier than thou' nonsense!!
Japanese people are more down to earth, logical. Plus, 'sex' itself isn't 'frowned upon' by Buddhism or Shintoism, so why change to a bad-tempered, illogical, prudish, greedy, hypocritical pile of tosh like Christianity?
2006-06-17 09:00:40 · answer #10 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 3⤋