Page 273 - Islam and Far Eastern Religions

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FROM STATE

SHINTOISM TO AG-
GRESSIVE JAPANESE
NATIONALISM
In 17th and 18th cen-
tury Japan new move-

ments envisaging a re-
vival of Shintoism
emerged. The most impor-
tant of which was the
National Learning Movement.
It set out to put the supersti-
tious Shinto religion at the centre
of Japanese society, thus reducing
the influence of Buddhism and Yoritomo Minamoto
Confucianism to a minimum. This movement was to become the lead-
ing force behind the creation of state Shintoism. Japan until the second
half of the 19th century was a feudal society ruled by Shoguns, but in
1867 re-established the primacy of the monarchy with the Meiji
Restoration.. This new era began with Mutsuhito taking the name of
Meiji, and this monarchy rules to this day (indeed, the Japanese impe-
rial family is the oldest continuing hereditary monarchy in the world,
its rule beginning roughly around the year 660 BC). He was also the ar-
chitect of making Shintoism the state religion with total control over it.

The monarchy was at the core of this extreme nationalist system of
“State Shintoism”. The emperor was a “father” figure, a spiritual leader
and the head of state. State Shintoism concentrated on sermons in
shrines supervised by the emperor. The Shinto ministry, as a part of the
government, controlled the shrines. This ministry passed laws restrict-

Harun Yahya (Adnan Oktar)