> What they don't need is a patronizing attitude. These people are tough, and
> they will overcome.
So the rest of the world should just ignore the tragedy that happened because it isn't really a tragedy and the people are tough enough to get through it?
> Panic is the real problem here, and the rest of the world acting like the entire
> country has just been leveled by the fist of God is part of the problem.
Is the reaction of the rest of the world really causing the Japanese people to panic? Is this what you are so frustrated with?
> I wouldn't be so frustrated if I didn't have to deal with daily phone calls from
> people back home asking whether or not I've grown a third head
Don't take that out on the rest of us.
> Youth groups, church football leagues, and all the other
> stuff you have in the US doesn't exist here.
> So, no, they're not like agnostic christians.
I never meant to imply that Shinto-Buddhists and Agnostic Christians were exactly alike. I'm sorry if you took it that way. I was hinting towards that fact that they might not participate actively in the religion as much as older folks do (and generations past might have), while at the same time self-identifying with the religion. Much in the way many Agnostic Christians identify as Christian, but don't belong to any church or attend any regular services.
Personally I don't see how being an Agnostic Christian has anything to do with youth groups, church football games, etc. Are you claiming that all (or even most) Agnostic Christians participate actively in a church community? I was using the term to represent people that self-identify as being Christian (or maybe only sorta feel like there must be some god in a generic sense), but don't really participate in the religion. Am I using the term wrong?
> most people don't identify with specific temples or shrines
Now maybe, but it's my understanding that in the past the temple at which your family was formally registered meant something more than what you are implying. (Though this was really imposed by the government of the time)
I'll admit that my viewpoints may be skewed because Jodo Shinshu 'temples' in the US and Canada were modeled after Christian churches because the Japanese immigrants were trying to fit in, and going to a more traditional temple would have just been another way that they were different. On the other hand, I've met 'ministers' that grew up (and studied) in Japan, and they didn't really say that things were so much different here. So I don't know.
Personally I don't see how being an Agnostic Christian has anything to do with youth groups, church football games, etc. Are you claiming that all (or even most) Agnostic Christians participate actively in a church community? I was using the term to represent people that self-identify as being Christian (or maybe only sorta feel like there must be some god in a generic sense), but don't really participate in the religion. Am I using the term wrong?
Now maybe, but it's my understanding that in the past the temple at which your family was formally registered meant something more than what you are implying. (Though this was really imposed by the government of the time)I'll admit that my viewpoints may be skewed because Jodo Shinshu 'temples' in the US and Canada were modeled after Christian churches because the Japanese immigrants were trying to fit in, and going to a more traditional temple would have just been another way that they were different. On the other hand, I've met 'ministers' that grew up (and studied) in Japan, and they didn't really say that things were so much different here. So I don't know.