Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson wrote:

> >What is the significance of belonging to a "congregation" to Japanese
> >religion when they don't need to?
>
> No one needs to join any religious group, so I don't understand why
> you are asking this.

Why do you feel it necessary to point out that self declared members of
Christian "congregations" outnumber members of Shinto "congregations" three to
one? It does not mean for example, that there are more Christians than
Shintoists.

> I notice earlier in the thread you stated: "Most people have never
> even heard of these stories despite considering themselves Shinto.",
> which implies that most people consider them Shinto. However, Q7 and
> the SQ suggests only 22% of 29% of the population consider themselves
> Shinto.

Did I talk to any of them?

> And since you spent time trying to define an atheist,

It is not I telling people to get out more to find out what atheism really is,
whom I was responding to.

> given the
> figures in the link I posted, what percentage of the respondants would
> you judge to be atheist, and what percentage might be deemed as proper
> believes, not just the once-per-year Hatsumode-ers.

I posted the definition of atheist, and there is onelook.com if you'd like to
see the collection. I do not care if Japanese are atheist. The only reason I
bring up atheism is because Japanese people claim to be something else, while
perhaps explicitly claiming to believe in nothing.

--
Husbands and parents are surprising their loved ones with a record number of
lifts, tucks and implants over the Christmas period. Breast enlargements or
"Christmas bells", as they are known among surgeons, are one of the most
popular operations.

"I am operating from morning to night," said Albert Hofmann, president of the
German Association for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. "People want to be able to
stand under the Christmas tree with their new car, new living room cabinet and
new breasts."

http://tinyurl.com/3na4e