Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson wrote:
> On Thu, 25 Nov 2004 15:31:36 GMT, "necoandjeff" <spam@schrepfer.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Eric Takabayashi wrote:
>>> It is Japanese authorities, who for example, consider each and every
>>> Japanese person to be Shinto by birth, making Shinto one of the
>>> world's major religions. I wonder if Japanese Americans or Japanese
>>> who emigrated are also to be considered Shinto.
>>
>> What authorities? The fact that people are labeled Shinto by birth
>> should tell you right there that Shinto is not a religion the way we
>> typically think of religion in the west.
>
> There's a few countries in Europe - Germany is one IIRC - where you
> automatically become a member of the local Establishment church when
> you are born unless you take action otherwise.
>
> I would type more but this is yet another thread that I can see
> heading towards the kill file very soon...

You're talking about the administrative functions of an organized religion,
which is different from what Eric was referring to.