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Tattoos and Shinto
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2009/7/9 03:54
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Hello,
I've been looking for all over the internet, but I couldn't find anything useful on this issue I'm having.
I've been studying a lot about Shinto recently, and I really like the concepts, the rituals, etc. However, I'm curious about what Shinto thinks about tattoos and tattooing. I found one article saying the body is holy and tattooing it is a sin, but I just can't believe it. Then again, I know very little at this point, so if someone could help me out with this, I'd really appreciate it.
(Yes, I have tattoos, both my arms are fully tattooed, and I believe in having a concept, a very personal meaning behind the images. And I think it's not opposing Shinto beliefs in any way -- but I could be wrong.)
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by dinchamion
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Why can't you believe it? I see nothing unnatural about that sort of belief.
But my understanding is that the Japanese in general consider our bodies as a gift from our parents, ancesters and gods. So although it's definitely a belief within the custom, I'm not sure if it is really part of the religion or not. But then again, religion, shinto in particular, is a reflection of everyday life.
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by Uco (guest)
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I can't be sure, but I did hear that having a tattoo is against Shinto. True, "yakuza" have tattoos. But isn't it "uyoku" (extreme right wingers) that are Shitoists?
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by . (guest)
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Yakuza and uyoku
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2009/7/10 08:41
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Yes, and there is often a strong connection between the uyoku and the yakuza- how do you think they get away with making so much noise, blocking streets, ignoring traffic lights etc?
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by Sira (guest)
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While it is true uyoku and yakuza have strong connection and that uyoku are Shintoist, it is wrong to say that Shinto allows tattoo - it is a bit like most Mafia are Catholic, it does not mean the religion encourage what Mafir is doing.
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by magonote (guest)
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Sira,
They get away from making distactions because technically they are not "yakuza", but you are right, they are more or less the same.
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by . (guest)
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Whoah, let's get it straight here. Every person is free to believe whatever religion they want.
A lot of yakuza (criminals) and uyoku (right-wingers) may be Shinto, and a lot of mafia may be Catholic.
But the Shinto and Catholic gods do not allow fraud or murder that a lot of yakuza or mafia are engaged in. Similarly, I wouldn't be surprised if Shinto does not allow tattoos.
Btw, some yakuza are Christians and belivers of various other religions.
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by Uco (guest)
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There is long-standing distrust for tattoos in Shinto, because many of the core texts--the Kojiki, for example--relate how the Gods used tattooing/marking as a way of punishing crime, disobedience, and so forth. As a Westerner dabbling in the religion, you might want to take this into account.
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by Peri (guest)
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