Wednesday 8 June 2022

About Bon Odori and visiting a Shinto temple

So, the religious people are now saying that the Bon Odori celebration is haram for Muslims.

Sigh.

And all these while I thought the festival is celebrated here just for fun and enjoying Japanese stuff.

Never been to one despite it being actually celebrated here over the past 30 years, but I wish I had, now that as a Muslim I'm no longer allowed to do so.

I wonder how many of those Muslims who had been to the Bon Odori celebrations here over the years have actually lost their faith in Islam.

Well, I once visited the famous Kiyomizu-dera temple in Kyoto and am still very much a Muslim.

I found that the scenic Shinto temple more of a tourist attraction than a place of worship, actually.

It was fun walking up and down the hill where the temple is located while shopping for authentic Japanese stuff at the shops along the pathways.

I saw quite a number of Malaysian tourists, including girls in tudung wearing rented kimonos posing around the temple complex for pictures.

It was late autumn and the scenery was fantastic.

After the trip, I had a chat with my Japanese friend and asked why the temple felt more like a tourist attraction than a place where people worship their gods.

He laughed and said in Japan, religion is categorised the same as entertainment as the majority of Japanese don't take religion too seriously.

The guy, who is a political analyst said that was why at first he was baffled with how religion-based parties in Malaysia could do so well.

Personally, I don't find the Bon Odori celebration here is a real threat to the faith of Muslims who took part in it.

It's more a cultural rather than a religious thing. A bit of a cosplay Japanese party, really. 

Many Malaysians love the Japanese culture and it's an event where they could express their fondness of it.

At least that's how I see it.

Of course, the religious people see it differently.

I guess, the religious authorities will after this tell Muslims more firmly that it's haram to join in the celebrations of Deepavali, Christmas, etc.

Well, they are the experts and being a Muslim, I would try to abide by such a fatwa as much as I could.

Hopefully they wouldn't ban me from celebrating Chinese New Year because that would give me quite a bit of a problem.

27 comments:

  1. The danger of just doing it because everyone else is doing it, because it is trendy, just because, is because we preceed to do stuff without 1st thinking.

    It is like money see monkey do.
    At least understand wht it is tht u actually do.

    And then u added the satanic doctrine "thou shall do wht thou whilst" things can actually get dangerous.

    Plus doing stuff without really understanding wht u did and why kinda disrespect the practice itself isnt it. Theres just no appreciation to it instead just an empty imitation.

    I think human should be better than tht but thts just me.

    In the end their faith and their iman is up to them. But we are told to advice people at least. Nothing wrong with tht.

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  2. I never knew there was this Bon Ondori festival in Malaysia until the big hoo-haa brought up by the righteous.

    What's next?

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  3. time to rein in these PAS idiots from the cabinet. glad sultan of selangor put this to bed.

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    Replies
    1. You must be an idiot too for taking this seriously. It is a free country.

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  4. Majority of celebrations and cultural festivals have an elements of religion and paganism.

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  5. ....dan mereka tak kan puas hati dgn kamu...selagi kamu tak bersama sama dgn mereka...mengikuti cara hidup serta budaya mereka...!!!

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    1. Chill la sdr... apa itu budaya? Apa itu cara hidup? Sdr pi kerja pakai baju melayu / jubah atau pakai baju kemeja? Makan nasi duduk bersila atau dekat meja makan? Sdr dgr radio & tengok tv? Budaya curi tulang, duit kopi & rasuah yg berleluasa di msia ni budaya dari mana pulak? Rasa nya negara jepun & barat punya etika kerja yg jauh lebih baik & amat peka tentang rasuah...

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  6. Aisay Annie...if yr faith is strong even attending a religious function other than yr own will not influence u. Muslims easily konpuse....all bull la. These PAS clowns in cabinet have nothing else better to do. JAKIM with its billion dollar budget shd b shut down....contributes absolutely nothing to d country.

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  7. Anon 15:20...bagaimana pula dgn sisi gelap cara hidup dan budaya mereka!!!

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    Replies
    1. Yaa.. right...masyarakat melayu tak ada sisi gelap ke?

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  8. Bon odori is japanese version of hungry ghost. Mexico celebrate day of dead a version of all soul day. We muslim do tahlil. So imho the advice given is not to transgress beyond the limits of your belief.


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  9. according to the towelheads, we should not be celebrating CNY, Deepavali, Ponggal etc……never mind xmas. thats been blacklisted long time ago.

    majulah malaysia

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    Replies
    1. If you start calling names. Dont expect the others to stay silent. It will never end. We respect your beliefs and we expect you to respect our beliefs.

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    2. Anon 13.57

      Will do u good to understand and maybe even listen to chapter 109 of the Quran.

      If we dont celebrate them are we evil ?

      U do ur thing but dont be telling us wht to do

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    3. Anon 22:26...u r like a cow being led by the nose. Y let n ulamak dictate yr life. If u think d program is halal by all means go n njoy. If u think it is haram Don't go. Use yr God given brain. The big guy above knows all n let Him pass judgement. Don't bow to these so called religious people! Pls grow a pair.

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    4. http://asian-images.photoshelter.com/image/I0000dkw7.ETb9CI

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    5. why thank u anon 11.40,

      have i ever mentioned tht the ulama is dictating my life ?

      should we use our brain according to ur standards and logics ? since when ? and if we dont, tht means we dont have a pair ? lol now thts rich.

      i only ask u to look at the quran. and the quran is the guidance for all muslim from Whom we believe is our Creater. and the verses couldnt be clearer regarding our stand on this. clearly this is the book tht explains.

      again if u dont know wht u r talking about then dont tell us wht to do. u with wht u do, us with wht we do.

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  10. https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/leaders/2022/06/803934/nst-leader-bon-odori

    Excerpts:
    " For far too long, the religious authorities in Malaysia, and the politicians behind them, have tried to exercise their will upon the people by trying to get Muslims to submit to the clergy's will, in the guise of submitting to God's will.

    Islam was never meant to be thus. Coming as an evolution in religion, Islam specifically set out to differentiate itself by not having a clergy system.

    In Islam, every Muslim communicates with God directly, without the need for an intermediary. Not for Muslims the concept of absolution or excommunication by an imam or ustaz.

    Learned scholars may give their opinions; but, at the end of the day, it is for the believer to exercise his conscience."

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  11. why not just allow muslims to think for themselves ?

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  12. I guess when nothing works such as the economy suddenly religion take centre stage. If only it is not from a political party the issue would warrant more attention. But since it is raised by a political party, we have to look at the political agenda and nothing else. Every one of them on both divide are just thinking about how to be at centre stage to be seen as relevant. Please dont take the bait. We need them ( politician) to focus on lifting our economy up and go check on the health of each constituancies. You might not be suffering but a lot out there are in duress to say the least. Get smart people.

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  13. makan sushi got religious motive or not?

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    Replies
    1. Definitely....sushi has its roots in Shintoism. Consuming it will compromise yr faith n u will not be entitled to yr virgins...42 or 72?

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    2. eat rice also. remeber the pioneers of rice used as ancentral scarifices aka Shang dynasyy

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    3. If you eat nasi lemak and satay you are muslim. Ha ha. When we cook we say our prayer.

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  14. Kuala Lumpur at war..!? Why so many sandbag in KL now..

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  15. Go learn the religion n find out why and cantlah?

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  16. Bon odori is small personal matter. Go or no go. What is more urgent is food security that matter. Hunger or no hunger. Money or no money. Some said stockpile is a formula but to stockpile when price is high is crazy. You do not stockpiled what is perishable. Neither you should go into production. What we should is change in lifestyles, seek alternatives and reduce wastages.

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