Quote:
Originally Posted by RealJames
You're entirely right. But what I was getting at was that a statement such as Shinagawa's would hardly be considered "so judgmental" by most listeners in Japan.
And like I said about the way I take "underdeveloped" to mean, not as unfinished but as non-concrete. Most religions have a pretty set-in-stone this-is-what-you-must-do-and-think, whereas in contrast Shintoism seems to have not developed such an attitude.
I personally think most religions are overdeveloped and that Shintoism is just right, but who am I to argue against some one with a differing opinion, like most Japanese I wouldn't get so upset or even care enough to form more than a few minutes of thought on the matter.  |
RealJames, I usually think you are pretty on-the-money, and at least you roll with punches, but I think you are off here.
You are telling me that what has been the national belief system of Japan for over 1000 years, the only domestic belief system followed in the country, would be generally accepted as "underdeveloped"?
Non-concrete does not mean the same thing as "underdeveloped". They are two completely different ideas in terms of meaning as well as level of negativity.
Would a teacher use the word "underdeveloped" to describe a student to her parent?