Shinshukyo

'Shinshūkyō' (新宗教) are new religious movements in Japan. They are also known as 'shinkō shūkyō' (新興宗教) in Japanese, and are most often called simply Japanese New Religions in English. Japanese religiologists classify all sects founded since the middle of the 19th century as shinshukyo. Thus, the term includes a great diversity and number of sects. Most are influenced by much older traditional religions including Shinto, Buddhism, Hindu and Christianity. Some are syncretic, some share similarities with fundamentalism, and many claim they are not influenced by other religions.

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Most regard the Shinshūkyō as cults, and warn against associating with them, as a result of being nervous about their beliefs, their methods and goals, and their methods of persuading others to join them. Most of the Shinshūkyō came into being in the mid-to-late twentieth century, and most draw heavily upon elements of Shinto and Buddhism. In the West, the best-known Shinshūkyō is probably Aum Shinrikyo, the group which released a Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995.

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New religious movements: REDIRECT New religious movement...

Japan: For other uses, see Japan (disambiguation)....

19th century: :Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical)...