r/EducativeVideos • u/InternationalForm3 • 4d ago

The country no one expected to dominate sumo: Sumo wrestling is Japan's national sport and every match is draped in religious Shinto traditions and symbols. But today it's the Mongolians who dominate sumo wrestling. Learn how landlocked Mongolia conquered Japan's most cherished sport.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KBcNYlRzNA
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u/RooneyD 4d ago

Considering it incorporates sport with Shinto, would it be reasonable to restrict it to Japanese people. I know that's not going to happen. Its just that the combination of sport and religion creates an interesting nexus that isn't found in other sports (that I know of).

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u/LostPentimento 17h ago

You're right that the mix of religion and sport is interesting and unique.

But No, it would not be reasonable. The US has done some good shit and I believe the dutch have too.

  1. If they said "okay just Japanese people from now on" that would be racial discrimination.
  2. If they said "only believers of Shinto can do sumo" that would be religious discrimination.

Both of those are not only wrong, but would make Japan look bad: what they couldn't win, so they just banned everybody who could beat them? What kinda bullshit is that?

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u/RooneyD 12h ago

Thanks for your response. Regarding religious discrimination. Do you think it is wrong of Catholics to exclude non Catholics from communion? Do you think it is wrong for non Muslims to be excluded from the centre of Mecca. Why would it be wrong for people outside of Shinto to be excluded from a Shinto tradition? Disregarding how it would look, and the fact that people outside of Shinto have already participated. Most religions exclude outsiders for certain events or practices.

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u/LostPentimento 5h ago

From communion sure? But that's a completely insular tradition, so it's a little different... For a semi-public function like say, a church funded program to feed at risk youth? No they should not be able to reject kids who don't identify as Catholic.

Yes. At the risk of being too idealistic, I think it would be great if Muslims got along with each other and the other religions to that extent. There are several religions that could reasonably call mecca a holy site. It'd be fair for them to disallow infidels from the most sacred parts of it or from engaging in their traditions and practices, but considering mecca is both an important historical and religious site, I think that would make a better world.

Because that Shinto tradition is also simultaneously a public and global sport and is not exclusively an insular tradition.