On the Interpretations of the Teaching “Prosperity of the Family and One’s Descendants” in Konkokyo and their Relation to the Suicide of the Founder’s Brother

In Konkōkyō, a sect of the Shinto religion founded in 1859, the dominant teaching “prosperity of the family and one’s descendants” has been taught and nurtured in the tradition since the Founder Konko Daijin’s era. This teaching is based on his words and the divine words of Kami. Indeed, Konkōkyō ministers and believers have shared and accepted such “family values.” On the other hand, people’s sense of values and family structures have become more diverse in Japanese society today, and the number of single-parent families, stepfamilies in which family members may not be related genetically, and unmarried persons has also increased. Since these contemporary phases of paradigm change within the family have become even more fluid in the 21st century, a backlash against gender equality and sexual minorities has sometimes occurred. Similarly, in a part of Shinto and some new Japanese religions, conservatives may discriminate against and suppress those people who are not seen as belonging to a “proper” family. However, Konkōkyō does not impose conservative family values on its believers. It is because Konkōkyō’s way of salvation is through a face-toface dialogue called Toritsugi, a practice which has been handed down from the Founder. Nevertheless, in the Konkōkyō Organization’s recent policy to return to these traditions, family is emphasized as a means to rebuild community and to encourage the faith being passed down. In this trend, the dominant teaching is being paid closer attention to now. In this article, through analyzing various interpretations of the suicide of 166 Konko Daijin’s brother who had a mental illness, the power of the inclusion or exclusion of vulnerable and troubled people in society are examined. In particular, the author illustrates how minorities and people suffering from illness are explained according to Konkōkyō religious teachings.departmental bulletin pape