I'm here to rebuttal a point against me by a user in /r/badeasternphilosophy - after a lot of in depth research. I'm going to argue that spirits and animism more accurately describe Shinto practice, compared to gods and polytheism.

Original spark for this:

https://np.reddit.com/r/badEasternPhilosophy/comments/52owbz/high_effort_h_discussionrshintos_faq_oh_my_kami/

To start, let's establish a baseline based on what religions we're going to compare Shinto to, specifically their divine beings - comparing characteristics. I chose these:

• Hinduism
• Cultus Deorum Romanorum
• Wuism
• Algonquian Religion

The first two have gods. The latter have spirits. Let's compare the traits of the gods to the traits of the spirits:

Hindu Gods: Immortal, immutable, assigned a human form, omnipotent and omniscient. Selfless towards their worshippers. Personal.

Roman Gods: Immortal, immutable, assigned a human form, omnipotent, omniscient. Selfless towards worshippers, selfish in their myths and towards each other. Much more human-like in their attributes. Impersonal.

Wuism Spirits: Immortal, incorporeal, part of nature and thus not immutable, rarely take human form, not omnipotent, and not omniscient. Selfish, self-serving but following a moral code of conduct. Impersonal.

Algonquian Spirits: Immortal, incorporeal, part of nature, always depicted as animals ( thunderbird, underworld serpent etc ). Some degree of omipotence, no omniscience, selfless towards their worshippers. Impersonal.

Now, let's compare Shinto Kami: Immortal, incorporeal, part of nature, sometimes human form, some omnipotence ( in their respective areas ), not omniscient. Selfish, self-serving, follows code of conduct and honor. Impersonal.

There's a significant overlap here, so lets cancel out and see what we're left with that defines gods and what defines spirits:

Gods: Generally assigned human qualities. Immutable. Omnipotent, Omniscient.

Spirits: Incorporeal. Rarely assigned human traits or qualities. Part of nature. Not omnipotent or omniscient. Always impersonal.

Shinto has more qualities of spirits, per my comparison of these religions. Maybe my selection was unfair, but I wanted to avoid new-age comparisons or comparisons to too many Native American religions I probably know too little about. I'd like to thank my Native Algonquian friend for helping me classify the spirits of his religion.

Now, does it really matter? I say it does. Gods implies a degree of responsibility and human-ness. Spirit implies a more subtle, less human and more alien life form.

Then of course, comes Japanese Christianity to throw another dimension. They address God as Kami-sama, same as you'd address a Shinto Kami. I think this is where a lot of the confusion originates. Kami-sama being applied to the Christian God is a recent development, compared to the 2,500 year history of Shinto which has its origins in the Jomon period, considering Japan didn't get contact with it until Portugal arrived in 1543. And it makes sense, in a way that they'd apply it. To the Japanese Christians I talked to before writing this, they told me that it's as if God to them is akin to a Shinto Kami, and indeed, many of them syncrete it with Shinto, as heretical as that may be from a Christian standpoint.

There is no perfect translation, but I believe spirits to be a better word than gods. Go figure. It's an opinion, but its one I feel is well founded. I'll kick the discussion out to you guys. Just remember, I'm New Order Shinto, that is, I don't follow the "traditional" Shinto. No creation myth, no emperor worship, no veneration of ancestors or passed people as Kami, etc. Purely I pay respects to the main three kami that pertain to my life. , primarily Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Inari, and to a lesser extent, Susanou, Hachiman and so-on.