“…only religion has continued to transmit the same teachings largely unaltered, in many cases, for millennia. Only religion claims to have golden rules that can withstand scientific scrutiny. Certainly, there are some arguments in religion’s favor. Religious teachings provide continuity amid change and a sense of history. They have survived past challenges and stood the test of time. Furthermore, the human mind and its awareness of spiritual values have remained constant.”

—Yamakage Motohisa, The Essence of Shinto: Japan’s Spiritual Heart