Sunday, August 31, 2014

"Followers of the North"


Question number four:  The Church criticizes the  government's policies, and  doesn't raise its voice against the human right abuses and nuclear plans of the North. Are we  not making it easy to misunderstand the Church as 'followers of the North'?

We have to understand what is meant by 'follower of the North'. They used to call us 'Reds' but that is no longer workable so the word has evolved to a 'follower of the North'. A word that has become popular.

Sin and wounds are what prevents individuals  and  communities from receiving the graces of God. We are freed from sin by repentance and wounds need healing. When, however, to achieve one's goal one makes the wounds of the other greater, we are acting contrary to the God of healing.

Korea was wounded greatly with the Korean War. To heal the wound needs a great deal of effort, time and the grace of God. The governments of the North and South have to work together to heal the wounds. Are not the governments actually using their power to  increase the  wounds of division? The use of 'follower of the North'  is causing the wound to throb.

If not a follower why the silence about human rights abuses and the working on nuclear armaments in the North?  A  segment of the mass media dislikes the position of religion and uses the word 'follower of the North'.

The professor uses an example to make his point clear.  In a class room there are students that are harassed. The class president does not pay attention and one of the students brings it to the  president's  attention and  wants  something  done. All would
see this as a good. However, those  harassed, point their finger to the neighboring class room: "Why are you only concerned about us the neighboring class has more problems them we have?" What are we to make of that? Because it is another room  doesn't mean that it has no relation with us; we should not use the other room to dilute what we should be doing. Why silent about human rights in the North? Those speaking in this way are they really concerned about the human rights issues of those in the North and is it coming from a love of these people?

Human rights in the  North and nuclear experiments are a serous problem but our problems in the South should not be of secondary interest or of less importance. We are dealing with a closed society and there is a limit to what we can do.One of our government's policies,  is working to have the North open their doors and this should be a continuing work of all the international communities.