We hear a lot about the 4th Industrial Revolution and where it will lead is everybody's guess. An article by a literary critic in the Catholic Peace Weekly wonders what it will mean for the Church. Korea has made the study of this new revolution a presidential committee—important for the future of the nation. What is the Fourth Industrial Revolution?
There are various answers. The first revolution was the mechanization of the steam engine; the second, electricity-oriented industrialization; the third, the computer and internet world of the latter half of the 20th century; the fourth artificial intelligence— information and communication technologies, machine autonomy. We have already seen how this is working in the world of today.
This will change our lives and the world. We will experience a new world, which the word revolution aptly describes. Whether it will be positive or negative is still being discussed. Many jobs will be lost, a fear that a few wealthy persons will monopolize the benefits, and the way we look upon humanity and human dignity will be shaken.
He mentions the bestselling author of Sapien (A Brief History of Humankind) and Homo Deus (A Brief History of Tomorrow) by Yuval Noah Harari, a bestseller also in Korea. Human beings become Gods. He quotes a passage from Homo Deus. "The next goal of humanity that has achieved unprecedented levels of prosperity, health, and peace will be immortality, happiness, and divinity. After reducing the mortality rate from hunger, disease, and violence, the task is to overcome aging and death itself. The next thing to do is to bring humanity out of the animal-level struggle for survival, to upgrade mankind to God, and to convert Homo sapiens to Homo Deus."
It is not difficult to connect this provocative and drastic insight of Harari with the fourth industrial revolution, especially with respect to the future and meaning of religion. Harari is quoted as saying: "Traditional religions may have been discarded, but new religions can replace them. In some cases, the existing religion adapts to the changing conditions and gains importance."
In the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, will people continue to seek religion? What is the role of the Church? The more information and communication technology expands and connects people to the cyberspace network, the more loneliness, and sense of alienation is felt by more people. Cyber relations are likely to flow into superficial pseudo-human relationships. There is also a possibility that not only personal relations but also social bonds and community characteristics are weakened.
The role of religion, especially the role of the church, may be found at this point. The pope spoke on video at the TED conference in Vancouver, Canada on April 25, 2017, on the theme of "revolution of tenderness." The Pope said: "How wonderful it would be if the growth of science and technological progress would invite equality, social cohesion, and engagement. When we are not only an "I" but a "You" a "We" the true revolution begins. We all need each other. "
Friday, June 29, 2018
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
How a Chick is Hatched
A professor writes in the Catholic Peace Weekly about a problem in education. A survey made among elementary, middle, and high school teachers nationwide showed that almost 90 percent changed their attitude towards teaching from the past. When asked: What has changed? More than half want to go through a year without incidents. Nearly 30 percent of the teachers would not punish or scold a student for bad behavior or notify the parents.
One teacher confesses he is so afraid of the complaints of parents that he shivers and teaches like a machine. Another says he teaches as a way to make a living. Education within the country has entered a stage which will be difficult to change. Why has this happened?
Was it the teachers, students, parents, society? It is impossible to give an answer. In a way, they are all to blame and all victims. They all inflict pain and receive pain. In any event, since the teachers are responsible the blame rests with them.
As one educator said: teachers are not laborers who produce goods mechanically. They are artistic workers who empower students and consequently require a deep theoretical background and long academic training. If a teacher is like a machine and is only in teaching to make a living they should leave the profession.
Teaching is a holy profession a sacred work which must be approached with all sincerity. There is a four character idiom that indicates the nature of education in the Asian context. It's interesting and a meaningful example showing the relationship of teacher to student. It may be expressed with the tick tack expression in English.
When a chick is ready to hatch, it pecks (tick) with its yet immature beak on the inside shell of the egg. The mother hen hearing the sound pecks (tack) on the outer shell and lets the chick out. The chick inside will suffocate if it doesn't leave the egg within three hours so it pecks with all its might and with the help of the mother hen it is freed from the prison to be born into a new world. The work of a good teacher.
Herman Hesse says something similar in Demian. The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. "Who would be born must first destroy a world." Education is helping a student to come out into a new world with the help of teachers and others. The problem is that students do not want to break eggs and teachers give up in helping the students in breaking the egg. When the teachers give up trying to help the student break the egg they give up being teachers.
Education is not to fill a child's head with knowledge but to give them a desire for knowledge and wisdom. They are both on a journey in learning. They are both students. He finishes his article by quoting the words of Vinoba Bhave a devoted follower of Gandhi: "Do not be discouraged,let's continue doing good. If you do not give up you will soon harvest."
One teacher confesses he is so afraid of the complaints of parents that he shivers and teaches like a machine. Another says he teaches as a way to make a living. Education within the country has entered a stage which will be difficult to change. Why has this happened?
Was it the teachers, students, parents, society? It is impossible to give an answer. In a way, they are all to blame and all victims. They all inflict pain and receive pain. In any event, since the teachers are responsible the blame rests with them.
As one educator said: teachers are not laborers who produce goods mechanically. They are artistic workers who empower students and consequently require a deep theoretical background and long academic training. If a teacher is like a machine and is only in teaching to make a living they should leave the profession.
Teaching is a holy profession a sacred work which must be approached with all sincerity. There is a four character idiom that indicates the nature of education in the Asian context. It's interesting and a meaningful example showing the relationship of teacher to student. It may be expressed with the tick tack expression in English.
When a chick is ready to hatch, it pecks (tick) with its yet immature beak on the inside shell of the egg. The mother hen hearing the sound pecks (tack) on the outer shell and lets the chick out. The chick inside will suffocate if it doesn't leave the egg within three hours so it pecks with all its might and with the help of the mother hen it is freed from the prison to be born into a new world. The work of a good teacher.
Herman Hesse says something similar in Demian. The bird fights its way out of the egg. The egg is the world. "Who would be born must first destroy a world." Education is helping a student to come out into a new world with the help of teachers and others. The problem is that students do not want to break eggs and teachers give up in helping the students in breaking the egg. When the teachers give up trying to help the student break the egg they give up being teachers.
Education is not to fill a child's head with knowledge but to give them a desire for knowledge and wisdom. They are both on a journey in learning. They are both students. He finishes his article by quoting the words of Vinoba Bhave a devoted follower of Gandhi: "Do not be discouraged,let's continue doing good. If you do not give up you will soon harvest."
Monday, June 25, 2018
Adversity Introduces Us to Ourselves.
Life is full of choices. We are born and die without a choice but in between, for the most part, one choice after another. What are we going to eat, wear, do, all depend on our choices? In a diocesan bulletin, the writer gives us some thoughts to reflect on hoping to make us wiser.
There are of course many areas of life that are not choices. Parents, name, nationality, and genes are not our choice, artificially we have ways of changing some of these realities but most opt to accept what is given as our destiny. External good looks, healthy genes, family wealth may not be what we preferred but accepted and at times try to change.
She mentions a well-known case, the Japanese entrepreneur, the founder of National Panasonic, who was born with a sickly body, lived in childhood poverty and only had a 4th-grade elementary school education. He lived a satisfying life and before he died left humanity with some wise words.
"The heavens have looked down favorably on me and have given me 3 big gifts. I was born with a weak body, poor and uneducated. Since I had a sickly body I took care of my health and lived to 94, being poor I was careful with money, worked hard and became a wealthy man, I was uneducated everybody I met became a teacher and I learned much. I give the heavens thanks for the gifts I received."
It's our attitude in life that makes all the difference. One person sees a half-empty cup and is disappointed and another sees the half-full portion and is thankful.
In Korea, you hear a lot about the five blessings: longevity, wealth, health and peace, love of virtue and peaceful death. This is not the lot of the majority of humanity. Life often is not fair but neither is it all bad. We have the good and the bad. We accept the parts of life we can't change and make the best of the situation we are in.
Looking over life there are choices made for which we regret, but also many things we look back with satisfaction. In life, we have times in which we were unfairly treated and our insides were turned upside down, felt lonely and burdened. The religion we choose out of the many that were available has for the writer been a great consolation. She has always felt that God was on her side.
Her husband was brought up in a home where superstition was the belief of choice. Although it came late in life the choice was the most excellent of all his choices. Sadly many have been brought up in a Catholic home but for various reasons never found value in what they received and have quietly walked away from a great treasure.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Humanoids and the Future
Humanoid is a word that describes a robot that resembles a human. They can work in industry and have the capability of humans. They can walk, turn, jump, run, climb ladders. At present, the robots are on wheels but this will change in the near future, physically there will be little difference between them and humans. So begins the article on humanoids in the Kyeongyang magazine by a Korean university professor of computer technology.
As the whole area of robotics continues to develop there is a need to know the changes and how to solve the problems that will arise. An English drama 'The Humans' is showing the viewers the new situations we will face. They can golf better than a pro, perform surgeries better than doctors and behave better than mothers and fathers in the home, which gives rise to complications. In the drama, we find that the humanoids are better liked than the family members.
In the beginning, the robots were helpers and did what humans didn't want to do, however, the day is coming when they will do what humans want to do and do it better. We can tell ourselves we are emotional beings, creative, which the robots can't achieve. Sophia a humanoid developed by the Hanson Robotics company in Hong Kong has 62 different emotional expressions and in the future, their emotional expressions will vie with the best of actors and actresses. In method acting (the actor does not play the character but becomes the character), this may be easier for the humanoid.
In Japan, a robot has written their first novel. The technology is present to give life to a person who has died in a humanoid form with all his characteristics and with greater knowledge. This was shown recently in the Go contest where the robots easily beat the best human players. The robots are better at diagnosing diseases than doctors, this will be the case in every field.
On the horizon for some, the Robocalypse where machines take all the jobs. More the fear of losing all the jobs is the change that is coming. We have to have a plan for the future. Bill Gates has suggested the robots be taxed on income. With this income, we can take care of the elderly, education and welfare.
Rather than refute the very abstract post-humanism era, it would be better to talk about robots. What should robots be held to, what are they to be taught what are their areas of work? An American science fiction author Issac Asimov (1942) mentioned three laws that can be summarized: a robot may not injure a human being or allow a human being to come to harm. However, the way humans have developed ways of killing and injuring others the future is gloomy.
Sophia the robot from Hong Kong at the United Nations in an interview was asked what can the UN do for areas of the world where the internet and electricity have not entered. Sophia answered: 'Use artificial intelligence to bring to these areas efficiently energy and food." In the future, it will be difficult to find areas in which humans will do better than the computer.
Already in England, they are using software to judicate small cases of monetary litigation. Computers are neutral in their decisions. He concludes by wondering whether we will be 'worshipping' these humanoids with superior
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Peace on the Peninsula
In a diocesan bulletin, a priest reviews the past Catholic contacts with North Korea and his hopes for the future. In March of 1988, the construction of the cathedral in Pyongyang and the Changchung church was completed on Oct. 9th.
He visited China for the first time in 1998 and met with the believers of the Changchung Cathedral in Beijing. It was a meeting with the official approval of the Republic of Korea authorities but uncomfortable and awkward to be speaking to the North Koreans.
The North Koreans also found it difficult to speak to a stranger. Those who had been baptized before the take over of the Communist were accepted but those who come into the church after that date needed the approval of the government. Those who come into the church are likened to civil servants. After visiting China a number of times, in Oct of 2000, a few months after President Kim Dae Jung held a summit with Kim Jong Il in June, 12 priests and sisters were able to celebrate Mass at the Changchung Cathedral.
At that time over 150 North Korean believers came together after the Mass. They got over their embarrassment and hugging each other, cried at the long separation and situation they found themselves in.
In Beijing, in 2018, he met the man who is now 64 and on his previous visit was the leader of the community, similar to the administrator of a diocese in South Korea. Kang Paul who now is much older became the head of the committee of the Chosun Federation of Churches and the head of the North Korean Red Cross. This federation was made up of Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and Chondogyo believers of North Korea. In South Korea, he would be considered to have made a success of life, for he was a cabinet minister. They talked and drank to late into the night.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Changchung Cathedral. The years have taken a toll on the building and needs repairs. Some time ago a couple of bishops came to Beijing to meet with North Korean believers and promised to help remodel the cathedral. Help to the Cathedral parish was continuing from dioceses in the South until the relationships between the North and South broke down.
The writer mentions in conclusion that the summit between the US President Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un continues to make the news. The hope is to see an end to the war and declaration of Peace on the peninsula.
Catholics from the South desire to have Mass with those of the North and receive the Eucharist, a sign of unity. With the grace of God and the intercession of the Blessed Mother we will see a new era in Korea, brothers and sisters living in peace.
He visited China for the first time in 1998 and met with the believers of the Changchung Cathedral in Beijing. It was a meeting with the official approval of the Republic of Korea authorities but uncomfortable and awkward to be speaking to the North Koreans.
The North Koreans also found it difficult to speak to a stranger. Those who had been baptized before the take over of the Communist were accepted but those who come into the church after that date needed the approval of the government. Those who come into the church are likened to civil servants. After visiting China a number of times, in Oct of 2000, a few months after President Kim Dae Jung held a summit with Kim Jong Il in June, 12 priests and sisters were able to celebrate Mass at the Changchung Cathedral.
At that time over 150 North Korean believers came together after the Mass. They got over their embarrassment and hugging each other, cried at the long separation and situation they found themselves in.
In Beijing, in 2018, he met the man who is now 64 and on his previous visit was the leader of the community, similar to the administrator of a diocese in South Korea. Kang Paul who now is much older became the head of the committee of the Chosun Federation of Churches and the head of the North Korean Red Cross. This federation was made up of Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and Chondogyo believers of North Korea. In South Korea, he would be considered to have made a success of life, for he was a cabinet minister. They talked and drank to late into the night.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Changchung Cathedral. The years have taken a toll on the building and needs repairs. Some time ago a couple of bishops came to Beijing to meet with North Korean believers and promised to help remodel the cathedral. Help to the Cathedral parish was continuing from dioceses in the South until the relationships between the North and South broke down.
The writer mentions in conclusion that the summit between the US President Trump and the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un continues to make the news. The hope is to see an end to the war and declaration of Peace on the peninsula.
Catholics from the South desire to have Mass with those of the North and receive the Eucharist, a sign of unity. With the grace of God and the intercession of the Blessed Mother we will see a new era in Korea, brothers and sisters living in peace.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Sexual Laws Against 'Hit and Run' Irresponsibility
An article in the Catholic Peace Weekly's series on sex education, written by an authority on the subject, considers the issue of 'hit and run prevention'. Recently women groups are petitioning to abrogate the present law which makes abortion illegal and was publicized by the press but little notice was given in the media to a petition which received, in a short period of time, 200,000 signatures. Consequently few are familiar with the movement within society.
How long should a mother suffer from social prejudice and economic poverty because of the irresponsibility of the father? He presents the Hit and Run, Protection Act of Denmark. In Denmark, a monthly payment of about 600 dollars would be given to a single mother for child support. The father is responsible but if he doesn't give the child support the mother notifies the city and the support money will be given to the mother and the money will be taken from the father's income.
The only way to avoid the payment is to not get involved in the society or leave Denmark permanently. If a man denies the paternity a DNA test is made to determine the father. In Denmark, men are more careful than women about remaining unmarried. If the 'hit and run' prevention law is implemented in Korea, men will be more responsible in their actions. This is the first step in preventing problems of this type in the country.
The writer mentions how the petition began. It was taken from an interview written up in a newspaper. A 17-year high school student mentioned in her Twitter account that when she knew she was pregnant she notified her boyfriend who told her the relationship was dead. She had no choice but to have an abortion. She had just two lines and a picture which was picked up in cyberspace and was the motivation for the petition.
Even those women who were for the abrogation for the law against abortion have shown approval for the 'Hit and Run Protection Act'. Many so-called pro-choice were supportive of the Protection Act for common sense showed that protection of life against abortion was recognized as possible and not ethical coercion. Even though the mainstream media did not help and the movement did not use a great deal of the media many netizens were sympathetic with the purpose of the petition and joined the other 200,000.
The response to the petition from the government left much to be desired according to the writer. They were responding positively to the support and raising the money given but seemed to ignore the law similar to one in Denmark. The petition was to hold the father of the child responsible by law and this was not responded to. The staff took a welfare approach towards the issue and was not seen as a justice issue. The 17 National Assembly discussed the issue but here against it was support of the unmarried mother and failed to pass.
Can we eradicate other sexual violence, ignoring the responsibility a man has to the girl or women they have made a mother? Sexual violence will not be solved without this issue being solved. It is a brutal violence, betrayal of a woman and passing the pain on to the children.
He concludes the article by asking women's organization to actively participate in the enactment of laws against sexual irresponsibility. The different political parties and women organization have not made much of the petition for the 'hit and run' prevention law. In the situation where abortion is forced due to socioeconomic reason, this law would help greatly. If women are to have genuine self-determination women's group should get behind the enactment of the 'hit and run law'.
How long should a mother suffer from social prejudice and economic poverty because of the irresponsibility of the father? He presents the Hit and Run, Protection Act of Denmark. In Denmark, a monthly payment of about 600 dollars would be given to a single mother for child support. The father is responsible but if he doesn't give the child support the mother notifies the city and the support money will be given to the mother and the money will be taken from the father's income.
The only way to avoid the payment is to not get involved in the society or leave Denmark permanently. If a man denies the paternity a DNA test is made to determine the father. In Denmark, men are more careful than women about remaining unmarried. If the 'hit and run' prevention law is implemented in Korea, men will be more responsible in their actions. This is the first step in preventing problems of this type in the country.
The writer mentions how the petition began. It was taken from an interview written up in a newspaper. A 17-year high school student mentioned in her Twitter account that when she knew she was pregnant she notified her boyfriend who told her the relationship was dead. She had no choice but to have an abortion. She had just two lines and a picture which was picked up in cyberspace and was the motivation for the petition.
Even those women who were for the abrogation for the law against abortion have shown approval for the 'Hit and Run Protection Act'. Many so-called pro-choice were supportive of the Protection Act for common sense showed that protection of life against abortion was recognized as possible and not ethical coercion. Even though the mainstream media did not help and the movement did not use a great deal of the media many netizens were sympathetic with the purpose of the petition and joined the other 200,000.
The response to the petition from the government left much to be desired according to the writer. They were responding positively to the support and raising the money given but seemed to ignore the law similar to one in Denmark. The petition was to hold the father of the child responsible by law and this was not responded to. The staff took a welfare approach towards the issue and was not seen as a justice issue. The 17 National Assembly discussed the issue but here against it was support of the unmarried mother and failed to pass.
Can we eradicate other sexual violence, ignoring the responsibility a man has to the girl or women they have made a mother? Sexual violence will not be solved without this issue being solved. It is a brutal violence, betrayal of a woman and passing the pain on to the children.
He concludes the article by asking women's organization to actively participate in the enactment of laws against sexual irresponsibility. The different political parties and women organization have not made much of the petition for the 'hit and run' prevention law. In the situation where abortion is forced due to socioeconomic reason, this law would help greatly. If women are to have genuine self-determination women's group should get behind the enactment of the 'hit and run law'.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
A Priest Who Reads
A parish priest writing in the Catholic Times tells the readers of a dinner he had with a group of parish leaders. One was a physician who worked in the radiology department of a large hospital. He told the group of a strong desire to make a presentation the next day in a seminar but wasn't able to bring his thoughts together in his mind. The priest hearing the words remembered a book "Nagasaki's Song" (2005) in which Dr. Nagai Takashi appeared. He was a doctor who worked in the radiology department of a Nagasaki hospital in Japan at the time of World War II. He suffered from leukemia as a result of his exposure to radiation.
He was a Catholic who contributed to world peace by writing to many people while living as a victim of the bombing. The parish leader hearing the story of Takashi was pleased and thought it a good item for the seminar and said he would buy the book.
One of the priest's roles is to teach through the liturgy, scriptures, and encounters and to be attentive to the signs of the times. A fundamental part of learning is reading. A good leader is a good reader. A priest who reads will give the joy and enlightenment of the faith gained from his reading to the Christians.
Recently there is an increase in the number of parishes that regularly introduce devotional books to the believers through the parish bulletin. Believers are very receptive to books recommended by the parish priest. The writer mentions that he recommends a book to the parish every two months thru the parish bulletin.
Rather than just asking the individual to read he will every Thursday morning at the Mass cover the contents of a book in his sermon at the Mass. Not only those who have read the book but the others are able to understand have the same feelings that he had in reading the book.
A more important reason for reading is the current crisis in the Korean Catholic Church. The church has had a remarkable quantitative growth with 5,813,770 believers—11 percent of the population. However, sacramental and group activities and religious education are decreasing along with secularization and middle-class orientation of the church. It is a time for a new evangelization and spiritual maturity of the faithful.
Efforts to expand the spiritual reading culture within the church will help many believers to fill their spiritual emptiness and dryness and to taste the oasis of grace and lead the church members to a path of repentance and renewal.
Priests have a great influence on believers and should play a leading role in spreading a spiritual reading culture among the Christians. The patron saint for parish priests is John Marie Vianney who was a spiritual book reader leading him to deep reflection, contemplation, and prayer. He has been criticized for his appearance and ignorance but he was not an ignorant priest. He knew the saints, used this knowledge in his sermons and teaching and made up for his lack of theological knowledge with his reading.
If a layperson doesn't know what to give a priest as a gift, don't hesitate to give him a book, after prayers, it would be the best gift that you can give him.
Friday, June 15, 2018
A World Without Masks
In recent years the air we breathe has been a concern for many. You walk the streets of any big city and you will see citizens wearing masks. The problem is the fine dust and yellow sand which pollutes the air. Alerts for dangerous air conditions are made frequently.
When the children complain of itchy eyes and runny noses parents are concerned. The government is also concerned but the efforts are little and results scarce. Education authorities have started some independent policies, ordering the students to wear masks and keeping them inside when the dust particles exceed the dangerous level. Parents and experts are to keep an eye on dust levels and to install purifiers in classrooms.
For many years the problem seemed to be mostly from China with the yellow dust from the Gobi desert and pollution coming in from the Chinese cities. Recently, however, the expert opinion says a great deal of the pollution seems to be homegrown.
An article in a diocesan bulletin adds a few particulars to the problem of the air we breathe. A university professor tells the readers that in his classroom almost half the students are wearing masks and some wear hats. This makes it difficult to recognize the students.
In the recent past when a student wore a mask he thought it was a sign of a cold the wearer was fighting and showing concern for others but he realized those with colds were few. Also when the alert was not high the number wearing masks stayed the same. He learned many of the students were busy with their studies, had part-time work, tired and were resting from cosmetic concerns by wearing the masks.
Everybody likes to give a good impression to others with their appearance. However would it not be a great blessing if we could face others as we are without any discomfort? Eye to eye contact with a smile on our face wouldn't that bring happiness to our lives? Wearing a mask at times not only covers our face but our hearts.
The writer would like to have a society without masks except for serious colds and dangerous air pollution, otherwise to live without masks.
Masks, as we know, can metaphorically speaking be produced from the insides. These kinds of masks are more harmful to our mental health. With time these masks are harder to remove and make us inauthentic, and concerned with unnecessary matters. Transparency is a great gift—openness to others as we are to God. A great blessing we can dream to one day possess.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Elders Need Not be a Burden
An article in the Peace Weekly by one of the reporters reminds the readers that the senior members of our society are not a burden but give strength and goes ahead to give examples.
A month ago a member of a public agency asked who will become the new Korean amateur singing contest host after the present one leaves. Since the board of directors was changed many thought there would be change. Some names were considered but at the end, they decided to continue with the man who has been the host for 38 years.
Mr. Song was born in 1927, is 91 years old and most of his contemporaries have either died or are in nursing homes. In Korea, they say even mountains and rivers change in ten years during his time they have changed four times. He still continues singing and dancing with the young people all over the country.
Professor Kim was born in 1920 and is now 98 years old and still active as an honorary professor at Yonsei University in the philosophy department. In a recent interview, he said that he gave 165 lectures in 2017. It is not easy for a young man to lecture this often but the professor who is close to a hundred still travels around the country giving lectures almost every two days. He continues to write and publish his books and has an extraordinary memory.
This is not of course only true of Korea. Just last month at 92 Mahathir in Malaysia was elected the world's oldest sitting head of government. Even more surprising is the drive and determination of Prime Minister Mahathir. Not long ago he said he would review the East Coast Railway project which was part of China's silk road business. He intends to prevent the Chinese influence from growing excessively.
These three men are all over 90 years old, an entertainer, a professor, and politician. All three men are not living in the past but the present and looking forward to the future. Those who are in their eighties who exercise and those who don't we see a big difference says Professor Kim, who is famous for telling those in their sixties to exercise.
In Korea, the number of elders keeps on increasing and poverty is a problem with many of the elderly. Confucianism still remains a strong influence and respect for the elderly is a strong value in society, however, they are often put on a pedestal, respected but want them to stay there. Young people feel more so than in the past that the elders are taking their jobs and they will be responsible for their health care and pensions.
A society where seniors would not be a burden but strength is something to be strongly desired. When we see the vitality and exuberance of both the young and old that should give us joy and when the ways of the world seem to fan the negativity and frustrations of life we should be embarrassed.
A month ago a member of a public agency asked who will become the new Korean amateur singing contest host after the present one leaves. Since the board of directors was changed many thought there would be change. Some names were considered but at the end, they decided to continue with the man who has been the host for 38 years.
Mr. Song was born in 1927, is 91 years old and most of his contemporaries have either died or are in nursing homes. In Korea, they say even mountains and rivers change in ten years during his time they have changed four times. He still continues singing and dancing with the young people all over the country.
Professor Kim was born in 1920 and is now 98 years old and still active as an honorary professor at Yonsei University in the philosophy department. In a recent interview, he said that he gave 165 lectures in 2017. It is not easy for a young man to lecture this often but the professor who is close to a hundred still travels around the country giving lectures almost every two days. He continues to write and publish his books and has an extraordinary memory.
This is not of course only true of Korea. Just last month at 92 Mahathir in Malaysia was elected the world's oldest sitting head of government. Even more surprising is the drive and determination of Prime Minister Mahathir. Not long ago he said he would review the East Coast Railway project which was part of China's silk road business. He intends to prevent the Chinese influence from growing excessively.
These three men are all over 90 years old, an entertainer, a professor, and politician. All three men are not living in the past but the present and looking forward to the future. Those who are in their eighties who exercise and those who don't we see a big difference says Professor Kim, who is famous for telling those in their sixties to exercise.
In Korea, the number of elders keeps on increasing and poverty is a problem with many of the elderly. Confucianism still remains a strong influence and respect for the elderly is a strong value in society, however, they are often put on a pedestal, respected but want them to stay there. Young people feel more so than in the past that the elders are taking their jobs and they will be responsible for their health care and pensions.
A society where seniors would not be a burden but strength is something to be strongly desired. When we see the vitality and exuberance of both the young and old that should give us joy and when the ways of the world seem to fan the negativity and frustrations of life we should be embarrassed.
Monday, June 11, 2018
Singapore Summit on June 12
War has stopped on the peninsula but peace has not begun. The sound of the cannon isn't heard but they have not been removed. We still have infiltrations, attacks and sunken ships that have continued for many decades. With these words a journalist for the Catholic Peace weekly expresses his hope for the June 12 summit.
Calm presently in the trenches, we do not call it peace but a point between war and peace. The ceasefire is not the end of the war but a period of rest. If one side feels the need we have a flare up, consequently, always on the watch and strengthening each's capabilities. Nuclear weapons and missiles, fighter planes and underground operations continue, the arms competition is another war.
However, even with these conditions flowers continue to bloom. Birds still fly over the rusty barbed wire. The children who played in the alley grew up without knowledge of the history of the truce and they are now in their sixties.
Is peace finally coming to Korea? The two leaders of the two Koreas professed in the 'Panmunjom Declaration' that there will be no more war on the Korean peninsula, and a new era of peace has opened to the 80 million people of Korea and the world. Only the wind knows what transpired on that day in the demilitarized zone but it gives the nation hope during this springtime. Will peace come to the land?
The road will not be easy. It has been a series of reversals and deviations, excitement and disappointments, shock and relief. One step forward and two steps backward. The road ahead is still long and not over until the end. There are reefs and ambushes all over the way to peace. Meeting is easy, agreement is difficult; carrying it out still more difficult.
Declaring the end of the war is one thing, guaranteeing the peace is another. We desire friendship and cooperation—laying down the weapons and finding a way for mutual prosperity and well being. "They will hammer their swords into plowshares, their spears into sickles" (Isaiah 2:4). This is true peace.
Violence and oppression are also possible in achieving order. Control by force can also maintain order over disputes, however, living with this kind of threat is not peace. With fear and insecurity, we have a false peace a lie that will quickly break down.
Peace is not just the absence of war, not a balance between hostile forces nor the results of total domination. Peace is the result of justice. Strategy and tactics do not lead to peace. Shaking hands with unjust power is not peace. True peace comes from the heart. Without trust, peace cannot be rooted.
Self-righteousness and rejection harm peace. Therefore peace is always imperfect and scarce in the world. True peace is a grace, it comes with prayer. Without a commitment to humanity and the common good, peace does not come. Peace is love, justice, and goodness.
Calm presently in the trenches, we do not call it peace but a point between war and peace. The ceasefire is not the end of the war but a period of rest. If one side feels the need we have a flare up, consequently, always on the watch and strengthening each's capabilities. Nuclear weapons and missiles, fighter planes and underground operations continue, the arms competition is another war.
However, even with these conditions flowers continue to bloom. Birds still fly over the rusty barbed wire. The children who played in the alley grew up without knowledge of the history of the truce and they are now in their sixties.
Is peace finally coming to Korea? The two leaders of the two Koreas professed in the 'Panmunjom Declaration' that there will be no more war on the Korean peninsula, and a new era of peace has opened to the 80 million people of Korea and the world. Only the wind knows what transpired on that day in the demilitarized zone but it gives the nation hope during this springtime. Will peace come to the land?
The road will not be easy. It has been a series of reversals and deviations, excitement and disappointments, shock and relief. One step forward and two steps backward. The road ahead is still long and not over until the end. There are reefs and ambushes all over the way to peace. Meeting is easy, agreement is difficult; carrying it out still more difficult.
Declaring the end of the war is one thing, guaranteeing the peace is another. We desire friendship and cooperation—laying down the weapons and finding a way for mutual prosperity and well being. "They will hammer their swords into plowshares, their spears into sickles" (Isaiah 2:4). This is true peace.
Violence and oppression are also possible in achieving order. Control by force can also maintain order over disputes, however, living with this kind of threat is not peace. With fear and insecurity, we have a false peace a lie that will quickly break down.
Peace is not just the absence of war, not a balance between hostile forces nor the results of total domination. Peace is the result of justice. Strategy and tactics do not lead to peace. Shaking hands with unjust power is not peace. True peace comes from the heart. Without trust, peace cannot be rooted.
Self-righteousness and rejection harm peace. Therefore peace is always imperfect and scarce in the world. True peace is a grace, it comes with prayer. Without a commitment to humanity and the common good, peace does not come. Peace is love, justice, and goodness.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Middle Class Lifestyle
What do we mean by the middle class? The dictionary says the middle class is the group generally considered between the upper 20 percent and the lower 20 percent. Some define the middle class by income, others by lifestyle and others say it is a state of mind. In Korea the present thinking would be a family with an apartment of about 30 square meters, without debt, a person making about 5 thousand dollars a month, a bank balance of about 100,000 dollars and a medium-sized automobile so begins an article in the Catholic Times on social issues by a priest.
There is in fact no absolute standard for the middle class. Hearing the above most of us will feel very much not part of the middle class; is it not only a material understanding of middle class? It's the attitude of the person that's important—socially and culturally comfortable with the situation in which they find themselves.
Other countries have a different understanding of middle class. By American standards one should feel comfortable in society, able to help the weak, resisting illegal and unjust practices, able to receive criticism on a regular basis. England in addition to the above, fair play and not acting selfishly. In France it is another language besides your own, possessing a musical instrument, participating in sports and eating a variety of food. The meaning of middle class is different from the Korean understanding. Why is that? It emphasizes more than money, social participation and a way of life.
Young Koreans are more and more resembling the middle class of other countries. Money is not everything. How much money is enough? How much money is necessary to be rich? At one time it was a million now it may be a billion. Rich is good, right? Everybody wants to be rich. In the old days a rich man was one who had a thousand bags of rice or the greater rich person with 10,000 bags of rice.
In the Scriptures we hear that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. It would be unfair if one could not go to heaven because of wealth. We are not talking about money made with crime but those who use their heads and work hard to make what they possess. We know it is not the material goods that are the problem but the way we possess them. If they possess us we are closing the door to what God wants to give and that is a tragedy. All is possible with God.
The disciples who heard these words of Jesus were confused and embarrassed. They were after all following Jesus hoping to do well for themselves in a material way. It was only later that their eyes were opened. Their motivation for following Jesus was not in the beginning altruistic which was the reason for the confusion from the words heard. Who can be saved? They questioned.
Salvation is not something that is bought with money nor power. It is only possible with God's love. The writer expands the meaning of the passage to include all those who interfere with God's plans for humanity.
Not long ago a Research Institute published a report on the rich in Korea. According to the report a rich person was one who possessed over a million dollars in cash that he could use at will and his net worth was over 11 million dollars. Most of us are not rich but that doesn't prevent us from living the good life which is not dependent on the number of material goods but on the quality of our life.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
A Moral Professor Grows in Wisdom
In Bible & Life, a priest, moral professor, answers the question for the readers: Why is it wrong for a man to love a man and a woman to love a woman?
He begins with an incident he experienced while in Austria as an overseas student. One of his friends was a fellow seminarian, Francis, handsome, and well liked by all for his gentle disposition. During vacation, he invited the writer to his home for the vacation. However, he was living alone and during one of the meals he mentioned that he was homosexual. The writer hearing this could in no way accept what was said, utterly confused, he quickly left the house. The seminarian shortly after left the seminary.
Last year before the presidential election it became a sensitive issue. Up until just a few years ago, those who had this type of orientation were seen negatively by a majority of the citizens. At the beginning of the first decade of the new century, one of the entertainers came out as homosexual and was not allowed to perform. Shortly after the understanding of the public started to change and instead of the word homosexual, we began to hear a sexual minority.
Slowly dramas and movies were made with homosexuality as a plot and seen favorably. The queer culture has gained ground and public festivities are common. In a recent poll, 34 percent would have no difficulty with gay marriage. Like the United States, Korea in the near future will likely accept gay marriage.
Homosexuality is the physical and mental love of another of the same sex. There is much debate on the reason for homosexuality: whether it is innate or whether it is acquired after birth. All kinds of studies have been made but as of now nothing that gives us fully an understanding of the issue.
There are many theories for the nurture understanding of the orientation whether direct or indirect the sexual experience can bring about the proclivity. Homosexuality according to this theory is caused by abnormal circumstances and the healing of the orientation was seen possible. In the past this was the dominant thinking.
What does the church think? To give the conclusion first: from the Scriptures it was condemned; the act was considered disordered and morally not tolerated. The sexual act was not open to life but only to the pleasure and consequently not a virtuous act. However, since the person has not chosen the lifestyle and has the orientation they are to be respected and treated kindly. Many find it a great trial, a cross that they have to carry in remaining chaste.
There are those who consider homosexuality as wrong and others see it as different; not like heterosexual marriage, the union of the two is not complete. In marriage they are open to giving birth to children and nursing them. The reason for the orientation has not been determined and because they are different from the majority to discriminate and to persecute them is wrong.
He wonders what happened to his friend, Francis, of twenty years ago. Where is he now and what is he doing? If the occasion comes and they should meet he would ask about his life and laugh about the way he reacted to him over twenty years ago.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
The Church Is a Community in Fellowship
What does the church mean to you? The teaching says the church is the visible sacrament of the invisible God. Since we are not perfect something will always be missing. However, to be the kind of church that God wants, we have to change from a closed and rigid church. The Second Vatican Council showed the need for renewal and emphasized that we are a pilgrim church guided by the Holy Spirit. So begins the article in the Catholic Times by a priest professor at a Catholic University.
Many authorities in the church pick out the following problems we need to face: clericalism, bureaucracy, indifference to peace and justice issues, middle-class image and aging. The apathy of believers is also serious. We have over 80 percent who leave the community of faith and with the young, it is 95 percent. The writer believes this is not due only to poor religious education or laziness but rather in the community they did not find consolation or vitality.
Pope Francis said in the Joy of the Gospel: "I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and which then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light, and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life) (# 49).
Obstacles to the community are largely due to patriarchal authoritarianism. In this situation, those who have power and those without power will both suffer self-alienation as human beings. Priests, nuns and lay leaders are likely to stick to the safest and easiest ways because of the fear they will be disgraced and lose face if they take the wrong path. However, the pope notes that communities led by fear without love and the spirit of fellowship will not have the joy of the Gospel.
Clerics feel pressure, especially in their sermons. But more important than their words and efforts is the spirit of the community. He remembers a case where a community divided among themselves changed after the new priest, after Sunday Mass shook the hands of all the believers and showed respect to all.
The newly made Saint Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, martyr, proclaimed: "You are all the Church". Today the Pope is respected among non-believers because the Communion of the Spirit which is always leading the Church is always first, more so than church buildings, legal regulations, procedures, theological knowledge, love is always first, and the pope shows this in his actions.
When the leaders of the church, whether priest or layman, are stripped of their old authoritarianism, opened to listening with a humble heart, genuinely wanting to speak heart to heart, the church will move into a true community of fellowship centered on the Holy Spirit. "Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20, 25-26).
Many authorities in the church pick out the following problems we need to face: clericalism, bureaucracy, indifference to peace and justice issues, middle-class image and aging. The apathy of believers is also serious. We have over 80 percent who leave the community of faith and with the young, it is 95 percent. The writer believes this is not due only to poor religious education or laziness but rather in the community they did not find consolation or vitality.
Pope Francis said in the Joy of the Gospel: "I do not want a Church concerned with being at the center and which then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light, and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life) (# 49).
Obstacles to the community are largely due to patriarchal authoritarianism. In this situation, those who have power and those without power will both suffer self-alienation as human beings. Priests, nuns and lay leaders are likely to stick to the safest and easiest ways because of the fear they will be disgraced and lose face if they take the wrong path. However, the pope notes that communities led by fear without love and the spirit of fellowship will not have the joy of the Gospel.
Clerics feel pressure, especially in their sermons. But more important than their words and efforts is the spirit of the community. He remembers a case where a community divided among themselves changed after the new priest, after Sunday Mass shook the hands of all the believers and showed respect to all.
The newly made Saint Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador, martyr, proclaimed: "You are all the Church". Today the Pope is respected among non-believers because the Communion of the Spirit which is always leading the Church is always first, more so than church buildings, legal regulations, procedures, theological knowledge, love is always first, and the pope shows this in his actions.
When the leaders of the church, whether priest or layman, are stripped of their old authoritarianism, opened to listening with a humble heart, genuinely wanting to speak heart to heart, the church will move into a true community of fellowship centered on the Holy Spirit. "Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20, 25-26).
Sunday, June 3, 2018
The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Religious Faith
St. Peter probably was puzzled when asked to change his occupation from fisherman to disciple. The writer of this column in the Catholic Peace Weekly also changed his job a dozen times. In high school, he dreamed of being a doctor. At that time Medical and Engineering Colleges would not accept the handicapped or even allow them to take the entrance examinations.
He finally did get a degree in Korean literature and felt that teaching was the most stable job open to him. He went on to graduate school and lecturing. School positions for the disabled were closed at that time. He was early on challenged and faced many disappointments. The discrimination against the disabled he found difficult to accept. Helen Keller's words that when the human door is closed, God opens a widow; he found valid in his case. He became economically independent, winning a literature prize that started him off with a bestseller.
Fortunately, the bestseller, made his name known. As a family man with children, he was drawn to children's books. He felt the books on the market left a lot to be desired. He was successful with his first children's book, selling the most that year and making that his career.
However, a strange result of the popularity that came was the invitation to give lectures all over the country. Persons wanted to meet the author of the books. In the beginning, it was a few lectures but with the passage of time, now it is more than 300 times a year. If I say I am a lecturer there is little that would contradict this—a far cry from the desire to be a doctor while in high school.
Everybody is preparing for the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. No one knows how life will change. It will come for sure but we are full of insecurities on how to face the new age. Artificial intelligence, robots, and new technologies will replace the role of humans who will lose their jobs.
When people talk about their dreams it's usually their jobs. Now it is difficult for a career to become a dream. We don't know what jobs will be made and which ones will disappear. This is the question of many parents. What do we teach our children? If robots and artificial intelligence do it all—what do they teach in the schools? No safe jobs in the future. Doctors, lawyers, pharmacists, entrepreneurs are all in crisis, the simple laborers all the more so.
Jesus' apostles abandoned their profession and as if hit by lighting began a new life. Our writer never dreamed that he would move around the country as a lecturer. We need always be ready to cope with the new circumstances that come our way. That is the mindset that we need and to pray for an openness to accept the situation. We will need the flexibility to do our best whatever it is. Like Peter who left his net, we must prepare to go boldly toward a new life holding on to our faith.
Friday, June 1, 2018
Generation Gap in Korea
One of the diocesan bulletins had an article about the conflict with parents of an older generation by a 33 year old son married for just three months. The past two weeks, both the wife and son had trouble sleeping and eating over the conflict. What was to blow up did blow up.
He grew up in a patriarchal home. His mother and three siblings have always answered yes unconditionally to their father. Because of the son's job he had on a number of occasions disobeyed his father but his mother persuaded him to go along with the wishes of his father. Although he lives in another city his father continues to interfere in his life.
During the ancestral rites at the Lunar New Year, his wife went to the homestead to help her mother-in-law two days before the day of the rites. After the ancestral rites at the house, the mother told the daughter-in-law she could go on to visit her parents and sleep over since they lived close bye and she could return to the homestead before going home. The older sister of the writer told her mother, no need to return to the house but return home from her parent's home.
These kinds of issues are what break up families said the sister. The mother replied that the father was against sending her but she forced the issue. The older sister added that this is the reason many stop coming to the homestead after marriage. The daughter in law, gathering courage, said her parents are upset about the situation.
After the father heard this interaction of the family he retorted: "she didn't learn what is necessary for a daughter-in-law when they married. I am not interested in those who want to do their own thing. You can all go."
The daughter took a taxi and left for her parent's home and from there went directly to her own home. The husband was in a difficult situation. He wanted to save the marriage. The father needed to change his attitude toward the couple.
The son didn't know what to do. They needed to return to apologize to the father. The issue, however, couldn't be solved with an apology. They had to maneuver between the feelings and culture of the two families. How were they to deal with the situation.?
The father was a hardcore traditionalist and both families had great dissatisfaction with the situation but kept quiet. After all, this was the universal understanding of what was required of a daughter-in-law: common conflict in families. Big changes are coming but in the process many scars and hurt feelings don't quickly disappear.They decided to go together to apologize to the parents and hope they all learned from the incident.
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