Crossroads of Life

We speak about coming to the crossroads of life. A fork in the road: will it be the left or the right? Will it be a choice for the good or the bad? This fork in the road is present not only for the individual but for families, society, and the nation. In the opinion page of the Catholic Times a columnist brings to our attention this serious decision that many face.

The Sewol tragedy, death of a soldier because of bullying, number one in suicides among the developed countries, one out of eight adults suffering from despondency: these are some of the issues Koreans need to face.  One student tells his mother that one of his classmates committed suicide and the mother tells him not to take his attention away from studies. This is the kind of society that we are promoting, he laments. Process, motivation, does not concern us but rather hoping for a jackpot.

The columnist is referring to the stalemate in  congress over the special bill regarding an investigation to uncover the truth behind the ferry sinking of the Sewol.The truth in the eyes of many  will be harmful to the country so the maneuvering to  limit what will come out from an investigation. The dilemma of choosing the  lesser of two evils is a difficult decision and the columnist feels that the Christians should not have a problem with this, but they do.

How does our  religious belief, faith life, relate with  our present reality? We proclaim who we are by the choices that we make, a phrase with which we are familiar. If we take a rough look at statistics, he reminds us, 10 percent of the population are Catholic and 30 percent are Protestant which makes the country 40 percent Christian. Four out of 10 are Christians and yet the efforts to find  the truth about the Sewol tragedy is meeting stiff resistance. A disregard for the dignity of human beings and the responsibility we have to search for  the truth is being buried because of political strategy and to preserve one's future.

The columnist wonders if this is not because we have so many with a religion but not religious faith. Or is it rather that we have religious faith but don't  believe; is our belief genuine?

A person of faith will trust that when one does what is right, the results whatever they be, will all work out for the good. However, this does take a great deal of faith. Form, is all that seems important, but wonders if this is not just empty babbling. Have we forgotten who we are? What is our mission?  Especially, he concludes, those in Congress....