A False Understanding of Religion

In the beginning, Korea was panicky with the entrance of the coronavirus but received the praise of the world for its exemplary approach to the virus. But recently the country returned to the fear of the virus with its spread again all over the country. How to overcome this is the recent concern of all. The writer, a humanitarian scholar, writes in the Catholic Peace Weekly on an unhealthy religious attitude.

One of his friends who made a lot of money by opening a big business in the city said: "The current government is a socialist regime and will soon reveal its true color as communism." That was 3 years ago. Why is it still not communized? The funniest thing is that the most representative example of the socialist system for his friend was free meals at school. When asked why: "Is it not the distribution of a free food system?"

A sad answer, even difficult to laugh at? No medicine will cure his lack of understanding and reasons for his bias. In his knowledge, the friend managed to go to medical school; he had to drop out because of his family situation. His family was having a hard time paying for medical school tuition, so it is easy to understand how hard his college days were. Perhaps because he is now rich and has a stable job, and succeeded on his own, it has influenced his thinking. In the 21st century, we are still living with McCarthyism.

He heard his friend went to the Gwanghwamun meeting that day. (This was an anti-government protest on August 15, 2020, attacking the policies of the incumbent government and going against the quarantine efforts of the government) His thorough 'patriotism' and 'anti-communist spirit' sent him there. He went because he could no longer stand by and see the country break down democracy and transform into communism.

The writer didn't know he was a patriotic citizen but indifferent to world affairs during the dictatorship of Park Jeong-hee and Chun Doo-hwan. It was terrifying to see them cheer far-right politicians. He hopes that they were not infected with Corona 19 and were concerned enough of their neighbors to be examined for the virus after attending. If his conscience was present he would have received a check-up.

He is not sure why he attended the demonstration. However, it is a logical leap to speculate that loyalty to the church also played a part. He is an elder of a large church led by a pastor who has a far-right worldview. Listening to the sermon files he occasionally sends, they are untheological, anti-religious, and anti-church and the writer can barely endure five minutes. But even more surprising is the response of believers who enthusiastically shout "Amen" and "Hallelujah!" at the end of each of the pastor’s sentences.

There is nothing new about it because he has already seen such churches and believers, but the preaching that if the church tolerates concern for the poor and works for their betterment this is the beginning of Communism, and abandoning the faith was shocking.

Indeed, they went there to seek freedom of faith and eradication of Communism, and they have to ask whether their beliefs are universally valid and, above all, evangelical?

Have they forgotten the history of the church of the middle ages where people gathered in churches and prayed at the outbreak of the plague and all died? We pray but use our heads to do what science has shown us to be true. It must be remembered that when the church doesn't follow the true knowledge of science it will be reproached especially in this modern age. Is it not the age of science?