Do it Yourself

The Catholic Times View from the Ark column gives the readers some thoughts on —Giving people with developmental disabilities a life of ‘self-determination’—

 “Sir, I want to do it myself.”

People who do something only with someone's help, who live a daily life following someone else's plan,  who find the road they want and what they like to be difficult and long. These are people with developmental disabilities.

When you become an adult, you have to make your own choices every moment of your daily life and live with responsibility for your choices, no matter what the consequences are. When adolescents with developmental disabilities become adults, they naturally want to live freely in making their own decisions and taking responsibility for them. However,  they face many difficulties.

Rather, parents of children with developmental disabilities have a wish to live just one day longer than their children. “One more day than your child… ” is full of earnestness and affection for children. Although there are facilities and activity assistance services for the welfare of the disabled, still parents cannot take their eyes off their children with disabilities until they close their eyes.

Moreover, since adults with disabilities do not have many places to go, parents always live with worries about what will happen to their children after they die. This issue has already been publicly discussed, but there are no clear results yet.  This is why adults with disabilities need space and programs to make choices through repetitive training so that they can make their own decisions.

Fortunately, there are a small number of welfare centers that offer programs for these people. We need more to improve the self-determination ability of youth with developmental disabilities during their transition to adulthood. 

The goal of this program is to help participants make their own choices and decisions so that they can face the world without fear and with the confidence that they can do it on their own. However,  in the beginning, it will be difficult for them to plan for themselves or even express what they want to do, and wait for someone to make a choice for them.

However, through repeated training in the process of finding what they like, they learn to enjoy what they do. Now, they can take the bus, go to the bank, order their favorite burger and drink, and make payments all by themselves. They take the subway to places they want to visit and buy delicious snacks for Mom on the way home. They also learn to give up what they like for their friends. By making plans about what to do, they get a feeling of satisfaction from what they do.

“It may seem attractive and convenient to have everything cared for, without having to choose, but if it is repeated and continues, you end up easily giving up on problems that can be solved with your own abilities, and you become a helpless person. We take a lot of time to make choices, make decisions and take responsibility for ourselves. However, if you cannot endure this time, you will end up doing the same things you have done so far.” (Words of Welfare Center Director)

Now, we hope that those involved can more easily access a space where they can independently live a life of ‘self-determination’ rather than a life chosen by someone else. Society should pay more attention and prepare so that people can live independent lives by choosing a form of life within diversity.

Therefore, we hope that both the church and the local community will serve as a space where people can increase their experience of self-determination. "I dream of a future where our parents allow us to go out for a reason, and we get together and become beautiful people."

The Burden of the Past

In the Diagnosis of the Times column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, a priest director of a Human Rights Research Center gives us some thoughts on the weight of the past.

Not only tragic events such as accidents and wars, but also the separations and losses that occur during life, frustration caused by the world's high barriers, and sadness and regret over irreversible events are not just things of the past. The past is tied to the present life and the time to come.

Let's conduct a 'thought experiment' proposed by Friedrich Nietzsche. Imagine one day an evil spirit sneaks into our deepest loneliness and says: 'You will have to live the life you have lived so far, and the life you are living now, over and over again'. This question, known as 'eternal recurrence', is an experiment that asks about the meaning of my life. If the same life were to repeat endlessly, how would I deal with this test?

Neither naive optimism that imagines everything will just work out, nor pessimism that always anticipates the worst scenario seems to pass the tough test of life. Life is not a series of actions and events that are unrelated but a path that moves along with time. Whether it's individual or social life, even if the path seems to be interrupted or lacks continuity at times, what is interrupted is only a phase of life, not the whole. To affirm the present existence, we must acknowledge the past that led to such existence, no matter how unpleasant and reluctant we are to recall it. It is impossible to believe the past never existed just because we have not lived happily until now, but at the same time, we don't live helplessly looking regretfully over the past.

But why must we accept the past? Wouldn't it be much better if we had never been born, and if tragedies like the Sewol ferry disaster, the Itaewon tragedy, or the many senseless deaths had never occurred? Accepting our existence or social state is not a matter of preference but choice. In dealing with regret and loss, an acceptance attitude is better than resistance. We are inevitably the product of a history we cannot change. It would have been much better if terrible things had not happened, however, we can't avoid all tragedy but no need to affirm it. It's about finding the right path when an opportunity is given.

The force that rubs against clumsy optimism is 'hope.' Thomas Aquinas said that hope is the desire for the 'good of a difficult future' (bonum futurum arduum). Hope is not the feeling that things will turn out well. Hope is the desire to find a way through danger and difficulty and to act. This requires a clear vision to see the anxious reality and a courageous attitude of the heart. And above all, hope is a gift from God to those who are frustrated and disappointed. It is also the expectation that is reborn through solidarity and companionship with them. Our hope is for a better future and to work to make it happen.     

Dealing With Hate Speech

In the View from the Ark column of the Catholic Times, a college professor reminds the readers of society's problem with hate speech.

The Catholic Church teaches us to imitate Jesus Christ rather than blaming or condemning others, saying things like: “Let him who is without sin cast a stone” or “It’s my fault.” However, during the National Assembly elections, there were cases where the candidates' words exceeded what we consider to be the minimum moral standards. Some of these candidates withdrew from their candidacy, but others ignored such criticism and ran for election and some were elected.

In our society, not only hatred of women but also hatred of various minority groups such as the disabled, elderly, and immigrants are often justified. Their remarks become popular through social media and personal broadcasting channels and sometimes bring fame and wealth. Celebrities who treated women as sexual objects or made disparaging remarks about various family members on TV entertainment programs were criticized and even had their appearances suspended for a while. However, since there is no strong basis for punishing hate speech, their hate speech is forgotten.

Because personal broadcasting channels are relatively free from censorship in the name of freedom of expression, they pursue fun, provocative, and violent things. Hate speech that deeply hurts some people has been overlooked. However, in this election, the candidates’ hate speech came back like a boomerang. Even in this case, some candidates did not sincerely apologize, complained that they were maltreated without knowing what they had done, or glossed over the fact that they had made a mistake. Voters watching them were wondering whether they should vote.

Nevertheless, this situation is not all hopeless. This is because hate speech can be a starting point for criticizing hate speech and demanding sensitivity to discrimination against others, not only for the speaker but for society as a whole.

The belief in refraining from any language or policies that contain prejudice or discrimination against minorities is called 'political correctness'. Some people believe this political correctness suppresses free speech and discussion and hinders the development of democracy. However, even if political correctness limits the freedom of expression and behavior of not only oneself but also others, political correctness is still necessary and important when considering the suffering of those who are harmed by hate speech or actions.

There is a need to strengthen consultation, deliberation, education, and legal sanctions beyond individual reflection regarding hate speech in areas such as media, schools, and politics. Each political party must enhance sensitivity to hate through gender awareness education and sexual violence prevention education, and exclude people who make hate speech in the party membership criteria.

In her book "Hate Speech", American feminist philosopher Judith Butler says that simply silencing hate speech speakers does not eliminate hate in society. This is because the group that made the utterance possible was also created with the support of society. Butler emphasizes that hate can disappear and society can change when society recognizes the problems of hate by apologizing to those who have suffered due to hate and healing their wounds.

From this perspective, hate speech found in politics or the media is not solely the fault of those who attracted attention and became stars through hate speech. Those who supported and cheered their hate speech and those who remained silent about it cannot be free from responsibility. To develop sensitivity to hate speech in our society, it is necessary to pay attention to and recognize the suffering of others.

There is a need to be sensitive to whether hate speech is inadvertently used in Catholic Mass sermons or catechesis. Within church organizations, gender equality education, such as gender awareness education and sexual violence prevention education, should be provided and the church should play a role in criticizing and monitoring hate speech in society.

Spring Flowers and War

The Catholic Peace Weekly Diagnosis of the Times column has an article by a priest member of the Reconciliation Committee of the diocese that compares war with the flowers of spring, their similarity, and differences.

It's spring. Flowers that make our hearts flutter are blooming everywhere. It's always amazing to see them every year. It's surprising how such beautiful colors can adorn the black and withered branches that seem dead. People can't resist pressing the shutter on their handphones in front of forsythias, azaleas, and cherry trees.

Spring flowers have the magic to make us want to send pictures to someone precious and walk along the flower paths together. But these spring flowers bloom in a certain order. They follow a sequence according to the temperature and the amount of sunlight. 

The flower that first signals the change of seasons is the plum blossom. Next in line is the cornelian cherry, followed by the magnolia, which tempts with its subtle fragrance. After the magnolia comes the forsythia, and then the azalea. Around this time, songs about cherry blossoms are heard on the radio, and then tulips take their place. People often confuse azaleas with rhododendrons, but if you remember that rhododendrons bloom last in May after the spring has passed, it's easy to distinguish them from azaleas that bloom in March. Thus, nature creates an order of spring flowers based on temperature and sunlight, allowing us to predict what will bloom next.

So, what do spring flowers have in common with war? It's the order and predictability. Looking at it this way, war is similar. In reality, we often think that wars suddenly erupt. The Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict both surprised everyone. While wars may seem shocking and sudden, it's not that there were no conflicts before. All wars, in fact, do not happen out of the blue. Conflicts arise and escalate until they reach a tipping point, and that's when war breaks out.

War may occur suddenly to those who haven't paid attention to the conflicts. However, if one closely observes the interactions of word against word, action against action, one can see the results in the making. In fact, wars that mobilize a nation's entire capacity and everyday conflicts go through a process. For example, if a dispute over parking arises on the street, it starts with harsh words, then threatening behavior, and eventually escalates to physical violence with punches thrown.

There can be decisive words and actions that intensify conflicts, and conversely, there are times when conflicts can be managed. Just as one can predict when buds will bloom by noticing the slight changes in temperature and sunlight, all human conflicts can be prevented if their progression is sensitively detected. 

Of course, spring flowers and wars lead to very different outcomes. One is the work of life, and the other is a path of destruction and death. Spring flowers remind us of loved ones and bring happiness we want to share, while war brings the anxiety and fear of losing loved ones. Therefore, conflicts should be given as much attention and management as spring flowers.

The conflict on the Korean Peninsula is also somewhere in this process. Exchanges have disappeared, communication lines have been cut, hostile language is exchanged, shows of force are frequent, negotiations have been broken, and hostility is growing. What will be the next step? Shouldn't we stop here, manage, and adjust? What should we do in this process? Many questions are now laid before us. However, one clear fact is that while spring flowers continue their process without pause, war can be stopped if we pay attention. In other words, war grows on our indifference.

Life for God

The Catholic Peace Weekly Peace Column gives the readers some idea of what a life centered on the Lord means to a Korean working in a Public Research Center in the States.

One morning before work, he suddenly felt like going to Mass. It is not easy to stop by the church on the way to work. When he woke up one morning, his mind was filled with things that would happen at work, and had no appetite, so skipped breakfast. In times like this, it takes a lot of will to go to church and participate in Mass. No, this cannot be done without the help of the Holy Spirit.

He checked the Mass time and went to the 8 a.m. Mass. He was excited because he was going to a weekday Mass for the first time in several years. On the one hand, he felt good. He was about to enter the church thinking: 'Am I doing well in my religious life now that I go to Mass on a weekday?’ But no, the church door was locked.

He didn't feel well. He tried to do something ambitious but failed. He realized that it would be more difficult to come to attend Mass on weekdays next time. But an old woman was passing by. She told him that when the children were on vacation, there was only a 7 a.m. Mass and no 8 a.m. Mass. He thanked her and was about to turn away when she opened the church door and asked him if wanted to enter the church to pray. She was probably a frequent visitor to the parish and knew the password. He entered the church. 

As he walked into the large church with the lights off, he felt a sense of awe for some reason. Although he was sitting alone in a large, empty church, he didn't feel he was alone. He knelt in front of the tabernacle in the front row of the church for the adoration of the Eucharist. It was so quiet that it felt awkward, but he started praying the rosary. Unlike his usual rosary prayers, he felt closer to Jesus.

As he was leaving the church and heading to work, the grandmother who had opened the door was outside and they had a brief conversation. She told him that she had lost her husband five years ago and that she had received much healing while praying in the church. She said she wanted him to experience the beauty of the morning Mass. She gave him the password to the church and showed him the location of the Adoration Room where he could worship the Blessed Sacrament. When he told her about how he felt as he entered the church and prayed, she smiled and said that it was only natural since Jesus was with him. 

It was a strange morning. Although he could not participate in Mass, he felt much closer to God with all that transpired that morning. Maybe more so than leaving after attending Mass.

A few days later, he went to participate in weekday Mass again. He was a person who left home in a proud mood after messing up once and having a hard time, but when he participated in the Mass, he felt embarrassed. There were so many people, and those who participated in the Mass were people who came every day, not just once in a while like him. He felt embarrassed for thinking he was doing something special. He ended the Mass by praying that participating in Mass and being close to Jesus could become a daily routine like these people and that it would not be a special event.

And what happened after that? He did not participate in daily Mass and it has not become a part of his daily life. He still has a long way to go. Still, the memories of those days remain clearly in his heart, and it is God's great grace that he is still able to pray like this every now and then. He ends the column with the words: “Please help me make my daily life, not my daily life, but a daily life for you, Lord. Amen!"

Our Era and Crisis in Life

In the Catholic Peace Weekly Diagnosis of the Times column, a Catholic University professor considers our present times and the crisis of life that he sees.

The cultural crisis in modern society is by no means trivial. This is because culture and lifestyles have changed rapidly since the Industrial Revolution and no philosophical system to explain it.

Of course, the European Enlightenment and the philosophy of modernity attempted to explain this phenomenon. However, as subsequent history has shown, this system not only set humans as the masters of existence but also caused dysfunction by alienating and distorting all other life forms and nature by emphasizing only the rational characteristics possessed by humans. This phenomenon is revealed in the scientism and capitalist system that has spread widely in modern times.

Science is an important knowledge system through which humans obtain truth from the natural world.  However, when scientific knowledge is set as the final standard for truth, truth systems other than positivist knowledge lose their place. This excludes areas science cannot enter in the search for truth.

The capitalist system has greatly contributed to solving the serious poverty problems of the pre-modern era by promoting economic development. It is also the material foundation that makes the current liberal democracy possible. However, this led to serious inequality and serious harm to humans' inner lives by being concerned with excessive consumerism and materialistic goals.

Modernity is concerned with production. If science and technology transform everything into components, capitalism commodifies all areas of human life. Finally, we have fallen into a serious loss of meaning and emptiness that excludes transcendence. How can philosophy overcome the metaphysics of productivity and verbalize areas beyond what this system cannot see?

Life primarily resides on a physiological basis. Yet, life does not stay there. All life is situated on biological conditions but goes beyond it. All of this is due to the essential orientation that living beings possess.

Life, with the will to live, is an existence that creates life beyond the material realm. Here, humans, endowed with self-consciousness and self-understanding, have become aware of their nature to elevate life itself to the realm of transcendence, along with its inherent characteristics. Humans, recognizing the divine nature as their identity, the highest existence, seek to achieve this nature by verbalizing personhood.

When humans, as semantic beings, can verbalize the inherent and transcendent characteristics of life, it becomes possible to think beyond the metaphysics of production. Only then can humans prepare to overcome the contradictions of the scientism and capitalist system of modern positivism. Through this, we will transcend the horizon beyond the emptiness and nihilistic situation of modern culture.

A culture of respect for life and a culture where life can be life will finally provide the right opportunity.

"All the Way to Heaven Is Heaven"

The Catholic Times Sunday Chat column by a college professor emeritus gives the readers some interesting reading on heaven. 

In a Gallup survey, 63.4% of people answered that ‘Paradise or heaven is not in the other world, but in this world,’ which showed that the people’s thinking is largely centered on this world. Humanity has dreamed of an ideal world since time immemorial. Where on earth is that place? In the East, people longed for the heavenly world where the Jade Emperor and the immortals lived.

Carl Busse, a 19th-century German lyric poet, said in his poem ‘Over the Mountains’, “There is happiness beyond the mountains, far away in the sky, so after hearing that, I followed others to find happiness, only to end up with tears in my eyes.” 

Nietzsche is said to have been walking in the Alps in the summer of 1881 when the idea of eternal recurrence suddenly occurred to him like a lightning bolt. Eternal time forms a circle; within that circle, the universe, life, and all objects and perceptions repeat infinitely. In this way, he argued that since life repeats forever, there is freedom and salvation in life if you accept the agony and joy of life as they are.

Hydrogen and oxygen combine to create a completely new form— water, a mysterious metaphysics. A similar process is expressed as ‘God’s creation’ in Christianity, in Buddhism, it is called dependent origination.

It is often said that life is finite, but that is only life as an individual, and life as a whole has no death as long as its genes continue. 

If you can let go of self-awareness, you can also let go of your obsession with the finite life of an individual. This is because when the self disappears, the self that will die also disappears, and thus death disappears. This means that only by letting go of self-awareness can one escape from worldly bondage and anguish.

Originally, this world was a beautiful paradise. Life is about enjoying a picnic in that paradise. Zhuangzi's 'Little Yayou' is also a story about going on a faraway picnic, purifying the soul, and enjoying absolute freedom while having fun. Zhuangzi's philosophy is  "holistic  encouraging disengagement from the artificialities of socialization, and cultivation of our natural ancestral” potencies and skills, to live a simple and natural, but full and flourishing life."

“I will return to heaven. At the end of my excursion into this beautiful world, I will go and say that it was beautiful.” The great poet Cheon Sang-byeong, who deeply instilled a positive mindset in us, lived in heaven like this even while suffering from the aftereffects of severe electric torture.

Saint Elizabeth of the Carmelite Monastery in France testifies that there is heaven in this world. “I have found heaven in this world. Because heaven is God and God is in my soul.”

Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God does not come in visible forms.  “Behold, the kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17:20-21), Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, “Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Luke 18:16).

Likewise, in Christianity, heaven is the place where the soul of a true believer enjoys eternal blessings after death. However, it does not necessarily refer only to the afterlife but to a place where God's rule is completely achieved and was thought to exist both in this world and in the human mind. This world is heaven. 

In Catholic teaching when we are baptized we put on Christ. It is no longer I but Christ who lives in me. We are living in God's kingdom in faith now but it is not complete for that awaits us after death. We also remember the words of St. Catherine of Siena who said:  "All the way to heaven is heaven."