It is Difficult to be Naive

Chinese characters are seen on the walls of many houses and public buildings. They say much in few words. On the opinion page of the Catholic Times, the writer introduces us to the Chinese characters that mean: "It's difficult to be naive."

In this phrase the Chinese word used for naive or fool would mean in Korean "to gloss over." In the past when a Korean would apply the word intelligent to another, this person would usually refuse to accept the compliment by some appropriate response. For, as the writer states, if this person had not responded and refused the compliment, the gloss over, he would be seen as naive or a fool. But if we were to call someone a fool and the person does not respond, refusing to defend himself, who would think such a person a fool?  No one would be able to determine the depth of his or her thought. This is the reason, he believes, for preferring the saying: "Those who appear naive are the wise."

Relying on his own experience, he believes that when we speak we should reduce by half the number of words we habitually use. This would also reduce the number of mistakes we make in speaking. He believes this way of behaving has its roots in silence, and refers to the book "The World of Silence," by the Swiss philosopher Max Picard, who has written insightfully and lyrically about silence. He quotes  from the book:

Man is not even aware of the loss of silence: so much is the space formerly occupied by the silence so full of things that nothing seems to be missing.But where formerly the silence lay on a thing, now one thing lies on another. Where formerly an idea was covered by the silence, now a thousand associations speed along to it and bury it. In this world of today in which everything is reckoned in terms of immediate profit, there is no place for silence. Silence was expelled because it was unproductive, because it merely existed and seemed to have no purpose. Almost the only kind of silence that there is today is due to the loss of the faculty of speech. It is purely negative: the absence of speech. It is merely like a technical hitch in the continuous flow of noise."

There is also a worldly-wise way of being silent, an aggressive play acting of what is thought to be humility.  Why does one act in this way? It is seen as a way of disarming another so that a more devastating tactical offense can be applied. According to this thinking, to show our true self, jealousy or deference would likely be the expected response, thus removing the possibility of controlling the  situation and moving it in a direction more favorable to the individual.

Humility was  an unknown virtue in the cultures of Greece and Rome, and today possibly has a  meaning far removed from that  understood by Christians. Humility has nothing to do  with not appearing as proud in the presence of others, which some find attractive, but has everything to do with seeing oneself as nothing, but for the grace of God.

Age is What We Make of It.

"If study is not part of today don't say you have a tomorrow....Take advantage of today for time quickly passes"--two sayings of the well-known Chinese Philosopher Zhu Wen Kung, which appeared in a Peace Weekly article praising the work ethic of the man profiled in the article, a doctor of  nuclear medicine.

Retired from his position  as professor at the  Catholic University after 37 years, he has continued to work in medicine for the last 16 years. He thanks God for the good health that enables him to keep working, and is happy  to be able to help those who need his care. Age is not a problem, he says, when it comes to his research studies; when he's involved in study, it feels like he's meeting his sweet heart, because of all the joy that it gives him.

He has been working in PET-CT (Positron emission tomography-computed tomography). the field of nuclear medicine, a branch of medical imaging, that uses small amounts of radioactive material to diagnose or treat a variety of diseases or abnormalities in the body.

"Humanity is a mystery," he says.  Are we able to make hair or fingernails? We are God's masterpieces, made with delicacy and exquisiteness that only we humans can understand."

A recent study of his that culminated in attaching a gamma camera to the eye of a needle to search for fractures appeared in his dissertation published last year in a medical journal. "When one continues to do research these moments of discovery come. It may seem that the discovery was by accident, but it was not."

He has published over 380 treatises, and of this number over 40 are listed in the Science Citation Index. And since  retirement he continues to write, publishing two treatises each year. But even a cart, he says, can go on moving for a 100 years if the chassis is strong and the wheels are in good shape. What is important is where is it  going and the  reason.

His occupation, he makes clear, is his vocation to help people according to God's wishes.  Since it is a vocation for the welfare of others it is a life of study, even into old age, which draws all of us to admire not only this remarkable doctor but all those who keep mentally active and  concerned for others. The Prophet Micah said it beautifully: "You have been told, Oh man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8).

Living Without Pretense

Some 30 years ago when China was beginning to open up to foreign influence, a group of Koreans visited China. Their guide was an ethnic Korean living in China. One day the ethnic Koreans serving as guides to visiting Koreans met and discussed what they found interesting about their work. They talked about three tendencies they observed in Koreans visiting the country: pretending to be all knowing, pretending to be wealthy, pretending to be important. In the beginning there had been great curiosity in guiding the Koreans, but gradually, as they got to know them better, this interest turned into disdain. Such was the way a Korean priest in a recent bulletin for the clergy summed up the feelings of the Korean guides.

He gives another example of how certain nationalities are often distinguished. The Chinese, Japanese and Korean tourists who climb the Eiffel tower in Paris all have similar facial features, so it is difficult to distinguish one nationality from another, but it is said that from their actions it is easy to know who is visiting the tower. Those who are busy eating and talking are the Chinese. Those who are taking notes, listening to the guide, and looking over the structure of the tower are the Japanese. Those who are busy taking pictures to show on their return home are the Koreans.
The writer acknowledges that we all have an innate desire  to be recognized but wonders if Koreans have more of this desire than most. They like, he says, big and expensive cars, big apartments and lavish material goods, and wonders if this is not an effort to raise themselves in the estimation of others by what they have.

Most people, he reminds us, usually like those who are humble, and care little for the proud who  push themselves forward. He believes that if we do want to draw attention to ourselves the best way is to not make much of ourselves.

We Christians know that humility is the  DNA of a Christian; it was Jesus' repeated theme in the Gospels. Koreans, despite the perception of many, are probably no different than others in wanting attention. Italians are considered by many to be more interested in making a good impression than other nationalities, which amounts to the same thing. Sometimes the desire to make a good impression, or to gain attention, is subtle and less immediately obvious, but this again comes down to the same thing: being too concerned with oneself and how we relate to others. Effort may not be the only thing that is needed to change this natural trait. Sometimes what happens to us, perhaps in a moment of grace, reveals the foolishness of this kind of behavior. 

Buddhism and Catholicism in Korea

Religion deals with  conscience. Each has to follow the dictates of conscience. However, when religion is an external and public reality, it becomes a matter also for the nation. Buddhism is the second article in the series on Religions and Catholicism in the Peace Weekly.  The writer  quotes Robespierre, a Deist, prominent leader of the French Revolution showing the necessity of Religion for the health of a nation.

Buddhism in Korea helped to legitimize the rule of the king. Lee Chadon was martyred because of his Buddhist beliefs but was the door by which Buddhism entered the Silla Kingdom and spread to the rest of the country. Buddhism united the aristocrats and gradually spread to the people. With the downfall of Goguryeo and  Baekje kingdoms,  the Silla Kingdom ascended and became the United Silla Kingdom. The King used Buddhism to unite all the beliefs into Buddhism, and the king became the Buddha King. The teaching was the unification  and harmony of all things. The universe is in the one, and the one is in the universe. Uisang was one of the illustrious monks of the Silla period his teachings  had more to do with the whole than with the individual.

The Silla dynasty lasted for almost 1000 years one of the longest in Asia. With the downfall of Silla, we have the Koryo dynasty  in which Buddhism turned to asking for help from the Buddha.  It was during the Koryo years that the Buddhist's monks would take national exams,  work in the royal house and in running the government.

The Joseon followed the Koryo which began with the policy of restraining Buddhism and giving the ascendency to Confucianism.This period showed great  disdain for  Buddhism. With the Japanese colonial rule the Confucian control disappeared and Buddhism was given freedom.

After the defeat of Japan and Independence, conflict arose between the traditionalists  and the independent Korean Buddhists. The problem with the married and celibate monks also surfaced. The government gave preference to the celibate monks.

 How does the Catholic Church look upon the Buddhists? In the Declaration on non-Christians, it says:   "Buddhism in its multiple forms acknowledges the radical insufficiency of this  shifting world. It teaches a path by which men, in a devout and confident spirit can either  reach a state of absolute freedom or attain supreme enlightenment by their own efforts or by higher assistance."  And continuing: "The Catholic Church rejects nothing, which is true and holy in these religions. She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which though differing in many particulars from what she holds and sets forth, nevertheless, often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men."

Pope Paul VI made it clear that we respect these religions, but it doesn't mean we refrain from pronouncing the teachings of Jesus. There was a warning to the bishops of the world that the meditations of the Christians and non-Christians should not be seen as the same. The Korea Catholic Church mentioned the dangers of pluralism, syncreticism and a failure to analyze the different religious approaches.

As Catholic we continue to try to understand the other religions  and have a deeper understanding of our own. Our interest and concern with the other religions should grow.  Without  knowledge of their  teachings, in  dialogue we will have more confusion. We have to know our own teachings and those of the other religions if the dialogue is to be profitable.

Role of Religion in Society

The movie, The  Crucible, based on a novel of a true incident, was the recent topic of an opinion piece in the Catholic Times. It is the story of a school for the deaf and mute whose students suffer physical and sexual abuse at the hands  of their teachers. (It was the blog on this site for Sept, 12, 2009--"Whistleblower in Korea: 'The Crucible.'")
 
The writer of the opinion piece, after seeing the movie, was embarrassed, knowing that the hypocrisy and evil depicted in the movie occurred in a  school  affiliated with Christianity, and that what should have been a place for hope and salvation for disadvantaged children had become a crucible for disruption and evil.

Our writer now wonders whether a recently formed Christian political party, which will run a candidate for  president next year, will develop its own crucible and be found wanting. He has found the words and slogans used by the new party upsetting. They are attempting, he believes, to raise the Christian influence in society by this political effort, but similar efforts in the past have always failed. Although religion should be interested in the well-being of society, when it attempts to use earthly power to achieve its ends, it loses, he maintains, its spiritual power and often opens itself to ridicule.


Recently a Protestant minister was quoted as saying, "Religions can't take up the role of government, and the government can't take up the role of religion. Each has its own role." What the minister is saying is correct, as long as we understand that he does not mean to say that religion should not get involved with societal problems.

All believers, as members of society, have the duty to work for achieving justice in society. They also have the right to express their personal and religious views, as well as their political views, publicly.

These two domains should not be confused; each should be respected. Religion has to fight against becoming secularized, but knowing just where the dividing line exists between religion and our secular society is sometimes not easily discerned. To what extent should religion speak out against problems in society and how does she wield political influence when protesting a political decision deemed inappropriate or unjust? At all times she has to keep in mind what she would be contributing to society by intervening in the political arena, and whether these interventions are based on truth. When religion doesn't work for justice, it's like salt losing its flavor. Its very reason for being is gone.

Some say that religion has become secularized and corrupted, but we should never forget there are many--in and out of the religious sphere--who are very quietly bringing light and salt to the shadowy places. When society becomes confused, that is when the role of religion also becomes important. We should never forget that the knowledge of truth is our foundation and that the values of religion will always exceed the values of the world.

What is a True Believer?

What is a true believer? There are many Christians but how many are mature  believers? A professor at the Taegu Catholic University searches for answers in his article in the Bible & Life magazine. Why do we modify the word believer, he wants to know, with adjectives like true and mature? Is it because there are few who actually are true believers, mature believers?

What does it mean to be a believer? The word means one who believes, but what is important is 'what' and 'how' one believes. Many understand belief too narrowly, as meaning the acceptance of certain propositions. However, the professor says that is not what it means to a Christian. Christian belief is a personal acceptance of Jesus not only intellectually but with the whole person, with the emotions, with the will, and with our actions. It is believing in Jesus, imitating Jesus, and living the Jesus life. Believing certain propositions is the foundation, but it doesn't stop there.

What we believe should be affirmed by the life we live. Believers should be reliving the life of Jesus, and when this is not understood, it makes for a narrow, intolerant Christian. One can't judge another person's internal spiritual life, but we can make judgements on how this belief is manifested in life.


Our writer feels that a major stumbling block keeping us from true belief can be found in our all-consuming concerns for personal and family well-being, concerns that can turn our belief into an egotistical, self-serving belief. The traditional Christianity is concerned for the welfare of others, and places a high value on sacrifice and service. Concern for the self is of course not excluded. However, many fall away from their faith life  by too exclusive an interest in self and secular matters.
 
Ideology is the other problem he deals with. Following the downfall of Communism, many other beliefs, religious and non-religious, have appeared on the social horizon. Sound ideologies are necessary if there is to be a vibrant society; they help us go in the right direction. But in our society, the values of community and sacrifice are disappearing, replaced by an overly aggressive competitive spirit in many areas of life; by the search for ever greater profits, without concern for the welfare of the consumer; and by a world-wide financial system that has become more interested in its casino-like potential for making huge personal and corporate profits than in facilitating the efficient operation of the marketplace. Only religion, the writer feels, will weaken this tendency. However, religious fundamentalists, in trying to protect religion from an increasingly secularized society have come up with their own ideology. Using rationalization as a tool to protect what they feel is their possession, they are degrading religion.

A person of belief, says the writer, is not one who speaks loudly about what he believes, nor one who has merely the external ways of a Christian. A person of belief is one who can  face the difficulties of life serenely, strengthened by the love that animates her life. She  doesn't fuss about her own pain but  can  commiserate with the pain of others. Isn't that what a true believing Christian is?                                                               

     

Words Without Deeds...

"Words without deeds are like a garden full of weeds." These words, and similar sentiments, are often heard, and the desk columnist  of the Catholic Times reflects on their usefulness in living a fulfilling life. No matter how acquainted we are with the words of Scripture, he believes that when they are not lived  they are of little use. They are not the way we move God or even ourselves. 

Those who live the words of Scripture live their lives truthfully and serenely. The words bring repentance, and help others to repent, and those who pray inspire others to pray. Living by  the Word means to carry out what we believe. Our columnist gives us the example of Mahatma Gandhi who lived what he preached and received respect and  acclaim from all. 

The columnist presents us with three self-reflections: When we approach the Scriptures do we do it with humility and respect for the Word? Do we use God like a tool to attain what we want? When the Word does not match our desires do we discard it?

What effort is necessary on our part to make the Word effective in our lives?  It starts, he says, by becoming familiar with the Word, not only having knowledge of the Word but having the experience of the Word in our lives. Knowledge and experiencing the  truth of the knowledge are two different realities.  Knowledge, understanding, practicing  and experiencing the Word may be our desire, but it is only in experiencing the truth of the Word that changes us.  That's God's gift to us. That is the life of Faith.

We all desire to have our requests answered but how faithful are we in listening to God in the many ways he speaks to us. We are too busy and miss much of the happiness and grace that we should have in life. 

How precious do we consider the words of Scripture? Do they touch the heart? The columnist tells us that if we have read the Scriptures with the head, we should make a change and read them with our heart and and put them  into practice in our daily lives. Where the Word  exists  there is life. We should  yearn to make it a part of our life.