Most Sinful Countries of the World

 

Living in the information age we are bombarded by information, much of it of low quality and not verifiable, which makes discernment difficult. The internet adds to the problem, as does this blog and millions of others that abound in the blogosphere. To navigate this flow of information, what is necessary is the art of discernment. We know well the saying of St. Augustine, "Love God and do what you will." If we are living a life in harmony with the will of God, seeking his will in all things, then our thoughts and desires will direct us correctly in making the right judgements. This is the traditional Catholic teaching on discernment.

The View from the Ark in the Catholic Times presents us with one of these occasions where discernment is necessary. The columnist, referring to an article that appeared in Focus, the magazine of the British Broadcasting Company, mentions the most sinful nations of the world, according to the article, and what capital  sins those countries have the most difficulty dealing with.  Korea, overall, was listed as the 8th most sinful country of the world, and placed number one in the lust category. This was determined by the amount of money spent on pornography, in comparison with other countries.

The distinctive quality of a nation is not determined by the intelligentsia or popular leaders, he says, but by the ordinary citizens. No matter how good the laws and structures are, if the citizens do not follow them they are of little worth. When the citizens have a sense of dignity and are moved by conscience and good habits, this will be reflected in the personality of the country.

Korea went from a GNP of 100 dollars in 1960-1970 to over 20,000 dollars in 2010, which is the envy of many developing countries. In 1987, Korea rid herself of a dictatorship and became a democracy. There is little need to point out, the columnist notes, that economic improvement and political maturity allowed Korea to join the group of free and prosperous countries of the world. And in the last ten years, the influence of Korea's culture has spread to many parts of the world.

However, individual consciousness has not kept pace with economic development, he says. Greed, lust, envy, hunger for power, and the like are seen as the likely reasons for the immorality and corruption which has earned the country the low moral rating described in the Focus article. How can we rid ourselves of the stigma of being the 8th most sinful country in the world? he asks. We have to refine our moral education, work on our self-improvement, and work for the common good. Helping to change Korea's image in this all-important area of life, says the columnist, should be the duty of everyone.  

The wrong-headed desires of some politicians to gain power is offset by the virtues of sincerity, authenticity, and justice exhibited by others. The overwhelming desire of all citizens is that the individual should live as a caring human being, and that our society, made up of such human beings, is working for the common good.

 

     

Smart Phone Addiction

Korea is the most wired country in the world, having also the highest percentage of smart phones. Not only is this a positive sign of the efforts made to promote internet technology but like everything else when taken to an extreme often has a negative result, which seems to have occurred in Korea.

Stories abound on how the internet has been abused, similar to what has happened in other countries. The result of this addiction is causing great concern around the world. An article in the Peace Weekly, which discusses a paper given by Doctor Lee Jung-hun, a psychiatrist at the Catholic University of Daegu, gives us some interesting facts on the situation. So serious has it become, according to Dr. Lee, that the  government has started tailored programs to deal with the addiction, providing special classes in internet addiction and organizing holiday camps to wean students off their dependency to smart phones and the internet.
          
In 2012, a survey was made of youngsters, from the ages of 10 to19, who were considered internet addicts; it showed an increase in addiction from 7 percent from the previous year to 18.4 percent. The addiction rate of those from 10 to 49 years old was 11.1 percent. The result of the study indicates that there may be problems with the emotional life of those addicted to using smart phones.

Dr. Lee presented a paper on addiction to smart phones and the internet at the annual meeting in San Francisco of the American Psychiatric Association. He made a study of 276 high school students, from four schools, who were 16 years old, and found that the higher the incidence of addiction, the more the students were prone to accidents and problems with attention deficit disorders. They also had problems with depression, anxiety, delinquency, aggressiveness and relating. Problems with reasoning correctly were also uncovered. He also found behavioral differences with how the smart phones were used. Using them in the toilet, before going to bed, and when making personal contact via the social network service were also signs of addiction.

There are numerous applications for smart phones, and they continue to develop them, making them increasingly attractive and causing many to move away from the PC to the smart phone. The earlier one begins to access the Internet, the easier it is to become addicted. Efforts to discover the reasons for the addiction, Dr.  Lee said, should continue to be made. It is a serious problem and though Korea has started to take appropriate steps to deal with the problem, it will not be easily solved, since Korea has developed more than other countries in the world of cyberspace.

Dilemma for the Church

The United States Supreme Court recently struck down the defense of marriage act as unconstitutional. The Korean Times desk columnist discusses the subject, seeing it from a Korean Catholic layperson's perspective. The bishops responded to the decision with sadness, he says, since it gives approval to same-sex marriage, contrary to the understanding of the Catholic Church.

In society today, he goes on to say, the Church has to deal with  secularization exemplified in the cases of sexuality and life issues: abortion, artificial insemination, capital punishment, euthanasia. With the recent advances in science and in collusion with commercial interests, there is also growing disagreement over embryonic stem cell research.

When we look into the controversy surrounding these issues, we see society distancing itself from the certainties of religion and the ethical standards of the past. When it comes to the  present situation in the States, we notice that even though Christianity has been an important part of the American culture, the traditional influence of bishops on life issues is losing its ability to sway the people. In polls, the numbers supporting the Catholic position continue to decrease. 

In Korea, it is easy to see that even though Catholicism has respect within society, the influence of the Church, as a newcomer to the scene, is less important among the majority of Koreans, which makes the teaching of life issues mostly a Catholic concern.

However, the problem is not only a failure to influence the larger society, for even Catholics overall are not in agreement with what the Church teaches, which is the greater problem. In many of the issues of life: abortion, artificial insemination, contraception, homosexuality, and the like, the response of Catholics is no different from others, and even at times more in opposition. This is the present reality, and the columnist sees this as the central dilemma that the Church has to face.

The numbers of those in the West who see homosexuality as a serious issue is not small. It is not only the small number of those who see it as a sickness, but the Church itself requires respect for all; even when it considers homosexuality not normal, it has to be concerned about the pastoral issues dealing with this inclination, which he says is another dilemma which the Church faces.

Koreans still have a very unified Catholicism, and it's easy to understand the way Catholics would tend to look upon the Catholicism of the West, though the thinking of Korean Catholics is probably not much different from the Catholicism of the West, only not as vocal and as  opposed as some in the West. In promoting the culture of life, the Church faces many difficulties, says the columnist, which will not be easy to overcome.

Building a Healthy Community

The Catholic Forum recently met with experts and activists to discuss  the reasons for the weakening of community and to find solutions. Among the problems discussed: increasing polarization between those that have and those that don't, the large number of suicides, and the gradual breakup of communal society--all side effects of rapid economic development.

One of the participants, the mayor of Seoul, said that one of the principles behind the market is its omnipotence (though we have seen its failures); we need to change this thinking, he said, and go from competition to cooperation, from an emphasis on quantity to an emphasis on quality. A professor agreed with this assessment and  said that although our material prosperity puts us among the developed countries, little of it has to do with the happiness of our people. Going along with neo-liberalism has increased the country's financial growth, he said, but many of us are having difficulty overcoming poverty, and the increasing number of suicides is showing us that something is seriously wrong with our society.

The mayor suggested several alternative ways of  changing society: more emphasis on fostering a social economy, working for the common good,  creating autonomous operations and a person-centered economic environment which we have seen, he said, being implemented already in developed countries, in an attempt to fill the gaps made by  capitalism. There are many already with the financial means to back work cooperatives and social businesses, the mayor said, and he promised to assist in any way he can.

Another professor said we have to get rid of the idea that the welfare policies of the government are free, and even if it were possible, it would not continue for long. A priest mentioned that the wealthier we become the more need for an increase in  our spiritual values. Cardinal Kim was a good example of this, as he continually searched for the transcendent in life, always being thankful  for what life had to offer, living detached and willing to take up the cross.
The active motivating  force  for society, said another, should be love. The value of love, in contrast to law and ethics, is its dynamic staying power to move us with mutual respect,  forgiveness,  reconciliation--always moving us toward unity and cooperation.

The article ends with the words of one who works with cooperatives. "Cooperatives are now being talked about as another alternative, but there are voices of concern. To see them continue and develop without any protection and security within society  is just talk. A realistic goal must be spelled out, and there has to be a relationship  of solidarity among them, were his words of advice.

Pornography and the Mobile Culture

Mobile technology is allowing anyone interested to enter the cyberspace at anytime and place. A recent Catholic Time's article reported on a forum, conducted by the Bishops Mass Media Committee, that dealt with the proliferation of mobile devices and pornography. With easier access to mobile devices we are likely to see, according to the forum, a breakdown of our traditional values. Determining what measures can be used to counter this trend was an important consideration for the forum presenters.

The article mentions that when the porno actor from Japan came to Korea, he was greeted enthusiastically by the young people, and in the interview, he mimicked the sex act. Sadly, the reception he was given is perhaps a sign that pornography is becoming a staple of our culture, and that we can expect more out-of-wedlock pregnancies, abortions and abandoning of infants. As a result, many are asking for more action on this issue from the Church.

The sex act, a gift that is exchanged between the partners in marriage, is increasingly being commercialized and distorted by pornography. Those who are involved in marketing this travesty of love, distorting the sex act and, for some, making marriage more difficult, are denying the dignity of our person-hood, as one presenter expressed it.

It also magnifies the divisions in oneself, breaking the relationship we have with God and causing us to lose the direction of life.  Porno and violence give birth to anxiety and sadness was one of the conclusions of the forum.

The director of the Bishops Committee mentioned that even in home theaters suggestive scenes without any filtering are becoming commonplace. We need to discern and oppose this take-over of our society by the commercialization of sex for quick and easy profits.

In another article, a  journalist who was present at a parish sex education program for grammar and middle school children, said that hearing children speak about sex so openly and and frankly left her with mixed feelings.  In her day all was negative and hush hush, but for these children it was very different. But she knows that what they know has come from the mass media and their smart phones and, being fragmentary, cannot give much discernment. 

The journalist concludes that this is an issue the Church will have to take seriously, including all adults, whether having children or not, if we are to protect all children--and ultimately our society--from the false sexual culture that is being promoted today.

The "I" and "Non-I" Syndrome

Most people  are not pleased with their personality or situation in life and would like to see a change. These words begin the View from the Ark in the Catholic Times. This is not all, he continues, for they want to change the world in which they live. This wanting to change the world is   stronger in the young, for they have the higher ideals, and a greater dissatisfaction. Most of the changes in the world naturally come from those who have this  dissatisfaction. It is not extreme to say those who have attempted reformation, revolutions and been innovators have been of this stripe.

The Chinese character used in  the above three words have to do with leather: and the verb would be embellishing the leather. With the passage of  time, we have the meaning of change and to fix. To sharpen, clean, and polish any fine article will require love and earnestness. This is also true for the changes in the world, and it is only humans that can do it. What is necessary to  change the world? Without any discussion necessary it is the heart that  has to change and the young people actually want to see this change.

What enables a person to change his way of thinking? Is it criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure? This develops quickly into conflict. Looking over history, we see that this has been the case. One of the famous nationalists and patriots Shin Chae-ho expressed a view of history that evolves around competition between the “I” and “non-I”.This has been a fact in our history, and we know it leaves aftereffects:  results are conflict and  war. This is a way of bringing change. There is no quicker way, he says but also the way of inflicting many scars to the winners and losers both.

We have seen this in our conflict between the North and South: even after  60 years we have the aftereffects.  The results of change that come from war show that it was better  never to have gone to war. With war, we leave the area of the heart and enter the material realm and mobilizing all the material to achieve our purpose. It is difficult to say that this is a good method of achieving our goal. We are left with scars and with desolation.

With war we have left behind the interior dimensions of the heart and opted for the material.With the material strength we bring about great devastation. Consequently this is not the best way to bring about change. Conflicts bring about scars and wars leave us with desolation. Conflict and war presupposes the hostility between the parties which gives birth to criticism, ridicule, containment, pressure.This is certainly better than conflict and war but when it happens those who should be subjects are made into objects.
 
What has to happen is that each party should   try to understand the other's position: to see the situation through the eyes of the other. There has to be sincerity and love it is only then that we will see change. This will enable the two parties to acquire what each lacks. This is the teaching of all our religious leaders of all persuasions. Sincerity and love  will naturally be followed by praise and awe. With humility, each party will not be afraid to do what the world wants.

Progress or Regression?

A columnist of the Catholic Times, on seeing how the the disabled were treated during the Joseon Dynasty, which was the topic of a recent TV history program, was sufficiently surprised to write about it in her column. The disabled, she learned, were excused from many of the duties normally expected from citizens, and those who showed concern for the disabled would be commended, and those who abused them would be seriously punished.

Efforts were also made to help them become independent by giving them positions that fit their specialty, without concern for their place in society but only concerned to utilize their capabilities in the best way possible.  For instance, a society for the blind was established, which produced many who went on to become prominent in government. The only thing that separated them from the other citizens was a bodily handicap, and the distress that often accompanies such handicaps. The columnist sadly comments that it seems we have been going backwards as a society in the way we treat the disabled among us. 

A famous historical figure, a musician, during  the kingship of Sejong the Great, was quoted in the TV program, in reference to what the government was doing for the blind: "There is no one we can dispense with in our society."

She introduces us to Fr. Cyril Axelrod, who is considered by many the Helen Keller of the 21st Century. Both blind and deaf, he came to Korea last month to visit with the Christians and to show them what a disabled person is able to do and to help the Christians achieve a new appreciation of the disabled in our society. He stresses in his talks that his disabilities, like all disabilities, can be incorporated into our lives as blessings.

In Korea,  since 2011, over two and a half million citizens have been registered as disabled; each year, as small and serious accidents increase, the number of disabled also continues to increase. Accidents or disease after birth, she says, are responsible for disabling 9 out of 10 Koreans. She feels that being concerned for the welfare of the disabled should not be solely the concern for specially trained people but for all of us, and that our understanding of the disabled also needs to broaden and change if we are to keep pace with the latest knowledge in the field.
 but there are still many who are unwilling to accept the disabled as being equally deserving of all the rights of other citizens.

There have  been many changes in society but still many have an aversion for the places used by the disabled  and this shows in the problems many have in  building such facilities. The price of land decreases and many find it uncomfortable to be so near the disabled so they demonstrate against the building of these facilities.

Though we have to come to an understanding that the only difference between the disabled and others is only a matter of degree, we have yet to take the next step, as a society, and act on what we understand.

To repeat the musician's words, the theme of both the TV program and the column: "There is no one that we can dispense with in our society." We Christians, she says, who profess to be light and salt of the earth, should be the first to appreciate what this means.