St. Kim Taegon Andrew— Jubilee Year 2021

 In June 1846, Father Kim Taegon, Andrew, was arrested by police while searching for a route of entry for French missionaries. They pulled hair from his head and punched him although this was not to be since he was a member of the noble class. A journalist of the Catholic Peace Weekly in the Peace Column gives the readers some thoughts to reflect on.

When they reached the beach, they took off the priest's clothes, tied him with a rope, mocked him, and dragged him in front of the magistrate. Many people watched the scene. The magistrate looked down at Father Kim and asked: "Are you a Catholic?"

The writer reading from Fr. Kim's letters stopped to meditate on the magistrate's question. This short question made him think not without embarrassment: "Are you a Catholic journalist?"
 
He has lived as a Catholic journalist for a long time, but his eyes still are not able to read the signs of the times. The ability to interpret and read the signs in the light of the Gospel and the ability to communicate the interpretations in popular language does not increase. If that was all, it would be fortunate. Because of the fluctuations of the times, he has suffered from motion sickness, failing to focus on the truth of the Gospel, and become lazy.

What about the words and writings piled up on each other? Not one of them is being implemented properly. In "Praise of Folly", Erasmus with a great deal of satirical intoxication points out the foolishness of the times and the writer finds him referring to persons like himself. Father Kim answered the magistrate's question without hesitation, "Yes!" But the writer has no choice but to say: "I'm ashamed!"

The writer would like to have the magistrate appear in downtown Seoul to set up an interrogation station. In the middle of last month, women's civic groups advocating the abolition of the now present crime of abortion held a press conference for Catholics in front of the Sejong Center. Women who are Catholics say, "I am a Catholic. I am in favor of the abolition of abortion as a crime." They stood in front of the media's camera with hand signs. Some of the media delivered their claims emphasizing that they were "real" believers.
 
Four out of 10 female lawmakers who co-sponsored a bill to abolish the entire abortion crime are Catholics: since the right to self-determination of women is more important than the right to life of the fetus, criminal law requires that abortions be eliminated.

In the general election in April, of those elected, 83 considered themselves Catholics. This is 27.7% of the total number of members of the National Assembly (300). In other words, one out of four lawmakers is a Catholic believer. However, the writer couldn't find any believers who shouted that the right to life of the fetus should be protected. We are disappointed with those who separate life from their faith.
 
"Justice, O Lord, is on your side we are shamefaced even to this day" (Daniel 9:7). The prophet Daniel's confession should be ours. If we know how to be ashamed of shameful behavior, we are on the right path.
 
The Korean Episcopal Conference declared a Jubilee Year from November 29, the first Sunday of Advent, as the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. Andrew Kim. The question posed by the magistrate 174 years ago is the theme of the jubilee: "Are you a Catholic?" I hope that each of us in the Jubilee Year is prepared to answer this question.

Literacy Education

We call a person who can't read illiterate. A half-century ago many of the citizens of Korea could not read or write, today very few. The numbers going to college, the increase of literate laborers, and the spread of information within the country have made Korea a leader in the world. This is what the average Korean believes. So begins an article in the Kyeongyang Magazine by a onetime journalist.

This is the reality of present-day Korea. Those who can't read or write are under one percent and have been so for some time. However, according to an OECD study of  22 developed countries,  in the reading of documents the degree of understanding and literacy, Korea is one of the lowest of the 22 countries.   

Koreans sense of pride in their country is high and according to the writer don’t want to acknowledge the above reality but it is necessary to do so. In the international community understanding what we read is more important than the ability to read or write. In the digital world in which we live literacy is required.

What is media literacy? The capability to access the media, understand the contents and evaluate. Because of the digital media revolution, we can communicate with others like never before but at the same time, we have the spread of hate and fake news and the destruction of serious and helpful news. How can this situation be controlled? In three ways: By legislation that will control digital use, a system that will fact check the news, and literacy education.

Every democratic country has laws that prevent defamatory language with their libel laws but these laws come into conflict with freedom of expression and have difficulty in many countries although Germany Australia and Singapore have succeeded. Germany because of its history during the Second World War with racial prejudice and long reflection was helped to change.

Secondly, algorithms and fact-checkers help social media to weed out fake news. This has not come into conflict with freedom of expression in some countries.

The third way is literacy education to develop a discerning judgment on what is seen and heard. This has already been done in some of the countries. Governments need to take a lead in the public area.

Korean has begun but in comparison to Europe is very slow and passive. At present certain sections of society have begun programs in literacy education in their own way. The books used have not been unified, most are literal translations of foreign books, crudely transposed. This requires that the government start taking a lead.
 

Excessive Trust In Our Rightiousness is a Problem

 

A lawyer writing in the Eyes of the Believer Column of the Catholic Times recalls that the things that thrilled him when he was young are not doing so as he ages. Listening to songs that were thrilling when he was young is of no interest, and reading the classics is no longer what it was. Since the wisdom of both east and west has the goal of a 'peaceful mind', he wonders whether he has matured or just become an old fogy.

He looks  back on his school days when they wore school uniforms like the imperial Japanese military and received a corresponding education. For decades after high school, he eagerly shouted “No” to authoritarian dictatorships. Now those years have passed. Meanwhile, new worries come to mind, perhaps because his heart has grown old. Maybe Pandora's box has been opened in our society.

As the political and social repression that has been going on for a long time is gradually relieved, everyone now comes out with their own opinion. It is a natural reaction to the oppression of the past. The most severely suppressed are the labor, women, and youth sectors of society.

The labor world has been seeking some stability over the past 30 years since the 'Great Workers' struggle' in 1987. (In July and August 1987 over three million workers, led to an uprising of workers demanding better wages, better working conditions, and autonomous trade unions).  

However, solving the problem of non-regular workers and self-employed workers, who seemingly are self-employed, but live with many restrictions, is now at the beginning stage. Until the labor-management relations were stabilized there were intense confrontations and excessive arguments. How many workers died, were injured, and went to jail in the process?

Now, voices are coming out to free women and youth from unjust oppression— Enactment of the Human Rights Ordinance for Students and Youth, the 'Me Too Movement', and strict punishment for sexual violence. Although it is a process that must be passed through to solve the problem, there are often excessive unreasonable attacks and hatred, and even the basics that must be observed are abandoned.

Naturally, the human rights of students and youth need to be respected. However, since the concept of human rights is inherently self-righteous, it may serve as a justification for rejecting education that teaches the lack of human rights to children who are still in the learning stage. For immature children, proper guidance from teachers and adults is essential, and certain discipline and behavioral restrictions are needed to overcome the hardships of life that will come. Children who have grown self-centered at home and in society will be able to learn self-control and caring for their neighbors through certain disciplines.

The repression of women, which has been around for centuries, requires shock therapy to cure it. However, hating men unconditionally and trying to find the cause and solution of all problems in sex discrimination, is like the history of overthrowing capitalism by killing ‘capitalists’ with bamboo spears.
 
So we can not expect capitalism, which depends on people's selfishness, to easily fall. Nor will the hard wall of discrimination against women be overcome by hating men.  

The movement to abolish the crime of abortion is in full swing these days. No matter how frustrating the undesired pregnancies and the difficulty to nurture, a state must defend the common good and not allow a single life, an unborn child, to be killed. A woman's right to self-determination extends only to herself, and the fetus is another being, freed from her self-determination. Although the state can close their eyes to certain situations it cannot allow one to openly kill another. 

The path to liberation from oppression is a long and difficult one. On that path, hatred toward the oppressor and excessive self-assertion is inevitable as a reaction to the oppression received.  

For us to really fix the wrong 'social system' in which we live, we must free ourselves from the 'me' filled with greed, anger, and foolishness. Without this freedom from hatred and excessive self-assertion is it possible to be effective in our quest for a just society?

Wisdom in Daily Life

In society, we receive a lot of information that is not truthful and has the possibility of changing the way we think. This is systematic to the way news is gathered and not being as objective as we think we are.

A university professor gives the readers of the Catholic Peace Weekly some thoughts to keep in mind when hearing and viewing the news.
The press often gives brief names to incidents and people— objects of their reports. The moment the media gives a name to an incident, that given name becomes an attribute of the object. Because of coziness with the police or government, each media company may give different names to the incidents.

Naming the incident by the press helps the public to understand the object quickly. However, caution is required because incorrect naming can result in a misunderstanding of incidents and the people involved.
 

Also, the media conveys the names given by politicians on incidents or other groups with different political interests. Here we may hear expressions of dislike for specific groups distributed online without qualifications.

The media makes the object of the report understood from that particular media's point of view, and can reinforce a negative attitude toward the named object. As a result, it can lead to blind loyalty to the in-group and a negative attitude toward the other groups, leading to social division.

Among the news values ​​that influence the press's selection are social deviations, which are considered more newsworthy, so more attention is given to incidents with properties that violate social norms or rules. Most of the incidents of deviant behavior have a negative attribute and 'great news value' ​​ which are likely to be reported through the media, and help to reinforce the negativity of the public. 

The spread of rumors and fake news can also be said to be the result of media reporting practices and human cognitive bias. Consequently, both the press that produces the news and the public, the consumer of the news, should avoid making judgments based on partial information.

Walter Lippmann, author of "Public Opinion" is read as a classic in the field of mass communication said: "Humans use 'pictures in our heads' to understand complex social phenomena. These pictures are for the most part transmitted to us by the media.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Information on objects that we cannot directly experience in our daily life is obtained through the media, and the information provided has a profound influence on the formation of our knowledge. When society thinks about incidents or people, the press brings up the concepts necessary to understand it. These concepts come together to form a framework for each of us to understand the object.

Although the media plays a large role in constructing our knowledge system, it requires each individual's effort to fill in what is incomplete in what we know with correct information and to prepare a comprehensive framework for understanding. Let's think of the pictures we have in our heads about an object. Let's check whether those pictures are likely to consist of stereotypes, prejudices, or biased information.

Hope Arises Again On the Korean Peninsula

In the Reconciliation and Unification column of  the Catholic Times the writer gives the readers some uplifting news on the relationship of the two Koreas.

At the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Workers Party on October 10th, the content and method of the speech given by the North's top leader was a popular topic of discussion. Dedicating much of the speech to the military and the people who were on the front line working with the pandemic  and natural disaster recovery, and thanking all for their efforts. We also saw the shedding of tears which was different from the past.

Also noted was the extending of the hand of peace to the South from the leader of the North: "I hope for the day when we can shake hands again." However at the end of the event the military threat of the new ICBM and SLBM appeared, showing  no change. There was a change in the talk but what he saw with his eyes made the writer feel still confused. What is this?

In June of last year, inter-Korean relations, which had cooled after the breakdown of last year's Hanoi talks, resulted in the destruction of the liaison office. After that inter-Korean relations were cooled down enough to define inter-Korean relations as antagonistic. 

Then, at the 5th preliminary meeting of the 7th Central Military Committee of the Party, Chairman  Kim Jong-un withheld the military action plan against South Korea made by the General Staff. After that, confusion continued due to flood damage and corona-virus infection-19. However, the dialogue between the leaders of the two Koreas during this period shows that the dialogue was maintained.The writer concludes not  all things are visible. 

In this process, he is really confused about what the North really wants. In this case, he  has much to  think about. All countries will try to maximize their own interests. What is profitable for the north side? A deal to achieve economic development along with the lifting of sanctions will be necessary, and negotiations between the United States and South Korea will be needed. Eventually, the advancement of nuclear weapons is necessary to increase the bargaining power, and local conflicts can be considered.

However, there are lines that should not be crossed. A knife is scary when it's in the sheath, meaningless when outside. On the other hand, our national interest will be the continuation of a peaceful Korean peninsula where stable economic growth can be guaranteed and maintained in the future. In that respect, two positions coexist for us, pressure and dialogue, depending on the reaction of the North.

So, what stage is it now? As the North position changes, it seems that we need to manage the dialogue phase as well. It seems necessary now to respond to the North Korean position rather than ignoring it with negative predictions and preconceived notions of "I will not be fooled again". This is because when you respond to someone's request, it becomes a conversation. Kim Jong-un said: "I  am hoping for the day when the North and South Korea will hold hands again." We need to make this a reality.

 

 

Usefulness Is Not the Ultimate Value

"We need to cut back on the money spent on social welfare! Too many people don't work, they play and eat."

Korea is gradually becoming a communist country: the words of a taxi driver which the author of an article in the Bible & Life magazine, quotes to begin his article. He is the head of the justice and peace work in his diocese.

The taxi driver along with many others equates socialism and social welfare work. Money that is used for welfare is wasted;  social welfare contributes to citizens avoiding work and prepares for socialism. But is that the truth despite the words one hears on SNS and people spread around without thought in society?

One point that people of this opinion have in common is that efforts in this area are useless and those they are supposed to help are the losers in society. When we help those useful for society this is investing but helping these losers is time and money wasted. Everything is seen with the profit or loss lens.

Who are these losers in society? According to the taxi driver, they are those that spend their time playing and eating but it is not only these individuals who don't work but those who can't work for one reason or another. How can one equate those who don't want to work with those who want to work but can't? They look upon these as good for nothing.
 
Many of us at times had similar thoughts that entered our minds: losers, incompetent, feeble. Judgments that come to us unwanted that belittle and disdain others. On the other hand, when workers are exploited by private industrialists we are not concerned but people that seem to have nothing to do bother us.  We have difficulty when a home for the handicapped is built in a community for the price of property will drop. All that is seen is  the dollar sign.

We hear as truth: Is it not better to have those who are helpful to society than those who are a drain? Is it not better to spend money and effort on the capable than those who are not? This seems to be truer than the opposite but is this the reality for a Christian? In Mathew 5:45 Jesus says: "God causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike… For if you love those who love you what right have you to claim any credit?"

We all know the parable of the vineyard: Matt, 20:1-16. Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to the generosity of a landowner who hires laborers at various times during the day and then shockingly pays the last hired with the same wage as the first. They all had a need to feed their families and since they were not able to find work the vineyard owner gave them all the same pay even the ones who worked only one hour for they all had the same need.

Is this not also the lesson of the prodigal son, The son who was always with the father and the son that squandered the inheritance received the same love of the father (Luke 15:11-31).

Why did God choose the Israelite? It wasn't because they were the most diligent of the people at that time but it was God's love that wanted to make them lovable. We are all his loving children and we are called to help all of them to live up to their potential. A rock which is not moved by the wind and rain may have a beautiful flower with its roots protected by the rock which is oblivious to the protection given. We are all important not by what we can do but because of who we are not because we are useful but because we are— is this not the kind of world we want to help build?

We Need The Courage to Face Truth

The South Korean government has announced plans to reverse the ban on abortions imposed in 1953 and revise the law to permit abortion.  
In response to this news item, a scholar in  'matters of life'  gives the readers of the Catholic Peace Weekly something to think about in her article in the 'diagnosis of the time' column.

Recently, she was moved by the words of a graduate student on the subject of "Constitutional Nonconformity Decisions on Abortion and Afterwards". The student strongly criticized the church's insignificant response and compromised attitude on the subject. In other words, the church is not to compromise but must be a light to the world showing the right path to follow. When she heard this, her conscience was very uncomfortable, but at the same time, it was exciting because it made clear that the church was not doing its job and a young person noticed it.

Abortion is by no means an easy topic. The present and future of the pregnant woman and the fetus are directly connected, a challenge continuing to be discussed all over the world. The reason for thinking of abortion as a challenge is that, we take a compromising attitude in the prevailing current of society, our conscience becomes very uncomfortable and confused. This confusion and complexity are addressed by St. John Paul II in section 58 of the Gospel of Life:

 "Today, in many people's consciences, the perception of its gravity has become progressively obscured. The acceptance of abortion in the popular mind, in behavior and even in law itself, is a telling sign of an extremely dangerous crisis of the moral sense, which is becoming more and more incapable of distinguishing between good and evil, even when the fundamental right to life is at stake. Given such a grave situation, we need now more than ever to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and to call things by their proper name, without yielding to convenient compromises or to the temptation of self-deception."

Again, when you speak, say 'yes' to say' yes', and say 'no' to say 'no'. Remind them of the Gospel saying that more than that is from evil (Matthew 5:37). Our conflict comes because we are halfway between 'yes' and 'no', trying to escape the criticism and pressure of the world. Acceptance of abortion in our society is viewed as a worldly trend, not followed, we are considered weird, unreliable, and sometimes even considered traitors to society, especially to women. From this distorted view, we think that changing the law will greatly contribute to solving the problems of female pregnancy and childbirth.
 

Also, the movement to respect the life of the fetus is considered disregarding the reality of women. However, this attitude follows the past structure of 'strong against the weak' and the sin that was tolerated against women for many years and now used against the fetus. "The moral conscience of society in a way is responsible, not only because it tolerates or fosters behavior contrary to life, but also because it encourages the 'culture of death', creating and consolidating actual 'structures of sin' which go against life" (Gospel of Life, Paragraph 24).
 
We need 'courage to look directly at the truth', and through this, we will be able to clearly see what our church, as well as our society, should do. The South Korean Constitutional Court on April 11, 2019, ruled the ban on abortion unconstitutional and ordered the law's revision by the end of 2020. Consequently, the right to life of the fetus was seriously infringed, and the government should ask calmly what it is doing to legally protect the life of the fetus.

Also, the reason why abortion is prevalent in our society is the lack of respect for life. As a result, the idea of ​​respect for pregnant women and all women is inevitably unsatisfactory. We must save both lives, not just the life of the fetus. This is the direction that law and society should go. Each of our church members should not be an exception in this attitude.