Living A Proper Asian Life Style

Many of our problems come from failure to live a proper life style.

One often runs across the Ku Seun-ja prescription for a healthy life on the internet. However, its reliability as historically accurate in understanding of Asian ethical thinking is open to doubt. The story does show that in  certain segments  of Korean life it did ring true  and traditional  Asian and the Christian West  did see the ethical life in similar ways. For those who read Korean—https://83100052.tistory.com/15708582

The famous doctor was once approached by a man in his 40s with all kinds of complaints. The doctor listened  and said with the medicines we have it will be difficult to cure but if you follow this  prescription you will be on a way to a cure.

The doctor's prescription had 30 items.              

1) No bad thoughts                                                               16) Know how to be fulfilled    

2) Do good things                                                                  17) Diligence and integrity

3)  No Deceit                                                                        18) Always Kind

4) Lead others rightly                                                             19) Save in every way you can

5) Live within your means                                                        20) Moderation

6) No jealously or envy                                                            21) Don't kill any life

7)  No trickery                                                                       22)  No anger

8)  Sincerity in all things                                                          23) No violence

9)  Always do the right thing                                                    24)  No Avarice

10)  Know that life is short                                                       25) Act prudently

11) Live with a clean heart                                                       26) Submit to reason

12)  Beware of selfishness                                                        27) Help the weak lovingly

13) Patience                                                                          28) Know when to withdraw

14) Gentleness                                                                       29)  Maintain tranquility

15) Humility                                                                           30) Keep secrets

Looking at the 30 items there is little that the Christian would have difficulty with except for 'not killing any life'. The virtuous life would be  seen  as similar. The above items  would be the Asian idea of the person living according to reason.

The article concludes with the writer mentioning the passage in the Christian Bible in which St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians mentions the 9 fruits of the Spirit: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-control. However his summary of the situation in the world, he wonders if you would  find any Christian, Catholic or Protestant, in their words or actions who would be bearing  these fruits of the Spirit.

                                                                            

                                                                        

The Place of Women In the Church

What does it mean that we are all one in Christ (Galatians 3:28)?

An article in a Bulletin for Catholic priests, a  religious sister has some strong words to deliver to the clergy whose efforts in the pastoral work of the church she is very familiar. She works in a ministry for Hope and Joy.

 

"In what way did the world look down on women to teach them? How did the patriarchal male Catholic Church structure and culture grow in strength? I often meditate on Genesis. Because I often experience that the answers to the world's problems can be found there."

 

God made Eve for Adam as a 'cooperator suitable for him' (Genesis 2:18). When Adam meets Eve, he marvels and welcomes her, saying: "Bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh" (Genesis 2:23). Man and woman were 'collaborators' and 'one' (one body) to take care of the world newly created. 

 

How did a woman like this fall into the position of being included in man's  property list?  In fact, the idea of Eve made of men's ribs was possible due to a male-centered culture that monopolized intellectual information and activities. It would certainly be different if a woman wrote it.

 

The attitude of 'blaming Eve' without any sense of responsibility or loyalty is the epitome of 'irresponsibility' expressed today by the 'absence of  men in today's abortion situation. Adam, who loved Eve, immediately said that 'the woman you gave me' (Genesis 3:12) seduced him and ate what was given. Adam tried to bring about a dissonance between God and Eve. How ungrateful and cowardly.

 

Adam's attitude of blaming Eve without responsibility or loyalty after the original crime, forgetting that he shouted "bone from my bone" —Is that all? Abraham and Isaac, who loved their beautiful wife, also pushed them out as "sisters" at the moment of crisis and created room for sexual favors to those in power. From the perspective of Eve, Sarah, and Rebekah, how did they look upon the masculinity of  their husbands?

 

In a patriarchal society at that time, living as a 'submissive woman' to a man with physical and economic power, wounds and resentment must have accumulated inside them. It is a relationship that requires healing and reconciliation. Evangelical Relations - In order to heal the world, the characteristic of the early Christian Church was its orientation to an egalitarian society free from status and gender discrimination. This has been a healing value in human history. The hope that the community itself would be filled with joy. In other words, it was the Gospel.

 

The Catholic bishops who came to Korea  were more innovative. Of course, there was a background of the times in which it was difficult to receive priests due to a severe persecution, but what made the Catholic community proud was the fact that it was a church led by 'laity (comrades)' who did not differentiate between men and women. This is undoubtedly a message given by God from the point of view of faith. 

 

One of the reasons for the rapid spread of Christianity in Korea was that it has opened up a world of 'liberation' that transcends identity and gender. In the Middle Ages, it became extremely powerful, and in the Middle Ages, it had a hierarchical structure and was strengthened centered on men, and women as subordinate beings.  The church must first respect and trust women. 

 

We need to recover the lay-centered church community by discovering the unique intellectual values ​​and various gifts of women who are doing all kinds of work within the parishes. The perseverance and femininity to heal the earth revealed in the Virgin Mary and the women who were with her and stayed with Jesus until the end of the Passion. It is because women have an easier time of making loving decisions for life and are able to restore the lay-centered church community. We need to revive the values ​​of women in the church!  Men and women together make up the human race. If we revive femininity, destruction and war will be reduced.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abolition of the Death Penalty

The Catholic Times in the recent issue reports on the Bishop's Conference subcommittee on the abolition of the death penalty with the theme of 'the deterrent effect of the criminal policy of the punishment system'.

With the occurrence of heinous crimes in society, voices continue to arise calling for stronger punishment. However, statistics show that a moderate sentence is ineffective in preventing serious crimes; the deterrent effect of the death penalty, the biggest punishment, is also the same, and even if the effect of preventing crime is proven, experts have debated whether the death penalty is justifiable.
 
This seminar was held to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the World Day for the Abolition of the Death Penalty. A senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Criminal and Justice Policy, who gave a presentation, discussed the issue of the deterrence of crimes and the abolition of the death penalty.
 
Researcher Kim explained: "If you look at the trend of major crimes over the past 10 years published by the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, both violent crimes and heinous crimes such as homicide, robbery, and rape showed little change." It is said that there was no significant change in violent crimes and the damage that followed.
 
He also made the same statement about the death penalty, the heaviest and most severe punishment. According to the results of a comparative study of changes in the homicide rate in 11 countries that abolished the death penalty in 2018, the homicide rate decreased by an average of 6 over the 10 years since the abolition of the death penalty.
 
He said: "It cannot be interpreted that the abolition of the death penalty has the effect of reducing homicide, but at least the fact that the death penalty does not increase after the abolition of the death penalty is clear, so it can be accepted as evidence that the effect of the death penalty on preventing homicide is difficult to recognize."
 
Furthermore, research has left the question of whether the death penalty is necessary or justifiable even if its effectiveness in preventing crime is proven. "What is clear is that the death penalty is a cruel and unacceptable punishment as part of the normal social system."  He also pointed out that the death penalty in Korean society is contaminated by misjudgments and irreversible sacrifices like the 'Inhyukdang' case.
 
"The essence of the death penalty, which cruelly takes the lives of others, should not be obscured," said a lawyer at the Public Interest and Human Rights Advocacy Center, a group of lawyers for a democratic society who participated in the debate. The death penalty cannot be justified under any circumstances.
 
Bishop Son-tae Kim, in his opening speech before the presentation, emphasized: "It is the state, the government, and the National Assembly that can stop the vicious cycle of repeated violence. If the Republic of Korea becomes a complete abolitionist country by the abolition of the death penalty by our National Assembly, it will play an important role in leading the cessation of executions and the abolition of the death penalty in Asian countries. We hope that we will be reborn as a human rights nation that respects human rights."

Catholic Korea Peace Forum 2022

The Secretary of the National Reconciliation Committee of the Korean Bishops gives us his thoughts on the present situation between the North and South and the hope for the future in the Reconciliation Column of the Catholic Times.

"Now, what about human rights in North Korea?" This is a question posed by an official of the International Commission for Justice and Peace when he visited the US Bishops' Conference on April 27, 2018. He was the one who helped the Catholic Northeast Asia Peace Institute organize an international event, and he seemed to be shocked by the Panmunjom Declaration.
 
At that time, the Korean Peninsula was excited with anticipation of a spring of peace. As far as "that day", I remember that even the conservative media eagerly reported on Chairman Kim Jong-un’s "friendly" image. However, the atmosphere in Washington DC was different. There is a human rights problem in North Korea, and the question was whether the South Korean government could join hands with the North Korean regime like that. Another official of the American Bishops' Conference said with a bitter smile. "How could this happen during Trump’s presidency?"
 
"The Panmunjom Declaration" led to the ‘Singapore Summit’ between the U.S. and North Korea, but the ‘Hanoi No Deal’ once again shattered expectations for a peaceful resolution of the conflict on the Korean Peninsula. As time passed, it became clearer that choosing "peace with North Korea" was by no means an easy task for the US government. To the public, North Korea is demonic, and continuing dialogue with such a regime is a burden on the American political leader. A change in US public opinion is essential for the US government's policy on the Korean Peninsula to change.
 
The US Bishops' Conference actively participated in the international conference of the Catholic Institute for Northeast Asian Peace, which began in 2017. The bishops and scholars of the International Commission for Justice and Peace contemplated the role of the church for peace on the Korean Peninsula and worked together in solidarity. In particular, in December 2018, Archbishop Timothy Brolio, who was then chairman of the International Justice and Peace Committee, made a 'solidarity visit to Korea. After the visit, Archbishop Brolio shared the document titled "The Korean Solidarity Visit and the Request of the Korean Catholic Bishops" in January 2019 and delivered it to the U.S. Department of State. It courageously supported the position of the Catholic Church in Korea, longing for a peaceful resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue in American society, where hard-line theory against North Korea prevails.
 
In October 2022, a special event will be held at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. At the forum jointly hosted by the National Reconciliation Committee of the Bishops of Korea, the International Justice and Peace Committee of the Bishops' Conference of the United States, and the Catholic Institute for Northeast Asia Peace, the churches of both Korea and the United States will re-examine their vocation for peace on the Korean Peninsula. It is hoped that the meeting of bishops, scholars, government officials, and activists will lead to the Church's earnest efforts for the peace of Christ. 

By Whose Sacrifice Do I live?

In the Light  of the World column of the Catholic Times, the priest writer gives us his thoughts on humanity's interaction with all of creation. We are all connected.

Love for life: There is an anecdote about a prickly cactus. Cacti that live in dry deserts contain a lot of water, which makes them good food for herbivores. That's why it is said that the cactus's thorns become a tool of defense. 

It is said that someone put all their devotion and love into raising  a cactus plant  at home.  After a year or so, something amazing happened. The cactus started dropping thorns. Was it because the cactus was moved by the sincerity of the person who raised it? Or was it just  evolution to recognize the danger-free environment and to throw away its thorns on its own? However, there are often similar stories. Are you saying that growing plants requires love and attention in addition to nutrients and water? Have you ever had a pet? The same is true. What about humans, let alone animals? 

Beloved, how sweet and warm are you? We love and encourage each other, so we laugh, we get stronger, and we live with that power, and this is how we live together. But there is something that must be included in that love. It is responsibility and sacrifice. 

We know that Jesus commanded us to take care of our neighbors as ourselves Emphasizes that it is not a vague and superficial sympathy for sacrifice, but a determination to practice goodness and the social virtues, prepared to lose oneself.

 The new relationships of interdependence between individuals and peoples, which are de facto forms of solidarity, have to be transformed into relationships tending towards genuine ethical-social solidarity. This is a moral requirement inherent within all human relationships. Solidarity is seen therefore under two complementary aspects: that of a social principle and that of a moral virtue.

Solidarity must be seen above all in its value as a moral virtue that determines the order of institutions. On the basis of this principle the 'structures of sin' that dominate relationships between individuals and peoples must be overcome. They must be purified and transformed into structures of solidarity through the creation or appropriate modification of laws, market regulations, and juridical systems.( Social Doctrine No. 193).

Even non-believers describe true compassion as "a heart that shares pain with patience and endures it together." We need our healthy consciousness and community atmosphere where that sacrifice and love can be built.

 We must exist for each other There is also something we must remember. That is, we all live on the responsibility and sacrifice of our neighbors and others. Who I am today is thanks to someone's dedication and sacrifice, and the mutual sacrifice that occurs within the family, community, and with people supports me and society. We must extend that perspective to everything from God's creations, from tiny insects to animals and plants and nature. 

 All living things were created by God, there is nothing without value, all exist for each other. A gift to each other, and needs to be  treated with respect. Those hearts that love, respect, and want to be together make our hearts, souls, and communities healthy. 

 "All life depends on other life. We live by the self sacrifice of others. Is there anything I enjoy that is not supported by life of the other?  Whose self sacrifice did you enjoy today?" (from Martin Schleske’s Song of the Spruce) 

Not Knowing what is Right or Wrong

The Catholic Peace Weekly in the Diagnosis of the Times column by a bioethicist considers the heated debate in Korea for and against a bill to allow doctor-assisted suicide of terminally ill patients.

This bill is proposed by a member of the Democratic Party of Korea. The abbreviation is referred to as the "Assistance and Dignity Justice Act". In other words, the act of committing suicide with the help of a doctor is dignified and should be legally tolerated. It is because the very fact that lawmakers use the expression of dignity for an act that kills clearly shows how widespread the trend of contempt for life is in our country.  

Seeing the pros and cons of this bill through the mass media, she is amazed at the level of bioethics education of journalists writing articles. Except for a few reporters, the suspension of life-sustaining treatment was understood as a matter of dignity.
 
This situation is also found in opinion polls. According to a poll released by Korea Research on July 13th, 82% of the respondents were in favor of 'helping with death with dignity. And this is widely reported through various media. In short, according to the columnist, the act of committing suicide with the assistance of a doctor is neither an act of dignity nor a death with dignity. It's just suicide.
 
Our society has been developing a diseased culture that regards the right to self-determination as the highest value of human dignity. Humans can make decisions on their own, without any interference or coercion. This is an obvious fact. And with that free decision comes moral responsibility. Because my freedom needs a space (world) to realize it.
 
So while I realize my freedom, and my self-determination, I have a positive or negative influence on the space in which I will realize the freedom of others. In other words, I am not interfering with or changing other people's freedom, but changing the space in which that person's freedom is realized. This is because if we allow each person's negligence and destructive freedom, it will have a fatally adverse effect on the world and its structure, and ultimately pollute the space in which our freedom will be realized, that is, the world.
 
So, isn't the law there to make the world a better place by maintaining social order and realizing the right to freedom? But what happens to that society if the law rather incites destructive behavior against human freedom? It is also undisputed that human beings are influenced in many ways, consciously and unconsciously, in their self-determination, left to the mediation of public opinion and propaganda. This is something to keep in mind. 

From the moment that the right to self-determination is pretended to be the highest value of human dignity and pseudo-assisted suicide is called "death with assisted dignity," it is already under the influence of false information and incorrect terminology. Therefore, physician-assisted suicide should never be called "assisted death with dignity" nor should it be allowed.
 
 "It is at the heart of the moral conscience that the eclipse of the sense of God and of man, with all its various and deadly consequences for life, is taking place. It is a question, above all, of the individual conscience, as it stands before God in its singleness and uniqueness. But it is also a question, in a certain sense, of the "moral conscience" of society: in a way it too 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. The moral conscience, both individual and social, is today subjected, also as a result of the penetrating influence of the media, to an extremely serious and mortal danger: that of confusion between good and evil, precisely about the fundamental right to life."
 (The Gospel of Life, no. 24)

'World Migrants and Refugees Day'

The number of migrants residing in Korea is over 2 million, roughly the same as the population of one of our provinces. A multicultural society is soon approaching, where migrants make up more than 5% of the total population, but Korean society still lacks many policies or attitudes welcoming migrants or treating them as equal fellow citizens. So begins the Eyes of the Believer column in the Catholic Times by the director of a Theological Research Institute.                                                                             Foreign workers usually work in low-wage, poor workplaces where Koreans are reluctant to go. Discrimination or human rights violations are not uncommon, and they often suffer from industrial accidents and delayed payment of wages. In particular, undocumented migrants and refugees who are not legally protected are often threatened even at the minimum level of human dignity.

We treat migrants like second-class citizens because they are from underdeveloped countries, or we see them as 'aggressors' who covet our work or 'destroyers' who threaten the social safety net we have built. For example, not long ago, the government announced that it would strengthen the qualifications for health insurance for foreigners. In fact, the financial balance of foreign health insurance has been in surplus for 4 years and helping us.
 
Catholic churches around the world celebrate the last Sunday of September as 'World Migrants and Refugees Day'. This year was the 108th Pope’s message titled Building a Future Together with Migrants and Refugees. The message conveys the vision of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 60:10-11), who regards the Gentiles not as invaders or destroyers, but as workers willing to build the walls of the New Jerusalem, leaving the gates wide open for Gentiles with gifts to enter. Immigrants and refugees have historically been the foundation of our society's social and economic growth, reminding us that they provide us with opportunities for cultural and spiritual growth and realizing the beauty of the diversity of the world.
 
In Western societies, where aging has been a serious problem, there are many cases in which migrants have been actively accepted and industrial and cultural development has been revived. In Korea, too, as migrants settle in areas that were concerned about population extinction, the area is revived, and news is coming out that it is possible to maintain branch schools or small schools that would have been closed due to a decrease in the number of students.
 
She also remembers a story about a Catholic believer who became acquainted with immigrants who are devout Muslims and began to reflect on his own religious life by seeing their deep faith and daily practices. Our society and culture will be more diverse if we view migrants and refugees not only as neighbors in need but also respect their religion and culture and learn from each other as brothers and sisters.

According to the results of the '2021 National Multicultural Receptivity Survey' published this year, the younger the age, the higher the multicultural acceptance. The number of young people who say they are having relationships with migrants as friends or school students has increased. One thing that stands out from the youth survey is that 87.7% of the respondents agreed with the question, "As global citizens, we all have a responsibility to solve common global problems such as war and environmental pollution."  

We hope for the future of Korean society that our youth, who are open to multiculturalism and highly responsible as global citizens, will lead along with their immigrant friends. "Lord, help us realize how beautiful it is to live together as brothers and sisters—amen."