What Makes Life Worth Living?

"Today, the word ‘study’ is commonly used to mean preparing for an exam or acquiring a skill, but that word also meant cleaning one’s body, settling one’s mind, or finding a way to live like a human being. We are living in a time when studying like that is regrettably not the case. Compared to the work of eating, what to wear, and spending money, the work of meditating, reflecting, and having a healthy vision is neglected too much…. Indeed, the serious problem today is not the death of God, but the death of man." (Abraham Joshua Heschel Who Is Man?)

 

In the Catholic Times' Light of the World column, the priest columnist gives us the above words of Rabbi Heschel to begin his topic on the positive regard and love of others. And introduces the readers to a phrase that comes to mind at this time: 春來不似春(spring has come but it's not like spring).

 

This is also how he feels about the world and society right now. Worldwide, many people are still suffering from famine and refugee problems, in addition to the Ukrainian-Russian war that has lasted for over a year, and the Turkiye earthquake with its many casualties. 

 

Is this all? How complex is the domestic situation? The people's livelihood is being devastated, the political world is reminiscent of war, social conflicts over the reform of the national pension and public utility, low birth rate and high aging population, rising unemployment and recession, and so on. The COVID-19 crisis is over, but bigger storms await. Now that we have met the many dust storms of life, where can we find hope? 

 

A letter addressed to all good people On April 11, 1963, during the Cold War, Pope St. John XXIII promulgated the encyclical 「Peace on Earth」. This encyclical describes what is necessary for peace, mentioning the rights that everyone should enjoy and the duties necessary for them. What is unusual is that this Encyclical is the first document to call not only Catholics, but all people of goodwill to form new ways of relating in society based on truth, justice, love, and freedom. 

 

Through those who love and want to practice good faith, they predicted that conflict and conflict will end and peace will be possible. This rule emphasizes that failure to fulfill one's obligations can be a danger to the world and to others, including the practice of active love and responsible brotherhood, and that we should work together to solve it, not just sympathize with someone's suffering.

What is really important? Today is an era in which human rights and equality have been greatly expanded. However, he wonders whether we have interpreted the duties entrusted to us passively and have forgotten them. The life of a Christian is to love neighbors and even enemies, but often we don't put it into practice. Is it really worth living if I live only for myself and do well materially? After living, the thought that life is fleeting and finite is the regret that comes from doing only worthless and meaningless things. However, those who pursue meaningful and valuable work will not have those thoughts. The season of Lent, which calls for conversion, is God's invitation to practice important and worthy work and charity. Let's try to live a life without regrets and a life of more love.

"The inner transformation of the human person, in his being progressively conformed to Christ, is the necessary prerequisite for a real transformation of his relationships with others. It is necessary, then, to appeal to the spiritual and moral capacities of the human person and to the permanent need for his inner conversion, so as to obtain social changes that will really serve him. The acknowledged priority of the conversion of the heart in no way eliminates but on the contrary imposes the obligation of bringing the appropriate remedies to institutions and living conditions when they are an inducement to sin so that they conform to the norms of justice and advance the good rather than hinder it" (Compendium of the Social Gospel of the Church #42).

 

Preparation for Retirement

A religious sister working with the elderly gives the readers her thoughts in the Catholic Peace Weekly on living a rewarding retirement life.
 
When it comes to middle-aged people, the most central topic is 'life after retirement'. Many people think they will be working even when they reach old age if they do not have a pension or living expenses guaranteed after their retirement. If you are not ready for your retirement life, your worries about the second job will inevitably increase.
 
When we ask the elderly about a second job: males cite real estate agents as the field early retirees prepare for. The most promising job for those in their 60s is security, but the job is few.  In the case of women, a lot of people apply for caring jobs such as nursing care workers, but they say that the intensity of the work is so high that there are physical limitations in carrying out the work.

In a society that is becoming increasingly complex due to technological advancement, more important than ever is the pursuit of leisure, and cultural and personal life.  Consequently, it's important to utilize professional personnel in preparation for retirement. As we get older, our physical movements decrease and we start to pile things up, and when this happens over and over again, there are situations where we feel lost. In this case, you can get help from specialists, and it will also be very helpful to use a housing social worker who provides counseling on housing problems and housing environment improvement.
 
An aging society demands the expansion of services for the elderly. An old age planner is a job that designs various aspects of life so that people can spend their old age happily. You can find out about your economic situation, emotions, and retirement plans, from counseling so that you can lead a suitable retirement life. The government has selected senior planners as a new job and is conducting expert training. In addition, as the population ages, the number of specialized institutions related to the elderly is increasing, and the fields in which senior planners can work are expected to increase.
 
The sister mentions Paul who didn't look in the mirror for several years after his retirement. He didn't even notice that his face was getting hardened, but while working as a taxi driver a while ago, he looked in the mirror again. When young, it mattered what kind of work he did for the sake of face or attention. However, today, Paul says, "As I get older, I feel happy just being able to do anything," and "I am indescribably grateful for the sense of security that a sense of belonging gives."
 
Pope Francis said: "Introspection is required to get out of the familiar life and look at the truth of this world that exists today from a different perspective. Love for others creates a deep bond in everyone's heart and expands their existence. When we who belong to the Church's life become young in spirit, the Church becomes younger. Let us put our hope in Christ, who is our hope and always young. He is alive. Everything He touches becomes rejuvenated, renewed, and filled with life."
 
The elderly are not those who have lost their youth, but those who live with their youth. They are not the kind of old person overcome with boredom, and killing time, but one who communicates with the people around them with faith and hope and shares their experiences. He advances on the path of inner perfection and exudes light to those around him.

World Opinion and the Ukraine War

In the Catholic Peace Weekly of the Catholic Times, a Professor gives the readers his understanding of the direction of world opinion on the Ukraine War.

A year has passed since the Russian invasion broke out in Ukraine. As soon as the professor heard the news of the invasion on February 24 last year, a question came to mind. Just as North Korea's invasion of the South in 1950 intensified the Cold War confrontation, is Russia's invasion a turning point that ushers in a new Cold War order?  
 
In the face of the blatant threat of Russia, Europe has united around NATO. In particular, Sweden and Finland, which are geographically close to Russia, abandoned their military neutrality and pursued NATO accession. In the meantime, both countries have tried to ensure safety by not provoking Russia, but now the Russian threat is close, and concrete deterrence measures must be put in place.    `
 
However, it is still difficult to predict the arrival of a new Cold War. The situation is complex and fluid. China promised unlimited cooperation with Russia before the war broke out, but it cannot openly support or oppose Russia's war. A resolution condemning Russia was passed by an overwhelming majority of 143 countries at the UN Special General Assembly last October, but 35 countries, including China, India, and South Africa, abstained. Despite Western economic sanctions against Russia, not only China but also India continues to import Russian crude oil. Even the EU has not completely stopped importing Russian gas. In many developing countries, national debt, climate catastrophe, and the corona pandemic are much more urgent than the geopolitical upheaval following the Russian invasion.
 
The fate of Ukraine has become a weather vane for world order. A Russian victory would strengthen solidarity and authoritarianism with China, and China would consider invading Taiwan more seriously. Conversely, a victory in Ukraine would reaffirm the viability of the liberal order. Of course, there is the possibility of an ambiguous end to the war or a truce.
 
The future of war is still unpredictable. At the beginning of the war, Russia expected an easy victory with its mighty military power, but Ukraine's desperate resistance changed the situation. However, Russia is also stepping up its war readiness in earnest. While it is not known how long the war of attrition will continue. Western arms support is gradually expanding.
  

Korea criticized Russia's invasion right after the war broke out and agreed to the UN resolution. It has also participated in economic sanctions against Russia and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. However, in our society, the war in Ukraine is more like a “fire across the river.” A protest is being held in front of the Russian Embassy in Korea to condemn the Russian invasion, but public interest is low. In April of last year, Ukrainian President Zelensky held a video address at the National Assembly Library, but political interest and attendance were low.
 
Recently, military aid to Ukraine has emerged as a major diplomatic issue. Until now, the Korean government has drawn a line on direct arms support. However, as the NATO Secretary General who visited Korea at the end of January, urged in a special lecture, the international demand for active arms support is growing stronger. The West has high expectations for Korea, which has emerged as a favorite of the world's defense industry, amid some limitations in the ability to supply weapons to the United States and others. On the other hand, we need to be cautious as it could worsen relations with Russia and negatively affect our preparedness. The level of public interest in the war in Ukraine is also a key variable in policy making.
 
There are no easy answers to questions like arms support. However, the process of finding the answer is just as important as what the answer is. Since it is an issue at stake in the world order, an active discussion is needed. There may be discussions within the government, but social discussions are greatly lacking. Any policy has its pros and cons, but efforts to form social consensus will broaden the base of support for the policy and strengthen consistency.
 

Wise Use of ChatGPT

 

 In the Eyes of the  Believer Column  of the Catholic Times a parish priest gives the results of his use of ChatGPT website.

Not long ago, he opened the site which is emerging as a global topic, and waited for the results to his question in English: "Please write a sermon in Year A on the 1st Sunday of Lent."  In an instant, he was given a sermon that filled up a sheet of A4 paper.

 

He was able to get a proper sermon at once by using English. Content is quite logical and comprehensive,  but it felt flat with no depth and no concrete examples of life experiences. 

 

ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) conversational chatbot, is a service that generates answers to questions with a super-giant AI designed to think and judge like a human by learning large amounts of data. On November 30, 2022, within two months of its release, ChatGPT users are said to have exceeded 100 million.

 

The use of ChatGPT, which can be called 'an invention as important as the Internet', is limitless. First of all, ChatGPT provides the right answers to the right questions. It's like talking to a very knowledgeable person who is capable of answering whatever he/she is asked. It is also applied to creative activities in all fields such as papers, novels, and poetry.  

 

What effect does ChatGPT have on religion and religious life, and how can believers use it wisely? Believers who are accustomed to searching will now have the possiblity of going to ChatGPT about the Bible and doctrine. 

 

When he went searching on the internet, the sites were many and the information so extensive it was difficult to determine which one was appropriate, and it took a lot of time and effort to find the data. How convenient and time-saving now with the ChatGPT.

 

ChatGPT is also available for religious conversations and counseling. Of course, there is still no depth, so it is premature to expect it to serve as a professional counselor. 

 

Although ChatGPT can have a positive effect on faith, it has several problems and limitations. Like any other media, ChatGPT is addictive. A person who is exhausted by constant conversation with it can become a person  subject to it. For believers, addiction to ChatGPT will have the side effect of distancing from God. Also, ChatGPT is not a substitute for personal fellowship and dialogue with humans. It helps to form, maintain, and deepen human relationships, but it does not provide relational resources such as mutual understanding, empathy, and solidarity. In particular, ChatGPT is highly likely to become a tool for expanding and reproducing hatred, prejudice, and fake news, so there is a risk of deceiving others or destroying other people's lives.

 

No matter how good the technology, no matter how great the invention of mankind, there are always two sides. Whether ChatGPT will become a state-of-the-art technology that enhances human knowledge and experience, or a tower of Babel that crosses the realm of God with uncontrolled human desires, is ultimately up to humans.

 

ChatGPT is expected to have a tremendous ripple effect. The church will have to research and pay attention to it in depth from a policy point of view through theological and ethical analysis and interpretation. The Vatican has already announced the "Rome Declaration" for AI ethics in 2020.

 

The ethical use of AI as defined by the following principles:
1. Transparency: in principle, AI systems must be explainable;
2. Inclusion: the needs of all human beings must be taken into consideration so that everyone
can benefit and all individuals can be offered the best possible conditions to express
themselves and develop;
3. Responsibility: those who design and deploy the use of AI must proceed with responsibility
and transparency;
4. Impartiality: do not create or act according to bias, thus safeguarding fairness and human
dignity;
5. Reliability: AI systems must be able to work reliably;
6. Security and privacy: AI systems must work securely and respect the privacy of users.

Human Trafficking—Talitha Kum

 

Human trafficking is a crime that involves coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in sex acts. It is the recruitment of people through force, fraud, and deception, with the aim of exploiting them for a profit of one kind or another and occurs in all the regions of the world. Men, women, and children of all ages and from all backgrounds can become victims of this crime.The traffickers use fake promises of education and job opportunities to trick and coerce their victims.
 

In the Catholic Peace Weekly a religious sister in her column: the Pastoral Work Place, gives the readers an example of what is meant by the crime of trafficking. She is a member of an international network of religious women who advocate for anti-trafficking in all its different forms [Talitha Kum].

People often ask her if there is human trafficking in Korea. The flip side of this question is to think of human trafficking as nothing more than the forcible dragging and selling of people by some evil persons. Also, one sees human trafficking as an event that happens to special people who have nothing to do with me. In fact, human trafficking occurs frequently in Korea which is very close to us.  

In 2020, 19-year-old Jeong-eun (pseudonym) gets to know from an acquaintance a 44 years old man who resides in Turkey. Mr. Lee, who lives abroad, and Ms. Eun Jeong, who works in Korea, became close through frequent video calls and casual chats. Mr. Lee looked at the writings of Ms. Jeong-eun, who dreamed of becoming a writer, and listened to her concerns at work. In the meantime, he says that if she comes to Turkey where he lives, he will look at her writings and help her become a writer.

The two met in Doha, Qatar on December 31, 2020, and went straight to Istanbul, Turkey due to Jung Eun's visa issue. When Jeong-eun arrives in Turkey, Lee's crime begins. Jeong-eun was imprisoned, threatened, and suffered physical damage such as bruises and fractures as a result of sexual assault and violence. On March 10, the owner of the accommodation saw Jung-eun's bruised and swollen face through the crack in the door. Lee was arrested and imprisoned by the local police. With the help of the consulate, Jeong-eun returned to Korea.

This case demonstrates that human traffickers set traps for exploitation across countries via internet chat rooms. In the gap where the thirst for communication and meeting has been amplified by the Corona 19 pandemic, human traffickers are reaching out with the sweet touch of temptation. We must keep people safe from the increasingly sophisticated traps of human trafficking. Solidarity to promote preventive education, protection of victims, and criminal prosecution of traffickers is the vision of the Talitha Kum ministry.

Asian Movement of Women Religious against Human Trafficking (AMRAT) Year of foundation: 2009 (Meaning: life giving water in Sanskrit) is a member of TALITHA KUM, The International Network of Consecrated Life Against Trafficking in Persons. The birth of AMRAT was in November 2009 in the First workshop held from 18-25 Novemeber 2009 at Raia, Goa, India. The Foundress Sr Jyoti was awakened to the heart rending realities of the modern day slavery – Human Trafficking when she represented the Union of International Superiors General (UISG) in Rome in 2007 and was inspired by "I have come that they may have life; life in its fullness"John 10:10. She then motivated other religious congregations especially of South Asian Countries to join hands to combat this heinous crime - Human Trafficking.

 

Solutions to War Mankind's Failure

 

In the Catholic Times' Eyes of the Believer Column, a director of a Theological Institute gives the readers some thoughts on war and what it does to all of us.

Last January, many people were surprised by the sudden rise in gas rates—the heating bomb— so she opened the bill nervously. Fortunately, thanks to turning on the boiler less, she was relieved to see it was just a little more than the same month of the previous year, but when compared to Jan. 2021 the gas cost increased by 36% when she used a similar amount.
 
In the news, the root cause of the skyrocketing heating bill this winter is the war that broke out on February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia, the world's second-largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, is using its energy resources as a weapon by cutting off natural gas supplies to Europe after unleashing a war.  
 
Korea mainly imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar and the US, so there has been no supply/demand problem. The warm weather continued in Europe, so we managed to survive this winter, but the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns that the energy situation after March this year cannot be guaranteed.
 
The energy problem is serious, the war in this region, a world-class granary, has exacerbated food shortages around the world. As the prices of gas, electricity, and food continue to rise, our lives are becoming more and more difficult. The tragedy of war in the faraway countries of Russia and Ukraine has a direct impact on our lives, and once again we realize how closely the global world is truly interconnected.
 
However, no matter how difficult we find it, there is no comparison to the suffering of those who are in the middle of a life-and-death war. According to the announcement of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on January 10, the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine reached 18,657, including 7,110 dead.
 
Russian and Ukrainian military casualties over the past year are estimated to be at least 100,000 each, so it's staggering how many lives are lost in these wars. What's even more terrible is that this war doesn't show signs of ending anytime soon, and many neighboring countries are beginning to focus more on war preparations by increasing defense spending, and there are even signs of escalating the war. Korea also increased its defense budget by 4.4% this year compared to last year, and there are growing concerns that it might be swept away by the winds of war.
 
In this year's 'World Day of Peace' statement, Pope Francis mentioned the reality that a vaccine for the Corona-19 virus that shook our daily lives was found, but the war virus still has not found a solution, not only the parties involved in this war but also mankind. 

In paragraph 261 of the Encyclical 「All Brothers」 published in 2020, Pope Francis also said:  "Every war leaves our world worse than it was before. War is a failure of politics and of humanity, a shameful capitulation, a stinging defeat before the forces of evil. Let us not remain mired in theoretical discussions, but touch the wounded flesh of the victims. Let us look once more at all those civilians whose killing was considered 'collateral damage'. Let us ask the victims themselves. Let us think of the refugees and displaced, those who suffered the effects of atomic radiation or chemical attacks, the mothers who lost their children, and the boys and girls maimed or deprived of their childhood. Let us hear the true stories of these victims of violence, look at reality through their eyes, and listen with an open heart to the stories they tell. In this way, we will be able to grasp the abyss of evil at the heart of war. Nor will it trouble us to be deemed naive for choosing peace."

The words of the  Gospel: "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), may sound like naive ideals in the context of the complex international political order, but those who look more deeply into the misery of wars taking place around the world today and those that suffer from them, the way of peace is brotherly love and nothing will take its place.

Specifications And Jobs

During the summer, the apple farmers sweat cultivating their orchards. So begins the Peace column in the Catholic Peace Weekly by a entrepreneur now retired.

Fully grown apples fall to the ground with the fierce  autumn  winds. Even when they fall and  are scuffed the farmer knows how sweet and delicious they are no matter the scars they have on the outside.  However, regardless of the farmer's efforts, people pay more for an apple with a a good looking surface.

Are we like that too? Is it not true that they give more generous marks to people who look good on the outside, and on the other hand, are there not many  trying hard to have the kind of look that will be easily chosen.

Even with one or two scars, an apple grows as sweet and full with the efforts expended by the farmers.  Most importantly, apples vary depending on how well they receive the benefits of nature. It is said that the sugar content is determined by how much sunlight it receives. Even if it has flaws on the outside, it is sweet when it receives a lot of sunlight. Even if it is smooth and flawless, an apple that has not been properly exposed to sunlight is not sweet. 

I think that specs determine everything, to have a good apple to look at, will in most cases determine everything. One of the things the writer regrets after leaving the world of business is giving too much importance to specs in the recruitment process.  

There were often more than 10,000 applicants to select a few hundred, so in the end, the first selection is based on specifications from the screening of the documents. He can explain this situation with all kinds of excuses, but if he  made up his mind to find other ways he could have done so but he feels regret that he just took it as a matter of course and didn't change. Looking back, in the end, what really mattered was to find out how good the apple was, without tasting it.

You may say that you are comfortable in a world where it is difficult to find a job these days, and your personality has nothing to do with how others view or evaluate you. Even if others see you as a scared apple, at least when you stand in front of a mirror, being open  and confident depends on how ripe your apple is inside.  

The word of God is like sunlight. If I received a lot of blessings and felt confident that I was a well-grown apple, I would be freer from the  evaluations of others.  Then, in the end, because of that attitude you would have a better chance of getting a good evaluation. Just as the sun shines on an apple, it is only natural that when a person realizes and feels that he is in God's arms, his inner self matures more fully. The problem is that even if you think about inner faithfulness like this, the opportunity itself is fundamentally blocked because of the specifications. In particular, because of the company's selection method and the absolute number of jobs being insufficient, it feels like the qualifications have become a ticket gate to the future of young people.

However, there was a survey by 'Job Korea' that found that even if you were selected to join the company after building specs, the average turnover rate after one year was 70%. Both those who build up specs and those who choose people by immersing themselves in those specs eventually face the truth only after tasting the apple. 

However, the world eventually changes with its natural flow. As the problem of building qualifications and disappointment in the jobs offered by companies continue, it is clear that it will become a natural trend for young people to make other choices. Whether starting a business or self-employment, the trend to step into the world as a non-regular worker, which is relatively easy, is bound to intensify.

No matter the flow of society what is important is how mature and ripe, like the apple I am, and I who am the farmer how do I evaluate what I see? I think about that every time I look in the mirror. "Hey farmer! Am I a delicious apple grown in God's sun?"