Korea and abortions

The Window from the Ark column in the Catholic Times visits again the issue of abortions in Korea. Still the leader in the number of abortions in the developed countries, Korea, the columnist reminds us, has done little to change this reality.   

The Church has been clear in its opposition to the Mother-Child Health Act, promulgated 40 years ago. In one way abortions are illegal in Korea but when continuation of a pregnancy can cause serious health problems to a woman, abortions are easily accessible and has been allowed as a means of population control.             

Before 1960 it was clearly illegal, a crime with prison as a penalty.  The martial law government changed this at a time when public discussion was not easily expressed. The bishops have always been clear in their opposition and have also opposed experiments  with embryonic stem cells.  

Forty years ago, because of the economic difficulties of life it was permitted, today, when Korea is 13th on the list of developed countries, economics is again the motivation. 

In 2005 the government published the figure of 350,000 abortions yearly. The columnist notes that abortions are generally considered to be over a million, and since we have 450,000 births each year, the number of abortions are a staggering figure.

Deciding whether to have an abortion is considered by many as falling within the legitimate right of a woman to choose what happens to her body. This is the position, says the columnist, of the radical women feminists, but it ignores the right to life of the embryo. The columnist sums up the problem as a  lack of an understanding of life and and of economics. The Movement of Life, including doctors, teachers, the young and lawyers, are working for a change. 

On June 16th there will be a march for life in Seoul.  It will be the first time that Korea will participate in such a movement, following the example from the States.  It will be composed of women and the young under 25 years old. The slogan they intend to use: "No Longer the World's Capital for Abortions." 

                                                                             
                                                                                                                                          

Evangelization of Asia

The Peace Weekly editorial this week reflected on the meaning of the recent statistical report from Rome for the year 2010. The implication of the report, according to the editorial, was that Korea has to increase its efforts in the evangelization of Asia.

The number of Catholics in Asia is 3.1 percent. The countries with the largest number of Catholics are the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Korea. Four of these countries have a serious lack of energy for the work of evangelizing.

Following is a breakdown of the percentage of Catholics in the continents:

Americas 63.2 percent
Europe 39.9 percent
Oceania 26.0 percent
Africa 18.3 percent
Asia 3.1 percent

The Philippines were evangelized by the Spanish and is the only Catholic country in Asia, but it does not have the finances, atmosphere, and ease to concern itself with  the need for missions outside the country. Indian Catholics represent only 1.6 percent of the population, Indonesia only 3 percent, and Vietnam, because of the socialist system of government, has to deal with many difficulties, which leaves Korea as the only viable representative today of the Asian Church.

Korea, with 10 percent of its population Catholic, has the personnel and money to undertake the requested evangelization of Asia. Since 1990 the Vatican has been asking Korea to take more of an interest in the task of evangelizing. The Church in Asia is a small minority in a very diversified field of religions within many different cultures, and many of the Catholic communities are subject to discrimination and persecution.

Because of the small number of Christians in Asia, few have 'seen the face of Jesus.' The Korean Church has the job to go to this vast population who have not been exposed to the Christian Gospel and spread its message of joy. The editorial hopes that the dioceses with the most priests will send some of them to these countries, many of which find it difficult to get to a priest even once a year for the Sacraments.






 

Rheology and Theology

A professor writing in the Kyeongyang Magazine introduces us to his musings on the science of rheology,which is concerned with the flow characteristics of matter.   A professor  in Israel, who worked with his colleague Bingham who gave  the name to the science, added the  Deborah number which characterizes the fluidity of materials.

To name the number, the Israeli professor used the verse from Judges 5:5, "The mountains trembled (flowed) in the presence of the Lord."  This was the song  by Deborah, the prophetess of the Lord. Even solids, given enough time, will flow; the smaller the Deborah number indicates that the material is less solid and will flow more easily; the larger the number the more solid it is and the more time it takes to flow.

The professor notes that with the change of the first letter of rheology, from R to T, results in the word 'theology.' Although the word for flowing, in Greek, is 'rheo,' and the reason for the name, the studies in the science of rheology have helped his theology, the professor says. He has over 30 years of study in science, and in his life time he has not seen the mountains moving. But with God, in whom a thousand years are like one day, he has little difficulty in seeing the mountains flowing like the rivers.

He admits to not understanding all that he studies, and there are more than a few times when he has been completely flabbergasted. The more he studies the more he realizes how much he doesn't know. The  science of polymers, his field of study, considers the properties of "numerous natural and synthetic compounds of usually high molecular weight, consisting of up to millions of repeated linked units, each a relatively light and simple molecule."  It's a world where he can contemplate, he says, the wonderful workings of God's creation.

For those who say God is dead he recommends they study the world of natural science. The more they enter that world and try to uncover the mysteries they encounter there, the more they will praise God. It was during his college years, when he began his study of science, that he made his acquaintance with God  and was "born as one of his children."

Studying polymers has deepened his understanding of God. It allowed him to see more of the hidden intention of God, his providence and his presence. He feels this in the depth of his heart.

Is It 'Cool' Not To Be Thankful?

A recent column in the Catholic Times focuses on the implications surrounding the Danish word 'Tak'. The columnist reminds us that there is a great deal to be said for the word, which means 'thank you'. She points out, humorously, that though it is only one syllable long and can be said easily and frequently, it goes a long way to helping maintain a positive attitude and to more living with laughter.

In Korean, the word used most often to say 'thank you' usually  has four syllables and is not easy to say. Gratitude, expressed with words, is not a big part of Korean culture.  All of us are rather stingy in our expression of thanks, and quick to get angry at any slight. On the internet and in news broadcasts, women and men often use blunt, immoral, violent and insulting words, seemingly giving voice to the context of the society we currently live in. 

She attributes this to our failure in not being helpful to others.  She believes the young people's understanding of the English slang word 'cool' influenced the young in adopting this disregard for others.  'Cool' has been accepted as a word that concentrates on the individual, and ignores as unimportant the ways of the established culture. This word could be used, she believes,  to show what has happened in society over the past decades. It has taken on a meaning in Korean that does not follow the understanding of most in the English-speaking world, which would include the ideas of neat, elegant, bubbling with life, no bad after-effects--not needing to say thanks is not one of them.

The columnist introduces us to a diocese that has decided to do something about this trend. One of the greetings they have decided to use is: "How can I be of help," which has developed into a movement among the Christians, which coincides with the diocese celebrating its 50th year since its founding. The movement's goal is not only to bring about a more open attitude on the part of the individual but also as a way of spiritualizing their life. The Movement hopes this will also take hold in the greater society. The complete slogan is "Thanks, how can I help you?  I love you."

We know that words are not the answer to problems facing society. The fast moving scientific culture and excessive materialism of Korean society has made us indifferent toward our neighbors, and our sensibilities toward our traditional ethical values and the dignity of life have been distorted. The "What can I do for you?" movement is a way of turning our gaze to the other, setting aside our unconcern and lack of sensitivity to what others are experiencing, in an effort to do something about the impoverishment of our inner life.

Community and Relgious Life

The writer this week in the Desk Column of the Catholic Times admits that the internet could keep him interested  a whole day. However,  there are many in the society who need the off-line  camaraderie: sitting down with others with a drink in hand feeling the warmth of  body and soul  with  human relationships. This will be more of a concern as  we get  used to the analog way of living.

This is true also of our religious life; it is not an individual or private affair. Some may think that they  stand  alone  before God but Christian teaching tells us that God is interested in the liberation of his people as a group. Christianity is a community. It is like the fingers of a hand if one gives trouble all feel it.

In the West which  has become secularized, the danger is believing without belonging tendency. The  religious heart is still there but lack of desire to belong to any institution; an individualization and self-interested  spirituality are in vogue. They consider themselves Christians but not interested in the Sacramental life; Mass attendance not considered a duty, there is no thought about community.

How about the Korean Catholic Church? The individualization from the West has entered Korea, but   Koreans have an understanding of a group orientated society; the  belonging has not disappeared from our thinking. We still have  cliques and problems with divisions, but  we  do not prefer the  independent or    the individual  approach over community.   We  still believe that the spiritual life is one in communion with others.

The problem for us, he says, is the belonging without believing. The teaching of the community does not affect our daily life. We desire to belong without following the teaching of the community. And this is especially seen in our understanding of the morality of life issues. In all the surveys that have been made, we see the big discrepancy between what is taught and what is done. The Catholics pick and choose what they want to follow.

The Church has to deal with this issue. The numbers of catechumens are not dropping off; the churches are crowded with parishioners; vocations are not decreasing by much and the friendly faces of  the parishioners  seen by the priests does not diminish the crisis that we have. To think that we need to go back and give programs that will help educate the laity is an illusion. Thought has to be given why the Catholics are not completely following the teaching of the Church. If we think, we know we will not be searching for answers.

The Church has to deal with this issue. The numbers of catechumens are not dropping off; the churches are crowded with parishioners; vocations are not decreasing by much and the friendly faces of  the parishioners  seen by the priests does not diminish the crisis that we have. To think that we need to go back and give programs that will help educate the laity is an illusion. Thought has to be given why the Catholics are not completely following the teaching of the Church. If we think, we know we will not be searching for answers.

The Oneness of Faith and Life

The Bible and Life magazine had a series of articles on the family experience of faith, recently, and one of the articles by a priest asked the question: If there had to be a choice between faith or study what would the parents decide?  Most of the parents, he believes, would come down on the side of study, because we have been programed for this choice by society. And yet the question presents us with a great challenge.

If society had a proper appreciation of the family and its role as the basic unit of society, there would be a great change in society, the priest said. Our schooling, he believes, tend to weaken the role the family should have. This is also true for the religious education of the children if it is completely passed on to the Church and their Sunday school programs. A lot of the blame can be placed on the fast-changing society we live in, but the parent's non-interest can't be overlooked as contributing to the problem.

Because of the great growth of the Church in the 80s, it has not come to grips with many of these issues. One of the most important is the separation of life from faith, the failure to engage the faith in one's life. Parents are more interested in having children seek financial success and honors than being a Christian. Without the help of the family in providing the faith atmosphere for growth, children will grow up with a dysfunctional faith life, an opposition to faith, and passivity or tepidity to religious matters. He offers us three ways to keep this from happening.

First, foster an appreciation of the parent's obligation to the children: They are a gift of God and have to be led into a relationship with God by the parents.

Secondly, Because parents are teaching by everything they say and do, they are the model of what the Christian life will be to the children.

Thirdly, the parents will need help with this, and that means a relationship with the larger community of  the Church. This requires that we change from pastoral care that focuses only on the individual, and focuses more on the family, supporting them in their efforts  to become holy.

The formation of family and faith life should be seen as one. With the separation of faith from life, this often results in a  lopsided approach to living. Children have to experience the love of God, to know they are loved, and to show  this love to others. This will require, the priest says, forming holy families and helping the Church to be a loving community--a community that will be a light and salt to the greater community of society.

A Contrast in East and West Thinking

Writing in the Kyeongyang magazine a Catholic philosophy professor cites a passage, from the 10-volume novel, Honbul (Fire of the Soul), which is an ode to earth. The professor feels that its author, Choi Myung-hee  expressed what the earth means to a Korean. Fire of the Soul  points out the importance of being of service to nature and having a respectful attitude toward life. In simple Korean, the professor calls it mental housekeeping. The following is a brief summary of the issues raised by Myung-hee that shows serious differences in outlook toward nature between the East and the West.

Millions of years ago, humanity appeared on earth and lived together with nature, giving humanity a unique vision.  About five thousand years ago words were written down for prosperity.  Both in the East and in the West we have written accounts appearing about the same time in Genesis and in the Tao Te Ching of Lao Tzu.

The professor contrasts the  thinking of the East with the West. The West has the understanding that humans are to conquer and  subdue the natural world, and he quotes Aristotle being of the same mind: "Humans have been made to perfect nature"-- words similar to those used in  Genesis. However, Lao Tzu in his chapter 25 says:

Man models himself on earth.
Earth on heaven,
Heaven on the way,
And the way on that which is naturally so.

In the East, we have a living together with nature: we are to use nature as a pattern, earth as a mirror of life. The professor acknowledges that there is a new way of interpreting the words of Genesis that give new meaning to conquer and subdue, changing them to stewardship and care for nature, though the professor prefers using the word 'housekeeping.' Humanity has been created, he says, to be in rapport with all life, and was given the ability to do the housekeeping.

Korean ancestors saw everything moving, nothing was static being, everything was becoming--a coming into and out of being. Humanity was to keep pace with all of life, which was in constant motion; those who did were living the good life; those who who did not were the losers. 'Becoming' was understood as an emptying of oneself.  Their foundational thinking was not 'being' but emptiness. Everything disappears into no-thing.

Koreans, in contrast to Westerners, see the law of life in nature: sharing oneself, emptying oneself to enable others to live. This is equally true, says the professor, for the amoeba to the plant sprout; they give, in order to grow.  Without sharing there is death, he says. We are all to disappear into the potency of the universe. The last step of this division is emptiness.  In the West, there is a drive to satisfy our personal desires. In the East, there is the ideal of throwing oneself into the emptiness of the universe to receive new life. We take the example of God, in his absence, to share and empty ourselves.

Those who refuse to share, to open to others by emptying themselves, are working against life. It is this sharing and emptying, the professor says, that is  'the housekeeping law of the universe.'