Is this an article or an advertisement? Nowadays, reading the newspaper or watching a screen, many have trouble deciding whether they are dealing with news or not. The writing is in the form of an article with the name of the reporter who wrote it. However, looking carefully, one is introduced to the merits of a specific product, company or organization. A former newspaperman explains how advertising becomes disguised as news in a column of the Catholic Times.
These articles are present in all kinds of media. A typical example is the daily newspapers which occasionally have added sections in addition to the regular sections. Reporters cover articles on a number of themes such as the outdoors, cosmetics, travel, automobiles, condominiums, schools, and universities etc.
This is a deviation from what journalism should be. The medium has grown exponentially, and the volume of advertising has plummeted. Using this weakness, advertisers are demanding advertisements written by reporters. Newspapers can create one or two pages of advertising articles on their pages or put short commercial articles in general articles.
Sections of traditional daily newspapers, featuring advertising sections would be difficult to imagine some 15 years ago. Advertisement-type articles at the time, inserted in an otherwise news article would be considered deplorable. Today they wait for such advertising articles. Efforts to attract advertisements are becoming increasingly fierce. Many other internet media do not have special features of their own, but the degree of violation of ethics is much worse.
The readers are now disciplined enough to judge themselves, so let the readers make their judgment to believe or not! False news and fake news is part of our reality. No longer can we say it was in the news and expect it to be believed—advertising articles continue to fuel the media distrust.
Separating factual articles and ads is a basic rule of journalism. The Newspaper Ethics Practice Guideline states that journalists should refuse to accept unjustified pressure, monetary temptations, or appeals from economic forces such as social groups.
Editors editing their articles should make it easy for the readers to clearly distinguish between articles and advertisements which should be marked clearly as advertisements.
The great principle of journalism is accuracy, objectivity, and fairness. Even if the contents of a public statement written in the name of a reporter are correct and it is good information for readers, it is not an article. This is a one-sided way to convey the merits of a particular object, so there is no objectivity and fairness.
However, these aberrations are not subject to legal sanctions. Self-regulatory organizations of each media type are to conduct studies and disciplinary action. However, autonomous regulatory bodies that are well aware of the harsh survival environment of the media will deal with the issue only as a formality. According to a survey by the Korea Newspaper Ethics Committee, publicity articles including advertising articles have increased greatly since 2009. This is in line with the period when advertising revenue for existing media has falling sharply. The crisis of journalism is more serious because traditional newspapers are leading the derailment.
Fake news, fake information, speculative news, news that is biased by interests and ideas, distortions, exaggerated titles, and even ad-style articles are all in the mix. The media revolution is so chaotic that it is flowing into a massive mess of tangled facts and falsehoods. The collapse of the boundaries between real news, fake news, articles, and advertising is helping to break down the boundaries between truth and non-truth in the world.
When we talk about the natural virtues we often hear: "in medio stat virtus" (In the middle is virtue). Extremes always pose a problem. Even love that is blind can do more harm than good.We have many examples of this in life. Consequently, when we write or talk it's difficult to qualify all that we say, so that it says what we mean to say.
However in most cases, feelings don't need those qualifications, it's the behavior that has to be prudently examined before we act. In politics, religion, and business, although behavior is polarized, there is no reason why our hearts can't overcome the feelings of hate, disgust, avoidance and allow empathy and alturism to find a place within the psyche.
Even some of the higher primates have this natural empathy, an ability to feel sick with the pain of others. A priest writing in a bulletin gives us an example of chimpanzees who show humans an example of empathy—a person who sympathizes.
Among the famous scholars studying chimpanzees is Frans De Waal. One experiment was to have a chimpanzee inside a cage with a rope connected to the outside. At first the chimpanzee inside was not interested in the rope. Then, by chance, pulled the rope and was given food. From that time on, the chimp learned from experience when you pull the rope you get food. The hunger problem was solved.
But something strange happened for every time the rope was pulled the chimp in the next cage to our chimpanzee began to suffer. When he pulled the rope, it was nice to have something to eat but the chimpanzee in the next cage suffered. And the chimpanzee realized this was happening.
What did the chimpanzee do? Does the chimpanzee keep pulling the rope? No, the chimp no longer pulled the rope. No matter how hungry, the rope was not pulled. Frans de Waal learned from this experiment that chimpanzees also had the ability to sympathize with the pain of others.
We are human beings—'Homo Empathicus', people with empathy. This ability is not gained from our efforts. It is the gift of God, that even animals have.
We are all born with the ability to sympathize with others. Some people develop the ability to empathize while living, but some people lose the ability to empathize. Particularly in our capitalist society, it's easy for us to lose this ability. At times when empathy, is exercised, people are considered fools.
The power of empathy is a gift from God. With this empathy, we love our neighbors, and by loving our neighbors we grow closer to God. Where do we use this beautiful talent? Is this beautiful gift becoming weaker? We need to examine ourselves.
In an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly, a research professor of Middle East issues writes about the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Arabia anti-government journalist, who was killed visiting the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Many are the lessons we learn from his death.
Khashoggi did not like the policies of the Saudi Crown Prince and fearing for his life went to the United States, took, some college classes, and became a visiting columnist for the Washington Post. He continued writing about his desire for the democratization of the Arab world and even helped to form a political party which upset the Saudi royal family. The royal family offered him a job in an attempt to placate the journalist asking him to give up his work in the States and return to Saudi. Khashoggi rejected the offer for moral and religious reasons. His wife left him and the rumor was that the government forced the divorce.
In May of this year, Khashoggi attended a seminar in Istanbul and continued to ask questions. He was in close contact with a doctoral student Hatice Cengiz. They fell in love and decided to start a new life together, and traveled together to the States.
Later he went to the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul to get a certificate of divorce from his ex-wife to marry Cengiz. The visit to the Consulate went well; he told Cengiz not to worry, they told him to come back for the papers on October 2nd for it will take time to prepare. On the day of the visit to the Consulate, he told his girlfriend that if he did not come out of the Consulate, she should notify an adviser to the president of Turkey and gave her the telephone number to call. He did not come out; never found his body or have any idea where it is.
Turkish intelligence officials are believed to have eavesdropped on the Saudi Arabian consulate but are giving the information through pro-government media but slow to reveal what they know because of serious diplomatic issues. Saudi Arabia denies involvement in the death of Khashoggi and excusing it as the work of 'rogue killers' with excessive loyalty to the prince. Turkey also released a statement saying that an assassination group of 15 landed in Turkey on the morning of Oct. 2nd.
Turkey has been in conflict with the United States, and not all has been well with Saudi Arabia for several years. She is also in financial difficulties. So efforts are being made to better the relationship with both Saudi Arabia and the United States by using the Khashoggi incident for their benefit.
The western countries that take human rights, freedom and democracy as core values are pressing the Saudi Arabian Royalty to reveal the truth of the Khashoggi incident but are slow to blame. A huge amount of weapons are exported to Saudi Arabia by these countries. French President Emmanuel Macron, when asked if France will continue to export weapons evaded the question. Prime Minister of Canada said he could temporarily suspend arms exports, but no decision. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has raised her voice and will stop exporting munitions until a proper explanation comes from Saudi Arabia.
The killing of Khashoggi is like watching a gloomy scene in a movie that one doesn't want to remember. When, in the international community, and in the here and now of life do we ever really experience justice done? Writing this article is not a luxury is it? Rarely do we have a nation or individuals do the right thing even when it hurts.
How can we experience God's holiness? Is not holiness perceived as a privilege that only a few can enjoy? A subjective ideal, an abstraction in our lives? "Your God is holy, and you too should be holy" (Lev. 19:2), is this something we take seriously? Is holiness recognized as utopian and distant from daily life of the home, work, society, and everyday life? So begins an article by a parish priest in the Catholic Times.
The Vietnamese Cardinal Văn Thuận became a prisoner for 13 years after the Communist take over of Vietnam and 9 of them in solitary confinement. As a bishop, he spent many years in pain and despair without being able to minister to parishioners but was able to convey the message of hope to many in the outside world. Even in prison, he lived a life of reconciliation with God by meditating and praying, memorizing Bible verses, offering the Mass with three drops of wine, using his hands as the altar. The prison he was in became his Holy Land. We can be holy if we meet God there and experience Him.
The write read a short essay "Sparrow" by the 19th-century Russian writer Turgenev and realized that instincts must be sanctified. The hunter, in the essay, returns to his house, the hunting dog finds a young sparrow that fell from its nest. Suddenly, the mother sparrow flies from the tree and sits down in front of her chick, crying, attacking the tip of the nose and the mouth of the dog, shaking her head. Surprised by the mother bird, the hound starts to hide its tail and retreats. The mother of the sparrow, who struggled to save her baby, could not win.
Turgenev later recalls, "I learned from mother sparrow that love is stronger than death, or fear of death." The desperate act of the mother bird who is trying to save the nestling even if she sacrifices herself is the moment when she is taken to the world of holiness. This is the 'holy instinct'. When parents show their sacrificial love for their children, the DNA of holy instinct appears.
However, the love of a child instinct can also turn into something selfish and self-serving as was seen recently when a father who was a teacher in a prestigious high school gave the answers to exam questions to his twin daughters. We can be the owners of selfish instincts and need to learn from the holy instinct of the mother sparrow.
The writer can't forget Dr. Takashi Nagai who was a Japanese Catholic literate and an apostle of peace who truly showed what a holy life was. His gravestone says, "We are ordinary servants, we have only done our duty"(Luke 17:10).
As a radiologist, he experimented with his own body to find out how much radiation patients should be exposed to with X-rays, suffered from Leukemia and experienced the atomic bombing of Nakazaki and was bedridden for many years before death. However, despite his condition, he wrote dozens of books and gave comfort and hope to those who were in despair. Certainly, God shows us through Dr. Nagai that he is the one who accomplishes His will through weakness. This holy life of Dr. Nagai, who lived only for the glory of God, shines in this age.
The holiness of God is expressed in sacrifice, devotion, and service for others practiced in daily life. Ultimately, this means concern for others in what we do daily. A condition of being holy is to realize that the neighbors we meet daily are connected in a "network of life". In God, we have a need to have a sense of social responsibility for the lives of our neighbors.
Supreme Court finds: "Religion-based belief is justified in conscientious objection". Conscientious objectors who refused military service in accordance with their religion and beliefs are no longer subject to criminal penalties and the opportunity to substitute alternative service for military service is approved. An article in the Catholic Times explains the situation to the readers.
On November 1, the Supreme Court ruled that it would be justified to refuse military service based on conscience and religious belief. Supreme Court Justices voted 9 to 4 to accept conscientious objection as a legitimate reason not to perform military service. This ruling is expected to affect the cases of many conscientious objectors presently on trial. Many young South Korean men, mostly Jehovah's Witnesses, are imprisoned every year for refusing to serve in the military.
Article 88 of the current Military Service Act stipulates that a person who receives a notice for military service and does not reply within three days from the date of notification will be punished with imprisonment for not more than three years. Most of them were sentenced to one year and six months' imprisonment even if they were conscientious objectors. If you serve one year and six months, you are exempted from military service, but you can't take some qualification tests for five years after serving the prison term. Which means the young men are at a great disadvantage fitting into society.
The reason for the not guilty verdict of the Supreme Court for conscientious objectors was that in "Forcing military duty ... with criminal punishment or other punitive measures is excessive restraint of freedom of conscience." The majority opinion reads: "Free democracy can have its legitimacy when it tolerates and embraces minorities though it is run by the principle of majority rule."
About 20,000 people have been subject to criminal punishment for conscientious objection since 1950 when a conscription system was imposed to oblige all men to military service. However, with the Supreme Court ruling, all those on trial for conscientious objection to military service will be found not guilty. It is hoped that the president will give a special amnesty to the prisoners currently in prison and alternative service to those facing trial.
On June 28, the Constitutional Court ruled that Article 5 of the Military Service Law, needs to change. The Court ordered the government of South Korea to rewrite the law to include an alternative service option by the end of 2019. Alternative types of service they may implement could include hospital work and other non-military social services that contribute to the betterment of the community.
Professor Park of the Catholic University of Korea commented on the Supreme Court's decision. The Second Vatican Council and the Catholic social doctrine states that a person because of human dignity has a right to refuse to do something that is contrary to their conscience. "It is a universal right given to human beings to refuse the 'killing training' they receive in the army," he said. The government tried to accept conscientious objection to military service in the past but failed, but now the Supreme Court has ruled late though it is.
The UN Commission on Human Rights has a position that conscientious objection to military service must be protected. Korea has been in violation of this ruling. Those in Korea and many others who have worked for the implementation of this right were happy to see the ruling of the Korean Supreme Court.
A young man depressed from failure to pass an exam jumped from an apartment building and fell on a father of a family entering the building, both died. Many felt deeply about the death of the head of a family who died in such a way. This news appearing on the internet received many comments and the greatest number of responses resonated: "There is no God." A moral professor of one of the Catholic seminaries gives an answer to the readers in Bible & Life magazine.
This comment leaves us with deep anguish. Those who commented, no doubt felt, if there was a God this would never have happened. What God would allow a happy father of a family, without fault, to die in this preposterous way?
Of course, these incidents that take away the breath of believers along with non-believers are not something we see only in modern times but have been expressed both within and outside of the church for centuries past. Atheists use this reasoning to deny the existence of God and criticize religious believers. This is one of the basic arguments of the atheists and can be summarized in two ways.
Since God is all powerful, knows all, and can do all, why does he not prevent these injustices and pain of his creatures? Secondly, if God was truly all good why in the world does he allow those he loves to suffer as so many do in life? Especially with natural disasters and accidents where so many innocent people are injured and die—why doesn't he do something? Why the silence? These thoughts also enter the thinking of believers.
The attempts to understand why an almighty, all-knowing, and loving God permits evil is called Theodicy which means justifying God, as if this is necessary, but it is a part of theology a desire to find answers to human questions. The oldest and traditional answer was to humbly understand our human limits—infinite God's plans and mysteries, finite human mind is not able to grasp. At the end of time, all will be clear and in the meantime, we try to make daily wise choices. We can easily see how the avoidance of an intelligent responsive argument to the atheists' doubt would be received.
There is a need, first of all, to distinguish between two kinds of evil: physical evil and moral evil. With moral evil we can respond with the argument from the freedom of the will and each person must answer for the pain that arises. An example would be our indiscriminate development by which we are destroying our environment and the results are global warming. The resulting natural calamities are our responsibility—we need to change our lifestyle.
But the answer is not that simple. Why do I and my family have to suffer from these calamities when I have done nothing to bring it about? Why does God let the world run by the laws of nature?
What would happen if God ignored the laws of nature and entered in to prevent the calamities? The connection between cause and effect is broken and the development of science and culture, and the acts of virtue cease.
However, a person may respond why did God make such a universe in the first place? Theologically we say that God made us to cooperate in the creation. The universe is not a finished masterpiece. We are to participate in its development. Rather than sheep grazing on the grass would it not be better to have the security of a fence and the owner giving the sheep water?
If life ends with death than all the pain is for naught. But if we are made for another life, meaning changes. Our evil acts will be judged and in the face of natural disasters, we have eschatological hope. In life, for a Christian, no pain lacks meaning.
In Korea the movement for gender equality is strong. Articles in both Catholic papers report on a debate that was recently held on the theme: "Me Too movement, changes, solidarity and listening to the response of society." In attendance was the Catholic Social Welfare Association and the Women's Welfare Council.
The 'Me Too' movement in Korea can be regarded as a revolution. In Korean society, the "gender power structure" is deeply rooted, and the movement is an attempt to change its structure—a new Feminism for Social Reform.
One participant said the movement was one of the oldest and strongest movements trying to overcome the system of gender power. It is one of the most important revolutions in Korean history. Men are the universal being and women are supporters. This is the reason for sexual violence and some of the vocabulary used in society.
The vigor of the candlelight procession achieved democratization and the 'Me Too' movement will lead the democratization of everyday life said another participant. We see how the violence against women appears by the many cases that have come to the attention of society. Participants at the debate ultimately said that more effort is needed to make changes in the structure of gender power.
The number of accusations against sexual violence has increased, said another, but the victim often continues to be victimized. In the process of investigating sexual assault cases, the perpetrator's words have more weight than the victim's and the victim is seen from the perpetrator's point of view.
Above all, participants pointed out the need for individual reflection and solidarity. It is necessary to examine the way we think, and change when we judge that we are in the wrong. Considering the limitations of the representative system and bureaucracy, it is important to actively monitor and reflect on what is going on in society.
There is no male welfare council, said the chairman of a Catholic Social Welfare Association. The reason why we have a women's welfare council is that of the alienations and damage suffered by women. Society needs to support and care for women. We are responsible for correcting and improving the areas of discrimination and exclusion.
Recently a highly respected politician was acquitted of sexual abuse of a fellow worker considering it consensual sex and not rape. The victim did not show victim-like behavior since she did not quit her job was the understanding of the court. Another women, who may have started the 'Me Too' movement in Korea, has paid highly for her accusations of sexual abuse and is on sick leave and does not expect to return to her job.
Many will continue to say Korea has a long history of blaming and silencing the victims of sex abuse instead of the perpetrators and the 'Me To' movement wants to see the end of this but it is not an easy road in a patriarchal society.
