Each New Year we make several resolutions to change our life for the better. One of the most important decisions is health:quit smoking, promise to exercise and keep a regular life. However, this is not possible with one's own efforts. We can't avoid all the foods with contaminants and fine dust in the atmosphere. We need to make efforts to enjoy the benefits of nature and restore health to body and mind.
So begins an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly by a member of the Bishops' Committee on ecology. Fine dust problems in Korea are a constant news item. Most of the reports blame others for the problems without any conclusive proof. China has begun winter heating and both the spring and winter are the bad seasons for the dust because of the westerly winds blowing in from China.
The concentration of fine dust in spring and winter are the worst seasons not only in Korea but also in almost all other countries. In the summer, high temperature, the rising air current, the amount of rainfall makes the degree of pollution low. In the autumn air circulation is good and the occurrence of typhoons and the like lowers the rate of pollution.
In summer and autumn, however, the concentration of fine dust in Korea is quite high. Fine dust pollution in Korea is not a problem only for a certain season but is seen continuously throughout the year. Therefore, it's not all China's fault. Fundamental measures and changes need to be applied in everyday situations.
The reason we are afraid of fine dust is that when we breathe the fine dust enters our lungs. But the fine dust coming into my lungs is mainly from the air around me. So the distance to my house, my office, the air quality of my car, where I walk, the neighborhood in which I live are all important, after that we can worry about the Shandong Peninsula and Beijing.
Ultimately, it is necessary to fundamentally reduce the amount of fine dust generated in all fields: in the generation of electricity, industry, transportation, in the home, and we begin solving the fine dust problem. Both public and industrial cooperation need to be actively pursued, but there must be a recognition that it begins with me. A long-term misunderstanding needs to be overcome with education and campaigns.
If I buy and throw away a lot, use a variety of household appliances and enjoy conveniences, more energy is needed to produce what I use—more fine dust. When you wait for someone using a car, fine dust will be generated even while idling.
Not only the health of future generations but also fine dust threatens my health right now. Now, let's start to reduce the underlying incidences where we are rather than looking for the causes distant from us. It's a manifestation of our genuine free will when we begin to live with some inconvenience in order to begin solving the fine dust problems in Korea.
The Olympic motto: Faster, Higher, Stronger influences much of our world culture. However, we also want these results with as little energy, money and time expended as possible. A parish priest brings our attention to the problems that arises with this view of life in an article in the Bible & Life magazine.
He recalls stopping at a red light, turning green, it was not two seconds before the car behind blew the horn. Granted,with that time the car could have traveled some tens of meters, was that the reason for the feeling of mistreatment? Is this not the society in which we live? Two seconds can become a problem for many.
We live in a neo-liberal society, dealing with unlimited competition. Speed is of the essence of life.This does not mean the action is speeded up but the time to arrive at the action—the process is shortened. Since speed is important, ways to shorten the process is considered good—small expense for the greatest results.
This way of thinking has become embedded in our culture. Some feel it's ideal to skip high school and get into college. Pride is expressed that we have done in 10 years what took other countries 100 years. The results are important, process can be overlooked, the shortest methods are held up for praise.
However in life no matter how difficult there are certain processes that have to be followed. The birth of a child is one such process. It takes nine months if we try to speed up the process not all turns out well. The love of the mother and child is nurtured and after the child is born we have the breast feeding period, infancy, childhood, teenage period, if one of them is ignored the growth into adulthood is harmed.
This holds true with a building that should take three years to build and with so much money and workers. When we diminish the time, expenses, number of workers, problems arise. When we look at our history we have many examples of the results of this thinking: 'modernization of the fatherland', 'energizing the citizenry' are all popular phrases used often to take shortcuts. Many of the tragedies in our society were not concerned with processes.
We still are looking for the least time on processes, cheapest methods and greatest results. With this attitude what happens is those who need to be given help and protected are further pushed into poverty and death. Those with whom we should be living together in harmony are sent to the fringes of society.
He mentions the temptations in the desert where Jesus was tempted to take short cuts. We also are tempted to take the easy way but Jesus shows us that's not the way of the Christian(Math.4:1-11).
Jesus did not take the easy way but the difficult one. We are invited to take the same journey together with others.
Go quickly alone, achieve alone, eat to the full alone, be comfortable alone is this happiness? Is it not rather to have less to eat but with others, be somewhat uncomfortable but with others, but even, if slower to walk with others and even if more difficult, to do it with others, is this not the way to achieve what we want with joy in our heart? "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
A college professor writes in the Catholic Peace Weekly about a discussion he had with some students finishing their final college exams. He talked with the seniors about their plans for the future. "I really wanted to work, so I gave my resume to various places but received no answers," said one student shaking his head. He decided to go on for more study.
The students presented their self-introduction and study plans to the professor for corrections. He looked closely at the materials and made the necessary changes. Later a text message came from the student: "Professor, I failed the exam. I wanted to give you good news ... The professor would always answer giving hope: "Do not be discouraged. A better opportunity in the future will appear."
About 23% of all unemployed in Korea are young; the highest figure among the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries. Koreans in the army number 610,000, so a huge number of young people, half of the Korean army, can't find a job. This is happening every year and getting worse.
If the state and society can't solve the problem of youth employment the "hermit-type loner" like in Japan will be entering our society. In Japan, the 'Hikikomori' is a term used to describe modern day hermits who now number nearly half a million of the youth who have become social recluses. The professors feel this is spreading to the Korean society and will become a serious social problem.
Let us think for a moment on the great number of students graduating from college who can't find a job and he wonders if his own child was in that predicament what it would mean for family and society. You would have many of the walking dead in society, a great loss.
Article #32 of the Korean Constitution states that "All citizens have the right to work. The state clearly strives to promote the employment of workers and guarantees the appropriate wages." The government has proposed a number of possibilities but as of now, the professor says there is no policy to fundamentally solve the problem except for the expansion of public employment.
At the end of last year, a survey of job seekers at an internet portal site asked the young people what four-letter phrase would best express the situation of the young in the new year. The phrase that was selected by the greatest number was:'(枯木死灰), like an old tree without life— A person without spirit or desire.
This is the year of the Golden Pig a lucky year. The country and society need to join forces, to make jobs for the youth not only in Korea but also abroad. Young people should not be despairing anymore. If they begin to despair, they can become Korean red vests like the French yellow vests.
On the first day of the New Year, he wants to recall the 'prayer of peace' "Where there is despair, let me bring hope. Where there is darkness let me bring your light. Where there is sadness, let me bring joy."
For the radical followers of the Enlightenment at the time of the French Revolution, the Church was another 'Ancien Régime' to overthrow. They threw church authority into the flames of the public square and confiscated church property filling the empty barns of the revolutionary government. The priests, who refused to give a loyalty pledge, dragged and made to kneel before the guillotine. So begins an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly.
The conflict between the church and the state was settled after the passage of the Napoleonic era and the enactment of the Ordinance on the Separation of Church and State in 1905. At that time, the church was able to get some of the property that they lost if it conformed to the rule of State. St. Pius X said: "The spiritual property of the church is more important than the material property. We must give up our material assets to keep the spiritual."
The Vatican was involved in a serious scandal in the 1982 bankruptcy of the Ambrosio Bank of Italy. The Vatican was the major shareholder of the bank and the Vatican Bank was suspected of involvement in money laundering. The press poured out stories of how the Vatican became a major shareholder of the private bank and some of the clerical criminal offenses. These scandals fanned church distrust. Pope John Paul II made a bold decision. He ordered the bank to close all debts left by the Bank.
Both of the above events give us much food for thought. First of all: "The Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal." Constitution of the Church #8. The church will always have sinners.
The Church in France was honored to be the eldest daughter but shown to be indifferent to the suffering of the people. They were aligned with the monarchy and the rich and earned the anger that was directed at these members of society. The anti-clericalism that wriggled in their consciousness was also regarded as nothing special. The members of the higher clergy were dirtying the face of the church and allowing the unfaithfulness and mockery bomb to explode in the church.
But the two cases teach more important points. Even if the church loses money and property, even if it is insulted, it has to keep the spiritual assets to the end. The two popes informed them of what should be left in their hands at the crucial moment and what they should not lose, even if they lose their lives. Mental assets are the core of the church, the spirit of the gospel.
Bishops of various dioceses in Korea have mentioned the necessity of renewal in their new years' messages. Renovation and reform are hard work. Pain appears in improving management, transparency in finances, and improving organizations. Resistance of those who do not want to change has to be overcome.
In early spring, grape farmers prune the branches of their grape vines to get rid of the wild growth, the thick branches that tangle with other branches, and seek to allow the sun to bathe the vine in the summer. This will open up the plant to bear good fruit and make the plant strong. Renovation work is not different from pruning of vines.
The Pope was asked when will this work of renovation come to an end and he answered that it will never end. "The Church is at once a sign and a safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person" (# 76 of the Pastoral Consitution). Even people without religion want the church to stand up for this teaching. The writer dreams of practicing the virtues in 2019 more diligently than in any previous year.
A one time editorial staff newspaper man writes in the Catholic Times Weekly about plagiarism within Korea. He mentions how two TV channels in South Korea broadcast the same news on the same day. They reported that North Korea requested 10,000 dollars from each reporter that came to cover the destruction of the planned demolition of the Punggye-ri nuclear facility.
The destruction of the Punggye-ri facility was a symbolic event given by North Korea on the road to the denuclearization negotiations, and received international attention. As a result, viewers exposed to the broadcasts responded: "North Korea is obsessed with money even in the face of a serious international situation." Often opinions pass as information that confirms the existing preconceptions of those reporting.
However, as a result of an investigation by the Korean Communications Standards Commission, it was revealed these broadcasts were made without the necessary confirming coverage. The reports were copied from another media report without giving the sources, a typical case of plagiarism.
In the end, one news media took information from another news media without giving the source of the news, contrary to a basic principle of journalism and failed to confirm the source, which adversely affected the news and made for a big press mistake, Plagiarism is an act of stealing "intellectual property".
Article 8 of the Guidelines for the Practice of Newspaper Ethics stipulates: 'Media and journalists should not plagiarize contents of newspapers, communications, magazines and other periodicals, copyrighted publications, photographs, pictures, music and other audiovisuals.' But in reality, plagiarism in the media is serious—and routine.
Of course, it is not just the media. We are accustomed to the plagiarism in society, such as academia and the cultural community, where the copying of the works of others is familiar. Lying has become necessary to find a place in high society, go to the right schools and stay out of the military—often said sarcastically.
Plagiarism is considered a very serious crime in developed countries. If the plagiarism is confirmed, the punishment for it will be enormous and the persons will be socially ostracized. So, some years ago when the problem of plagiarism of the members of the National Assembly was raised in Korea, an overseas press responded: "Korea is a plagiarism paradise".
Plagiarism of the media usually is to cite all or some of the content of another media, but not to specify the source. Instead, it treats them as ambiguous sources such as "according to one media" or "according to one claim," or passive terminating endings such as 'known' or 'reported by the media'.
All media such as broadcasting, internet, portals as well as newspapers have related ethics regulations and autonomous investigative mechanisms, and are subject to after the fact penalties for plagiarism. However, self-review rules and organizations are always overflowing with plagiarism cases due to weak mandatory penalties. The media harmed may appeal to the media arbitration committee or the court in violation of copyright law but this method is not easy.
In the traditional media such as newspapers and broadcasts, as well as in the large and small internet media the copying without giving the sources is commonplace. If you look at the plagiarism situation, you can't say that Korea is a civilized country.
We are surrounded by all kinds of media. "YouTube" is a typical example. Regardless of sex, age, all kinds of people are watching the videos on their smartphones. Media and smartphones are an inseparable part of our daily life. An editorial in the Catholic Times reminds us of the place the media has in the life of the church.
Smartphones have changed not only the way we communicate but also the social culture in which we live. We can simply click with our fingers and become neighbors with anyone in the world and build new communities with them. The spread of the gospel using new media is the mission of the church.
In particular, the church needs to reach young people through this pastoral ministry of the media. For the elderly, smartphones may be new technology and difficult to access, but smartphones are a reality of life for young people who have been using them since they were born. Young people want to learn about the church and communicate with the church through the media they use in their daily life. The church must respond to the demands of these young people.
In line with the media age, the Korean Church has provided the believers with a variety of media content. The Seoul Diocesan Public Relation Bureau recently launched the 'Seoul Bible Online Bible Channel' and the youth section is preparing 'Youth News' to inform youth activities through YouTube. (https://www.facebook.com/cpbctv/)
The pastoral ministry of the church should not be a matter of concern only to some organizations and pastoral caregivers. The whole church should be concerned with proclaiming the gospel with all the means available in the new media age. The gospel, the Word of God, has not changed. However, the church must adapt to the ever-evolving media environment.
Changes in the media do not stop with changes in the tools. Changes in the way of communication bring about changes in lifestyle, a way of thinking, and faith consciousness. Therefore, the media should not be recognized only as a means and tools. It is important to pay attention to the changes in the spirit of the times called Web 2.0, which refers to the spirit of sharing, participation, and openness with which we are familiar but we are headed for Web 3.0—artificial intelligence assisting us by understanding the user and personalizing everything.
On the other hand, not only elements of new media and communication methods but also communication using analog media such as face-to-face communication, writing, books, and magazines should not be neglected. Though new media and communication methods are spreading widely, elderly believers are familiar with analog communication. In some ways, most believers tend to be more attached to analog communication, which emphasizes the personal dimension rather than cold digital media.
Therefore, the church should pay attention to adapting to new media and advanced communication methods, while at the same time making appropriate use of the existing communication methods with which we are now familiar.
"Best wishes for a Happy New Year." For the Asian, the coming lunar new year is the real thing and in the Eye of the Believer column of the Catholic Times a priest, college professor, wants us to reflect on what we mean wishing others (福) 'Pok' blessings for the new year.
What is a blessing? We tend to think of 'fortune' as a blessing for a person to live more comfortably by 'possessing' or 'acquiring' wealth, clothing, work. But is it a real blessing to live alone and comfortably in the midst of economic difficulties and political turmoil? Let us reflect together on the meaning of 'blessing'.
Koreans live in a culture where 'han' is prevalent (a feeling that an injustice has been done to them, an ache in the heart). It is the sense of being wronged by a superior agent: the Japanese colonial period, the Korean War, losing their parents, families, homes, birthplaces, the fear of the pain of war among the elderly—in present-day Korea, the common unending competition, battle for jobs, the uncertain future of the young.
The 386 generation refers to people now in places of authority in society. They attended university in the 1980s, born in the 1960s. They were the ones who brought the country back to democracy, protesting against oppression and hardships in the authoritarian era. In the early 1990s, the latest computer model was Intel's 386 from which they take the name. However, now that generation, in self-contradiction for what they fought, are pursuing material power, money, and recognition.
Koreans are keen on getting ahead in society, but are exhausted, spiritually depleted in constant comparisons and competition. Young people, adults, and the old are not communicating with each other and the results are great distress.
The neoliberal gospel does not allow mercy for the loser. Winning in the age of infinite competition today is important and many have only wounds, 'han' and sorrow.
Education was the means of climbing the ladder to success and recognition and this has not delivered as expected. Like himself many have their doctorates and return with a great feeling of inferiority for that is not enough, they need to be written up in international journals, have dissertations published and more people to impress. He laments that we don't have many who are satisfied with God's recognition.
Health, success, and riches of the worldly gospel are both necessary and good for life, but these are only means and not the purpose of life. True blessings are in restoring the perfect relationship with God and freely sharing everything that comes from Him. The greatest beatitude within the community of the Church is bliss that comes from experiencing the Kingdom of God! The kingdom of God is not a place where I live alone comfortably, but a world where justice and peace flow like a river. A world where the lion and the lamb can play together is not an unrealistic utopia, but a truly holy and blessed place where every human being is acknowledged for their dignity in their everyday life and the common good is realized and the true master of the world is revealed to be God.
Rather than filling our bodies with 'han' let's ask for the grace to take away the thirst that God desires to accomplish through us in the world. God after creation looked upon it all and said it was good. This original blessing is what we seek. In 2019, the new year is called the year of the pig, but the truly rich are those who give and share much. What a blessing to possess the "heart of God" and share it freely with others.
(Teresa of Saint Avila)
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.
