"I would like to go back to Pyongyang but I don't think they will allow it. In the hotel room and in restaurants they would have heard me bad mouthing the government with their wiretapping devices." Words a lawyer heard from his priest friend and with which he begins his column in the Catholic Times.
Some years ago, several groups, progressives, and conservatives from the South visited the North. One of the group was a priest who had few good words about the North from the time he got on the plane. The first night at the hotel, the priest looking at the ceiling of the room: "they know all that we are saying." The priest gradually seeing the way the North Koreans were kindly treating them he wanted to return; they were no different from us and was enjoying their sincerity. The lawyer told the priest how to make his trip back to Pyongyang easy: "Father, go into the bathroom where they have the listening devices and call out 'Long live Kim Jong Il.'
The lawyer with the guide, who was showing them around, in some light banter told him, if he had been born in the South he would have a different understanding of the North and so would the group if they were born in the North because they have been hearing for decades education on security.
Each of us has a certain way of looking at life, a position in which we interact with others and take sides—our side against the other. Young people against the old, who they see as old fogeys and the old seeing the young as irresponsible without any ethics.
Women against men. Men looking down at women and women seeing men as enemies. Liberals wanting to put the conservatives in prison and vice versa.
When the conservatives were running things, we saw those who did not go along with the government often branded as communists and sent to prison, ignoring 'due process'. Recently on reexamination, many of those who have died and those in prison have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
However, with the progressive government, we have cases justified by wanting to put things right, are in effect going against the law. Instead of due process, we have public opinion doing the judging. The 'MeToo' movement in society is an example. Those who complain about their rights are often stigmatized as assailants even the chance to prove this by 'due process' is taken away from them and their desire for justice is seen as a second attack on their victims and shameless.
In fact, it's never easy to figure out what's right. Jesus said to don't remove the weeds: "Pull up the weeds and you might take the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until the harvest..."(Matthew 13,29-30). Yes, it's not our duty to divide the wheat and the tares, but leave it up to God.
But right now, faced with our reality we must inevitably separate the right from the wrong, and the standard is different depending on where we stand—our viewpoint. That is why the 'process' of judging must be just and fair at all times. 'Due process' is the last stop to protect us, no matter on what side we stand.
South and North, progressive and conservative, rich and poor, old and young, men and women— the difference in position is a sad and grim reality of our society— extremely difficult to narrow the difference: I am the wheat; you are the weeds.
Still, the only way that different people can live together is to attempt to wear the other's shoes for a time. Selfishness and individualism is a great obstacle these days and the need to consider things from another perspective doesn't mean we agree but it should rid ourselves from demonizing the other and allow us to respect the other while disagreeing.
Jesus also taught us the golden rule: "Treat others the way you would have them treat you" (Matt. 7:12). Since we all want different things how about putting it in the negative? Don't do to others what you don't want them to do to you.
Human rights abuse towards the disabled exceeds that found in the general public. There is still a blind spot that ignores the human rights of people with disabilities, a sign of a distorted aspect of our society. In the Peace column of the Catholic Peace Weekly the writer, well acquainted with the welfare work in Korea, considers the situation with the disabled.
In the facilities for the disabled, teachers responsible for the rehabilitation of those with mental disabilities were violently abused and even photographed by the teachers. Physical and emotional abuse of persons with disabilities is something that existed in the past and continues to exist but when the caregivers are observed abusing it's easy to understand the public anger.
According to the advocacy organization for persons with disabilities, there were more than 3,600 complaints of abuse for the disabled last year alone. More than 10 cases occur every day. As this situation continues, there is talk that these facilities for the disabled be removed completely from society.
In Korea, the debate over the dismantling began in the mid-2000s, and de-institutionalization is based on the need for humans to live in a minimal regulatory environment and to live normal and independent lives as possible.
In the UK and elsewhere in Europe, since the 1950s, abuse and neglect of people with disabilities have emerged as social problems, necessitating the movement to close these institutions. In Sweden, which is called the welfare state, the government has already closed the facilities for the disabled.
The Swedish government is taking further steps to encourage people with disabilities in the facility to develop their own plans for leaving the facility. The municipalities provide group housing for the disabled, staff support, various services, and cultural leisure activities. It is a result of collaborative effort and cooperation.
It is not that we have to follow the ways the developed countries have gone, however, it is time for the government and the local government to find a policy that is right for people with disabilities. We must support people with disabilities who need medical care or protection, as equal citizens, and as individuals who are guaranteed freedom.
Pope Francis has emphasized the need to always be open to those suffering. We have his example on a trip returning from Mass where he left his car to bless a person who was disabled, showing his sensitivity. He closed his eyes to the disability and criticized the egoistic attitude of society in isolating them. Those who reject the disabled are not living in the real world, without understanding the true meaning of life. He leaves us with much to think about.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has issued a community care policy. It ensures that people with disabilities who are constrained can live their own lives cared for by the local community. Includes increasing the welfare services for people with disabilities and increasing the rate of mandatory employment for the disabled. We are to view the issue in what the disable need from their point of view and understand and sympathize and make our efforts coincide.
The road to happiness is complex and there are many forks in the road.
Studies and lectures on happiness have something important to say but a
Christian does have some ground rules to follow: the pursuit of the
spiritual instead of the material, not to compare with others and
importance of good relationships is basic. So begins an article in the
Peace Weekly by a college professor.
A common element of
these conclusions is that you don't buy happiness in the market nor does
it come with consumption. The Easterlin paradox, which deals with the
relationship between income and happiness states: as income increases,
happiness increases, but if income goes beyond some point, the
relationship is very small. Put simply, after our basic needs are met
the increase of happiness with greater consumption is minimal.
Can
we in the search for happiness give up comparing with others, renounce
material possessions and consumption? Evolutionary psychologists argue
that humans are genetically structured to be happy in the context of
survival and reproduction. If we are not busy with activities related to
survival and reproduction, it will weaken the motivation to survive and
multiply. Therefore to give up many physical conditions that contribute
to survival and reproduction, such as delicious and nutritious food, a
warm and comfortable home, clothes and ornaments that will make me
attractive to others will not be easy to do.
Consuming is
not a habit to be unconditionally discarded to obtain happiness, but to
manage well. Consumption helps self-esteem, achievement, and control by
helping individuals meet what they really want and to express
themselves. Many studies dealing with happiness emphasize that happiness
is an experience mediated through consumption. Difficult to be happy by
just changing thoughts, without religious beliefs changing thoughts
when cold and hungry is nearly impossible.
Consumers who are
accustomed to consumer societies and market economies today believe that
happiness will increase if consumers consume more. But to the contrary,
excessive consumption can lead to negative emotions: regret,
disappointment, and guilt. If you want to be happy, instead of giving up
on consumption or changing our thinking how about changing what we
consume?
The writer introduces us to professor Elizabeth Dunn
who suggests some consumption methods. First, buy experience. One is
happier when accumulating experiences such as travel or learning
something new than to spend money on material goods. Second, consume
what is proper for yourself, what has meaning for you? We don't purchase
something because others have bought it. Third, buy time. We need to
ask ourselves how will our purchase affect the way I spend my time. If
the impact of what I buy will have little impact on how I spend my time
your money might be better spent. Fourth, pay first and consume later.
Don't go into debt to consume. Finally, consume for others. Often
when we consume for others, spend money for others, we are happier.
Most
of us are concerned with those we know but also with those we don't.
At times, more concerned with those we don't know; we may be harmed by
what people are saying and a reason many participate in the social media
world network. So begins an article in the Kyeongyang magazine by a
novelist.
The social media network has problems that emerge and is criticized but the
positive values are many. Recently some entertainers were involved in
some scandalous behavior that was immediately picked up by social
media.
Internet
and social media play a big role in our lives. In the past a small
number of those with power were able to control public opinion, hiding
or exaggerating what they wanted. The strong and wealthy could hide
disadvantageous reports but now all the citizens are in the know; all
are able to circulate information and even produce it. What is said can
return to the sender like a boomerang and not like a simple comment but
with intent to hurt like those involved with scandalous behavior that
was made known to the whole world.
No
longer is it easy to keep secrets. Sadly, we do have those who have
evil intentions in the use of social media, but the positive is greater than
the negative and to try to censure will be going against the spirit of the
times. We need only go back a few years before the time of the internet
and recall the many things hidden and lies that were spread.
One
such case is the People's Revolutionary Party Incident in which the
South Korean Government accused individuals of actions against the
Anti-communism law. They were executed and a few years after the return
to democracy they in a new trial were exonerated and the families
compensated. The execution would never happen today with the network that we
have. No longer easy to keep information locked up from the public.
Celebrities
and government are not the only ones trying to keep bad publicity out
of the public's eye. Most have the same tendency when it comes to
embarrassing news. As long as what is done is not made known we are at
peace. Even though the internet and social media have broken down many
of the walls of society, self-admiration, still does well. And yet when
we see it in the media we applaud, laugh and envy the distorted
appetites we see and make what we see popular and forget that we are
putting to sleep our natural human feelings to examine and judge.
As
with most things in life, cyberspace has both the light and dark, the
good and bad. However, without observation and vigilance to think we are
advancing democracy is a great mistake. We have good technology but
also the emerging of wrongful functionality and one of the best examples
is false news. With the growth of cyberspace, the money required,
control of the system, power of a few over actions, one has to laugh
when we hear, without reservation, it is helping the spread of democracy.
Religion's
respect for authority leaves us also with serious problems. We have a
case in a diocese where scandalous goings-on was known by a handful of
Christians but for fear of tarnishing the church they kept silence and
the problems continued to grow like poison mushrooms. Christians in
Korea when they see corruption within the church are reluctant to bring
it to the internet. But it will eventually be made known. With the
appearance of corruption in the different religious bodies, many are
leaving.
Frozen
ice begins to melt with the coming of spring and from the bottom up and
is not seen with the naked eye until spring arrives and the awakening.
This is when we see the problem. We all need a mirror in which to look.
The higher the person in the order of authority the bigger the mirror
that needs to be used. "What can be done with a simple hoe all know that
a plow will not be able to do it."
"You only need one point higher than your partner."
A priest sociology professor writing in the Eyes of the Believer column of the Catholic Times uses these words to speak about competition in our society and its price. He had just returned from mountain climbing and was in a restaurant and overheard the above words where a mother was talking to her daughter. Confused, but they were an aspect of our life in the present-day society where we incite others to unlimited competition.
Despite experiencing war, hunger, dictatorship, industrialization, IMF, polarization, not only in politics but also in schools and corporations we are living in an extreme culture of competition in which we have to do better than the other and win. In this sick society, he reflects on the path of family sanctification that will save the children and teach true love.
The family-based traditional Confucian culture is rapidly weakening in the wake of materialism, individualism, and consumerism. However, the Confucian 'ambition for success' that comes from the ancestors still dominates the spirit of Koreans. The collective obsession and anxiety of the ancient scholars in their efforts to achieve high office was clearly portrayed in the most popular cable TV drama in history: Sky Castle.
The drama deals with the lives of four housewives living the high life in the Sky Castle area of Seoul. They are all living well and want to live better and raise their children to enter the best schools in the Nation. SKY refers to the three schools: Seoul National, Korea, and Yonsei, the goal of students who desire the best.
One can live in a dangerous uncomfortable world provided they have received strength and understanding from family members. Desires, orientations, and attitudes of parents have a great influence on the character formation of children. If parents do not have 'inner peace' children have the danger of picking up a neurosis. It's a big price to pay for making the #1 spot when parents and children are yoked with personality dysfunctionality. When children don't do well in their studies but get support of their parents they can grow up with great courage and joy overcoming all difficulties. Do not pray unconditionally for your child's success which may distant them from religion. Pray for their loving and peaceful life.
The home should be a place to nurture true human beings. We are on a lifelong pilgrimage, free to love. not tied to one's expectations, sharing one's weaknesses and accepting the weakness of others, and working together for a better world for all. This will be an essential value in the future when the fourth industrial revolution becomes more entrenched. In fact, even in today's job crisis, the final interview says that "sociability" is more important than "sexuality"or any other specification.
In her book, "Life Lessons," Kubler Ross mentions the "unconditional love" that a child receives from the parents. The baby unconsciously welcomes the existence of the parents, relies on them unconditionally, without knowing the parents' educational background, wealth and not judging their parents' appearance or personality. When a child grows up and has to fight in order to live up to the conditions and expectations of the parents, the opposition in 'attitudes' makes both the parents and child anxious and sick.
The basis of a Holy Family is love. God continues to look at each of us and our parents with mercy. As a partner with the parents, God has shared life with us in his creative work. We need to give thanks for the joy of existence before any achievement. "In our family life, we must develop the power of love. It allows us to confront all evils that threaten love" (Pope Francis).
The world is beginning the Fourth Industrial Revolution, continuing the Third but with big changes. A technological revolution that will alter the way we live, work and relate. A transformation which humanity has never experienced; the positive good in serious danger of great mental and physical suffering. So how do we prepare?
Is the Church connection with the poor in a society close or distant? A question the pastor of a parish asked his parishioners. He answers that church thresholds are high, the fourth revolution will only make it harder; reflection on the part of the church membership is necessary. For a year the parish in small group discussions, with the different age groups, grappled with the question on how to deal with the new world that is beginning.
Both Catholic Weeklies reported on the parish and how they are preparing for the new revolution and the problems it will bring: gaps in workplaces, break down in intimate communication and marginalization, loss of human dignity, destruction of the environment was listed.
The method was to hear a talk on the subject, and in small groups according to age, discuss the subject and the presentation. The parish council president summarized the year-long discussion in this way: uncomfortableness, the breakdown of families and loneliness, job seeking problems and uncertainty, loss of dignity, etc. Loneliness, estrangement, and poverty is where the Church can help,
In the future, the parish decided to continue the discussion with the different age groups and the different problems each age group will have to deal with.
The pastor of the parish considered the poor the ones who will suffer the most. When the emphasis is on the utility of tools the human element tends to be forgotten and the appearance of a new type of poverty. This is what society will have to face.
Catholicism in Korea was started by the laity, developed and maintained by them. This requires the laity to speak out loudly about the hope they have and to emphasize human dignity. Necessary to determine why uncomfortable with the instability of the workplace. All of us need to decide what is the common possession of humanity, deal with it and take concrete steps to maintain it. An example would be with our environment. Development no matter how important and helpful should not be at the expense of human dignity.
Young people's position in this new reality will be great. The generation gap between the young and the old needs to be decreased for the young will be the ones who will have the task to help the older generation feel comfortable in the new. Efforts to deal with the uncertainties of the future needs a new culture which technology cannot supply. The majority felt the culture needs to be assisted, to help accept what the future brings.
As technology continues to develop it will be the young people who will be the ones who will adapt easily and they need to be the leaders in helping others feel comfortable with the new. Pope Francis hopes the leaders in the movement will not forget the poor. Technology has done a great deal of good but it may be unconcerned with the common good and the moral element but concerned only for wealth and economic growth. This will be one of the dangers of our new reality.
The Vatican each year on Buddha's birthday sends congratulations to all the Buddhists all over the world. It's a message of greeting to work together in achieving the universal values of humankind. The Buddhist Jogye Order also lights up the Christmas tree before Christmas on their property; a beautiful sign of respect for a neighboring religion. In the Catholic Peace Weekly, a journalist reviews the changes in relationships with other religions since the Council.
Catholics were not as flexible from the beginning. The Second Vatican Council, which ended in 1965 made the difference. The council adopts the declaration of 'Nostra Aetate' which summarizes the position towards other religions. One passage of this document is as follows. "The Catholic Church does not reject anything that is right and holy in these religions. She looks with sincere respect upon those ways of conduct and of life, those rules and teachings which, though differing in many particulars from what she holds and sets forth, nevertheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men."
Until then, Catholicism was seen as a judging church. It did not compromise in defending doctrine and excommunicating heresy. But it is not surprising that there is truth in other religions. The document further declares: The Church, therefore, has this exhortation for her sons prudently and lovingly, through dialogue and collaboration with the followers of other religions and in witness of Christian faith and life acknowledge, preserve, and promote the spiritual and moral goods found among these men as well as the values in their society and culture." This is embarrassing. Not to only recognize the values of other religions but to protect and promote them. How unprecedented.
The Second Vatican Council was the modernization of the Church, the watershed of reform and renewal. It adopted 16 documents that interpret the call of the times. From then on the Catholic Church changed. It turned into an open church that communicates with other religions and not one that monopolizes the truth. It is not a church that only teaches and condemns but a church that embraces human suffering and defects. Historians today are not hesitant to consider this Council as one of the great events in Catholic history.
Church renewal did not come until the Second Vatican Council, the church suffered pain. The first Vatican Council was held in 1869, more than 100 years ago. The ideological confrontation and confusion were severe. During the Council, the Italian troops occupied the Papal States. As a result, the Pope lost a large territory that had been ruled since the Middle Ages and became a poor church. Today's Vatican City is a land that was reestablished in 1929 under the agreement of the Vatican and the Italian government. The renewal of the Catholic Church may be a gift of poverty—the bitter experience to lose all secular territory and left to trust in the existence and essence of the Church. This urgency prompted the Second Vatican Council to convene, creating a tremendous new wind both inside and outside the church.
The writer reflects on Korean Buddhism on Buddha's Birthday May 12th. Remarks about neighboring religions require care and are risky but the concern is needed. The place of Buddhism in our culture and way of thinking is great. Buddhism has had members who have desired restoration which may be synonymous with the Catholic revival. In Korea, the relationship between the two seems to be healthy.
These words do touch a sore spot in the thinking of many Catholics, seen since the Council, and continues within the Church. Reformation is not a word that many Catholics like to hear and the reason we have many who sympathize with the SSPX (Society of Saint Pius X) movement of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
Some of the modern tendencies which the archbishop opposed were ecumenism—a viewpoint which considered all religions as beneficial and valid— collegiality and the change in the liturgy of the Mass. What is essential and what is accidental to the Church will continue to be discussed; hopefully, we will be able to change the 'either/or' thinking to 'both/and' in areas of church life which are not of the essence of Catholicism.
St. Vincent of Lerins said it with great wisdom in the Divine Office for Friday of the 27th Week of Ordinary Time: "Christian religion should properly follow these laws of development, that is, by becoming firmer over the years, more ample in the course of time, more exalted as it advances in age."
