Christian Themes In Chinese Philosophy

 

The Catholic Peace Weekly has an article on the book— "Even When Full, It Seems Empty" by Father Choi Seong-jun, published by Bundo Publishing. Father Choi majored in Chinese philosophy at Peking University after his ordination. He points out the core themes of Christianity from the classics of Eastern philosophy such as Confucius and Laozi.

"If one claims to be a sage, shining brightly with virtue or talent superior to others, it might be too overwhelming for ordinary people to approach." The teaching that one should not dazzle others with their bright light but rather dim it to become one with the common folk, has significant implications for us today, who desire to stand out and be recognized. 

Upon encountering this passage from Laozi, one cannot help but think of Jesus Christ, who loved: (仁 is the Chinese character for benevolence, kind-heartedness, and humanity. It is made up from the  character on the left which means person and on the right two persons)

It does not mean suppressing oneself forcibly or being courteous against one's will. Instead, it is about breaking and overcoming the shell of selfishness that tightly encases us, to recover the original good heart within that loves others and the humble heart that lowers oneself. This is akin to the repeated exhortations of Jesus Christ: 'If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me' (Matthew 16:24)." 

The unique writings that reflect on the words of Jesus Christ through the teachings of Confucius and Laozi are compiled in the book "Even When Full, It Seems Empty."  The book naturally connects the teachings of Confucius and Laozi and those of Mencius, Zhuangzi, and Zengzi, who have greatly influenced us, with the core themes of Christianity. It is fascinating to discover the path to God through famous phrases and proverbs from Eastern classics and the teachings of the sages and to broaden one's wisdom and thoughts about life.

Why would a Catholic priest major in Chinese philosophy?  "It is important to understand the teachings of Christ and to whom they are being conveyed, meaning an understanding of the people living on this earth is crucial. Our ancestors lived for over 5000 years without knowing God or Jesus Christ. However, they contemplated the absolute ruler of the world, Heaven (天), and we, who still live in the Chinese cultural sphere, have grown up under the influence of Eastern philosophy in our language, values, and customs."

The author notes: "As a Catholic priest studying Eastern philosophy, I realized that even those who have lived without the knowledge of the Christian faith were somehow finding their way to God. I wrote this article to share together the answers to universal questions that all humans have— 'Who am I?' and 'How should I live?'"

The book is composed of five chapters. The first chapter introduces the basic concepts of Chinese philosophy that can reflect on our lives, and the second chapter interprets the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and patience, as virtues discussed in Eastern philosophy. The third chapter examines the heart according to various philosophers, the fourth chapter deals with relationships and fellowship with neighbors, and the fifth chapter collects the teachings of the sages on ecology and politics, extending beyond oneself and neighbors.

Justice and Vengence

In the Catholic Peace Weekly column The Eyes of the Priest, the readers this week are given a detailed message on the theme of justice and vengeance using the comic book character Batman and relates them to a case of sexual assault that occurred in Korea in 2004 and the recent developments of the case.

In the famous comic book and movie Batman, the protagonist fights against the villains of Gotham City, inspired by the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Gotham City is where even the police and prosecutors who should fight against criminals are corrupt. Batman fights against crime disguised as a bat that operates in the dark and calls himself 'vengeance'.

However, Batman also knows that the vengeance he seeks only leads to more vengeance. Although he fights villains in the name of justice, victims emerge in the process, and some become villains themselves seeking revenge against Batman. Thus, Batman always contemplates what justice is and what constitutes evil and good. Despite acting in the name of justice, he does not seem much different from the criminals he fights against.

In 2004, a case occurred in South Korea where 44 male high school students sexually assaulted a female middle school student. The entire nation was shocked. However, most of the 44 male students were sent to juvenile court and received only probation, without proper punishment. The case, which seemed to have disappeared, resurfaced in people's memories exactly 20 years later.

Recently, a YouTube channel has been exposing those involved in the school girl group sexual assault case. Those who sided with the perpetrators have also been revealed. The broadcast shares videos of past investigations, joining in the public's outrage. The exposed perpetrators have been fired from their jobs, and the stores they worked at have closed. The YouTuber who exposed the perpetrators has announced plans to reveal all 44 individuals.

Such actions by individuals or groups to punish perpetrators, rather than by public authority as in this case, are called 'cyber vigilantes'. 

When private sanctions like the exposure of the  sexual assault participants occur, it seems to many that justice is being served. They may feel a sense of satisfaction, and some even support the YouTuber over the investigative authorities. Even now, private sanctions similar to this  'Incident' continue to emerge.

However, private sanctions cannot fully realize social justice. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth approach is dangerous. Vengeance only begets more vengeance. It can also lead to secondary victims by mistakenly turning innocent people into victims. Even with good intentions, one can become another villain. 

The increase in private sanctions is due to distrust in the judicial system. Seeing decisions that do not align with common sense or delayed investigations and trials for crimes committed by the upper echelons of society, citizens decide to become the Batman of Gotham City. Since the law does not protect the weak, they take on the role of 'judge' themselves. Ultimately, for 'cyber vigilante groups' to disappear, trust in our judicial system must be restored.

Conformity of Standards

A reporter for the Catholic Peace Weekly gives us some thoughts on an issue serious enough to discuss but lacking efforts to resolve. 

We are talking about controversies about standards within  Christianity such as the same dates for feast days and using the same words for important concepts.

In Korea within Christianity, the Chinese word (天主=Lord of Heaven) is translated differently in the Catholic and Protestant churches.  Over forty years ago they published  A Common Bible among the Catholics and Protestants where the Lord of Heaven was translated as "Haneunim" but the Bible never became popular among the Christians. Catholics use the 'Haneunim' and Protestants 'Hananim' (meaning the Lord of Heaven).

The Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar. June 9th is May 27th of the Julian calendar. In the lunar calendar, it would be May 4th. The standards that we use bring a change to our thinking.

Therefore, when ‘unity of mind’ is needed, the ‘standards’ are first unified. The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, which are joining forces in the ecumenical movement without having to go far, are discussing ways to unify the Feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, which has been celebrated differently due to different calendars.

‘Standards’ are also the point that Korean Christians who strive for unity regret the most. At a forum commemorating the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Korean Christian Faith and Order Council held last month, experts evaluated the past ecumenical movement and expressed their greatest regret over the lack of ‘unification of terminology.’ This is because even the names for God are not the same. Meanwhile, the distance in the hearts of believers is growing further apart. Some believers also oppose the discussion of unity itself. Their logic is: "Because it is against the will of the Lord." Some argue that change is unnecessary because we have lived this way for so long.

Meanwhile, religion itself is facing a crisis. A Protestant clergyman who participated in the forum that day appealed, saying: "Now is the crisis of mutual destruction for everyone", and added, "It is time to urgently gather strength." In fact, according to statistics released at the end of last year, half of the total population is ‘non-religious.’ In particular, 7 out of 10 people in their 20s answered that they had no religion. His appeal: “Because it is a common crisis, we must join forces for greater unity,” this should not be an empty cry. 

Comfort From Chatbots

In the Catholic Website Here/Now a sociologist introduces the readers to "Deadbot" a concept that uses artificial intelligence to simulate the language patterns and personality traits of deceased individuals based on their digital records. It allows people to feel as if they are conversing with the person who has died and more so when combined with the deceased's voice.

One can easily see the problems that may arise ethically and psychologically from this technology and the misuse and the impact on society and those grieving. The article begins with a concrete example.  

A young woman, grieving the sudden loss of her lover, was approached by an AI chatbot company with an astonishing offer. They claimed that if she had digital data like emails or social network service (SNS) chats from her lover, she could converse with him again. With high hopes, she handed over all the data exchanged during her lover's life. Days passed, and now she chats daily with a custom chatbot created by the AI company, feeling as if she's talking to her lover again.

"Deadbot" refers to an AI chatbot that simulates the language patterns and personality traits of the deceased, based on their digital footprint. Although the physical body is gone, creating a Deadbot from the digital data left behind can make it feel like talking to the actual person. With advancements in generative AI, it's now possible to use custom chatbots based on specific individuals' voices, personalities, and language habits.

People who have prepared for separation but cannot handle the emptiness after bereavement have shown interest. Deadbots can be a solution. Considering cases where the pain of separation persists, leading to substance abuse or falling into cults, Deadbots can have positive aspects.

However, there are issues with the Deadbot system. If users can interact with the Deadbot indefinitely, it may prevent or delay their return to normal life. They might experience severe confusion living between life and death, unable to accept the reality of the deceased. Another critical debate concerns the rights of the deceased. Deadbots are built entirely for the living, and the deceased have no say in how their digital legacy is used, essentially roaming the real world like ghosts, chatting and conversing without their consent.

Deadbts raise fundamental questions. When we chat with someone we know they are a real person existing in reality. We can identify them through interaction, even if they're not in the same space. They are not just a collection of data; they can feel and change emotions and show intellectual growth through reading and discussion. We meet and interact with people, breathing life into our daily routines.

But Deadbots are merely a combination of data and responses generated by algorithms. We can't expect human-like interactions from the start. The departed was a person, but what returns is a collection of data. This data can even be dangerous. Some AI chatbot companies use Deadbots to secretly advertise products in the manner of the departed loved one or claim to children who don't understand death that their deceased parents are still with them.

The problem arises when people refuse or fail to acknowledge separation and try to maintain relationships through technology, potentially distorting attitudes toward life and death. Technology or its products can never fully comprehend the depth of human life and death; they can only offer temporary relief.

Deadbots pose a question to us: Will we remain beings that seek comfort from chatbots in the face of ultimate separation like death, or will we continue to believe that death is not the end but a transition to another realm? It's a question we must answer.

Helping to Build Bridges

 

A Brother of the Taizé Community in the Catholic Weekly gives us some help in understanding what can happen when we start building bridges. 

The Korean Christian Faith and Order Council celebrated its 10th anniversary. This council, which includes the Korean Council of Christian Churches,  the Anglican Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Korean Catholic Bishops' Conference, began with the purpose of helping Christians achieve unity and fellowship of faith between denominations. 

Even though the Catholic Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), it participates as an official member of Faith and Order. The Council for Faith and Order inherited the history of the ecumenical movement that developed in Korea after the Second Vatican Council and carries out meaningful activities such as prayer meetings during the Ecumenical Week every year, 23 ecumenical forums, seminary student exchanges, retreats and pilgrimages, concerts, and cultural festivals. 

Catholic and several Protestant churches participate. However, in Korea, the Christian unity movement has not spread to the masses of believers, and barriers between denominations are still high. The majority of Protestant churches and believers are conservative and unfriendly toward the Catholic Church. There are many cases where Catholics also have negative thoughts about Protestantism and Protestants. What they have in common is the fact that they don't know each other very well. 

In Korea, where such a gap exists between denominations, the columnist hopes Christians will have more opportunities to meet each other comfortably and pray together if possible. 

The public interest group ‘Eumsae’ holds irregular meetings where Protestant and Catholic clergy and religious meet to talk about art and life and have lunch. After the meal, they stop by the nearby Church of Repentance and Atonement and say a silent prayer before parting ways. They also offer a ‘Prayer for Peace’ at the Seoul Cathedral of the Anglican Church and several Catholic and Protestant organizations on the second Friday evening of every month. About 80 believers from various denominations of various ages and nationalities gather at this prayer meeting with Taizé songs and silence. 

Before moving here in September of last year, he prayed for peace at the Jesuit Center. Many people experience unity achieved in the simple, meditative prayer offered while everyone sits in one direction, facing the altar. Although there are differences in doctrine and tradition among Christian denominations, the things that bring us together are more numerous and important than those that divide us. In this divided  Korean Peninsula, reconciliation is the mission of Christians. Jesus prayed that his disciples would be one until his last moments on earth. So that the world can believe. 

Below is the way the Brother would like us to understand the movement he began:

"Vision: In a society where polarization, camp logic, and group egoism are increasing, we create a beautiful world where people live together in peace by connecting those isolated and fragmented individuals and fostering friendship and trust through encounters, conversations, and listening.

Mission: Build bridges between people of different generations, countries, cultures, beliefs, and religions, prevent conflicts and disputes, and achieve social healing.”

One's Own Life of Faith

 

In My Faith Life is Like Gold column of the Catholic Peace Weekly, the priest wants the readers to be the leading actors in their lives of Faith.

In a popular song lyric, it says: Hold me, will you? Do you love me a lot? In your arms, I am the leading actor.

On this stage of life, everyone is the leading actor. But why is it that in faith, we live as supporting actors or even extras, rather than the lead? Could it be that we are not trained to live as the main character in our faith?

If making the church's faith one's own is the basic principle of training, then it is important to learn the minimum necessary to live as a believer and to blend into the church community. However, isn't it most important to foster autonomy so that one can live out their faith on their own?

Just as it is with life, faith cannot become truly one's own unless sought by oneself. In the early stages, someone walking alongside may take care of various things, but when one becomes an adult and must walk their own path, no one else can walk it for them. One must walk by themselves.

One of the greatest characteristics of Christian faith is the voluntary and free response to God's call. God calls us His 'people', but at the same time, He speaks to each of us individually, demanding a decision to walk the path of virtue as His children. God's call is directed at everyone, but each person's response must be individual, and therefore, not only recognizing the call but the decision and response is each person's responsibility.

However, this does not happen all at once; it is a process that takes a long time. Take the vocation to the priesthood as an example. A seminary student who enters the seminary with the desire to become a priest needs time to verify whether that desire is genuine. There are cases where one comes under the influence of parents or the parish priest, regardless of their own will. Or various impure motives may also be present. To accept the priesthood as 'one's own,' one must understand God's call for themselves and make a decision to respond concretely.

Do I truly wish to live as a priest? Have I experienced God's call in the life I have lived so far? What is the specific image of the priesthood that I have come to have? How do I plan to live out such an image of the priesthood through specific pastoral activities? A candidate for the priesthood prepares to answer these questions and publicly verifies their desire for the priesthood.

This applies to all believers. God calls us as His children, as members of the church, to a holy life. The call to this holy life appears in the journey of the life we have lived and experienced through the life of the church community, each person's faith life, and daily life.

Being a believer does not mean spending all day in church. It means living everyday life in a different way from ordinary people, that is, living everything in life with God. Faith penetrates all dimensions of life: the way we view the world, life, neighbors, and ourselves; the way we engage in economic activities, leisure activities, and relationships with others; the way we view and accept illness, suffering, life, and death; and the way we live ethical and political lives.

Am I living in response to God's call, desiring to realize myself through such a life? It's okay not to be ready to answer that question. What's important is to ask the question.

Resistance is a Part of Life

In the Catholic Peace Weekly Diagnosis of the Times column, a priest director of a human rights center gives the readers his understanding of the present-day demonstrations on some of the college campuses. 

On April 18th, the campus of Columbia University in New York was tense with students protesting, urging a halt to the Israeli military's attacks on Gaza.

Hundreds of students began a tent sit-in protest against the university authorities for investing in Israeli companies. They sang an old hymn familiar to us: 'Let's all come together and become one', appealing for solidarity with Palestine. A linguistics professor at this university contributed an article to the newspaper about what happened during his 'Music Humanities' class that day.

The professor intended to discuss John Cage's '4'33', one of the most controversial pieces in the history of Western contemporary music, but ended up covering it in his lecture instead. This piece involves the performer not playing anything for 4 minutes and 33 seconds. During this time, the sounds from the audience, such as coughing or the moving of chairs are the performance.

The professor made Cage stay silent and focus on the sounds around them, they couldn't hear the music because the only sounds they could hear were the protesters' chants. But even if it's not played, Cage thought, all the sounds around us are part of the music. So there is no such thing as 'silence' in music. For him, the protesters' cries were not "sounds".

The sound of the ventilator, environment, the loudspeaker⋯ focusing on these sounds will allow us to perceive more vividly the different aspects of where we are. Any sound has meaning only in the context of life, and within the social system of money, status, and power. In the so-called "elite" universities of the United States, voices of opposition to Israeli violence and solidarity with the Palestinians spread. If we had listened carefully to the chants for 4 minutes and 33 seconds, as Cage suggested, we might have understood the situation differently.

Desperate and urgent voices are almost always drowned out. This is because the sound reveals the underside of reality, and we try to ignore it or suppress it. The school immediately called the police and arrested the students, and the media published malicious reports. Finally, the House of Representatives even introduced a bill to ban criticism of Israel, calling it "anti-Semitism." This was even though many of the students who led the protests were Jews.

There are times when our desire to say the perfect thing leaves us saying nothing at all. However, nothing is as clear as in the case of Palestine. This is not war, it is a massacre. There are no outsiders in the world of life, and the injustice in the world is related to everyone. The students were suspended from school and their identities were stolen, but they did not give up their solidarity with Palestinians living in fear of death. Rather, protests spread throughout the United States. They became Gaza’s ‘neighbors’.

In Korea, the Palestine solidarity rally held every other week in front of the Israeli Embassy, not at a university, is full of such young people. You can't stay still and meet your neighbors. It is about meeting your neighbors while being devoted and loving. There are no neighbors until you get close, see their faces, and hear their voices.

Seeing the endless devastation here and there, the columnist thinks about the weight of ‘looking for neighbors and making new neighbors’. What would you do if you were a citizen of a country that fully aided the massacre? At least this time, the students were one in heart with those in need instead of enjoying their privileges. 

Father Daniel Berrigan, an American Jesuit who devoted himself to the anti-war movement, said that peace will not come to this world unless one gives up a comfortable life. In times like these, ‘whether we like it or not, the state of our lives itself must be a state of resistance.’ (「Dark Night of Resistance」) If you want to live fully and completely, you must accept this new phase in your life.