By SHELTON BUMGARNER
Marmot’s Hole Guest Blogger
The Asia Pages muses on the idea that Christians in South Korea will prevent the Godless DPRK from swooping in and forcing us all to live according to our ability and need. Or, as Reverend Dr. Cho Yong-gi, Yeouido Full Gospel Church said recently according to The Asia Pages, “Kim Jong-il will never conquer South Korea like they did in the Korean War because there are 12 million Christians here now.”
Yes, it is quite different from the more common statements made by South Koreans about how the Northerners are “our brothers and sisters” but, well, coming from a person of faith, it seems like a pretty hateful, ego-stroking thing to say.
I’m not a regular church-goer, in fact it’s been years since I’ve stepped foot into an actual church, but I would have loved to have sat in on this sermon just to see brain-washing in action.
The Asia Pages also gives readers this interesting anecdote about what prevents the emergency of a “pan-Asian” identity.
A young Japanese-American woman was working as a physician at a fairly well-respected medical institution when on the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, an elderly man whom she had never met before approached her. His manner was respectful and somber, but it were his words and tone that rattled her to the point of complete rage.
He said to her in the presence of her colleagues and patients: “I am a WWII veteran and I forgive you and your people for what you did to the U.S. at Pearl Harbor years ago this very day.”
His old age and delicate condition didn’t stop the young doctor from saying to him in a firm voice, “You have exactly 30 seconds to get the hell out of this room before I call security.”
Meanwhile, Kushibo notes that a bigwig in the PRC military threatened to make the future so bright in the United States, that they’ll have to where shades…and maybe a radiation suit.
I’m surprised this didn’t come down the pipeline over at the Ahssa Hole, but senior PRC military adviser Zhu Chenghu said that if the U.S. were involved in an attack on Chinese soil in some conflict related to Taiwan, China should fire nuclear weapons at the United States.
Migukin worries about being drafted in the event that the 6.25 War starts up again.
The folks over at North Korea Zone have a cool picture of Pyongyang via Google Earth.
Our “Korea, Assignment of Choice” moment is a prime example of how great minds think alike: The Party Pooper is just a bit peeved that Asiana pilots have decided to strike at the worst possible time this summer travel season.
Now normally I don’t give a flying fook when selfish union workers in Korea go on strike (a yearly event for most unions). Hey, you want to cripple your country’s economy just so you can get a little bit of extra drinking money then that’s your business. However, this time I have a flight out of here on Asiana Airlines next week so I AM NOT FINDING THIS FUNNY AT ALL!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
The anecdote you selected from the narrative to illustrate the point about “pan-Asian” identity fails to illustrate your point, in a most ironic way (if by “pan-Asian” you mean the discarding of ancient animosities).
A more appropriate selection would have been from later in the Asia Times narrative, where the author discussed the restaurant in PRC, the one where no Japanese was allowed to eat until he had first apologized for his country’s conduct in WWII.
I find the irony in the fact you’re concerned about the patronizing attitude of the older (presumably (Caucausian) war veterans (WWII in your example, plus a Korean war one in the Asia Times).
Why not look beyond these individuals to see the essential truth of the larger cause for which they fought? If there is one true “pan-Asian” country in this world, it is the USA, where Koreans, Japanese, and Chinese immigrants can live, become citizens, d attend school, and work together, without having to give a thought as to the “old world” ethnic conflicts they left behind.
So, we’ve got an example of “pan-Asianism” right here in the USA, if only the citizens of the NE Asian countries have the wit to raise their eyes to the horizon and behold it.
Hmm… Is it any wonder that Christian groups would oppose communism when they suppress religion? DPRK state propaganda IS a religion, so I would have to agree with that pastor that a lot of Korean Christians would probably take up arms against the DPRK government purely out of religious conviction should the need arise.
The Asia Pages blog was an opinionated response to a “news article” by a biased reporter about a person he probably didn’t like before he even heard his sermon. The author of the “article” wrote an opinion piece, and from his blog he may have an axe to grind, given that the referred to Protestants as a “heretic horde.”
I don’t care much for Reverend Cho and his church, but as I said on AsiaPages, I don’t think that saying that South Korea will be protected from a North Korean attack by 12 million Koreans’ faith in God is “hateful.” Misguided and not Biblically sound, but hardly “hateful.”
Let’s go attack those godless commies!
I’m not a big fan of Cho, either, but non-Christians sure seem to have alot of hatred of and tend to stereotype Christians at every opportunity (plenty of christians do this about others, too). But the fact is, christians are just people and some will act blindly, but the majority haven’t stopped thinking and living in the real world. I just don’t see christians as really being much different than say, leftists, who follow their own ‘religions’ and hold their own stereotypes.
Snow, if you go to the comments section linked above, I echoed some similar sentiments.
I think this is something plaguing American society (and other places): a religious dividing line with each side looking at the other as morally bankrupt, devious. Accusatory rhetoric seems more commonplace than attempts at mutual understanding.
I think there is intolerance among many in the Religious Right, but I think the left, including my fellow Democrats, can be equally as intolerant. Too many Dems and many on the far left dismiss the concerns of people of faith as right-wing mindlessness. Dismiss it out of hand, as if none of it has any basis. Never mind that the social concerns of many Christians are in line with the socio-economic concerns of many Dems. My own group here in Korea was often that way.
The holy rollers versus the eye rollers. That’s what America is becoming.
Well, looks like I’m an eye roller then.
This is what a childhood of Presbyterianism will do to you.
Paul, just to make things clear, you know that “you” is Jodi, right?
And I agree with your point.
The “you” I addressed was Shelton, the author of the thread.
I should have said “Asia Pages” not Asia Times. I presume Jodi is the author of the blog Shelton linked to? I didn’t spend a lot of time there because I find it very difficult to read blogs with dark backgrounds and narrow font print.
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