Juche world’s 10th largest religion?

According to Adherents.com, the world’s 10th largest religion is Juche [Chosun Ilbo, English].

21 Comments

  1. michael your flag
    Posted May 9, 2007 at 5:01 pm | Permalink

    Their site says: “Juche is the only government-authorized ideology in North Korea, to the point of excluding all other religions,” which is a contradictio in terminis, but whatever. It’s likely the biggest belief system no one in the country actually believes, though.

  2. SomeguyinKorea your flag
    Posted May 9, 2007 at 5:13 pm | Permalink

    Yes, North Korea is a cult.

  3. Hugh your flag
    Posted May 9, 2007 at 6:23 pm | Permalink

    Even more fascinating is that Fandeath and KoreaHasFourSeasons are tied for the worlds 9th largest religion.

    Looking back at my own country, I see We’reBetterThanAmericans*smugsmile* takes the world’s 23rd largest religion spot.

    Who’da thunk it!?

  4. tocchin your flag
    Posted May 9, 2007 at 8:41 pm | Permalink

    There are so many Juche followers in South Korea. The brains of many of the netizens are wired to the joystick Kim Jong-il manipulates. Ask young South Koreans which leader they trust more, Buch or Kim. The majority will reply “Kim” without hesitation.

  5. Posted May 9, 2007 at 8:43 pm | Permalink

    I don’t have time to check the link. Can someone just tell me where the Cult of the Maple Leaf Patch Sewn Onto the Backback ranked?

  6. Posted May 9, 2007 at 9:19 pm | Permalink

    In same category of the four-seasons and fan death cults is the Korean-mothers-love-their-children-more-than-any-others-in-the-world 교회, not to be outdone by the Foreigners-can’t-understand-jung sect.

  7. Havik your flag
    Posted May 9, 2007 at 9:36 pm | Permalink

    Long live Juche!

    Juche happens to be the only religion that actually works. Pray & worship hard and the chances are there that you will be rewarded during this life time; disobey and your (and your family’s) ass will be kicked immediately.

    God is very present, tangible and imminent over there.

  8. SomeguyinKorea your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 12:32 am | Permalink

    “I don’t have time to check the link. Can someone just tell me where the Cult of the Maple Leaf Patch Sewn Onto the Backback ranked?”

    My guess: it should have been 6th. The people who believe in that one are Americans who don’t know anything about Canada (probably 50% of the population) and Canadians who’s families have never left their home province, except for grandma who went to Nashville and Memphis on a tour bus once (unfortunately, that’s about 50% of the population, too).

  9. SomeguyinKorea your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 12:33 am | Permalink

    Actually, that should be 8th. Sorry, typo.

  10. wjk your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 12:53 am | Permalink

    It’s not the first time I broke my word, so here goes.

    I’m surprised Juche outdid Shinto. I guess a lot of them are non religious?

    I see a lot of similarities between Juche and the Japanese Emperor before 1945.

  11. Posted May 10, 2007 at 2:04 am | Permalink

    Or judging by the TV shots of the almost orgasmic mass reaction of Norkettes at the sight of their leader during the 2000 summit, there may be some echoes of Pentecostalism.

  12. Posted May 10, 2007 at 2:06 am | Permalink

    Wow, did I just coin a term? A quick search for “Norkette” in Google turns up just 191 hits, all for stuff that has nothing to do with the Norks.

  13. Posted May 10, 2007 at 2:18 am | Permalink

    Heh, evidently the elder Kim’s mother was indeed a Pentecostal Christian, as described by Thomas J. Belke in Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea’s State Religion, which from the looks of it might be a useful resource on this topic.

  14. Posted May 10, 2007 at 3:17 am | Permalink

    Both of Kim Il-sung’s parents were devout Christians.

  15. Posted May 10, 2007 at 5:52 am | Permalink

    Kim Il-sung must have been a preacher’s kid. They usually turn out to be terrors.

  16. wjk your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 8:23 am | Permalink

    go and read up on kimsoft.com. His mother was. His father, no.

    It’s more similar to shin-sa, tenno banzai, the way I see it. It was a natural transition, too. Ilsung himself was not a Christian. He did use whatever he thought useful of it for his self worship. He actually persecuted foreign missionaries, like a good communist would.

    He who doesn’t read kimsoft is bound to falter.

  17. wjk your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 8:26 am | Permalink

    John Ashcroft was a preacher’s kid.

    Tell me now, objectively, that he did a bad job.

    He made all the right moves. I think he should run for President.

  18. Posted May 10, 2007 at 12:56 pm | Permalink

    John Ashcroft was a preacher’s kid.

    To that comment, all I can do is :-)

  19. globalvillageidiot your flag
    Posted May 10, 2007 at 8:31 pm | Permalink

    “John Ashcroft was a preacher’s kid.”

    Also a surprisingly good singer. Not saying that he belts it out with a lot of soul - we are talking about John Ashcroft here - but the man can hold a tune, no doubt about it. However, I don’t know if that makes him any more presidential than being a preacher’s son. Doubt it.

  20. SomeguyinKorea your flag
    Posted May 12, 2007 at 8:54 pm | Permalink

    “go and read up on kimsoft.com. His mother was. His father, no.”

    Go read up on Kim Il Sung, he was the church organist.

  21. Railwaycharm your flag
    Posted May 12, 2007 at 9:31 pm | Permalink

    Kim Jung Il is just…. an organ.

One Trackback

  1. By The Florida Masochist on May 9, 2007 at 11:16 pm

    The tenth biggest religion…

    Would you believe Juche?…

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