Juche world’s 10th largest religion?

by Robert Koehler on May 9, 2007

in Asides, North Korea

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

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The Florida Masochist
May 9, 2007 at 11:16 pm

{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }

1 michael May 9, 2007 at 5:01 pm

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.

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2 SomeguyinKorea May 9, 2007 at 5:13 pm

Yes, North Korea is a cult.

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3 Hugh May 9, 2007 at 6:23 pm

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!?

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4 tocchin May 9, 2007 at 8:41 pm

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.

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5 Linkd May 9, 2007 at 8:43 pm

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?

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6 Richardson May 9, 2007 at 9:19 pm

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.

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7 Havik May 9, 2007 at 9:36 pm

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.

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8 SomeguyinKorea May 10, 2007 at 12:32 am

“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).

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9 SomeguyinKorea May 10, 2007 at 12:33 am

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

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10 wjk May 10, 2007 at 12:53 am

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.

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11 sewing May 10, 2007 at 2:04 am

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.

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12 sewing May 10, 2007 at 2:06 am

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.

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13 sewing May 10, 2007 at 2:18 am

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.

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14 Richardson May 10, 2007 at 3:17 am

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

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15 Iceberg May 10, 2007 at 5:52 am

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

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16 wjk May 10, 2007 at 8:23 am

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.

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17 wjk May 10, 2007 at 8:26 am

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.

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18 Iceberg May 10, 2007 at 12:56 pm

John Ashcroft was a preacher’s kid.

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

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19 globalvillageidiot May 10, 2007 at 8:31 pm

“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.

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20 SomeguyinKorea May 12, 2007 at 8:54 pm

“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.

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21 Railwaycharm May 12, 2007 at 9:31 pm

Kim Jung Il is just…. an organ.

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