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| Christianity in Korea | |
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| Topic Started: Sep 26 2006, 07:01 PM (792 Views) | |
| black man | Sep 26 2006, 07:01 PM Post #1 |
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Liaison
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from http://z6.invisionfree.com/orient/index.ph...wtopic=933&st=0
Korea is doubtlessly less Christian than the USA. But does that make it non-Christian? According to my source, more than one third of South Koreans are Christians. This is enough for them to influence politics to a degree, keeping in mind that Christians already played an important political role during the Japanese occupation of Korea. => http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/prog...df/wtwtogod.pdf http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/wtwtgod/3490490.stm My source is from 2004, how old is yours? |
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| Maju | Sep 26 2006, 07:17 PM Post #2 |
sorgina
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Well, I'd say that only 30% of Christians doesn not make a country Christian. Nigeria has much more than that and is plural in religious beliefs. Said that, I agree that a community of 30% of population must be influential - but not necessarily dominant.  According to the above graphic (Blackman's source), 30% of South Koreans are non-believers, that's as many as Christian (though obviously these are not so well organized). The remaining 40% should be Buddhist or believers in other Eastern traditions that belief in higher powers but not specifically "God". Buddhists are probably also well organized and influential, I imagine. |
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| black man | Sep 26 2006, 07:55 PM Post #3 |
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It can be nonetheless dominant in cases of coalitions with others or simply when there are no competitors in special fields (e.g. concerning social work). As for the comparison with Nigeria, it is known that in Africa there is lots of religious intolerance on the costs of the indigenous beliefs there. I wouldn't even talk about religious pluralism if a country is so suspiciously divided between Christians and Muslims. A comparison with African countries might, however, be valid regarding the estimated number of unreported cases of hybridised beliefs and nominal Christians. Other sources (I didn't quote them because their date was unclear) reported up to 50% and more Christian inhabitants of Korea. Probably, they included those nominal Christians. All in all, you can find internet sources reporting percentages from 25% to more than 50% Christians, but usually, the date of the sample is not given. |
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| Jhangora | Sep 27 2006, 09:52 AM Post #4 |
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Thank you Black Man for having created this topic.
Doubtlessly.Since N Koreans arn't free to practise a religion.
Is the USA Christian?Anyone who has read/studied the bible and follows current affairs would doubtlessly agree that the USA is not Christian.
Fine you may be right about 33% of S Koreans claiming to be Christians.I spent three years in S Korea and couldn't gather much insight into S Korean politics.Maybe bcoz S Koreans are xenophobic,maybe bcoz I am a fool.Therefore I won't speculate on how much Christians are able to influence domestic and international politics in S Korea. What I know is that Churches have a lot of funds in S Korea and most of them come from the USA and Western Europe.Young people in general are not really interested in religion and God. There are Churches everywhere in S Korea.Say one Church per street.Buddhist Temples are few and are usually outside city limits.IIRC an Emperor destroyed Budhhist Temples and they weren't able to make a comeback after that.
I joined an Asian discussion forum and asked a Japanese forummer about the contrast visible in Christian following {Japan Vs. S Korea}.He answered that 46% of S Koreans are atheists {citing Wikipedia}.I had this discussion a few months ago.If you wish I'll provide the link to that discussion.
There are very few Christian countries in the world Maju.I was once taken to a dinner in S Korea {Missionaries took me to an American Major's home}.I asked the Major why does France continue to exploit Cameroonians even though both are Christian countries.Major's wife replied that Church attendance in France is one of the lowest in Europe and French are one of the most Atheist people in the world. Living near French border,maybe you could enlighten us regarding latest tendencies of the French people on Religion and Exploitation.
Most Budhhists consider Buddha God.
Unfortunately not.I may be wrong but I think Budhhism has breathed it's last in S Korea.
Sure Sir.Christians are very dominant in social work in S Korea.They even have a Migrant Workers Church.I went there once {I hadn't been paid for two months,owner transferred the factory to his Manager and fled with his family to Philipinnes}.They said they won't be able to help me. That money {US $ 2200} is big for me.I would be highly indebted if you are able to offer any help {as a Christian ofcourse}.
S Korea?
S Korean are very opportunistic and without a spine {my perception ofcourse and I may be wrong}.Maybe the figures vary as S Koreans keep changing their religous affiliation keeping in mind the benefits received {I may be half-assing here}. Thanx again Black Man  .
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| black man | Sep 27 2006, 08:24 PM Post #5 |
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Only in the public. The North Korean state does not have the means to control what people really do at home. In the former Soviet Union, too, high percentages of religious people started practicing their religions again after the fall of communism.
Many Christians would agree that the USA are "not Christian". But non-Christians, in particular those who are non-religious, often have a broader definition of the term "Christian".
Wikipedia: "According to 2003 statistics compiled by the South Korean government, about 46% of citizens profess to follow no particular religion. Christians account for 27.3% of the population and Buddhists 25.3%." "No particular religion" can mean "only nominally Christian", "Christian belief mixed with other belief(s)" and much more, but not necessarily "atheist". I.e., there are possibly people among those 46% percent whom I'd consider to be Christians.
As long as they don't have any reasons to distance themselves from Christianity (such as the belief in an essentially non-Christian doctrine), they are potential converts or maybe even already latent Christians. They might find out their religious (or non-religious) preferences later in their lives.
There is a big gap between Christian ideals and reality...Good that I'm not Christian. Bad that I'm short of money, too, if you meant me.
Yes, South Korea of course. (I forgot "South".)
Well, self-sacrifice in general seems to have always impressed Koreans much. And since Christian missionaries aim at creating the impression of being self-sacrificing people, it's understandable for me that many Koreans accepted Christianity as their religion. If the ideal of self-sacrificing people vanished in Korea, I'm sure that Christianity would vanish there, too. |
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| Maju | Sep 27 2006, 08:39 PM Post #6 |
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sorgina
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He obviously means South Korea, that has the wide majority of Korean population.
Anyone? Not really. From the Eruopean viewpoint, the USA is a fundamentalist society. They have god even in their money. They speak of God all the time and you can find a bible in each hotel room, they even have dozens of religious TV shows. I probably know a few US-Americans that are not Christian, mostly living in the NE or the Eastern Coast but the vast majority is (and the ones who aren't usualy belong to other sects, like Judaism or Islam). The USA was largely founded by people fleeing Europe because of their dissident but strong religious beliefs and they still have God from breakfast to supper. Saying that the USA is not Christian is like saying that India is not Hindu or Saudi Arabia Muslim.
Regarding religion European Catholic countries are very low in faith these days (and has been that way for decades), with the possible exception of Poland. This is surely also true for most of Protestant Europe, but maybe to a lesser extent. Atheist criticism of religion has been very strong and fanatic attitudes like "forbidding" condoms or questioning divorce and opposing pragmatic solutions to non-desired pregnancies like the day-after pill do not help to make them popular among the youth. Their old-fashioned authoritarism belongs to another age and can't be conciliated with postmodernity: the lack of any sort of democracy in the atholic Church is obviously unappealing for modern generations. In France more than in Spain probably moral attitudes are quite liberal and people simply can't believe what priests say. Churches have little or no attractive except for social acts like marriages and funerals - but even these are each day falling more out of the religious sphere these days. In general, Europe is much more agnostic than religious. Most people live for real life not for the after death, they think of religious taboos as idiotic, religious practices as meaningless and churches a nothing more than historical monuments, much like Stonehenge or the Alhambra. There's been some revival of religion in Eastern Europe recently, specially in Poland and the ex-Yugoslavia, but I think it's just a temporary adjustment. Some very reactionary groups as the Opus Dei are strong among some influential sectors but overall there's been a steady decline of religiosity in all Europe since the 60s. |
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Chaos never died, the Empire was never founded. | |
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| Jhangora | Sep 28 2006, 06:09 AM Post #7 |
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I heard they have a lot of spies there and people are afraid to practise religion even in their homes.As I havn't been fortunate enough to visit N Korea I'll take your word on this issue. Which religion do you think N Koreans practise.
Mine is pretty narrow.
Agreed "No particular religion" can mean a lot of things.You are free to consider people among these 46% Christians.
Sure.
I meant the Christian network.He fled to Philipinnes which also happens to be a Christian? Nation.Maybe you could help me trace him.
No problem.I emphasised the point bcoz usually people forget that North and South Korea are two very different nations even though they might have shared much of their history.
I'm sure that Christianity would vanish faster than Budhhism in S Korea.
OK Sir.I asked bcoz it wasn't clear to me.
India is a Secular Nation Sir. Thanx for info on the situation in Europe. |
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| Maju | Sep 28 2006, 01:19 PM Post #8 |
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sorgina
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You may mean that India is a secular state, country maybe. Nation refers to the (ethnically related) people.
For the reason above, the Koreas are a single nation but two states. Same as Germany not so long ago or the two Chinas (RP China and Taiwan). They don't feel themselves as separated by ethnicity but just because of political (ideological and geostrategical) reasons: they are in a perpetual civil war (and in a very long truce). Political ideology is not enough create new national (ethnic) identities, it seems. |
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Chaos never died, the Empire was never founded. | |
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| Jhangora | Sep 28 2006, 01:47 PM Post #9 |
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OK then Secular Republic. There is Ethnic Continuity in India BTW.
Over a period of time it may Maju.S Koreans refer to themselves as Hanguk Saram whereas N Koreans call themselves Choson Saram.S Koreans call Korean language Hanguk-Mall whereas N Koreans call it Choson Mall. I understand that it takes a long time. Coming back to the topic herez a useful link for all interested members. History of Christianity in Korea: From Its Troubled Beginning to Its Contemporary Success it has been written by Mr.Andrew E. Kim.
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| black man | Sep 28 2006, 08:23 PM Post #10 |
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Many of them practice or would like to practice the protestant version of Christianity which is also spread in S Korea and in the USA. This is at least the information which refugees from N Korea gave to the Western media. Further, there is one Buddhist temple with one monk or a couple of monks in North Korea, where the practice of Buddhism is officially allowed.
You're religious, aren't you?
I don't know anything about that. |
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| Maju | Sep 28 2006, 09:29 PM Post #11 |
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sorgina
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I'm not questioning the ethnic identity of India, I'm just pointing that, no matter if the state is secular, the people (nation, country) may be something else. Turkey (as state) is strongly secular, that same Turkey (as people) is strongly Muslim. When we talk on wether a country is religious or not doesn't refer to its institutions but to the feelings of the people. In that sense the USA is a strongly religious (Christian) country, no matter if it is also a secular state. |
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Chaos never died, the Empire was never founded. | |
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| Jhangora | Sep 29 2006, 09:02 AM Post #12 |
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Believe me S Koreans know how to please Westerners.I won't take these statements seriously.
Are worshippers allowed in that Temple?
I expect those who claim to be true followers of God and would like others to become so religious.I'm more interested in Spirituality but believe religion is needed in order to keep a society together.
About Philipinnes being a Christian Nation?I've met many Philipinnos.Nearly all of them were devout Catholics.Going by Maju's definition Philipinnes ought to be a Christian Nation {or State}. |
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| black man | Sep 29 2006, 07:01 PM Post #13 |
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I don't know. It's treated like a museum in the documentary film.
So that's what you meant. Yes, mainstream Filipinos are Christians. (Some of them even crucify themselves every year as a ritual.) But I don't know anything about the Christian network there, except that it is probably Catholic. On some islands there are also Muslims ("Moros"). Once they wanted an own state in the south of the Philippines. |
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| Maju | Sep 29 2006, 07:31 PM Post #14 |
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sorgina
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Philippines can be considered a basically Catholic nation. It was a Spanish colony for centuries, very linked to Mexico until American independence. Today (according to Wikipedia) 83% Filipinos are Catholic. The southern island of Mindanao has an important Muslim community and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is still active. Apart of that many ethnicities have their own traditions, particularly in the pre-Muslim Malayo-Polinesian line of ancestors' veneration. Also there are some Protestant denominations, mostly original from the USA, some Buddhist communities (among people of East Asian or Vietnamese origin) and some Hinduism amoung Indian inmigrants. Ref. Wikipedia |
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Chaos never died, the Empire was never founded. | |
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| black man | Feb 20 2007, 08:07 AM Post #15 |
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A Korean opinion: Chongho Kim in "Korean Shamanism - The cultural paradox" (2003), p. 157:
(Andrew Kim had presented data on Korean Christianity in 1995 and had concluded from his data that Christianity is Christianity was the most rapidly spreading religion in the Korea to the time at which the data had been collected. Furthermore, C.H. Kim writes that five of six Korean presidents since 1945 had been Christians, that there are numerous Christian schools and universities but only few universities having a department of Buddhism or Confucianism at all and that churches dominate the picture of "any Korean city" viewed from bird's eye perspective. -------- (More non-Christian native Korean opinions would be interesting on this occasion.) |
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