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General Buddhism => General Buddhism => Topic started by: Big Uncle on December 27, 2012, 10:20:54 AM
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I can hardly believe my eyes. I can't believe that the Christians can be so aggressive towards the Korean Buddhists. They sound like terrorists that's no different from Al-Qaeda. It is really so sad that Buddhism is always bullied around like that. Just not too long ago in Afghanistan, the extremist muslims destroy a precious ancient statue of Lord Buddha. Now in Korea, they are systematically destroying their own Korean history and heritage in favor of a foreign God and religion. This is really sad and very bad for Korea.
Korean Christians and Protestants continue vandalism acts on...
http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=89,11172,0,0,1,0 (http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=89,11172,0,0,1,0)
by Emi hayakawa, BTN, Nov 6, 2012
(http://buddhistchannel.tv/picture/upload/beomeo.jpg)
Seoul, South Korea -- Vandalism and arson of Buddhist temples and treasures, and important cultural properties relating to Buddhism by the Korean Christian and Protestant communities continue. Although many legislative laws have changed to protect cultural properties and national treasure after the tragic arson of the Namdaemun gate, national treasure No.1, vandalism to Buddhist temples and Buddhist treasures continue in Korea.
On October 4th, 2012, an arson tried to burn down the Gakhwangjeon Hall of Hwaomsa Temple in Gurye County, Korea. Fortunately, the fire only made a small damage to the gate of the hall due to quick actions of the monks and the fire prevention restoration made in 2008.
On the CCTV, the video captured a man pouring a flammable substance across the hall, and according to witnesses they smelt a very arsenic substance coming from the hall before the man threw in a match to burn down the Gakhwangjeon Hall.
Due to this incident, the Korean Buddhist community is in shock once again and fighting for a stricter law enforcement for the perpetrators of vandalism and arson to Korean important cultural properties and National treasures.
Furthermore, on August 20th, 2012 a Protestant pastor, Seong, vandalized the dharma hall of Donghwasa Temple. This pastor self-proclaimed that he was from the SoonBokEum Church, was caught urinating in the dharma hall and vandalized the Buddhist portraits with a permanent marker. His poor actions was captured on CCTV of the dharma hall.
The Buddhist community was outraged by this act and urged law enforcements to put a stricter punishment as this act cannot be charged with a simple invasion and vandalism punishment.
Although the law enforcement captured the pastor, they considered this act as “unusual” and let the pastor go stating that he was under mental disorientation. Thus, enraging the Buddhist community because the Korean government and law enforcement is very lenient towards destruction of Buddhist artifacts and National treasures.
On November 2011, the stele that accompanied the stupa of National Preceptor Jigwangguksa of Beopcheonsa temple, Korean National Treasure No. 59 was vandalized. A giant cross was drawn across the five meter stone statue and was opened to public on a christian man’s Facebook and twitter page.
Similarly, in November 2011, near the Haewundae in Busan, Korea. Four Buddhist temples reported vandalism and invasion by the Korean Christian community, as they spray painted red lacquer on the hands and faces of the Buddha statues.
Various vandalism of Buddhist cultural properties and Buddhist temples, vandalism and destruction of Korean national treasures have been going for several decades, and these actions are the root causes of religious disharmony between the Korean religious communities.
One of the biggest and significant act of vandalism by Christians was in June of 2006 during the “Again 1907 in Busan” festival by Korean Christians. The Christians prayed earnestly for all the Buddhist temples and monasteries of the Busan area to be destructed, and many Korean citizens were dismayed to find Korean President Lee MyungBak to be the congratulatory commentator of this event.
In February of 2011, there was another scandal where three pastors came to the Jogye temple and ordered the monastics to “believe in Jesus, as {koreans} we are all children of God.”
In 2010, a pastor and college students of the Christian faith invaded Bongeunsa temple and began a “Ground stepping” and had a protestant ritual for all the ground to be returned to the land of God.
This was wide spread throughout youtube and the internet.
These various vandalism sparks fear of Buddhist discrimination in Korea. Korea is in much need for the harmony of religions, and these vandalism of the Korean Christian and Protestant community need to stop.
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The Korean peninsula is known throughout the world for the stark bifurcation between the communist North and the capitalist South. North Korea (DPRK) is one of the most closed societies in the world where the public is prohibited access to international communication. Reports tell us that the North is a starving totalitarian state where the people have no freedom or civil rights and where the thought of the Great Leaders Kim Il Sung and his heir Kim Jong Il dominates all aspects of life like a ultra-nationalist cult. The major institutionalized religions of the North- Buddhism, Christianity and Chondogyo- have been subject to purges and are strictly subordinated to the state and its all pervasive ideology of Juche (self-reliance). Authentic interreligious dialogue and cooperation is a non-issue except for praise of the Great Leader. Survival of the original religious impulses and authentic traditions of the North is at stake after nearly fifty years of political repression.
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Spiritual practice is not about individual believed but is also harmonious between others. If the most basic value of respect can’t be understood by any religious or practitioner I don’t think they are really religious or practitioners but just practicing schism and disharmony. Very obvious that we have so different believes in this world, not just spiritually we can see the different but physically, even our own fingers are at different length but still from our own hand.
We can be different in our believe but they is no different in the practice of benefiting others because it definitely must come from a sincere heart and act with wisdom for long term.
Being fanatic and always look at the different will never bring any benefits but just dissatisfaction and disagreement. We can never move and always trap with our narrow minded and unable to handle bigger matter because our thinking is just fix with the small matter.
Sad to see such an issue still exist at this time because obviously it doesn’t benefit anyone but just suffering.
If we call ourself a practitioners or a religious person we should be compassionate and rational not tolerate with negative matter but share and look toward the common positive believe that will bring harmonious together.
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It is very unfortunate that the Korean Buddhists had to suffer these attacks from the Korean Christians. Already Korea is divided into North and South Korea. These religious disharmonies will further divide the Koreans. It is not so much that Korean Buddhists are attached to these Buddhist temples and treasures; it is the acts of vandalism, disrespect from the Christians and the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities. The most pathetic is that of Korean President Lee Myung Bak had the audacity to congratulate the Christians that prayed for all the Buddhist temples and monasteries of the Busan area to be destructed in 2006! These are signs of rapid degeneration of moral conduct. In the long run, Koreans will lose all their cultural heritage, basic human ethics and values. Are the Koreans not concerned about the future of Korea? Do the Koreans not want to effect a change in the right direction before it is too late?
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I can hardly believe my eyes! I can't believe these things happens to Buddhists as well nowadays. The Korean Christians made themselves look like terrorists(!) here and it will not help to calm things down in the north. Why would they do that to Buddhists?? Why do Buddhists always have to be in the receiving end?? And despite interventions from the local government, it helped the situation a little. You will always hear violence against Buddhists and never the other way round. May the Buddhists in Korea be safe from harm and violence.
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Just the title of the news already it implies Christians and Protestants are people who vandalise other religion's property if we don't analyze the statement. It is a blanket statement portraying a certain religion group in a bad light. It should be noted that in the incident the group of people who have done vandalism subscribed to the same belief. They can believer but not practitioner as well all know good practitioner respect other's belief and the law. The issue at hand is vandalism of religion's properties and objects of worship. It can happen to any religious group. Or to any non religious stuff such as public properties and facilities.
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Buddhism is declining in South Korea and many countries that were originally Buddhist and are being transplanted in foreign lands. The percentage of Buddhists have declined to 23-24% of the population while the aggressive Christian faiths have increased to 32%. I hope that the Buddhists in Korea would do more to preserve and to protect Buddhism against the onslaught of the Christian faith. For the Christians, I hope they will really embody Christ and his teachings and not to hurt others. All these vandalism is very unchristian and not what Jesus Christ will do.
Religions in Korea
Religious Affiliations
( http://www.korea4expats.com/article-religions-in-korea.html (http://www.korea4expats.com/article-religions-in-korea.html) )
The two main religions in the Korea of today are Buddhism with about 23-24% of the population and Christianity the choice of at least 32%. It is hard to correctly tabulate the number of Christians since many belong to more than one church denomination and members who drift from one congregation to the other are not necessarily removed from the rolls of any one of them. Moreover, Korean statistics often separate Christians and Roman Catholics.
Christianity (Roman Catholic and Protestant) is well represented all over Korea and surpassed Buddhism in numbers in the 1990's. It is estimated that almost 50% of the population in and around Seoul are Christian, while Buddhism is stronger in the southern provinces.
Other religions, including the Muslin and Bahai faiths as well as the indigineous Shamanism (traditional spirit worship) and Cheondogyo (a mix of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianims, Shamanism and Christianity) account for a little less than 10% of the population. A little more than 1/3 of Koreans profess to not belong to any organised religious group.
Korea has produced several hundred "new religions" or sects over the last 200 or so years. One of the most internationally known is the Unification church, now known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, founded by Sun Myung Moon in 1954. The oldest of these "new religions" is Chon'dogyo, founded in 1860 as a reaction to Western teachings. The practice of establishing new churches continues to this day, for a number of reason, including as a solution to power struggles within a particular church group.
Although very few people profess to be adherents of Confucianism, the vast majority of Korean, regardless of their religious affiliation or non-affliliation, subscribe to Confucian values, which continue to strongly influence Korean society, even into the 21st century.
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Sadly, korea has more and more anti buddhist activists around and now they are attacking the national relic. They viewed these precious remains as religious threat tontheir current faith instead of preserving the national treasure and historical remains to educate their future generations. In recent years, koreans has more converts from buddhism to other faiths and i also sense a mixture of politics in religion, which is something dangerous and unhealthy in terms of pure spirituality.
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Whatever your religion, please respect one another. There is no need to to compare as to whose is greater. I am sure that there are so many religions for a reason. You chose to believe because you are comfortable and you like it. So do I. What religion teach you to be disrespectful and cause harm to others? Korea is already sad enough to be divided into half. Why cause more grief to those around you? Please be kind and respect oth faiths...
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it is unbeliavable that a Pastor of another religion can conduct such acts. What kind of religion is this that encourages and uphold such despicable actions to damage another religious site. I'm sure this particular Pastor is not in his right mind and probably took his beliefs wrongly and into his own hands. No religion shall damage another. Buddhism is the religion of peace and promotes peace.
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All main stream religions supposedly teach its followers to lead a noble and respectful life, promote love and kindness to others; to help the underprivileged and to contribute towards harmony and peace.
Christians and Prostestants should be no different in this principle. So this kind of attitude of the so-called leaders i.e. the pastors, their vandalism acts on Buddhism artifacts are unacceptable. There should be a mutual respect shown between different religious community of Korea.
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We are witnessing the degenerate before our eyes, why is this happening in Korea, it is because of the way the Buddhist group approaching the Dharma? We need to change the way to approach the Dharma in order to appeal to the youngster now a days.
But no matter what, i am also not too sure what are the other religion is teaching to their new generation until to the extend had created such an ugly behavior, which is not respecting others. Sad very sad..
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The psychology behind this kind of act are:
1) Buddhism is a threat to Christianity.
2) Buddhism is "lower" of the devils religion.
To me this are acts of individuals although some may have been copycat acts. True religion always teaches kindness and compassion. Unfortunately, not all including some pastors in these cases truly understand nor practice their religion well.
For the Buddhist to seek heavier punishment is also not kind. They should seek forgiveness instead. That...would be an act of compassion.
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It is absolutely shocking and also most saddening that anyone could do such damage to holy places .
It goes beyond sheer disrespect - it's terrorism !!!!
In my opinion, it has not so much to do with religion but the perverted attitude of destruction of the vandals. None of the mainstream religion teaches or condones this type of action. It's more the mentality of the people who perform such acts of disrespect and disregard of other people's properties and possessions !
It does not matter which religion we belong to , which faith, culture or race - we are human beings who only wish for peace , harmony and happiness in our lives.
Who doesn't ?
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Let's go and burn a church!
Well... easy and for most of us spontaneous thought that we do not entertain because we are buddhist and we should know better.
When we believe that we hold the truth and when we feel threatened in our belief, a similar thought arises too. A thought that becomes a train of thoughts leading us to anger and eventually leading us to an action that we believe is justified.
The thought must be stopped before it becomes a train and certainly before it builds up a justification in our mind for a violent act through the power of anger.
How do we stop a thought? I guess we remove its foundation...
Easily said...
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This is so unbelievable and such sad news. People who claim they have a religion and destroying the place of worship of other belief. How can the Christians preach about love for everyone and then go about damaging the holy places of someone of other religion? Are the Buddhists not worthy of their love? I am so glad my religion does not encourage me to destroy and damage churches and places of worship of other religion. May the Korean Buddhists be able to continue practicing and not be harmed by all these threats.
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It is appalling that religious institutions can accept such acts. It just goes to show how very little we know of and respect other people's religious beliefs.
Isn't it bad enough to trespass, then you go on a vandalism stampede, urinate and then set fire .... isn't this pure vandalism? It's unacceptable to engage in such acts, what more these were carried out in religious places. To add salt to the wound, it was a Pastor who was responsible.
Where is the act of acceptance and respect for others?
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Vandalism and arson of Buddhist temples and treasures and important cultural properties relating to Buddhism by the Korean Christians and Protestant communities continue although new legislative laws have changed to protect cultural properties and national treasures.
An arson tried to burn down Gakhwangjeon Hall but fortunately,only made a small damage due to quick actions of the monks and the fire prevention restoration made in 2008.
The Korean Buddhist Community is in shock and fighting for a stricter law enforcement for the perpetrators of
vandalism.
In November 2011,four Buddhist temples reported vandalism and invasion by Korean Christian Community,as
they spray painted red lacquer on the hands and faces of the Buddha statues.It had been going on for several decades now, and these actions are the root causes of religious disharmony between the Korean religious communities.
There was another scandal where there were three pastors came to the Logye Temple and ordered the monastics to "believe in Jesus,as (Koreans)we are all children of God.
These various vandalism sparks fears of the Buddhist discrimination in Korea.Korea is in much need for the harmony of religions,and these vandalism of the Korean Christian and Protestant community need to stop.
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If the pastor is of unsound mind...then so much more important to lock him up! Isn't this what the law should do to protect its citizens? Would the same leniency be applied if the damage wasn't a temple? How about if it was a prominent family's home that he peed on and tried to burn? We live in a society where being biased is a quality which runs in the veins of everyone.
Some will say temples deserves to be burned because it is against the Mosaic Law of 10 Commandments of IDOLATRY and they are merely following God's commands. Well, in that case, how about also following exactly the verse in Colossians 3:5 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is IDOLATRY."
If any Christians were to follow the teachings in the bible and just focus on Collossians 3:5 alone, they will be too busy working on themselves and putting to death all negativities, leaving no time to do any destruction to anyone.
Christianity is no threat to Buddhism. No religion is a threat to the other. It is the man made gods who is a threat to themselves and others.
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If the pastor is of unsound mind...then so much more important to lock him up! Isn't this what the law should do to protect its citizens? Would the same leniency be applied if the damage wasn't a temple? How about if it was a prominent family's home that he peed on and tried to burn? We live in a society where being biased is a quality which runs in the veins of everyone.
Some will say temples deserves to be burned because it is against the Mosaic Law of 10 Commandments of IDOLATRY and they are merely following God's commands. Well, in that case, how about also following exactly the verse in Colossians 3:5 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is IDOLATRY."
If any Christians were to follow the teachings in the bible and just focus on Collossians 3:5 alone, they will be too busy working on themselves and putting to death all negativities, leaving no time to do any destruction to anyone.
Christianity is no threat to Buddhism. No religion is a threat to the other. It is the man made gods who is a threat to themselves and others.
You must have had a Christian background to know these things. You are right but most Christians only take the 10 Commandments as the definitive word of God. Here's the exact commandment:-
Fourth Commandment - “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."
Hence, they think they are carrying out God's will when they take things into their own hands like vandalizing Buddhist temples. To Christians, Buddhism is heretical and a bunch of idol-worshippers. Imagine that Pastor saw a statue of Yamantaka? He would have doused the statue in petrol, burnt it and did an exorcism on the ashes as well. It is very sad that such an esteemed member of the Church would do such a thing and their theological studies and seminary trainings did nothing to imbue the compassion of Christ in any of them.
On the other hand, I think the Korean Buddhists are not doing enough to educate the masses about Buddhism, the tenets and what these statues represent. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are certainly not Gods in the Christian sense but are spiritually evolved beings that Buddhists take refuge in inspiration of their spiritual qualities. That would be one way the Korean Buddhists can do to educate people so religious harmony is restored in Korea. However, knowing how aggressive the Christians are, I think it would be better to resolve this in the court of law still.
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On the other hand, I think the Korean Buddhists are not doing enough to educate the masses about Buddhism, the tenets and what these statues represent. Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are certainly not Gods in the Christian sense but are spiritually evolved beings that Buddhists take refuge in inspiration of their spiritual qualities. That would be one way the Korean Buddhists can do to educate people so religious harmony is restored in Korea. However, knowing how aggressive the Christians are, I think it would be better to resolve this in the court of law still.
Yes I do agree. I did a little research on religious statistics in Korea and here's the numbers :
Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_South_Korea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_South_Korea)
Of the South Korean population, 24% are Buddhist, 26% are Christians (12% are Protestants and 14% are Catholics), and the rest adheres to various minority religions including Jeung San Do, Daesun Jinrihoe, Cheondoism, Taoism and Confucianism. A smaller minority of Koreans also profess Islam.
This source is quite interesting, showing the situation with Buddhism in the world (though the data could be a bit outdated) http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/world_today/current_sit_buddhism_world.html (http://www.berzinarchives.com/web/en/archives/approaching_buddhism/world_today/current_sit_buddhism_world.html)
Buddhism in South Korea is still strong, although facing a growing challenge from Evangelic Christian movements. There are many monastic communities of monks and nuns with much popular support. The meditational tradition is particularly flourishing, especially of Son, the Korean form of Zen. In North Korea, on the other hand, except for a token monastery open for propaganda purposes, Buddhism is severely repressed.
With the highest percentage being Christianity, I wonder if the government is skewed towards supporting the church as mega big bucks are deposited into the establishment and the influence of the church is obviously of great weight.
Perhaps it boils down to economic and political reasons for the lack of support Buddhist temples has from the government. I am not knocking down the korean government in anyway..but merely making my own observation. This reason is not that far different for monasteries to be on the good side of TGIE/CTA for continuous support and funding at the expense of what is right and what is wrong?!
Have a careful read of this article, a church who has 1 million members from all walks of life.
Source : http://www.economist.com/node/21532340 (http://www.economist.com/node/21532340)
For God and country
An influential pastor comes under scrutiny for his business dealings
Oct 15th 2011
KOREA has long been a hotbed of religiosity. Before a certain Kim Il Sung began having other ideas, Pyongyang (now the capital of North Korea) used to be known as “The Jerusalem of the East”. And in today's Seoul, practitioners of traditional shamanism, Buddhism, Christianity and even cults such as the Unification Church (better known in the West as the Moonies), all have plenty of followers.
Many of them also have lots of money (not least because religious institutions are tax-exempt). The Protestant church, in particular, seems to have produced a tribe of flashy, mansion-dwelling pastors. This is partly a result of the character of Korean Protestantism: a common theme, for instance, at the Yoido Full Gospel Church in Seoul is that a poor Christian is not a good Christian. However, it is also a result of the incentives created by the sheer size of some churches. Yoido itself ranks as the largest Christian congregation in the world, with over 1m members. Another, Somang Church, has hundreds of thousands of faithful, including South Korea's president, Lee Myung-bak.
With all these people throwing their spare won into the collection plate, mega-churches have become big businesses. Yoido Full Gospel Church's founder Cho Yong-gi, who has run the congregation since 1958, has family interests ranging from private universities to newspapers. Members of his church were once asked to pray for higher sales for one of his titles.
A pastor at a Seoul-based church of a mere 60,000 members notes that the likes of Yoido have become “so big, and with assets so huge, that human greed comes into play”. And in late September, following complaints by 29 church elders, prosecutors began investigating Mr Cho over the alleged embezzlement of 23 billion won ($20m) from Yoido's funds. A documentary aired by MBC, a television station, claims that this money was used to buy property in America. The show also charged that Mr Cho's wife sold a building constructed with collection money for her own gain. Its buyer was Hansei University—an institution where she also happens to be president. Mr and Mrs Cho deny the allegations.
Yoido Church's founder is rarely out of the news in South Korea. In March he sparked a storm of criticism by claiming the earthquake and tsunami in Japan was “God's warning” to a country that follows “idol worship, atheism, and materialism”.
He is also too political for some. When President Lee's government drew up plans to legislate for Islamic sukuk bonds in South Korea, Mr Cho argued that this would aid “terrorists”, and that the president was forgetting the vital role the Protestant lobby had in electing him. Following concerted efforts by Mr Cho and other South Korean church leaders, the government blinked first, and the plan was dropped.
There are plenty of rank-and-file Christians in South Korea who do not indulge in the cathedralism of the mega-pastors. Many of the underground networks helping North Koreans on the run in China are organised by South Korean Christians. Refugees who reach South Korea are often cared for by church groups, and South Korean church aid-agencies are usually among the first to respond to natural disasters around the world, including the Japanese tsunami in March.
But in a country that thrives on group activities and collective bonding, as well as religion, Seoul is a natural home for mega-churches. The likes of Mr Cho, for all their flaws, provide something that millions of Koreans find irresistible.