[KS] Re: Religious Intolerance in Korea

[Mia Yun]

I have been following the debates on Religious Intolerance in Korea for the last few days.  I find it a worthwhile issue to explore further -- I've been wondering why it is rarely discussed openly.  A large proportion of Korean immigrants  in America are Christians.  I have noticed over the years how even non-Christian Koreans covert to Christianity fast once they reach America.  In my opinion, it has a lot to do with social and economic reasons.  What is interesting to note though is that the early Korean Christians were considered liberal and progressive!  My maternal grandmother's family were early Christians.  And they were sure considered "progressive." 


Religious intolerance, I believe, stems from "self-righteousness."  In my upcoming novel, "House of the Winds," the narrator, a little girl, observes that her grandmother, once a devout Buddhist converted by an American missionary and a tireless campaigner for God, is vindictive, intolerant and self-righteous.  In my personal view, not only Christianity but any religion that espouses self-righteous views toward other religions and non-believers will always do much harm than good.  There are plenty of examples in today's world; the conflict in Kashmir, India, the ethnic wars and genocide in the former Yugoslavia and so on.  So much misery has been caused by religious "self-righteousness."   





Mia Yun

Author of <italic>House of the Winds

</italic>http://www.pipeline.com/~miayun


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