[KS] Re: Religious Intolerance in Korea

[Editorial Staff]

Oh Puhleease!  I think you're trying too hard to read all of this into Frank
Tedesco's post.
Espousing censorship in favor of your concept of "religious harmony" is
*not* the way to encourage greater understanding.

Although I'm generally against passing along articles in newslists, I found
this one to be interesting, so I've decided to clam up on this issue for the
time being. Although posting guidelines should be followed (are there some
established for this list?), what is valuable information for some will
inevitably be trash for others. We've all just got to keep in mind that not
all postings are meant for us individually, but collectively.

BTW, *are* there any liberal/progressive Korean Christian churches out
there? 

I've met a few individuals not given to literal interpretations of the
bible, but not among the clergy... :)

--Matthew "PK" Benuska



>                       Religious Intolerance in Korea              4/8/98
>
>Dear Dr Frank Tedesco,
>A couple of years ago your post to the list on religious intolerance in Korea
>ignited quite a  debate and though I myself threw my tuppence worth, I felt
>that the discussion generated heat sans light. It seems, however, that you
>have a different  understanding of the effect of your post; otherwise, you
>won't have taken the trouble to cut and paste the Korea Herald article and
>write an  annotation a day later.
>Several list-members have questioned the very rationale of your cut-paste
>technology and you have steadfastly asserted your democratic right to
>spoonfeed us the pabulum that suits your palate. I too sometimes doubt the
>logic of your selections. One of your long clippings, for instance, was on
>Silla Hotel, and  I couldn't initially understand why you put it in our
>bowls. Later I realised that you were, perhaps, fond of the hotel because of
>its  proximity to Dongguk University, your alma mater and/or your interest in
>the flourishing Buddhist civilization of Silla. Anyway, it is not the
>question of your "selections" with which my present post is concerned; though
>I must add that you have my "encouragement" only for sending more
>original/creative contribution to the list. In this post I am basically
>interested in interrogating  the content of your selection on religious
>toerance and revealing that the KH article and your own note were intemperate
>and not quite conducive to the cause of religious harmony.
>
>For example, the statement of cross and upset Ven. Won-song does not relelct
>the spirit of Buddhist teaching. When he said "I hoped I would overcome this
>feeling, but every time I see a cross, I become angry,'' he forgot that it
>was not Christianity and all the sacred and noble values that Jesus Christ
>and his teachings symblise which caused vandalism. Ven. Won-song should
>realise that Christinity and fundamentalism are not identical. Fundamentalism
>and extremism are representations of insanity and ignorance, and Buddhism is
>not their only target. Burning of black churches and disruption of funeral
>services for gays and lesbians by "Christians" in the U.S. are but some of
>the obvious manifestions of fanatic religiosity. Discovery of bibles in the
>possession of criminals can not be cited as an evidence of an organised
>Christian conspiracy against Buddhism. It just proves only one point that the
>person is deranged and foolish. You can find such insane fanatics in every
>faith who have delusions that their assaults on people and properties of
>other religious beliefs promoted the cause of their own religions.
>
>Your own observation on the Korean Christian community in the U.S was not
>quite thoughtful. When you wrote to Walter Lew  "Do you know any liberal
>Korean Christians in the US? My experience with the immigrant Christian
>community was disappointing." you fell into a stereotypical trap. Your  KH
>article very categorically states that only a small percentage of the
>conservative Christian population of Korea hold extreme views, and I am
>inclined to believe that what is true of the Christian population in Korea
>would broadly apply to the immigrant Korean Christian population in the U.S.
>..
>And what was the need of dragging Prof. Robert Buswell at UCLA in the
>controversy? You wrote" What do Korean Christians think of Robert Buswell at
>UCLA? I have been out of the US a long time...." Do you seriously believe
>that none of the Korean Christians in the U.S. is capable of appreciating
>fine scholarship? Prof. Buswell is not a "dharmapal" or defender of dharma.
>He is an outstanding interpreter of Korea's philosophical heritage, and I
>suppose that only insane people can harbour grudge against him for studying
>Buddhism.
>
>I wrote this long note just to emphasise the point that steretypes,
>generalisations and diatribes aimed at an entire community are  recipe for
>discord. Harmony requires a more balanced and thoughtful approach. With
>regards and warm memories of our hours together at Sydney,
>Bowingly yours
>Pankaj Mohan
>School of Asian Studies
>University of Sydney
>
>



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