The Dream of World Salvation
Ham Seok-Heon, Voice of the People, 1976. 1-2, Issue 50
[Remark] This is the first translation aimed at sharing Sir Ham Seok-Heon's writings with a foreign audience. Therefore, other talented individuals should revise sections that do not accurately convey Mr. Ham's intentions. Mok, Seong-Kyoon.
- What the People Dream of on a New Evening -
Great Change
Humanity is now in the midst of a significant change. Not just now, but in a fundamental sense, the universe is in the process of eternal change. However, the change is more severe now than ever, so it feels unprecedented. In that sense, it is called a significant change.
The word "reverse" in the fundamental Eastern thought of "reverse" means to change, but the purpose of the "reverse" was actually to find "unchangeable," that is, something that does not change. Moreover, that is natural. This is because they are relative terms. Nothing can change without something that does not change, and there can be nothing that does not change without something that changes.
When I saw that all things in heaven and earth are constantly changing, I could not live in anxiety without finding something that does not change somewhere. So, the fortune of heaven is cyclical and never-ending [Zhu Xi], and the arts and crafts are like each returning to its roots [Laozi]. That is the Eastern way.
On that matter, Western thinking is very dynamic, and while they are similar in that they look at what changes, and what does not change relatively, they have focused on the side of change. That was Western civilization.
However, civilization is changing so much now that it is difficult to tell where it will end up, and it is starting to feel dizzy. That is the present. It is like going around in a whirlwind. The circle was small when it was close to the center, so it circled, but it was reassuring that it would soon return to its original place. That is why it was said, "Sibi Seong Pae Jeon Du Gong Cheong San Ui Gu Jae (是非成敗轉頭空 靑山依舊在)," and so it was said that all things in the world were told with laughter, and we could talk about them together. [Samguk Ji] Now, as it circled, it became more and more accelerated, and it seemed as if the center had disappeared entirely, and it went further than the orbit of Pluto. Then, there was nowhere to return. Isn't that the confusion that sweeps over the minds of today's humans? However, as long as humans are humans and thinking beings, there cannot be anywhere to go. The mind cannot be a meteor. No, even meteors burn up due to friction with the air while closing, but the released matter will become another new celestial body in another billion years. That is why Indian philosophy has already discussed the day and night of the universe [Bhagavad Gita]. In any case, life must be lived. Life is the phoenix. Life emerges as new life from the ashes of its own ash.
That is why we think of a significant change. Change and hwa both mean changing, and hwa means changing suddenly among changes. The character 攵 under the character 變 indicates this. It depicts striking with a stick. In other words, it means applying force to change something rapidly.
In contrast, 化 means qualitatively changing completely without the previous appearance, not physically but chemically. The character 亻 in 化 is the character 人, which means person, and the character 匕 on this side is the character 人, which indicates death by turning it upside down. When you die, you become entirely different. In Korean, it means that it has become.
If you think about it, a person's work is to change the consciousness of myself and others according to the changed environment. To do that, you need to understand the environment that you are dealing with as deeply as possible. In order to survive in this place today, you need to know that this place is a place of death. A significant change means, "This place is a place of death." Human existence can only be saved by grasping it critically. In that sense, Sun Yat-sen, who said, "The revolution is not yet successful, the compatriots must work hard," in a place where his breath was about to leave, was a revolutionary. It is not yet successful, but it is still far away. When will it be "done"? There will not be. It is an eternally unfinished revolution. There is a saying that a mountain grows as it grows, but human history is indeed a mountain more and more. I thought I knew that before, but now that I think about it, what was called a mountain back then is not even an ant's nest. There is a saying called the law of orbit, but looking ahead, the laws of orbit that we used to see before will hardly apply at all. However, some pseudo-revolutionaries say, "There will be no revolution from now on." That is not a true revolution that will save the whole, but a trick to steal after putting the seed to sleep. We must first abandon the thought of seeking such a pitiful peace. Moreover, we must go on an adventure like Columbus, sending a small boat into a stormy sea we have never been to before. The mind is what creates.
A Worried Nation
What brought about this crisis of significant change today? World War II. As with all wars, not just wars but all events, World War II is both the result of all past history and the starting point of history. If we think about the words used for a moment, we can understand it well. When that war was about to break out, regardless of the side, everyone said the same thing: "the haves" or "the have-nots," so they fought each other. Today, it is not a matter of whether you have or have not. Natural resources themselves are the problem. Back then, all countries boasted of their large populations as their strength, but now they are worried about the population explosion, not whether they have more or less. Back then, the only enemy was fascism, but today, where on earth is there a country that is not a police state or an intelligence state? Even in World War I, they could settle the matter by drawing a map and redrawing the borders, saying things like national self-determination or something, but where are the borders today? They have practically disappeared. Today's slogan is inter. Today's nation is a mixture of four people. In communist countries, class struggle was advocated, but now, even classes are unknown.
In a word, today's nations have all lost their sense of unity. Where is a nation that completely trusts its people? Where is a nation that unconditionally regards other countries as enemies? While they cooperate internationally, international gangs are running rampant. Today's nations are all troubled nations. If there are many thieves in a nation, doesn't that mean the nation has become a thief? If there are many gangs, doesn't that mean the nation has become a gang? This can be proven by looking at the history of the destruction of all nations. However, as a nation, it cannot help but stop thieves. The beginning of a nation was simple and straightforward, without needing to be explained in a grand political philosophy. It was to stop thieves. The structure of the character "國" (country) tells us this.口 is a person, and the 一 below it is land, and to that, the weapon 戈 is added. A country protects the people living in a particular area with weapons and prevents thieves from entering. So initially, it meant a country with the character 或. However, it seems safe to protect with weapons, but it is not reassuring, so people think, "Just in case." So, the character 或 can mean a country, but it also means just in case. However, because that would confuse when it means just in case, it is written as 或, and when it refers to a country, it is written with the large frame, 口, added to it, making it a country. Looking at it that way, we can see that the words 天君, 王, and 戈, as well as the modifiers 戈, politics, and 口, were later added by scholars who benefited from them, and initially, it was straightforward and clear, and came from actual needs. It later became a country because it had weapons in its hands, so it used them excessively and monopolized all power. However, if the state faithfully fulfilled its original duty, there would be no problem. However, if it uses the opportunity to stop theft to steal from its people, the problem is different.
Since people fundamentally want peace and safety, they will tolerate losses to the extent they can. However, when that limit is exceeded, the world becomes chaotic as they think, "Why are you the only one stealing?" The fact that international robbers run rampant in broad daylight today proves that all countries have taken on the nature of thieves. However, since a country is a country, it must stop thieves, so it inevitably tries to do its job cleverly and only uses force and law to stop them. So how can it succeed if it tries to stop thieves from stealing? The ten thousand words of scholars are useless, and this is the state of the countries of the world at the present stage, and in that sense it is self-contradictory. Today, every country is struggling. It is impossible for a country that is no longer a country to be free from struggles when it tries to act as a country. This does not mean that politicians are necessarily immoral in the shallow sense of the word, but that the system has become so corrupt.
Then what is the cause of this corruption? In a word, it is because people have grown up. Clothes have become thorns that harm babies. It is not necessarily because clothes have thorns. Babies have grown up, but clothes have not grown enough. They should copy old clothes and put on new, larger ones, but they do not do so, and there is a thorn that is not a thorn. It is a thorn that is more vicious than a thorn. The rebellion against this is the trend of violent criminals. Of course, this does not mean that the rebellion is justified. The method is wrong. However, there is no way to save the country without acknowledging the reason for the rebellion. It is like being unable to listen to a baby's cries struggling to wear small clothes.
Now is the time when nationalism reveals its contradictions. When talking about this, I will distinguish between countries and states for convenience. A country is a community of human destiny that exists socially, and a state is a power structure that legally represents that country. Of course, the two are in agreement, but in reality, there is no country that truly acts as a country. It is called a country, but it is a group that rules that country by force.
In other words, selfishness is involved. However, when a child is young, his or her will is not fully developed, so adults need to take care of him or her until a certain point. The same is true for human society. Until this day, the state has been the country's primary school teacher and guardian. Without it, humans would not have been able to escape the state of barbarism. However, now that humans have reached adulthood, it is true that the state has contributed to getting there, but just as parents must step back and allow their children freedom when they become adults, politics should do the same. That is why there are cries for freedom and human rights.
There are two causes for human adulthood. One is psychological, and the other is the result of civilization. As individuals grow, history also grows. It must be acknowledged with certainty, judging from the fact that the fetus has ancestral repetition physiologically. Humans have already reached the stage where they can know themselves and be independent. This is the age of the seed. Moreover, the mass media has promoted this through the development of science and technology. This is mainly because the world has changed rapidly since World War II.
However, problems arise when politics cannot keep up. Furthermore, because it is a power relationship, once it has grabbed hold, it does not want to let go, and traditional emotions overlap, hindering natural growth. This is true even in advanced countries where all progress has been achieved through bitter personal experience, but it is even more so in underdeveloped countries where people imitate others.
The crisis of significant change comes from not being able to adapt well. Since civilization has changed drastically, regardless of whether it is advanced or backward, human life has already become unavoidable without going beyond the nation, personality, religion, and all historical discrimination of the past, and becoming one global. So in fact, many people are already doing so. However, in politics, the ruling class is trying to maintain the old state apparatus by appealing to relatively backward emotions for their benefit.
Strangely, however, what complicates things is the development of advanced technology. Human life has reached the level of adulthood where one must voluntarily take on the common destiny of the world. However, individual selfish emotions are still deeply rooted in the heart. So, the ambition to exploit advanced technology to satisfy one's desires is triggered, and when everyone does this, society falls into chaos. Even worse is that a country is next door exploiting the narrow patriotism of the past. There has been much ideological discussion so far, but what is worrying is not ideology but the stale state ideology of dominance. So, when there are internal and external troubles, it becomes very easy for politicians to justify a more dominant politics under the pretext of peace and order.
That is why human knowledge and energy are being wasted needlessly. If you think about it, it is clear as day in theory. However, in the face of critical problems such as resource, pollution, population, and nuclear weapons problems, if humanity wants to survive and continue to develop, there is no other way to stop the competitive war between countries and cooperate immediately. Even though we know this, we cannot do it because of this nationalism that is like a worn-out, narrow, unwearable garment. If any country, especially an advanced country, had the adventurous spirit of chivalry for the salvation of humanity and started to implement it, it would be surprisingly easy. However, the bigger the country, the more it clings to narrow-minded ideas and tries not to lose, which is a regrettable worry. Because of this, both material and spiritual resources are being wasted needlessly. If you go to each country's passport office or airport, you can immediately feel it on your skin. The challenge of East Asia is a pitiful cry from this thought.
New Reformation
I have been thinking that religion will be reformed again since the outbreak of World War II. Why is that? I think the only way to save humanity from this crisis of civilization is through the power of religion. However, the existing religions will never be able to fulfill that responsibility. Why can't they? In a word, it is because they are too deeply intertwined with politics. Thirty years ago, I would have called it "collusion." This is because religion originally serves the supreme spirit, the foundation of the universe, to spiritualize society, not to serve politics. I said nationalism above, but to be more specific, it should be called great powerism or state supremacy, and to be even more specific, it should be called politicalism or governmentism. A country as a community of shared destiny exists naturally, or, to put it more deeply, it exists as a manifestation of the supreme universal will. However, it must develop to the level of a nation. When speaking of individuals, it seems there is a personality growth when they consciously realize what they were born to do instinctively. It is the same for a country, not only the social masses but also the citizens. In that sense, there is no fault in the country. The fault is the government that represents the country. Suppose the government humbly admits its imperfections. In that case, it is qualified to represent the country even though it is imperfect, but if it says, "I am the country," all its abilities become evil. However, there has never been a government that has not said, "I am the country." Governmentalism is a government that thinks it is the country and that everything exists for its own sake. In other words, it is the idolization of the government. Religion should not serve such a government. It is its responsibility to fight against it and free the seed.
However, is there any religion that does not serve the government today? They may serve God in name, but when you look at their reality, they are all bowed down to power. When, as in the last days of Japanese colonial rule, they force people to give their allegiance to either God or the government, which religion in the world can do that? Of course, I cannot say for sure, but given the current state, I am saying it is impossible. Of course, even now, if you seriously consider whether it is God or Caesar, and return to God cleanly, it is too deeply related to do that. Of course, this is talking about religion as an organization. I do not know about the Middle Ages, but modern human life has become too political, not to mention religious or non-religious. That is because civilization since the modern era has been a civilization of power worship centered on science and technology and a civilization of happiness pursuit based on materialism. It was not necessarily like that in the old days. It is a big mistake to think that civilization is progress. Now, we are starting to reap the results of that wrong philosophy. The more you go back in time, the more you miss the ancient glory of the past. It is not necessarily because you are uncivilized or nostalgic for the old, tile-roofed houses of history, like a sick thought in modernism. There is a reason for that. In the beginning, people paid more attention to the spirituality within themselves than they do now. You can see that if you reread all the classics. People did not necessarily listen only when forced. Humans distinguished themselves from animals by developing human qualities, not just strength. In other words, living with love and morality without strength or weakness. However, the simple state of ancient times that was thus formed was made into a state protected by law and weapons by excessive power relations, and this was done by those who sold their simple hearts and pursued knowledge and power. Knowledge is bound to develop. This has happened since ancient times, especially since the modern era, so politics has become too deeply embedded in human relationships. Accordingly, religion has had ups and downs but has generally been subservient to it. Only the spirit of martyrdom of a few has kept its original spirit alive and, with it, has saved the world. This kind of descent has reached today. Therefore, since it has become almost a habit with all religions, it is said that it will be more difficult.
Therefore, the only way for religion to survive and for civilization to be saved is to reform again. In fact, rather than in theory, during World War I, each country's religion blessed the country that was massacring people, and during World War II, not only the German church but everyone submitted to politics. Moreover, they repented only after the tragedy. After that, the Cold War did not stop; the same was true for the industrial and resource wars that followed. However, religion must reform since there is no other way but religion. This crisis is because the nation cannot shed its old shell, and to save it from destruction, religion must first shed its shell. This is how the separation of church and state should be and is meaningful. For thousands of years up until today, whether it is East or West, humanity has been too political. Of course, people are not only political, and when looking back at history, politics is not the most central, but now politics has infiltrated every corner of human internal and external life. In this sense, it would be right to say that civilization is a disease and a corruption. Unless we fix it and make a great change, humanity will perish because of the wars that inevitably come from politics, just as the reptiles of the Carboniferous period perished because of the hypertrophy of their bodies. This is very difficult for us, who cannot come to our senses because political issues are weighing on our hearts like a nightmare, but if we calm our minds a little, we will soon understand it without difficulty.
Salvation comes from the self. If you believe in yourself, you can live and save others, but you will perish if you do not believe. Faith is will and decision. Challenging is faith. God is not a sentimentalist, and since he is not a sentimentalist, there is no salvation in sentimentalism. The mind is small, but the soul is smaller than the mind. However, it is so small that it can only be called barbarian, lovable, and subtle, and it can only be called mysterious and wonderful, but it is the soul and faith that dare to say "no" to the evil of the universe.
Just believing is not faith, but being able to deny oneself the truth, or at least trying to deny it, is faith. One must die, or at least pray earnestly so that one can die, even if one cannot die completely, is faith. If living by death is true for an individual, then it would be the same for a country. There can be no two morals.
However, which religion today dares to say that a country is a valid country when it can deny itself in front of the truth? In that sense, aren't all religions ultimately realism? Aren't they trying to serve both God and the group? If you dare to give up your country for the truth, that truth can save you and your country. However, if you do not, and if you say that religion is only possible if you have a country, then you will have nowhere to go but in the fog.
A country cannot be saved by invading it, nor can it be saved by leading it. There is no one outside the country. Such words are all the words of a swindler. That is why those who genuinely have the sincerity and love to save say that all those who came before "me" are thieves and robbers.
Carrying a disabled person on your back is not salvation. How much less buying a car? Looking after a blind person is not salvation. How much less buying a person to give them to you? Carrying a person with quadriplegia on your back is not salvation. How much less admitting them to a national hospital? Salvation is giving the strength to stand up, see, run, and work on your own. It is not giving, but teaching what you have and do not know. It is making the dead come back to life so they can live independently. Therefore, he is a mature person without merit. To say that the credit for saving the country belongs to oneself is something only a thief would say. Life is not something that one can live by someone else's power, but something that one can live by one's power. How can one do that without first overcoming death? How can one overcome death without first enjoying it and dying? What can one do to save people? How can one save a country, let alone an individual? If we try to do it by any means, we will be in complete despair. What method can we come up with here? It is not a method, but "the eyes of the eye are opened and the way is preserved." Isn't it the salvation that can be achieved by just looking? Is there anything to see? If you say, "Go, it will be done according to your faith," the child who was dead will live. If there is anything to do, it will only be to elevate oneself and hang on so that everyone can see and believe.
Therefore, is there any reformation? There is none. It is only receiving the words of oneself. There is no new word, but what I "now received" is the new word. Every age has its word. The more desperate the age is for death, the more there will be my words. The one who receives it first is the one who saves the age. However, how can one know the death of the age without drinking the cup of death altogether? Six thousand years of civilization die. 5 million years of humanity die. Today is the day when politics, religion, and soul all die. If it lived, would history be so breathless? Only a cruel son who buries the dead as the dead can follow the Lord of life.
Do you have the courage to watch history since this Stone Age, when you began to call upon the beauty of this God, end? Do you have the leisure to write the eulogy with a calm mind? If not, do not talk about saving the age. Only then will a completely living new civilization arise. Even if it stinks like Lazarus, it will rise up and come out. Now, is not the earth and its science all hopeless? Then, you will not know the way to live unless you despair. Without "Why have you forsaken me?" there can be no "It is finished." You must be honest about your science, and then the word will come.
Light is from the East
There is no repetition in history. Our ancestors thought it existed because the scale was too small. It must have been because they were under the sun, riding the rotating Earth. However, now that it is bigger, we should look at it. Even the sun's orbit is not visible, so how can the galaxy's orbit, let alone the orbit of the universe, be visible? When it reaches zero, it is an orbit that is not an orbit.
So let us think about the old saying again in the place of repetition that is not repetition. There is a saying, "Light is from the East," but what does that mean? A person with open eyes sees what cannot be seen, and a person with open ears hears what cannot be heard.
Light is from the East! Let us think about this for a moment. What was it like when this modern era, which is trying to catch its breath, came wearing blue clothes? There was the Renaissance, the invention of science, the discovery of geography, the Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, and things like that. So now it is not like a wheel spinning but like the spokes of a fan. There can be no repetition in history, but if we do it from our hearts that cannot let go of their habits and spin their wheels like ants spinning on the wheel, of course, if we know that this is not the true heart and is fake, and if we speak from a fake place, then if there is another time like that when we shed our skin like a snake, wouldn't there be the head of classical studies, then the throat of discovery and invention, then the chest of religious reform, and then the chief of the Industrial Revolution? Only then will there be the son of a new era, prose (産門), who cries and cries? If so, what will this classical studies, this Renaissance, be like? No prophet can know the face of an unborn fetus, but even without knowing, isn't it the face of a new baby that we know? Because that new body is a new body that is repeated infinitely. Isn't there a repetition of ancestors in our lives? So isn't it the Ongojishin?
Then, can't we say this? Even if we catch the news under this sun, we can only bring up things on the ground. No matter how well we bring them up, it is clear that we are not Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle because, at that time, we had already brought up everything that could be brought up and used everything that could be used. Then, as for the classics, there is nothing to be found in Africa or America, so aren't the only natural Eastern classics? Moreover, because we could not use them well due to the winds of Western civilization, and because others said that there was no philosophy or religion in the East, we were so shocked that we thought it was true, and just like China and India, who sat there and did not know about their natural resources, we threw them away. We did not look back, but instead, some special minds in the West, who felt sick at their breath, dug them up and sold them as wild ginseng, right? So, how about dusting it off and rereading it? Still, since we are made of this dust of the East, wouldn't we be able to see deeper than them? This was the thought that I, a dull person, had for 30 years while being called a heretic while believing in Christianity.
I did not learn much about Buddhism, so I do not know, but I grew up in Christianity, whether I knew it or not. I could not understand why people would dismiss Eastern things as superstitions and errors while believing in Christianity. Understanding Christian things more broadly, deeply, and closely to myself began when I read Eastern things myself, even if only to a minimal and shallow degree. As my eyes on the East broadened, my understanding of Christianity gradually deepened its roots and branches grew higher. So, I finally came into contact with the thoughts of several Western seniors with narrow but clear eyes that could see ahead. Buber, Teilhard de Chardin, Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, Martin Buber, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, they are all such people. Of course, Tagore and Gandhi are not to be mentioned, but in my opinion, if you think about the future of humanity, you cannot do without knowing them. So, in a sense, you can say that Christianity was misunderstood in the West. However, rather than misunderstanding, it would be more correct to say they all had their day. Now, by coming into contact with oriental things, you will be able to realize yourself more deeply and broadly. For those who believe, everything works together for good. For example, in the Bible, of course, everything speaks the truth, but there is a time to use Paul and a time to use John. Paul may not be able to go beyond this, but will John speak more from now on? Moreover, the most oriental thing in the Bible is only John. In that way, when Paul was originally going to Asia Minor and was told to go to Macedonia, the direction of world history was decided. However, there is a time to go and a time to come. From now on, isn't the East the one that will reveal the Christian faith? In that sense, it means having its day. I do not know about Buddhism, but isn't it the same there? The correct understanding of the truth requires standing from the perspective of life and also from the perspective of history. Those who think of the kingdom of heaven as a kingdom engraved with crystal will probably fall "into the darkness of outer space" unexpectedly. God is not a complete God but an eternally unfinished being that grows forever. Could a God who comes down to save humans and shares their burdens be anything but a God who grows? Whether this idea is orthodox or simple does not matter. However, it is true that it was obtained through efforts to view religion from a historical perspective, especially from an Eastern perspective. It is also true that it has gained more strength in solving problems by doing so. Buddhism can be revived only by viewing it with this critical historical awareness.
In that sense, I think the problems we face today are meaningful. In particular, the problems we are facing at the UN this time and the problems that Korea is becoming the focus of worldwide issues are things that we need to think deeply about. It is truly regrettable that religion originally arose to save the world, but has fallen to welfareism. Furthermore, it is natural for secular people to seek welfare since they are in reality, but religion claims to have its purpose in the spiritual world. However, it pretends not to and uses spiritual terms to pursue worldly welfare, which clearly shows its hypocrisy. It does not mean that religious people do not live in this world. However, they do it to realize spiritual life, which is different. When we think of our bread, it is material, but when we think of others' bread, it is spiritual. Moreover, in this day and age, there is no such thing as our bread. This is because humans have become adults and entered the whole person. The idea of personality cannot escape the individual perspective, and even if it is said to be eternal life, it is purely materialistic selfishness. This is the problem of modern times. We have reached the level of adults, but we still cannot escape the childishness of childhood. Then, all the zeal to do well becomes a sin.
Why is it that only this country, among the many countries in the world, suffers so much, and only Christians have to suffer? As Mencius said, it must be because of the special mission they have to fulfill. The whole body is the body, but if something goes wrong, the heart suffers. The reason Christians suffer is because they are the heart of this country in this era. That is why the people who existed before us endured the sword on their necks with joy, saying that they suffered so that those who believed in the past and suffered only hardships could be perfected through them (Hebrews 11). That era was saved because of that. Because the time is now really near. Never before has there been such a global crisis. Isn't it now said that we should save the Earth? This is why the wisdom of the East has long been abandoned in the dust, and this is why we, the weakest, have been chosen. Our poverty, our weakness, are our qualifications. Because our poverty, hunger, and thirst are none other than the price of sacrifice for the political absolutism and nationalism that have been rampant in the world up until now and have refused to retreat despite historical warnings to do so. Because no one but us can completely expose that evil.
The Dream of the Suffering Queen
I call our country the suffering queen, an old slut sitting on the path of history, and when I think about it from the perspective of such a suffering and afflicted person, I have a dream. It was dreamed of right after World War II. That era has not yet passed, so I think that dream is still worth holding on to. It is to propose a Southeast Asian federation. Of course, I do not know much about politics and do not like it, so I am not saying this as a political plan but rather as a fantasy.
When I look ahead, what I am most worried about is Chinese nationalism or statism. China is now a communist country, and the world is still in the midst of tension between liberalism and communism, but I say I am not that afraid of communism. It is an ideology; no matter how vicious, it will soon change. What I am afraid of is nationalism or nationalistic tyranny. It will not disappear easily. What still bothers the weak nations of the world is not ideology but their nationalism. They are trying to use the people completely as a means to rule them under the name of the nation. In that respect, both camps are common. However, China is now under intense violence. In contrast, others have abundant natural resources that are almost depleted, and the resentment that Western powers have long suppressed is about to flare up like a flame, so how much arrogance and tyranny will it have toward its surroundings when it becomes a strong nation? Isn’t it almost inevitable, considering the long history that has passed? Then, what will our fate be like under its chin? That is why it was likened to an egg before a rock rolling down from Kunlun Mountain.
If you think about it, this nation that is divided into the North and the South and fights like this is truly foolish. Since ancient times, thoughtful ancestors have been worried about our small size and shallowness, but it is truly worrisome. However, it is very clear that we cannot overcome that power with force and trickery. That is why we must take the lead in denationalization and denationalization for survival. Xinjiang, Tibet, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Manchuria are all under Chinese control, and there can be no world peace. The Soviet Union, the United States, India, and Japan are all worrisome, but China is probably the most fearful of all. That is why if we follow our ideals, the world will become one country, and each region will have its autonomous community. However, before that happens globally, there should first be several federations as an intermediate step, similar to the United States, with one vote regardless of size. Among them, I think the small Southeast Asian countries should create one that concerns us. I think that is the best way to liberate China. When we think about the future, when we think about the day of significant change, the larger the country, the more it is a slave country that needs to be liberated. The weaker the country, the more it is in an advantageous position, and among them, China will have the hardest time. Therefore, carrying that burden is the most necessary humanitarianism and our way of life. However, no one is more qualified than us to lead it. Why? Our history as historical victims qualifies us. Where is the honored one like the prodigal son?
According to Genesis, when the creation of heaven and Earth was about to take place, God’s spirit was moving over the deep chaos. We may not know what that deep and dark chaos is like on Earth, but what we can see in history is the heart of this suffering queen. It is an abyss of darkness and sorrow, but only from there can the creation of glory, joy, and love pour out. For that to happen, God’s spirit needs to move over it. That movement is an attitude of sitting like a hen brooding over her eggs, a thief thinking deeply about committing a great crime, or an artist sitting like a fool trying to get inspired. The picture in the Bhagavad Gita is even better. There, nature is the womb, and the spirit of the universe is the father, and when fertilization takes place in that womb, all things are created. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? The most hateful thing gives birth to the most beautiful thing, and the most filthy thing becomes the womb of the most glorious thing. Then, is not this old prostitute sitting on the path of history to give birth to the son of the new era? We just have to look deep into her heart. We have to empty it to fill it with cosmic pressure.
That is the significant change, the historical “turn right and go forward.” It is the first step toward world salvation.
Rise, a virgin who is not a virgin, filthy slut, and wash yourself from all the lusts of powerism and materialism and prepare yourself. “Where are all those who condemned you? I do not condemn you either.”
The Dream of World Salvation
Ham Seok-Heon, Voice of the People, 1976. 1-2, Issue 50
[Remark] This is the first translation aimed at sharing Sir Ham Seok-Heon's writings with a foreign audience. Therefore, other talented individuals should revise sections that do not accurately convey Mr. Ham's intentions. Mok, Seong-Kyoon.
- What the People Dream of on a New Evening -
Great Change
Humanity is now in the midst of a significant change. Not just now, but in a fundamental sense, the universe is in the process of eternal change. However, the change is more severe now than ever, so it feels unprecedented. In that sense, it is called a significant change.
The word "reverse" in the fundamental Eastern thought of "reverse" means to change, but the purpose of the "reverse" was actually to find "unchangeable," that is, something that does not change. Moreover, that is natural. This is because they are relative terms. Nothing can change without something that does not change, and there can be nothing that does not change without something that changes.
When I saw that all things in heaven and earth are constantly changing, I could not live in anxiety without finding something that does not change somewhere. So, the fortune of heaven is cyclical and never-ending [Zhu Xi], and the arts and crafts are like each returning to its roots [Laozi]. That is the Eastern way.
On that matter, Western thinking is very dynamic, and while they are similar in that they look at what changes, and what does not change relatively, they have focused on the side of change. That was Western civilization.
However, civilization is changing so much now that it is difficult to tell where it will end up, and it is starting to feel dizzy. That is the present. It is like going around in a whirlwind. The circle was small when it was close to the center, so it circled, but it was reassuring that it would soon return to its original place. That is why it was said, "Sibi Seong Pae Jeon Du Gong Cheong San Ui Gu Jae (是非成敗轉頭空 靑山依舊在)," and so it was said that all things in the world were told with laughter, and we could talk about them together. [Samguk Ji] Now, as it circled, it became more and more accelerated, and it seemed as if the center had disappeared entirely, and it went further than the orbit of Pluto. Then, there was nowhere to return. Isn't that the confusion that sweeps over the minds of today's humans? However, as long as humans are humans and thinking beings, there cannot be anywhere to go. The mind cannot be a meteor. No, even meteors burn up due to friction with the air while closing, but the released matter will become another new celestial body in another billion years. That is why Indian philosophy has already discussed the day and night of the universe [Bhagavad Gita]. In any case, life must be lived. Life is the phoenix. Life emerges as new life from the ashes of its own ash.
That is why we think of a significant change. Change and hwa both mean changing, and hwa means changing suddenly among changes. The character 攵 under the character 變 indicates this. It depicts striking with a stick. In other words, it means applying force to change something rapidly.
In contrast, 化 means qualitatively changing completely without the previous appearance, not physically but chemically. The character 亻 in 化 is the character 人, which means person, and the character 匕 on this side is the character 人, which indicates death by turning it upside down. When you die, you become entirely different. In Korean, it means that it has become.
If you think about it, a person's work is to change the consciousness of myself and others according to the changed environment. To do that, you need to understand the environment that you are dealing with as deeply as possible. In order to survive in this place today, you need to know that this place is a place of death. A significant change means, "This place is a place of death." Human existence can only be saved by grasping it critically. In that sense, Sun Yat-sen, who said, "The revolution is not yet successful, the compatriots must work hard," in a place where his breath was about to leave, was a revolutionary. It is not yet successful, but it is still far away. When will it be "done"? There will not be. It is an eternally unfinished revolution. There is a saying that a mountain grows as it grows, but human history is indeed a mountain more and more. I thought I knew that before, but now that I think about it, what was called a mountain back then is not even an ant's nest. There is a saying called the law of orbit, but looking ahead, the laws of orbit that we used to see before will hardly apply at all. However, some pseudo-revolutionaries say, "There will be no revolution from now on." That is not a true revolution that will save the whole, but a trick to steal after putting the seed to sleep. We must first abandon the thought of seeking such a pitiful peace. Moreover, we must go on an adventure like Columbus, sending a small boat into a stormy sea we have never been to before. The mind is what creates.
A Worried Nation
What brought about this crisis of significant change today? World War II. As with all wars, not just wars but all events, World War II is both the result of all past history and the starting point of history. If we think about the words used for a moment, we can understand it well. When that war was about to break out, regardless of the side, everyone said the same thing: "the haves" or "the have-nots," so they fought each other. Today, it is not a matter of whether you have or have not. Natural resources themselves are the problem. Back then, all countries boasted of their large populations as their strength, but now they are worried about the population explosion, not whether they have more or less. Back then, the only enemy was fascism, but today, where on earth is there a country that is not a police state or an intelligence state? Even in World War I, they could settle the matter by drawing a map and redrawing the borders, saying things like national self-determination or something, but where are the borders today? They have practically disappeared. Today's slogan is inter. Today's nation is a mixture of four people. In communist countries, class struggle was advocated, but now, even classes are unknown.
In a word, today's nations have all lost their sense of unity. Where is a nation that completely trusts its people? Where is a nation that unconditionally regards other countries as enemies? While they cooperate internationally, international gangs are running rampant. Today's nations are all troubled nations. If there are many thieves in a nation, doesn't that mean the nation has become a thief? If there are many gangs, doesn't that mean the nation has become a gang? This can be proven by looking at the history of the destruction of all nations. However, as a nation, it cannot help but stop thieves. The beginning of a nation was simple and straightforward, without needing to be explained in a grand political philosophy. It was to stop thieves. The structure of the character "國" (country) tells us this.口 is a person, and the 一 below it is land, and to that, the weapon 戈 is added. A country protects the people living in a particular area with weapons and prevents thieves from entering. So initially, it meant a country with the character 或. However, it seems safe to protect with weapons, but it is not reassuring, so people think, "Just in case." So, the character 或 can mean a country, but it also means just in case. However, because that would confuse when it means just in case, it is written as 或, and when it refers to a country, it is written with the large frame, 口, added to it, making it a country. Looking at it that way, we can see that the words 天君, 王, and 戈, as well as the modifiers 戈, politics, and 口, were later added by scholars who benefited from them, and initially, it was straightforward and clear, and came from actual needs. It later became a country because it had weapons in its hands, so it used them excessively and monopolized all power. However, if the state faithfully fulfilled its original duty, there would be no problem. However, if it uses the opportunity to stop theft to steal from its people, the problem is different.
Since people fundamentally want peace and safety, they will tolerate losses to the extent they can. However, when that limit is exceeded, the world becomes chaotic as they think, "Why are you the only one stealing?" The fact that international robbers run rampant in broad daylight today proves that all countries have taken on the nature of thieves. However, since a country is a country, it must stop thieves, so it inevitably tries to do its job cleverly and only uses force and law to stop them. So how can it succeed if it tries to stop thieves from stealing? The ten thousand words of scholars are useless, and this is the state of the countries of the world at the present stage, and in that sense it is self-contradictory. Today, every country is struggling. It is impossible for a country that is no longer a country to be free from struggles when it tries to act as a country. This does not mean that politicians are necessarily immoral in the shallow sense of the word, but that the system has become so corrupt.
Then what is the cause of this corruption? In a word, it is because people have grown up. Clothes have become thorns that harm babies. It is not necessarily because clothes have thorns. Babies have grown up, but clothes have not grown enough. They should copy old clothes and put on new, larger ones, but they do not do so, and there is a thorn that is not a thorn. It is a thorn that is more vicious than a thorn. The rebellion against this is the trend of violent criminals. Of course, this does not mean that the rebellion is justified. The method is wrong. However, there is no way to save the country without acknowledging the reason for the rebellion. It is like being unable to listen to a baby's cries struggling to wear small clothes.
Now is the time when nationalism reveals its contradictions. When talking about this, I will distinguish between countries and states for convenience. A country is a community of human destiny that exists socially, and a state is a power structure that legally represents that country. Of course, the two are in agreement, but in reality, there is no country that truly acts as a country. It is called a country, but it is a group that rules that country by force.
In other words, selfishness is involved. However, when a child is young, his or her will is not fully developed, so adults need to take care of him or her until a certain point. The same is true for human society. Until this day, the state has been the country's primary school teacher and guardian. Without it, humans would not have been able to escape the state of barbarism. However, now that humans have reached adulthood, it is true that the state has contributed to getting there, but just as parents must step back and allow their children freedom when they become adults, politics should do the same. That is why there are cries for freedom and human rights.
There are two causes for human adulthood. One is psychological, and the other is the result of civilization. As individuals grow, history also grows. It must be acknowledged with certainty, judging from the fact that the fetus has ancestral repetition physiologically. Humans have already reached the stage where they can know themselves and be independent. This is the age of the seed. Moreover, the mass media has promoted this through the development of science and technology. This is mainly because the world has changed rapidly since World War II.
However, problems arise when politics cannot keep up. Furthermore, because it is a power relationship, once it has grabbed hold, it does not want to let go, and traditional emotions overlap, hindering natural growth. This is true even in advanced countries where all progress has been achieved through bitter personal experience, but it is even more so in underdeveloped countries where people imitate others.
The crisis of significant change comes from not being able to adapt well. Since civilization has changed drastically, regardless of whether it is advanced or backward, human life has already become unavoidable without going beyond the nation, personality, religion, and all historical discrimination of the past, and becoming one global. So in fact, many people are already doing so. However, in politics, the ruling class is trying to maintain the old state apparatus by appealing to relatively backward emotions for their benefit.
Strangely, however, what complicates things is the development of advanced technology. Human life has reached the level of adulthood where one must voluntarily take on the common destiny of the world. However, individual selfish emotions are still deeply rooted in the heart. So, the ambition to exploit advanced technology to satisfy one's desires is triggered, and when everyone does this, society falls into chaos. Even worse is that a country is next door exploiting the narrow patriotism of the past. There has been much ideological discussion so far, but what is worrying is not ideology but the stale state ideology of dominance. So, when there are internal and external troubles, it becomes very easy for politicians to justify a more dominant politics under the pretext of peace and order.
That is why human knowledge and energy are being wasted needlessly. If you think about it, it is clear as day in theory. However, in the face of critical problems such as resource, pollution, population, and nuclear weapons problems, if humanity wants to survive and continue to develop, there is no other way to stop the competitive war between countries and cooperate immediately. Even though we know this, we cannot do it because of this nationalism that is like a worn-out, narrow, unwearable garment. If any country, especially an advanced country, had the adventurous spirit of chivalry for the salvation of humanity and started to implement it, it would be surprisingly easy. However, the bigger the country, the more it clings to narrow-minded ideas and tries not to lose, which is a regrettable worry. Because of this, both material and spiritual resources are being wasted needlessly. If you go to each country's passport office or airport, you can immediately feel it on your skin. The challenge of East Asia is a pitiful cry from this thought.
New Reformation
I have been thinking that religion will be reformed again since the outbreak of World War II. Why is that? I think the only way to save humanity from this crisis of civilization is through the power of religion. However, the existing religions will never be able to fulfill that responsibility. Why can't they? In a word, it is because they are too deeply intertwined with politics. Thirty years ago, I would have called it "collusion." This is because religion originally serves the supreme spirit, the foundation of the universe, to spiritualize society, not to serve politics. I said nationalism above, but to be more specific, it should be called great powerism or state supremacy, and to be even more specific, it should be called politicalism or governmentism. A country as a community of shared destiny exists naturally, or, to put it more deeply, it exists as a manifestation of the supreme universal will. However, it must develop to the level of a nation. When speaking of individuals, it seems there is a personality growth when they consciously realize what they were born to do instinctively. It is the same for a country, not only the social masses but also the citizens. In that sense, there is no fault in the country. The fault is the government that represents the country. Suppose the government humbly admits its imperfections. In that case, it is qualified to represent the country even though it is imperfect, but if it says, "I am the country," all its abilities become evil. However, there has never been a government that has not said, "I am the country." Governmentalism is a government that thinks it is the country and that everything exists for its own sake. In other words, it is the idolization of the government. Religion should not serve such a government. It is its responsibility to fight against it and free the seed.
However, is there any religion that does not serve the government today? They may serve God in name, but when you look at their reality, they are all bowed down to power. When, as in the last days of Japanese colonial rule, they force people to give their allegiance to either God or the government, which religion in the world can do that? Of course, I cannot say for sure, but given the current state, I am saying it is impossible. Of course, even now, if you seriously consider whether it is God or Caesar, and return to God cleanly, it is too deeply related to do that. Of course, this is talking about religion as an organization. I do not know about the Middle Ages, but modern human life has become too political, not to mention religious or non-religious. That is because civilization since the modern era has been a civilization of power worship centered on science and technology and a civilization of happiness pursuit based on materialism. It was not necessarily like that in the old days. It is a big mistake to think that civilization is progress. Now, we are starting to reap the results of that wrong philosophy. The more you go back in time, the more you miss the ancient glory of the past. It is not necessarily because you are uncivilized or nostalgic for the old, tile-roofed houses of history, like a sick thought in modernism. There is a reason for that. In the beginning, people paid more attention to the spirituality within themselves than they do now. You can see that if you reread all the classics. People did not necessarily listen only when forced. Humans distinguished themselves from animals by developing human qualities, not just strength. In other words, living with love and morality without strength or weakness. However, the simple state of ancient times that was thus formed was made into a state protected by law and weapons by excessive power relations, and this was done by those who sold their simple hearts and pursued knowledge and power. Knowledge is bound to develop. This has happened since ancient times, especially since the modern era, so politics has become too deeply embedded in human relationships. Accordingly, religion has had ups and downs but has generally been subservient to it. Only the spirit of martyrdom of a few has kept its original spirit alive and, with it, has saved the world. This kind of descent has reached today. Therefore, since it has become almost a habit with all religions, it is said that it will be more difficult.
Therefore, the only way for religion to survive and for civilization to be saved is to reform again. In fact, rather than in theory, during World War I, each country's religion blessed the country that was massacring people, and during World War II, not only the German church but everyone submitted to politics. Moreover, they repented only after the tragedy. After that, the Cold War did not stop; the same was true for the industrial and resource wars that followed. However, religion must reform since there is no other way but religion. This crisis is because the nation cannot shed its old shell, and to save it from destruction, religion must first shed its shell. This is how the separation of church and state should be and is meaningful. For thousands of years up until today, whether it is East or West, humanity has been too political. Of course, people are not only political, and when looking back at history, politics is not the most central, but now politics has infiltrated every corner of human internal and external life. In this sense, it would be right to say that civilization is a disease and a corruption. Unless we fix it and make a great change, humanity will perish because of the wars that inevitably come from politics, just as the reptiles of the Carboniferous period perished because of the hypertrophy of their bodies. This is very difficult for us, who cannot come to our senses because political issues are weighing on our hearts like a nightmare, but if we calm our minds a little, we will soon understand it without difficulty.
Salvation comes from the self. If you believe in yourself, you can live and save others, but you will perish if you do not believe. Faith is will and decision. Challenging is faith. God is not a sentimentalist, and since he is not a sentimentalist, there is no salvation in sentimentalism. The mind is small, but the soul is smaller than the mind. However, it is so small that it can only be called barbarian, lovable, and subtle, and it can only be called mysterious and wonderful, but it is the soul and faith that dare to say "no" to the evil of the universe.
Just believing is not faith, but being able to deny oneself the truth, or at least trying to deny it, is faith. One must die, or at least pray earnestly so that one can die, even if one cannot die completely, is faith. If living by death is true for an individual, then it would be the same for a country. There can be no two morals.
However, which religion today dares to say that a country is a valid country when it can deny itself in front of the truth? In that sense, aren't all religions ultimately realism? Aren't they trying to serve both God and the group? If you dare to give up your country for the truth, that truth can save you and your country. However, if you do not, and if you say that religion is only possible if you have a country, then you will have nowhere to go but in the fog.
A country cannot be saved by invading it, nor can it be saved by leading it. There is no one outside the country. Such words are all the words of a swindler. That is why those who genuinely have the sincerity and love to save say that all those who came before "me" are thieves and robbers.
Carrying a disabled person on your back is not salvation. How much less buying a car? Looking after a blind person is not salvation. How much less buying a person to give them to you? Carrying a person with quadriplegia on your back is not salvation. How much less admitting them to a national hospital? Salvation is giving the strength to stand up, see, run, and work on your own. It is not giving, but teaching what you have and do not know. It is making the dead come back to life so they can live independently. Therefore, he is a mature person without merit. To say that the credit for saving the country belongs to oneself is something only a thief would say. Life is not something that one can live by someone else's power, but something that one can live by one's power. How can one do that without first overcoming death? How can one overcome death without first enjoying it and dying? What can one do to save people? How can one save a country, let alone an individual? If we try to do it by any means, we will be in complete despair. What method can we come up with here? It is not a method, but "the eyes of the eye are opened and the way is preserved." Isn't it the salvation that can be achieved by just looking? Is there anything to see? If you say, "Go, it will be done according to your faith," the child who was dead will live. If there is anything to do, it will only be to elevate oneself and hang on so that everyone can see and believe.
Therefore, is there any reformation? There is none. It is only receiving the words of oneself. There is no new word, but what I "now received" is the new word. Every age has its word. The more desperate the age is for death, the more there will be my words. The one who receives it first is the one who saves the age. However, how can one know the death of the age without drinking the cup of death altogether? Six thousand years of civilization die. 5 million years of humanity die. Today is the day when politics, religion, and soul all die. If it lived, would history be so breathless? Only a cruel son who buries the dead as the dead can follow the Lord of life.
Do you have the courage to watch history since this Stone Age, when you began to call upon the beauty of this God, end? Do you have the leisure to write the eulogy with a calm mind? If not, do not talk about saving the age. Only then will a completely living new civilization arise. Even if it stinks like Lazarus, it will rise up and come out. Now, is not the earth and its science all hopeless? Then, you will not know the way to live unless you despair. Without "Why have you forsaken me?" there can be no "It is finished." You must be honest about your science, and then the word will come.
Light is from the East
There is no repetition in history. Our ancestors thought it existed because the scale was too small. It must have been because they were under the sun, riding the rotating Earth. However, now that it is bigger, we should look at it. Even the sun's orbit is not visible, so how can the galaxy's orbit, let alone the orbit of the universe, be visible? When it reaches zero, it is an orbit that is not an orbit.
So let us think about the old saying again in the place of repetition that is not repetition. There is a saying, "Light is from the East," but what does that mean? A person with open eyes sees what cannot be seen, and a person with open ears hears what cannot be heard.
Light is from the East! Let us think about this for a moment. What was it like when this modern era, which is trying to catch its breath, came wearing blue clothes? There was the Renaissance, the invention of science, the discovery of geography, the Reformation, the Industrial Revolution, and things like that. So now it is not like a wheel spinning but like the spokes of a fan. There can be no repetition in history, but if we do it from our hearts that cannot let go of their habits and spin their wheels like ants spinning on the wheel, of course, if we know that this is not the true heart and is fake, and if we speak from a fake place, then if there is another time like that when we shed our skin like a snake, wouldn't there be the head of classical studies, then the throat of discovery and invention, then the chest of religious reform, and then the chief of the Industrial Revolution? Only then will there be the son of a new era, prose (産門), who cries and cries? If so, what will this classical studies, this Renaissance, be like? No prophet can know the face of an unborn fetus, but even without knowing, isn't it the face of a new baby that we know? Because that new body is a new body that is repeated infinitely. Isn't there a repetition of ancestors in our lives? So isn't it the Ongojishin?
Then, can't we say this? Even if we catch the news under this sun, we can only bring up things on the ground. No matter how well we bring them up, it is clear that we are not Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle because, at that time, we had already brought up everything that could be brought up and used everything that could be used. Then, as for the classics, there is nothing to be found in Africa or America, so aren't the only natural Eastern classics? Moreover, because we could not use them well due to the winds of Western civilization, and because others said that there was no philosophy or religion in the East, we were so shocked that we thought it was true, and just like China and India, who sat there and did not know about their natural resources, we threw them away. We did not look back, but instead, some special minds in the West, who felt sick at their breath, dug them up and sold them as wild ginseng, right? So, how about dusting it off and rereading it? Still, since we are made of this dust of the East, wouldn't we be able to see deeper than them? This was the thought that I, a dull person, had for 30 years while being called a heretic while believing in Christianity.
I did not learn much about Buddhism, so I do not know, but I grew up in Christianity, whether I knew it or not. I could not understand why people would dismiss Eastern things as superstitions and errors while believing in Christianity. Understanding Christian things more broadly, deeply, and closely to myself began when I read Eastern things myself, even if only to a minimal and shallow degree. As my eyes on the East broadened, my understanding of Christianity gradually deepened its roots and branches grew higher. So, I finally came into contact with the thoughts of several Western seniors with narrow but clear eyes that could see ahead. Buber, Teilhard de Chardin, Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, Martin Buber, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, they are all such people. Of course, Tagore and Gandhi are not to be mentioned, but in my opinion, if you think about the future of humanity, you cannot do without knowing them. So, in a sense, you can say that Christianity was misunderstood in the West. However, rather than misunderstanding, it would be more correct to say they all had their day. Now, by coming into contact with oriental things, you will be able to realize yourself more deeply and broadly. For those who believe, everything works together for good. For example, in the Bible, of course, everything speaks the truth, but there is a time to use Paul and a time to use John. Paul may not be able to go beyond this, but will John speak more from now on? Moreover, the most oriental thing in the Bible is only John. In that way, when Paul was originally going to Asia Minor and was told to go to Macedonia, the direction of world history was decided. However, there is a time to go and a time to come. From now on, isn't the East the one that will reveal the Christian faith? In that sense, it means having its day. I do not know about Buddhism, but isn't it the same there? The correct understanding of the truth requires standing from the perspective of life and also from the perspective of history. Those who think of the kingdom of heaven as a kingdom engraved with crystal will probably fall "into the darkness of outer space" unexpectedly. God is not a complete God but an eternally unfinished being that grows forever. Could a God who comes down to save humans and shares their burdens be anything but a God who grows? Whether this idea is orthodox or simple does not matter. However, it is true that it was obtained through efforts to view religion from a historical perspective, especially from an Eastern perspective. It is also true that it has gained more strength in solving problems by doing so. Buddhism can be revived only by viewing it with this critical historical awareness.
In that sense, I think the problems we face today are meaningful. In particular, the problems we are facing at the UN this time and the problems that Korea is becoming the focus of worldwide issues are things that we need to think deeply about. It is truly regrettable that religion originally arose to save the world, but has fallen to welfareism. Furthermore, it is natural for secular people to seek welfare since they are in reality, but religion claims to have its purpose in the spiritual world. However, it pretends not to and uses spiritual terms to pursue worldly welfare, which clearly shows its hypocrisy. It does not mean that religious people do not live in this world. However, they do it to realize spiritual life, which is different. When we think of our bread, it is material, but when we think of others' bread, it is spiritual. Moreover, in this day and age, there is no such thing as our bread. This is because humans have become adults and entered the whole person. The idea of personality cannot escape the individual perspective, and even if it is said to be eternal life, it is purely materialistic selfishness. This is the problem of modern times. We have reached the level of adults, but we still cannot escape the childishness of childhood. Then, all the zeal to do well becomes a sin.
Why is it that only this country, among the many countries in the world, suffers so much, and only Christians have to suffer? As Mencius said, it must be because of the special mission they have to fulfill. The whole body is the body, but if something goes wrong, the heart suffers. The reason Christians suffer is because they are the heart of this country in this era. That is why the people who existed before us endured the sword on their necks with joy, saying that they suffered so that those who believed in the past and suffered only hardships could be perfected through them (Hebrews 11). That era was saved because of that. Because the time is now really near. Never before has there been such a global crisis. Isn't it now said that we should save the Earth? This is why the wisdom of the East has long been abandoned in the dust, and this is why we, the weakest, have been chosen. Our poverty, our weakness, are our qualifications. Because our poverty, hunger, and thirst are none other than the price of sacrifice for the political absolutism and nationalism that have been rampant in the world up until now and have refused to retreat despite historical warnings to do so. Because no one but us can completely expose that evil.
The Dream of the Suffering Queen
I call our country the suffering queen, an old slut sitting on the path of history, and when I think about it from the perspective of such a suffering and afflicted person, I have a dream. It was dreamed of right after World War II. That era has not yet passed, so I think that dream is still worth holding on to. It is to propose a Southeast Asian federation. Of course, I do not know much about politics and do not like it, so I am not saying this as a political plan but rather as a fantasy.
When I look ahead, what I am most worried about is Chinese nationalism or statism. China is now a communist country, and the world is still in the midst of tension between liberalism and communism, but I say I am not that afraid of communism. It is an ideology; no matter how vicious, it will soon change. What I am afraid of is nationalism or nationalistic tyranny. It will not disappear easily. What still bothers the weak nations of the world is not ideology but their nationalism. They are trying to use the people completely as a means to rule them under the name of the nation. In that respect, both camps are common. However, China is now under intense violence. In contrast, others have abundant natural resources that are almost depleted, and the resentment that Western powers have long suppressed is about to flare up like a flame, so how much arrogance and tyranny will it have toward its surroundings when it becomes a strong nation? Isn’t it almost inevitable, considering the long history that has passed? Then, what will our fate be like under its chin? That is why it was likened to an egg before a rock rolling down from Kunlun Mountain.
If you think about it, this nation that is divided into the North and the South and fights like this is truly foolish. Since ancient times, thoughtful ancestors have been worried about our small size and shallowness, but it is truly worrisome. However, it is very clear that we cannot overcome that power with force and trickery. That is why we must take the lead in denationalization and denationalization for survival. Xinjiang, Tibet, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Manchuria are all under Chinese control, and there can be no world peace. The Soviet Union, the United States, India, and Japan are all worrisome, but China is probably the most fearful of all. That is why if we follow our ideals, the world will become one country, and each region will have its autonomous community. However, before that happens globally, there should first be several federations as an intermediate step, similar to the United States, with one vote regardless of size. Among them, I think the small Southeast Asian countries should create one that concerns us. I think that is the best way to liberate China. When we think about the future, when we think about the day of significant change, the larger the country, the more it is a slave country that needs to be liberated. The weaker the country, the more it is in an advantageous position, and among them, China will have the hardest time. Therefore, carrying that burden is the most necessary humanitarianism and our way of life. However, no one is more qualified than us to lead it. Why? Our history as historical victims qualifies us. Where is the honored one like the prodigal son?
According to Genesis, when the creation of heaven and Earth was about to take place, God’s spirit was moving over the deep chaos. We may not know what that deep and dark chaos is like on Earth, but what we can see in history is the heart of this suffering queen. It is an abyss of darkness and sorrow, but only from there can the creation of glory, joy, and love pour out. For that to happen, God’s spirit needs to move over it. That movement is an attitude of sitting like a hen brooding over her eggs, a thief thinking deeply about committing a great crime, or an artist sitting like a fool trying to get inspired. The picture in the Bhagavad Gita is even better. There, nature is the womb, and the spirit of the universe is the father, and when fertilization takes place in that womb, all things are created. Isn’t this a beautiful picture? The most hateful thing gives birth to the most beautiful thing, and the most filthy thing becomes the womb of the most glorious thing. Then, is not this old prostitute sitting on the path of history to give birth to the son of the new era? We just have to look deep into her heart. We have to empty it to fill it with cosmic pressure.
That is the significant change, the historical “turn right and go forward.” It is the first step toward world salvation.
Rise, a virgin who is not a virgin, filthy slut, and wash yourself from all the lusts of powerism and materialism and prepare yourself. “Where are all those who condemned you? I do not condemn you either.”