Thread: Betty & Friends on Religion in Korea

Originally Posted by sabang

mormon?

Unification Church is homegrown.

This is evidence?:

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

I personally know three people in my small(ish) office, all American, who are 'pastors'...

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Of the South Korean population in 2005, 46.5% were classified as Irreligious, 22.8% were Buddhist, 29.2% were Christians (18.3% were Protestants and 10.9% were Catholics) Religion in South Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You said 50% were American Christians. The link you posted cites 29% Christian. As far as the anecdotal evidence you supply the fact remains that Christianity existed in Korea before any Americans arrived on the scene. Since when are Presbytarian or Roman Catholic American religions? You just make shit up to suit your false assertions. You can supply no factual evidence that Americans are responsible for the surge in Christianity in Korea.

What was this thread about? I mean originally....

Betty wanting to slag off Americans it seems.

Betty, do I have to remind you again, you said 50% of S. Koreans were Christian. I corrected you by posting that 29% were in fact Christian. And now you are trying to evade the point by saying that 50% of religious people in S. Korea are Christian. Have it any way you like. Your argument that Americans are responsible for a surge in Christianity in Korea in the last 50 years are flimsy and totally based on your anecdotal experience.

^ you don't like the links to research, facts, common sense, etc, if it doesn't suit your prescribed truth...

I thought the pictures might help you, but seemingly not so.

whoosh

So if not like it there why stay?

Originally Posted by Humbert

Your argument that Americans are responsible for a surge in Christianity in Korea in the last 50 years are flimsy and totally based on your anecdotal experience.

Actually, quite a fair argument. Even general observations, less facts and documentation.
As it's well known of the great expansion of kooky American Christian infiltration throughout South Korea from the late 1950s - in the process destroying the Korean culture.

Defending a form of American neo-colonialism grows from blindness and ignorance.

Originally Posted by thaimeme

Actually, quite a fair argument. Even general observations, less facts and documentation.

You ought to dig a little deeper on this one Jeff. But you do have your agenda.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Some of you folks decide that the content doesn't meet your own prescripted views then cut a few words out, ignore the majority of points then throw in the 'politically correct'/'prejudice'/'any other' card, so that you don't need to think in a way that may challenge your original viewpoint... Reinforces my point...

I like Americans. I am fundamentally pro-American/America. My trips to the place have always been great. Yet, as I do with regard to UK society, I choose to be skeptical and challenging; sorry if that makes some of you feel uncomfortable...

With regard to Korea, where I am now, it was close to 100% Buddhist 50 odd years ago, the Americans came, forced their values upon the place, and it's now 50% American Christian. I'm stating that fact as an example of pro-active cultural imperialism. Call it prejudice, simplification, neat parcels or anything else you like if it makes you feel comfortable, so you don't need to rethink your own viewpoint...

Could you explain how one religion has forced it's values on another.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

Humbert,

Don't be silly...

There has been a massive Christianization since the Korean war which has been conducted, almost entirely, by American Christians. You didn't invent Christianity or missionary work, but in South Korea Americans are the major Christian missionaries; it's cultural imperialism... Maybe not to you, but you are extremely blinkered.

As a result, there are now more Christians than Buddhists in South Korean...

Of the South Korean population in 2005, 46.5% were classified as Irreligious, 22.8% were Buddhist, 29.2% were Christians (18.3% were Protestants and 10.9% were Catholics)
Religion in South Korea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

On a weekly basis, sometimes daily basis, I have American Christians and Korean Christians from American churches coming upto me peddling their insanity.

The Christian faith in South Korea is heavily dominated by four denominations: Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists and Roman Catholics
(same source)

The first three are almost exclusively American missionary dominated.

I personally know three people in my small(ish) office, all American, who are 'pastors'...

Some Korean Protestant Christians have expressed hostility to Buddhism. There have been several dozen incidents of arson and vandalism against Buddhist shrines and facilities over the last two decades, including the destruction of several large temples. In some of these incidents, the perpetrators were identified as Protestants, or left messages denouncing "idol worship."
(Same source)

The two coffeeshops close to me are Angel in Us and Twosome, both are massive chains, both have lots of Christian iconography... This isn't traditional Korean culture, and the infrastructure was not put in place until after the Korean able
America is empire building, and one of her tools is religion; this is standard, it has happened throughout history, it's cultural imperialism, it's for money and power - if you cannot see that then you are insane.

BTW, nowadays, in 2014, I don't see many (I haven't seen any in years) British folks peddling the religion drug, not in Thailand, not in Oman, not in Mongolia, not in Korea..., but, so, so many Americans doing so. Of course, you may have a different experience...

In a previous post you stated America was forcing Christianity on Korea, how is this possible, are not South Koreans living in a free thinking society able to decide for themselves which religion they choose.

Originally Posted by RPETER65

Could you explain how one religion has forced it's values on another.

You're not one of those silly religious people are you?

If I am a Muslim, come to England, set up home then start beating up local women (who are from a Christian based society) that wear short skirts because even though their religion allows it, mine does not, then a religion is forcing its views on another. That's wrong.

If I goto Thailand and stop my wife going to the wat because I'm a Christian then I'm forcing my views upon her.

Of course, oppression and coercion is far more subtle in most cases, is ingrained in discourse, and can be as simple as the crosses that are on my coffee mug as I speak (placing alien icons into a culture until their become the norm, become naturalized - this is the way women, blacks, countless others, have been oppressed over the ages; it's political...).

In Korea, missionaries from the US have come in massive numbers to convert people to their belief system. They have been quite successful from the 1950s onwards (other people tried before with limited success).

Anybody that denies this massively obvious fact is just dense. But, religious folk are dense, they believe that a man with a little white beard sits in 'heaven' and dictates who will live and who will die, and how and when, according to his 'davine' intervention. Various groups of these religious idiots believe that when they die they will command their own planet, have 72 virgins to serve them, various other insanities... In Britain, we deplore such stupidity. In the US, it's very common; 70% or more of the population? Obviously, stupid folks from the UK, who were mocked and shunned, got on the Mayflower and other ships to go to the New World, kill the indigenous population and force their absurd and perverted views on others - that was their remit, and sadly, for many, it continues to be.

So, when 70%+ of your population are insane, are so lacking in thinking skills that they follow their belief system to the letter, handing out bibles and pamphlets, going to other countries to convert people, etc, then yes, you can group the majority as fukin stupid. The majority of Americans are fukin stupid. Some of my closest friends are Americans; Jeff who I work with has his PhD from UCSC and is a great guy - he tells me regularly that: 1) the majority of Americans are fukin stupid; 2) the cultural imperialism conducted by Americans in Korea is sickening...

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

In Britain, we deplore such stupidity

When was the last time someone in a position of power 'deplored' anything to do with the stupidity of Christianity in the UK?

They all play along with the charade, at least publically.

If Betty and his friend at work Jeff say so it must be true.

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

In Britain, we deplore such stupidity. In the US, it's very common; 70% or more of the population? Obviously, stupid folks from the UK, who were mocked and shunned, got on the Mayflower and other ships to go to the New World, kill the indigenous population and force their absurd and perverted views on others - that was their remit, and sadly, for many, it continues to be.

If there ever was more proof that the UK produces stupid people, here it is folks.

Originally Posted by cyrille

When was the last time someone in a position of power 'deplored' anything to do with the stupidity of Christianity in the UK?

Not surprising, it would be suicidal since England is one of the few countries in the world that has an official state religion.

Originally Posted by Humbert

If Betty and his friend at work Jeff say so it must be true.

Originally Posted by Humbert

If there ever was more proof that the UK produces stupid people, here it is folks.

Well, Humbert, the fact that we are both highly educated and don't believe in pixies, Father Xmas, or other fairy tales such as God would tend to suggest we are slightly less stupid than the Bible mob...

The bible mob are naturally conventional and lacking critical thinking skills otherwise they wouldn't follow religion... The higher the % of religious nuts the more stupid the society...

Originally Posted by cyrille

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

In Britain, we deplore such stupidity

When was the last time someone in a position of power 'deplored' anything to do with the stupidity of Christianity in the UK?

They all play along with the charade, at least publically.

That may be true of ' people in power', but I was speaking about the masses. The % of people in the likes of the UK who identify themselves as having no religion is high compared to the US. I don't remember any kid in my school that was religious...

A LESSON IN LOGIC

Jeff and Betty are 'highly educated'
Highly educated people are always right
Jeff and Betty say that 70% of Americans are stupid
Therefore 70% of Americans are stupid

Irrefutable!

I bet you are an IT consultant, right?

^ you are enjoying yourself moving away from the subject and issues.

The FACT remains that American missionaries are all over Korea with their ignorant cultural imperialism (not unlike the British did all over the world...). The fact also remains that America is crazy for religion. I propose, and I'm not the first, that those who believe in fairies, angels, god and the like are lacking critical thinking skills and blindly follow a ridiculous belief - they are stupid.

Are you a Christian, Humbert?

Originally Posted by Humbert

Originally Posted by cyrille

When was the last time someone in a position of power 'deplored' anything to do with the stupidity of Christianity in the UK?

Not surprising, it would be suicidal since England is one of the few countries in the world that has an official state religion.

Heh...touche'.

Well, this thread sure got detailed, didn't it?

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^ you are enjoying yourself moving away from the subject and issues.

The FACT remains that American missionaries are all over Korea with their ignorant cultural imperialism (not unlike the British did all over the world...). The fact also remains that America is crazy for religion. I propose, and I'm not the first, that those who believe in fairies, angels, god and the like are lacking critical thinking skills and blindly follow a ridiculous belief - they are stupid.

Are you a Christian, Humbert?

You obviously missed this, but the subject and issue was not Korea, missionaries or religion. Even though you and Humbert have totally derailed the thread into your own little private pissing match.