총 36페이지

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CultureInsight
of divine solutions removes a certain
that the problems persist eventually
wonder why people are skeptical about
amount of stress in life. Unfortunately
catch up with them. This gives them a
the usage an illusion will serve other
for Koreans living in today’s modern
sense of betrayal for being given hope
thantodeceive.
society, they are besieged with a lot
whenthereisnoneinthefirstplace.The
of stress, be it from education, career,
pain of realities can be even greater, for
Deceivingtocontrolling
or even relationships, as the demands
not only do Koreans have to face the
In some more serious cases, followers
of living in the modern world become
truth,buttheyareconfrontedbythefact
may be manipulated by the occult or
greater and greater every day. Pent-up
thattheyhadbeenmisled.Accordingto
by religion. Living in false realities,
worriescanbedetrimentaltoaperson’s
an interview conducted by David A.G
followers are at
mentalhealth.Religionscanactassafety
Johnson Jr., from the Korea University
risk of being
valves to release some of this stress.
Graduate School of International
manipulated
In Buddhist temples, Koreans, with a
Studies, university students felt even
to do extreme
small fee, can choose to stay over in a
more depressed when they discovered
acts. When 23
templestay-overprogramtoescapefrom
that the promise of fortune-tellers that
Koreans were
the realities and complications from
they would get into a better university
held hostage
modern city life. Similarly, Christian
had been lies. Perhaps, Koreans’
by the Taliban
congregations offer people support
growing suspicions of the occult and
in Afghanistan
groups with pastors soothing their
mysticism stem from the pain of having
recently, some Koreans
followers’ fears. Even Shamans provide
beencheated.
were influenced by a
their followers with some comfort by
fallible preaching to attack
performing rituals to give a sense that
mosques and Muslims
Turningablindeye
everything will be all right. Therefore,
However, the occult and religions can
communal places in
whilemysticismcannotkeepitspromise
be distressing when followers persist
Korea. Certain cults
that everything will be okay, the solace
in believing even though none of the
and religions demand
peoplegainfromitisinvaluable.
promises promised to them are granted.
strictadherencetotheirrules
Yet, despite the comforts that
Even when faced with the fact that the
and regulations and readily
mysticism provides, Koreans appear to
problems remain unsolved, some people
condemn to eternal damnation those
be disillusioned with both the occult
prefer to just wait for a divine solution.
whoareunwillingtocomply.Therefore,
and organized religions. According
They prefer to continue to believe in
followersarenowcoercedintobelieving
to the PEW global survey on people’s
theliesbecauseoftheirfeartoconfront
in some false hope or they are faced
attitudes towards religions in 2002,
the problems at hand. Therefore, they
with the psychological trauma that what
only 25 percent of Koreans feel religion
become dependent on mysticism as
they had believed so far is false. Either
is important. Similarly, in the Global
a means of escape, to run away from
way, it does not bring comfort but only
Peace Index collated by the group
the grim realities. However, by doing
moremisery.
Vision of Humanity, Koreans valued
so, they overlook that they are now
While Koreans can seek comfort in
theimportanceofreligionatamoderate
the ones stopping themselves from a
theoccultandreligion,theymustnotbe
three out of five in 2008. Perhaps, what
shot at happiness. How can a business
blinded into believing that everything
initially drew Koreans to religion and
flourish,whenaKoreanmerelyrelieson
is okay and that these, and only these,
the occult would be the exact thing that
shamanistic rituals to improve her-or-
can solve their problems. Koreans must
becomesaturn-offafterwards.
his so-called luck? How will a student
stillbegroundedinrealityandfacetheir
improve his grades, when all he-or-
problems with their new-found spiritual
she does is visit a Buddhist temple for
strengthandnotidleforadivinemiracle
Whenprayersarenotanswered
While the occult and religion promise
divine help? Not only do the problems
to bring them the happiness they want.
to solve the problems of their followers
remain, but they are living in their own
Happinessisnotgod-given--itisearned
often, such promises are meaningless.
delusions. By turning a blind eye, they
byeffort.
While Koreans may be comforted by
allow the occult and religion to create
the initial hope that their lives will be
a false reality that deceives them, to
smooth-sailing again, their optimism
feed them with unmerited hope that
can be dashed when the grim realities
everything will be okay. Then it is no
yeongeunlee@hufs.ac.kr
DECEMBER 2009

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