In regards to politics and forgiveness...

The day before our performance at Songnae, everybody at Durihana went out to eat.  We wound up getting Jjajangmyun, my first foray into eating what would soon be one of my favorites.  That, however, isn't so much the point, as much as setting up the scene, so I won't go into food.  God knows I have a problem in chasing rabbit trails, especially when food is involved.

When we left, we had taken vans, and there were not enough room to carry everybody back in the vans.  We weren't far from our church, so three of us (myself, and two North Korean guys) walked back to Durihana.  We were stopped on the corner of the main intersection leading back, and they looked at me and told me something I'll never forget.  They said this in a mixture of Korean and English, which, being new students to the language, was a feat in and of itself, but just the look on their faces and the tone used on top of it always brings me back to the statements made when they spoke.  I'll write what they said verbatim (The words they used in Korean will be in parenthisis):

"(South Korea), good.  (USA), good.  Obama, good.  Lee Myung-bak, good. (North Korea), bad.  Kim Jong-il, bad.  Kim Il-sung, bad.  We hate Kim Jong-il."  They then asked if I understood.  I nodded.

As I thought about what was said later, my theological mind started whirring and thinking about the ramifications of what they told me.  "They should be loving their enemies and not hating them."

But really, as I've come to really think about this, really, what would I say in their shoes?  You know, it's really easy to say in my spot that you should love a person or a group that has, unequivocally, done you harm.  Really, at that point in my life, what was the worst atrocity done to me?

I can say it was in 5th grade, and I was on the playground.  I was a loner back then.  I wasn't well liked among my peers.  One day a few of my classmates came out on playground.  Apparently, as they saw me playing alone through the windows, they decided among themselves that it would be fun to push me around for the duration of recess.  So they did.  And they came out of the doors, found me, and threw me to the ground, hit me, and kicked me around.  I ran, and they followed me, trapped me, and repeated the process.

Pretty soon, a larger group formed out of that single three students, and they continued the assault.  I did the best I could at this point to get help and ran in front of one of the teachers that was monitoring the playground.  They turned their back on it happening.  I ran into the school, and was pushed back out by another teacher.

Eventually, I was in front of another teacher, and the same thing happened in front of her.  Only somehow, she was blaming me for the mess that I was in.  At this time, I had no options left.  I bolted through the doors of the school, and hid near the safe in the school.  My fourth grade teacher found me by chance, and took me to the principal, whom took my side, and harshly reprimanded the boys who were responsible for the incident.

I was eventually able to forgive the people that did it to me.  I moved on in my life.  But that memory still stays in my mind.  And from that point on, I was apprehensive of teachers and hated school.  I never looked at those teachers that turned their backs on me in the same light.

And here I was, with these two North Korean guys, saying they hated their country and Kim Jong-il.  I never got their exact stories of what happened with them, but you can pretty much assume that they aren't fairy tales.  Every North Korean there has a story, and it isn't a pretty one.

So we're talking about a government, and a leader that commits some of, if not the, most vile acts of human rights violations in the world.  Acts that are bad enough that all these people that I surrounded myself with had no choice but to flee their home land.  That risking getting caught in China was a better solution than staying where they were.

How could I expect them to love them?  I know the scriptures, but it's a tall order to ask for.  I can't tell you how long it took me for to overcome the anger of what happened to me in the 5th grade.  What about them?  A lot of them were newly in South Korea.  That pretty much makes it clear that they suffered for a long time as a result of North Korea.

Even when they come to Seoul, their pain isn't over.  There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  This is not an epic quest that has a full resolution and happy ending at the end of the arduous journey.  They are snubbed by South Koreans because they're from the North.  Yes, despite the same race and a common language, they are still looked down upon because of where they were born.  They struggle fitting in in a free society, after having been manipulated their whole lives under a dictatorship.  Some of them struggle to even have thoughts of their own.  Even still, a lot of them still have family in North Korea.  Some of them cry over the separation from their family.

Really, to me, it's no wonder they hate their home country.  It's no wonder they hate the Kim regime.  It's no wonder none of them mourned when Kim Jong-il died last year.  Throw the grandeur of sound theology to the wind for a second, and think, could you blame them?

Obviously, I would love to see them find a way to forgive the people that mistreated them.  I would love to see them love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them.  But really, who of us are perfect, that we don't have similar shortcomings?  And how could I judge them for what they said?

Really, after coming to Durihana, I have found myself even seeing North Korea through their eyes.  When the 33 refugees were repatriated in February, I found myself angry.  I found myself, the theological student that I am, repressing feelings of hatred for Kim Jong-un.  That could've been someone's sister that I personally knew!

And then I remembered, at that moment, their words, like they had said them yesterday.  And I could understand better exactly why they said what they said.  It began to sound less crazy when you knew the atrocities that happen there truly affect the world.  Sadly, it's something that we, the free world have yet to fully grasp.  It affects all of us, but we have chosen to turn a blind eye to that and focus on North Korea's military threats and tests.

If the world would only change their point of view from playing defense against a military that only says what it says to get food aid, but yet never disperse it to the people who are truly starving, to playing offense for the people suffering so dearly, what kind of changes would we see right now?

Obamaftermath; or, Why American Christians Look Worse Than They Did On November 5th

NOTE:  I'm about to be as transparent as humanly possible regarding my political beliefs, because I already foresee the backlash that's going to come with this post.  I'm going to state my case as concisely as possible.  All I ask from you, the reader, is that if you feel the need to deride me or attack me via Facebook or whatever platform you choose to do it from, read the entirety of this post.  If you prove to me you haven't, I'm fully reserving the right to not respond to you, because I'm not going to take the time to read what you say if you don't show me enough respect to fully read what I have to say on this matter before you jump on me.

So the election is over.  Obama won.  I came back to my desk at lunch to find the news.  When I checked my News Feed on Facebook, I was appalled by what I saw. In fact, at this moment, knowing the people I've seen write what they write, and knowing what they proclaim to be, I'm almost ashamed to even call myself a Christian, because to do so, knowing that I can't be the only one seeing these things, and other Christians are doing the same, I would be associated with the brutish, childish, and arrogant behavior that was being exhibited through Facebook.

What I'm now about to state is an extrapolation on what I stated earlier on Facebook.  I'm going to hold back no punches.  If you don't like it, fine.  If you want to discuss it, fine, if it's respectful.  If for some reason you want to snub your nose at me, like a lot of you have done to approximately 50% of Americans tonight, sure, delete me from Facebook.  I will not be crying tears over lost friends if I'm losing friends over something like this.

I will not name any names, but I will certainly be providing certain statements that turned my stomach to see.

"I am pretty sure the Founding Fathers would be rolling over in their graves at how the current residents of most of their original colonies/states chose to vote... If our founding fathers were anything, it was for little government. Our nation was founded on folks being self-governed. I suppose when a nation of people go out of control, they get the leader they truly deserve though..."

"I think I'll take a sleeping pill that'll last four years. Wake me when it's over."

"Well its a sad day in America. Hard to believe Americans would reelect a president that hates America. 56% of Americans said that America was in trouble and on the wrong path. Hmmm Well it is what it is. Get ready folks...Things Are not goin to Change unless we join together and Pray for Gods Governmental authority to take over and rain down. God show us Grace n Mercy."

"God help us and have mercy on this nation!"

"Well looks like I wont be getting any raise for another 5 years. Guess will have to get a second part time job, so I can pay more taxes so others can sit on their butts. Really do not understand how this country can be so blind."

"Kiss America goodbye, kiss it all goodbye .... what shall our coal miners do now....... get fired! !!! I could say some really not so mice things now, but I will sit here with tears and worry for every single American"

This is just a taste of it.

Now, most of these people were really strong to point out Romans 13:1 prior to the election.  "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."  Yet, since they found out Obama was re-elected, that tune has changed dramatically.

Now, before I even go any further, let me state my political positions.  I am pro life.  I unquestionably believe life starts at conception.  I oppose same-sex marriage, and believe that marriage is between one man and one woman.  I am pro-Israel, because God blesses the nations who bless Israel and curses those who curse it.  I voted Ron Paul in the Republican primary.  I was unable to vote in the general election due to my ballot never arriving in China.  Had I have received it, I would have voted for Virgil Goode of the Constitution party, and not for either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney.  I had problems with both of them.

I have problems with Obama's stances on abortion and gay rights.  I'm not fully aware of his stance on Israel.  I'm aware that the economy has grown.  I'm aware that my mother would probably be without her medication if it weren't for Obamacare, as she has been out of work for over a year due to circumstances far beyond her control. (and believe me, she'd rather work, so don't even attack her)

I have problems, first and foremost, in voting for a Mormon candidate, which any strong Christian that with a basic understanding of theology would be able to identify as a cult, which is partly why I refused to vote for Romney.  I am aware he's pro-life, and pro-sanctity of marriage.  But if you would into his speeches, you would see that he, like on so many issues, has flip flopped.  He recently made a bumbling buffoon out of himself on his overseas jaunt, and started lashing out at China, where I am currently living, which would exacerbate the already delicate living situation I find myself in right now.

And that's that.  We were honestly voting for the lesser of two evils tonight.  I know full well that my vote for Goode would've been fodder, that it was only between Romney and Obama.  But when I think of the path America should be taking, I see Obama as the lesser of two evils at this juncture, and more capable of leading this country than Mitt Romney.  And you would be surprised how many people OUTSIDE of America, CHRISTIANS even, agree with me.

That is my honest belief, you can take it how it is.  I have never lambasted anyone for voting for Romney.  I disagreed with them, for reasons I'm sure this blog post will cover, but that is their choice.  And voting for Obama, or Johnston, or Stein, or Goode, or Ralph Macchio, or whatever audacious write-in candidate you wanted to write in, was just another choice.  Granted, it's a very important choice, one that many people don't take seriously.  But it was their choice to make.

But I did watch many people post about praying before they voted this term.  I watched them quote from Romans.  But now a lot of these same people, I reiterate, have become rather ravenous since the results were posted.  Are you guys suddenly so unsure of this verse now?  If you were clinging so tightly to this verse, expecting Mitt Romney to win the election, then you really need to re-examine your own faith in God.  The God I serve doesn't give us everything we expect, but everything we need.

I can come to very few conclusions about the people who referenced this then reneged it after the results came in:

1) You believe God made a mistake

2) You believe that people have a greater influence over this world than God

3) You believe you ARE God and whoever you determined was the right candidate HAS to be President

4) You don't know God

I hate to repeat this verse again, but Romans 13:1 clearly states what should have been bore in mind when the results were announced.  If Obama has been re-elected, by a straightforward, Biblical standpoint, God has appointed him as the leader of America, with his political flaws and all.

By inferring that it's EVERYONE ELSE'S fault (i.e. everyone who disagreed with your vote), you are now denying God's very omnipotence, since Romans 13:1 states God is in control of even this election.  All the temper tantrums you throw does nothing to change this.  By throwing the temper tantrum, you are even REBELLING AGAINST GOD!  Think about that.  Shudder at the thought, because it's true.

I have already had pro-life, pro-sanctity, pro-Israel thrown in my face:

"Hummm I know God hates abortion and gay marriage. That's my attitude, I don't understand how people that claim to be christian can support what God does not support. Oh and the Bible says we should support Israel too."

I certainly don't oppose this statement.  No Christian should or would knowingly or willingly oppose this.  HOWEVER, let me ask this.  Which is more important, having a candidate who stands behind all of these things, or having a candidate who outwardly calls himself a Christian, and not by cult standpoint.  Because you can dress Romney up however way you want to, but he is still a member of the LDS church.  This is a group that not only reject the Trinity as it stands in the very biblical basis of it, but actually believe that should they convert enough people into LDS, they themselves will become gods of their own worlds.  And the evangelical church was literally rallying Mitt Romney!  Were you really so desperate to cling to those ideals that you were willing to sacrifice your very belief in the fact that LDS is a cult in order to create a strawman argument that if Mitt Romney won the election, we were magically a Christian nation again?  That's a very flawed viewpoint.

Two verses came to mind in this regard:

"Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  Repent therefore!  Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth."  --Revelation 2:15-16

We don't know exactly what the teaching of the Nicolaitans was, but we can obviously find that it was bad.  Possibly false doctrine or cult practices.  But people were rallying behind Romney.  Too many people were congregating around someone who could, very well, in this present day, be a Nicolaitan.  Your only basis for this was pro-life, pro-Israel, anti-Gay Marriage.

If you are so staunchly for those issues, but refuses to merit a man based on his belief in God, and how he exercises his faith, then you should have no problems voting for a Muslim, on the (offshoot) chance that he is not only pro-life, pro-sanctity, but also pro-Israel, right?  I mean, hey, who cares what he believes about God, right?  So long as women can't kill babies, homosexuals cannot marry, and Israel's protected by our extensive military arm.  Right?

Christians should have opposed Romney as strongly as they oppose Islam if they believe in the God of the Bible.  This is absolute truth.  Neither is any more correct than the other from a Biblical standpoint.  If you wanted a Christian nation, then you would not have voted for Romney.

American Christians had their chance to vote in a Christian who was pro-life, pro-Israel (despite being non-interventional unless Israel requested help), and believed marriage was between a man and a woman in Ron Paul.  But he was severely ignored, even by the Christians.  But Romney claims to be a Christian (which, in itself is ironic, since the LDS church has long tried to dissociate themselves with the mainstream Christian church over the persecution they purportedly suffered at the hands of it, and the fact that they believe that they're right and mainstream Christians are wrong), and people church ate it from his hands.

Moreover, let's not forget that Romney not only flip-flopped repeatedly on the campaign trail regarding his political platform, but was outright caught making hateful statements, refused to be transparent during his campaign, and at times, outright lied.  And yet we throw defense lawyers to the wolves if they let guilty men go free, because they have to lie to do so.  And I was supposed to rally behind him to be my next president?

Meanwhile, we have a president, who despite his misgivings, declares himself a Christian, and declares that he reads the Bible daily and prays.  We can only take him at his word on this.  What he does in his office is beyond what we know, so we can only pray he's telling the truth, and it is between him and God whether he is or not.  And so many, as Christians, are calling out the rest of the country as lunatics for voting for him again.

It is almost like people believe that President Obama is a brainless robot* with no brain.  That he cannot change his mind.  But I have an idea.  Maybe it sounds absurd.  But we should be praying for this man.  He says he's a Christian.  He says he prays and reads the Bible and does devotionals every day.  Well here's an absurd thought.  Let's assume, and this is crazy, that he has a brain and a heart, and that God, through this prayer and Bible reading, can penetrate his heart like he's known to do.  God can change this man as much as he can change ours.

*If he's a robot, he could still be reprogrammed.  They still have memory chips inside.*

"I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone--for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." --1 Timothy 2:1-2

If you are in such turmoil over the results, then you are clearly not practicing this.  I would have prayed regardless of who won the election, even if Daniel Larusso crane technique'd his way into the White House on write-in votes.

When should these prayers have happened?  As soon as your ballot was cast, in my personal opinion.  And not the, "God, please let Romney win," kind of prayer.  The intercession on who was to be the next President, regardless of the outcome.  But seeing some people's responses, that wasn't the case.

Moreover, we should be thanking God we even have this chance.  I know that's cliche by now.  But I have really learned this over the last year.  Some of the people I hold close to my heart couldn't even envision the possibility of electing their officials.  If you don't like the choice your fellow Americans made, and refuse to support it, then I would greatly encourage you to defect to North Korea.  You wouldn't ever have to worry about these elections ever again (or at least until the government there cannibalizes itself and the country reunifies).  Then we can bring some of those North Koreans over to America, because they'd kill to have a choice.  And they'd probably be a 1,000,000 times more respectful than people have been in the last 24 hours to whoever won the election, because at least they had a say a matter for the first time in their lives.

But instead, it's better to bemoan the fact that America made a huge mistake on Facebook right?  Which, based on your beliefs, infers that God made a mistake.  Then how can we even stand firm on Biblical truths anymore?  If God makes mistakes, then maybe the whole creation was a mistake.  Or what if there is no God?  You are opening a Pandora's box by making these kind of statements.  Which is why we need to think before we speak.

As far as the effectiveness of our stance on abortion, gay marriage, and Israel, I have already delved into that in a previous posting, and I don't want to prolong this already long post any further.

Today, we had a choice to bless or curse, and I saw too many people speaking curses who proclaim to know a God who blesses all who loves him.  With us acting as God's representation on Earth, what does that say to the world about God?  Let me say this, your antics on Facebook makes the job of ministry workers in all fields HARDER, because this is what they have to contend with.  Think about that before you begin to rail out of self-righteousness, pettiness, and arrogance.

I'm sure this post will ruffle some feathers, and lose me some friends.  But I'll stand physically alone if I have to on this one, because enough is enough.