The Temples Are Burning

In March of 2001, just six months before the horrible events of September 11 in the United States, the Taliban regime in Afghanistan perpetrated an act of religious terrorism which, at the time, attracted considerable worldwide attention. Acting upon the intolerant impulses which seem to motivate their particular version of Islam, the Taliban ordered the destruction of the world-famous Buddhas of Bamiyan, the collossal statues of the Buddha which had stood for centures in Afghanistan, a constant reminder that, once, Buddhism had flourished in central Asia before the coming of Islam. The act of destruction was carried out with military explosives and artillery ordanance, and in short order, a UNESCO World Heritage site was utterly destroyed and thus rendered harmless to the exquisite sensitivities of the Taliban.

The international outrage and condemnation which followed this massive act of vandalism was swift and justified. In light of the events which happened just six months later in Washington and New York, in retrospect the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan seem now to have been a harbinger of coming events, a kind of "canary in the coal mine" warning of more coming violence.

But even as the Taliban were perpetrating this widely-known act of religious terrorism, another even more deeply disturbing story was developing in Korea which has received almost no international attention whatsoever. As many people are now beginning to recognize, Korea is increasingly becoming a "Christian" nation, with some estimates citing the total number of Christians of all denominations now comprising as much as 40 % of the total population, or even higher. This stunning and little-noticed trend is the result of intensive proselytizing in South Korea by Christian Evangelicals, principally from the United States. As a Buddhist I know once quipped, "South Korea became a Christian nation while no one was looking."

As a Buddhist, I care little if people choose to practice a faith tradition other than my own. As I have taught our Sangha members at our Tuesday night meetings, any faith tradition which leads people to cultivate good karma is a positive thing, and hence it is not necessary to try and convert other people, particularly those who are already on a wholesome spiritual path. However, it is also true that there are some faith traditions --such as the version of Islam practiced by the Taliban-- which are overtly hostile towards other religions. Helping such people attain a greater appreciation of other religions is a big challenge.

In the case of South Korea, the swift and stunning mass conversion of society to Christianity has clearly been the cause of an unprecedented degree of religious terrorism against Buddhist Temples and institutions throughout the country. Where the Taliban infamously destroyed just one Buddhist site, in Korea there have been hundreds and perhaps thousands of systematic and widespread instances of Buddha-smashing, Temple burnings, and similar kinds of religous terrorism. Lest anyone think I am exagerrating the scale of this phenomenon, a few website links may be instructive:

From the International Association for Religious Freedom:

http://www.geocities.com/~iarf/tedesco1.html

And the response of the Society for Buddhist-Christian Studies:

http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/buddhist-christian_studies/v020/20.1wells.html

By way of illustrating the proverbial "Tip of the Iceberg," here are just three examples of the kind of systematic violence being directed towards Buddhists and Buddhist facilities in Korea:

ITEM: December 6, 1986: Several days before the annual Buddha's Enlightenment celebrations, the Taejôkkwangjôn, the main Dharma Hall, a large building of ancient origin at Kûmsansa Temple is completely burned to the ground in an event that makes top news throughout the nation. The Hall is listed as National Treasure Number 476, and is the central hall in a temple which is a regional headquarters and major monastic training center for the Chogye Order. A man active in a local church is apprehended at the scene, but is released because the police claim that, since the fire consumed everything, there is "no evidence." Although he admitted to the crime, he is released without being charged. Discounting widespread opinion and belief, local police claim that "religious heretics" are not suspected.

ITEM: May 1996: Reverend Pae Sông-ho, a Protestant minister, enters the main Buddha Hall at Ch'ôngryongsa Temple in Chinhae on the southern coast of the peninsula. He swings a microphone over his head like a bolo, smashing the main Buddha statue and damaging beyond repair the altar paintings hanging behind the main altar. Witnesses who apprehend him hear him shouting abusive statements about "idol worship" and that "now [he] will go to heaven for destroying these graven images." Though taken into custody by police, the minister is released within hours with no charges filed by the local authorities. Damage to the Dharma Hall is extensive.

ITEM: June 26, 1998: Su-jin Kim, a Christian, breaks into Wonmyong Sonwon (Zen Center) in Cheju Island, decapitates 750 granite Buddha statues and destroys a gilt bronze Buddha triad, gold-plated jade Buddha and many other Buddhist items. He is caught by people at the temple while breaking windows of the living quarters. Kim confesses to the police that he destroyed Buddha statues in order to convert the temple to a church.

Again, it is worth noting that these are just three examples of what has, sadly, become a nationwide phenomenon in Korea: systematic attacks on Buddhists and Buddhist institutions across the nation.

It may be that this widespread phenomenon has gone unnoticed in the western media, because few western journalists read, speak or read Korean-language media, where the story has clearly been repeatedly covered. But what is clear, is that the story has gone unreported in the English-language media. Given the increasingly large numbers of Koreans and Korean-Americans in the United States, particularly here in the Washington area, this is surprising and dissapointing.

It is clear that the motives of the people who are perpetrating these crimes are entirely rooted in the understanding of Christianity which has been transmitted to them by the Christian Evangelical missionaries, who have been instrumental in the conversion of South Korean society. Although such behavior by religious people would never happen in the United States (aside from the occasional murder of a family planning physician by people with religious motives, which does happen here every few years), it should come as no surprise that Christians in South Korea have merely acted upon what they have been taught and internalized.

In Buddhism, this is called 'Karma,' which is none other than the Law of Cause and Effect. Words have consequences.

The Taliban richly deserved the international condemnation which followed their barbarous acts. Many people of faith were rightly outraged by the deeds of the Taliban. But where is the outrage of the many American Christian missionaries who work in Korea, many of whom speak Korean, who must be well aware of these acts of arson and vandalism?

Is it possible that they approve of this behavior?