What factors of your native culture have informed your religious world view? Explain the impact of these factors

I believe that the culture in which we live in affects the way we live our life. For me, I was born and raised in Korea for more than 12 years. During this time period, the Korean culture had permeated and soon became the basis of my beliefs, values, attitude, and, in a bigger scope, life. Hence, my identity as Korean had established. However, I also lived in other countries, where very different, unique cultures existed. I lived in the U.S., Scotland and Singapore, where I confronted with many unfamiliar cultures and values. These experiences influenced my life as it provided me with a chance to encounter with diversity of different, unique cultures that agreed and disagreed with my standpoint. As I was at a stage of adolescence, I was flexible in accepting new ideas and beliefs. Thus, I broadened my perspective and allowed new cultures to coexist with my Korean culture. Although different aspects of other cultures became part of my identity, Korean culture still remains dominant among the rest.

The way I lived my life was to be humble and be optimistic. That way, I can adapt to new ideas and incorporate them with the ideas I originally had in order to expand my thoughts. As I learned to accept and understand other different ideas, I tend to observe other religions objectively and try to learn from their good teachings that apply for my life. However, in the center of my heart is Christianity, dominating the rest, as Korean culture is dominant among other pieces of cultures that exist in me. I have my faith in Christianity but I also learn from other religions.

I do not necessarily have a native culture because it is a combination of different cultures. However, it certainly allowed me to see the world differently and thus affected my life. The culture I represent widened my scope of understanding and led me to look at other religions as well as Christianity.

#8 What do mission organizations do for these people?

Missionary organizations are not only dedicated in spreading the gospels of Jesus Christ to the primitive tribes but also in directing change required in order for the tribesmen to survive through the indifference of the world. The missionaries feel sympathy toward those who are a few steps behind the modern society and thus devote their lives to assisting the tribes in primitive areas. They provide food, shelter, clothing, medicine and education in order to express their care for the tribes. While doing so, the missionaries preach the words of God and prove them through actions. Some missionaries were successful in living among the tribesmen and evangelizing them. On the other hand, some other unfortunate missionaries failed to do so and thus were expelled or killed. Nevertheless, the true, sincere hearts of the missionaries, determined to serve for human kind and for God, urge other hearts to do service toward the people who suffer and have not yet confronted with God.

However, to some proportion of people, the successes of missionaries evangelizing the tribes are only seen as the destruction of the local cultures. Notwithstanding the fact that the missionaries have invested their lives for evangelism, they forced the tribes to live the way the Western society sees adequate, according to those who oppose to mission organizations. Therefore, they argue that missionaries are not preserving the traditional heritage in local areas but attempt stubbornly to convert the tribesmen into followers of God.

In my opinion, I do understand both standpoints on this issue and their foundation basis. I do see that the traditional heritage and culture of the primitive tribes had been disappearing with the missionaries appeared to them. However, the reason being is that the tribesmen have been imitating the way missionaries lived their lives in order to obtain favorable traits required for survival. In the world we live in today, tradition is maintained but not emphasized as strongly as it did in the history. It is almost visible to bare eyes that the world is becoming globalized and tradition is being put aside. We, too, allowed our cultures to be ‘destroyed.’ It is inevitable that, for survival, we acquire favorable characteristics from elsewhere. Hence, change occurs and thus our cultures and traditions are not conserved. Then, what is the point in accusing the missionaries for destroying the cultures of the tribes in the areas that we have not even heard about? After all, we, as civilized citizens, also have forgotten and disregard our own cultures. Then, why are we not blaming ourselves for destroying our own cultures? Instead of accusing and holding the missionaries accountable for destroying the cultures of the primitive tribes, it would be wise, for those who do not appreciate the work of the missionaries, to reflect upon the nature of human beings. That way, the work of the missionaries may not be accepted but will be understood.