Tuesday, January 1, 2013

100 Things I Love About Korea # 26: Religious Diversity

Just behind Korea Nazarene University, there are a church and a Buddhist Temple literally side by side.  There they are: cross and lotus flower, Jesus and Buddha, both calling people to worship.
I am not a relativist.  I don't believe that all religions are the same, but somehow this overt juxtaposition of religious strikes me as poignant and beautiful.
Maybe it's because I come from a nation that still sometimes claims to have one religion - despite manifold evidence to the contrary.  Maybe it's because I like the open acknowledgement that we are in fact different from each other.  Maybe it's because I appreciate the colors and peaceful aura of Buddhism.  Maybe it's because I just like stirring the pot.
I'm not sure why, but I love Korea's religious diversity.

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