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| Kidnapping Elicits Hateful Comments |
| [Opinion] We should be praying for the South Koreans' safety not denigrating Christianity and Islam |
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Arati Singh (arati)  |
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Published 2007-07-26 07:57 (KST) |
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With the kidnapping of 23 South Koreans in Afghanistan, hate-mongers have had a perfect opportunity to vent their anger, hatred and socio-political agendas. Many politicians, citizen reporters and bloggers have found used the tragedy to fit their talking points, whether those be racism, missionary fervor, Islamic idealism, U.S. imperialism or biased media coverage.
The comments on this incident, as on similar incidents, prove the world has never been as racist and extremist as it is now. I hear many foreign students here in Korea saying that anyone who goes to a Muslim country to preach Christianity will be kidnapped. I don't want to reveal the political standing and religious outlook of these people, but I can say that these people are devoid of ethics and the feeling of humanity.
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FROM THE SECTION |
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| We all know the South Koreans were in Afghanistan to provide medical services. Even if their real intention had been to preach on Christianity, they didn't deserve to be kidnapped. They didn't deserve the threats that they would be killed. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights identifies forceful religious conversion as a crime against humanity; therefore, even if they can be criticized, there are many decent ways to do so. If needn't have come to this.
Debating the motivations of the South Koreans is one thing but justifying the kidnapping by the Taliban militants is another, and only reveals the violent hatred people can have for one another.
On a number of Web sites, including OhmyNews, I have people have written about this event as if it were an opportunity to show their aggression against Christians. People have used the anonymity the Internet provides them to express hateful and sickening comments.
In one of Daud Khan's updates on the Korean hostages for OhmyNews, I saw read hateful comments from readers about Christians. These comments come from radicals, pro-war supporters and anti-Americans. Despite their different backgrounds, they have some things in common: an inability to understand South Korea and a lack of common sense.
Every year, many church-going South Koreans travel to developing Asian and African countries to provide free health services, educational instruction and some vocational training. Generally, young students volunteer during summer vacation. And whatever little basic services countries in these regions receive -- for example, food, medicine, health, etc. -- are provided by people willing to risk their lives to help. They include U.N. volunteers and South Korean noncombatant soldiers as well as foreigners working in 189 different international nongovernmental organizations.
South Korea is a neutral country where more than 40 percent of the population identify themselves as atheists. Yet in the last five years, the number of students from Muslim countries in South Korea has steadily grown. Korean universities have often provided Muslim students with a separate prayer room.
Now South Koreans, too, have become victims of the interests of Taliban militants.
Comments on the popular YouTube Web site have tied this event to the war in Iraq, U.S. imperialism, Jews and Orientalism. It is so disheartening to see people making all possible kinds of connections just so they can denounce what they don't like and justify barbaric acts to support their doctrines.
The comments against Islam and Muslims are so demoralizing I felt ashamed to read them. In one video on YouTube, the comments were so racist that YouTube has prohibited them. Imagine what Afghani students in South Korea must be feeling at this moment.
The kidnapping of the South Koreans is not related to U.S. imperialism or the war in Iraq; similarly, Islam has nothing to do with the kidnapping. Taliban militants have killed more Muslims than they have followers of other religions. If the militants had kidnapped the Koreans for religious reasons, they would not have "bargained" over them with Korean government, which is what they are doing now.
It's such a tragedy. When people all over the world should be praying for one another's safety, they are busy screeching their own opinions and pushing their own socio-political dogmas. Does the kidnapping of the South Koreans mean we should no longer travel to Muslim countries? Are the militants justified in holding Christians hostage?
It is very unfortunate that an event like this has become a means for people to express hatred, racism and venomous remarks. These people seem to be unable to value human lives and rights. How discouraging.
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©2007 OhmyNews
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