Religion and Reality

“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s”(Matthew 22:21). Some interpret this as Jesus prohibiting political actions of religious people and use it as grounds to assert the separation of religion and politics. However, these words hold God’s strong demand for people to work harder on fulfilling God’s will instead of bringing others down regarding such problems.

We often observe the opposition between those who assert the separation of politics and religion and those who argue that the political participation of religion is unavoidable. Corrupt governments or their followers assert the separation of religion and politics more strongly. Their motive for excluding religion’s intervention is to conceal their immorality. They are so involved in their personal gains and aspirations that they do not listen to the advice of others. They have no desire for political reform.

On the contrary, religions people who want to better people’s quality of life, ensure human rights, and achieve social justice consider that religion’s participation in politics is inevitable. Nevertheless, they do not assert that religious men should, themselves, participate in the political system.

From time to time, there are ‘religious men’ who want to participate in the current political system. This would not always be advisable, however, as matters will occur where religion, the bastion of truth, cannot fully function. The operating systems of religion and politics are undoubtedly different.

It is obvious that politicians are better at politics. Religion finds its role of helping politicians do good politics by sometimes being ‘a friend’ and sometimes being a harsh critic.

A good politician listens to religion’s criticisms. This is because the values and goals of religion are not different from those of politics. Politicians can do good politics when they listen to religion. Politics is going the correct way when it is sharing its path with religion. Religion is not a politician’s obstacle. Religion is trying to help politicians who hold the key to the boat, to maneuver it well. Religion has sufficient ability and the self-identity for this. There is no religion that loses its identity and falls into confusion by trying to participate in religion.

Religion lives with people while looking to God. The vertical relationship with God always forces one’s attention towards one’s horizontal relationship with people. It is no longer a religion if you lose either one.

The New Testament’s <1 John> shows these characteristics of religion well. “If anyone says ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

The commandment we received from Him is this. “Whoever loves God must also love his brother” (1 John, 4:20-21). <James> illustrates this more clearly. “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but you do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peach; keep warm and eat your fill,’ and you yet do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, it is has no works, is dead” (James 2, 14-17).

Jesus said “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one” (John 13:34) and said “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” (Matthew 25:40, 45)

The Christian church understood God’s words well and taught this to their believers and made them practice it. Like Christianity, no religion looks only to the heavens. They love people as much as they serve “Him”. Thus, when people are abandoned and ‘hurt’, they shout. Take care of him. This outcry appears in the form of political participation.

Religion does not believe that providing relief and aid after a disaster is its only role. It considers advising others to take measures to prevent disasters as their responsibility. There is much demand for politician to do politics that the generation wants and the people want.

Korea’s by-election on October 26th, especially the various phenomenon and results from the Seoul mayor by-election holds great symbolic significance. The ability to interpret this symbol will allow for good politics. Those who practice ‘love in truth’, those who work towards the common good of all mankind, I consider those people to be happy and good politicians.

I hope that ‘AsiaN’ contributes in broadening the perspective of Asians, particularly that of Koreans, to see the world from within the solidarity of humankind. Those perspectives will also help Asia solve its urgent problems.

*His Grace Kim Jong Su was ordained from the Archdiocese of Seoul on 25 February 1982. After returning from his studies in Rome, he has worked as a professor at the Catholic University of Korea’s College of Theology and as the secretary-general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea. He is currently the head of Rome’s Pontificio Collegio Coreano. He has experience in leading Korea’s religion and civil society by taking an active role in Korea’s unification issue.