do not read on. Thank you, and welcome to my blog!]
Q. What factors of your native culture have informed your religious world view? Explain the impact of these factors.
A. Uum to answer this question I'll first need to identify what my native culture is... My parents are both Korean, so I believe myself to be a pure-bred Korean~... (no racism intended) I don't think I'm a banana (as the 1.5 generation Korean-Canadians would be called) or a twinkie (as the 1.5 generation Korean-Americans tend to be named). But I'm certainly not a FOB (Fresh Off Board -Korean-Koreans in the States.) either. I'm just... MinJi!*^^
To summurize my life: I was born in Korea and grew up here until second grade, when I moved to Canada following my parents. I stayed in Canada for about three years then moved to the States to live there for four years. I came back to my homeland a year ago.
When I was living abroad, I hardly had any contact with other Koreans, espcially Koreans my age. But my parents made it a rule at home, as soon as we landed in Canada, that the language spoken at home will be Korean. My parents homeschooled Korean to me all through elementry school-thanks to her I still read, write and can speak Korean fluently. My mom cooked Korean food for dinner 97.6% of the time, so I my cuisine was still 1/3 Korean.
But like I said, I hardly had any contact with other Koreans, espcially Koreans my age. I didn't know any Korean slang, Korean jokes, Korean songs or Korean celebrities. At school, I was one of the few Asians. And save for a year, I didn't even go a Korean immigrant church in the seven years I've been abroad.
But don't take me wrong-just because my family didn't go to a Korean church doesn't mean that they weren't regular church-goers. My parents have been taking me to church with them every single Sunday (sometimes Wednesdays or Fridays as well) of my life, even before I as born.
I come from a fourth generation of a Christian family. I think even my dog is a Protestant. Yes, I am a PK but I don't think that's what made me become a Christian.
I am a Christian. I believe the Bible as the living Word of God. I think that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirits exists and are alive, fully at work in my life, and I like Him a lot. God creating the universe, Adam and Eve, and a Korean girl named MinJi Kim is the truth to me. Jesus having died on the cross for all of my sins even though He's the Son of God and resurrecting to be in Heaven right now to come back down to earth one day is the best news I've ever heard in my short life so far, and the focus of what I've been trying to live my life everyday by since when I was eight, when I was reborn as a Christian.
I have a long way to go, as every Christian has, and am learning more and more about God, life and myself every day. Currently I am questioning whether I should believe in predestination, free will, or both. I am also questioning what it means to be a naturalist or a fundamentalist, and am trying to figure out where I am on the spectrum.
Now to finally answer the question-how my culture of Korean/American/Canadian informed my religious world view and which factors of it had an impact, I say it didn't have much of an impact.
The culture that did teach me about what I now know to be true and helped me to grow as a Christian is the culture of my family. It's kind of tricky for me to answer the question because my 'native culture' is national, while the culture that has to do with my religion is domestic.
I met Jesus like I met my mom and my dad. I don't remember the first time I met them, and I don't know who introduced (?) me to them. But my parents are the ones who introduced me to sunday school teachers who taught me about the truths and secrets revealed in the Bible and the cool Bible figures. My mother taught me the Lord's Prayer, and helped me to memorize it as the first thing I ever memorized in my life. I grew up with my father praying for my family and over the food before every meal.
My parents being sincere people of God: people who never smoke, get drunk, or abuse me in any way like some other parents do but always love me and sometimes discipline me, people who bring strange poor old women home to stay over night, always thank God for every good and bad thing that happened, showed me through their words and life what being a Christian means. Living with two Christians under the same roof as my mentors, friends and parents had a profound impact on my religious world view which will last eternally.
But even when my parents will pass away oneday, or when they're not near me to live with me, I am still firm in my beliefs.
To fully answer a question asking my religious world view, all the time in the world wouldn't be sufficient, but this was a general glimpse of it, and I hope you enjoyed your first reading on da MinJinator's blog. leave a comment! thanks*^^
2 comments:
Minji,
I look forward to your future posts and your participation in class discussions.
Minji reading your post is encouraging, as I see how convicted you are in your faith. It is a radicle concept for a young person to be so clear about who he / she believes in and why. I too, see so much of myself in you... grow in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ and He will sustain you. Continue to be bold and courageous... share your thoughts and experience with others in class, as you have a unique perspective.
"Fight the good fight for the faith. Keep holding on to eternal life, to which you were called and about which you gave a good testimony in front of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12. Mrs.Mc.
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