One of the most frequently asked questions by Chinese international students who are new in Korea is: “How can Korean people be so religious?” To those who are puzzled, the biggest surprise would be that a few Chinese people become Christians or Catholics after staying in Korea for years.
When Korean people are questioned about their religious views, they, on the other hand, are the ones who are puzzled. They think these questions are simply as silly as questioning the existence of human civilization.
As a matter of fact, religious culture has dominated society, including China, for a long time throughout human civilization. However, the reason for Chinese students’ wonderment is that the current Chinese government is not supportive of any religious activity and even forbids any member of the Communist Party from participating in religious activities.
What makes this phenomenon stranger to Chinese individuals is that it seems like highly-educated people tend to participate in religious activities more enthusiastically.
“It was really unexpected when I found out that a dean at Woosong University spends all his weekends in church,” said Huang Shen, a senior student from Railway Electrical Engineering. “A person with decent education, not to mention someone with a Ph.D, should be aware of how this world works and consequently not believe in any kind of theism.”
This kind of perspective towards religion is very common among Chinese students. They believe that theism is not supported by scientific proof and that believing in religion is not a right attitude towards life.
Wang Shen, another Chinese international student from Hotel Management is almost indignant on this issue. “Can you imagine how astonishing it is that a neuroscientist believes in God! She knows better than anyone else that there is no moral mind separate from the physical body and all the mental activities are just some delusions made by your neurons in your body.”
Scientifically, they are not wrong. Although it is a dangerous hypothesis, it is well believed in academia that almost all mental activity happens in the cortex. But does it matter, believing in something you cannot see through your whole life?
Here is how the previously-mentioned neuroscientist, Li Yan, who works at KAIST, responded. “It is ok if someone wants to embrace either of the ideas: theism or atheism. For me, I have been seeking a balance between science and religion. After all, I don’t want to admit that all our free will, nobleness and integrity are complicated delusions while what we have been doing now is totally determined 14 billion years ago. Rather, I would say human life is a gift from God and we exist because of all of the elaborate creation made by our god during an amazingly long journey from the big bang to today.”
Indeed, religion can be a wonderful part of culture to make us appreciate and enjoy our lives even more. There is no reason to degrade ourselves, is there?
(Editor’s note: Religion can be a delicate topic to discuss. The Woosong Herald welcomes comments, but expects all individuals to be respectful and courteous.)
Staff writer Ying Cheng Hao is currently a Woosong University student majoring in Railway Electrical Engineering.
