Kim Jong-Il is Dead

PDN

Kim-Jong Il, the North Korean dictator has died. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1219/korea.html

It might seem strange posting on a Christianity Forum about the death of a prominent atheist, but this could have huge ramifications for the small numbers of Christians in North Korea, who are estimated to be suffering more severe persecution for their faith than possibly anywhere else on earth.

This highly unstable country could change for the better, or on the other hand the system could just continue with business as usual under his son. It could even escalate in paranoia and madness.

Christians believe that prayer changes things, so I would encourage all Christians who frequent this board, whatever your denominational affiliation, to pray for the Christians (and indeed the rest of the population) of North Korea.

Benny_Cake

PDN wrote: »

Kim-Jong Il, the North Korean dictator has died. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1219/korea.html

It might seem strange posting on a Christianity Forum about the death of a prominent atheist, but this could have huge ramifications for the small numbers of Christians in North Korea, who are estimated to be suffering more severe persecution for their faith than possibly anywhere else on earth.

This highly unstable country could change for the better, or on the other hand the system could just continue with business as usual under his son. It could even escalate in paranoia and madness.

Christians believe that prayer changes things, so I would encourage all Christians who frequent this board, whatever your denominational affiliation, to pray for the Christians (and indeed the rest of the population) of North Korea.

Indeed, hopefully things will change for the better there soon. If anyone is interested in how bad life in North Korea is, "Nothing to Envy" by Barbara Derick is a great read.

I can't get over the irony that Kim and Vaclav Havel died on the same weekend, two lives, one dedicated to power and the other to truth and justice.

fedor.2.

PDN wrote: »

Kim-Jong Il, the North Korean dictator has died. http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1219/korea.html

It might seem strange posting on a Christianity Forum about the death of a prominent atheist, but this could have huge ramifications for the small numbers of Christians in North Korea, who are estimated to be suffering more severe persecution for their faith than possibly anywhere else on earth.

This highly unstable country could change for the better, or on the other hand the system could just continue with business as usual under his son. It could even escalate in paranoia and madness.

Christians believe that prayer changes things, so I would encourage all Christians who frequent this board, whatever your denominational affiliation, to pray for the Christians (and indeed the rest of the population) of North Korea.

Wow,atheist, you sure about that? You knew him well i take it .http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/tomchiversscience/100125016/kim-jong-il-was-a-lefty-atheist-in-the-same-way-that-hitler-was-a-conservative-catholic/. Ill just leave this link here, its one of many sources that counter what you allege.

nickcave

PDN wrote: »

prominent atheist

I've also posted about this over in the "Atheism/Existence of God Debate" thread - I don't want to start that debate here...

And on the death of this notorious psychopath, can I say that I hope this is a step towards secular democracy for the people of North Korea - they've suffered for far too long already under the despotic Kim regimes.

Fanny Cradock

Whether he didn't believe in God, lacked the belief in God or thought his Pops was looking down on him is largely beside the point of this thread. Kim Jong-Il is dead and his son success him. Today North Korea test launched a missile. A worrying statement of intent if ever their was one.

prinz

fedor.2. wrote: »

Wow,atheist, you sure about that? You knew him well i take it.

Expendiency. It suited the Kims to create the "Juche ideology". Juche does not impact on atheism, North Korea of course being officially atheist while at the same time claiming 19 million+ Juche 'adherents'.

Fanny Cradock

BTW, that article does not mention his personal religious beliefs at all.

prinz

prinz wrote: »

Expendiency. It suited the Kims to create* the "Juche ideology". Juche does not impact on atheism, North Korea of course being officially atheist while at the same time claiming 19 million+ Juche 'adherents'.

Edit:*should have said to encourage the creation and development of.. what other people tacked on is a different matter entirely. If I set up the Church of Dawkins tomorrow, and believe him to be a reincarnation of my childhood dog born under a wandering star, does that mean Dawkins himself is no longer atheist?

MrPudding

PDN wrote: »

K
It might seem strange posting on a Christianity Forum about the death of a prominent atheist, but this could have huge ramifications for the small numbers of Christians in North Korea, who are estimated to be suffering more severe persecution for their faith than possibly anywhere else on earth.

What? Even more persecuted than the poor christians in Ireland and the UK?

On a more serious note, I genuinely hope this will have a positive effect on their lives. it is sometimes interesting to reflect on what persecution really is.

MrP

PDN

nickcave wrote: »

I've also posted about this over in the "Atheism/Existence of God Debate" thread - I don't want to start that debate here...

And on the death of this notorious psychopath, can I say that I hope this is a step towards secular democracy for the people of North Korea - they've suffered for far too long already under the despotic Kim regimes.

'Atheist' and 'notorious pyschopath' are not mutually exclusive terms - so maybe you should stop being so precious? I was simply pointing out that the thread was in connection with the Christians in North Korea rather than anything to do with Kim Jong Il's atheism (so, for example, we didn't run a thread last week when another prominent atheist died).

Still, we can always trust a small minority of posters to hijack a thread about North Korea and the Persecuted Church and try to make it all about them.

ISAW

Deleted for being unnecessarily provocative and insensitive.

Please Read the OP again and reflect on the point of this his thread.

PDN

Da Shins Kelly

I'm not sure he was atheist in the real sense. The reason there is no religion in North Korea or in most dictatorships is because these dictators turn themselves into the Gods. Get rid of the normal God and make the people worship the dictator - it's been happening for decades. It's not really atheism.

PDN

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I'm not sure he was atheist in the real sense. The reason there is no religion in North Korea or in most dictatorships is because these dictators turn themselves into the Gods. Get rid of the normal God and make the people worship the dictator - it's been happening for decades. It's not really atheism.

And there we were being told for years that atheism is nothing more than an absence of belief in God.

Since people would rather hijack this thread to pursue their agendas, I'll lock it and ask the Christians who read it to take time to pray for the persecuted Christians in North Korea.