North Korea is worst place for Christian persecution, group says

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

F

or the 16th year in a row, North Korea tops the list of 50 countries ranked for the worst persecution of Christians in the world, according to the Christian watchdog organization Open Doors USA.

To read more:

http://religionnews.com/2018/01/10/north-korea-is-worst-place-for-christian-persecution-group-says/

As to North Korea:

Irreligion in North Korea is difficult to measure in the country as the country is officially designated as atheist. The North Korean state persecutes those who stray from the official state sponsored atheism and the Juche idea. North Koreans, by Western definitions, would be considered non-religious but Buddhist and Confucian traditions still play a part in North Korean life

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_North_Korea

In spite of the fact that N. Korea is officially atheist, I do not blame the concept of atheism as being responsible for the intolerance for religion, I blame the government of N. Korea.

[msongs]

1. america is awash in christian persecution - christians persecuting left and right and everywhere nt

[guillaumeb]

2. Persecution is a growth industry everywhere.

At least N. Korea ranks #1 in something.

[MineralMan]

3. North Korea is a thoroughly noxious country, with a

thoroughly noxious leader. Persecution for many things is a hallmark of petty despots. So, there's no surprise that Christians are persecuted there. However many Christians still exist in that country, they're probably keeping their heads down, I imagine.

Religions are persecuted everywhere by the dominant religion of the area. That's a shame. It should not happen.

[guillaumeb]

4. Intolerance is universal.

Only the type and the specific target of the intolerance varies.

[MineralMan]

5. So it appears to be.

It is expected by thoughtful people who stray from the normative views of a society.

[yallerdawg]

6. This belies the misinformation we keep getting...

that religion is the foundation of man's evilness and Atheism is the way to peace and tolerance?

You mean to tell me even in atheistic nations people still behave badly?

[MineralMan]

9. People behave badly everywhere.

Religion has little to do with that, frankly. It's people being people.

[Irish_Dem]

10. Religion/non-religion are just ways to justify man's violence towards each other.

Humans are violent and rally around made up concepts to justify that violence.

[guillaumeb]

11. And it counters what some would frame.

Any statement such as "religion is the root of all evil...etc" is so simplistic as to not merit a response.

We both know that people are the cause of intolerance. So if we could eliminate the people we would eliminate intolerance.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

14. Two things

1. As you have defined religion in other threads (to basically be anything), then you would have a hard time disproving that &quot guillaumeb's definition of) religion is the root of all evil."

2. Do you have a link for someone saying that in Religion? Or are you just talking about a hypothetical that doesn't exist?

[guillaumeb]

17. To #2:

5. Religion

Is pretty much the root of all evil. Every one has been used to control people. Nothing has changed since the first despot decided a fable of some kind would serve their purpose. I am a recovering evangelical. The damage and intrigue I've seen done has lead me to that opinion.I won't go on. If I should ever see evidence of a "higher power" I could reconsider. Faith is faith not proof.

[Lordquinton]

19. #2 "Do you have a link"

Saying no would save a lot of typing.

[guillaumeb]

24. Still looking.

I deleted the poster's name but I will look again. It was a very recent post.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

25. Odd

When I put a chunk of the text you posted into the Google search bar at the top and click "Search" while the parameters are to "Site search" it tells me there is no match. Wonder what that means.

[guillaumeb]

27. It means you could not find it.

Unless you are accusing me of fabricating the link.

[Lordquinton]

28. Impossible

There is no link.

That word has a specific meaning... Do we need to define terms so you don't get confused?

[guillaumeb]

30. I excerpted from another post.

And withheld the name of the poster. In future, I will provide a direct link.

[guillaumeb]

35. Better late than never:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1218267025

[guillaumeb]

34. Better late than never:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1218267025

[PragmaticDem]

7. Well all our Christians who go through their persecution complex should remember

that there are real Christians who do get persecuted.

[MineralMan]

8. There are real adherents of all religions who get persecuted.

Some of them by Christians. Religion is an excuse for intolerance in many places, even in the United States.

[Lordquinton]

12. "Buddhist and Confucian traditions still play a part in North Korean life"

So still religious, just without a god. Monotheists often forget there are other ways to worship, and I'm surprised you haven't covered this with your "civil religion" idea, or pointed out they revere their leaders like gods.

But whatever it takes to score points against atheists.

[guillaumeb]

15. Scoring points against atheists?

If so, my final sentence was a poor way to do what you accuse me of doing. I said:

In spite of the fact that N. Korea is officially atheist, I do not blame the concept of atheism as being responsible for the intolerance for religion, I blame the government of N. Korea.

[Lordquinton]

18. The whole thing was a poor way to score points against atheists

That was literally what I posted.

[guillaumeb]

26. Rebutted by what I actually said.

But feel free to interpret as you need to.

[Lordquinton]

29. Unsatisfactorly so

Just because you say some placating little thing doesn't make it true. It's like someone saying "I have a Jewish lawyer" that statement is meaningless and a non-sequitor, it's what preceded it that matters. And the fact that your quote undermined it all together.

[guillaumeb]

31. Right.

[trotsky]

22. It is patently clear to all what you are doing, gil.

Your disingenuousness is obvious.

[Lordquinton]

32. Really not very good at it

Like playing chess with a pigeon.

[Act_of_Reparation]

13. Juche.

Google is your friend. Use it.

[guillaumeb]

16. Read the article.

Rebut the article.

[Act_of_Reparation]

20. No.

I'm reading and rebutting you.

[trotsky]

21. It destroys his preferred narrative.

So he will ignore it.

[AtheistCrusader]

23. How grand for you. How Generous, not to blame atheism.

meanwhile, anyone with a couple brain cells to rub together realizes that regardless of whether the nation of North Korea proclaims itself as 'Atheist', they do not operate as such. NK literally deifies Kim Jong-Il. The state itself proclaims the man did not defecate, was the worlds greatest golfer (38 under par on his first game ever), and that he could control the weather.

Peddle this shit somewhere else, some of us are paying attention to what is actually happening in the world.

It's rinse and repeat of the Soviet Union, deifying the party leader, and the Party became state religion. That's not atheism. It's copying religion's homework and turning it in as your own.

[trotsky]

33. "It's copying religion's homework and turning it in as your own."

I have never heard it put so well. LOL!

[Major Nikon]

36. It's moronic to blame atheism for anything other than a disbelief in gods

There's no doctrine or dogma that goes with atheism. There's no sacred text that can be literally or metaphorically interpreted to justify anything. There's no atheistic holy men who tell you how to live your life, who to hate, and how much of your income you need to tie to the cause. The attempt to blame or give credit to atheism for any particular atheists' deeds is nothing more than a false equivalency and proof that those who need a bogeyman to disparage people or an idea they hate will certainly find one.