.

i propose SoKor and the Philippines compete for this title

I think Koreans might win this battle.. lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkmu6EJlTE

Your move! =P

So , does that mean SK will stray from taoists or confucian?

You know what is funny , some christians thought the I-Ching is satanic.

ok, it's going to be hard beating you in your vibrant style of worship

but we're a step closer to having a Holy Head of State

why, is i-ching considered witchcraft by anyone

Pretty pathetic.

U guys can take the position...I would rather that Philippines goes back to its native roots and return to ISLAM....

Who told you Phillipines root religion is Islam?

Check Saudi Arabia.

For the topic:

I am worried with the massive Christianization of South Korea. And the thing is that they dont seem to follow a proper religion such as Catholicism (which doesnt preach destruction of Buddhist sites, doomsday theories, prosperity money culture, and etc)

Christianity is very well organized and it's easy to invite people to attend one of those concerts, similar to Anthony Robbins motivational seminar, will make you feel good and happy.

So I think they will grow and grow, and grow somemore.

Southern Luzon and Central and Southern Philippines native religion is Islam...it used to be hindic before Islam though...Islam has been in the Philippine islands for almost a 1000 years...christianity has only been there for 300 years
Im talking about mainstream filipinos....


what was Korea's original religion??? buddhism??

Obviously their native root religion is most probably some sort of animism / dynamism / ancestral worship / paganism, and etc.

Islam is a foreign importation. Just like Hinduism and Catholicism.

No...only hill tribe people r animist/paganisitc

Islam and Hinduism was brought over when we settled in the Philippine Island from Mainland SEAsia and Indonesia...since Philippines was part of the Mahjapit Empire and the Srivaijya Empire as well

I hope to God this won't happen. But then again, South Korea has long way to go if it wants most of population christianized. Almost 50% of korean population has no religion beliefs.

Becoming a central hub for religion is never a good thing.

though having no religion sometimes turns a man into a cold and empty shell

So says the religious people. The one thing I hate those die-hard christians/muslims zealots is that they tend to be very ignorant about realism.

Not to mention, those religious zealots are danger to certain society.

Having a religion generally is not a problem as long as you keep a cool head.
It creeps me out when I go to church and people start crying and babbling gibberish.

huh????

According to the latest census of 2005, 50.7% of Koreans participate in religious activities, which is a 10.5% increase from 1995. More specifically,

Buddhism has the most adherents of 10.7 million, which is 23.2% of Korea's total population. This is an increase of 3.9% from 1995.

Protestantism has 8.6 million adherents, which is 18.3% of Korea's total population and a 1.6% decrease from 1995.

Catholicism has 5.1 million adherents, which is 10.9% of Korea's total population and a stunning 74.4% increase from 1995.

Won Buddhism has 130 thousand adherents, which is 0.3% of Korea's total population and a 49.6% increase from 1995.

Confucianism has 105 thousand adherents, which is 0.2% of Korea's total population and a 50.4% decrease from 1995.

As for others, there are 247 thousand adherents, which is 0.5% of Korea's total population and a 7.7% decrease from 1995.



As a Buddhist, I don't mind the rapid rise of Catholicism since it gets along with other religions, Buddhism in particular.

^ So Protestant Christianity is decreased.

Buddhism is still very much live in Korea, Korea is home of only survived full Buddhist canon collection that dating back to 1000 years. Not only this, Korea was one of the Buddhist cultural center.

Also, Korea is religious free country they don't persecute people base on religion.



Shamanism.

so that was ur religion before China influenced u guys???

Mine? I wasn't even born at that time.
Anyway, Korea's religion was Korean Shamanism before other religions entered Korea.

Korean shamanism dates far back even before first contacting a chinese state.

shamanism...sounds very native amercanish

Salamat, you seems to be a dolt. =p

Anyhow, I wish Buddhism would increase more...

What??? Im just naive...thats all

KOREAN SHAMANISM

Dance of greeting gods and ghosts who died at the sea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d-FPbRD3f0

Korean Shaman Ritual Near Seoul <= spirit possession
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7z_d9V6hS8

Ancestor or wild spirit possession. The spirit of an ancestor or stranger possessed the shaman, who is the communicator between the spirit world and human world. In order for spirits to communicate to the human world, they usually possessed the shaman. Anyways, in the video, it seem that the spirit is refusing the amount of the money given from the one who initiated the ritual. The spirit will refused until given the right amount and gifts. Chicken is often sacrificed to send the message. The chicken is a very sacred bird. I am not Korean, but I can sort of interpret what they're doing since this seems similar in the Hmong shamanism rituals.

Shaman ritual at South Korean burned south gate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fyRS8RZhJ4

Again, the destruction of an ancient ancestral building can result in misfortunes. (superstitious) A shaman is called to perform ritual where he or she must appease the ancestors about the arrogance and ignorance of the living, who had burned down the ancient building. Animals, such as the pig is sacrificed to the ancestors or spirits that guard the ancient building.

That's all I can interpret, although I may be wrong.

^ Thanks for sharing info here.

Ancient Koreans also used Dolmen, Menhirs and Jangseung as religious offering places.


Modern Korean Shamanism have been influenced by Taoism, Confucianism & Buddhism.
Some cases even Christianity have influenced Korean Shamans.

Anyway, Korean shamans are now part of Korean culture.

Yes,

would it be that Dolmen are ancient altars, erected to worship/venerate the spirits of those regions? like a shrine.

I was born and raised into a very shamanistic family. After my parents divorced 4 yrs ago, my mother became a Christian and the ancient customs are no longer practice. It's very complicated.

I didn't know budishm is increasing in korea, thx for sharing, i'm buddhist also, christianity is becoming very unpopular even in europe, less people attending church than a decade ago my friend told me the church over there almost empty

According to Korean source, they were used for worship and performed offerings at alters.




I think Islam is also growing in Asia and Europe.

no. because buddhisim originated in north india. most of asia were animists, or shamanism.

Buddhism originated from Nepal.

its true...look at Japan.....a country with mostly aethist....porn is rampant, conservativism is in a downslide with the younger generation having almost no morals...discrimination is rampant

religion helps keep order in society

No. Look at muslim countries, look at most of americans who harass and abuse atheists or people who doesn't want to believe in a dominant religion.

At least, most of japanese tends to be Shinto, believing in their own religion.

Well....sort of. Nepal didn't come into existence until around the 1700's.


'Buddhism' originated in Lumbini, which was a kingdom that is located in what is now called 'Nepal', but in the past was really just another "Indian" kingdom (same as those surroudning it).

I guess the better term is that it originated in "South Asia"...

Does it? What about the crusades , spanish conquistadors , the new world and slavery? Those are all from religious dominant societies.

I am stunned! You and I are usually not too far apart on out thinking SK, but where did you ever get the idea that Catholicism gets along with any other religion other than Catholicism? The Vatican only tolerates those who acknowledge it as supreme and accepts only those who convert.

I think Prosperity Gospel is good name for the massive commercialized marketing of religion being described.

And to me it is a scarey as any other group of mindless zealots. Spirituality is one thing, mass brainwashing is quite another.
Just ask those who starve in the streets where the coffers of the churches are full from their tithing, and the ministers of these movement bask in the luxury paid for by deperate people's "prayer offerings".

Who do you mean by "u guys"?

My influences were the baptist, catholic, presbyterian, anglican and fundamentalist christians I in my family.

Its why I am a mix of Daoist and Native American shaman.

I only spoke of the situation that strictly pertains to Korea only. Despite differences in faith, Catholic priests in Korea generally get along well with Buddhist monks. Both Catholics and Buddhists faced severe repression under Confucian rule, and this contributed a lot to embracing different faiths. While the Protestants, who mostly came after the fall of Chosun Dynasty, are more resistant and exclusive, but they're increasingly opening up as well. Recently, there was even a dissertation by a leading scholar on Korean Christianity who argued that the success of Christianity in Korea was made possible by Korean Shamanism.

Catholic priest celebrating Buddha's birthday:

Shinto believe in ghosts not believe in god.

I don't give a rats @$$ what they believe in. All I'm saying is that they have their own dominant religion.

Shinto is the Japanese native belief. It's actually a form of animism with the medium (shamanic priest), performing sacred rituals.

how can they think the IChing is satanic when their national flag has Iching hexagrams on it? It means their country is satanic, lol

It's basically Japanese shamanism.

Koreans singing to Jews in Jerusalem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGdgBQgTYY0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZER-jrHz1uw

I must hand it to koreans...they r very dedicated to their religion

do u guys celebrate All Souls Day too???

What is it with asians and religion???? in no time you'll being seeing some crazed religious fanatic become president.

I propose Satanism for every Asian communism ridden country, one top priest human sacrifice per year and they would be cleanised within a decade.

Ok. Thanks for the clarification. I can see where this is a case of disparate faiths forming alliances for survival against a common threat. I was thinking on a more global scale.

what common threat?

well the structure doesn't matter, it is the heart and the attitude that count.



this is a problem, Jesus doesn't promise to make people rich, He will bless them but He also said, 'pick up your cross and follow me' meaning the christian life is not always going to be a bed of roses. it is difficult and it is not easy to maintain one's faith at times and people are NOT going to like you if you do not compromise.

everyone loves Jesus when times are good, but when they go bad, and they will, that is where we will see who will stick with Him. a true christian loves Jesus and sticks by Him no mattr what.



an interesting way to receive tithes, though there is no set standard, sometimes it is just best to keep the money aspect on the low key. giving tithes is following the commands of God and it is done voluntarily not forcefully or with pressure.



sounds like oral roberts way not God's. i would like to hear his definition of blessings.



i think it would be better if they prayed for revival, to help the poor better, for revival to sweep the north and free the imprisoned there and so much better things than being the dominate religion in korea.



it would be nice if they just gave help in the name of the Lord and didnot have ulterior motives attached. yes they should sek to save the lost but sometimes it is best not to force them into a service but let the good works take root.



if they go, they should not rely on their government to get them out of trouble but they need to rely on God and trust Him.



one does need to sacrifice their lives for Jesus but it should be done for His glory and His leading. one cannot turn to the government when things get rough but stick to looking to Jesus to see them through. heaven is the goal of the believer not earth and we do not live for this world so when one loses their life it is best they do it with Him.



i would prefer that they lived their lives in such a manner that people would see Christ in them.