Has Governing Party Whip Intervened in Religious Affairs?

It is hard to imagine that the governing party's floor leader would have meddled in a temple's operation. But if that's what the head monk of the largest Buddhist sect's richest shrine alleges by staking his lifelong priesthood, there should be clear explanations by all those involved at the least.

Rev. Myeongjin of Bongeun Temple said in his sermon Sunday that Rep. Ahn Sang-soo of the ruling Grand National Party has pressured a top leader of his Jogye Buddhist Order to replace him. The reverend then quoted the representative as saying, ``Should the monk so critical of the government be allowed to lead the temple in the affluent southern Seoul?" Coincidentally or not, the order's leadership recently put the temple under its direct management, effectively stripping Rev. Myeongjin of his title of head monk.

As expected, the GNP whip flatly denied the monk's allegation, saying he does not even know who the head monk is of the controversial shrine, which has long been the focus of property struggle owing to its location in the posh district frequented by wealthy believers.

However, there seems to be enough smoke to suspect a fire. Above all, Rev. Myeongjin has got everything to be a thorn in the flesh for the Lee Myung-bak administration.

A vocal critic of the incumbent administration among religious leaders, the monk has lashed out at what he sees as the intolerant and undemocratic behavior of the governing camp, including the ruthless crackdown on the evictees of the Yongsan redevelopment project, conveying 100 million won raised by Buddhists to the victims' bereaved families. Rep. Ahn was also quoted as criticizing the donation as directed to the ``activist groups" behind the families.

What appeared as a conflict between individuals, however, traces back to the uncomfortable relationship between the administration and the Buddhist circles as a whole, since the inauguration of President Lee, a devout Christian. For example, the government earned the ire of Buddhists by dropping all their temples and shrines from the new national geological information. The Buddhists also regard it as no coincidence that up to 40 percent of the nation's polling booths have been set up at churches the past few years. Adding fuel to fire, the police even stopped and searched the car of the executive chief of the Jogye Order in relation to the months-long candlelit vigil in 2008.

Then came Rep. Ahn, nicknamed the ``right-wing populist" even within the governing camp, as the politician blames everything bad on the leftist elements in this society. For instance, Ahn attributed the recent heinous rape-murder crime to the leftist education of the past decade; the calls for providing free school lunch to leftist populism; and even the recent series of not-guilty verdicts in politically-sensitive cases to leftist judges.

The truth on Rev. Myeongjin's allegations is still wrapped in a shroud, as the GNP whips denies all of them, except for having met Rev. Jaseung, the current executive chief of the Jogye Order. If all these prove to be true, however, Ahn has made a critical mistake by violating one of the most fundamental principles bolstering modern democracy, which strictly separates religion from politics.

So Rep. Ahn, and another GNP lawmaker, Rep. Koh Heung-gil, who accompanied Ahn, and most of all, Rev. Jaseung, should come forth to reveal exactly what they talked about during their lunch in early November. At issue is how arrogant and self-righteous a party in power can become, and at risk is the health of the nation's democracy.