By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Religious leaders announced their New Year messages on Christmas Eve, calling for people to find happiness and harmony with their neighbors.
Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk said that the way to happiness lies in being humble.
"Everyone wants to be happy. We could say that life is a journey toward happiness. But the only way to bring happiness is to forego greed and its attachments, and try to empty yourself. Happiness cannot be gained through social values, but in your heart," he said.
The most Venerable Ja Seung, head of the Jogye Order, said "We need to strive, with the aim of achieving happiness, to communicate with the larger 'we,' society and the world so that we can realize a mature culture of harmony. When we accept each other's differences and work toward public good, then tolerance will spread in society and the path of communication will open."
He added that "The world we live in is a continuum of hard life, but we can also hope and dream of happiness. We should pour our undivided minds and efforts into achieving the dream."
Choi Gun-deok, president of Sung Kyun Kwan Confucianism Institute, said: "Let' dream of a thousand year's. As it is cited in the 'Analects of Confucius,' there will be concerns nearby when we forget to think far and beyond."
Kim Dong-hwan, supreme leader of the central headquarters of Cheondogyo, said, "We need to keep in mind the lesson that 'United we live and divided we fall.' Politicians, management, unions, neighbors and the two Koreas should achieve harmony. We also need to achieve harmony with nature. 60 years ago, we suffered the pain of the 1950-1953 Korean War, but have grown into an industrialized nation. It's not the time to be overly proud or complacent, but a time to ride out the new waves coming our way."
Ven. Kyongsan, head Dharma master of Won Buddhism, said "Our morality is eroding due to fetters of materialism and a decline in civilization. There is crisis and conflict all around. We need to adhere by the three minds: the mind that empties of all and reflects of its essence; the one that has ownership of everything one does; and the one that creates blessings in whatever we do."