Korean churches pose as unethical religious goon

By Ko Dong-hwan

Bang In-seong

A Korean pastor reviled Korean churches targeting on their habit of hereditary ascendancy.

Bang In-seong, chief activist from the Anti Church Hereditary Ascendancy Movement Group established in Nov. 2012, held a press conference on July 3 and disclosed a list of 61 churches confirmed of sticking to hereditary ascendancy and 22 churches with suspicion of such practice.

Bang said, “Despite the ideal image of churches in which they settle in communities and build bonds with neighboring community members, they are becoming more secluded from the outside.”

Although with only 120 years of history in Korea, Christianity gained rapid boost in its number of registered members and social authority as many renowned politicians, entrepreneurs and educators became part of the religion.

Along with the growth came wealth and power, which gradually became more important matters ahead of their original goal of propagating religious virtues.

For reigning pastors of churches, to amass and maintain them was required hereditary ascendancy. The stealth power transition goes on mostly among big churches with abundant human/capital resources.

Bang describes the authority of pastors in charge as “unfathomable.” He adds reasons that they are given direct control over entire church management, including financial, administrative and personnel affairs.

“Smart folks become dumb at churches because they are instilled with the shamanistic precept of “misfits of the community are punished and contributors to the community are rewarded.”

Bang also said that pastors eventually lead them to becoming ‘well-bred’ members of their churches, not the “salt and light” of our secular lives.