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The Success of Jews
What can be one of the answers to the success of Jews in today's society? Perhaps a different outlook on the world may
explain. Unlike Christians who view this world as a stepping stone towards ascending into heaven, Jews are intently focused in succeeding in the present world. The Torah, the religious text of the Jews, does not concern itself with afterlife. The entire concept of the soul and body come later in the New Testament with the teachings of Paul, who adopts much of the Greek philosophy into Christianity. The Torah can simply be a guide to living life on earth and believing that rewards are found on earth as well.
Jews and money are associated in almost every case. In general American view, Jews are rich, they love money, and they handle most of our money. The fact is, many Jews are rich and many banks are controlled by Jews. Jews have been involved with money since the early days of currency. As merchants and primitive loan-sharks, Jews had the loot. Having control of material possessions and living a life involved in property gave rise to anti-Semetic feelings from outsiders. Little did they know that the world today would be based on what the Jews thrived on back then.
Promotion of each other has also been an advantage to Jews. Instead of competing against each other, Jews have tried to combine or cooperate in order to help each other succeed. They are powerful in number and represent perhaps the most influential group in the United States. It's no wonder that polticians often cater to Jewish business and entertainment leaders.
The Jews put emphasis on their religion, but most do not obsess over it. There are splits in the group between the orthodox and reform camps, but Jews usually take on the conquer-the-world mentality which makes them great. American is still a nation that conjures up the image of the Anglo-Saxon, Protestant citizen. This stereotype is partly true because most political leaders are of the WASP category; however, the world has evolved into a place controlled by banks and media, domains controlled by Jews. From this, we can just about imagine the magnitude of success by Jews and ask ourselves - who really runs this nation?
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The last two decades of the century has seen the Korean-American population in the United States steadily rise and come together to form a profound minority community. Korean first-generation immigrants or second-generation American citizens have carved well-knit communities in major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Suburbs and smaller cities with an ample Korean population have also developed Korean ties in the community. The major force behind the bonding of Korean-American population has been the Korean church. There is no doubt that Christian churches have become the meeting place and main function of the Korean-American community. It is also in many of these churches where social progress for Korean-Americans have been hindered and damaged. The problem with the Korean-American situation of today is its entanglement with the most conservative and fundamentalist aspects of Christianity.
The hundred-year mark is approaching in Korea, the hundred-year mark for the inception of Christianity into the country that is. The last decade has seen the gigantic churches of Korea fall due to corruption by its leaders and the lack of interest among the population. Even the IMF, which hit the Korean economy with many woes, failed to produce any Koreans from repenting at their churches. The increasingly common sight of ministry leaders driving in expensive cars and living in large homes has many Koreans disgusted at the religion that teaches minimal concern for material goods. Money has become a priority for reverends and pastors in Korea, who cater to the rich and neglect the poor. There are exceptions to this notion, but such leaders have little influence and are only apt to keep a small congregation. Christianity in Korea has evolved into a business while maintaining the same Middle Age mentality that condemns secularity and preaches salvation. Decadence has already begun and it is only a matter of time before the entire system is either reformed or eliminated.
The story of Christianity among Korean-Americans is quite different from that of Korea. The reason is that Korean-Americans inhabit a nation full of other ethnic groups. The church serves as a community center for Koreans to meet each other once and week, an attractive place for those who work five or six days in dry cleaners and groceries located in non-Korean regions. Many Koreans who attend church have little concern for their own convictions in religion. Whatever is said at the pulpit by the reverend is inculcated in their minds and instantly becomes law. Cunning ministers, who number perhaps the majority, use their Pentecostal methods of preaching and tie in messages that encourage heavier offerings. Once a way to let clergy break even with their expenses and provide relief to the poor, offerings have become the staple salary, requiring the reverend to pay close attention to those that give the most. With deep involvement in the church, many Korean-Americans lose sight of intellectual activity and abandon many quality books for the Bible. The fundamentalist teachings of many Korean-American churches have severely limited the ability of the community to transcend its role in American society. The children of Korean-American parents are affected as well as they are taught early to regard secular ideas as evil and only seek guidance from the Holy Spirit. Ignorance is the result and no matter what schools the kids attend, perhaps even an Ivy school, faith replaces reason as well as judgment.
Divisions among Korean-American Christians also present a problem. Numerous churches fight for a larger congregation and make it a crusade to let their influence grow. Like companies competing each other for a larger market share, the churches compete fiercely for a weekly subscriber to their services. Disdain and even hate spring from opposing churches, which are not only hypocritical to the teachings of the Bible, but also detrimental to the growth of a well-bonded Korean community.
One minority group the Korean-Americans should try to emulate and follow is the Jewish community. Thirty years ago, a movement began among the Jews, which secularized their community. Not bound anymore to orthodox restrictions, the Jews quickly proliferated by creating powerful community institutions called the JCC (Jews Community Center). JCCs preserved the Hebrew heritage by teaching the language and tradition to its youth and also served as the meeting place for Jews. The members of the tightly knit Jewish communities began to help each other by promoting each other's businesses or helping to establish new ones. The power of the secular bond allowed Jewish influence in American society to grow and gave them the control of banks, media, and other powerful outlets. Many Jews still attend the Synagogue for religious reasons, but they find group activity and movements at the JCC.
Hope for liberation from the dogmas of church lay in the youth. Unlike their store-tied parents, they have the opportunity to receive quality education and gain a job in which free time is available for pondering the advancement of the Korean-American community. However, for any kind of movement to take place, Korean-Americans must realize that secularity and holiness should not fit in the same dualist realms of evil and good. Once Korean-Americans are willing to explore philosophy and alternative principles as essential steps towards progress instead of heretical practices, then new ideas will begin to flourish and a historical movement will take place. Churches do not have to become extinct as a result of a secular movement, but the community responsibilities will be removed and put into the hands of rational leadership, where the focus will be the success of the entire group and not the profits from the gathering.
Secular Korean-American communities such as political action committees and Korean-focus activist groups do exist, but their members number only a fraction of the Christian group. Even worse, the existing secular groups compete with each other and further weaken efforts to establish an effective system. A unified approach and a broader principle that can bind Korean-Americans together will be the answer to today's situation. Such a feat will take time to occur and a tremendous vision to support it.
The Korean-American population in America has found its niche in store businesses and numerous churches, but if the first-generation Korean immigrants came here for solely those reasons, staying put in Korea would have served them better. The Korean-American youth must know that their parents or grandparents came here to lay roots for later generations. Though the past generations may not have dreamt any more than a good education and a secure job for their offspring, refusing to take the opportunity to revolutionize and enhance the Korean-American dream shows disrespect for all the hard work the previous generations have done. A foundation, no matter how uncertain and shaky, has been set in the Korean-American society, and it is only a matter of will and group strength for anything to be built upon it.
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