Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Angel-in-us-coffee

This is South Korea's version of Starbucks and kind of the same thing. Likely because of the philosophical differences in the U.S. you wouldn't have a coffee chain called this in the U.S. unless it was a franchise import from South Korea because the name might offend Christian sensibilities in the U.S.

However, this point of view is common in Asia from Namaste in India which means "I bow to the God or spirit within you." You could also say, "I bow to the Christ or Krishna within you" also in regard to Namaste. In Asia in all cultures humans can be Divine. So, Angel-in-us-Coffee makes sense in this context in Asia.

In South Korea mostly you are Buddhist, you are Christian or you don't believe in anything. However, even if you believe in nothing you still follow the rules of Honor which are based upon Ancient Confucionism. You honor your family. You honor your city. You honor your nation. So, whether or not you believe in Buddha or Christ you still are an honorable person within Korean Society.

This is a completely different thing in the U.S. In Korea even the concept of Atheism isn't a very useful thing. Instead it likely would be "Religion is poison" like Mao Tse Tung always said in China.

So, atheism to me is mostly about having had Christianity rammed down your throat in a way that makes you hate it. And this is mostly a reaction to Protestant Christianity that is more violent about how children are forced to believe in God and Jesus "or they are going to Hell" which puts many into mental institutions or makes them atheists.

So, my point of view is that fundamentalism kills people in all religions: Christian, Muslim, or whatever religion it is.

So, in the end "Angel-in-us-Coffee" is wonderful because it reminds me a lot of Namaste which is how I like to see everyone. I like to see God in everyone. And so I do. And myself too.

In Korea only Americans from places like California would define themselves as "Spiritual but not religious" like I might define myself too. But, verbally Koreans don't think like that at all.

They might privately, but they would never tell you that verbally, at least yet in their culture.

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