what good are prayers for people in Nth Korean gulags.....?

Question

I have no wish to malign any faith, but u know, it's just depressing.

I just saw a news item on it.

Answer 1

First, North Korean is a budding communist country which means that religion has been put aside. It was the same in China and Russia, but in China all temples and churches are now open. Do not believe the media. They distort the news to sell papers. It is true that the economy of North Korea is in shambles and they have had aid from both China and South Korea with foods, especially after the flooding, but gulags is a stretch of the imagination. Communism is manifested by dominating the people to get them on the same wave length and that is towards national unity, then slowly releasing the pressures and allowing joint ventures and foreign investment and finally private enterprize. Mao Tse Tung was a very skillful person in dealing with the initial phases of communism in China, but Deng Xiao Peng brought the country back into the world economy. However Kim Il Sung was a megalomaniac and so is his son and they refuse to slacken their grip on total authority. It has taken China about 20 years to progress from rigid control to a more moderate government and North Korea is still back in the 1940s with their leadership. The people survive but obviously not comfortably but until the leadership changes or there is a war, it won't change until Kim dies or is murdered. In China (Korean culture stems from Chinese culture), we often offer a prayer to Kwan Yin (sort of like Mary, Mother of Christ). She is believed to provide help and mercy. You needn't say anything, she feels the pain of your heart. I am an American and a Buddhist...not one of the lunatic fringe with shaven pate, robes and begging at airports...I am a physician. When I pray at the temple, I light three joss sticks and kowtow three times to Kwan Yin. The joss sticks are incense and we think that the smoke carries our prayers to heaven.

Answer 2

prayers are like a crutch for helpless humans who in their eternal quest to keep their ego at its tip toppest use them to spout forth when they would like to see something done, when they feel helpless to actually physically contribute...or those that feel they can justify their own existence in moments of guilt by praying...i think prayers are more self serving than they are of actual use...im not knocking those who have genuine faith in, whatever they have faith in, but there are plenty of hypocrites who use prayers to make their own conscience feel better... that of course is just my humble opinion...;0)

Answer 3

Prayers aren't good for anybody, except to make them feel good about contributing without actually having to do anything.

It's much better to actually do something and speak your mind on issues so that the powers that be will be motivated enough to put pressure on other countries to treat their people better.

Answer 4

Hope springs eternal.
I Cr 13;8a, Love never fails!!!!!
101-8-6

Answer 5

we can always pray for people but just because we pray doesn't mean these prayers will be answered right away.