[Reporter’s Notebook] Why Did a Buddhist Monk Hold a Solo Protest Calling for Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee’s Release on Bail Outside the Courthouse?
In 2019, I happened upon a massive graduation ceremony for 100,000 course participants, which prompted me to take a closer look at Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Since that day, I have consistently followed and documented Shincheonji’s activities, both large and small, while maintaining some distance.
While some may view Shincheonji through the lens of prejudice, I have spent these years striving to document what I witnessed as it was, from an observer’s perspective.
Today, while scrolling through the news as usual, an article caught my eye.
It reported that a Buddhist monk was holding a solo protest with a picket sign in front of the Seoul Central District Court.
The monk was Venerable Ji-gwang, the Supreme Patriarch of the Munsu Order of Korean Buddhism.
The sign he held called for the release on bail of Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee, who is being held in custody despite his advanced age of 95.
As I read carefully through the article, I felt increasingly conflicted.
My intention in this post is not to defend or shield Shincheonji unconditionally.
Still, as an outside observer who read the article, I find that the investigation being conducted while he is in custody, and the way it has proceeded, leave me disappointed and uneasy in several respects.
This is because it raises fundamental questions for me: Is the law truly being enforced fairly, and are an individual’s basic rights being properly respected?
In an interview with the press, Venerable Ji-gwang candidly explained why he was holding the protest.
He said it was wrong to treat someone as though they had committed a serious crime when their guilt had not yet been conclusively established.
He stressed that, at the advanced age of 95, Chairman Lee’s health requires daily attention and that he should be released on bail promptly to receive proper medical care, rather than remain in detention with stopgap treatment that aggravates his illness.
At this point, the monk’s message went beyond the concern expressed by a single religious leader.
Across religious boundaries, many people of other faiths are also expressing similar concern and sadness over the investigation and detention.
If the world is to become peaceful, political power must not be used to oppress or pressure any particular religion.
Law and principles must always be applied justly and equitably to everyone.
The simple truth that no one should suffer injustice or be subjected to a biased ruling in the name of the law struck me anew.
The monk said that throughout his protest, he recited the Cheonsugyeong and prayed for all conflicts to be resolved properly.
Perhaps the Buddhist teaching that we should seek to understand one another’s pain and move toward reconciliation, rather than being quick to hate or criticize others, is precisely the message our society needs right now.
When we judge matters by legal standards, it is easy to be swayed by emotion or see only one side of the story.
Yet when it comes to human life and human rights, there should be no discrimination for any reason.
I believe many people following this case may have similar concerns.
I sincerely hope that the court will consider both sides’ positions fairly, without prejudice or bias, and reach a just decision in this case.
As a journalist who has followed Shincheonji’s activities with affection, I quietly bring my hands together in prayer, hoping for a ruling grounded in common sense and justice so that no one suffers injustice.
:: References ::
Comments
Post a Comment