All major news outlets are reporting that North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il has died.
And most of the world will say good riddance. Kim Jong Il maintained concentration camps to rival Hitler's. He was a sworn enemy of the United States, referring to us as "American Bastards" and warmongers while our leaders placed North Korea on the "axis of evil." Name calling is the only foreign policy we have with North Korea, unless you count sabre rattling and finger pointing.
And misappropriated food aid.
Kim Jong Il gladly glutted on gourmet food and Hollywood movies while the People scraped and starved.
But do not think for a minute that there is dancing in the streets in North Korea. This is the only leadership most North Koreans have ever known. And in a confucian culture which values elders, leaders, and parents, Kim Jong Il was, like his father, all of the above. Loyal North Koreans have lost a member of their family.
Never outside Korea has a communist regime passed successfully from father to son. North Korea is entering on a very unstable and unpredictable venture. Kim's son Kim Jong Un may prove to be a good leader or a poor one, but don't think the days ahead will be easy for the people either way.
In a nation where inflation is rampant,
food is scarce,
perceived loyalty is everything,
neighbors spy on neighbors,
Christians are persecuted,
fear breeds accusation,
outside information is limited,
inside information is controlled,
and winter cold is bitter and at hand...
these people, who choose neither their government nor its policies, need our prayers.
Christ have mercy.
Very clear, concise, and, I believe, all accurate.
ReplyDeleteLord, have mercy.
A good reminder about all our dealing with those we perceive as enemies.
ReplyDeleteLord have mercy indeed.
Does anyone know anything about his son that might give us cause for hope for the poor people there?
What I know of Kim Jong Un is not really encouraging. He is young, and possibly open to some new ideas. He studied in Europe under an assumed name for a while. But mostly it seems that he is the most loyal of a family of spoiled children. He is prone to violent outbursts of temper and was favored for being the son most like his father. He likes global delicacies, as did his father, and is a fan of American basketball. He's overweight, in a starving nation, so that he may have had some photoshop slimming down in some NK propaganda photos. He may also have had minor surgery to more closely resemble the appearance of Kim Il Sung, the founder.
ReplyDeleteAnd he may or may not be able to hold on to power.
Pray for him, should for some reason he come to know Jesus Christ, the whole nation's future will change dramatically for the better. His great-grandparents were Christians. Access to the Gospel may not be completely out of the question for him.
Can you tell I'm a long-time NK watcher?
Thanks Reverend Deacon. Not the answer I was hoping for, but I suspected you would have more a informed opinion.
ReplyDeleteI suspect prayer had more to do with the miraculously peaceful fall of the eastern Iron Curtain than we will realize in this life, That alone is encouragement to pray.
I hope you have a Merry and Blessed Christmas.