무궁화 서비스에서 퍼옵니다. > To: BPF-INEB List > From: tedesco@nextel.net (Frank Tedesco) > Subject: 3rd Arson Attack on Hwagyesa!! Seoul International Zen Center at Hwagyesa Set Aflame!!! Korean Police Fail To Avert Attack in Broad Daylight!!! National News Media Spreads Disinformation!!! Regret to pass on news that Hwagyesa, home of the International Zen Center of Master Seung Sahn was attacked by an arsonist for the third time Tuesday afternoon May 14 around at 1 pm while the police guard was away eating lunch. The main dharma hall sustained great fire and smoke damage to the wooden altar, statues and paintings as well as the ornate ceiling. This was a new building which just opened last year. No one was hurt. damage is estimated in the tens of thousands or more.Police are scouring the surrounding mountainside and the resident monks are planning an all night vigil. Tonight a national commercial TV station (MBC) covered the incident and the other arson attacks on temples in the vicinity in the last three weeks. We are shocked to report that the station groundlessly attributed the attacks to revenge or internal Chogye Order dissension.There is not an iota of evidence or even rumor to support such a contention. This remark totally deflects the public eye from the real issue of Christian fanaticism. Very recently another temple was desecrated by a Christian minister who rampaged against the statues and paintings on the temple altar swinging a microphone like a bolo around his head. He said he would go directly to Heaven for attacking the devils or some such thing. He was caught and immediately released by police as a mental patient without any sort of confinement, penalty or surveillance, let alone counselling or therapy. One Buddhist leader claims that President Kim Young Sam himself is directly to blame for creating a tense inter-religious atmosphere in South Korea by blatantly displaying bias for his own Protestant (Presbyterian) persuasion of Christianity and callousness toward Catholics and Buddhists when visiting a military installation recently. Such behavior in a national leader may be a license for atrocities by extremists and fringe elements in a hierarchical society like Korea. The local police (the "Keystone Kops of Kangbuk-ku") have raised the reward money to W1,000,0000(over $12,000)for tips leading to the arrest of the arsonist. A drawing of the suspect, his motor bike model, picture of a backpack and shirt are now posted on telephone poles in the Hwagyesa neighborhood. We hope that the Korean Christian community will strongly decry the acts of arson against any religion on Korean soil or anywhere else where Koreans reside. If there cannot be religious solidarity,harmony and mutual respect in the south, what hope is there for peaceful reunification in the near future? Frank Tedesco Suyudong, Seoul ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ** 베낌 끝 --,--`-<@ 매일 그대와 아침햇살 받으며 매일 그대와 눈을 뜨고파.. 잠이 들고파.. Till the rivers flow up stream | Love is real \|||/ @@@ Till lovers cease to dream | Love is touch @|~j~|@ @^j^@ Till then, I'm yours, be mine | Love is free | ~ | @@ ~ @@