Tuesday, October 04, 2005

JOURNAL: Anyone for Tennis? Enter, a Rant...

This Saturday I went to a tennis match with some of my new Korean friends. Friday night I spent cleaning my apartment in anticipation; I was supposed to go to a party on Friday night, but, after getting soaked to the bone (umbrellas are completely useless in Korea!), decided that coming in to a nice, cozy, dry apartment sounded better...even if it did require remedial cleaning. Well, I digress...

One of my friends from church works for Wilson sports, and gets comp tickets for various important matches. I know nothing about tennis, but figured this was a good opportunity to learn. The rain had stopped in the morning, but it continued intermittently all day. This did not bode well for a tennis match. The match was postponed until the court could dry off, so we went and watched a practice doubles match. The original game rescheduled for three o'clock, so we went over there and observed some sets between Tatiana Golovin (France) and Yelena Jankovic (SCG). We left early due to a prior engagement, but when we left, the games seemed to be evenly matched. Golovin had quite a temper, and it seemed ot interfere with her game. The referee made her cry, even though he was very gentle with her (a cute British man!).

We came back to my apartment for dinner, and the girls took over. We got chicken from down the street, and I fonud out later that the young man behind the counter was absolutely basking in the extra female attention. This particular chain of restaraunts has made several of us Americans ill with food poisoning, so I was a bit leery of his cooking skills. Fortunately he knew his business well, and there were no problems. Meanwhile, back at the apartment,I was much embarassed to discover I was out of handsoap; I had just been using my shower gel until I could get to the market, and completely forgot about the fact that I had guests coming (at least I cleaned!).The girls, although confused, followed suit. I explained what had happened, and they seemed to accept it. For all I know, they now think that using shower gel for handsoap is a pecular American trait...

I am unused to newer acquaintances taking over my kitchen, washing my dishes (after the meal), and laying on my bed. I found out later that this was a very Korean thing. It makes sense, given that the women always clean up after the children and men (perhaps they are the same thing?). I did not get a chance to do much in my own apartment in the way of helping, which rather amused me. The crowding in the kitchen seems to be a culture thing. I don't think it has ever occured to any Korean woman that "Too many cooks spoil the soup." I especially observed this at the picnic.

We then proceeded to our praise and worship service, lead by the 8th Army Worship Team from Youngsan Army base (near Itaewon). They were reasonably good, but I had really come to hear Pastor Jeff Gionnola, who I had met on my Yeon-su trip (see August 2005). He is a chaplain, and is a very funny man from somewhere in New York by his accent. He was our pastor's college roommate, and, after 24 years of separation between them, he was posted here in South Korea.

Although a laid-back and humorous man, his testimony and sermon was very serious and thoughtful. As I listened to him, I thought of the old "hellfire and brimstone" preachers I had heard. Although not nearly as strong (or long-winded) as the good old fashioned Bible-thumpers, there was something in his message that sounded very much like a modern echo. I began thinking about the old breed of preacher as he spoke - this sort of speaking is necessary for lost and lonely soldiers, and Chaplain Gionnola did it in a firm, hard-hitting way. He speaks in a logical, philosophical way, offering hope to the lost and confused.

REBECCA'S RANT: OSTRICH CHRISTIANITY

I have known soldiers, and they go through the period of questioning that all of us who choose college go through. The difference is, they often have less resources than those of us who choose education. The same temptations abound, however, especially around war camps. Look at all of the "pink" activity in Itaewon, and the drinking (ok, that is just Korea!). There are many ways available to kill the pain. Some of the soldiers read extensively; after all, what else is there to do? Books are portable! This is both a good and a bad thing. Many of them face death or the possibility of extermination by an unknowable enemy. Modern war is faceless and methodical, but humans are not meant to be that way.

I find that many so-called Christians deny the existence of pain, and this is an enormous fallacy. I have heard Christian men say (on different occasions)that female victims of rape,incest, or former promiscuity should never marry because they are all bitter and "spoiled," to which I answer "Get over it!" You are all sinners too, and should not be so choosy or narrow-minded. God will work within her as he does within you. The truth is, in modern society, it is rare to find a woman who has not been touched by sexual crime or misjudgement. I have been watching "Sex and the City" epiodes to get a feel of what "the world" is up to, and now know what to fight; can you say the same? Certain Christian politicians (and people) have said that poor people do not deserve social services becuase they are "lazy" and just need to get up off their butts. We all suffer pain; it is part of the society we live in. Christians who hide from the world stand a good chance of falling victim to it - know thy enemy, because naivete is deadly. Many Christians blame the victim, but this is something that the world does, and the church should have no part of it. I cannot abide Christians who constantly blame the victim or hide from the world; these are Satan's best tools.

If you are willing to keep an open mind, her is a completely subjective list of media that I feel explain sufficiently what we are up against:
Teenagers: Movies - Thirteen (teenage girls, sex, and body image - if you can stand it, watch it with your daughters, because it was written by a 15 year old about her real life),Donnie Darko (teenagers and school), Cruel Intentions (teenagers and sex - an older movie, but still relevant)
Teenagers: Music - Evanescence/Fallen (teen angst), Linkin' Park, any rap music (main audience is WASP boys!), Brittany Spears (still idolized by pre-teens)
Teenagers: TV - whatever your teenager might watch "on the sly" (or even up front) - you know what I mean!
Generation X (1969-1976 born/30 somethings)
Musical: Rent (Pulitzer prize - AIDS, homosexuality, poverty, and philosophy)
Movies: Angels in America - Reagan-era, homosexuality, agnosicism, and post modernism - see where they have lead us. Warning - contains explicit homosexuality (close your eyes, but listen to the dialogue, it's important), Empire Records (funny, but pointed), Dirty Dancing (remember the furor?! Trust me, we all saw it!), In and Out, KIDS
TV: Sex and the City (the modern trials of being a woman in a sexually confusing era), Will and Grace (homosexuality)








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