The Neon Cross

I've been sitting outside this cafe for less than two hours, and I've been approached three times by Christian recruiters. They are Korean and they mostly only know a few words in English, so it's a nice chance to practice my Korean. I even agreed to meet one of them tomorrow, but I was bait-and-switched, which I realized when ten minutes later she came back with her perfect English speaking male friend, who will be meeting me tomorrow instead of her.

Christianity is pretty big here, and I can't figure out why. Yes, Jesus died for everyone's sins, but it just seems so far removed from this place. At the time Jesus was alive, no one from that world had ever even heard of Korea, and vice versa. So I wonder what about the message of christianity speaks to the Korean people?

Whatever it is, it speaks loudly. Seoul has the largest church in the world, according to a google search I just did! There is even a church on my street. The crucifixes here are always neon.

I think most, if not all, of the Korean teachers at my school are devout christians. I've arrived early to work on a few occasions, and had to stand awkwardly while they prayed together. I've noticed they also quietly pray for few seconds before they eat.

I'm neither for nor against, I'm just really curious. I wonder how the bible translates? I suppose they get the best translators they can possibly get for a job like that. Even still, with the amount of screwy Konglish I see on a daily basis, I just know there must be some similar mistranslations in their bible (which is written in an atypical form of English to begin with). Also, there are some words and ideas that can't be translated.

I guess the big ideas can be translated, though. Who knows?