Korean Job Discussion Forums

[lorenchristopher]

Hey everyone! So I'm a newbie to Seoul, just moved here a few weeks ago....love it so far. But I was wondering, I know that many Koreans are religious, mostly Christian....and I also know they ask what your faith is. I've been asked what religion I believe in at least three or four times already.

I kind of respond by saying "I was raised Christian", which is true. But I'm actually a devout atheist.

So what do you think the Korean opinion of atheism is? I haven't really gotten a feel for that sentiment yet. Although a Korean co-worker keeps inviting me to her church and it's really starting to annoy me. I'm about to "come out" to her as an atheist....but don't want to face any awkwardness/discrimination at work.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

[spliff]

Most Koreans aren't Christian and could care less, much like this thread.

[Roving_gypsy_gurl]

Some are ok with it; others not so much. Anyone who keeps inviting you to church is likely to be the latter. I'd just clearly say that you're not into it and you'd appreciate it if she'd drop the subject. You don't want to give her incentive to try to "save" you.

[OneWayTraffic]

[OneWayTraffic]

There's also the possibility that the co-worker wants a bit of hot church sex. That should be looked into. She may also be just assuming you want a church. After all some Koreans can't quite distinguish between 'raised' and 'believes'.

[agoodmouse]

I told my sharp, sincere co-teacher school that I was a Muslim when she first asked me. Her jaw dropped. I told her I was only joking. In a certain way it was telling to me to experience this reaction.

She laughed really hard, though. We had a good talk about Korea, its big Christian population, and perception of religions, and it turned out that she is pretty open minded and was more concerned about what others would (i.e. not, as I supposed, might) think. She said not to joke like I had. By the way, she said she's Christian but has quit practicing and can't remember when she quit going to church.

[isthisreally]

I'm not exactly an atheist, but don't have a religion either. I've told people and no one seems to care except the Jesus freaks.

[agoodmouse]

I was on a date in Seoul about four months ago when my date whipped out a Joel Osteen book.

I'm not against religion, I just really can't do much with it in the way of conversation unless the person I'm talking with is open-minded and can entertain the reason why another person would believe in a different religion.

[pesawattahi]

The Koreans will be at your door at 10 P.M. sharp Sunday night with appropriate pitchforks and torches.

[GerryTulip]

Being atheist back home in the UK is fairly normal these days, there's no such thing as being 'openly atheist'. Any really devout religious families are regarded as 'quirky' in most neighbourhoods.

An American friend once told me 'it's cool that you guys have got Dawkin's fighting in atheism's corner in the Uk' to which I replied 'he isn't really fighting, there's no real opposition!'

[lorenchristopher]

[bobbyhanlon]

since this is a historically buddhist country, christianity is kind of an upstart here. having said that, christians you do meet tend to be completely over the top and force their religion on you in a way that their western brethren might not. the best way to deal with this is to freak them out, by pretending to be a satanist or something like that.

[cdninkorea]

I'm open about my atheism and never had any negative reactions in almost three years. The worst I've had, a handful of times at most, is a surprised but not offended "why don't you believe in god?"

[mistermasan]

"devout" atheist?

koreans don't care. many atheist here.

[Miles Rationis]

Koreans just care about money and work and work and money.

Religion/god=non-issue