Tag: life

DPRK: Churches and Religious Life in Pyongyang! (23.3.2023) 

North Korea has three Christian Churches – all located in the capital – Pyongyang. Among them are the Qigu (七谷) or ‘Seven Valleys’ Church and the Fengxiu (凤岫) or ‘Phoenix Mountain Peak’ Church – which belong to Protestantism. The Jiangzhong (奖忠) or ‘Reward Loyalty’ Church belongs to the Catholic Church – which has a history of more than ten years (writing in 2005). In addition, the first Orthodox Church is still under construction. North Korea has around 13,000 Protestants and about 3,000 Catholics. Every Sunday – all Christian and Catholic believers go to these established Church – or nearby House Churches. Religious activities – such as worship or mass – are ‘protected’ and ‘guaranteed’ under the Socialist Constitution of the DPRK! Indeed, the above photograph (dated 17.7.2005) features a female ‘Deacon’ collecting donations within the ‘Fengxiu’ (Protestant) Church! 

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Covid-19: Chinese Logic Trumps Western Racism! (11.12.2022)

In the past three years, China has equipped itself with technologies and drugs that are proven to be effective in COVID diagnosis and treatment, and also made continuous progress in pathogen detection and epidemiological investigations. Over 90 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated thanks to China’s unceasing efforts in vaccine research and development, while people’s health awareness has also been greatly enhanced.

These aggregated factors have laid a solid foundation for the current epidemic prevention and control work, and provided the precondition for further optimizations.

It is worth noting that China’s fine-tuning of its COVID policy is proactive rather than passive. While advancing the latest optimization plan, China does not shy away from acknowledging the challenges, and is determined to ramp up vaccination efforts among the elderly and increase the capacity of intensive care units (ICU).

Different countries have different national conditions in terms of medical resources and demographic situations, and differ in sociocultural orientation. As the world stands at a crossroads and humanity is faced with COVID-19 as a common enemy, we need to focus on mutual understanding and cooperation, and must let go of ego and bias.

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Chinese Lawmakers Debate Draft Law Revision on Further Protection of Women! (28.10.2022)

The draft defines the supervisory duties of relevant departments in fighting against actions that harm the rights and interests of women employees relating to work and social security.

Abducting of, trafficking in, or kidnapping women is prohibited; buying women who are abducted, trafficked in, or kidnapped is prohibited; obstructing the rescue of women who are abducted, trafficked in, or kidnapped is prohibited, according to the draft.

It also highlights that authorities, including governments, police, as well as villagers and residents committees, shall report these crimes immediately. Measures shall be taken to rescue women who have been abducted or trafficked. The rescued women shall be well-settled and given help and care.

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Plotinus: The Concept of ‘Time’ Reconsidered! (21.9.2022)

The Christians then further added to this confusion (entirely of their own making) by superimposing the Germanic term ‘Soul’ over their misinterpretation of the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’! Plotinus (and most genuine Greek philosophers) never used or even knew of the Christian conflation of ‘Psyche-Soul’. Certainly, Plotinus NEVER used the Christian term ‘Soul’, but he did continuously use the Greek philosophical term ‘Psyche’, which refers to the ‘breath of life’, ‘the animating principle of existence’ – or that ‘spark’ which sets in motion all the conditions that grant psychological (thought) and physical (existence)! Plato’s 4th Century BCE text entitled ‘Definitions’ a manual of philosophical terms (translated by DS Hutchinson, 1996) used within his ‘Academy’ School of Philosophical Study – defines the Greek term ‘Psyche’ to mean the following:

a) That which moves itself.

b) The cause of vital processes in living creatures.

I would argue that the Greek term ‘Psyche’ implies so much more than the narrow Christian term ‘Soul’, and even if there are elements of the Greek ‘Psyche’ which overlap with the Christian ‘Soul’ – this in no way validates (or accepts) the Christian doctrine of being true anymore than it invalidates the Greek philosophical message!

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Roundup: “Historic” Decline in US Life Expectancy Reveals System Problems, Inequality! (9.8.2022)

The COVID-19 is not solely to blame. Longstanding health problems — rooted in poverty, discrimination and poor access to health care — left Native Americans and Alaska Natives particularly vulnerable to the virus, said Ann Bullock, former director of diabetes treatment and prevention at the federal agency of Indian Health Service.

The non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native population experienced the greatest decline of life expectancy by 1.9 years between 2020 and 2021, according to NCHS report.

The cumulative decline since the pandemic started, more than 6.5 years on average, has brought life expectancy to 65 among Native Americans and Alaska Natives — on par with the figure for all Americans in 1944.

One in seven Native Americans and Alaska Natives has diabetes, the highest rate among racial or ethnic groups in the United States, and many struggle with obesity or excess weight. Both conditions make people more susceptible to severe COVID-19, and crowded multigenerational housing adds to the risk, said The New York Times.

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