BUILDING MULTICULTURAL CHURCHES IN KOREA: AN OUTSIDER'S PERSPECTIVE

Being in Korea for almost four years, and leading an English ministry in three different churches gave me the passion to learn about the ways and means of doing it. When I was just starting with my first English ministry in Gwangju City, it was difficult not just for me, but for the church as well as my to spearhead a ministry like this. I was at a lost at first and I prayed so hard and sought for God’s enlightenment and wisdom to guide me get through the whole process of it. From there, I learned through experience and from talking with good friends and pastors alike of how they go about such kind of ministry in their own churches. Even as I minister now, I feel the need to know more and better understand on how a multiracial church should work.

At Gwangju Saesoon Church, Gwangju City, South Korea,
where I served as English Ministry Pastor, 2008-2009

George Yancey, in his book, "One Body, One Spirit", explained that racial distinctions create the most problems in our society. And if there is one community that is somehow responsible in solving or somehow helping foster diversity, acceptance, unity and fellowship, it should be the church. Yancey defined a multi-racial church as a “church in which no one racial group makes up more than 80 per cent of the attendees of at least one of the major worship services.” From this definition, we could somehow deduce the reality that it is not easy to build a multi-racial church. Yet, from this hinges the challenge that the church has to accept and be a vessel of unity and diversity among people of different race and ethnicity.

At Sekwang Presbyterian Church, Seoul, Korea
where I served as English Ministry Pastor, 2010.

Whereas the United States, and say Singapore, have become melting pots of all cultures for decades now, Korea in a sense is just starting to experience the same yet, it has a lot more to adjust and understand why it is at this time, that a huge number of foreigners are coming here. Enough to say, there's a lot of work to be done to establish a multicultural church in Korea since the culture is not that accepting of foreigners. There are some successful churches though and their examples should be considered in raising one.

A multicultural church is one that is made up of different races, ethnicity and culture, enjoying a genuine fellowship in the faith, under the name of one God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The church should be intentional in creating a multicultural atmosphere, accepting people of different races from all walks of life and making them feel that they are and they have a family inside the church. Those who are spearheading this ministry should as well be skillful in associating with and relating to people of mixed races, unbiased and gracious. They should somehow know and learn how to sympathize and empathize with the people who are culturally different from theirs, seeing where they are coming from, how they can be helped and how they can get empowered in the fellowship of a multi-racial church.

Friends, from different cultures, who helped me during the Cultural Camp
in my church at present, Suwon Jaeil Church. Standing from left to right, Thiu (India), Maria (Philippines),
Wida (Indonesia), Dmitry (Ukraine), Cahaya (Indonesia), Phouang (Laos), and Atem (India). 

The whole concept of raising multicultural churches is close to my heart because this is what my ministry is all about here in Korea. I had a lot of questions, worries, hopes and prayers about it at first and it takes really seeing God’s perspective in doing it. I’ve learned that as a minister whose aim is to promote such kind of community, I have to get as involve as I could not just in their souls but all the more in their need to feel accepted in the community of believers and likewise teach the Body of Christ that it is God’s desire that all men might be saved and be incorporated in the church. And so, they should get educated as well to know how to do it, so as to rally behind the ministry’s core purpose of bringing people from different cultures and colors to the church.

EXTRA: Here's a video of the cultural camp we held for the children in my church with the help of my friends from Torch Trinity Graduate University.

In John 7:11, Jesus Christ prayed that his people be united, as He is united with the Father. In the book of Galatians, the Apostle Paul firmly stated that, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:38). The preceding Scripture passages allows us to see the heart of Christ and his goal for his people- to be united in him, unmindful of their color, race and ethnicity, but loving each other and living as one as we are one in the name of our Savior.

Photo taken during the last day of our camp for Sekwang Church English Ministry members.
This camp was held with the help of my friends, from right to left, Gerald (Indonesia), Hiba (Iraq),
Cahaya (Indonesia), Maria (Philippines), and Natalya (Kazakhstan).

It is with much conviction that I say that if and when we are able to unite our own race, then would it only be possible for us to encourage and foster multicultural congregations. And when we do, we need to make sure that there is an authentic social interaction between cultures as well, for only then can we say that we have succeeded in uniting God’s people in spite of racial diversity. May we find ourselves in prayer and in faith, (and so does my heart long for), that we could be channels of God’s unity in a healthy diversity so that we can say in praise together with the psalmist…

“All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, oh Lord;

they will bring glory to your Name.”

-Psalm 86:9 (NIV)

PHILIPPINES: IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

The Philippines is one of the countries hit by typhoons year in and out. In fact, Filipinos are used to finishing the alphabet, from A to Z, (which represent the first letters of the local names of the typhoons) in order to make a sigh of relief that the storm season will finally be over.

Below is the list of the deadliest typhoons in the Philippines according to typhoon2000.com.

Typhoon Name           Date          Deaths
1. Thelma/Uring:         1991           8,000
2. No Name                 1967          1,000
3. No Name                 1897          1,500
4. Frank                       2008          1,410
5. Reming                    2006          1,399
6. No Name                 1617          1,000
7. Amy                         1951           991
8. Sisang                     1987            979
9. Rosing                     1995            936
10. Undang                  1984            895

Surprisingly, I experienced seven out of the ten deadliest typhoons which entered the Philippine territory.

Typhoons are no joke. I remember our roofs almost blown away by the strong winds that we had to put huge rocks on it when these strong tropical cyclones come. Living without water supply and electricity for two weeks was one of the worse typhoon encounters I had. 

Here's a video of one of the worst typhoons that hit the country, typhoon Ondoy two years ago.

As the Philippines is now being battered by storms again, we can only pray that God will spare people's lives and that the coming storms will not be as strong as the previous ones. Nonetheless, Filipinos are resilient and they have lived their lives battling all these typhoons and are brave in all these experiences. In the eye of the storm, they remain hopeful and undaunted and will remain as such.

REMEMBERING A MOTHER'S LOVE

IT'S MAMA LINDA'S BIRTHDAY!!!

I thank the Lord for the sixty-one years (62) that he has been blessing my mother with good health and love. She was instrumental to me and my sisters’ salvation. My mother has been a prayer warrior ever since. I can still recall those early days when she would lay her hands on us, her children, and cry out to the Lord in prayer. When I started doing the ministry, I realized how much my mother’s prayers has covered and protected me and my siblings, and how God has blessed us because of my mother.

Mama Linda lost my father 17 years ago. I remember how she cried almost everyday thinking of how she's going to make it through life and stay strong for us. My heart breaks seeing my mother do laundry for others, and do jobs imaginable, just to send us to school and what not.

Despite of the many persecutions that she’d been through, I saw her steadfast and unwavering in her faith in God. I am just grateful to the Lord for making her my mother, who constantly prays for all of us, her children. I saw her struggles with life after my father’s death yet, God, I know is just so good to her. I thank the Lord for his grace to my mother and for making her years on earth full of life and joy.

As I honor you today on your birthday Mama Linda, I want you to know how thankful I am to you for loving us and ultimately for loving God. You are the epitome of a prayerful woman of God who battles and succeeds in all of life's challenges. I LOVE YOU MAMA...THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE...

NO FOOD. NO FRIENDS.

I never thought that this would happen. This morning, an announcement from my dorm RA's "shocked" me (and I guess a bunch of others) saying that first, we can't bring our friends anymore in the dorms (for security reasons?), and second, we are not allowed to use the microwave and rice cooker (I'm not sure if the same goes for the toaster and the coffee maker) because of cockroaches(?). What cockroaches?! At least not in my room....


NO FOOD...
Stayin' in Korea for almost four years now, I will admit that I somehow still struggle with the food in the school cafeteria (ashamed of myself). I have adjusted somehow with the food here, but most often, I'd rather prepare my own food, stock 'em in the fridge and heat 'em up when I'm hungry. Some of my Filipino friends are generous enough to send me Pinoy dishes which help me "feel" at home. Yes, I'm one of those who do not usually eat at the 식당 (dining room) since most often, I could not stand the food served (my subjective thought), and I usually have my own time of eating. Now that a "new rule" is out, we have to go to the dining room if we need to heat up our food (except that noodles are still allowed. what?) and eat (there). So no more food in the dorm? It's been like that (at least) since I started residing here back in 2008 and never was there an issue at all, just reminders coming from previous RA's to clean up after we mess up. And really, this time that I cannot eat spicy food (as advised by the doctor), and since most Korean food are redish in color (meaning spicy as it could be), do I have to go down from the fifth floor to the B1 (basement level) of the building when I need to prepare my food? Pity me...but, give me some more logic????


NO FRIENDS...
So, my friends can't visit me in the dorms no more? security reasons? fine. BUT I NEED MORE EXPLANATION/S. Whatever happened in the dorms MUST be so crazy to have such a "new rule". And since there are a lot of residents here (mostly internationals), I think we deserve to know the reasons why (so we could be aware as well of the situation). And the fact that it applies even to the alumni doesn't make real sense to me. We have a rule not to let a none-dorm resident  sleep over in the dorm and I agree with that. BUT...not to allow our friends (and most of my friends graduated already last December), family (if and when they visit), pastors and churchmates, see where we live, and stay in the rooms for even an hour doesn't make sense to me (again, my subjective thought). How could this be possible?


WELL, FOR NOW...
I guess, I have to live with it (for now). I'm not sure until when I can bear this system but definitely I am not happy (just like with most of the dorm residents) with the way things are going. I was about to go to the library and do my stuff, yet, our supposed to be dorm early morning prayer bothered me today (sad), and so here you are reading my heart at mind. At least, I am entitled still to my own opinion and my blog is in the virtual world and is not covered by the system (thank goodness). I'll keep this updated if there will be a good news....a better one I hope.


NO FOOD. NO FRIENDS. But just like what a friend said a while back, I should not let the loss of (my) food and friends (in the dorm) snatch my happiness away....DITTO!!!

WHAT'S YOUR LIFE VERSE?

When I was in elementary, my classmates would usually ask me to sign their slambooks, and there would be a question about one's motto in life. Growing up, I have discovered that none of those mottos I answered stood the test of time since I totally forgot what I wrote. What keeps me going in life however for the last couple of years is Paul's statement in Acts 20:24, "I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."


Since I got myself into theological training, I've always returned to Acts 20:21 to refocus my mind on the essentials of life and living and to remind me of my purpose in life.


A couple of my facebook page friends shared their life verses as well:


Jael Ong: Jer. 29:1 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


Cath Buban: Matt. 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."


Myrene Remollo: Ps. 23 "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing." (I only quoted verse 1) 


Indeed, God's word makes us see life in light of eternity. It keeps us grounded and leads us to move forward as we hang on to the living words of God. It cheers us up and makes us realize that on earth, everything is temporary in comparison to that which awaits us heavenward.


How about you? What is your life verse?

WHAT SHAMCEY TAUGHT THE UNIVERSE ABOUT GOD

Now that the 60th Miss Universe has been crowned (Miss Angola), it is time to share what our country's pride, 3rd runner up, Shamcey Supsup, taught the whole universe about God.


Here's a transcript of the Q&A with Ms. Philippines...

Judge Vivica Fox: "Would you change your religious beliefs to marry the person that you love? Why or why not?"

Shamcey Supsup: "If I had to change my religious beliefs, I would not marry the person that I love. Because the first person that I love is God, who created me. I have my faith, my principles and this is what makes who I am. And if that person loves me, he should love my God, too."

Shamcey made the most of her time answering the judge's question by pointing the millions of people watching, to the Creator God. She made her faith a priority over and above everything. She taught us that God, who created the whole universe, should take his rightful place in all our decisions, and that our LOVE FOR GOD SHOULD TRANSCEND OUR LOVE FOR OUR FELLOWS, EVEN OUR LOVED ONES. What  a God-fearing response!!!


The question given to Shamcey was the toughest one for it involved faith issues which are very sensitive. To top that, her answer might have been unpopular and could have been seen as politically incorrect  especially in this postmodern culture. She could have compromised it to please and satisfy the agnostics, the atheists, the polytheists, and the postmoderns, but she stood up for what she believed in. She might have lost the crown because of her faith, but what gain would it be if she lost her faith because of the crown? Nonetheless, her crown in heaven will shine brighter as God gave her a great big smile after she echoed to the whole universe what matters most in life.


WAY TO GO SHAMCEY...You made not just the Filipinos, but more so, our God, so proud of you!!! Cheers!!!



***picture courtesy of Shamcey Supsup's facebook fan page***

GOING UP THE MOUNTAINS

Last night, my good brothers- Gerald, Hon, Jay and I went up the prayer mountain which was about 20 minutes away from where I am staying. It was a long walk going up in the dark of the night, and without a single flashlight, we instead used our phones to light our way and find a place where we can spend a couple of hours to pray.

BAND OF BRADDAHS

I guess, it was something that God has planned. I have been so caught up with the circumstances that are surrounding me at the moment, and worries, discouragements, anxieties, sickness, and fears have swallowed up my faith. I have been intently looking at the storms but not the rainbows. I was so much focused on the "what if's" of life and to no avail have I held on to what was in sight.

Yes....I haven't prayed like I did in the mountains for a long time and that was I guess, what made me falter. Yet, God's grace always makes His way to lead me to breathe His presence again, to hold tight his promises that are so certain, and to make me see life, in the eyes of faith once more.


I left a lot of burdens in the mountains. Although it was not easy to climb the steep dark road leading up, yet the peace that comes along with the truth that GOD IS WITH ME was what I felt going down. The frustrations were replaced with serenity, faith took over my fears, and God's love calmed my distressed spirit.

And what more can I ask God for? When yesterday...yes...yesterday...I finally booked my ticket going home for Christmas.....

 "¹Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
²Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
³Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever."

-Psalm 136:1-3 (NIV)

GOD IS NOT LISTENING

Have you prayed to God about something? You prayed and prayed yet you feel like God is not hearing your prayers. And so you prayed harder, you coupled it with fasting, yet the more you pray and fast, the more you can’t see God answering your prayer? So you begin to doubt God and think, "MAYBE, GOD IS NOT LISTENING." Well, guess what, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN NO MATTER HOW WE PRAY, GOD IS NOT LISTENING TO US…

The Scriptures is replete with examples of God’s people calling on His name for different reasons under different circumstances. From the Old to the New Testament we are flooded by the truth that men call on to God, pray to him and ask for his provision, for strength, for power, for deliverance from their hopeless conditions BUT SELDOM FOR REPENTANCE.

This is a familiar story back in the days of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 59:1-4 states"1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things. 4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil." This passage vividly depicts the troubled time in which the prophet Isaiah lived. The divided kingdoms of Judah and Jerusalem were crying out for deliverance from social and political crisis and so they did pray to God to rescue them from such tumultuous situation. In Isa. 58:1-4, we can see here how the Israelites seemed to eagerly seek God to know his ways and to be delivered and so they came to him, not just in prayer but also in fasting. But as they see and feel that God’s hands are seemingly not upon them, they started to blame him and charge him of being unfaithful to his people.

Yet, in the passage we’ve just read, we are faced by the reality of their condition as the prophet Isaiah, being the mouthpiece of God, confronted them with the real issue at hand: THE ISSUE OF SIN AND THEIR UNREPENTANT HEARTS. We can see here the reality in v.1 that indeed, the Lord saves and listens. Yet, contrasting that to the reality of sin in v. 2 which describes it as the one that separates us from God and that which keeps God from listening to us. GOD EAGERLY DESIRES TO LISTEN TO OUR PRAYERS, YET OUR UNREPENTANT HEARTS KEEP HIM FROM HEARING OUR CALL.

GOD IS NOT LISTENING, first, WHEN WE PRAY YET WE ARE SEPARATED FROM HIM BECAUSE OF SIN (V.2a.) “But your iniquities have separated you from your God.” (v.2a) Iniquity is defined as a gross injustice or wickedness (TOD). It is important for us to note here that the Israelites were seeking God to free them from the injustices in their society but they themselves are charged of the same thing.

Sin on the other hand is called in the Bible with different names: trespass, transgression, iniquity and so forth. But it all boils down to this--Sin is anything and everything that God hates, anything that is contrary to his nature and who he is. It comes from the Greek ἁμαρτία (hamartia) which means "to miss the mark" or "to miss the target." If you are playing darts, your target is to hit the bull’s eye but when you miss it, you know it’s a big mistake because the rule of the game is to hit nothing else but the bull’s eye. Since God is a holy God, he hates evil and we just cannot sugarcoat it.

Second, GOD IS NOT LISTENING WHEN WE PRAY YET WE HOLD ON TO OUR SINS AND DO NOT REPENT OF IT (v.2b-4). The passage states, “…your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. 3 For your hands are stained with blood, your fingers with guilt. Your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters wicked things. 4 No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. They rely on empty arguments and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil. (v.2b-4) The sins in view here are found in verses 3, and 4 and the following verses talk about the specifics of it. God’s people rebelled against him and they are now crying for deliverance but without even thinking of repentance. In the Scriptures, a hiding of God’s face is used frequently to describe God’s unwillingness to meet his people or hear their prayers at some particular time and in this instance, God did not listen to his people because they were guilty of violent crimes, injustices and troubles.

As we browse to the preceding chapters of the book, we can see here that the Israelites not only prayed to God for deliverance but they coupled it with fasting. Imagine that, PRAYER AND FASTING. THEY PRAYED AND THEY FASTED BUT STILL GOD DID NOT LISTEN TO THEM, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GET IT RIGHT. Right at the outset of the book of Isaiah, God has already told them that He won’t listen to them because they were not turning away from their sins. Isa. 1:15-16 says…"15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong."

In Isa. 58:4, we are again confronted by the truth that the Israelites fasted in vain, when it says,"Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high."

A young boy asked his father to buy for him a pair of shoes. It’s kind of expensive but he really wanted it because most of his classmates do have their own. So he begged his father and told him every day about it. That was the time when they needed to renovate their house and his parent’s meager savings is only enough for it. But he still begged and I fasted. He skipped a few meals believing that his father would notice him and somehow give in to what he wanted…Alas, his dad noticed him, yes, he noticed BUT he told him that his desire was not right at the moment.

Much like the Israelites, they prayed and prayed harder, they coupled it with fasting, yet their prayers did not reach the heavens because they’re not confronting the truth of what God would want them to do. Let me repeat, in Isa. 58:4b it says, "You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high."

WHEN WE PRAY AND THERE IS SIN IN OUR HEARTS, GOD WILL NOT LISTEN. I BELIEVE THAT MOST OF US, IN ALL HONESTY, ARE GUILTY OF THE SAME THING AS THE ISRAELITES WERE, WE ARE QUICK TO ASK TO ASK GOD FOR SOMETHING WE NEED AND WE BECOME DOUBTFUL OF GOD IF NOT BLAMING HIM WHEN WE FEEL AND THINK THAT HE IS NOT HEARING US WHEN WE CALL. BUT WE ARE SO INDOLENT AT LOOKING WITHIN US AND SEE FOR OURSELVES WHY GOD IS NOT LISTENING. I love what Matthew Henry said about this: "If your prayers be not answered, it is not because his ear is heavy when we speak to him, but because our ears are heavy when he speaks to us."

BUT IS THERE STILL HOPE FOR GOD TO LISTEN TO US? In Psalm 139:23-24, it says, "23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way (SIN) in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Isaiah 1:18 states "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

As the passages above suggest, all we need to do is to come to him, admit our mistakes, transgressions, sin, iniquities, however you might want to call it, without sugarcoating anything, and repent-turn away from it, and embrace the grace of God for us.

God in his grace loves to listen to his people. Our greatest need of salvation has been remedied by him more than 2000 years ago when he sent forth his Son, Jesus Christ, to die a cruel death on the cross- a testament that even before we call on him, he has already made the way to come and save us. And so, we should remember that God wants to listen to our prayers because…“Behold, the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” (Isa.59:1)

AND WHEN WE COME TO HIM, SURELY HE WILL HEAR US, YES HE WILL, BECAUSE GOD IS LISTENING, YES, HE IS LISTENING…
 


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You can use this sermon in any way provided that proper citations be made. Blessings...

MY SISTER'S KEEPER: FAMILY, LOVE, SACRIFICE AND DESIGNER BABIES IN FOCUS

          My Sister’s Keeper brought the reality of those who have gone far beyond the boundary of creating life for the sake of saving another. It examined the issue of having a saviour sibling whereby a child is created for the purpose of acting as matched tissue donor for an existing sibling with a genetic defect. It was an eye-opening movie especially at this time where people will do everything, and in this case, the parents, just to help their child to prolong her life. However, this movie invites us to take a closer look at how we view and value life, and how compassion for the people we love can mean misery and death for another.

             

          I am never in favor of parents creating a savior-sibling. For whatever reasons there might be, the term making itself is unacceptable, for life is not made by humans but only by God. This is a manipulative act of discontent people who are trying to solve life’s mysteries and problems in their own hands. It is a selfish, unthought-of decision by parents who are supposed to be compassionate to their genetically defective child. This is a means of trying to control life and taking the answers to our troubles in our own hands even when it is beyond the boundary set forth by the Scripture.  This is very much unethical and inhumane especially for the so-called savior sibling since she was created not to enjoy life as purposed by the creation order but to be a savior of the defective child and to gratify the need of solution of the parents. Largely, this advancement in science devalues life, though at the façade, one might think it is there to reach out and help in the despair of others. 

          My take on this issue is up for challenge and is open for a lot of arguments and debate. Nonetheless, I am pro-life. I do not intend nor would I expect people to play God in circumstances as sensitive as this. Nature will take its normal course and man should never put a comma where God already placed a period. It is only but sensible for man to throw his last dime to salvage the life of his loved one. Still and all, life is a gift, and when the Giver of it demands life itself to be taken back, we should resign with our hearts open to this sovereign idea. The mystery of life will always remain a mystery no matter how we try to exhaust to cut it in the open. God is God and we are not (as the line from a famous song by one of my favorite contemporary christian singer goes). Life and death is part of the human cycle. We can only hope and pray for a miracle. But what if the miracle of life is found in dying, and life is found in death itself?

Here are a couple of questionnaires I made for my students for our movie discussion in class: 

1. Describe the main characters in the movie. Include the values and convictions embedded in the life of these characters. 5 points each (Analyze each of the characters and describe where each one is coming from in the story- their hung-ups, dreams, hopes, frustrations.)

    A. The parents:

        1. Sara Fitzgerald (the mother) 

        2. Brian Fitzgerald (the father)

    B. The children:

       1. Anna Fitzgerald (the savior child)

       2. Kate Fitzgerald (the cancer patient)

       3. Jesse Fitzgerald (the dyslexic brother)

2. If you are in the position of the parents, how would you deal with the issue presented in the movie? 5 points (Explain thoroughly why or why not you would do the same as the parents in the movie.)

3. The cinema has a redeeming value, which is to make man a better person, cultured and refined. What is the redeeming value of this movie? 5 points (How is the film helpful in redeeming our individual, familial, and social values ?)

4. The cinema is the pivot of our society. What then is this movie telling us about our society? 5 points (How is this movie reflective of what is going on in our society and our world as a whole? How does it mirror us as human beings?)

5. An ethical issue in science and in the medical field is raised in this movie. What is your view about the issue of savior siblings or engineered/designer babies? Was the parents’ choice to conceive Anna to be a genetic match for Kate morally justified? 5 points (Please make sure that you research on what designer babies are before you conscientiously answer this question. This is a question of ethics/morality)

6. Describe how this movie exemplified the joys of living and dying. 5 points (How did the movie fearlessly and joyously portray life and death? Include scenes when this became tangible in the movie.)

7. How did the movie affect your perspective about life and death? Explain.5 points (After watching the film, how did this film change or reinforce your beliefs about life and death?)