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A peaceful world, that is the impression the Olympic Games gave us. Perhaps we could be lulled into believing it for the duration of the games. However, after the Nagano Olympics, we remembered or awoke to the reality of another kind of globalization, economics. The economic instability in Asia and the economic practices of many nations begs the question of whether Asian values are useful today.
Asian countries are "skating on thin ice" without any new flap-skates like the Olympic speed skaters now use. In Japan, people believed their political and social system were strong and immune from the affects of other Asian country's crisis. But Japan too, has been wavering under the weight of continued scandals at the Bank of Japan, the Finance Ministry and many major private banks. Rather than trying to solve the problems, leaders of the institutions resign or worse, commit suicide when they cannot see any signs of solution. News from Korea sounds the same as in Japan, with corruption of government officials and scandals at conglomerates, known as 'chaebols' in Korean. No moral or social justice can be found. Asian countries' credibility is getting lost in the smog of politics and economics.
People living in Asia are asking an important question due to the crisis: Does the Western idea of democracy and free-trade fit Asian systems? This question and it's related issued are unfortunately sometimes banned from public discussion by military leaders or other power holders. Powerful families force a strict hierarchy on their citizens. There are few Asian countries in which freedom rules.
Much the same as in general society, the Christian community in Asia is also careful of discussing certain issues in public. Some friends in South Asia talk privately about politics, economics and of course democracy, though for me any issue may be discussed in Japan. Asian church leaders must be very careful to mention these sensitive issues in public. The Asia Region of the World Association for Christian Communications, AR-WACC, has planned a three year project on Asian Diversity and Common Values, a timely issue, as we approach the new millennium. I still do not know if we have any common values within Asia to be shared, or more universal Asian values having the potential to be recognized in both Asia and other areas. The Asian family identity is still firmly alive with family members helping each other, and divorce rates are lower than some Western nations. But we observe that some statesmen manipulate family values for their own use.
The economic turmoil has hit almost all Asian countries with bad effects for everyone. On the positive side, it has created a platform to share and organize a forum of people's voices. The bad economic news and scandals revealed much deeper problems in the social systems of Japan, Korea and Thailand, which will somehow prompt new systems to guarantee free markets, free voices and democracy. We need more time to measure if Asia values guarantee freedom. I think God gives us this situation in order to consider the meaning of "rendering unto Caesar" in our region. Through this experience, we will know more about the role of our church
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