Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion (Paperback)

by Thomas J. Belke (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
When I first met Tom Belke at Regent University, I was surprised at his interest in studying North Korea's Juche ideology. I thought it was rather odd. Now I realize that God revealed to him that the Juche philosophy was the real religion of North Korea. The Juche mentality is Satan's fetter, blinding people's minds. Juche must be broken, so that the people can be truly free. Tom has spent years researching this truth and shining God's light on the great darkness oppressing North Koreans. Rebellion separates man from the true God. Self-Dependence, Juche-ism, is the epitome of rebellion. God created us in His image to be fully dependent on Him. Juche holds the direct opposite. Through Tom's efforts, we learn more about this philosophy and the strategies that the devil has used to gain rights over the North Korean people. -- Rev. Bahn-Suk Lee M.Div, Fuller Theological Seminary Ph.D Candidate studying the theology of underground Christians in North Korea.

Product Description
Embark on an illustrated journey into one of the world's most isolated nations - North Korea. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion takes you on a journey into North Korea to view what is possibly the most rigidly controlling religious system on the planet - Juche. Through the use of unchallengeable totalitarian power, North Korea's ruling elite enforces Juche ideology in every aspect of the culture. No competing ideologies are permitted. Under the Juche belief system, man is proclaimed God in a nation whose government has officially decided against Christianity for all of its citizens. The majority of North Koreans today have never heard the name of Jesus.

This book explores the various aspects of Juche, including its origins, central teachings, spiritual dimension, and holy sites. It also considers the Juche worldview, propagation of the Juche culture, and Juche as a religion in transition. The journey into North Korea's state religion c!oncludes by considering a biblical view of the future of Juche.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Living Sacrifice Book Co.; 1 edition (August 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882643290
• ISBN-13: 978-0882643298
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #473,559 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Voyeuristic look into a bizarre world., September 28, 1999

By A Customer

As the compiler of world religion statistics at Adherents.com I was aware of the existence of Juche, but not many details. Tom Belke reveals the details about North Korea's Juche system - something that is as bizarre and fascinating in a perverse way as the best alternate reality science fiction I've read by Greg Bear, Orson Scott Card, Asimov, or William Gibson. But North Korea is not some far-off planet of alternate history - it really exists in 1999.

This book is a must-have for anybody interested in the region. But be aware that Belke writes from an Evangelical Christian perspective. The book makes no apologies for criticizing the Orwellian regime in North Korea. In places, the result is an odd juxtaposition of two viewpoints which are both alien to most academic researchers - North Korea's strange system is seen through Belke's unstinting Evangelical eyes. It's not enough to describe how North Korean prison guards are told that they won't be punished for killing prisoners. Belke goes further by explaining that this is bad and un-Christian.

Anybody who enjoys reading history, religion, politics, or science fiction will not be able to put this book down - it's compelling in a morbid way - like watching a cultural train wreck.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Research Accomplishment, October 8, 1999

By A Customer

Tom Belke has greatly assisted researchers and policymakers by writing the first U.S. authored analysis of the philosophy of Juche. The book clearly demonstrates that the philosophy is a religion, not a traditional Communist ideology.

The book covers the numerous aspects critical to understanding North Korea's doctrine: history, goals, holy places, and concepts behind Juche. The text contains many easy-to-read tables which were welcome by this reviewer. Photographs selected are excellent. The book is heavily footnoted, but this reader would have appreciated even more footnotes. This reader also greatly missed an index, which is critical to researchers and scholars.

Mr. Belke's faith helped him to more clearly see the mystical aspects of Juche, something traditional scholars overlook or amazingly dismiss. This reviewer, a non-theist (one that has no concept of God), did not mind the biblical thrust of the book. Unfortunately, the "Christian" tag will no doubt limit the readership. A pity. This reviewer believes that Mr. Belke's desire to paint Juche as "humanist" did somewhat cloud his arguement. I believe he would find humanists to be allies against what is clearly a horrible evil. A small flaw, in an otherwise terrific accomplishment.

This book is recommended for those who study North Korea, religion, cults, and foreign policy in general. It should be read as a warning by all policymakers who believe that foreign countries share the goals of peace and properity. "Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion" suggests that, sadly, that it is just not so.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for those interested in the effects of world cults, September 24, 1999

By A Customer

Tom Belke has done a great service for those concerned about cults by taking the lid off one of the world's largest aberrational religious groups and perhaps the least known of all world cults. Because of this book the Western world can now understand the cultic and spiritual dimensions of a belief system that previously was thought to have only political consequences.