Title When American Dream Becomes Nightmare
September 12, 2010 (Sunday) Sermon
“When American Dream Becomes Nightmare”
--Psalms 85:8-13
One.
Today is Promotion Sunday, or 'Promotion Sunday'. It is a day to celebrate and encourage the progress of the church school students one by one, introduce new dedicated teachers, thank and bless them. Thank you to all the parents who acknowledge the importance of their children's Christian education and who bring their children to church school at times quickly, at times with souls and at times with prayers. I would also like to say thank you to the children and youth who obey their parents and come to church every Sunday to worship, pray and serve. The people I am most grateful for today are those who have dedicated themselves as teachers. God will be pleased with the devotion to consecrate precious time for young souls. Your prayers, hard work, and efforts will bear the most precious fruit in the lives of children.
Today, on Promotion Day, I want to take a moment to reflect on what we as immigrants living in the United States should pursue and what we will teach our children to pursue. When I think of this topic, the first thing that comes to mind is the 'American Dream'. Immigrants to the United States are no different in that people of all races struggle to make this dream come true.
There are several theories as to when and by whom the term 'American dream' was first used, but James Truslow Adams first used the term in his 1931 book The Epic of America. I have explained. In this book, Adams explains the American dream:
The American dream is about a country where life is better, richer and fuller for everyone. A country where opportunities are given to everyone according to their abilities and achievements. It is a dream that is difficult to understand for the upper class in Europe, and most of us are tired and doubtful about it. It's not just a dream about cars or high salaries. It is about a social order in which anyone, male or female, can fully realize their innate talents, and it is about a social order in which people are treated as human beings regardless of their acquired environment, that is, their birth status or status.
The American dream was originally so profound and grand. There are two focal points in this dream. One is the microscopic focus, which is about personal achievement. It is a dream that anyone can realize their dreams without any restrictions and enjoy the fruits to their heart's content. I will call this the “personal American dream.” Another focus is the macro focus. The dream of building a just society where equal opportunities are given to all people, where everyone can achieve their dreams without restrictions, and where there is no discrimination based on race, gender, economic situation, social status, physical condition or religion, etc. That's it. This is what I call the 'Great American Dream'.
Unfortunately, over the years, the American dream has faded and deteriorated. Most of the people living on this earth today are not interested in the big American dream and live only after their personal dreams. It means that we stop worrying about making the society we live in an honest and just society, and strive for success only for me and my family. It is understandable that small citizens who earn and live on a day-to-day basis think that way, but even the public officials, politicians, and leaders of this society who were elected to work for an honest and just social structure are all struggling for their own success. look.
Corruption scandals among public officials are becoming a problem in Korea these days. To the extent that the word ‘public servant’ (‘civil servant of all’) is embarrassing, more and more people are using the public position given to them for personal gain. That is why the term 'fair society' is a social concept in Korea these days.