Religion: Respectful Salute!

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A number of Northern missionaries in Korea have sought to keep their schools open by bowing. The case for these Northerners, as reported in World Christianity by Missionary Horace Underwood. is that the ceremonies at Shinto shrines are no more religious than those in which floral offerings are placed in Lincoln Memorial or on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. As Missionary Underwood described a Shinto ceremony, it involves "making a slight inclination of the head and body" when a command is given which means: "Respectful Salute!" Wrote he: "No genuflection or prostration is required." Furthermore, the Government permits Christians to declare publicly that they attach no religious importance to the ceremonies. Finally. Missionary Underwood pointed out that closing mission schools would throw the children into non-Christian schools, would prejudice the Government against all the activities of Christian churches, and would do nothing to stop the salutes at Shinto shrines.

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