A Stark Contrast - Well Trodden Path vs. Good Soil

And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore. He told them many things in parables, saying:
"Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them. But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. The one who has ears had better listen!”
-Matthew 13:3-9 (the NET © Bible)

In reading today's two published essays by Dr. Jerome Keating (see below) I am reminded of this well known parable Jesus taught his disciples. Throughout the 58 years of the Peoples' Republic of China, any seeds of democracy that are sown seem to fall on the well trodden path and are quickly devoured by the crows of Beijing. In contrast, in Taiwan the seeds of democracy during the same time period have fallen on progressively better soil over time. I don't mean by this to equate democracy with the Gospel of Salvation but rather to use the agrarian truth, from which Jesus draws His parable, to illustrate the stark contrast between the dim prospects for democracy in the PRC and the bright reality of the maturing democracy in Taiwan.

Which begs a question: Where should we sow and where should we cultivate democracy?


Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and the Falun Gong
Monday July 02

July 1, marked the tenth anniversary of the return of Hong Kong to China. In Hong Kong, there were celebratory fireworks, a parade, and a public visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao. In contrast, there was also a pro-democracy protest numbering anywhere from 20,000 to 68,000 depending on whether you believe the Hong Kong police or the protest organizers. Ten years had passed and Hong Kong is in no way closer to the democracy and autonomy promised by the People's Republic of China (PRC). A simple bellwether of this lack of progress can be seen in the continued mistreatment of members of the Falun Gong. Several members of the Falun Gong that went to Hong Kong from Taiwan for this day were denied entry and sent back to Taiwan. ...

From the Belly of the Beast: a New Democracy Exhibit Tours Taiwan
Monday July 02

Taiwan continues in its search for a unifying identity, yet one major impediment remains; how to resolve the crimes of its tumultuous past. True, Taiwan has finally and painstakingly achieved its democracy, but the nation has still not dealt with the legacy of the past 45 years of colonial aggression, white terror, and systematic propaganda. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) which profited immensely during those years wants to downplay their damage; the Taiwanese who suffered in that same period seek transitional justice. This conflict creates Taiwan's identity problem. Nowhere perhaps was the contrast of these two positions more evident than in the dual exhibitions that recently were seen side by side in the former Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (now Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall). One of those exhibits now tours Taiwan...