Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was a Russian novelist who received the Templeton prize in 1983. He is known for his criticism of communism and for raising global awareness of political repression in the Soviet Union. When he received the Templeton prize and gave his speech in 1983, I was five years old. Although I heard about the Templeton prize, I was unaware of his name and speech until I read about it this week. When I was growing up in Korea and America, to my na\u00efve eyes, the world seemed peaceful and pleasant. But, as I got older, read into global history, and gained a greater global perspective, I now understand that the world was never at peace. The world was always in a state of chaos and oppression, just as Aleksandr opened up his speech by saying, \u201cMen have forgotten God: that\u2019s why all this has happened.\u201d Indeed, a lot and a lot is still happening all over the world today. Although the world has made significant progress towards freedom and improved lifestyles over the centuries, the present world is still very messy and volatile. Today, I woke up to face so much anxiety-triggering news: gas prices broke $7 in my town, the Russia-Ukraine war is still raging on and Putin is threatening to use a nuclear weapon, and North Korea flies warplanes after shooting a series of missiles, and it is already Thursday which meant I have to post this week\u2019s blog.<\/p>\n
One of the significant changes that I am discovering about myself as I grow older is that I am drawn more and more to be attentive and influenced by the local and world news. The communication platforms in our world have changed radically in the past ten years. Most people are not receiving information and news through the traditional platforms of newspapers and favorite tv news channels. The local and global news that greatly impacts and influences the minds of people have transformed into the digital platforms of websites, YouTube, and weaved into social media channels, pouring over a tsunami of biased information 24\/7. The radical change also took place in the quality and quantity of news that people intake daily. \u00a0We are not just simply reading news, we are now seeing the news as it is happening live. Perhaps in the previous generations, Men have forgotten God because they were censored, restricted, and limited in receiving the truth. Perhaps in this generation, Men have forgotten God because we have too much fake news that skews and distorts the truth. The main geopolitical and global perspective lens that I have been using comes from my cell phone. I try to read from various lenses that are offered through the following apps:<\/p>\n
When I was 5, I was at peace because I was simply disconnected from what was happening in the world. But, now that I am 44, it\u2019s difficult to be disconnected from what is happening in this world because, as a leader, one must learn to gain a greater and accurate global perspective and be able to communicate truthful thoughts rooted in the Bible. Godly leaders who have inspired and led others were able to remember God amidst all that has happened in their world by integrating the voices of this world into a practical steps towards freedom and truth.<\/p>\n
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