I ordered myself a certificate of honor: Freedom of Faith and Moral Courage Award
By Carl J Chan
We usually give various honors to individuals and groups who have made outstanding contributions and have an impact on society to affirm their professionalism and human virtues.
But don’t forget that in the complex and grand situation of human beings, there are many moments that are “glorious moments as an ordinary human being”. Imagine that the person who saved a person being hunted by the Nazis may not be a scientist with outstanding achievements, but an “ordinary person” with individual conscience and independent thinking - this kind of person is definitely the hope of mankind.
I was born and raised in Guangdong, China. I questioned the "socialist class stage" since I was a child. I have seen enough of the absurdity, lies and violence that are prevalent in an authoritarian society, as well as the strange "authoritarian national character." When I learned that the United States is “a beacon of individual freedom and democracy”, I held myself to the "American standard."
In July 2018, when I entered North Korea , it was completely improvisation: I did a "performance art" that belonged to a glorious moment for all mankind - after my backpack passed the security check machine, it still needed to be manually checked by North Korean soldiers - at this moment, I wanted to test whether I could have the opportunity to "not cooperate" in the most terrible and ridiculous dictatorship in the world - so, when my backpack passed the security check machine, I picked it up and quietly walked to the team that had passed the security check. The North Korean soldiers did not find me, or they did not care.
This experience gave me some deep thoughts: looking back at human history, it is full of disasters caused by group blindness. As a person, if we retain a little independent thinking and individual conscience, perhaps the situation will be completely different.
Based on the reasons for the appeal, I give it a beautiful honorary title: Freedom of Faith and Moral Courage Award!
If no one affirms you, you must learn to dance alone and trust in the power of God's love.
06/04 2025
Carl J Chan
