LESSON LightofRestorationPeace,WorldCulture,Heavenly 33 COURAGE LESSON OBJECTIVES 1 Understand that it takes courage to achieve peace. 2 Understand that courage is about overcoming fear and keeping correct values and beliefs. TERMS TO KNOW • Courage • Courageous deeds
There are times when a small courageous action of a person brings greater courage, and that courage is powerful enough to even save lives. On August 6th, 2014, there was a man commuting to work on the subway in Perth, Australia. As soon as the train stopped and the door opened, he was trying to enter. However, because he was in a hurry, he fell into the gap between the train and the platform. The train driver realized that there was an accident and stopped the train, and the station staff came running to hold onto him so that the situation would not worsen. What happened after was even more surprising. Countless passengers gathered and pushed the train to widen the gap between the platform and the train. Thanks to the help of the people, the man was able to pull his leg out and was able to avoid what could have been a huge accident. If citizens just waited for Citizens Figure 33-1 Australia’s metro train passengers gather strength to save a person trapped by train
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Courageous Deeds of
Figure 33-2 Corporal Doss receiving the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman on October 12, 1945
33. Courage 3 someone else to help and stood still, could he have been saved? He probably would have been in a serious and critical situation. However, some people expressed their courage, and that spread to others. Instantly, it became the engine for other people to join.
Courage to Overcome Fear In 2018, a massive wildfire in California killed 11 people and evacuated approximately 300,000 residents. On November 9, David Nordquist and Joel Smith of the Los Angeles Fire Department were fighting a wildfire in Woolsey, California, with a helicopter. The helicopter had no lifesaving equipment and was running out of fuel at that time. However, David and Joel did not hesitate and courageously jumped into the wildfire. The fire was close enough to devour people within 30 minutes. It was difficult to secure visibility due to the thick smoke, and it was a dangerous situation where the helicopter could crash if it collided with nearby structures. However, the two attempted to land despite the uncertainties and succeeded. After rescuing three people and two dogs, they quickly escaped from the fire. Many who watched the video of the scene at this time praised the two men’s valiant rescue that required risking of their lives.
The true story film Hacksaw Ridge features Desmond Thomas Doss, who was awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest award bestowed on American soldiers.
Upholding the Correct Values and Beliefs
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He is a non-combative soldier who defended his religious belief of “Thou shall not kill” during the war. He voluntarily enlisted as a medic for his country during World War II but refused to fire because of his religious beliefs. Fellow soldiers who did not like his behavior criticized and harassed him, such as withholding vegetables and giving raw meat though he ate a vegetarian diet. However, he did not give in to any situation and kept his belief that life is precious. His belief was illuminated in the Battle of Okinawa. He jumped into the enemy fire without weapons to rescue his comrades dying in battle, gave first aid, and carried them to safety. His courageous act of risking his own life saved as many as 75 precious lives. Like this, courage is not merely exerting a loud voice or a strong person showing off their strength. True courage is overcoming fear and upholding the correct values and beliefs.
33. Courage 5 Reviewing the Lesson 1 In August 2014, what courageous actions did the citizens of Perth, Australia take on the subway? 2 What courageous actions did the LA fighters take in November 2018? 3 What courageous act did Desmond Doss, the recipient of the American Medal of Honor, take? Activities 1 Have you shown courage for someone else? If you have experienced being courageous to change or overcome a situation, let’s share. If not, we can share a story about someone else who showed courage for others.
Lesson33. Courage 5th floor 20, Nambusunhwan-ro 347-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South-Korea Tel. +82 02-514-1963 Fax. +82 Thehwpl@hwpl.krhttp://www.hwpl.kr02-514-1961firsteditionon31 July 2022 Published by Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light Copyright 2022 Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light All rights reserved. You must get consent from a copyright owner to use all or parts of the contents of this book. Image Credits Figure 33-1 https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/f24212d0fd0aa55163bc100c39c8b2f5 Figure 33-2 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Desmond_Doss_CMH_award.jpg
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