Editorial: Exchanging less personal convenience for more common security

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3095 Edition

June 20~26, 2011

Editorial

Editorial: Exchanging less personal convenience for more common security

Translated by Lydia Ma

On May 30, 2011, the German government led by Chancellor Angela Merkel 
announced that Germany would get rid of all nuclear plants by 2022, making 
Germany the first industrialized country to forsake the use of nuclear energy.

The decision was not an easy one to make for the German government because a 
few months before this announcement Merkel had proposed extending the lifespan 
of Germany’s nuclear reactors just before her campaign for re-election. 

But after mulling over this issue with her cabinet in the weeks following the 
nuclear spill in Japan, her government announced that 2022 would be the year 
Germany would bid farewell to nuclear energy and added that the decision would 
not be reversed. 

In contrast, Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan just went ahead and passed a national 
budget on June 13th, 2011, that included a NT$14 billion allocation to finish 
construction of Nuclear Power Plant No.4. 

Just as the world’s national leaders are realizing the seriousness of a nuclear 
accident, Taiwan’s ruling party, the KMT, is refusing to consider the 
opposition party’s request that the matter be put to a national referendum.

As a sign to confirm KMT’s intention to go ahead with plans to finish building 
Nuclear Power Plant No.4, a giant cargo ship from Holland carrying 1,100 tons 
of reactor pressure vessel approached Keelung harbor in northern Taiwan on the 
morning of June 19th, 2011.

When it comes to nuclear energy, Germany’s decision to forgo nuclear energy and 
explore alternative and renewable energy reflects the Biblical adage, “For what 
is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose or forfeit his own 
self?”. In contrast, the Taiwanese government still has its head in the sand.

As our human civilization pursues greater convenience, comfort, and happiness, 
we will often use our God-given wisdom to invent and discover new technologies 
– such as the use of nuclear energy. However, as we learn about the dangers 
that accompany such new technologies, we must also question if the way in which 
we use some of these new discoveries are against God’s intention for creation – 
and using nuclear energy for electricity is one such example.

Germany as a country has chosen to exchange less personal convenience for more 
common security. What about our government?

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