Emperor Worship in the 21st Century?

Last night I was able to catch the end of National Geographic's:

Explorer: Inside North Korea

A brief analysis of the program says:
"Cross into North Korea, one of the most secretive nations on earth, for an extremely rare glimpse of the country and its absolute dictator Kim Jong II known as the "Dear Leader," who rules the country as a god-king, controlling the worlds fourth-largest army and creating international crises with his condemned nuclear program. Correspondent Lisa Ling penetrates its border by traveling undercover with a Nepalese eye surgeon on a humanitarian mission, providing a unique look at life on the inside."

I was not able to catch much, but what I saw surprised me. When I think of Emperor worship my mind travels back to the Roman Empire or even farther back in history. This concept seems to be a memory of the distant past, but last night I saw North Koreans raising their hands and lifting their voices in praise to their dictator, Kim Jong II. Many gave thanks before a picture of their king promising that they and their children would serve him for generations to come. One man even promised to take a gun and kill Americans! There were people who were blind and had received sight who were giving the credit to Jong (at least to the picture of him) for their healing.

I couldn't help but hurt for these people understanding that their worship was for a mortal man. I pray that God will send laborers into the North Korean harvest to tell them about the One Who can truly heal blinded eyes, Who is worthy of adoration and praise, Whose glory we have exchanged for a corruptible image, Who is blessed forever and ever, Amen! It should humble those of us who were not born under the rule of an absolute sovereign but in a free nation to contemplate God's mercy and grace toward us. For those of us who know the Lord, we should be even more humbled at how God really did open our blinded spiritual eyes when we met the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

---Josh