112. The Leaves of the Tree - Hyun Jin Moon

Larry Moffitt
December 2008

Bishop Manoel Ferreira and Hyun-jin nim finished tamping down the dirt around a sapling tree they had just planted together. They were on the grounds of the Brazil national headquarters of the enormous Assemblies of God Church.

The bishop spoke. "This kind of tree will grow to be sixty feet high and is known to be very wide. It's branches will shelter everything in its shade." It was a day for metaphors, and the meaning of two spiritual leaders planting a tree together was evident to all. Trees are not just protection, they are endurance, bonding and longevity. Not every tree is a tree of life, but this one clearly was.

For the Global Peace Festival and Hyun-jin nim it was another step in a continuing progression of happenings guided by God that, throughout more than twenty such events in 2008, has seen the idea of one family under God embraced by people and nations whose cultural experience includes all three Abrahamic faiths, militant atheism and everything in between.

If the values and message of the Global Peace Festival ever require credentials for claiming universality, it has plenty.

For Bishop Ferreira, and the nearly four million Brazilian evangelical Pentecostals of the world's fastest-growing Protestant denomination, the experience has been nothing less than a revolution of faith. The bishop's connection with us began with quiet observation more than a decade ago and went into high gear when he made an unannounced visit to Hyun-jin nim's hotel room in Brasilia last April. The bishop, like many Christian leaders, was coming to terms with the church's difficulties in stopping the tide of secular culture. He said he had been watching us carefully and had concluded that God is working through our movement to heal the problems of society "I would like to offer you my foundation and all I have," the bishop said.

After he left Hyun-jin nim's room, he disappeared for a week. Only his wife knew where he was. Not even the staff members closest to him knew he had gone into seclusion to pray and fast for seven days to make doubly certain this was the course God wanted him to take. Whatever happened during those seven days is not known. What is known is that Bishop Ferreira returned from the wilderness solid as a rock. He has always led his church by the spirit of God, and now that same God has revealed Himself to the bishop in no uncertain terms.

He was determined to support the work of Hyun-jin nim and the Global Peace Festival. From the moment of his epiphany experience until the festival held in Brazil's capital city on December 7, powerful forces would come against the bishop, even from within his own family, all urging him to abandon Hyun-jin nim and this growing world peace movement.

But Bishop Ferreira has spent a lifetime building a deeply personal relationship with God. He knows and trusts the sound print of God's voice in his heart, and even in the face of an uncertain future, he did not waver an inch.

The bishop's deep and honest connection with God was evident to all. Donna Schuller, wife of Dr. Robert A. Schuller of the famous Crystal Cathedral in California, said, "Bishop Ferreira exudes the love of Jesus Christ."

On several occasions while we were in Brazil, Hyun-jin nim and Bishop Ferreira shared a stage or head table in front of an audience of evangelical Christians, most of whom were still trying to reconcile the ideas flying around the room regarding Jesus and the notion that their savior's intention was (and is) to include everyone. Every time a microphone was put into the bishop's hands, he would give a brief and gracious introduction of Hyun-jin nim and then hand him the mic.

When the bishop visited the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, he stood praying silently in the wings while Hyun-jin rum spoke. Afterward he surprised everyone, including us, by announcing that a Global Peace Festival would be held in Brazil and that he would organize and sponsor it. Only when we finally walked into the large indoor stadium, packed to the rafters with families and teenagers screaming their heads off, did we fully understand the giant hand of God that had been pushing Bishop Ferreira since his wilderness experience. There was pageantry, music, marching, flags, horses, Indian tribal dancing. Christianity was coming of age and its children were welcoming Hyun-jin nim and the True Family with open arms.

There is a season for all things we are told in the Bible. A time to read a prepared written speech and a time to spontaneously wade into the crowd. This was the latter. Hyun-jin nim set his notebook to one side and engaged the mostly youngish crowd in a spirited dialogue.

"Would you like to be the owner of God's greatest dream," he shouted, "the dream of one family under God?"

"Sim!" they shouted affirmatively back in Portuguese.

Then he jumped over the barriers and past the security guards, submerging himself among the people. Walking through the dense crowd, he exhorted and cajoled, preached and dialogued. He asked people to think seriously about the truth of God's plan. "Jesus did not come to start a new religion. His message was for the world."

The threefold platform of the Global Peace Festival is (1) interfaith unity, (2) building God-centered families and (3) creating a culture of service as a manifestation of living for the sake of others -- all things that Jesus either said or demonstrated as essential for us to do.

"Many Evangelicals agree with these values, and we are going to make them all owners of this vision," Hyun-jin nim said. "What a tremendous gift is the Divine Principle. In the past many didn't want to hear it because they thought it is just our theology. But it is much bigger than just our church. When Christians hear these principles they say, 'I believe in that!' When Muslims hear it, they say, 'I believe in that!'"

The sixty or so evangelical members of parliament invited Hyun-jin nim to the Chamber of Deputies (House of Representatives) to receive special recognition for the work of the Global Peace Festival. While it is not unusual to give such recognition to people of stature, it is not an occasion where the honoree is invited to speak. You receive your award, acknowledge the applause and sit down.

On this occasion, however, they invited Hyun-jin nim to speak, telling him he could speak as long as he wanted. Nobody could remember the last time a visitor was granted this kind of freedom inside Brazil's legislative chamber. He used the forum to lay out the complete vision that has inspired so many people from all faiths in every corner of the world.

The Global Peace Festival has a relentless schedule, and a few days later our reception in the Philippines was a continuation of the momentum we brought from Brazil. The metrics for the success of a Global Peace Festival go all the way back to something Father said to some members gathered in his hotel suite following the World Media Conference in Colombia in 1981. He said you are successfully received in a country when you are welcomed by the people, the media and the government.

By those criteria, the Global Peace Festival in Manila, held just days after the one in Brazil, hit the mark dead on. Government ministries that oversee programs of education and youth were enthusiastic about the character education programs of the Youth Federation for World Peace. Along with military academies and universities, they mobilized thousands of people for the festival's main event, held, as it was last year, on the spacious grounds of the Quirino Grandstands, an area where several hundred thousand have gathered in times past to create great social change or bring down tyrants.

The Manila Bulletin, considered by many to be the "newspaper of record" for the Philippines (a title accorded to the New York Times in the U.S.), promoted the Global Peace Festival heavily in the days preceding the main event. The day after Hyun-jin nim's keynote address to the festival, the Bulletin printed the entire text of his speech, starting at the top of the Commentary Page and filling up most of another page.

The people supported the Global Peace Festival as well. From the stage we looked out over an ocean of faces going all the way back to Roxas Boulevard. This was appropriate turf for a social revolution that seeks to do what Jesus Christ himself wanted to do-gather the faithful of the world from every religion and bring us all to God as brothers and sisters.

The success in Manila really began months earlier in the provinces of the Philippines. A dozen festivals were held in cities throughout the far-flung archipelago that is the Philippine Islands. Armed insurgencies operate openly on some of the more remote islands, and Global Peace Festivals were conducted peacefully in places where people had recently been murdered by guerilla soldiers.

As there was no violence perpetrated against the festivals, our peace movement became known and admired throughout the country. Regional President Yong Chung-shik ranked the Global Peace Festival's name recognition right up there with Coca Cola's.

Hyun-jin nim announced to the media in Manila that the Philippines had been chosen as the host nation for the first annual world convention of the Global Peace Festival. It will be held this coming autumn, bringing together the best practices, along with the leading global partners who are fellow owners of the vision. 

111. Global Peace Festival 2008 Korea - One Family Under God

Hyun Jin Moon
November 9, 2008
Keynote Address
Global Peace Festival
Seoul, Korea

Respected Speaker Hyung Oh Kim, Congresswoman Young Sun Song, Ambassadors, Representative Korean War Veterans of 16 Nations, Honored guests from around the world and Ladies and Gentlemen;

As a Korean and on behalf of all Koreans, I would also like to take this opportunity, on the 60th anniversary of the Republic of Korea, to give special thanks to the veterans, ambassadors and families that represent the 16-nation UN Forces during the Korean War.

Because of your respective nation’s selfless sacrifice to uphold the banner of freedom, a proud republic stands here today with an opportunity to give back to the world the blessings it has received.

On a more personal note, it was because of your efforts that my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon, was liberated from the North Korean death camp in Hungnam and, thus, was able to establish a legacy of peace building centered upon God’s will for humanity.

Once again, I would like to thank you on behalf of a grateful nation and on behalf of a grateful family.

Over the last few days, the eyes of the world have been focused on the presidential elections in the United States, hoping to witness history in the making. Change, yes we can has become the slogan of not only a successful campaign but a message of hope at a time of national and global crisis.

The message of change and hope is all the more relevant here in Korea, a peninsula and a people divided for more that a half century. But, at the same time, change for the sake of change and hope without grounding in reality will only compound the myriad of problems that this nation and the world faces. Although it is good to want change and to have hope when all we see ahead of us is more problems, what is more important is the direction that would lead us to the desired outcomes we intend to achieve.

I believe we stand at a crossroads. We need a vision that can unite a divided nation and people, as well as lead a region and world to greater peace and prosperity. That is why it is, especially, my great honor and pleasure to be able to share this vision here at the Global Peace Festival seminar held in these hallowed halls of the Korean National Assembly.

The need for a new vision

In order to articulate a national, regional and global vision for peace, we will need to admit that we have to be bold and break new ground if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past.

We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world’s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work.

Conflict begins when we fail to follow the dictates of our conscience and recognize our common heritage in God. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations and, later, the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history. When we consider the number of wars and conflicts that continue to plague humanity, it is clear that the world undeniably needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century.

Unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is One Family under God! The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. After receiving this revelation on a cold Easter Sunday, seventy three years ago, he devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream. To him the dream to build One Family under God was not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God.

This is because God is the True Parent of all mankind. My father goes on to explain in one of his recent peace messages, God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region. You may call Him by any name, be it Jehovah, Allah, [Heaven], or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists, lives as the true parent of all people, and is carrying on the great work of Creation.

A True Family is the Model for Peace:

Let us take a moment and think about family. First and foremost, the family is universal. We, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, have and are members of families.

Secondly, it represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relation saying that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter. We have all had those experiences and those types of relationships.

Most importantly, the family is the school of love. Through the lessons in our families, we learn to embrace and value all relationships, whether they are inter-generational, between the sexes, or between peers.

I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue. Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, thus encapsulating the continuum of time and setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love.

As the cornerstone of all societies, families instill a culture of love and service that extends to our communities, to our nations and to the world. In short, we love our family in order to learn to love humanity in its richness and diversity.

Before we call ourselves as Buddhist, Christian, or Confucian, before we see ourselves as black, white, or yellow, before we identify ourselves as Korean, American, or Japanese, we are first and foremost the sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Therefore, we should own the dream to realize One Family under God one family at a time, by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed.

Korea’s Spiritual History

The vision of One Family under God is deeply rooted in Korea’s spiritual heritage. One of the oldest civilizations in the world, Korean history begins with the creation myth of Tangun. The idea of God or heaven was the unifying theme in the formation of this nation and its people and has always been seen as the force that molded its national character and sense of destiny.

In the 19th century, for example, the Christian missionaries from America and Europe who came to Korea quickly found that the traditional Korean belief in hanunim or heaven was the ideal foundation for the gospel message.

This national spirit to align to a Heavenly Will has made Korea a model nation of religious harmony and tolerance, allowing all faiths to flourish here in Korea unlike anywhere else in the world and to coexist in relative peace.

The importance of the family has been another constant in Korean society. Every year, our cities empty as Korean families honor our ancestors at the Chuseok celebration. Our traditions of filial piety and respect for elders and the idea of the extended family model as the foundation for a stable society and nation are a uniquely Korean contribution to civilization.

Today, however the fact that religious differences are becoming so politicized in modern Korean society, and the breakdown of so many Korean families are worrying developments that represent a deep fracture in our national psyche. We are in danger of losing our most valuable traditions.

This is why the vision of One Family under God is so important for this time. In fact, this is the dream of all people of faith. Korea, with its unique cultural and spiritual traditions should be the leading nation in bringing this dream to fruition and reality.

A Vision for the Reunification of Korea

More than 33 years ago my father gathered representatives of every religious tradition and thousands of delegates from 60 nations around the world, together with more than one million Korean citizens for an epic rally at Yoido Plaza.

On that day, he warned that the ideology of secular humanism would never be able to bring about the reunification of our nation. He said national unification could only take place when we recognize that we are the children of God, with equal rights and responsibilities before heaven.

My father declared that when that happened, Korea would become a nation that could lead all the people of the world to peace. He said -- We should be courageous and rise up totally with God's special favor and protection. God loves Korea so much that He is going to establish a unified civilization of the whole world in this country.

As a proud son, I am filled with deep emotion as I stand here before you today. I was six years old when my father delivered this prophetic message at Yoido. I believe my life, as well as that of my family, has come in full circle.

Through the Global Peace Festival, we are gathering once again to awaken this nation to fulfill its providential calling and complete North South Unification, and to lead the world to peace.

A Culture of Service

Creating a culture of service is a core goal of the Global Peace Festival and a necessary step for peace. I am pleased and proud to report to you that we are creating a new spirit of volunteerism and peaceful development around the world. We are changing nations through this exciting vision of peace.

In Paraguay, we helped smooth the first democratic transfer of power between civilian governments.

In Kenya more than 70,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River, an effort that moved Prime Minister Raila Odinga to come out in support of our Global Peace Festival. He said that our efforts were crucial in bringing peace between the warring tribes that so recently were on the brink of civil war.

In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies worked throughout the nation centered on the vision of living for the sake of others. The president of that nation, the leader of the Mongolia People’s Revolutionary Party told me that the vision of One Family under God was absolutely needed for the spiritual life and development of his country. In Malaysia we brought this culture of service and interfaith to this predominately Muslim nation.

In Mindanao, Philippines we went to an area where Christian-Muslim strife has been most intense and managed to bring young people from both sides together in service and celebration. In Washington, DC, the Global Peace Festival led a giant interfaith food drive feed hungry children and families in America’s capital. Service for Peace in Korea is working to create sister relationships between North and South Korean cities. The Mayor of Suwon has committed to supporting this project and I would like it to be expanded throughout the nation. In this way we can build a grass roots movement of peace and reconciliation between our divided national family.

There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do only for a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings.

I would like to see Korea's faith-based and community partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps.

Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause.

Korea and the World

I believe that it is no coincidence that today a Korean, Bang Ki-moon, serves as the Secretary General of the United Nations. I believe that it is God’s Will for Korea to work with the United Nations and take responsibility to establish world peace.

Many great minds agree that the greatest threat to global peace and future development is religious narrow-mindedness. Accordingly, a second important goal of the Global Peace Festival is to promote genuine interfaith understanding and to end the tragedy of religious conflicts that continue to scar our planet.

In particular, I propose that the Republic of Korea second the motion that my father made in the UN to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders similar to the Security Council. This new UN body could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process.

Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God.

In addition, I believe the UN needs to recognize the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. I further propose the UN Charter be modified to include the idea that humanity is endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights similar to the US Declaration of Independence. Without a spiritual root in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will continue to be abused.

Together, we must revive Korea’s proud traditions and expand this dream onto a global stage through the universal vision of One Family under God. This should be the clarion call of our age.

As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God’s cherished desire.

The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world -- from the strife and poverty of Africa, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War here on the Korean Peninsula.

As Koreans, Americans and global citizens let us make a solemn pledge to dream the biggest dream and to lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God.

Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create “One Family under God.”

May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of Korea!

Thank you very much. 

110. One Family Under God

Hyun Jin Moon
October 26, 2008
Keynote Address
Global Peace Festival
Philadelphia, PA

Introduction

Ladies and Gentlemen, Brothers and Sisters, my dear friends:

It is a pleasure and a privilege to join with you once again here in the beautiful city of Philadelphia to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace.

It's been a busy week for the global peace festival. Last Saturday there was a large festival in Kortsa, Albania. I myself just returned from Malaysia, where on Sunday we held another wonderful interfaith celebration together thousands of students and leaders from all sectors of Malaysian society.

On Thursday we were in my home state of New York, and just yesterday we were in Chicago!

Among the many young leaders I met in Malaysia, I was particularly impressed by Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, an outstanding young man who a year ago became Malaysia's first astronaut.

He spoke very movingly about his experience in space, and how he suddenly came to see the earth as it really is: the one small home where we all live, breathe and dream of peace. He said that he had made a pledge that when he came back to earth, he would invest his life for the cause of peace.

At the first US Global Peace Festival on the National Mall in Washington DC in August this year, I recalled the spirit and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. exemplified in his passionate speech, "I Have A Dream."

King yearned for the day when the children of all races would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Citing the Declaration of Independence, that all men are created equal and entitled to inalienable rights endowed by their Creator, King said that the struggle for civil rights was not just a Black struggle for equality but a timeless ideal rooted in the American Dream.

Forty years after King's death, it is clear that the dream is still unfinished. When we consider the number of wars and conflicts that continue to plague humanity, it is clear that the world undeniably needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century.

Unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in universal values. We must be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past.

We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world's problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions.

Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause simply will not work.

America today stands at a crossroads. Throughout the world and at home, there is a growing anxiety in the air, stemming from one crisis after another. The global "war against terror" has fundamentally changed the way we, Americans, live.

We are in a constant state of uncertainty, compounded by an economic downturn, rising energy and food costs and the collapse of our financial institutions. Add to that the massive devastation from natural disasters in New Orleans, Florida and California and it seems all the power and might that America can muster will not keep us safe.

There are those who might be looking towards the presidential elections in next month to fix the problems of our nation and the world.

However, the solution to our national and global quandary cannot be solved by one man, party or administration. It is far too complex to be addressed in the same old political, economic, diplomatic or even military manner of the past. The solution to our problems can only come when we as a people and a nation are aligned with Almighty God.

One Family Under God.

I want to share with you a new vision for America. It is a vision rooted in our nation's founding principles, a vision that exalts the ideal of one NATION under God and then takes it one step further into a greater, more universal ideal, of One FAMILY under God. It is a dream for all Americans and all people of faith. And most of all, I firmly believe that it is God's vision for humanity.

Let us reflect, for a moment, on the birth of our nation in 1776, when thirteen rag-tag colonies announced their independence from the colonial yoke of Great Britain. It must have been a moment of great pain, anxiety and exhilaration, for those who signed the Declaration of Independence knew very well what their fate would be if they had failed.

The amazing thing about the Declaration is the deeply spiritual rhetoric and the clear reference to God, or the Creator, as the true source of human dignity and intrinsic rights.

I believe that same Declaration of Independence remains the most important document of our modern era. Although it was a secular document, it was leavened with spiritual undertones which evoked a prayerful yearning to establish a new land committed to principles upon which One Nation could be created under God.

Thus, it carried a profound spiritual authority and became the basis, I believe, of a new covenant with God. That covenant was rooted in the biblical promise first made to Israel in the book of Isaiah. True to that prophecy, America invited all of God's children to come and worship Him according to the dictates of their conscience.

Although predominantly a Christian nation, America was the first nation on earth committed to universal spiritual values. It was the first nation to champion religious freedom and human rights, regardless of denomination, faith, nationality, ethnicity, and race.

America became a pluralistic melting pot, representing how the world could live in harmony under a national vision rooted in the sovereignty of God.

Of course, there have been times when America has not fully lived up to its founding ideals. But at its best, America represents the hopes and aspirations of all God-affirming people around the world.

God's Dream and the Christian Mission

The power of this vision goes all the way back to the very beginning of human history. Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity.

God wanted His children to create a true family which could be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. It would have been God's family where He would dwell as the true parent of all mankind.

Yet, this dream was not realized. And therefore, God had waited patiently throughout human history, often in agony and lamentation, for someone to realize His unfilled dream.

2,000 years ago, a young carpenter's son, Jesus Christ, went beyond the traditions of his own people, referring to God as his Father and embracing all humanity as his brothers and sisters. Jesus taught a selfless, compassionate love, the need for individual spiritual responsibility, the promise of universal salvation, and the need to create the family of God.

Tragically Jesus' life was cut short and the new wine he was to bring was unfortunately poured into less-than-new wine skins. Yet, his legacy and message lived on through the foundation of world Christianity.

It wasn't until the modern era with the founding of the United States that the true, universal spirit of Christianity took root. Instead of espousing any one faith or denomination, Americans have enjoyed the freedom to follow the dictates of their conscience, with the hope of creating a nation united under the sovereignty of God.

My father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon, has devoted his entire life to the fulfillment of this mission. He uprooted his family and invested thirty four years of his life to awaken America to its providential calling. To my father, the dream of building One Family under God is not just the dream of one man, one woman or one family but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God.

In 1976 my father spoke at the Washington Monument, declaring that the American Dream was not a dream for America alone, but for all the people of the world. I would like to share with you a prophetic statement he made that night over three decades ago:

The United States of America, transcending race and nationality, is already a model of the unified world.

She must realize that the abundant blessings which God has been pouring upon this land are not just for America, but are for the children of God throughout the world. Upon the foundation of world Christianity, America must exercise her responsibility as a world leader and the chosen nation of God."

I was seven years old and in the audience when my father delivered this prophetic message. I believe my life, as well as that of my family, has come full circle as we gather again to awaken this nation to fulfill its providential calling and lead the world to peace.

A True Family is the Model for Peace

The message whose time has come for this age is One Family Under God. Why a family?

First, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion, we are all members of families.

Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of relationships. When we feel close to someone, we use familial terms, saying that person is like my father, my mother, my brother, my sister. In the family we learn to love humanity in all its richness and diversity.

Before we call ourselves Christian, Muslim, or Jew, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Korean or American, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God. We are all members of His eternal family.

This is the starting point to realize the dream of creating One Family under God, one family at a time.

Service Uplifts Human Dignity

Creating a culture of service is a necessary step for peace. I am pleased and proud to say that the Global Peace Festival has created a new spirit of volunteerism around the world.

In Paraguay, over 10,000 high school and college students spent weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción.

In Kenya more than 70,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River, an effort that moved the new Prime Minister Raila Odinga to come and speak at our Global Peace Festival there.

In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies have been working to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents, and supporting a new school for the poorest of children in the capital.

In Albania, 1500 students worked with the city of Kortza. on the One Student, One Tree citywide tree planting project.

At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked with President George H Bush's Points of Light Institute and the Capital District Boys and Girls Clubs. Together we held a food drive to feed the hungry in the nation's capitol.

Most recently, GPF in Malaysia launched the Power of Ten Cents program. Thousands of high school and college students have committed to donate just 10 cents a day towards the goal of ending poverty, and the number is growing all the time. Already, they have raised enough money to make a significant donation to a relief agency in neighboring Cambodia.

I know that many of you have made great service efforts here in Philadelphia as well. To all those who participated in the campaign for a million acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt thank you!

There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do only for a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings.

Building upon America's great tradition of volunteerism, I'd like to see our nation's faith-based and community partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps that will be more than just an American effort.

Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause.

Peace Among the World's Religions

Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths.

We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all God-affirming people together as one family.

When we remember our common origin and our common heritage, our eyes open to the obvious truth that all people, regardless of creed, race or culture, are indeed One Family under God.

America, as a nation of interfaith ideals, must now fulfill its destiny of leading the world toward peace. Working with the United Nations, I propose that the United States second the motion that my father made in the UN to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders similar to the Security Council.

In addition, I believe the UN needs to recognize the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. I propose the UN Charter be modified to include the idea that humanity is endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights similar to the US Declaration of Independence.

Without a spiritual root in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will continue to be abused.

A Call to action

We must revive America's founding vision and expand that dream onto a global stage through the universal vision of "One Family under God." It should be the clarion call of our age.

As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come: to tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God's cherished desire.

The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world -- from the strife and poverty of Africa, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula.

As Americans and global citizens let us make a solemn pledge to expand the American dream and lead the world to peace through the vision of One Family under God.

Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create -- One Family under God.

May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of America!

Thank you very much. 

109. One Family Under God in Malaysia

Hyun Jin Moon
October 19, 2008
Address at the Global Peace Festival
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Salam Sejahtera! Greetings!

It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace. Your being here this evening in such numbers is a clear sign that the Global Peace Festival is indeed bringing a new breath of hope to a world yearning for an end to the cycle of war, conflict and poverty!

I love Malaysia! Each time I come here, I am deeply impressed at how this nation is becoming a model of interfaith peace and unity, with people of all religions, races and ethnicities living together as neighbors and as brothers and sisters. Malaysia is truly a nation that loves God. When we visited the Putrajaya Mosque on Friday, I was inspired to learn how the government officials pause their duties daily and especially on Friday to pray at the mosque.

Elsewhere, we saw preparations for the celebration of Deepavali, the Hindu festival of lights, and we were reminded of your beautiful tradition of accepting all faiths, allowing all Malaysian’s to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience.

Moreover, Malaysia has invited tens of thousands of students from all over the world to study here, many with generous scholarships. In this way, you are helping to create a new generation of peace-builders who will play a central role in building a world of peace in this 21st century.

Young people like to dream big. Malaysia is young nation that is dreaming about becoming the world capital of peace. I have come here tonight to challenge you to dream the greatest dream of all, the dream of “One Family Under God.”

I think we can all agree that there is a long way to go if we are to truly realize this dream of peace. In recent weeks, financial chaos and economic uncertainty have been shaking almost every nation of the world.

Every nation also faces persistent problems of crime, unemployment, AIDS, poverty, family breakdown and youth problems. On top of all that, there are a record number of wars and regional conflicts that continue to plague the human family.

Recently, the United Nations released a very pessimistic report stating that progress towards the Millennium Development Goals is way off track. No wonder it sometimes seems that our world is actually further away from peace than ever before!

One thing is clear: if there is to be any change, the world undeniably needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. Moreover, unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in universal values.

We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world’s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work.

We must be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past. Today, therefore, I want to share a new vision of lasting peace for Malaysia and for all nations.

That vision is “One Family under God!”

The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life and all his resources to the fulfillment of that dream.

The dream to build “One Family Under God” is not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God.

As my father explained in a recent Peace Message, God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region.

You may call Him by any name, be it Allah, Jehovah, God, Heaven or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists and lives as the creator and true parent of all mankind.

A True Family is the Model for Peace

Why is the family the fundamental building block for peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families.

Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship, saying “that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter.”

Most importantly, the family is the school of love. I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue.

Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love.

Before we call ourselves Muslim or Christian or Hindu, before we see ourselves as Black, White, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Malaysian, Chinese or Korean, we are first and foremost brothers and sisters and members of God’s eternal family. 

108. A New Vision of Peace for Canada

Hyun Jin Moon
October 4, 2008
GPF Founder
Ottawa, Canada

Excerpts of keynote address at the Global Peace Festival

Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Ottawa, Canada. It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today.

Today I want to share a vision of peace. To begin with, we must admit that we will have to be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past.

We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world’s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations and, later, the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history.

The world needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. Unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is “One Family under God!”

The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream.

The dream to build “One Family under God” is not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. As my father explained in one of his recent peace messages, "God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region."

You may call Him by any name, be it Jehovah, Allah, Heaven, or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists, lives as the true parent of all people, and is carrying on the great work of Creation.

Why is the family is the fundamental building block for peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship, saying “that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter.” Most importantly, the family is the school of love. I believe that the three-generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue.

Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, thus encapsulating the continuum of time and setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love.

Before we call ourselves Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Canadians, Americans, Russian, or Chinese, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Therefore, we should own the dream to realize “One Family under God” one family at a time, by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed.

Undecided territorial, ethnic and national divisions and broken economic and social ties all provoke instability, uncertainty and violence. If Canada could own the vision of “One Family under God,” it could inspire many nations to look beyond their narrow interests and recognize their common heritage and, thereby, their common future. Will you take on this challenge?

Creating a culture of service is necessary for peace to exist, and the Global Peace Festival has created a new spirit of volunteerism in many countries around the world.

At the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked with President George H. Bush’s Points of Light Institute and held a food drive to feed the hungry in the nation’s capital. In Kenya more than 25,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River. In Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies worked to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents.

To all those who participated in these acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt “thank you!” I’d like to see Canada’s volunteers and service partners joining with other nations, such as the United States, Russia, China, Europe, and Asia to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service with the heart of “living for the sake of others.” Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common vision to build “One Family under God.”

Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God.

I would like to suggest that all nations second the motion that my father made in the United Nations to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders, similar to the UN Security Council. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process.

Today, I invite you to aspire to an even greater dream. That dream is “One Family under God.” It should be the clarion call for our age. The power of one human family united can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world -- from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty and disease of Africa and to the civil, ethnic and national strife of Eurasia.

As we stand under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace by realizing the dream to create “One Family under God.” Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create “One Family under God.” May God bless you and your families, this great nation, and all the nations represented here. Thank you very much! 

107. Speech at the Global Peace Festival in Mongolia

Hyun Jin Moon
September 9, 2008

For the first time in human history, one empire controlled the lives of most of the world's inhabitants. Yet, it fostered values of cultural and religious tolerance, respect for ability above social standing, appreciation of human life and of the importance of inter-cultural, interracial and inter-religious marriages and families. One could even argue that the Mongol Empire had the beginnings of a universal framework of religious freedom and human rights later championed by the United States.

Mongolia's rich past is relevant in our age for creating a world of peace, especially here in Eurasia. With the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, the large Eurasian continent has seen an explosion of ethnic, religious and national rivalries that have destabilized the region, hampering initiatives for peace and prosperity.

The recent war in the South Caucasus proves that the countries of this region still have a ways to go to overcome these conflicts of the past. Undecided territorial, ethnic and national divisions and broken economic and social ties all provoke instability, uncertainty and violence. The nations and peoples of this region need a new peace initiative, based upon a common vision.

What unifying legacy, vision and principle could unite the disparate forces at work in this region? I believe the key to unlock the strife of Eurasia lies in her common history and heritage.

We are all of Mongolian descent, whether we are born in Korea, China or Russia. Spanning from the Pacific to the banks of the Danube, the Mongol lineage, represented by the unique blue birthmark, has spread to encompass more than 70 percent of the population.

Recognizing the potential challenges of our age, my father inaugurated the Mongolian Peoples Federation for World Peace on August 4, 2004. At the second assembly, he outlined the purpose of this new peace initiative:

This federation and movement... does not aim at establishing another nation in the world. Nor is it the beginning of a new nationalist movement. It [will] do away with all the walls and national boundaries and bring together the six billion people of the world through rallying together the interrelated people of Mongolian descent.

If Mongolia could own the vision of One family under God and align with the mission of the Mongolian Peoples Federation, it could inspire the entire region to look beyond its narrow interests and recognize its common heritage and, thereby, its common future.

As the cliché "blood is thicker than water" suggests, the Mongolian lineage transcends national boundaries and cultural divides and builds a collective regional solidarity that could uplift Eurasia from the mire of civil conflict and war.

Like our forefathers who marched across the Eurasian continent, charged with the mission to unite mankind under one Heaven, let us move boldly to the four corners of the world as owners of the vision to create one family under God, ushering in an age of peace and co-prosperity for all Mongolians, Asians, Eurasians and the world.

Will you take on this challenge? Yes or no? 

106. One Family Under God in Mongolia

Hyun Jin Moon
September 9, 2008
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Excerpts of the address given at the Global Peace Festival, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on September 9, 2008

Esteemed dignitaries, family, friends, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Global Peace Festival in beautiful Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It is a great honor and pleasure to be with you today in the heartland of Asia with my ethnic cousins to celebrate a vision of everlasting peace.

Just last month, the world gathered in Beijing, China for the Olympic Games, under the theme of “One World, One Dream.” Let me take a moment to again congratulate Tuvshinbayar Naidan (Tushvee) and Badar-Uugan Enkhbat for winning the first ever gold medals for Mongolia in judo and boxing. Well done!

Today I want to share a vision of peace for Mongolia and all nations in this region. To begin with, we must admit that we will have to be bold and break new ground in our search for peace and prosperity, if we are to really go beyond the failures of our past.

We only need to look back to the last century to recognize the futility of tackling the world’s problems through the same old military, economic, political, diplomatic and scientific solutions. Dealing with only the symptoms of global crisis and conflict and ignoring the root cause will not work. That is why even the grand vision behind the League of Nations and, later, the United Nations was unable to prevent the 20th century from being the bloodiest era in human history.

The world needs a new vision of peace for the 21st Century. Unlike the secular thinking of our recent past, it should be a spiritual vision, rooted in time-enduring values. That vision is “One Family under God!”

The one who has taken on the mantle to champion this vision around the world is none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon. He has devoted his entire life, resources and wealth to the fulfillment of that dream.

The dream to build “One Family under God” is not the dream of just one man, woman or family but belongs to all humanity and, most of all, to God. As my father explained in one of his recent peace messages, "God, the Creator of all things under the sun, is the true parent of all humanity. He is not a parent in the parochial sense, existing only for a certain religion, a certain race, or the residents of a certain region."

You may call Him by any name, be it Jehovah, Allah, Heaven, or any other. What is important is that He certainly exists, lives as the true parent of all people, and is carrying on the great work of Creation.

Why is the family the fundamental building block for peace? First and foremost, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religious affiliations, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of human relationships. We use familial terms to describe the closeness of any relationship, saying “that person is like my father, like my mother, like my brother, like my sister, like my son and like my daughter.” Most importantly, the family is the school of love. I believe that the three generational model of grandparents, parents and children is the paragon of family virtue.

Those generations represent the past, present and future living in harmony in one family, thus encapsulating the continuum of time and setting the basis of establishing everlasting peace centered upon true love. Before we call ourselves Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Mongolian, Russian, or Chinese, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God and members of his eternal family. Therefore, we should own the dream to realize “One Family under God” one family at a time, by uplifting all families beyond race, nationality or creed.

The dream to build “One Family under God” should resonate with Mongolia’s spiritual heritage, a heritage that goes all the way back to its prehistory, very much like my native home of Korea. It was this heritage which prompted the most famous Mongolian, Chinggis Han (Genghis Kahn), and later his family and descendants to undertake the enormous task of uniting the world under One Heaven.

Mongolia’s rich historical past is relevant in our age for creating a world of peace, especially here in Eurasia. The recent war in the South Caucasus proves that the countries of this region still have a way to go to overcome these conflicts of the past. Undecided territorial, ethnic and national divisions and broken economic and social ties all provoke instability, uncertainty and violence. The nations and peoples of this region need a new peace initiative, based upon a common vision.

Recognizing the potential challenges of our age, my father founded the Mongolian Peoples’ Federation for World Peace in 2004 to “Do away with all the walls and national boundaries and bring together the six billion people of the world, through rallying together the interrelated people of Mongolian descent." If Mongolia could own the vision of “One Family under God” and align with the mission of the Mongolian Peoples' Federation, it could inspire the entire region to look beyond its narrow interests and recognize its common heritage and, thereby, its common future. Will you take on this challenge?

Creating a culture of service is necessary for peace to exist, and the Global Peace Festival has created a new spirit of volunteerism in many countries around the world. At the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay, more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning almost every park in the capital city of Asunción. At the Global Peace Festival in Washington, DC, we worked with President George H. Bush’s Points of Light Institute and held a food drive to feed the hungry in the nation’s capitol. In Kenya more than 25,000 volunteers helped clean the polluted banks of the Nairobi River. Here in Mongolia, volunteers from Service for Peace and a dozen other agencies have been working to make the city of Ulaanbaatar a place of beauty and harmony for all its residents.

To all those who participated in these acts of service and kindness, I want to say a heartfelt “thank you!” I’d like to see Mongolia’s volunteers and service partners joining with other nations, such as the United States, Russia, China, Europe and Asia to establish a Global Peace Corps. Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service with the heart of “living for the sake of others.” Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common vision to build “One Family under God.”

Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths. Religious and spiritual leaders must lead the peace process. Instead of advocating their own narrow doctrinal perspective, they must lead all people of faith to recognize the shared values and principles that come from our common heritage in one God.

I would like to suggest that all nations second the motion that my father made in the United Nations to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders, similar to the UN Security Council. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process. Let us be bold today and dare to dream big! Let us dream the greatest dream of all! You have already heard of the “Mongolian Dream,” a dream to endow every child with a good education and a healthy life.

Today, I invite you to aspire to an even greater dream. That dream is “One Family under God.” It should be the clarion call for our age. The power of one human family united can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world -- from the conflict in the Middle East, to the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula, to the poverty and disease of Africa and to the civil, ethnic and national strife of Eurasia.

As we stand under the steadfast gaze of our ancestors, let us make a solemn pledge to lead the world to peace by realizing the dream to create “One Family under God.” Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create “One Family under God.” May God bless you and your families, this great nation of Mongolia and all the nations represented here. Thank you very much! 

105. Keynote Address, Global Peace Festival At The US Capitol Grounds - One Family Under God

Hyun Jin Moon
August 9, 2008
Washington, DC

Introduction

It is my pleasure and honor to stand with you today in front of the U.S. Capitol with the memorials of great Americans like Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln bearing witness to our efforts. It is a breathtaking view, and I feel we stand on hallowed ground, where the past and the present can align to build a greater tomorrow for all Americans and all of our neighbors throughout the world.

This mall commemorates the sacrifices of men and women who served the cause of freedom and paid the ultimate price on foreign shores. The world owes a great debt to this nation and the brave and selfless young Americans who were willing to oppose any foe and pay any price for the American dream and its founding principles.

These grounds have also been the venue for that rare brand of oratory that stirs men and women's souls and moves their hearts. Just forty eight years ago, newly elected President John F. Kennedy challenged all Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." He launched a bold new peace initiative, the Peace Corps, inspiring subsequent generations with a culture of global service.

Three years later, at the height of the civil rights struggle, a young, courageous Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his passionate speech, "I Have A Dream." He yearned for the day when the children of all races would be judged "not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Citing the Declaration of Independence, "that all men are created equal and entitled to inalienable rights endowed by their Creator," King said that the struggle for civil rights was not just a Black struggle for equality but a timeless ideal rooted in the American Dream.

Thirteen years later a then relatively unknown Korean spiritual leader delivered a message to more than 300,000 Americans, declaring that the American Dream was not a dream for America alone, but for all the people of the world. That man was none other than my father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon.

I would like to share with you a prophetic statement he made that night over three decades ago:

"The United States of America, transcending race and nationality, is already a model of the unified world. She must realize that the abundant blessings which God has been pouring upon this land are not just for America, but are for the children of God throughout the world. Upon the foundation of world Christianity, America must exercise her responsibility as a world leader and the chosen nation of God."

The Greatest Dream of All

As a proud son, I am filled with deep emotion as I stand here before you today. I was seven years old and in the audience when my father delivered this prophetic message. I believe my life, as well as that of my family, has come full circle as we gather once again on this hallowed ground to awaken this nation to fulfill its providential calling and lead the world to peace.

For I can tell you as surely as the sun will rise, that those words did not fall upon deaf ears that historic night long ago, but stirred the hearts and the imagination of a new generation of leaders, dedicated to realizing a truly universal and global expansion of the American Dream. We are heirs to that prophecy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are at a crossroads. Throughout the world and at home, there is a growing anxiety in the air, stemming from one crisis after another. The global "war against terror" has fundamentally changed the way we Americans live. We are in a constant state of uncertainty, compounded by an economic downturn, rising energy and food costs, and the collapse of our financial institutions. Add to that the massive devastation from natural disasters in New Orleans, Florida and California and it seems all the power and might that America can muster will not keep us safe.

There are those who might be looking towards the presidential elections in November to fix the problems of our nation and the world. However, the solution to our national and global quandary cannot be solved by one man, party or administration. It is far too complex to be addressed in the same old political, economic, diplomatic or even military manner of the past.

We definitely need change, but not for the sake of change. The world needs leadership, and America could provide it if it had a universal vision which could inspire and unite the human family.

One Nation Under God to One Family Under God.

Let us be bold and dare tonight to dream big! Let us dream the greatest dream of all! I want to share with you a new vision for America. It is a vision rooted in our nation's founding principles, a vision that exalts the ideal of "one NATION under God" and then takes it one step further into a greater, more universal ideal, of "one FAMILY under God." It is a dream for all Americans and all people of faith. And most of all, I firmly believe that it is God's vision for humanity.

Let us reflect for a moment on the birth of our nation in 1776, when thirteen "rag-tag" colonies announced their independence from the colonial yoke of Great Britain. It must have been a moment of great pain, anxiety and exhilaration, for those who signed the Declaration of Independence knew very well what their fate would be if they had failed.

The amazing thing about the Declaration is the deeply spiritual rhetoric and the clear reference to God, or the Creator, as the true source of human dignity and intrinsic rights. I believe that same Declaration of Independence remains the most important document of our modern era. Although it was a secular document, it was leavened with spiritual undertones which evoked a prayerful yearning to establish a new land committed to principles upon which "One Nation" could be created "under God."

Thus, it carried a profound spiritual authority and became the basis, I believe, of a new covenant with God. That covenant was rooted in the biblical promise first made to Israel in the book of Isaiah. True to that prophecy, America invited all of God's children to come and worship Him according to the dictates of their conscience.

Although predominantly a Christian nation, America was the first nation on earth committed to universal spiritual values. It was the first nation to champion religious freedom and human rights, regardless of denomination, faith, nationality, ethnicity, and race.

America became a pluralistic melting pot, representing how the world could live in harmony under a national vision rooted in the sovereignty of God. Of course, there have been times when America has not fully lived up to its founding ideals. But at its best, America represents the hopes and aspirations of all God-affirming people around the world.

God's Dream and the Fulfillment of the Christian Mission

The power of this vision goes all the way back to the very beginning of human history. Just as we have big aspirations and hopes for our children, so too did God have great expectations for humanity.

God wanted His children to create a true family which could be the school of true love, true life and true lineage. It would have been God's family where He would dwell as the true parent of all mankind. Yet, this dream was not realized. And therefore, God had waited patiently throughout human history, often in agony and lamentation, for someone to realize His unfilled dream.

2,000 years ago, a young carpenter's son, Jesus Christ, went beyond the traditions of his own people, referring to God as his Father and embracing all humanity as his brothers and sisters.

Jesus taught a selfless, compassionate love, the need for individual spiritual responsibility, the promise of universal salvation, and the need to create the family of God.

Tragically Jesus' life was cut short and the new wine he was to bring was unfortunately poured into less-than-new wine skins. Yet, his legacy and message lived on through the foundation of world Christianity.

It wasn't until the modern era with the founding of the United States that the true, universal spirit of Christianity took root. Instead of espousing any one faith or denomination, Americans have enjoyed the freedom to follow the dictates of their conscience, with the hope of creating a nation united under the sovereignty of God.

This became the basis of the American dream in building "One Nation under God." The dream to create "One Family under God" did not end with Jesus. It remained latent within the Christian message, waiting for someone to rekindle Jesus' universal and global mission.

My father, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon, has devoted his entire life to the fulfillment of that mission. He uprooted his family and invested thirty four years of his life to awaken America to its providential calling. To my father, the dream of building "One Family under God" is not just the dream of one man, one woman or one family but the dream of all humanity and, most of all, the dream of God.

A True Family is the Model for Peace

The message whose time has come for this age is "One Family Under God." Why a family? First, the family is universal. Regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality and religion, we are all members of families. Secondly, the family represents the most intimate of relationships. When we feel close to someone, we use familial terms, saying "that person is like my father, my mother, my brother, my sister." In the family we learn to love humanity in all its richness and diversity.

Before we call ourselves Christian, Muslim, or Jew, before we see ourselves as black, white, or Asian, before we identify ourselves as Korean, Brazilian or American, we are first and foremost the eternal sons and daughters of God. We are all members of His eternal family. This is the starting point to realize the dream of creating "One Family under God," one family at a time.

Service Uplifts Human Dignity

Ladies and Gentlemen, last month at the Global Peace Festival in Paraguay more than 10,000 high school and college students spent several weeks cleaning every park in the capital city of Asunción. Senators, congressmen, priests and community leaders were astonished, saying this level of public service had never been part of their culture, especially among the young.

I am pleased to tell you that here in Washington DC, the Global Peace Festival has also been spearheading a remarkable service effort. Over the past few weeks, schools have been cleaned and painted, children have been mentored and parks and playgrounds made safe. We've received generous donations of food -- enough to feed over a thousand families. To all who participated in these acts of service and kindness, and in particular to the Points of Light Institute, Boys and Girls Clubs, Service for Peace and the other organizations who pulled it together, I want to say a heartfelt "Thank You!"

There is something deeply spiritual in serving others. It is not something we should do only for a day, a month or even a year. It has to become a way of life. When living for the sake of others becomes a habit, we come to see the true value God places on all human beings.

Building upon America's great tradition of volunteerism, I'd like to see our nation's faith-based and community partners joining with those of other countries to establish a Global Peace Corps that will be more than just an American effort. Tonight, each of us can start toward this ideal through our own contributions to the Million Acts of Service and Kindness. Living for others is an important step toward the dream of "One Family under God."

Imagine if young people from enemy nations worked side by side in service. Any misunderstandings and hatred that existed would fade away as they sweat, cry and laugh together with a common purpose and cause.

Peace Among the World's Religions

Another goal of the Global Peace Festival is to celebrate the common universal values shared by all faiths.

As you've seen this evening, through the Universal Peace Federation's interfaith gatherings in the Middle East, Christians, Muslims and Jews are rediscovering their common heritage in Abraham. They are realizing that they have more in common than the issues that currently divide them, and that they truly are brothers and sisters of faith longing equally for peace and reconciliation.

We have discovered that relations between faith traditions are not about mere toleration of one another's prayers and rituals. A true interfaith experience is a celebration of the core principles that bind all God-affirming people together as one family. When we remember our common origin and our common heritage, our eyes open to the obvious truth that all people, regardless of creed, race or culture, are indeed "One Family under God."

America, as a nation of interfaith ideals, must now fulfill its destiny of leading the world toward peace. Working with the United Nations, I propose that the United States second the motion that my father made in the UN to establish an Inter-religious Council of faith leaders similar to the Security Council.

Many great minds agree that the greatest threat to global peace and future development is religious narrow-mindedness. This new UN council could be the forum for all faiths to find common ground and lead the peace process.

In addition, I believe the UN needs to recognize the centrality of God in the discussion on human rights. I propose the UN Charter be modified to include the idea that humanity is "endowed by the Creator with inalienable rights" similar to the US Declaration of Independence. Without a spiritual root in our common heritage, fundamental human rights will continue to be abused.

Call to Action: Looking Ahead

Ladies and gentlemen, today at the US Capitol we are demonstrating a model of interfaith harmony and declaring a common commitment to establish "One Family under God." This initiative will be extended to all 50 states in October and to every continent where the Global Peace Festivals will be convened this year and over the coming years.

We must revive America's founding vision and expand that dream onto a global stage through the universal vision of "One Family under God." It should be the clarion call of our age. As my father said in a recent Peace Message, the time has come "To tear down the man-made walls of race, culture, religion and country, and establish the peaceful, ideal world of God's cherished desire."

The power of one human family united, can quell the turmoil of conflict throughout the world -- from the strife and poverty of Africa, to the conflict in the Middle East, and the final remnant of the Cold War on the Korean Peninsula.

As Americans and global citizens, standing upon this hallowed ground, under the steadfast gaze of our forefathers and those who paid the ultimate price on the altar of Freedom, let us make a solemn pledge to expand the American dream and lead the world to peace through the vision of "One Family under God."

Then, as surely as light overcomes the darkness, an era of peace and prosperity will emerge from the depths of distrust and hatred, both at home and in the far corners of our world.

Together, we can dare to dream the greatest dream of all! Let us own the dream to create "One Family under God."

May God bless you and your family, and may God bless this great nation of America!

Thank you very much.