Kook Jin Moon
July 2011
From Tongil Foundation chairman Kook Jin Moon's speech
I have long admired Malaysia as a moderate Muslim country where Islam exists in harmony with other religions. I believe that the invitations extended to my parents, who are religious leaders known throughout the world for their emphasis on harmony among religions, give clear evidence to this admirable aspect of Malaysian society.
Prime Minister Najib Razak in his address to the United Nations last autumn called for a "global movement of the moderates" of all religions to combat religious extremism. The prime minister's effort, which he repeated at the University of Oxford just last month, is very much in keeping with the teachings of my father and deserves the support of religious persons everywhere...
Many people are surprised on visiting the Unification Church World Headquarters Church in central Seoul to find that we have a special room to honor the prophet Mohammed, Jesus, Buddha and Confucius, whom we refer to as the Four Great Saints. The Unification Church maintains friendly relations with the major orders of Korean Buddhism. The leaders of both faiths regularly attend each other's religious events.
There are conflicts in every country. The fundamental causes of these conflicts lie in the hearts of the people. It is the responsibility of religions to remove that cause, but religions cannot do that unless they inherit God's true love and relate to each other in harmony. Malaysia is showing the world a model for religious harmony, and I look forward to seeing your continued development in this area.
Adapted from the Malaysian headquarters' report
Left: In-jin nim, Kook-jin nim and others with Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, minister of the Prime Minister's Office, at the dinner and invitational speech, June 20; Right: With members of the House of Representatives at the Peace Banquet, June 19
Religious freedom is guaranteed under the constitution in Malaysia, a nation where the state religion is Islam. Sixty percent of Malaysians are Muslim, yet the Malaysian government makes much effort to foster harmony among the various religious and ethnic groups in the country. In recent years, some members of the Malaysian House of Representatives have taken an interest in the Unification Church's inter-religious activities. In that pursuit, they were troubled to learn of the abuse of church members' human rights in Japan. Taking steps to under- stand the situation more fully, some members of parliament have actually visited Japan, where they expressed their concerns to members of the Japanese government. More recently, they went to the United States to speak to members of Congress to discuss what might be done about the situation.
Last year, forty Malaysian members of parliament attended True Parents' birthday celebration (at their own expense), and a delegation also participated this year. Having experienced True Parents' hospitality, a group of seventy Malaysian MPs recently sent Father and Mother, plus sons Kook-jin nim and Hyung-jin nim, an invitation to visit their country. Although True Parents were unable to go personally, in mid-June, Kook-jin nim and Ja-yea nim and In-jin nim and her daughter Ariana visited Malaysia for three days and met members of parliament and others from that nation's government. They also made great efforts to inspire the Malaysian movement and uplift its members. In fact, the official schedule began with breakfast at the Malaysian Unificationism headquarters on Sunday, June 19. Reports were presented on developments taking place in a number of Asian countries, such as the continuing Original Divine Principle broadcasts on Nepalese national television. Kook-jin nim offered his thoughts on establishing and maintaining peace through nations having economic and military strength, a theme he has often spoken on in recent months. If Abel had had a gun, he said, Cain could not have attacked him.
Afterward, those at the headquarters joined other members at a nearby hotel where Lovin Life Ministries held their first Sunday service in Asia. In-jin nim spoke about True Parents as the model giving us the opportunity to live a religious life that includes marriage and family, and that through True Mother women can learn the roles of a true mother, wife, sister and daughter. Kook-jin nim also spoke of his father's life as a living crucifixion and of how True Mother and Hyung-jin nim are attending True Father every day; he credited Mother with being the reason True Father is still alive. Sonic Cult -- an integral part of every Lovin' Life Ministries service -- was there to provide the music. (They also played at the UPF invitational the following day.) At the close of the service, each family was invited to take a personal photograph with the True Family members.
That evening, a Peace Banquet was held for members of parliament and other dignitaries, to whom Kook-jin nim testified boldly about True Father's mission. Many of the seventy members of the Malaysian House of Representatives who had signed the invitation for True Parents were present. The following morning, a UPF delegation including the members of the True Family and Rev. and Mrs. Yoo (the boon-bong-wangs to Malaysia, who have actively developed relations with the parliamentarians), were invited to visit the Malaysian Parliament, where the speaker of the house hosted a luncheon for them and a delegation of MPs.
That evening, UPF Malaysia hosted a dinner and invitational speech at the Bankers' Club in downtown Kuala Lumpur, under the banner "Business Engine for Global Peace." The guest of honor at the occasion was Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, minister of the Malaysian Prime Minister's Office. Describing his country as multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-linguistic, he explained that all Malaysians are involved in the campaign to build "1 Malaysia" and participate in community creation. In 2008, Malaysia was in thirty-eighth position on the Global Peace Index,' while this year, 2011, it is nineteenth, he said. He went on to say that there are more than five thousand "neighbor circles" in Malaysia, and that the government gives its citizens training as community moderators who solve problems at the local level -- and that they earn the respect and credibility to do that.
Both In-jin nim and Kook-jin nim spoke. In-jin nim emphasized the value of marriage and family, and the power of true love to create in us the heart to think of the well-being of others first. She upheld her parents as examples that she wants to share with the world. In-jin nim then introduced her brother. As he came to the stage, Kook-jin nim hugged his older sister. In a reflection, the Malaysian national leader Rev. Yeoh Koay Seng (Sam) wrote, "From the bottom of my heart, I could see bright hope in the True Family when I witnessed the scene where In-jin nim and Kook-jin nim hugged each other during the event. At that moment, I realized the real meaning of 'Business Engine for Global Peace,' that it signifies true love that brings us together as a family."
Kook-jin nim again testified unequivocally to his parents' mission and read from True Father's autobiography on the subject of harmony between faiths. The event concluded with an official invitation being extended to the guest of honor, and others, to accept the title of ambassador for peace.