by Ronald E. Pine-Sacramento, CA
When I was a young member living in Berkeley California Dr. Edwin Ang taught me that for proper spiritual growth to take place, one must develop an intuitive sense about God. Meaning we must be able to recognize how God guides us.
I remember one time Reverend Moon once said his spiritual antenna is perfect. This was said just a few years after he purchased the New Yorker Hotel. The reason the comment was made was due to an announcement about a new convention center being planned for construction just a few blocks from the New Yorker. And as a result investors began offering to purchase the hotel at a hundred times what we originally paid for it. So, consequently Father said his Spiritual Antenna is very good.
So what is a Spiritual Antenna? To explain this point let me give you details of two events that happened in my life of faith that were unbelievable, to say the least.
First Event: In 1972 I was the driver for President Neil Solonen. At that time we were attending the first 21 day training seminar for European members at Belvedere. During the training I was asked to drive President Solonen to the airport. When I dropped him off he gave me a few dollars and said why don't you go downtown and buy some new clothes. Needless to say, I thought that was just a great idea Especially since in those years we had virtually no personal money and therefore my wardrobe left a lot to be desired. So, I proceeded to drive to downtown New York.
While driving in the city I had no idea where to go, so I just pulled the car over and started looking at my map so I could figure out where I was. While setting there reading the map someone knocked on my car window. Much to my surprise the person knocking was Diacon (Father's Driver). Apparently I pulled the car out of moving traffic and parked directly behind Father's car. Diacon asked me why was I there and how did know how it was that True Parents were in Macy's shopping? I quickly said I had no idea they were here. I didn't even know their were out traveling around town. You can imagine my surprise, in that, I just simply pulled the car over to the curb and low and behold wound up parking directly behind Father's car. Can you now begin to understand about what I'm refereeing to concerning Spiritual Antenna?
Second Event: In 1982 when the movie "Oh Inchon" was schedule to launch in a 1000 theaters, I was determined to watch the first showing on the first day the movie was to be released. At that time I was living in the World Mission Center. The theater closest by that was showing Oh Inchon was the Lowes at 2nd and 34th street. Therefore, I planned on going to the first show at 12:00 o'clock. That morning I found my good friend Peter Spoto and said let's go watch the film together.
Well Peter wanted to go, however he was responsible to purchase a gift for one of Mr. Kamiyma's top fund raising teams. So Peter and I went off shopping for a television set. While out shopping Peter kept saying we will be late so let's watch the 3:00 o'clock showing, I said no we will simply work harder, walk more quickly and buy the TV as fast as possible. We managed to get back to the World Mission Center about 11:30, a huffing and a puffing. Again Peter again said let's go at 3:00 o'clock and I said no we can make it in time if we run. And that's just what happened. Here we are, running and walking as fast as we could down 34th avenue.
After arriving in the nick of time we were standing at the theaters window buying tickets when Peter said "Ron" Father's here. I turned and sure enough their was Reverend Moon walking from his car going right past me into the Theater. I quickly bowed, bought the tickets and went inside completely flabbergasted. Peter said "Ron" did you know Father was coming here. I replied absolutely not! I had no idea I just felt deep down we should watch the first showing on the first day of the film's release.
After we went inside Father had already gone to his seat. We went in hoping to sit by his side if possible. However, the theater was dark and we had no idea where Father was sitting so I grabbed Peter and motioned him to down next to me. All during the movie I kept rubbing the back of my head because I had this warm feeling, like something hot was behind my head. Well much to my surprise when the lights went on I turned and low and behold I had sat down directly in front of Father. Well you can imagine our shock! Not only had we managed to wind up at the same theater as Father to watch "Oh Inchon" but while groping in the dark hoping to set near him we actually sat right in front of him. Peter said to me later he would never ever doubt my intuition again. I'm not trying to blow my own horn here, I just want to make the point that sticking to one's idea when doing something you feel deep down is right, is a must.
So what does this all have to do with the subject of Spiritual Antenna. Well in short it is whenever God wants to teach us some deep lesson He works some form or a recognizable miracle. Meaning, these two events are not just meant for me to appreciate. God guided me towards True Father so I could more deeply realize what my destiny is. This spiritual phenomena, by this world's standard are unexplainable. However, from my point of view God is showing me that I must follow and learn from True Father. How else can these kind of unexplainable events take place. Why would I be placed in situations like this unless the purpose was to more deeply learn a lesson God wanted me to learn.
For those brothers and sisters reading this article I want you to know the only reason these stories are being put to pen and paper is so you can also learn the same lesson. Why are we guided to meet Reverend Moon in such miraculous ways. Because we are to learn from him and follow him lifelong. Our commitment can and must be for the rest of our natural life. To gain such commitment I am convinced we all need to face extraordinary events so we can more deeply realize True Father is the center of God's dispensation. And we are the first to come and recognize this.
Now back to my main point. Spiritual Antenna. Intuition etc. That internal sense that God wants us to have grow in our inner most self. In other words, following the light from within should and can only lead us towards True Father and nowhere else. The center of my life is and will always be following True Parents path in this life. I have told my wife many times if you do not develop that antenna so God can lead us daily, then we can easily get lost. Also, True Parents are without question, the center of all things in this universe. I can say to any and all who read this article that it was God that led me to the Unification Church in 1967 and it is God who has led me through all my many trials and tribulations since then. And following God through True Parents is the only way to find happiness and eternal life, in which we will finally become God's children. We have the principle and True Parents but do we really believe deep down who is the center of our life?
The Spiritual Antenna I'm referring to can if properly develop also be a great guide when searching for spiritual children. When we witness are we following that inner voice that says speak to this person. How many times have we not followed God's idea for someone else's sake. I have said to members before those who are fortunate enough to find True Parents and the Principle at this time are truly very lucky. However, we are as well greatly burden. Father one time said to know the Principle is a great weight on our shoulders because we have to walk the path of indemnity for others without their knowing or even caring for our commitment. Therefore, we like God walk a lonely and tearful path.
We have before us such a wonderful standard set by our True Parents. All we have to do is follow their life's course. Walk in their shoes and live as they have for the sake of others. God has shown me through these extraordinary events His son. I have asked myself for years now why these events happen. Are these experiences to be taken lightly or are they meant to open my heart and mind to more deeply realize the profound significance of True Father. I know now that God is walking and talking through His son Reverend Moon and we are to be the witness. Our witness is to be with the totality of our lives. We must follow in service but more deeply we ourselves must and should also become the embodiment of God's True Love. We can realize the Kingdom of Heaven. We have the Blessing the change of Blood lineage so now the only question is can we reach out through our Tribal Messiahship and touch whomever we can with God's deep and saving love? After 27 years I still feel this is just the beginning. We can bring all mankind to understand and follow our True Parents. Just as Jin-Sung Moon said "It only takes 11 times of each member gaining one new member for all 5 billion people to join God's new race!"
This article was written May 21, 1994. The reason was because I was telling the story of meeting True Father to my children and wanted to teach them about developing that inner voice that God calls us with. I felt so inspired I decided to put it to pen and paper.