The Facts of Life

UViews November '96

Last April the front covers of our leading newsweeklies were devoted to Jesus. [I use the word, "devoted" loosely here.] This autumn the hot topic is the Book of Genesis. Is the culture moving backwards or what?

Actually, the move from Jesus to Genesis is a forward move, theologically, because our understanding of the Messiah must be linked with our understanding of Creation. The Messiah, after all, brings the "new Creation." He comes to renew the Creation because the first human beings, who were just as morally responsible as you and me, failed to establish the true Creation at the outset. He does what should have been done at the beginning. This is why he is called, the new beginning.

God is the Creator, and the Creation comes from God. So, to bring the new Creation, Jesus has to be God.

Man is part of the Creation, and the problem was made by man, so Jesus had to be a man (to succeed where the first man failed; or, alternatively, to pay the debt the first man brought upon himself and left behind to all of his descendants).

So it is of the greatest importance, I hope to magazine publishers as well as to the rest of us, to know what the first man did which was so bad, because this will help us clear up the confusion about Jesus' life.

Maybe they're saving that story for next Easter's editions.

What did Adam do?

The traditional consensus about what Adam did wrong is: he disobeyed God. Can we be more specific? Well, yes: he ate a fruit which God told him not to eat.

There are two lines of inquiry which theologians take from here. One: why was it a sin to eat this fruit? Two: why did Adam do it? Let's take the second one first. The answer is that Adam did it because a woman, who had already done it, offered it to him, and it looked good. I can relate to that. Yeh, a fruit looks good, as long as it isn't all bruised or rotten. But a fruit offered by a woman; now that's a different story. Who's offering it sometimes makes all the difference.

In any case, the inquiry moves to the woman, Eve. Why did Eve eat the fruit? The answer is that a serpent, commonly understood to be an angel named Lucifer, tempted her to do so, promising that she would gain the knowledge which would make her as God.

So, besides stimulating our curiosity about this rather unconventional fruit, this moves our inquiry to Lucifer: why did he tempt Eve? Well, the answer goes: he was evil. Some say that he was supposed to be evil; it's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.

Why, according this viewpoint, would evil be necessary? Take your pick: numero uno: mankind had to confront evil in order to become good; numero dos: if there were no evil, then Jesus would not have had to come, and the goodness of Jesus makes all the evil more than worthwhile.

Okay, okay, so evil is necessary. Still, did God create evil? No, the orthodox reply: God is good and does not create evil; however, He obviously does create beings who are capable of evil; i.e. who have moral freedom (angels and men). Well, the question arises: even if God did not create evil, does he want men or angels to make evil choices? I mean, is God going to pawn the dirty work off on some fall-guy?

Some say no; God did not want Lucifer to make evil choices. But this calls God's power or goodness into question. Either God didn't care that Lucifer chose evil, which means that God is not good, or God did care but couldn't stop Lucifer, which means that God is not all- powerful. Therefore, most traditional theology coughs and mumbles that God did want Lucifer to fall, for reasons known only to Him; most likely so that He would have the inestimable pleasure of sending His beloved Son to be spit at and split open with nails.

Which was all for the best, because it reveals to the human race just how wicked and horrible we really are, and just how much we need God to save us from our wickedness which has now been revealed. (As Rush says, "I'm not making this up, folks.")

So, in any case, Lucifer chose evil; he turned his back on God. Why did he choose to reject the source of truth, goodness, beauty and perfect love? Well, have you ever heard the expression, "Just for the hell of it"? That is the conclusion of 2,000 years of mainstream thinking on why Lucifer turned against God. I know, I know; it isn't much to go on, but please have faith, and for God's sake don't listen to any talking serpents or angels hanging around apple trees.

Now we can get back to the other line of inquiry: why was it a sin for Adam to eat this fruit? It seems that there was nothing inherently wrong with the fruit. The problem was not the fruit itself, but the fact that God had told Adam not to eat it. It would seem that God was trying to make a point to Adam as to who is boss, and the fruit was the cause celebre. God chose this otherwise innocuous fruit as the battleground upon which to assert His authority.

Wait a minute; you say: this was not an ordinary fruit. The Bible agrees with the serpent's statement that this fruit is quite extraordinary; it gave one knowledge to make one equal to God. No, no, no, the theologian answers: it was a literal fruit, and even if it wasn't, what it exactly was is not important. The knowledge which makes one equal to God is simply the knowledge of disobedience! That is, it is only by disobeying that we know we are free. That is, by their disobedience, Adam and Eve became free, and freedom makes us equal to God.

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It may seem harmless enough, I suppose, to believe that disobedience was the fundamental problem in the Garden of Eden, because truly disobedience is a serious problem. But really! We all know, do we not, that this viewpoint about the cause of evil and suffering just doesn't cut the mustard?

For example, if the basic sin is disobedience, then what is your sinless world going to be? A world of perfect obedience. Now, who in Heaven's name aspires with all their heart, mind and soul to live in a world which has as its highest value perfect obedience? Nobody; except perhaps a few denizens of Hegel's rationalized state, some of whom made their way quite high in the ranks of Mr. Hitler's national socialism and Mr. Stalin's world bolshevism. Even the Jesuits, who placed obedience as an absolute, knew that there was something more important than obedience.

Before we get on to that something, let's consider another problem with this traditional view of the root of evil. This other problem relates less to Nazi Germany and more to, well, the good ol' USA. You know, the good ol' USA that's hanging out of Bruce Sprinsteen's back pocket on his monster album, Born in the USA. That's the good ol' USA in which everyone knows, and everyone makes room for everyone's else's knowing: disobedience is the sign of true freedom. Disobedience makes us all a little bit more like God, just as it did Adam and Eve.

Now, according to the traditional understanding of the fall of man, since disobedience is naughty, then, well, freedom means we can and even should be a little bit naughty. That's why, for example, kids who smoke cigarettes, or drink or take drugs, or experiment with sex, claim to be more free than those who do not.

Our vocabulary itself testifies to this. Consider the term, "free sex." Free sex means illicit sex, extramarital sex. Sex within marriage, therefore, is not free sex. What is it? Unfree sex? Constrained sex? Studies now reveal that men and women practicing sex within marriage are in fact more uninhibited and sexually satisfied than those practicing sex outside of marriage. Who is more free?

Have you ever thought about "the oldest profession?" Let's see, Cain was a farmer, and Abel tended flocks, but theirs are not the oldest profession. There was only one woman around before them, their mother. It seems a logical conclusion that she was " you know, the oldest profession. And who was her customer? And who was the pimp?

And what was the first invention recorded in the Bible? Not fire. Not the wheel. Go figure. It was clothes; to be specific, aprons to cover the first parents' sexual organs. Gettin' a little drafty down there, Adam? The Bible doesn't say a cold spell suddenly hit the Garden, unless you want to call it an emotional cold spell. Cold feelings hit the Garden: guilt, shame, fear. Alienation from their own bodies: don't wanna look at them sexual organs anymore. Not except when we're, y'know, being a little naughty. A little disobedient. Eating the forbidden fruit. What the hell.

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My eyes were caught, as they are supposed to be, by an advertisement. This one was an advertisement for the new Bill Moyers television series, entitled "Genesis: A Living Conversation." It's another example of this autumn concern for the content of Genesis which I mentioned above. And the ad reads, in its big print:

"In the beginning there was sex, violence, murder, jealousy, rage, seduction, greed, power trips, and snakes."

Well, before getting to the main point, I must point out that the copywriter of this ad overlooked the Genesis account of God's creation of the universe and human beings in His image, with which Genesis begins. But that's forgivable, because he did an excellent job recounting the rest of the story.

What I want to underline is the opening phrase: "In the beginning there was sex." (And, in passing, point out that the Bible, the barn- burner of all barn-burners; the best-seller of all time, is a sure- fire hit because it opens with the creation of the universe and then a sex scene. Steven Spielberg, the public is waiting.)

In any case: "in the beginning there was sex." I ask you: what other beginning could there be? We all began with sex. Everything that lives began with sex. If the universe is "alive," as the more spiritually sensitive know it is, then it too began with what? Sex. Sex, in some form or other (in relation to what we're familiar with, probably more orgiastic than less). Hinduism and some schools of Buddhism are real clear about this. Judeo-Christianity is a bit more discrete. The Bible whispers a polite hint that God's image is male and female (Gen. 1:27).

Male and female, huh? Well, how do we know? I mean, what does it mean that God is male and female, as opposed to just male, or just female, or just " nothing. I say "nothing," because indeed there is "nothing" that is not in a relationship of male or female. Wisdom ancient (the Tao) and contemporary (The Tao of Physics) elucidate this. Fortunately for us, "nothing" does not exist.

The significance of God's image being male and female means nothing if it does not refer to that which distinguishes male and female: sex. The sexual organs. Can we mention God in the same sentence a sexual organs? Well, hey, yours and mine came from somewhere, right? If God knows the number of hairs on your head, then God must know about all the hair on your body, and He must have put it there for a good reason.

Borrowing the phrase of John Temple Bristow, Satan did not make the sexual organs while God was napping. God made the sexual organs. Why? Because God is love, and the sexual organs are absolutely necessary in relationship with love. When we use them properly, we are "making love."

And what does love make? Its own image. Apes' love makes apes. Dogs' love makes dogs. A rose's love makes a rose is a rose is a rose. Everything makes its own image through love.

God's love makes all of the above, so all of the above is in the image of God symbolically. But the Bible only identifies one particular creation as God's image. That is man and woman. We are called the image of God because we do not only have love, but we have the knowledge of love. For us, love has a moral dimension: we are responsible to realize and agree with God's idea of how and why to love. That is the line between good and evil.

Love centered on the self is a negation of love; it is the source of evil. Love centered on the true partner of love is the source of goodness. This is why the fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was not peripheral to the story of the fall. The whole meaning of the story unfolds once one understands that the fruit was love; Eve's love.

What else would be strong enough to cause Adam to betray God? What else possessed by an innocent girl would attract the interest of an archangel?

Depending upon the way that love was discovered, or known, the whole of history was to move, because the love of Adam and Eve begot the human race. And we've been eating that fruit ever since.

Testimonies of Middle School Students in Korea

Misako Sato shares about her experiences while she was in Korea.

Now that I'm getting ready to leave, the first thing that comes to my mind is the time when I first came to Korea. That was four years ago, as a GOP [participant in the General Orientation Program] who didn't know what was going on. I remember how strange and weird everything was to me. But now Korea is like home to me. I feel that the four years I've spent in Korea was a very important turning point in my life. Here I not only learned the basics of the Korean language, but was also given the opportunity to live in a dormitory with Blessed Children from all over the world. Even though there are cultural differences, I was able to learn from the misunderstandings which occurred once in a while. And I could also learn different things from each person here.

Before I came from America, I never thought twice of Divine Principle really, but I think that being here totally changed my thinking about Divine Principle, and how important spiritual life and a life of prayer is.

Going to middle school in Korea was also a pretty neat experience I will never forget. In the beginning I felt sort of out-of-place, but the Korean students were all so open-hearted.

During the years here, I was able to experience being a junior, a peer and an elder. And I thank Heavenly Father, True Parents and my own parents for letting me come to Korea and stay here as long as I did. It would be great if every blessed child could come here, but since that's not possible, I hope those who do come can learn all there is to learn and experience all there is to experience, because it's something which will remain forever in our minds and hearts.

Queefe's Reflection on Middle School in Korea

Going to middle school here in Korea was like nothing I ever experienced before. All the stories I heard about middle school gave me false impressions which were shattered when I finally tasted the phenomenon called Korean middle school.

My first reactions to middle school were confusion and annoyance. When I arrived I had no idea where to go or what to do. These grew as I finally found my classroom and was assaulted by a horde of Koreans asking me who I was, my name, where I came from, and a whole bunch of other questions spoken too fast to understand.

Class time was a lot better. I wouldn't have Koreans crawling all over me, but instead the teachers' words would roll over me like a flood. I'd struggle to understand, but inevitably in the end my attention would wander and I would just sit there.

During those bleak days of my life I owe my sanity to my homeroom teacher and a certain Korean student.

My homeroom teacher taught us math, the one subject I could completely understand. He spoke in a clear slower version of Korean, carefully explaining everything. It was such a relief just to listen and be able to understand what he was saying that for a time I could forget my troubles.

Unfortunately, math wasn't my only subject, and our teacher couldn't be around every break time. That was when Song Uk Hong, the aforementioned Korean student, kept me alive. He was and still is the most serious student in our class. Whenever he saw me he would acknowledge my existence with a firm nod of his head as if to say, "Good! Keep on trying, you can do it!" He didn't treat me like a zoo exhibit, there to be gawked at, but treated me as an equal.

As time has worn on, I have become more and more used to life in middle school. The people have stopped gawking, and have gone on to other things. Unfortunately, sometimes someone will come up to me and ask a question and I, not catching it all because it was slightly too fast, will respond "Huh?" and then the Korean will rephrase his question in broken English rather than just repeating himself slightly more slowly. This makes me feel as if they think I'm a moron. So I'm doing my best to remedy the situation. Despite all this, I'm glad I'm not going to Sun Hwa, because I think public school is much harder; but the rewards of being pushed to learn Korean faster are much greater.

The river of middle school life has given up a lot of its jagged rocks, crags, rapids and other dangers, but it's still far from being a smooth ride. When it's over, at least I'll be alive and sane and all the better for it!

Reprinted from the "International Blessed Children's News from Korea."

Sexual Purity: Is It Out-Of-Date?

by Haven Bradford Gow

In his new book True Family Values (HSA-UWC, 4 W. 43 St., NY NY 10036), theologian Dr. Joong Hyun Pak points out that "Two-thirds of America's 10th graders have had sexual experiences, one-third are sexually active. Every day, 2756 teenage girls become pregnant and 1100 of them have abortions. Sexually transmitted diseases have increased by 200% since 1960."

In this connection, Seventeen magazine and the Ms. Foundation recently commissioned a survey of 500 young men and 500 young women ages 13-21. Seventy three percent of the girls said they engaged in sex only because their boyfriends pressured them into it, and of the 63% of the girls who are sexually active, 81% of them expressed remorse about losing their virginity. The survey also estimated that one in five people will acquire a sexually transmitted disease by age 21.

According to moral theologian Father Charles Bouchard, O.P., author of Whatever Happened to Sin? (Triumph/Ligouri Publications, 1 Ligouri Dr., Ligouri MO 63057), "Because sex is not only a means of procreation but a way of intimate self-communication, the [Judeo- Christian moral and religious tradition] has always insisted that sex should be reserved to the safety and security of a permanent marital relationship, just as we hesitate to tell much about ourselves to strangers or people we do not trust, so we should not speak our very selves sexually to someone we do not know and to whom we are not committed. Doing so places us in danger of being hurt by misunderstanding or abuse. Speaking a mature and holy sexual language means knowing when and where to speak it; it means knowing that some things can only be said in protected environments, and that whenever we `speak ourselves' promiscuously or casually, we are hurting ourselves and limiting the great act of self-sharing which sex is."

In his book Celibacy (Triumph/Ligouri), Catholic psychiatrist Dr. A.W. Richard Sipes says that when he was teaching human sexual development to students attending a Catholic college, he inevitably was asked, "When should I have sexual intercourse?" Dr. Sipes points out that the quick, cheap and easy reply is "When you get married." But he adds that the far more mature, responsible and thoughtful answer is "When you are physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually prepared." Dr. Sipes insists that this answer is "more honest and realistic, because it places the responsibility on individuals for their actions and the consequences of their behavior."

An editorial in the Oct. 4, 1996 Vicksburg (Miss.) Post speaks to this issue of teen sexuality: "Parents...are finding that drawing clear lines between right and wrong pays off. A new study published in Family Planning Perspectives shows the gratifying results. Researchers found that when mothers took a firm, unequivocal stand against premarital sex, their teenage children were highly likely to be virgins." Indeed, "Teens were 12 times more likely to be virgins when their mothers took a hard line against premarital sex, had a good relationship with children and avoided discussing birth control."

Clearly, we need to teach young people to behave as good human beings, and not like animals, and let them know they possess the God-given ability to develop purity of heart, mind and soul; they need to know that, if they really love someone, they will remain pure until giving of themselves lovingly and selflessly within the sacrament of marriage. By remaining pure until marriage, they never will have to feel guilty about past indiscretions, nor will they have to feel ashamed of looking into the eyes of their husbands and wives. If we were unfaithful to our spouses before marriage, will we possess the strength and nobility of mind, spirit and character to remain faithful to them after marriage?

The beauty and wisdom of the Judeo-Christian philosophy of sex and human beings is in its teaching that a husband and wife who love one another not only become two-in-one physically but two-in-one mentally, psychically and spiritually as well. True love within marriages means we desire the genuine good and happiness of one's spouse, and there simply is no room for selfishness and the pursuit of a purely self- centered gratification.

RYS `Building Racial Harmony' in Birmingham , UK

by Marshall de Souza-London, UK

Many people already believed that the 'ingredients' for a successful RYS project already existed in Birmingham, England. Not until August/September 1996 did it take actually place. But, making a good idea become a reality can often be more than a simple process!

According to Dr. David Earle, the Local Coordinator of the 55th RYS project-which ran from August 27th to September 8th-the real impetus which propelled him to an "All Systems Go" frame of mind, came from attending the RYS project in Kerala, South India, in February 1996. David had already started planning for the project towards the end of 1995; however, the experience in India sufficiently empowered him to begin in earnest.

David started talking to as many people as he could-religious leaders and scholars, youth and community workers, City Council employees in Race Relations and the Commission for Racial Equality, interfaith contacts, friends and neighbors. He was concerned with the practical service work, finding local participants, sorting out the transport, accommodation, food, educational forums and visiting, speakers, excursions etc., etc. Last but not least, the finance! How do you raise the thousands necessary for such a project? David was also trying to understand how the RYS could best serve the needs of the Birmingham community through relevant and appropriate projects which could be maintained after the RYS volunteers had departed. An educational program had to be devised which would expose the participants to the assets and challenges of the Birmingham environment, but also inform the local community of all that we were trying to achieve during our time together.

Marshall de Souza, the RYS UK Coordinator was working on the administration and getting the staff and participants from Britain and abroad for the project, as well as trying to raise money. A lot of ideas were exchanged between David and Marshall from the end of 1995, until the project began in August 1996. The whole experience was an incredible exercise in faith, perseverance and determination. There were many ups and downs, breakthroughs and setbacks, inspiring moments and times of simply hanging on! It was not until two or three weeks before the project started that a clear picture began to emerge of how things might turn out.

The forty-six participants and staff who arrived in Birmingham came from twenty countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Uganda, Ukraine, USA and Wales. They represented the religious traditions of Buddhism, Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox), Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Unificationism.

To a large extent, the success of a project must rely on a good staff and participant orientation. This was the case, thanks in an enormous way, to Dr. and Mrs. Phillips (Bert and Judy to us), the Educational Directors of this project, who despite a very busy schedule in America, came to be with us, and truly taught us how to love and care for each other. Their departure at the end of the first week, was very moving, to say the least. That night, there was no staff meeting, nor could there have been one, for the emotions and offerings of gratitude to the Phillips' in the form of songs, poems, etc., went on spiritedly until the early hours of the next morning.

The Staff Orientation ran from the evening of August 25th and throughout the next day. The following day was participants' arrival day. The project officially started at 9.00 am on August 28th, with the Participant Orientation, which lasted two days. During the orientation, the RYS Vision and Norms were discussed, together with several other exercises, which included sessions on Fears and Expectations, Listening Check, and Work and Safety. All the participants had the opportunity to visit the three sites together before work began on the morning of Friday, August 30th.

The place of residence and educational/cultural programs was St. Peter's College, in the Saltley area of Birmingham. We had self- catering facilities, both because of financial constraints, and also to give training to the participants and staff. There were three work sites organized; two in Saltley and the third in the Nechells inner city area of Birmingham. The former included the building of a Nature Trail and Picnic Area, and converting an old bus garage into a Recycling Center; the latter was the revival of an abandoned Tree Nursery.

The work period ran each day, except Sundays, from 8:30 am until 1:30 pm, which was lunch-time. Almost every afternoon and evening, an educational or cultural program was organized. These included a Seminar on Crossing Barriers, visits to scenic National Parks or to the Selly Oak Colleges (a world renowned ecumenical institution), an interfaith pilgrimage (a visit to a Christian church, a Muslim mosque, a Sikh gurudwara and a Hindu temple), a sports afternoon and a Forum on Race Relations. The outings proved to be very refreshing and uplifting. Two afternoons were allocated to preparation for a Cultural Evening, which was excellent and also well-attended by the local community. David Earle has to be commended for the high quality speakers he brought to the project. It was very clear that they too were people of vision, and their idealism and that of the RYS blended together well!

The work projects showed that co-operation with like-minded organizations is both possible, but also very needed. The RYS linked up with at least four Birmingham based organizations: Community Service Volunteers, Brumcan Recycling Co., Community Transport, Urban Renewal, in addition to the National Trust. Through this co-operation, an incredible amount of work was accomplished, with a saving and efficient use of money and materials. The transformations at the Foxton Road site where the Nature Trail and Picnic Area were created, the Hartopp Road site where the old bus garage was converted into a Recycling Center, and the Long Acre site where the Tree Nursery was revived can hardly be expressed in words. One has almost to have seen the 'Before' situations to believe what has really been accomplished!

Dr. Subhan Burton, a long-time friend and supporter of RYS, flew to Britain from the United States just to organize the two-day Reflection Period of the Birmingham project. Coming from a Sufi tradition, he prepared a deep and spiritually enlightening Closing. The Reflection Period began after lunch on Saturday, September 7. Subhan led us into reviewing the goals, norms and what we had learned during the project. He also explained some reflection practices to us. At 10 am on the final Sunday morning, everyone experienced a beautiful universal interfaith service. Reading and prayers from all the religious traditions present and not present were heard. The Reflection period brought everyone even closer to each other!

The official Closing Ceremony took place at lunch-time that Sunday. It was attended by all participants and staff as well as by some special guests and parents of local participants. A delicious meal was served, and this was followed by recognizing the guests, five reflections, the reading of a speech sent by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak, President of RYS, and last, but not least, the presentations of certificates and gifts. Photographs were taken for a long time afterwards.

Right from the outset, there seemed to be an harmonious blending of heart and spirit between the participants. Somehow, everything fell into place so beautifully and smoothly during the project. The mature staff, helped by the friendly atmosphere, were able to draw the best from the participants. Many of the reflections indicated that a great deal was learnt and experienced during this twelve-day project. Some expressed how they could feel the hand of God in their coming to Birmingham; some testified that it was the first time they really learnt how to love and care for others. A wonderful tribute to all who invested so much in this project!

Reflections

Here are a few reflections from this RYS project:

"We started with rain and ended with sunshine. We didn't feel rain, cold or pain. We only felt the happiness and joy of life. We became one from forty and shared the world. What we have made here, as the youth of the world, is a wonderful example for the people in building racial harmony. Thank you for this lovely project and thanks to the local people of Birmingham. I hope to see all of you in other RYS projects." Oznur Benderlioglu, Turkey

"RYS has taught me many things. I have learnt how to listen, to be loyal and happy. Having a team leader showed me that people with responsibility need our sincere support and creative input. I am really inspired to go back to Cardiff and start RYS at my University. Through it you can make friends and understand yourself more through relationships. Faith and belief barriers are broken down instantaneously and all that is left is people with a desire to do good. I found that if you follow the basic principles of life it can be harmonious and joyful, deep and meaningful and even miraculous. I will definitely come again and do my utmost to bring others and even organize one myself. Thank you RYS." Matthew Sawl, Wales

"The first few days were really hard for me because I came here without knowing anyone and I'm not the kind of person who can relate to others so easily. So I was really struggling. Now, towards the end of this project, I feel like I've known the other participants for ages. Its really amazing how common prayer, common work can bring people together, even though they come from very different cultural and religious backgrounds. Before, I was afraid of meeting new people; now I'm afraid of leaving them at the end of the project. I keep thinking what I will do to stay in touch?

I'm really happy that I could overcome my barriers in relating to others. I needed that experience. I new the theoretical definition of give and take action. But now I've experienced the practical meaning of it. I know why to give comes first. You have to give first to get something. I gave up my fears and pride and gave love, to receive friendship and love from very special friends!" Sabina Balazic, Slovenia

"Imagine living in a family whose purpose is to love one another across all barriers. Imagine that this family is not only deeply spiritual but cares for the environment and seeks to share it's love with all in the community. This is the family that was RYS Birmingham `96 and the candle of hope that has been lit in my heart during the last two weeks will never be extinguished." Pretty Sagoo, England.

Representing UTS in Latin America

by Jesus Navarro-Barrytown, NY

UTS student Jesus Navarro of Venezuela spent his summer in Latin America, manning the UTS booth at the Exhibition of the World Unification Group which visited six countries before its final appearance at Campo Grande, Brazil in September. Here are some excerpts from his report at a morning service at UTS.

When you walk into the exhibition hall, you are overwhelmed with the variety of businesses and institutions. There were more than 40 of them represented at each of these events and after visiting all of the booths everybody commented on the warmth and kindness of the expositors. People stayed there for many hours and came back two or three times more. Many educators, students, businessmen, politicians etc. visited us and with such a background, witnessing about True Parents and the Blessing was very easy. In Mexico alone, more than 31,000 people visited the World Trade Center where we were located.

The context for the hundreds of negotiations and agreements was provided by four conditions which had to be accepted by the people involved: to care for the environment; to avoid pollution; to help end hunger and poverty; and to fight against sexual immorality. The businessmen whom we encountered were not used to this kind of conditions but they welcomed them.

In Columbia, about 5,000 people visited the exhibition and in the following week, hundreds attended Divine Principle lectures. In Mexico, the primary interest of our visitors was business but again, hundreds of them also listened to 20-40 minute Divine Principle lectures and watched videos on Father's life and other topics such as AIDS prevention. In Paraguay, where 60% of the population is under 15 years of age, most of the 15,000 visitors were young. The President of Paraguay warmly welcomed the exhibition's directors and flew them all over Paraguay in his own airplane which he piloted himself.

In Brazil, the exhibition was staged in Campo Grande which is about four hours from New Hope Farms in Jardim. Here, everyone who visited us already knew about Reverend Moon and many of the religious people who had opposed us changed their minds after their visit. One church which was very receptive is currently making lakes, gardens and beautiful landscaping in preparation for the Lord of the Second Advent.

I returned with a list of 25 people who are interested in attending UTS. It is overwhelming to see the dimensions of True Parent's physical and spiritual efforts throughout South America and the incredible mobilization of volunteers who made these exhibitions possible. It was for me a great experience to participate in such a historical tour and to have contact with the beauty and the problems of these providential people and places.

Reprinted from Cornerstone.

Preparing a Royal Welcome

by Randy Francis-Baltimore, MD

Our True Parents are always pushing the envelope of time and space when it comes to fulfilling the next steps of the providence. Here in Baltimore we were tremendously excited to be chosen as one of the 16 U.S. cities on True Mother's world tour. But our date of Monday, Oct. 28 turned out to be a bit of a challenge.

As we held our first planning meeting and created a timeline, it seemed like an overabundance of time compared to past projects. But this definitely turned out to be a false sense of security. When we began searching for a qualified venue, the Baltimore Orioles were making a run through the American League playoffs. If all went their way the final game of the World Series would be in Baltimore the day before our event. I never thought I would be rooting against the O's. But it was for God's will!

Even with the O's loss, each of the hotels seemed to be totally full. Our prayers were to create a royal welcome for True Parents in Maryland, both internally and externally, and we got to know each of the better hotels very well both by phone and in person. Finally after two weeks of trying, and finding the only ones available not to be suitable, our original hope-the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel, paged me and said they could open up half the Maryland Ballroom, the largest ballroom in the state, but the timing for setup would be real tight at two hours!

With total assurance from Dennis Tirotta and Frank Maketa and their professional staff at Atlantic Video we were on our way trying not to sound too grateful to the sales manager as to compromise prices. After all, we were using their open space up for them, right?

With a real space and time, we could now focus on the attendees. Our goal was to touch each of the sectors of society outlined by True Father in the speech "True Parents and the Completed Testament Age" in 1993. We prayed to connect to the movers and shakers in the realms of religion, politics, academia, media, economy, sports and culture.

By this time our region had hosted the first of the 16 events in Washington, D.C. Then with the support of our regional director Rev. Yang and of Jin Hun Nim, leading World CARP, two teams from the University of Maryland came to work in Baltimore. This proved to be inspirational for all involved. Our community of eight families were doing their best working during the day and then calling and visiting after work. With these fifteen additional members we could really cover a many areas which had been neglected for too long.

These brothers and sisters have a lot of experience on campuses and they welcomed the chance to expand into the realm of church visitation. Going into the religious sphere with the message of the need for humanity to find "True Parents and True Family" combined with the internationality of this group created a powerful foundation of give and take. Ministers are still asking when they will come back to the area.

Along with the church visits, we invited professors and students from seven campuses. One high-tech breakthrough came when the head of student activities at Johns Hopkins University helped put the invitation on the campus-wide network which reaches the e-mail boxes of about 8,000 graduate students and professors.

Since we are about 50 miles from Washington, DC, many of our contacts are invited to the big events there. Most especially the Women's Federation for World Peace Sisterhood Ceremony attendees seemed to be really excited to finally have a more local opportunity to meet Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, the president of WFWP. We were receiving confirmation calls from them right up to the last hour.

In the political arena our hope was to receive recognition from the top down-governor, congresspersons, county and city officials. The main point we learned from this is first ask or request (keep it simple), then follow up and follow up again.

The governors of Maryland, both past and present, have given proclamations for many providential events, and Gov. Glendening was the first to respond this time also. Then, even in the midst of a heated campaign season, three U.S. congresspersons sent warm letters of welcome, as well as county officials and city mayors from the state capital Annapolis and points north, south, east and west.

To round off and fulfill our hopes of encompassing all the spheres of society which True Father had mentioned, we also had in attendance at the event community leaders from our children's schools as well as YMCA leaders and business organization leaders.

As the day approached it became clear that we needed a special effort to create a truly royal welcome to the city of Baltimore for our True Parents. Someone from the city government would be good.

We have had success in relations with city hall through WFWP and our local group, the Coalition for Racial and Religious Harmony. Based on these and a special push from a KEA member, Mr. John Chon, who has been working with Dr. Jai Ryu, special assistant for Asian American affairs. The mayor of Baltimore, the Hon. Kurt L. Schmoke, agreed wholeheartedly to give the welcoming remarks.

All of you who have worked on these types of events know the intensity of the week of preparation, multiply by 100 on the final day. This was multiplied again by the scheduling of the mayor's address and trying to get him to fit into our timetable. As it worked out, he missed his chance to introduce Mother but came in at the beginning of her speech and so was able to sit and listen to its entirety. God was truly in control of his schedule.

Mayor Schmoke gave a beautiful welcome praising True Mother for her efforts to establish True Families around the world through the 185- nation tour.

Our deep thanks go out to all of you who were involved in making this a statewide Royal Welcome for True Parents.

Ocean Festival `96... in Autumn!

by Annie McMahon-Jersey City, NJ

During the weekend of September 28-29, Ocean Church of New Jersey organized a festival at the Liberty Harbor Marina, in Jersey City, under the theme of "Ocean Era - 21st Century ... Back to God's Original World".

For this occasion, all the ministers and educators of Jersey City and around were invited to the opening ceremony, which was at the same time the inauguration of "Ocean Day", and the declaration of Jersey City as an "ocean town".

The program started with an "Ocean Song", performed by University of Bridgeport Chorus, followed by the invocation of Rev. Kil Hwan Kim, regional director. Mr. Kobayashi, Vice President of True World Group, Inc., gave the opening address, mentioning that "ocean provides nutrition not only for the body, but also for the spirit", and that the ocean training is the best for youth.

His greeting was followed by four welcome speeches, given by Rev. G. Maxwell Jones, Deputy Mayor; Mr. Patrick Noble from Liberty Harbor Marina; Dr. Tyler Hendricks, President of HSA-UWC (U.S.A.); and Rev. Purnell Spicer, True Family Values Ministry Lecturer.

During the ceremony, U.T.S. and the University of Bridgeport each received a Good Go boat for the development of ocean providence. Dr. Anthony Guerra, Vice President of U. B. and Dr. Tadaaki Shimmyo, President of U.T.S., were present to receive the keys of the boats. They both gave their inaugurational remarks.

Mrs. Veronica Smith, representing 33 citizen volunteers, then read the proclamation, declaring Jersey City as an "Ocean City", Jersey City being located at the connecting point of the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island Sound and the Hudson River. The declaration was stating that "we determine to develop Jersey City's ocean and water resources for humankind and world peace by promoting education, youth activities and water related industries such as boat building, fishing and sight seeing industries".

Immediately following this opening ceremony, Rev. Spicer gave a speech for all the V.I.P.s and other interested guests, while a seafood lunch was served to them. All seemed to be very inspired by Rev. Spicer's dynamic spirit! Rev. McReynolds, from Mt. Olive Baptist Church, who used to live in Chicago, already knew Rev. Spicer. He decided to attend the True Family Values workshop in Washington, pledging to bring 10 other ministers with him.

The festival offered mainly the same activities as the festival held last May: boat cruises, fishing trips, seafood barbecues, raffle, live music, games for children, ... In addition, people could buy fresh fish at a special price, from the First Hope I fishing trip, that came back just before the festival. A tuna cutting demonstration was also given, and people could taste a peace of "sashimi" (raw fish). Many people gathered for this activity. Several True Family Values lectures were held throughout the seminar, given by different lecturers: Rev. Spicer, Rev. Andy Compton, Mr. Kerry Pobanz, Mr. George Glass and Mr. Ron Gurtatowski. There were also lectures about Solving World Hunger, by Mr. Tateo Sato, leader of Ocean Church, and Ocean Awareness Presentation, by Mr. Paul Durgin, from Maine.

This festival was the third one to be held this year. The purpose of these festivals is for witnessing and taking care of our contacts, by creating a friendly and educational atmosphere. It gives the opportunity for members and guests to participate in ocean activities, and to get a deeper understanding of Father's vision for Ocean Providence, which is crucial at this time in history. As we are heading the 21st Century, everybody needs to realize the importance of ocean resources to solve world hunger, and to plan for the future years, which may not always be as abundant as it is now, even for developed countries. Thinking in advance and developing knowledge and skills related to the ocean can only help to prepare for a better future. At the same time, ocean offers a pure atmosphere, ideal for the education of young people.

Some interesting facts happened, telling us that God and the spirit world were with us. At the end of the first day, the sky was covered with clouds, and the forecast was for rain the following day. Fortunately, the rain started only after the end of the activities the first day, continued during the night, to leave a clear blue sunny sky for the second day of the festival! Even though it was the end of September, the weather was warm enough to enjoy staying outside.

Another interesting fact: We invited the Mayor of Jersey City to join us for the opening ceremony, but he couldn't come, and send a representative, who was a Reverend! At this time of the providence when we try to reach ministers with the True Family Values workshops, it was a real blessing to have Rev. Jones with us, along with the other ministers that we invited.

We would like to thank the University of Bridgeport students, who came to help during the whole festival. Their help was essential for the success of this event. Thank you also to all the speakers, attendants and guests. Your presence was greatly appreciated. This place and facilities here at the Liberty Harbor Marina offer a great atmosphere to bring guests and witness. Please join us next May, with your contacts and family, for the Summer Ocean Festival `97!

In the meantime, if you are interested to go fishing, or bring your guests on a boat ride, let us know. There are many things that can be done. You can call at the Ocean Education Center, 201-435-3808, or send a fax: 201-435-3802.

News From Europe

These are excerpts from The European which details the many and varied activities of the Unification community in Europe

Euro-CARP Summer Camp '96

Even though this year's summer camp was not prepared under easy circumstances, it was one of the best. In a questionnaire distributed at the end of the event, 79 out of 84 participants who responded wrote (when asked if their expectations were fulfilled) "yes" or "more than fulfilled." The camp was held at Zlate Hory, Czech Republic, Aug. 31- Sept. 8, 1996.

What do CARP members expect from a summer camp? They expect to find their identity as a European student movement-renewed inspiration and clear direction as CARP members-deepened understanding of the Principle and its application.

This year we chose as theme for summer camp: "Marriage and Family"; and there was a special goal-to educate about true love, strengthen relationships between blessed husbands and wives, and prepare new Blessing candidates. We wanted to enable to 150 participants to become "agents" for the Blessing, introducing it everywhere they go.

There was a real family atmosphere at our summer camp. Most participants were very young; we organizers were somewhat older like elder brothers and sisters; and Mr. Hashimoto, Rev. Lee (Adam-type Messiah from Austria) and Siegfried Klammsteiner added the parental aspect. Professor Wolf, an elder professor from the Czech Republic, also spoke on the anthropological history of the family.

We are grateful for the sincere efforts and wonderful support of all those who helped prepare this inspiring event-such as: the Czech CARP members, who took care of organization; Austrian CARP members, who prepared great lectures and testimony and organized sport; the precious support of our elders; other guest lecturers, including Rev. Jin Sung Eu from Finland and Arnold Kretschmer from Austria; and others too numerous to mention. The closing ceremony was very long because there were so many prizes to award to all who contributed, as well as for the sports champions!

We want to inherit the original spirit of the World Culture and Sports Festival for our summer camp, by focusing on the Blessing as well as sport and art. With the encouragement of Pres. Sa, we will prepare another event in advance of next year's great Blessing, in which sport will feature even more and art and culture will play a role. Join us and bring along your friends: it will change their lives!

Mark Bramwell, European CARP president, & Harald Janisch, CARP Austria

European HARP Summer Workshop

From July 27 till Aug. 11, members of the High School Association for the Research of Principles from all over Europe gathered for the event of the year: the 9th Euro-HARP workshop. This year it was held in Artesina, which is located far up the mountains of northwest Italy. One hundred twenty four HARPies from Portugal, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Croatia, Great Britain, Denmark and Norway were able to spend two fabulous weeks together.

The special thing about the workshop is that it allows all the HARPies, who most of the year live very isolated from each other, to meet, spend time together, make friends, talk about and discuss whatever is on their minds, and see that there are many others who are in the same situation that they themselves are in, experiencing many similar things. It creates a bond among many of the participants which is sure to last lifelong.

The main motto of the workshop for this year was "Let us be proud of True Parents and love True Parents." Three sub-themes were added to this motto: 1) We will always follow with absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience. 2) We will become a fence of protection for True Parents. 3) We will always follow the way of True Parents.

Many of the internal guidance sessions were based on this motto and the sub-themes.

There were Divine Principle lectures almost every day; the Korean National Messiah to Finland, Mr. Jin Sung Eu, went through the first part of the Divine Principle and the national leader of Germany, Mr. Siegfried Klammsteiner, went through the second part. In addition to this, there were some witnessing testimonies and talks on subjects such as "The Blessing," "The Building of Principle-Centered Relationships," "The Spirit World," "The Meaning and Responsibility of the Second Generation," etc.

Time was also set aside for Korean lessons, which gave all the participants a taste of the difficulty of the language that we are all supposed to learn. Daily group discussions allowed everyone to discuss and reflect upon what was taught earlier during the day. A lecture contest then gave the participants the opportunity to prove that they had in fact not only paid attention to the lectures, but that they had also picked something up.

There were many other parts to the program, including a 40-minute prayer on the mountain and the infamous HARP-core (get ready to rumble)-Rock Out. We had a family and cultural evening where each of the nations or teams performed skits, plays or other entertainments.

One Sunday we had a Sports Festival in which the teams competed in blanket-volleyball, rope-pulling, hyper-animal two, running, and tee shirt speed-change. There were trips to surrounding areas. We had the chance to visit the small town of Artesina at least once, as well as caves close to the workshop center. We went to the beach one sunny day and enjoyed each other's company in real Italian summer weather.

Inshunor Joergensen-Norway

Austria & Croatia Sistership

This seminar was possible through the cooperation between the Austrian chapter of WFWP and the International Relief Friendship Foundation (IRFF), represented through both Forum Ost in Vienna and IRFF-Croatia in Zagreb.

The purpose of this seminar, held June 5-9, 1996, was to bring women together from these two nations to give them the opportunity to understand the common destiny of all women through their roles as mothers and educators of children. Through this, we can then learn to be substantial contributors to future world peace. Our support can be of great significance, especially when we are coming together with a nation from the former Yugoslavia, where the people have experienced such extreme emotional and physical alienation.

This seminar was one of many IRFF activities for refugees from the former Yugoslavia. It is a continuation of relief work, youth seminars and other projects-most recently the Religious Youth Service Project in Croatia.

Thirty three women came from the former Yugoslavia to Vienna. Twenty two have been refugees from different regions of Croatia, eight were refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina and three came as staff from the Croatian Unification Church. Most of the women have experienced devastation through the war and in many cases direct physical violence. Our guests were more than happy to use the opportunity to go for walks and relax in the beautiful nature around Seebenstein. In addition, they followed the lecture program with great interest.

On the second day, the members of WFWP-Austria arrived to take part in the sisterhood ceremony. Thirty three couples were matched through lottery. The rest of the day was spent in personal talks between the newly-matched sisters followed by a short outing.

With the help of several very busy translators, a very good exchange of heart was able to occur. This was very helpful for them to be able to forget a little bit of their heavy past.

On the third day was a day trip to Vienna. The visit to our church kindergarten, "Omaya," moved every heart very deeply. The heart expressed by the children during the performance and the selfless dedication of the teachers left a deep impression.

The highlight of the meeting was the sisterhood ceremony on the fourth day. The national anthems were sung, theological professor Josef Frickel gave a short speech, and the sisters walked couple by couple over the bridge of peace. It was a joyful moment which could not be disturbed by the heat of the sunny day. Many guests from Vienna and the surrounding area came to watch and a camera crew stayed the whole afternoon to make a report for Austrian national television.

On the final day, and inter-religious Sunday service marked the closing of the meeting. On this occasion a video about the 1990 Assembly of World Religions in Los Angeles was shown and a very inspiring testimony about his experience there was given by Prof. Frickel. At the prayer meeting around the "Rock of Peace," representatives of all nationalities present offered a prayer.

IRFF gave toys to all participants to take home to their children. All participants expressed their desire to support the ideals of IRFF and WFWP in their nations and pledged to continue to keep in contact with their new-found sisters.

Eckhart Riehl

Czech-German Sistership

It was as if we had been uplifted and transplanted into the last century, into a time of kings and queens, dukes and duchesses and statesmen who shaped the destiny of the European continent- transplanted more specifically to Marianske Laxne in the Czech Republic (formerly Marienbad). For as we bonded our Czech and German hearts in sistership June 22-23, we could feel the luxury and graciousness of this town as it once was.

Most recent history has scarred and maimed the relationship between Germany and the Czech Republic beginning with the end of World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire, and continuing to this very day. Hitler's annexation of the Sudetenland in 1939, and the forced deportation of Germans from their homeland in Bohemia and Moravia at the end of World War II, have left many virtually unhealable wounds on both sides.

Therefore, there was an urgency and desperation on the part of the German and Czech WFWPs to bring women of these two nationalities together in sistership. For "if the world's women can be sisters, the world's men can't fight wars" (as reads the title of a brochure published last year by WFWP-USA).

Ann Schaffner-German WFWP

Russian-German Sistership

Our Russian hosts made all possible effort to show the treasures of Moscow and St. Petersburg to the delegation of women who visited Russia from May 26 to June 2. We saw the Kremlin, two famous monasteries, Red Square, churches, and the Hermitage-a dream of the art of architecture and art collections. With an old fishing boat we went across the Gulf of Finland to the Summer Residence of the Czars, where we attended the opening ceremony in front of the fountains.

St. Petersburg was once a rich city and is still so very beautiful. On the one hand it is very European, and yet on the other it is not very European at all. Even so, it is still very different from Moscow, which we found to be hazardous, being full of pedestrians. We stayed with families, some Unification Church members and some WFWP members. Through this we were able to have a good insight into Russian lifestyle and cuisine.

Irmi Ingversen-German WFWP

Hungary-Slovakia Sistership

The first sistership ceremony between Hungarian and Slovakian women took place June 29-30 in Budapest, Hungary with 44 couples being matched. At the moment the political situation between Slovakia and Hungary is quite tense, partly due to the situation of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. This is probably why this event attracted a lot of media attention. One hour before the program began, we organized a press conference to which Hungarian TV, radio, the central Hungarian press agency (MTI) and one daily newspaper came.

On the same day (June 29) there was a five-minute report on the evening TV news. The journalist informed the viewers very well about the history and activities of the WFWP as well as this latest sistership ceremony. The report was so positive that it was as if we ourselves had edited it! A short film was also shown which had been taken at the official opening of the program. It particularly focused on the VIPs who were present. Next day an interview taken at the press conference was broadcast on the second channel of Hungarian radio, which is a very popular station. There was also a short report and picture about the sistership ceremony in two newspapers. Many VIPs attended.

Elisabeth Cook-president, WFWP-Hungary

Italian-Slovenian Sistership

I would like to report about the ceremony held July 6-7.

Slovenia itself is quite a young country, and that's why the WFWP has a smaller foundation. Even though we have about 400 members, almost no core member could really work with us, only a very few, so we had to start to look outside.

Through this ceremony our church members and elders could also be revived and deeply moved.

I felt that it was not so good that all of the organization was made on the Bergamo side and that it would have been better if we could have first met to talk and discuss our ideas concerning the practical details of the meeting from both sides. Next time, we would like to hold the ceremony on the national level.

I am very grateful from the bottom of my heart to Mrs. Luciana

Ferrario and the Italian brothers and sisters who helped us so much. I would also like to express my appreciation to our sisters in Slovenia.

May God's blessing be bestowed upon all of the newly matched sisters who participated in the ceremony.

Hiroko Kinoshita-WFWP Slovenia

The Goal is the Family

June 1-26 the Czech Family held a large exhibition throughout the Czech Republic.

The family is God's first and last goal, and we used this fact as the motto for the exhibition: "The Goal is the Family." The goal of the exhibition was to introduce the victorious foundation of True Parents in the world and to invite people to the Blessing in 1997.

The exhibition was presented by a series of panels, covering several topics. Four panels covered: the Principle of Creation, the Fall of Man, the History of Restoration, and the need for a new explanation of truth.

Eleven panels covered Father's worldwide activities: academic and scientific fields, religion, politics, education, art, mass media, industry, charity, fishing, International Highway Project, and the Women's Federation for World Peace (WFWP).

Four panels covered the history of the Czech and Slovak Unification Communities and their activities.

Seven panels covered an introduction to the World Culture and Sports Federation, the history of the Blessing, the Nov. 29, 1997 Blessing, Church ceremonies and the Family Pledge.

The final panel was an invitation to the Blessing.

The internal preparation was made through establishing a mobile 13- member team as well as having a national spiritual condition.

Anton Uhnak-Czech Republic

Victory in Gaining 1,000 Family Members in Croatia

A Victory Celebration was held June 22, 1996 to celebrate our membership explosion.

When many brothers and sisters in Europe heard of our result in gaining more than 1,000 family members, everybody asked what our secret was.

Our response was that there was no secret-just a strong desire to bring victory and break through. Our goal for this year was 1,000 members. Even though it looked almost impossible, we wanted to fulfill it but we didn't know how. Then our national leader Mr. Lim suggested trying door-to-door witnessing. He gave us very clear guidance on the meaning and purpose of this witnessing, as well as how to do it. We have to change our concepts about witnessing and membership. Croatia is known as a very strong Catholic country for more than 1,300 years and brothers and sisters didn't always have the confidence to speak openly about the Unification Church and True Parents.

We started our first campaign in Zagreb and then moved on to other cities. Brothers and sisters went in pairs together with the Korean and Japanese missionaries. We visited people in their homes and directly introduced ourselves as members of the Unification Church or Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. Most brothers and sisters were experienced giving Divine Principle lectures as they had practiced every morning for six months. So it wasn't so difficult for them to explain the main points of Principle, clearly showing why all humankind needs True Parents. We always took a camera with us so that we could make photos of those who didn't have pictures for the membership form.

We couldn't imagine how people would respond, but through sharing our daily experiences through evening service we found out that wherever we went people were very positive and inspired. Stories continued late and none felt tired. Many funny things happened. Our two sisters were talking with an elderly man in front of his flat, but his wife tried to stop us. Suddenly the wind shut the door and both of them were left outside in their slippers without their keys! They had no choice but to listen to us, and after listening they signed family membership.

An old lady called the police to check upon some strange young people knocking door-to-door. When the policeman stopped our sister, asking what she was doing, she explained about the Divine Principle and True Parents. He became angry with the old lady and immediately signed family membership!

There was incredible support and protection from spirit world based on our unity. Every day our spirit became stronger and even younger brothers and sisters joined us. Finally parents joined us by witnessing to relatives, friends and colleagues at work. A very joyful spirit of competition was created.

Martin Herbst-Slovenia