The Meaning of True God's Day

by Rev. Chung Hwan Kwak

This is from unofficial notes of the True God's Day Morning Speech in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

Today is the 30th celebration of True God's Day. 29 times True Father has explained the meaning and significance of True God's Day and our attitude. I would like to reduce what I remember from the last 29 times True Father spoke on True God's Day. Also, I would like to add how precious, glorious and wonderful our True Parents are. On this day Heavenly Father should receive glory, True Parents make his heart happy. True God's Day first appeared on this earth through our True Parents. Mankind has celebrated so many holidays centered on themselves, on self-centeredness. They celebrate their own days. However, we do not had a day to celebrate Heavenly Father. There were so many people who said they were following Heavenly Father. This testifies to the fact that they were so far away from Heavenly Father's heart and situation. Every nation has their own national celebration, birthdays, etc. There was no True God's Day in human history. That is a sad reality. How loving, grateful and happy Heavenly Father must feel toward True Parents who have established this glorious day which is specifically made to glorify Heavenly Father, who deserves so much. For the sake of human history, how wonderful and glorious it is to have this kind of day, to finally have this long awaited day Heavenly Father deserves. It absolves our sins and shortcomings of the past. We should be truly grateful for True Parents to have started this God's day in Human history.

What is the meaning of True God's Day. According to True Father's words, it should be the day when Heavenly Father feels the most joy and glory. Unless we understand the significance and heart of Heavenly Father and his desire to establish and feel joy from the fulfillment of the purpose of creation, we cannot understand this day. We have to understand and be more grateful that True Father not only teaches the significance of this day, but they did so after substantiating this teaching. True Parents are literally True Parents and true ancestors of humankind. All significance of True God's Day must begin from True Parents, it can only begin from them as the ancestors of human beings.

Last year True Parents gave us the motto to truly love and be proud of True Parents. As it is verified by our True Parents' deeds, True Parents have loved and been proud of our Heavenly Father first and showed us the way to fulfill this motto in our lives. During this past year, how much True Parents have accomplished and have testified to Heavenly Father and loved him. There is so much to talk about True Parents's accomplishment in this area. One aspect of this is the establishing of National Messiahs. Almighty God took 4000 biblical years in order to send one messiah to this earth. Why did it takes so long? Because this world is stubborn, the sovereignty of nations is in Satan's hands. That is why it took so long to indemnify and prepare the proper foundation to receive the messiah.

However, as we know, True Father came after the failure of the first messiah. It took 2000 years for True Parents to finally come. The significance of True Parents's sending National Messiahs to 185 nations means that True Parents have already vertically clarified and fulfilled all the victories before Heavenly Father and Satan vertically and are able to expand horizontally to 185 nations. When we understand that Heavenly Father took 2000 to bring True Parents on this earth and that True Father, even after the failure of the prepared foundation, to send National Messiahs in such a short time, it is incredible, so glorious!

When we first received blessings and such grace from True Parents, how wondrous it was! When True Parents proclaimed National Messiah, what a grace we received from True Parents. Tribal Messiahship was limited to the tribe, but National Messiah is in the national realm. It represents sovereignty and is so far beyond the limits of Tribal Messiah. Before sending the 185 National Messiahs, there were 160 mission nations, True Father directed them to expand to 185 nations as quickly as possible. There are 185 nations registered with the UN. Without anyone knowing, True Parents have prepared and invested in a foundation of 185 nations. The significance of sending out 185 National Messiahs horizontally as a second body of True Parents and expanding horizontally on a global level to all the possible nations of the world. Not only one messiah in each nation, there are four National Messiahs: Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel representatives completely all possible foundations in all four directions and nullifying any possible attack by Satan in all four directions.

The messiah is the commander in chief who is charge to destroy Satan and Satan's foundation. Satan will try his utmost to prevent the foundation to receive the messiah and will try to prevent the messiah from accomplishing his victory, but when the messiah is victorious, Satan has to recognize that victory.

True Parents during their lifetimes have won the victories of driving Satan away and into a corner. If the National Messiahs succeed, then Satan will be completely driven out and have no place to stay. Such an accomplishment is unprecedented and could not even have been imagined by other religious leaders in history. Moreover when we revived the providential history of Heavenly Father and the restoration course, even Heavenly Father did not have such an accomplishment as this one centered on National Messiahs..

Also, True Parents founded the Family Federation for World Peace and established it in 185 nations last year. In 1991, True Father began talking about the worldwide foundation. He began to establish the Women's Federation for World Peace. One year ago he began to talk about international organizations. Through Women's Federation for World Peace True Father began to talk about the Youth Federation and other organizations, but he began to explain that the final organization would be the Family Federation for World Peace.

From July 31 to August 1 the founding inaugural convention for the Family Federation for World Peace True Parents laid the foundation for the victorious foundation to eliminate any accusation from Satan. True Parents were able to establish the culminating organization in God's providence last year. Upon that foundation True Mother leading the way has traveled throughout the world and led the establishment of the Family Federation for World Peace in 185 nations.

You may have made preparations in your own country, but you have no idea what True Mother had to go through to travel throughout the world in such a short time. You don't know her investment. As I had the honor to accompany True Mother, I thought there was no other who could make such an incredible investment in the world. There are so many time differences, different cultures, and many other obstacles. But I am not talking about the external aspects only. We have to understand that we did not know True Mother's role in the dispensation. True Mother must establish absolute unity in every aspect with True Father. Wherever she goes, she must keep that vertical axis wherever she goes. That is incredible. There is no other person who could have taken the responsibility other than True Mother herself. True Mother has to fulfill and accomplish the failed responsibility of the bride position in Christianity. True Father had to drive True Mother toward that responsibility, but True Mother was able to fulfill all the necessary worldwide conditions without any exception for True Father. Because True Mother was absolutely united with True Mother, everywhere so many miracles happened. We were able to witness such miracles.

Even though the woman's plight has improved throughout the world, there is still a problem. But True Mother, wherever she went, inspired world leaders to lower themselves and honor True Mother and bow before her. That was one of the significant aspects of her worldwide tour.

The message True Parents have proclaimed in this worldwide tour was so revolutionary. No one dared to oppose or argue against such a declaration by our True Parents. Through True Mother's investment and the accomplishment of the inauguration of Family Federation for World Peace, True Father proclaimed Nov. 1 a special ceremony to complete the resolution of the indemnity conditions. Humankind must be so grateful for this.

One other significant graces we received last year through our True Parents was the Chung Pyung providence. All the worldwide membership must be grateful for this grace. There is no time to explain the details, but unless True Parents connect to the spiritual world and accomplish total victory, the victorious providence in Chung Pyung would not have been possible. Through our fallen nature and habits, spirits were able to attach themselves to us, but through this special grace we are able to root them out. How grateful we must be!

Moreover it is significant that not only spiritual world is mobilized, but the angelic realm as well. After the fall of man the angelic realm became a higher realm in a sense than that of man. Now Daemonim is now able to open the providence of using the angelic realm. That is one step higher in terms of the spiritual providence. There is no way to express our gratitude to Heung Jin Nim and Daemo Nim.

In our church history there were previously spiritual phenomena that occurred. However, previously we were not able to completely resolve the problem of evil spirits. Now this is the providence that Daemonim and Heung Jin Nim is leading that the spirits are not only liberated from us but are able to be trained in spiritual world and prepared to descend on earth in returning resurrection. Of course, the Divine Principle explains that the spiritual world must receive Divine Principle education through the physical world, but now the providence has advanced so they can receive this education in the spiritual realm. That is an incredible development.

Heung Jin Nim's filial piety was a condition for True Parents to send him as their representative and all kinds of spiritual phenomena are occurring now. If all the evil spirits are separated from us and are able to return to a more original life and all the spirits are able to be educated, this pushes away Satan's foundation leaving no foothold for him to remain.

As National Messiahs were able to receive 40 day workshops before anyone else and to resolve spiritual problems. This is a wonderful grace! Now when I went to Chung Pyung in the front row there was one empty row prepared for Jesus and the other religious founders. Former President Eu was also present there. What do you think the religious leaders would do after such a workshop? They would go back and spread the word in their own religious world. Also, Daemonim said that if the church leaders who receive this workshop are able to unite and receive the workshop well, then they can connect with these religious world and receive spiritual phenomena more easily. Now we must think more carefully. We don't need the realm of separation between physical and spiritual worlds. We are now so closely connected. It has already been claimed that the spirits who were liberated will

be able to participate in the coming blessing. That is incredible! Principally speaking, unless True Parents themselves are in the spiritual world to clarify all things, this kind of phenomenon would not be possible. But Heung Jin Nim's filial piety and True Parents's tremendous love, this phenomenon is able to take place in the spiritual world. So, imagine, if we accomplish the task of 3.6 million couples plus a blessing in the spiritual world, then what kind of influence and foundation True Parents will be able to establish! They will drive away Satan. This is only possible through absolute unity of Heung Jin Nim and Dae Monim with True Parents.

The significance of True God's Day. In the many teachings True Father gave on God's day, he reflected on God's original ideal and the fulfillment of it. The ideal of creation in essence is the realization the ideal of true love. True Father taught that even though Heavenly Father is almighty, absolute, eternal and unique, the only ideal he cannot establish by himself is the ideal of true love. He needs a love partner. The nature of true love is to give infinitely, unconditionally like an outpouring. Human beings and all things are God's objects of love. They are God's image partners of true love. The core and most essential relationship of love is the father-son relationship, the parent-child relationship, as True Father has often expounded. We must fulfill all the different positions of all aspects of true love. Fulfillment of true love happens only through experience. We are to experience the 4 realms of heart and in so doing experience different aspects of God's love.

Originally Adam and Eve were like twin brother and sister. As they grew, they received Heavenly Father's parental love and responded to that love with children's love. No matter how much Heavenly Father wanted to convey the ideal of love to us, we can acquire this love only through experience which is represented in our growth period. In that period we experience the different realms of heart in order to fulfill the ideal of true love. Even orphans who grow up in orphanages, no matter how well cared for they are, do not receive parents love. God's programmed us to grow up receiving True Parents's love. As we receive parents love and experience it with children's heart, we are also to experience the heart and love as brothers and sisters in the growth period.

Brothers and sisters individually have nothing to do with each other unless there is the mediating love of parents. As we grow up, we add the love and heart of brothers and sisters to our children's love. By experiencing the fraternal love and heart, that becomes a foundation for our horizontal conjugal love. As we develop our brothers and sisters realm of heart, our heart will naturally expand toward more conjugal love, toward longing for the opposite sex. That develops naturally. We have received through God's heartistic design on the expansion of the brothers and sisters realm we expand toward conjugal realm. God gave us that inclination.

As Adam and Eve grow toward maturity, they were to grow in this conjugal love. We are created as substantial object as well as substantial body of Heavenly Father. Adam is a son of God and, at the same time, a substantial body of God. Invisible Heavenly Father can only substantially express true love through our substantial body. In that sense, Eve was the daughter of Heavenly Father and, at the same time, represented Heavenly Father's body and was the bride of Heavenly Father.

God created us to experience 4 different realms of heart, 4 different types of love. We experience different types of love in the different realms of heart. As Adam and Eve horizontally unite in the center point and culminate their love horizontally, True Father's love will meet vertically seeking the shortest vertical distance. True Father says the point at which all our physical and spiritual senses point toward and meet is the central palace of true love, true life and true lineage. It is even the original palace of our conscience

God's ideal of creation is not that he wants to be lofty and separated from his children. He wants to substantiate love together with Adam and Eve. He wants to dwell together with and unite with and be one with Adam and Eve in accomplishing true love. As Adam and Eve consummate their conjugal love, that is not the end of God's love.

Because God's fundamental love is his parental love, then Adam and Eve must invest in parent's position. That is the culmination and substantiation of God's ideal of love. It is incredible grace to allow us to have our own children. When we have children, we do not know where the source of our love of offering our children comes from. But through this we experience parental love. The children who were born under Adam and Eve had to go through the same growth period as Adam and Eve and mature their love as well. Through this process Adam and Eve can become perfected beings who substantiate this ideal of true love.

The day Adam and Eve culminates their conjugal love, that first wedding day is the day God can substantiate and embody his presence in human reality. That is when God and man can truly meet. That is the culminating, settling point of the 4 realms of heart and of human growth. From that point, top, bottom, left and right, these four positions are all established and Adam and Eve become qualified to become master of all things.

God's Day when God will be most joyful is when Adam and Eve join in conjugal love and fulfill God's potential. That day will also be the true culminating point of children perfecting themselves. So that will be the celebration of Children's Day and Day of all things and Parents Day. So God's Day is all these days together, the day of culmination of love. True God's Day is a joyous day when Heavenly Father can truly assume his substantial body. This God's day should also be the most joyous, most glorious day for humans as well.

However, due to the fall of man, all these ideals and possibilities were shattered to pieces. Had our ancestors perfected themselves and found the settling point of the 4 realms of heart, the fall of man would not have been possible. The fall of man occurred before they experienced the 4 realms of heart. Fallen man experienced them to some extent but Heavenly Father never experienced them. That was the agony, the han of God. In the middle of the growth period be aware of the arch-angel .. going through the fallen process. In the beginning our human ancestors did not begin with God's true love, but Satan's love. Our love should have been indivisible but Eve through the fall process divided her love toward the arch-angel and Adam. That began the process. Eating the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil shattered and totally went against God's love and ideal of creation. This was such a fallen consequence!

The original palace of true love, true life and true lineage was lost and was connected to Satan's false love, life and lineage and began fallen history. Because the original sin engaged the lineage, that is why original sin was handed down from generation to generation. Because restoration requires a change of lineage, that is why restoration has taken such a long time. There is no time explain the mainstream of God's providence. Not only is there no time, but there is a shortcoming in my knowledge of providential history. The true meaning can only be understood by True Parents. True Parents were able to explain so clearly that the fall of man entailed lineage and false love and also how to restore the lineage and the requirements of the change of lineage. Through 6000 biblical years mankind was not able to discover the

lineage aspect. Only through the advent of True Parents has that aspect been clarified for the first time. True Parents have become the True Parents of mankind. Sometimes the mention the toil of walking this path. But they never wanted to reveal the core of their difficulty. In order to arise as True Parents there is a blood, life and death struggle with Satan, the enemy, a terrible struggle to change the lineage through 8 stages from servant of servants on up. True Father has expounded on his course, but we can only grasp in conceptually, never experientially.

All the prepared foundations were lost and thrown back to True Parents. They had to bear the whole burden in the wilderness themselves. When all the prepared foundation crumbled and all the historical burdens were laid on True Father's shoulders, we cannot comprehend this situation. He indemnified all those historical failures. Sometimes True Father mentions his difficult course before establishing True Parentship, but our heart is still dull. We cannot perceive this. It is impossible for us to understand. That is why, even though we claim we are children of True Parents, we have such an unfilial standard. We cannot understand the core of their heart. We must understand that True Parents are bearing all the burdens in front of Heavenly Father. It is such a filial position. But to us the parents as parents do not want to reveal their burden. We say we follow True Parents for so many years, but actually the depth of our understanding of True Parents's heart is so shallow. They have faced life and death situations so much; we have to repent for our shortcomings.

There are so many things to lay the proper foundation. For example. True Parents matched 3 couples before their blessing. That is impossible for the human mind to understand. True Parents cannot explain fully all the hidden secrets and providential requirements. Without understanding True Parents's situation, we just followed along and were a burden for True Parents. How difficult it must be for our True Parents.

Now after so many years of True Parents's accomplishment, we can more easily understand the significance of True Parents. But in the 1960s they had to step by step educate us and guide us about the significance of True Parents.

Originally God's day should have been the day all 4 days were established together. But because this was all lost, True Parents had to go step by step, establishing each of the 3 other days, then finally establish True God's Day. In the midnight speech True Father spoke briefly about how True Mother had to live separate from True Father after their blessing for. True Mother in the beginning could not even eat at the same table as True Father. She was given the worst kind of food, barley. She had to fast often. There are so many stories about how True Mother was able to attain her current status.

In 1960 True Parents established True Parents position, but they could not stand as True Parents except on the family level. They had to establish True Parents on each level: tribal, national, world and cosmic. True Parents could not love their true children until they laid all the necessary conditions and providential requirements. That has been their course.

When Ye Jin Nim was born, all the church members were given milk and food representing being adopted by True Parents. Also Hyo Jin Nim. As True Children were born there was a special day of heart to inherit the heart of true children. True Parents in numerous conditions and ceremonies laid the foundation to allow us to be adopted into True Parents lineage, to receive blessing and the change of our lineage.

Parents Day, Children's day by 1963 were accomplished. But God's day was established in 1968. What is the reason it took 7 years from 1960 till Jan 1, 1968 to establish God's Day? The position of True Parents was established in 1960. It took 7 years to lay the necessary conditions for True Father and True Mother to stand in the necessary conditions, to become the most filial son and daughter, the most faithful husband and wife. Only by the end of 1967 were these accomplished.

In conclusion, as we welcome True God's Day, we should always try our best to understand the core of True Parents's course of suffering. It is difficult for us. It is our responsibility to have such a heart of gratitude and a heart of desiring to unite with True Parents and return glory to them for True God's Day. 

January 1997

Wanted: American Teen for Exchange Program

by Ho Kyong Han-Korea

As America is a nation of major importance in the providence, I believe that you are working hard for God's will to be accomplished. The Korean Church is attending a young national leader, and we are trying our best to jump to higher achievements.

Also, the second generation makes the future of the Korean Church look brighter. I believe that in the future, the second generation will become the leaders of the worldwide providence and to prepare for that time to come, we as parents feel not only by words but through real interchange we should share the heart of brothers and sisters and one family.

So I'm looking for a family which is willing to join such an interchange project.

My desire is, first of all, to find a family which has a second- generation child of similar age to my son Hyong Seuk (12 years old). Then he can come to Korea for about one year, live together with our family, and thus learn our language and culture.

Afterwards, my son could go to the United States and stay there for a year in the same way. If there is any family interest in such an exchange project, please get in touch with me:

Ho Kyong Han
Kon Ib Dong 1265-10
Cheju City Cheju Island
Korea

Tel. 064 570 052 Fax. 064 532 250 or Phone. 064 557 542

Family Details

My hometown is Cheju City and I've been living here ever since the hometown providence started.

Now I'm in charge of revival meetings at the regional church in Cheju Island. I joined the church in 1962 and my wife joined in 1968; her hometown is Inchon. We received the Blessing in 1970 as part of the 777 Couples Blessing. Since then we've been doing our church missions. We live together with my mother and we have two boys and one girl.

My Mother: Kim Su Chong, 79, single Blessing 1988
Myself: Ho Kyong Han: 50: regional church, Cheju
Wife: Lee Yong Hyeuk: 48: regional church, Cheju
Daughter: Ho Yon Hee: 24: pianist; 4th year at university
Son: Ho Chung Seuk: 19: high school 3rd year
Son: Hon Hyong Seuk: 12: elementary school 5th year

The Family Party, a Problem with Luther, and Creation Science

A recent set of essays in the monthly journal put out by the Institute on Religion and Public Life has created a bit of a stir. The journal, entitled First Things, is edited by Richard John Neuhaus. Father Neuhaus, along with others as eminent as Robert Bork, call into question the legitimacy of the present American governmental regime.

The crux of their complaint is that the judiciary is contravening the democratic process, by declaring certain laws voted in by the majority to be unconstitutional, on the basis of an interpretation of the Constitution which flies in the face of the meaning intended by the framers of the Constitution, a meaning still plain to the majority of the American people.

To state it plainly, the framers believed that faith in God and practice of religious morality are necessary for our nation's well- being, and our current judges actively subvert and reject God and religion. The framers separated church and state in order to protect the churches from the state, but the courts today see it as a means to protect the state from the churches, and to reject laws generated out of a morality grounded in a religious worldview.

Therefore, the courts take prayer out of schools, make it illegal to post the Ten Commandments in schools or public building, make it legal to curse and swear in schools, make it illegal to punish rebellious students, make it legal to murder a baby as long as the head has not emerged from the mother's cervix, and so forth. Thus, the courts are reshaping the society, against the wishes and values of the majority of Americans.

This critique of contemporary affairs, however, though very compelling, does not strike the root of the problem.

The problem common to both the current judiciary and its opponents is the usage of an individualistic political paradigm: the belief that ultimate sovereignty lies with the individual. Social felicity is defined in terms of individual rights, individual responsibilities, individual fulfillment, individual happiness, etc. etc. What is the alternative, you may ask. There is an alternative viewpoint: that the fundamental value, and ultimate sovereignty, is the family.

After all, where do individuals come from? The family. Where do individuals, for the generality of humankind, find happiness? In the family. What is the foundation for social stability? The family. What is the number one way to reduce crime? Strengthen the family. To end drug abuse? Strengthen the family. To end poverty? Strengthen the family. To end children having children? Strengthen the family.

Where do you find the most ecstatic, cosmic sexual union? With your beloved eternal spouse; that's where you find absolute sex. Why absolute? Because God is there, based upon the couple's absolute commitment to each other eternally, beyond life and death.

Oneness with God and my wife; that's the gate of the kingdom of heaven. And it is the gate through which my children come into this world and it is the plan by which my children and grandchildren and parents and cousins will be with me and my wife forever in the next world. The family is the foundation of true happiness, freedom and goodness.

This is not just a spiritual matter. It's not just religion. It's life itself. That means it is economics. It's culture. It's education. It's housing and the environment. And, yes, it's government.

Government exists for the sake of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We've had enough of the bohemian fantasy that happiness is found by escaping the boundaries of conventional morality. The myth that the true artist is amoral, beyond social "restraints," should be consigned to the ash-heap of history. What we must do is expand the dimensions of love in society: true family life is the center of true art and true love.

The founders of this nation emerged out of the English Protestant cultural tradition, and they had two conflicting heritages to work out. One was biblical, and when they looked to the Bible for guidance as to government, they looked to the Old Testament. The Old Testament is covenantal, organic and family-centered. It teaches that the nation is built from the families (Gen 18:18-19). God began, after all, not by creating a "polis," a congerie of individuals in a forest, but by creating a husband and wife.

The other was rationalist, typified in the thinking of John Locke. Locke was an individualist. For Locke, the family exists as a mere instrument for the production of responsible individuals called citizens. There are no other uses of the family of interest to the state. Parents are responsible to create good citizens, and once those citizens emerge out of the family and into the "world," there are no more obligations between parents and children, and in fact there is no state interest in the husband and wife remaining married.

Now, the first sixty years of Puritan society in New England was biblical and family-centered (Locke, after all, did not appear until the end of the seventeenth century). All people legally were bound to live as part of a family. There were no people functioning as "single," male or female. One could not live on one's own within the commonwealth. One family had one vote. The parents were responsible for those under their roof, be they children, relatives, apprentices or servants. The husband finally was responsible for the wife, and he cast the household's vote in elections.

(So, the voting rights movement, one wo/man, one vote, so transparently valid to Americans today, was the result of a centuries- long transfer of sovereignty, from the family to the individual.)

Look at today's statistics. We see that the preponderance of criminal behavior, in particular crimes of violence, and child and woman (mostly girlfriend) abuse, and drug abuse, and drunkenness, and schizophrenia, and (by definition) abortions and illegitimacy, is the behavior of young, single, unattached people. We might re-consider some of the implications of the "Puritan option."

Let's bring the family back in the driver's seat. For instance, I propose that we need a new political party, called the Family Party. This is a political party which is family-friendly. Its platform is the kitchen table; it caucus room is the front porch; its negotiations are in the garden; its convention is in the bedroom. Man and woman rule together, as husband and wife, as parents.

This transcends left and right, but does not leave us in an undefined space of futurism, nor is it a return to the Puritan religio-cultural tradition. The Family Party stands for solid love, for fidelity, for filial piety, for discipline, for compassion, for intimacy and solidarity and the future surpassing the present (Prov 23:24). It stands for the ultimate creativity (creating true children, true men and true women).

The choice is clear: pro-family or no-family. Those who are for the family, join the Family Party. Those who are against the family, we'll leave the light on for you.

A Problem with Luther

Why did the Puritan family model break down? Basically, it broke down because there was not enough love at home to keep the kids on the farm. There was not enough parental love and children's love; not enough brother-sister love; not enough husband-wife love.

So everyone came eventually to look for love outside the home, away from the family; chasing after phantoms. And it was following an assertion of the first reformers, Luther and Zwingli. They set a fatal flaw into the Protestant vision. These reformers gave up on man's ability to control his own body.

Luther and Zwingli did this when they argued for the marriage of priests on two grounds, one: that celibacy was a form of salvation by works (which is theological'nuff said), and two: that they are going to fornicate anyway. Because we are hopeless fornicators, a religious system which requires its religious leaders to take vows of lifelong celibacy places an undue burden upon their consciences. It turns most of them into hypocrites.

It is intriguing if disheartening to see this same argument: they are going to fornicate anyway, being made today on behalf of providing free condoms to teenagers.

Indeed, if Luther and Zwingli did not believe that mature dedicated men and women could maintain sexual purity, why should a society decree that immature teenagers can? If the sexual drive is deemed more powerful than any vows made by a priest or nun, it certainly must be more powerful than any pledge of abstinence made by a fifteen-year old boy or girl.

So by the same argument that Luther and Zwingli abolished the standard of clerical celibacy, five centuries later we are handing out condoms to teens.

And a second dimension of this issue bears noting: Luther and Zwingli were addressing the problem of the guilt induced by what they deemed to be the all-but-inevitable violation of a vow. That is, they took the priest's self-esteem, or feeling of self-worth, as a value higher than that of the life-long commitment to celibacy and the social import of that. Has not our society elevated this to cultural pre- eminence, in the view that we must not set standards too high, for fear of our children losing their self-esteem?

Luther and Zwingli set up a religious culture which allowed men and women to abandon vows of celibacy and not feel guilty about it. Today, we have set up a secular culture which allows teenagers to abandon the standard of virginity and not feel guilty about it.

Five hundred years of social progress. America, in some ways, is the par-excellence Protestant culture.

Being Open-Minded about Creation Science

I was cheered by reading an article on a recent controversy over a teacher in a Virginia high school. He was reprimanded for suggesting to his science class that scientists sometimes make mistakes. He explained that scientific theories are sometimes proven to be in error. Hence, he said, not everything you read in a science textbook may be fully accurate. (Carolyn McCulley, "By the Book?" Crystal City, Etc., Fall 1996, pp. 30-35)

The problem was exacerbated no doubt by the fact that this teacher believes in "creation science" (although he was not teaching it at the time).

Now, I am aware of the controversies between Darwinists and Creationists, but this article opened by eyes as to how widespread the creation science movement is, even though it is "practically invisible in the general media."

To wit: "Russell Humphreys, a physicist at Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico, estimates there are at least 10,000 practicing scientists in the U.S. who are young earth creationists. Humphreys is a member of the Creation Research Society (CRS), a scientific organization with over 3,000 members worldwide, more than 600 of whom are voting members: they are practicing scientists with graduate degrees employed as physicists, geologists, (the list goes on) " The CRS is only one out of more than 100 international creationist organizations " such as the New Mexico Creation Science Fellowship.

"`These are the creationists who are open about their views,' Humphreys says. `There are also probably ten times that number who are hesitant about it and who are not sure if they want to risk getting in hot water. " Most of the people I know in academia who do not have their tenure publish in creationist journals under pseudonyms.'

"`We think we have better scientific answers to the origins of humans and the earth than the evolutionists. " For example, creationists have a very good computer-tested model for what started and stopped the Ice Age and for its peculiar characteristics. But evolutionists have nothing to explain the Ice Age except speculation.'"

The article goes on to discuss the fact that mutations "are almost invariably for the worst," and that the fossil record reveals none of the millions of transitional forms which evolution predicts should be there.

The "young earth" theory, by the way, begins with the essential premise that "the earth is relatively young"about 10,000 years old"and formed by a worldwide flood; all living things were created miraculously, essentially in their present state."

The larger implications of this are worth pondering. "We're on the ground floor of a new branch of science"creation science," the article states, "And we're explaining things evolutionists can't. If our successes didn't undermine the prevailing world view, these things would be shouted from the roof tops."

The article goes on to point out that creation science strikes at the root of the present post-modern worldview, that formed by Copernicus, Darwin and Freud. Copernicus moved our home from center to periphery; Darwin relegated us to "descent from an animal world," and Freud completed the operation by undermining confidence in the rational mind.

Creation science calls the whole house of cards into question. "If you accept creationism and if it follows that you accept the Bible as true, then you are also going to be saying, `Well, if somebody did create the world and created people and created me, then do I need to be thinking about what that Creator wants me to do?'

Can we be open-minded enough to consider that?

Switzerland Welcomes National Messiah

Rev. Joong Hyun Pak at FFWP Inauguration Speech
by Betty Lancaster-NYC

Rev. Pak accompanied True Mother on her speaking tour throughout the United States, then immediately flew with Mrs. Pak to Geneva, Switzerland, where on November 8 he gave True Parents' Inauguration speech for the Family Federation for World Peace. The event, held at the elegant Hotel des Bergues, was well-attended by diplomats, professors, religious leaders of various faiths and many others. National Leader Rev. Heiner Handschin and all directors and members in Switzerland worked diligently to make this occasion memorable.

However, there was one distinguished dignitary who was not in attendance-the UN Ambassador to Sri Lanka. Because of surgery he was unable to come that evening and sent his son and daughter in his place. They were both enthusiastic when they heard the speech. They took a written copy to their father; when the Ambassador read it he called the FFWP office and here we will quote the words which he spoke to the national leader:

"Ever since I read the speech of Reverend Moon, my life began to change. I feel things in my life that I didn't feel before. I want my whole family to participate in FFWP and I want to write to Reverend Moon to express my deepest appreciation to him for this speech."

The Congratulatory Address, given by Dr. Carl-A. Keller, Honorary Professor of Christian Theology at the University of Lausanne, shared some most generous and interesting insights. It is here in its entirety:

Congratulatory Address

Distinguished guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:

It may appear preposterous, even unseemly, for a Professor of Christian theology to come and congratulate Reverend Moon, his wife and their collaborators, for setting up a Family Federation for World Peace. I am doing it because I deem it most urgent to fight, in every way possible, the climate of religious intolerance and hatred toward "sects", as orchestrated by the media, and which permeates our society nowadays. I believe Reverend Moon and his wife deserve to be congratulated on four counts.

First of all, I congratulate them because their initiative succeeds in combining two of the themes that are the core of Reverend Moon's work, and which have guided his whole life as a religious leader, namely: the theme of unification in its broadest sense, that is of universal peace, and the theme of sanctity, even as of the holiness of the married couple, as image of the Divine, and of the family. To promote the family as the image of the Divine is to promote universal union and peace. This new organization appears then as the crowning of the religious work of Reverend Moon.

Second, I want to congratulate Reverend Moon's collaborators on the quality of the scientific research that has gone into the preparation of tonight's ceremony. I am thinking especially of the remarkable brochure we were given: "The family, an ideological, cultural and political challenge!" It is true that as a Christian theologian I would have liked to add the religious dimension. For the brochure shows conclusively that the battle to save the family is in direct contradiction with the predominant thinking of our time. It has always been the privilege of a religious elite, who dare say and live according to its view of the true, to protest cultural aberrations the world considers "normal" and inevitable, yet are laden with ominous consequence.

Third, let me congratulate the new Federation for its ecumenical orientation. Safeguarding the family has always been a main concern for Christian churches, both Catholic and Protestant. As we know, several Christian organizations are already working in that direction. One can find this concern, in some form or other, among other religions, particularly with Islam and traditional Buddhism. To collaborate with existing bodies is therefore a necessity. We salute then, joyfully, the desire of the Federation to work hand in hand with interreligious ecumenism. It is true that this decision implies a certain abnegation on the part of Reverend Moon and his wife, for the followers of other religions believe one can be intimate with the Divine without the mediation of "True Parents." But I trust Reverend Moon and his team will deal with this successfully.

Finally, I am particularly happy to have learned, thanks to the documents I was given, a Korean word that gives meaning to the whole undertaking, namely, shimjung, "qualities of a heart that is loyal and committed"-may we say "loyally committed"? and a civilization built on a loyally committed heart...! As a Christian theologian, my thoughts immediately go to the central role of "heart" in the Bible and in the Christian tradition: heart is where the divine Presence dwells and from where decisions flow from this Presence. It will be "loyal and committed": commitment can become intolerant and willful-shimjung reminds us that it must remain "loyal"! What a magnificent perspective, and what a challenge!

A fearful challenge. No matter how loyal and committed the heart is, it remains weak and unsteady. But the Source of all life, of all loyalty, and of all the commitment, the Source of our beautiful intentions and of our worthy decisions, the Source of all Resources is there for the asking, of anyone who comes near.

Preparing a foundation

This was the second visit the Paks had made to their new homeland- their homeland not only of milk and honey, but also cheese and chocolate!

Until after the '97 Blessing, Rev. Pak will continue to serve in North America. This is the life for the next year of many of our Continental and National Leaders.

But even in this interim period, Rev. Pak has managed to give spiritual and physical guidance to the Switzerland Family. Also, the Pak's elder son In Ho and his wife Grace (Eun Jin) Moon made quite an impact in Switzerland themselves during their early autumn visit, as they traveled around speaking about True Parents and Traditions, not only to second generation members but to enthusiastic first generation audiences as well. They will return to Switzerland in December for a Second Generation workshop.

Because Geneva is such a famous city, Rev. Pak was surprised to find that it is just a very small city, easy to walk around in 30 minutes. However, it is a city packed with centuries of history, though for all the richness of its cultural, academic, political and religious history, there has been nothing so historical as the Inauguration of the Family Federation for World Peace in 1996, we can be sure.

As we know, Switzerland was the home of two of the founders of Protestantism, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin. Zwingli's career centered around Berne, where he defeated the Catholic bishop in a debate, winning the support of the City Council, which thereupon banished the Catholic clergy from the city. Calvin won similar battles against great odds. Something of special interest about Rev. Pak's recent trip to Geneva, especially to those of Presbyterian background - was his search for the gravesite of John Calvin, Protestant Reformer, who spent the greater part of his sixteenth-century life in Geneva, thinking, teaching, leading, writing, creating Reformed Theology and developing his character, which was very self-reflective and disciplined, the seed of the Puritan movement in America. But apparently, in his sacrificial and humble life, even at death Calvin chose to be humbly buried, for there is, surprisingly, only a very small, obscure marker with two initials, 'J.C.'

Should we think this was "ordinary" that Rev. Pak would be visiting that marker which so few, Rev. Pak discovered, ever seek out? I don't think so. That was sheer heavenly-ordained adventure!

Most powerful and spiritual was the gathering of Switzerland's National Messiahs during Rev. Pak's visit in November. Such drama! Can you imagine the activity of the angelic world-they must have gathered there as well. Very exciting times! After a few days of meetings with messiahs and general membership meetings, Rev. & Mrs. Pak departed from the Swiss family, amid tearful farewells at the airport and returned to their North American family (just in time to catch another flight to South America to be with True Parents on True Children's Day).

Ordinary people

"I enjoy being an ordinary person. I am just an ordinary man," said Rev. Joong Hyun Pak one day. "I don't think so," was my reply. A continent director ordinary? A national messiah ordinary? A son of God ordinary? I don't think so. And I don't think any of us are ordinary who call ourselves God's children, who stand up in life and commit ourselves to a sacrificial lifestyle. Or persevere year after year relying most times on faith in things unseen. Of course we are ordinary in the sense that we like the simple life. We like those moments when we can don casual clothing, sit on the floor and enjoy the family or just walk in the sunshine, kicking leaves and dreaming lofty dreams.

But ordinary people do not obey the voice from Heaven, that same voice that said to Abraham "Pack up your family and all your belongings and leave your homeland and move to a new land to which I am sending you." And God's people do it, no matter what the cost to them. And they do it with joy because they know they stand on God's promises that to do so means they are building a more perfect world, a more perfect future for themselves and generations to come, that they are closing the gap between themselves and God, and whatever other blessings and glory God decides to throw in.

So this might be the story of other national messiahs-and all God's children-with some variations, as we now move in and out of nations and missions. Ordinary people? I don't think so.

Betty Lancaster is the National Messiah Coordinator for the USA.

Raising ADHD Children Without Drugs

by Bob Huneycutt-Nashville, TN

At least two million American children are being given a strong stimulant drug, called Ritalin, primarily at the recommendation of child psychiatrists and school psychologists. The drug is supposed to help them perform better at school and make them more manageable at home.

Unfortunately, while some benefits of the drug have been documented in studies, there are no studies which tell us how these drugs affect a person's spirit. Since most scientists don't believe in what they can't see, we should not expect any such study in the near future.

The use of drugs to affect children's behavior is increasing at a dizzying pace. In the near future, some Blessed Couples may feel pressured to medicate their children. There are a great many experts advocating the use of drugs, but the purpose of this article is to encourage parents to look at all the options and make decisions about their children's future with prayer.

History of attention disorders

In 1980, the American Psychiatric Association decided that children who have trouble paying attention in class may have a learning disability, which they called Attention-Deficit Disorder, now more commonly known as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. The three main characteristics of ADHD are inattention, impulsively and hyperactivity. Put simply, the child who has been classified as ADHD might find it hard to stay seated during class, is easily distracted and has difficulty finishing tasks. Does that seem to describe many children? In fact, a study at the McMaster University Chedoke Hospital in Ontario concluded that, under the guidelines used by child psychiatrists, fully 10% of boys ages 4-11 would be considered ADHD.

What Causes ADHD?

Scientists have not discovered a cause for ADHD. Russell Barkley, in his book Taking Charge of ADHD, explains his belief that children labeled ADHD may have underactivity in an area of the brain which inhibits behavior. This would seem to be a rather different problem from an attention disorder. In fact, he is saying that the problem is self-discipline, or self-regulation, and that the most effective treatment is medication.

That is chillingly similar to a scene from the movie A Clockwork Orange, when a violent criminal is given a pill which compels him to obey the laws. The movie goes on to pose the question "Do we desire a society without crime if it means sacrificing free will?"

Psychostimulants for Children

The most commonly-prescribed treatment for ADHD is the stimulant Ritalin, combined with a program of behavior modification. This treatment has been shown in studies and individuals cases to be effective short-term to help children perform well in class.

There may be many children for whom this treatment is necessary just to succeed in school. On the other hand, use of Ritalin has increased 500% in the last five years, and many experts agree that this drug is being over-prescribed and administered in overly-large doses. Further, the children need to be reevaluated frequently, and that is often not happening. Also, medication should never be the only treatment.

Problems with Ritalin

Some health-care professionals assume that if a child's performance improves with the use of a stimulant, such as Ritalin, the child must have ADHD. The fact is that even normal children will do better in class when they take stimulants. If there is so much benefit, why not give drugs to all children?

One reason is that Ritalin is a very powerful drug, with a large potential to be abused. It is similar to an amphetamine. The late actress Jill Ireland suggested that her son's addiction to heroin might have been related to his use of Ritalin for hyperactivity in elementary school.

There are other concerns about the use of stimulant drugs for children.

Children Dislike It

Some researchers report that many children don't like to take Ritalin. Where the drug might cause a mild euphoria in adults, it causes a sad feeling in children, known as dysphoria. Children may cry more easily.

Moreover, the children may do better in school but feel that the medication is responsible for their success. In that case, their self- esteem suffers.

Although Ritalin seems to help children focus in the classroom in the short term, studies have not shown that children learn better over a longer period of time because of medication. Diane McGuinness, a professor at the University of South Florida, says that "although stimulant medication does improve performance on repetitive and boring tasks, most research indicates that drugs will not make it possible for a child to develop or expand academic skills, especially those he or she does not already possess."

Signs of the Times

In recent years, our society has frowned upon and very nearly outlawed spanking or hitting children. In one recent case, a mother who slapped her daughter in a grocery store was arrested. One result of this new approach to discipline may be that children no longer listen to teachers and parents. They don't fear time-out. What consequences will result from this trend to induce compliance and obedience with behavior-modifying drugs? We are becoming a society which treats every problem, from depression to disorganization, with a drug.

My neighbor's son, Brian, was diagnosed with ADHD and is taking Ritalin. He is a good-natured boy who plays with my son. His mother explained that in school Brian would be looking out of the window every few minutes. With the Ritalin, his grades have improved significantly.

I used to daydream in school and I was only a "B" student. Perhaps with drugs I could have made straight "A"s.

Rebound

One of the side effects of Ritalin is something called "rebound". When Ritalin wears off after about four hours, the child may become even more hyperactive and uncontrollable than usual.

One of the families in our church community has a son who was diagnosed with ADHD. Every week, Ariel was being sent to the principal's office. After much thought, his parents Ron and Connie decided to give Ritalin a try, mostly at the urging of Ariel's teachers. Ariel calmed down, but when the Ritalin wore off, the ensuing wildness alarmed Connie so much that she threw the rest of the pills in the garbage.

Often "rebound" can be controlled by changing the dosage, but clearly this is a dangerous game to play with our children's brains.

Rarely, the use of psychostimulants can lead to tics and even Tourette's syndrome, a difficult condition where the child blurts out obscenities or lies down on the classroom floor.

Ron and Connie sought out alternative treatments.

Let Children Be Children

Four months have passed since Ariel was diagnosed with ADHD. When I talked to Connie recently, I asked her if Ariel was still going to the principal's office once a week. "Not at all," Connie said; "he's doing much better now!" Connie is not sure of the exact reason for the improvement. She has reduced the amount of sugar and food colorings, especially red and yellow, in his diet. He is taking pycnogenals, a pine bark and grape seed extract which is being marketed as a non-drug treatment for ADHD. (Pycnogenals are powerful anti-oxidants which combat free radicals in the brain. Free radicals are unstable atoms which can do damage when they are overabundant.) Also, she believes he is maturing, and learning how to cooperate with his teachers.

At the same time, Connie says that Ariel can be mischievous, sometimes saying things which he knows will alarm adults, but she cannot bring herself to give him drugs for that "problem".

Connie's father had a similar disposition. "Some people are just born with a twinkle in their eye," says Connie; "my father was always at the principal's office, or in the detention hall, but he grew up to be a good man, and a successful man."

A small percentage of these children with ADHD might be unable to finish school without serious treatment, including medication, but the great majority will turn out fine, perhaps even exceptional. The problem is that they are extra work for their teachers.

When Connie suggested a special diet for Ariel, his teachers pointed out that the effectiveness of diet as a treatment was not well- documented. Four months later, however, those teachers noticed the dramatic improvement.

Ariel does spend part of his school-day in a special education class, but his reading ability is almost up to grade level and Connie hopes soon to have him in the regular class. For her and her husband, it has meant extra hard work, but they are proud of the fact that they are raising Ariel-in fact, all four of their children-in a natural, drug- free environment.

Further Information

For a better understanding of ADHD, and a number of alternative treatments and suggestions to improve children's behavior, see Thomas Armstrong's excellent book The Myth of the A.D.D. Child."

Notes To An Atheist - Part One

Recently I was involved in two on-line discussions. One was with a minister I know. A friend of his had been murdered; a crime so terrible I saw it on the national news. We discussed God's grace, and the spiritual world.

The other was with three members of my writer's group: an atheist technician, an agnostic scientist, and a struggling Catholic musician. It was about Science and Religion, and whether either is based in reality, and if they can really help us.

These discussions lead me to write this article. The subject has already filled entire libraries with centuries worth of hard-thought- out tomes. In this incarnation, it's just long enough to fill a two- part article.

I have written this as a letter to an atheist I might meet someday.

Dear Friend,

There are saints who proclaim that they see the glory of God everywhere, during every waking moment. There are also scientists who tell us, flatly, that they see no evidence of God whatsoever.

You've told me that you don't believe in God. You know that I do, and you don't seem to mind that. You have so many reasons to doubt, and not enough reasons to believe.

Let's begin by framing the debate.

The most fundamental question has always been: Is there a God? This might be rephrased in our scientific era as: Is there a supernatural? (Things that have not been, and perhaps cannot be, measured by science.)

I won't ask you to try to "prove a negative," just to remain open minded. Many things once unsuspected, even in theory, are now accepted as routine.

Are there forces beyond measure? There is little agreement about what such forces might be like. The Pagans believe in an amorphous "life force" which imbues the cosmos. There are several very old, as well as some recently updated, versions of this belief.

If that is true, then monotheists such as myself would say that this force is but one aspect of a vast, personal God.

Let's look at the monotheist's descriptions of God. Religious liberals believe in an all-forgiving, milquetoast sort of God. Fundamentalists see a demanding, judgmental God. One version of God sends nearly everyone to Heaven; the other, to Hell.

I would say that the truth is beyond either of these ideas. God created us in His image, with both a mind and a heart. Let's use them both, just as God does. I will use "His" for God, while accepting that God embraces both genders.

Objections to belief

I would like to address some common objections to belief in God. By now, I suppose I have heard all of them. Fortunately, they can be answered.

Doubters ask, "Why evil?" The old lament goes: "Why do the wicked prosper, oh Lord, while your own people suffer?"

Many who have suffered personal tragedy tend to blame, and then to doubt God. "A good God would not have allowed such a thing to happen," is their heartfelt cry.

God does not treat with this world, directly. With the rarest of exceptions, He only works through the minds of people, especially those He has called to lead His Providence.

God does not micro-manage our physical world. He might count the sparrows, but He does not prevent the hawk from swooping down on their nests. He might number your hairs, sir, but He will not intervene if they begin to fall out.

An example: when a tornado passes through their town, the people whose house was spared ought to thank Chaos Theory-and not God-when the fickle wind veered around their home and wrecked the neighbor's place instead. God was not on the side of the "winners," here. Nor is He against the losers, in sports contests and most other venues.

Some wonder why evil exists at all; and how it could have emerged in a cosmos that should have been entirely good.

Fortunately, the Divine Principle answers this question decisively. I would recommend a reading, or better yet, a workshop. For now, I'll try to summarize it here.

God does not stay the hands of the evil, except when good people arise to do it, whether in crime or war. Recently, over in Scotland, there was a terrible massacre of children. During the memorial service, the town's Pastor said a very wise thing: "God's heart was the first to break." We make Him suffer, but we can also bring Him great joy.

The Principle explains how evil arose in this world, and outlines three specific reasons why God did not prevent this. You have never heard about this, I'm sure, despite monumental efforts on the part of Rev. Moon and his people. The reasons for this are many. It is most unfortunate, especially for those who have been "stopping up their ears and rushing forwards to stone him."

Without this understanding, Christianity has been helpless in the face of many heresies and competing beliefs. Such as Mithraism, which teaches that Good and Evil have always existed, and that the best we can hope for is to keep the two "in balance." Today this is the "darker" variety of New Age belief.

By now you must be itching to tell me all about the horrors promulgated by "organized religion," such as the Inquisition. What the Church authorities could not overcome by virtue of their own weak doctrines, they often crushed by brute force. For example, a medieval incarnation of Mithraism, called Catharism, was exterminated by one of the bloodiest massacres in French history.

Many wonder why a good God would condemn so many to Hell. Or how a powerful God could lose so many of His creations to eternal perdition. If Heaven and Hell's populations were sports scores, then (according to mainstream doctrine) God is losing badly.

Simply put, God neither condemns nor rewards anyone-people do this to themselves, in this life and especially in the next. Also, though Hell is a terrible place, there is a way out; a road that anyone can follow to Heaven.

Science vs. religion

You have great respect for science, and you've told me you think religion has mostly opposed science. Therefore, that religion has been a roadblock to the advancement of humanity.

You've brought up Evolution, the obvious example. Science seems to have "won," hands down, on this point. Even the Pope himself recently admitted that evolution must be true.

The Creationists have consistently invoked a so-called "God of the gaps." Everything science could not explain, they attributed to God. But as more is discovered, God is then (supposedly) shoved out of one more perch. Eventually, evolutionists gloat, God will have no possible role.

Actually, it works both ways. Science has given us the Big Bang, as well as the Cosmological Anthropic Principle. There are several excellent books which explain these, so I won't go into the details.

I have a friend at UC Berkeley, a research embryologist, who tells me that he has uncovered previously unknown "spiritual" forces, involved in the development of all new life. His work has already been featured in peer-reviewed journals.

Suffice it to say that the latest scientific theories have given us a very probable role for an intelligent Creator.

Most believers in God point to the existence of miracles. By their very nature, no one would claim that such things can be reproduced in a laboratory. There are people who are famous for their alleged "psychic abilities," though the vast majority of them have been proven as fakes. A vast reward fund remains unclaimed.

However, our CIA, and others, have taken a very serious interest in human abilities beyond the ordinary "five senses." If I were a genuine psychic, I wouldn't even need such abilities to perceive the circus- much less the sheer danger-that would arise from my claiming that reward.

I look for God's hand at the time of the Big Bang, and at the time the first true humans were born on this world. I would look for it in holy places, though, usually, well away from the glare of publicity.

Religion has been a great boon to humanity. Sure, there have been abuses, as there are in every walk of life. Such violent "religious" people, past and present, have not been following the clear teachings of their own Faiths.

Limits of science

For scientists, such accusations are like "the pot calling the kettle black." Historically, when people have ruled by their non-religious "rational principles," they've seldom managed to improve their societies. Quite the contrary, some of them produced the most horrific dictatorships in all history. Science too has its limits!

The great laws, the foundation of civilization, all have religious underpinnings. From the edicts of the ancient Hammurabi, to Moses, to the American Founders, we see the hand of God. The understanding that people are not simply cogs in some domineering social machine.

Even rulers with the best of intentions, be they Kings or bureaucrats, have a terrible time guiding their nations. Whole economies, and specific programs, seldom end up as planned. Even our finest science- fiction writers have had a hard time envisioning any better future.

This leads us to the realm of politics, and the creation of Laws. A relative handful of "health and safety" regulations have a genuine basis in science. Beyond these, the creation, enforcement and effects of human legislation are so utterly unscientific as to give one fits.

In guiding humanity, religion had done better then science.

This concludes the first section of my hypothetical letter, and of this article. The rest will follow next month.

Mother in Minneapolis

by Jim Bard-Minneapolis, MN

On Oct. 26 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, the hope for true world peace came to Minneapolis. The Family Federation for World Peace was officially established here by its co-founder Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon.

Cheryl Landon, daughter of Michael Landon (star of "Little House on the Prairie" and founder of the Landon Center for Practical Spirituality), introduced Dr. Moon to the crowd of more than 600 people. True Mother's speech, entitled "True Parents and True Family," was clear, profound and delivered with her characteristic radiant charm. "It is my great pleasure today to be able to share with you distinguished leaders a message about True Family. As you know, the family is the cradle of human life and the cornerstone for a peaceful world." In concluding her talk, Mother expressed her hope that the audience would be "able to have a clear understanding of the direction of providential history so that you can become true leaders in establishing a peaceful world." The audience was left with many deep insights to ponder and a sense of the substantial work God has been and is doing today to bring about His Kingdom on Earth.

Later in the program Mr. Peter Kim, personal assistant to Rev. and Dr. Moon, delivered a message on behalf of Rev. Moon entitled "In Search of the Origin of the Universe." Mr. Kim prefaced the talk by saying, "What you will hear may shock you," and indeed what the audience heard was not the usual things one would expect to hear from a minister. Rev. Moon's talk included a very frank discussion of the purpose, role and true value of the sexual organs, and that the true owner of one's sexual organ is one's spouse. On the topic of sexuality he was very straightforward in saying that "The sex we are given is an absolute and not a matter of choice." In conclusion, Rev. Moon asked that everyone spread his message about true love and true sexuality. "Let us become the vanguard which will carry out God's true love. This is the very mission of the Family Federation for World Peace.... I sincerely hope that each of you will participate in the next marriage blessing of three million six hundred thousand couples. By doing so you will form a true family that can register in the Kingdom of God on Earth."

Following Dr. Moon's talk, letters of welcome from various dignitaries were presented. They included: Arne Carlson, governor of Minnesota; Rod Grams, US Senator from Minnesota; Ed Trabing, president of Minnesota Korean War Veterans; Rev. John Tranberg, Vietnamese Minnesotans Association; Olaf Thomas, urban representative of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; Nghi Hyunh, editor/publisher, Asian American Press; and Imam Taha Tawil, chairman, Islamic Council of Iowa.

True Mother took a special interest in the Korean War Veterans. Upon the inspiration of Rev. Hun Suk Lee, Jim Gavin went to visit Ed Trabing, president of the Korean War Veterans, and a genuine rapport quickly developed between them. Jim Gavin invited the veterans to set up a display table in the lobby of the hotel, along with other family- and civic-oriented groups, which they did. At the meeting, they were able to collect donations for the intended Korean War Memorial at the State Capitol. Upon hearing of their need, Dr. Moon made her own personal contribution; the veterans presented gifts of a cap and jacket for Dr. Moon and her husband, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Rev. Lee presented the gifts to True Parents this November in Uruguay.

In preparing for the FFWP inauguration in Minneapolis, there was a very coordinated and harmonious working together of many brothers and sisters under the leadership of Rev. Lee. Keith Anderson, Jim and Gudrun Gavin, and Gordon and Mary Jane Anderson all contributed their leadership, know-how and hard work. Bruce Smith was in charge of contacting the media, Bruno Borer coordinated security, and Nadiah Chong did the 1001 things needed done. Marika Hoegl, Steve Schute, Keiko Borer and all the other brothers and sisters in our region gave of themselves in one way or another to make for a very beautiful event.

On this day, not only did Dr. Moon personally inaugurate the Family Federation for World Peace in our midwest region, but the Women's Federation for World Peace, also founded by Dr. Moon, held a "Sisters of Peace" ceremony. This ceremony was attended by 100 women, and men, from Japan, and their counterparts from Minnesota and neighboring states, and was another testimony to God's very real and substantial work to bring about a peaceful world. Mary Jane Anderson, Keiko Borer, Gudrun Gavin and a host of other sisters from our region helped to make this event an unforgettable experience of love, reconciliation and new-found friendships for people of hope and vision from both sides of the globe.

Oct. 26, 1996 will go down in Minnesota history as the pivotal day that God's ideal of peace, centered on true families, was heralded by none other than the True Mother herself. Thanks be to God, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!