Humanist Hubris

This article was inspired by the recent news about the cloning of a sheep. Biologists have known for years how to divide an embryo to produce identical twins, and even how to clone simple animals such as frogs. But sheep are mammals, and if they can be cloned, so can human beings.

This event said much about where science is taking us, and it revealed considerable ignorance. It can also tell us something about Humanists, those people who place far too much confidence in science, and in their own intellectual prowess.

The cloning announcement caused quite an uproar. Rush Limbaugh asked, "Can we clone a soul?" One Christian caller insisted, "No," and said that human clones would be like zombies. Dr. Dean Edell pointed out some potential positives. For example, if an infertile couple lost their only child, they could clone that child, and so, raise him afresh.

Without even stopping to admit their ignorance, Congress rushed ahead with "banning" legislation. Several well-spoken scientists stepped forwards before any drastic new laws were passed. However, it still looks like some sort of broad ban will be enforced.

People who recognized the possibilities inherent in cloning welcomed the news, including science fiction fans-and the homosexual community.

Few understand what was actually done. Clones of any species arrive as newborn babies, just like ordinary identical twins. In humans, a clone's brain would inevitably develop individual differences. Also, it would grow up in a world decades further along than the one its "parent" experienced. Thus, if (as in popular fiction) you cloned Hitler, or John F. Kennedy, you'd get a person with a markedly different personality, not to mention fate.

Still, there will undoubtedly be people who will have themselves cloned. A famous person might say, "What better legacy could I possibly leave?"

Cloning will be just the first step. Whether one likes it or not, medical science is poised to bring humanity into a very strange new world.

Heart pacemakers are now routine, and doctors have just announced a "brain pacemaker," the first use of which will be to quell the tremors of Parkinson's Disease sufferers.

We know that gender differences are basic; physically they are rooted in the chromosomes, deep within the cells of the body. Thus, sex- change operations can alter a person's "plumbing," but that's about it. However, doctors are now learning to utilize ordinary viruses, altering them so that they will carry selected new genes directly into living cells. This technique is intended to repair genetic birth defects, but it might also be used alter one's gender, racial or other characteristics.

Doctors are now conducting "fetal tissue" research. As repugnant as this is to many, they have already developed treatments for several serious human ailments. In the not-so-distant future, through either cloned or fetal-tissue

transplants, entire new body parts could be supplied to living adults. Thus, handicapped people could be restored to full vitality. Also, this would allow something which has often been deemed impossible.

Someone who had changed gender could go on to become a parent. Using "donated" testes or ova would be easier, at first, but their own genes might also be utilized.

One researcher has learned to transplant sections of living animal brains. He has switched the "behavior regulating" parts of avian brains, producing a chicken that calls like a dove, and so on. This technique could enable stoke victims to resume normal lives. On the other hand, anyone who's seen those old Boris Karloff movies knows where this might lead.

Robotic body parts, and even mind/brain enhancements, will someday become available. Remember The Bionic Man ? That TV show depicted just few of the possibilities. Direct mental connections with computers will follow. While computers themselves will probably never think like humans, they could still help us in ways we cannot yet imagine.

It will take someone far wiser than this poor author to sort out the potential spiritual results of these various procedures . . .

Naturalists, and many others, would prefer that such things never took place. They're not just blowing smoke; the international "environmental" treaties they are now sponsoring will, if strictly followed, put a huge damper on the progress of humanity. (See Naturalist Wonder.)

But Humanists welcome progress, including all the exotic possibilities mentioned above. In fact, they will work for them with all of their might.

Naturalists, at least, accept the idea of spiritual forces, nebulous though they make them sound. Humanists vehemently deny anything spiritual. They are, almost by definition, atheists. (The most conscientious among them are agnostics-for sheer logic cannot disprove God's existence.)

Without the "superstition" of belief in a soul (endowed by God with morals and a free will), Humanists must concoct their own worldviews. Lacking the Naturalist's awe of natural instincts, or of mysterious forces outside themselves, they must look within. But they cannot see anything more than clever animals, only recently descended from the trees.

The results of human evolution, and the forces of our raw, neurochemically-based emotions, are regarded as primitive stepping stones, which must now be surmounted. In one such effort, Evolutionary Biology hopes to quantify these influences, in order to explain people's behavior and motivations. (So far, the published results are a contradictory muddle.)

Richard Leakey, in his book Origins Reconsidered, seeks for our roots in the hominid fossils of Africa, as well as in the behaviors of primates. He posits that human consciousness was born out of group interaction, and a need to "put yourself in the other guy's head." Thus to out-think others, in order to dominate them. Often by deception, and sometimes, through violence. Ape studies have revealed crude behaviors of this sort. It's not much of a basis for human morality. (An attitude well reflected in our current political leadership . . . )

Social "memes" (group and cultural memories) are now seen as taking over for biological evolution. These, unlike genes, are "out in the open," and subject to guidance. They can, and increasingly do, change rapidly.

In this, the mind is paramount. However it came to be, Humanists regard intellect as the one thing that separates us from the animals. Only cool reason, they believe, will prevail. (Fanatical Naturalists deny that there is any significant difference between humans and animals!)

Thus, the intellect, and the knowledge and science it has developed, is viewed as the only legitimate authority. A Humanist's hope for the future rests primarily in technology, as applied to both ourselves and the world.

Humanists perceive that most people are still "deluded by superstition" (i.e., belief in God), and are not nearly as educated as they are. Hence, they deem themselves fortunate; an elite, far above the teeming masses. They see themselves as poised to lead humanity into . . . into just what, remains somewhat vague.

Humanists have souls too. They do seek the comforts of faith. Yet they must scorn the "common" religions, and the incantations of the Naturalist. Instead, their intellectual prowess leads them to devise their own faiths, with some very imposing configurations. Still, the basic patterns remain.

Marxists worship the invisible Force of History, with Marx as its prophet. Biologists worship the Force of Evolution, with Darwin filling the same role. Technicians worship at glowing, silicon alters. Their paeans to the Internet take on a frankly mystical air.

From Nietzsche to the present day, Humanists have longed for a superior human being, someone who understands things fully, and will make the world right. Writers have often imagined such people, such as Frank Herbert's Paul Atreides in Dune. In essence, a messiah without a God.

Of course, no such person has ever arisen from the secular world, and all pretenders have ended in failure-or worse.

Those Humanists who reject such techno-faiths, having seen their weaknesses, often embrace Nihilism. Worship of the self becomes paramount. Overindulgence is common. So is suicide.

Commonly, Humanists live as academics. Others work within government, or at various nonprofit entities. They may boast a long string of college degrees, but outside their narrow fields they are often woefully lacking in real-world experience. Thus the Utopias they plan for us are recipes for godless ruination. In every case, the actual lessons of history are ignored.

The main thing Humanists are missing is the genuine spiritual element. It is only from knowing this that we can grasp the need for the restoration of the human spirit itself. Genetics and technology may transform the human body (and brain) and improve its abilities, but they will not be able to reach that great intangible, the Heart. Few secular writers have envisioned a future in which the human heart itself has changed.

For the two competing forces, Humanism and Naturalism, it's "confidence in reason" vs. "faith in nature." The Principle explains that these are but aspects of a vastly greater whole. Faith in God, is more like it!

Help on Moksa

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your article on MOKSA. [Jan. UNews] It couldn't have come at a better time. My aunt had surgery for a malignant tumor in the colon that day after I read your article. I am concerned because my mother (her sister) went to the spirit world in 1986 from the same cancer.

Your article did not indicate where MOKSA could be purchased. If any of your readers know a source for it could you have them contact me?

Curtis Martin Home Page: http://members.aol.com/curtis721/index.html E-Mail: camartin@juno.com Phone: (310)316-6302

Exploring the Roots of Christianity

Dr. Tyler Hendricks
April, 1997
NYC

This March, Rev. Joong Hyun Pak, Dr. Tyler Hendricks and Mrs. Nora Spurgin traveled to Egypt in search of the roots of Christianity: the Coptic Orthodox Church. We sought a meeting with the Pope of this most ancient of Christian communions, His Holiness Shenouda III. Little did we expect that this meeting would take place at a monastery in the desert.

Our travels were ably coordinated by Father Athenasius Paul, the first American to be ordained a Coptic priest. Father Athenasius Paul attended a True Family Values Seminar in Washington, DC, last December. He was impressed with the deep Christian message of the conference, a message which resonates with the insights of the ancient Coptic teachings. From that time he sought the opportunity to introduce the TFV Ministry staff to his tradition and its leader.

For us, to be able to meet the Patriarch of some one million Christians was grace from God. The highest Christian leaders are now being introduced to the ideal of True Parents and True Family, and to the Blessing of marriage now sweeping the world in God's providence.

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We arrived in Cairo late Wednesday afternoon, March 18. Our party of eight, including Father Athenasius Paul's daughter and grandson, Jennifer and Christopher, and Pastor and Mrs. Rick and Mayumi Joswick of the Los Angeles church, was greeted by an equal number of members of Cairo's St. Mary's Church at the airport. Their reception was warm and embracing. In the Coptic tradition, the person lower in the hierarchy kisses the cross which the superior holds in his hand, and then kisses his hand, places his or her forehead on his hand, and then they kiss each others' necks on both sides. Then the priest may choose to place his hands on the person's head and give a blessing. The highest grace is to blow on the person's head, passing on the breath of the Holy Spirit, which has been transmitted this way for over 2,000 years beginning in the Upper Room.

From the airport we were whisked away to the St. Mark Center, the Pope's guest house located in a suburb of Cairo. We freshened up after our 10-hour flight and had a light meal. It is the fasting season for Copts, but not to worry. The Coptic fast means refraining from foods having animal origin: meat, fish, eggs and dairy products. The staple during fasting time is a bean called foule. We were told that Muslims consider this fit only for animals, so the Christians adapted it as their staple, in an expression of humility. With middle-eastern spices, parsley, onions and so forth, we all became fools for foule, wrapped in a soft pita bread with tomatoes and peppers. Well, I could go on for several paragraphs about the delicious food we were provided during the fast, but I will spare you who have little or no access to it.

After our "snack," we departed to St. Mark's Cathedral, a modern structure filled that evening with some 7,000 worshippers. Each Wednesday night is the Pope's night to teach and answer written questions in Cairo (Thursday in Alexandria). He sat at a large desk on the stage, with a hundred or more bishops and priests sitting at his left hand; to his right the throne of St. Mark, founder of the church in Egypt. As we approached the front of the sanctuary, Father Athenasius Paul entered that fenced-off area, bowed to the Pope and received his blessing, and mentioned our presence to him, indicating our location in the front row. Later in the evening, the Pope gave us a greeting, and Father Paul informed us that His Holiness would meet us "in the desert" two days hence. This was good news, because in the desert, there is time; there is much t i m e.

The Pope is a gentle man with a grandfatherly white beard and sonorous voice. He answered questions regarding theology, spiritual life, and personal problems. His answers were simple, for the most part, often only one sentence long. His homily was on responsibility. He said that our first responsibility is to our family. Most essentially, it is the responsibility of parents "especially the mother" to raise the children in the fear of God. Parents should not expect the church to take care of their children's spiritual life; Christian nurture begins at home.

The Pope announced proudly that there are now 160 Coptic churches overseas, including in Hawaii, Australia, South Africa and Europe. One church in the past two years has grown from a few families, to 70 families, to 120 families. We discovered later that there are many Coptic churches in America, with 95% of the members being of Egyptian origin.

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The next day we visited Christian sites in Cairo. We began by returning to St. Mark's Cathedral. Under the altar is a shrine containing the relics of St. Mark himself. Mark, the author of what is generally accepted as the earliest gospel, was martyred in Alexandria, stoned by a mob. A word here on the Coptic veneration of relics and icons.

The Copts take the incarnation as a foundation of their dogma. The presence of the divine in the mortal flesh means that the spirit world is connected to specific things in the physical world. The incarnation of God Himself in Christ is extended next to the incarnation of the divine in the Eucharist, in which bread and wine become Christ's body and blood; again, the divine in material form. This is extended further to relics: the bones of the saints, and to icons: pictures of the saints. The believer connects to the divine by touching and kissing the icon, in the proper spirit of faith and love.

Thus we entered the sanctuary of St. Mark, a small round room with icons and murals on the walls, several with candle settings in front of them, and in the center the encasement of the gospel writer's relics, a cube with sides perhaps four and one half feet in length, covered with red velvet. After our devotions there we proceeded to the altar of St. Athenasius, where we offered similar devotions. Father Athenasius Paul prostrated himself completely on the ground in the presence of his namesake. St. Athenasius was the great fourth-century Patriarch of Alexandria, the central author if the Nicene Creed which is the standard creed for all churches. (The split of the Copts from the other sees came in 451 AD with the Council of Chalcedon.)

The remainder of the afternoon was spent visiting fourth century churches in Old Cairo, including the site where the Holy Family disembarked from the Nile. The Egyptians consider their nation to have equal status with Israel in terms of Jesus' presence; it is the only other nation in which he is known to have lived. On the Upper Nile is a site at which, centuries ago, a Bible was floating in one place, unmoved by the current. It was open to a passage in Isaiah which predicts God's blessing upon Egypt. Thusly it was revealed that there, the Holy Family also lived. That Bible has been preserved and the page has never been turned nor the covers closed.

That evening was spent at a reception at St. Mark's church, at which we met the President of all the priests in Cairo and their Bishop. The following morning we departed for the desert monasteries. Located a few miles off the Cairo-Alexandria highway was our first stop, the Monastery of St. Macarios. It is the largest of the fifteen monasteries in Egypt, with hundreds of acres of cultivated land walled

in, irrigated from a well dug by the monks centuries ago. Under cultivation were dates, citrus, olives, onions, bamboo and more. Local farm workers are employed by the monastery.

In the center of the fields rose up walls 25' or more high: the walls of the monastery proper. As beige as the rest of the desert, with its walls stretching hundreds of meters in each direction, this the largest of Egypt's monasteries. Inside it was immaculate, with marble floors, extensive grape arbors, benches, and stairs 12 meters wide leading down to lower courtyards. Off the courtyards were several churches. Each monastery houses a number of small churches; I suppose we would call them chapels. Here the monks gather for their masses and times of prayer throughout the day and night. A mass was just beginning, and Father Athenasius Paul joined the monks; we could not. We soon learned that the St. Macarios church in which they were celebrating housed the relics of none other than John the Baptist. After the mass, during which time we visited several other ancient churches on the grounds, and the fortress within the monastery, we returned to this church of St. Macarios and entered.

The room was still fragrant with incense, and we touched and prayed at the relics of poor John the Baptist. At the same location were the relics of the prophet Elisha, and on the altar was a carving of Elijah's ascent in the flaming chariot; a fitting icon for John the Baptist's tomb, as he was declared by Jesus to be the returned Elijah.

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Space does not permit detailed explanation of all the flavors and sights of the Coptic desert monasteries. Let it just be said that time has stood still there, especially in the shadowy, cave-like churches housing these ancient relics with their miraculous histories attached. Here we could understand how the Coptic church alone among its brothers throughout the entire middle-east and North Africa withstood the power of Islam. The Coptic roots are deep and absolute.

After tea and bread, we drove for half an hour to the monastery of St. Bishoy, which is the residence of the Pope. We met the manager of the monastery, a jovial young Australian monk, who had our dinner prepared. Awaiting dinner, we met and spoke at length with Bishop Macarios, of Ethiopia. He is an erudite man, who did post-graduate research at Harvard and was thoroughly familiar with the US and world at large. He spoke with equal knowledge and insight about economics, politics and theology. In fact, all the monks we met were men of advanced training. By their accounting a high percentage were medical doctors and many were engineers.

We rested that night, and spent the morning and afternoon of the next day touring the monasteries of St. Bishoy and St. Syrian, located within walking distance of each other. Of particular interest was the monk's "cell," or apartment. It consisted of two rooms, altogether amounting to no more than 100 square feet. The outer room was for weaving baskets and wool, their livelihood, and copying texts at a small desk. The inner room was for sleeping, praying and fighting Satan.

At 5 p.m. we were notified that the Pope would see Father Paul and then, God willing, us. After his meeting of 90 minutes with Father Paul, we were summoned, and we gathered with him around the table on his porch. Reverend Pak shared that we had in a short time developed a deep love and appreciation for the Coptic church and its people. We presented the World Scripture, in which he showed interest. Rev. Pak discussed the True Family Values Ministry seminars and the True Family Festival. The Pope examined photographs of the December 10 TFVM seminar in Washington, and of several True Family Festivals. He spoke in agreement of the need to have strong families, and explained the

resurgence of the Coptic church over the past three decades through investment in the Sunday Schools. Mrs. Spurgin voiced her support for the Pope's work with families and women, and shared about the sisterhood ceremonies.

Altogether the Pope was wonderfully gracious, giving us all gifts and autographing photos and calendars at our request. The meeting lasted far longer than any of us expected. We left the monastery after our evening meal, arriving "home" at the St. Mark Center well after midnight.

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The following morning after Pledge Service we attended mass at St. Mary's church. Father Athenasius Paul assisted in the mass, a lengthy, precise and complex affair involving the priest, deacons and congregation in a closely coordinated set of words and actions. The book of liturgy, printed in Arabic and English, was itself over 140 pages long, just for the mass! The service took two hours, including a 15 minute homily and communion.

Father Paul delivered the homily, on the Holy Spirit. In its course, he introduced Rev. Pak and his spiritual father Reverend Sun Myung Moon. He made very sure that the interpreter pronounced "Reverend Sun Myung Moon" with exact precision. This was surely an historic moment. Equally ground-breaking, though not as earth-shaking, was the invitation to a non-Copt, yours truly, to read the scriptures. Truly I felt the spirit of God as the scriptures resounded through the sanctuary (Ps 78:7-8 and the Parable of the Prodigal Son).

We spent the afternoon with members of this special congregation, at one of their three buildings, one dedicated to housing young married couples, another to housing college students, and this one to housing the aged. After this visit we were treated to a cruise on the Nile, affording us a view of many parts of the city and many conversations with our new-found friends.

The following day was our last in Egypt, and we could not leave without a tour of the pyramids! Nonetheless, our party divided, as Rev. Pak and Father Paul joined Father John and a secretary from the Pope's office for a meeting with the Holy Father at his Cairo office. Rev. Pak commented later that our meeting in the desert was so fortunate, as we had time, whereas in Cairo there was a long line of people waiting to see the Pope, including an official from the Arab League and many other such dignitaries.

The meeting that day was brief but significant. Rev. Pak presented a copy of Reverend Moon's teachings, the Exposition of the Divine Principle, and the Pope in turn called for an icon to present to Reverend and Mrs. Moon. First a small one was brought out, which he rejected and sent for a large one, a beautiful representation of the Virgin Mother and Jesus.

The two groups viewed the pyramids, and had their rendezvous at the home of one of St. Mary's congregants for dinner. We rushed to St. Mark's Center with just enough time to pack and drive to the airport" for our 1:30 a.m. flight! We simply could not get enough of the lovely Coptic people of Egypt. We pray that our friendship as two churches created in the will of God will prosper and bear fruit.

Chicago Congregation Receives the Blessing

by Bruce Sutchar-Chicago, IL

The members of the congregation watched as Drs. Michael & Ophelia Dunlap were receiving the Holy Wine as part of the blessing ceremony in their father's African Methodist Episcopal Church. Many of us could not help but smile as we reflected on the more than twelve years of interaction that we have had with Rev. A. I. Dunlap and his Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church congregation.

In March of 1985, Rev. Dunlap had invited the members of our church to join him for his annual pew rally on the first Sunday in March. Inspired by the civil rights efforts of Rev. and Mrs. Moon to bring people of all races together, Rev. Dunlap had decided to issue a special award to Rev. Moon at this special service. He had announced the issuing of the award publicly and on the religion page of the newspaper. Now, please think back to 1985 for a moment and as you might imagine, all kinds of persecution began to come Rev. Dunlap's way. Attacks, accusations and threats began to stream in as to what was about to happen to him, should he not have the wherewithal to rescind the award.

Just a little bit of background about the Reverend Alexander Isaiah Dunlap. A native of North Carolina and a veteran of the Civil Rights movement in Danville, Virginia, where he was pastoring at the time that Dr. King was most active, Rev. Dunlap has stared prejudice, hatred and bigotry squarely in the face on many, many occasions. In fact he has been jailed 39 times fighting for the rights of all people to be treated as equal under the laws of the United States as well as in the eyes of God. The 39th time was for defending the good name and reputation of Reverend Sun Myung Moon. This took place on the very day that the United States was celebrating the 200th anniversary of the ratification of its constitution (September 17, 1987). Today many people claim to have known Dr. King, but in fact, Rev. Dunlap as a young Pastor (he likes the word Shepherd) in Danville, Virginia-(which he reminds us was the last capital of the Confederacy) headed the local Civil Rights efforts in that city. In this capacity he hosted Dr. King in his own home as he had previously hosted Rev. Vernon Johns who was Dr. King's predecessor at the Dexter Street Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

Given this little bit of historical background, the fact that Rev. Dunlap did not back down one iota should come as no surprise to anyone who really knows him. In fact, the plaque that he presented to Rev. Moon on that Sunday is now hanging up in Father's house in Chung Pa Dong.

Working together

Over the span of the past 12 years, we have fellowshipped with Rev. Dunlap, his family and the members of Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church more and more frequently. During this time, many leaders of our Church as well as Kook Jin Nim, and our Korean leaders have been invited to preach in his church. Rev. Dunlap, a graduate of Gammon Theological Seminary attended the final ICC Conference in Korea (for Seminary Graduates only) and was blessed in Chicago in August of 1995. In between times, he has somehow found the time to participate in almost every one of our major activities from speaking at CARP rallies to visiting significant religious and political dignitaries. Through his efforts we were able to secure the chapel at the University of Chicago by demanding that the President of the University honor our right to allow In Jin Nim and Jin Sung Nim to speak during the True Family's University Tour. In 1992 Rev. Dunalp hosted over 2500 guests for our inaugural United

to Serve America Conference. He was then selected to come to New York to represent all of Christian America in presenting True Parents with a plaque honoring them for their efforts to resurrect Christianity in America. He also met the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune and the Midwestern Director of NBC National News to explain to them the position of Rev. Moon and the Unification Church in modern day religious America.

In this era of True Family Values, Rev. Dunlap was one of the first Chicago ministers to attend the conferences in Washington, D.C. He and Mrs. Margaret Dunlap have been married for nearly 35 years and are the proud parents of 4 beautiful children, His oldest son Alex has an M.B.A. from the University of Iowa, Michelle is working on her M.B.A., Barbara is a recent graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she served as President of her class, his son Michael, who just received the Blessing, is a Professor of Dentistry at the University of Illinois where he met his wife

Dr. Ophelia Dunlap.

When asked why he is so supportive of the Unification Movement and Rev. and Mrs. Moon, Rev. Dunlap will share his heart, that he truly believes that God is continuing the work that he began through Dr. King through Rev. Moon. That is the work of bringing all races together under God.

Invited

So on Sunday, March 3rd, Rev. Dunlap had invited our Regional Director Rev. Ki Hun Kim to give the sermon to our combined church congregations. He had also arranged for a blessing to take place just before the formal communion. So after Rev. Kim's excellent sermon, before a packed out church, Rev. Dunlap invited married couples to come forward and participate in a new form of communion-that of husband and wife taking communion (holy wine) together. Led by his son and daughter-in-law, 6 couples received the blessing as Rev. and Mrs. Kim officiated assisted by Rev. and Mrs. Jenkins. Likewise many other churches are preparing to hold blessing ceremonies in their churches.

Our dear brother, Rev. T. L. Barrett held an exciting blessing in his church on Saturday, March 15th where 25 couples received the blessing from Rev. and Mrs. Joong Hyun Pak as all the Korean Regional Directors in America joined us in Chicago. This group included a COGIC Superintendent and a Lutheran Seminary Professor. The week before, a wonderful Christian couple who had met us through the USA Programs in 1992 received the blessing in their home (they were moving 8 hours away the day before the March 15th blessing) and last weekend several newly blessed couples gathered in one of our homes and supported the parents of one of our blessed children's school mates as they received the blessing.

We in Chicago are excited as we march forward toward November 29th. We are confident that America can fulfill its goal of bringing 360,000 couples to the blessing and we are working and praying that our efforts will result in each blessed couple bringing 160 couples to the blessing.

....

The day after I finished this article Rev. Dunlap's picture appeared on the top of the front page of the Chicago Tribune in full color. The following day a major story about a current civil rights struggle taking place in Chicago featured him as one of the major leaders of this effort. At this point, I realized how blessed we are to have this historic figure as a true champion who is entrenched in the corner of our True Parents.

Blessing in the Philippines

by Wolfgang Schawaller-Vienna, Austria

Recently I returned from my second trip from the Philippines. When I left in March around 30.000 or more previously married couples (PMC) have so far received the pre-blessing within only one month.

This takes place within only 30 minutes or sometime more. It depends. It's almost like home church work in an area. Teams of 3 members go door to door and introduce the blessing. Our members explain about the blessing and the whole family wants to receive the blessing. The Philippine people like to receive God's blessing.

From those couples eventually we can make core members with their children. Our members ask if this couple knows other couples who wants to join the blessing. They bring many other couples. Then the other couples bring others. It's almost like the "domino-play" effect

This is what Rev Kwak approved for the Philippines. Members report I heard sometimes up to 250 couples join the blessing. Spirit world is very active and helps our members very much. Members dream about large PMC blessing and the next day it's happening. Sometimes only a few couples. 50 couples. Any size OK. At one occasion some couples came late and could not receive the blessing and were angered. Can you believe that? It's true.

They do this sort of blessing in Africa. Quite successful. No distance to travel and most of all it doesn't cost anything or very little.

When I left Manila a group of a couple of hundreds got blessed. A spiritually open couple suddenly testified about True Parents (TP) and how everyone should follow TP. The Philippines is a very gifted country spiritually, and it's literally on fire spiritually. There are so many missionary activities by so many different churches going on, not just our UC. Spiritual healing takes place almost everywhere in this country.

The goal for the Philippines this year is 800,000 PMC. This is not the problem. The continental director of Asia Mrs. Chung Hae Park Kim wants to move about 300,000 PMC couple into Metro Manila and all the couples should receive the final blessing on November 29th from our TP via satellite on a big screen in Metro Manila, and on radio for the others who are not moving to Metro Manila.

After the ceremony they will have a rally for Family Values and TP in Manila including a picnic for all the couples.

The problem that we are facing there is of course transportation. While I was there we meet police chiefs and the army commander will be asked soon by Mrs. Kim to help in transporting those couples to Manila. They already agreed to help. We will need many thousands of trucks and buses. We couldn't pay the cost. The only way is to find sponsors. In the Philippines the members did a fine VIP work in recent years. Of course Mrs. Kim paid a lot for the VIP work.

Since a month we are buying 2 hours radio time. In this way we inform and educate those PMC blessed couples (which so far received the preliminary blessing) about virtually everything. The radius of the radio station is 200 km.

We teach DP, give important notice and international news related to our world wide church/etc. activities. The American national messiah and I were interviewed. The church wants to buy more time at this station and have many more station set up in the Philippines. It's a question of money. It's almost like the CIS. There are many similarities between the CIS and the Philippines.

TV is the next project. The Philippines is one of the most prepared country to accept TP in Asia. It's a traditionally Catholic country and the people are very religious by nature.

Way of the pre-blessing: First the members introduce the blessing. They come with the purpose to bless the whole home.

The couple receives the holy wine and the sprinkling of the holy water for them and the whole house. Then this couple hears the prayer of TF on a audio cassette or members pray. They will soon take a edited blessing tape and play it up to the couples.

The names will be registered on a application form. The couple receives a brochure about the blessing and it's history, pledge, UC addresses, etc. and other important facts. On the final day all couples will receive a blessing certificate, sponsored by the FFWP International. This certificate will bear the signature of TF and Rev Kwak and the President of FFWP-Philippines They are asked to tune in to the radio station every Sunday evening. As I said, this is the only way to guide this big numbers of PMC couples.

Awareness and Change

Peter Steeghs
April, 1997
Kerrville, TX

Every human being desires happiness, and every healthy person has ideals and aspirations. Without an ideal, our lives are without inspiration or direction. We all hope to become better at something: better in our job or profession, a better parent, a better colleague, a better friend. Improving our self ultimately means that we have to become not just better "at" something, but that we also have to better ourselves as a human being. For instance, a person who wants to become a better parent cannot just focus on techniques, but must center himself on becoming a more balanced and loving human being.

In spite of all our good intentions and efforts to direct all our behaviors in a positive way, there are also behaviors over which we seem to lack influence. At times we tend to lose control, act in self- defeating ways, contradict ourselves, lose track of our intentions, block our own goals, show our hang-ups and prejudices. Many of the responses we formed over the years have through repetition become involuntary and automatic. Quite often we sense that our emotions and reactions are triggered by reflexes we are not fully aware of. Not until we do become aware of the ways in which we react can we say, "Oh, I see!"

Increasing self-awareness represents a "bringing into consciousness" and forms the key to changing ourselves. The ability to be self-aware is one of the major qualities which sets humans apart from animals, who are destined to repeat their behavior based on their instincts without knowing why. Increasing our self-awareness is a necessity. In fact, we are not able to change the outcome of anything unless we can acknowledge what it is which we want to do differently, and intentionally decide to direct our efforts accordingly.

The necessity of becoming aware in order to be able to make changes in our attitudes and behaviors also pertains to helping others make changes. We can never change other people just by telling them what to do or not do. As long as a person is unable to recognize the truth and meaning of what you are telling him, and is unable to relate its significance to his own situation, you might as well talk to a wall. The person will simply not be able to hear, see and digest what is said.

Changing ourselves requires intention, and helping others make changes requires patience. Some people's behavior may perhaps be even more imperfect than our own, but you cannot force that behavior out of someone, let alone force a new behavior into them. You can only help someone effectively if she/he is open to it; and while attempting to guide him/her in becoming more aware of themselves, hold them responsible for their actions at the same time. Trying to help someone make changes may take a lot of time, a lot of patience, and success is by no means guaranteed.

It is important, however, that the person who is trying to help others also has a constant willingness to examine himself as well. Our personal attitudes and perceptions will inevitably influence the attitudes of others toward us, and will affect their willingness to consider what we may have to offer. We all have our hang-ups and blind spots, and unless we have in our attitude a constant willingness to change and improve ourselves, it will be near impossible to just one-sidedly expect change from the other person.

AIDS Education to be developed by Damia J. Anderson via the Internet

Rev. Chang Shik Yang, Washington DC area regional leader, is developing an AIDS education ministry to go hand in hand with the True Family Values Ministry. He is writing his Ph.D. thesis on AIDS social ministry, and intends to use much of the research, combined with Richard A, Panzer and Richard Cohen's material to develop a slide based education program, promoting true family values as the solution to the AIDS crisis.

In the next few weeks, he will conduct a teacher training seminar, and we will have slides and lecture notes from which we can study the material and learn to teach it. This can be a way to reach out to the people who would not be interested in the religion-based approach to True Family Values.

To give you an idea of the size of the problem, in one school in Washington DC, 30 per cent of the students are HIV positive. This is no longer just a homosexual disease. Like it or not, we must reach out to the downtrodden and abandoned in society and love them, just as Jesus did. Nobody else has any answer to this growing crisis.

From Disciple to Apostle

Rev. J. H. Pak

(This is from a speech given in Chicago on the occasion of the True Family Festival held in March 1997.)

Let us go back 2,000 years to early Christianity. Jesus Christ's public mission on the Earth was just three years. In those three years, he chose 12 disciples, then (it increased to 72, then 120). And of course there were many other followers. But the volunteers who followed Jesus Christ we call "disciples." These disciples received from Jesus their education, their training and so much spiritual learning. Just like children, or students, they followed Jesus. They always beseeched him, "please help 'me.'" Like children. So these were his disciples.

Well, the people rejected Jesus and he died. After he ascended to the spiritual world, and was not walking on the Earth anymore the disciples were like orphans. They lost their parent and their teacher, their guide and protection. So now, what were they to do? How were they to act? Well, now the "Acts of the Apostles" began.

The Holy Spirit came down, that Holy Spirit power came down; they experienced it; they tasted it and the "disciples" suddenly now became "apostles." Now apostleship came into being. From this Pentecost experience Jesus' disciples were no longer like children. They no longer dwelled in the realm of "me"--"help me," "guide me," "care for me." From the event of Pentecost they became apostles; they became second Messiahs, second Christs. From this dramatic changeover they became true leaders! Men of true leadership.

Now these apostles spread out into the world. Paul went to Rome. Saint Mark went to Egypt; Saint Matthew went to Saudi Arabia; Saint Luke went to Greece; They became "owners" and "parents" to 'take over the world.' This is Christian history.

This is the beginning of Spring 1997. 1997 is a most important and historical year. In this year we must move from discipleship into apostleship. In this year, we must make this changeover and become 'owners' of this Movement and 'take over' America and all of North America. We must claim a new victory. God and True Parents are expecting us to change from discipleship to apostleship This is their expectation.

We must seriously come to understand: what is discipleship and what is apostleship? This is very important. We must come to clearly understand the difference between these two. This year, True Father directed all leaders to go to Chungpyung Lake. There we can meet Heung Jin-Nim and Daemonim and Jesus Christ and Mohammed, all together. There, the spiritual world and the physical world become one; our ancestors and all the holy angels work with us. The Holy Spirit is with us there and we become filled with a new power. With God, True Parents and Daemonim with us we become completely new people, with a new power. Then we can change the world! First we go to Chungpyung, then we come back as new people and then we are ready to start. This is apostleship.

2,000 years ago, in the upper room, the disciples received the Holy Spirit Today, we, as Family Federation members go to Chungpyung, move out the evil spirits, and these evil spirits then go to a special place in the spiritual world, a workshop prepared by Heung Jin-Nim. After completing this workshop, these spirits can be blessed in a ceremony by Heung Jim-Nim. How wonderful. This year 1997 is a turning- around time. Daemonim helps everyone in this way to change and become filled with the Holy Spirit. How wonderful that we are liberating our

own ancestors to attend this workshop and then getting blessed.

Now God is expecting that we will go from disciples to apostles, from discipleship to apostleship. Father even gave to us a new title: Tribal Messiah. The Crown of Messiahship, a shining, powerful crown of messiahship. Then last year, 1996, True Parents gave the title "National Messiah." I am the National Messiah of Switzerland. However, we are all messiahs; we are all on the messiah's course. No more now are we babies; no more are we the child. Now we are adults, with fruitful personalities and new spirits of responsibility. No more shall we say "God, help me." If God does not help me, still I will go forward. Now we can say to Parents "please relax, we will take care of everything; we will take charge."

With our old spirit of past years, True Father constantly gave us inspiration, with new possibilities to fulfill, always leading us, pulling us and we would say "yes, Father, we will bring the victory." But we did not always bring the victory. Now, with our new spirit, we will say "okay God, True Parents, now we will meet the challenge." This is our new attitude. This is our apostleship.

If you agree with this, then this sermon is finished. You do not need Rev. Pak's inspiration, advice or education. Set a goal, make a plan, make a time schedule and go ahead! Harvest it! Do it in the name of God and True Parents. This is apostleship. Our movement is no longer a movement of discipleship. Altogether we now become the movement of apostleship.

Recently I journeyed to Egypt with several others to meet with a high- level spiritual leader, Pope Shenouda III who is head of the ancient Coptic Orthodox Church, founded on the apostleship of Saint Mark. At this important meeting we discussed True Family Values and the Blessing. It was a most historical meeting, enveloped with great warmth and familyship. Gifts were exchanged and Pope Shenouda sent a most precious and holy painting of Mother Mary and Jesus, hand-painted in gold and other colors, worth thousands of dollars, to be presented to True Parents. When True Father saw the painting he instructed that it be hung in East Garden.

In Chicago I met with Minister Louis Farrakan. He is deeply interested in True Family Values and the Blessing. He really wants to meet True Parents. Did you know that Minister Farrakan is also a concert violinist? Amazing. So many interesting people in leadership are now working with us.

This sermon I am giving you today is so important. Please regard it carefully, copy it in your heart and practice it.

Father has brought honor to America by announcing that the 3.6 Million Couple Blessing on November 29 will be in Washington, DC.

But this is also a big responsibility for America. Since Father has given this goal, we must now make the strategy: How can we accomplish the November 29 victory? I will give you the 5-stage strategy. Very important five stages.

It is the age of computers now. Everybody has a computer. However, we already have a "mind" computer, our brain-computer, so we do not really need any other computer! The brain-computer is faster. At this moment, right now, put this five-stage strategy in your genius computer. Here are the five stages:

1. From all over North America bring Christian ministers and all religious leaders to True Family Values seminars;

2. All Brothers and Sisters must become True Family Values lecturers and presenters;

3) All Brothers and Sisters, go into Christian churches, Muslim mosques, Jewish temples, Buddhist temples, Confucius shrines, everywhere, and teach True Family Values;

4) Bring all these people to pre-Blessings, True Family Festivals;

5) Bring all of them to True Parents Blessing on November 29th.

This is our five-stage strategy. Do not forget each of these stages.

True Father asked us to educate 3,600 Christian ministers with True Family Values. But actually we educated 5,000. You may say, "well, what is special about educating 5,000 Christian ministers?" Let me say this. In Korea, there is now a "hurricane" of Blessings occurring. 120,000 couples have been Blessed to this date. True Father's Moon clan and True Mother's Han clan are included in these Blessings. Within these two clans are Christians and Buddhists. It was not an easy thing for the Moon clan and the Han clan to help True Parents.

2,000 years ago, Joseph's family and Zachariah's family did not help Jesus like this. But now times have changed. It's a miracle. I cannot believe it myself. Why suddenly have things changed? Korea is now setting a goal of 120 million couples by November. But in Korea, not one Christian minister has received the Blessing. In America, on the other hand, already 150 Christian ministers have received the pre- Blessing. 150 Christian couples receiving this pre-Blessing is special.

In Western Europe, not one Christian minister has been Blessed. Only in America. America is very special that way. So in the first stage we educated 5,000 ministers. Out of this 5,000, 150 have received the Blessing. When ministers receive the Blessing, then automatically it is expected that their congregations will follow. When the Shepherd leads, the sheep follow (and the lambs). So in November, our Blessing is a guaranteed victory.

In addition to the 5,000, 1,000 community leaders have been educated and 1,000 of our own Family Federation members have been educated so that means 7,000 people in spiritual leadership have received the True Family Values education.

Then we must remember that two years ago, True Parents began the Japanese-American Sisterhood ceremonies to commemorate the 50th anniversary since World War II. So we must also include Women's Federation for World Peace participants, those 10,000 American women leaders who joined in sisterhood with an equal number of women from Japan. So we count these 10,000 plus the 7,000 above as our first stage foundation.

Father spent an enormous amount of money on these projects. Did he spend this in other countries? No, only in North America. We must understand how much True Parents have continued to support North America. Without True Parents' financial and spiritual support of North America we could never have prepared for the education of these people in True Family Values.

And how could we have educated without True Family Values? Father gave us True Family Values. It is a miracle. Ten years ago, Father gave CAUSA and Godism. With that we educated American leadership. Father was able to expose communism this way and bring down communist Russia and end communism on the Planet Earth! All the world welcomes "Family Values" because everywhere in this

world people are struggling. We thought that with the end of communism, world peace would come. But immoral Satan used his evil power to invade the family, break down the family and destroy families. Not even America, China, Russia, Taiwan could escape this.

But in Taiwan 70,000 couples have received the Blessing. Minister Hwang, a cabinet member in the government in Taiwan prepared 100,000 couples and that has now become 170,000 couples.

We must really appreciate True Parents. Just five years, even three years ago, our church in Taiwan was underground. Why now does the government accept True Parents and the Blessing? Why this miracle now? Because in Taiwan the family is in trouble. The U.S. dollar is big in Taiwan. Through the U.S. dollars, satanic, immoral Western culture has invaded Taiwan and destroyed its families. No. 1 is Japan, No. 2 is Germany, No. 3 is Taiwan. Taiwan is the richest. Taiwan has technology, it has money but its families are in big trouble. There is a lot of divorce now.

Even in Egypt we heard while we were there that the divorce rate has doubled. In America 50 percent of couples divorce. When we look at the Christian churches in America we are surprised to find the high number of divorces among Christian families. So many single mothers, and husbands and wives going separate ways in the Christian church. Even among the Christian ministers there is so much divorce. Shocking. Muslim leaders as well.

In some Middle Eastern countries, the government has so much power. If you don't obey the laws, they cut off the hand, or the neck. The Muslims are afraid not to obey the laws. But in America the Muslim population is different, so many of them divorce.

Religious leaders don't know what to do. Sadly, there are no many single-parent children now in America that they have no concept of a "father" so when they are asked to think about God the Father, they cannot relate to that. They have no good image of what a father is.

This is shocking, this is painful. Why has America become like this? Because immoral Satan has destroyed the American family, and he plans to destroy all humankind throughout the world. He wants to destroy the planet Earth as well and make it the Kingdom of Hell. That is his goal.

But True Father has given True Family Values. If we fly the flag of True Family Values everyone can surrender; even Satan will surrender. True Father and True Mother have given us a True Family tradition to follow, a model family. True Parents have sacrificed everything and dedicated themselves to save human life.

So with Stage No. 1, through True Family Values everyone can come-- Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Muslim, atheism, communism--everybody can come. Then they can bring this to their own church, mosque, temple. Then Christians will become strong; Buddhists will become strong, everybody will become strong. Then all families will become true families, healthy families, proud families, God's divine families.

True Family is like magic words! If true families and True Family Values start moving, then everybody will surrender and we can move together as one. All doors will open, everybody will welcome and work together; no enemies, no opposition power.

Stage No. 2-- everyone becomes a teacher of True Family Values. Not just our "senior" teachers and lecturers but even shy people who think they cannot teach can become True Family Values teachers. Everyone.

Now Christian ministers are teaching their congregations. Region by region this is happening. Many are teaching in the Chicago area. In New York, one Muslim leader has the Muslim Family Institute where he teaches Muslim Family Values. But he is so inspired with True Family Values. Why is True Family Values so inspirational? What is the difference between Muslim Family Values and True Family

Values? Inside True Family Values is a principle. Inside there is the root of a true family and why we need a true family, and why the family was created. This basic root of a principle is what we have.

We have branches. Hundreds and thousands of branches, but the root is one! Without the root, it will not work. Root and trunk. They are one. Without them you would not have branches. True Family Values is very simple. Everyone can teach it. But it has a principle. For those who know that principle, you can learn True Family Values within one hour. For others who must yet connect with the root and trunk it may take a month. If it is coming only from the branches, it may be complicated, but if there is understanding of the root and trunk, it is simple.

Christian ministers, Muslim imams and any other leaders may be inspired to teach the True Family Values but if you and I, Brothers and Sisters, do not believe it, then it will not work. The entire Family Federation community in America, first and second generations, must be inspired by True Family Values teachings. Then we can inspire others. No problem. If we are under conviction and teach with conviction, everybody will be follow. No question about it. This is stage 2.

The spiritual world is now working. At the winter workshop at Chungpyung Lake, Jesus Christ, Mother Mary, Jesus' twelve disciples, Confucius, Buddha all attended the 40-day workshop. We think that Jesus and his disciples are working in America. Recently, in Denver, during a True Family Festival, one member's spiritual eyes were opened and he saw "a powerful light descending on the hall. A door opened and in walked Jesus and his disciples, all dressed in white robes." It was an amazing experience.

Members are beginning to realize that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are working here in America. This is a Holy Crusade! If we march forward, under the banner of conviction, it is a guaranteed victory.

In Washington, DC one Christian minister who had received the Blessing was driving his car when suddenly he heard a clear voice from Heaven saying, "Bishop White, I am Reverend Moon. Now you belong to me. You will work with me."

One recent Sunday morning at the Boston Family Church, a young man walked in and asked, "Is this the church of Reverend Moon? Almost every night I dream of a Reverend Moon. Who is this person?" Someone answered, "Reverend Moon is the founder of this church." That man is now studying True Family Values and is so inspired.

We have no time to waste. Believe me when I say that. The spiritual world is now directly witnessing and guiding people in the physical world.. The Holy Angels are working with us. So even if you have not yet had the opportunity to go to Chungpyung, then please practice True Love here, and you will start to rid yourselves of evil spirits.

This is stage no. 3 time, where we take the responsibility--we go to churches, go to the temples, we go to the mosques and to the shrines. In stage no. 3, we go from discipleship to apostleship. Who made stage 1 and 2 possible? God and True Parents did. The Chicago

Region sent the greatest number of ministers to the Washington, DC True Family Values seminars, but actually it was not the overall membership in Chicago that did it. Because even in Chicago, not all brothers and sisters are out witnessing. There was an assigned task force of several persons that did the work. This means that God and True Parents did the work actually.

In stage no. 3, we take the responsibility and go out. When you go out and give the True Family Values and the spiritual leaders and others receive the Blessing, then you have gone from discipleship to apostleship. God and True Parents have done 95% by opening doors for us. We have done 5% in stages 1 and 2 but if we will take full responsibility for stage 3, then stages 4 and 5 will happen automatically.

Satan has fear of stage 3. Why? Remember the Home Church Providence? Of course you do. In Korea Home Church was called Tong ?. We did not succeed in Home Church. We were not so welcomed in the doors at that time. People did not want to hear the Divine Principle. Doors were closed on us. At that time, the American community was not so open to us. But now it is different. The atmosphere has changed. Now we are taking people True Family Values and we are more welcomed. In trying to fulfill 160 family Blessing, if you are rejected at two houses, the third house will accept you.

Satan has created such an evil atmosphere that many people are afraid of marriage. But we offer just the opposite of Satan--eternal and true relationships of pure and faithful love. And we can show that we can have successful education for the second generation so that they become good. Now the people say "welcome" to True Family Values.

Now we can happily harvest. We can hold our heads high and sing merrily as we witness. In this stage no. 3 we have two goals: 1) Educate 5,000 Christian ministers. They are waiting for us. In just 9 months, from last year, we educated 5,000 ministers at the seminars; and 2) educate 160 families.

Satan is always whispering defeat into our ears. Now we say "get out." Before the year 2000 we can drastically change the American world. By the power of True Love, by the power of True Family Values we will change Satan's world to God's world.

In RFK Stadium, Washington, DC, only a certain number of couples will be allowed to attend from 185 nations. Wouldn't you like your family there? Can you imagine how you would feel now to know that one of your ancestors was present during Jesus' Sermon on the Mount? Same thing. Even greater.

In stage #1 we got the victory; #2 we got the victory; now #3 stage, we have until the end of May to gain victory. Nine months left now before November 29. The first 3 months of the year was formation; the second three months represents growth; and the third 3 months is perfection. So by the end of May we will finish no. 3 stage.

Springtime is for seed planting, like farmers. Farmers cannot space out. Otherwise, there is no harvest! Now is the time of spring. In these three months we can plant many seeds. Let's work hard before the hot summer comes and people space out! Let's do our planting successfully so that harvest time in stage 4 will be a time of rejoicing.

If one family is too shy, then two families should go together. Go teach together, serve together at a church. The first generation has been educated and can educate others; but we also need the second generation because they have a special spiritual power. Both are needed. Whatever skills we have, we can offer to churches, as volunteers, not expecting pay as others do.

Everyone, please go to Chungpyung Lake. Let Daemonim liberate your ancestors to be restored. Don't miss this opportunity to rejuvenate yourselves, empower yourselves spiritually.

So, Regional Leaders, State Leaders, City Leaders, Business Leaders, Department Leaders, everyone, let's work together and fulfill these 5 stages in this year!

Let's be proud of True Parents and love True Parents and accomplish the 3.6 million couple Blessing. God bless you.