"A Family Affair" in Lithuania

by Gunnard Johnson-Vilnius, Lithuania

This is a brief report on our recent local Blessing Consecration given in Lithuania to connect on December 20th to connect all recently blessed couples with True Parents’ Blessing given in Washington D.C. on November 29th. We called it "True Family Festival: Blessing ’97-World Peace Through Ideal Families.

Here in Lithuania we had planned in advance to wait until now to give the final consecration of the 40 million couple blessing. We received a copy of the video which was produced and distributed in Washington D.C. and fortunately it was of a very high quality and could be used at our event.

We began our preparations with a telephone calling campaign, starting three weeks before the event. We called about 6,000 of our 10,800 couples, mostly within the city of Vilnius. The maximum seating for the event was 220 so, based on past experience, we thought we should get at least 500 confirmations in order to be sure of filling the room. In the end, we only had about 100 absolute confirmations on the day of the event so I was anticipating a three-quarters-filled room. As it turned out, we had an overflow crowd of 250, including great grandparents, grandparents, parents, teenagers and children so it was truly a "family affair!"

The FFWPU President spoke first. He had attended the Washington event with his wife and son and he spoke very candidly and respectfully about True Father. He spent most of his 10 minutes talking about Father’s accomplishments and his role in bringing together all kinds of people for the sake of world peace and harmony. It was one of the most straightforwardly positive and honorific speeches I have ever heard anyone give about Father. In fact, I want to give a copy of his speech to Father himself.

The WFWP representative and the president of the Martial Arts Federation also spoke with respect and admiration for Father. I then gave the keynote speech titled "The Ideal of the Blessing of Marriage" in which I contrasted conventional romantic marriage practices with the ideal of the Blessing. The second half of the two-page speech was a collection of quotations from Father’s words in "Blessing and Ideal Family."

We then showed about fifteen minutes of video highlights from Washington D.C., focusing on the Blessing ceremony itself. It was so beautiful and pure to watch this ceremony again and the atmosphere in the hall was clearly elevated by this video. All of the guests stayed until the very end of our event, drinking in every moment. We concluded with awards given to the longest-married couples and those with the most children, followed by entertainment and refreshments.

As the event was ending, I couldn’t believe my watch. It felt as though we had just started a few minutes before and now suddenly it was three hours later! And as the people were putting on their coats to leave and I was talking with many of the people I had met personally over this past year, it suddenly struck me that many of these people might be the core of our foundation here in Lithuania. Surely, others will come. We continue to reach out day be day to students, married couples and single people alike. We will work with many of these people on projects to educate university and school age children, to give love and family to the elderly who have no families, the children who have no homes or broken homes and the couples who are struggling to keep their marriages together. I felt as though we were witnessing the birth of God’s hope for this nation.

Gunnard Johnson is National Messiah to Lithuania.

Youth for the True Family, Nation and World

This is the text of Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Founder's Address at the World Congress of the Youth Federation for World Peace at WCSF III, Washington, DC USA, November 27-30, 1997.

I am truly happy that we are able to hold the III World Congress of the Youth Federation for World Peace in Washington, D. C. , the capital of the United States, together with representatives from more than 130 countries.

It is particularly meaningful that this gathering is held as a part of World Culture and Sports Festival HI, centering on the 3. 6 million couple blessing ceremony.

This is not only because you pure-hearted men and women from around the world, transcending boundaries of race, religion and nationality, have been chosen to form the main pillar of the blessing ceremony. It is also because, ultimately, you young people are the ones who must put into practice the results of all the conferences being held during this festival in preparation for the 21st Century. I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to you YFWP members for dedicating your heart and soul in all areas and levels ,of society for the sake of bringing about world peace, and for the contributions you have made to that end.

I would particularly like to thank heaven and praise you for the fact that your activities, along with those of World CARP, the Women's Federation for World Peace, the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and others have provided a worldwide realization of the true family ideal. This brought about the surprising result that the original blessing goal of 3. 6 million couples has been exceeded by tenfold, to 36 million couples, even going several million couples beyond that number. I hope that you members of the YFWP will work with even more enthusiasm to stand in the forefront of the blessing event as it is expanded in the future to 360 million couples.

Today, we stand on the threshold of the 21st Century. Already, in many places around the world people have begun the countdown to celebrations that will mark the beginning of the 21st Century. As humanity looks forward to the new century, their hearts are filled with fervent hope that this will be a time for a new world that is better than anything humanity has experienced at any time in the past-a world in which we are able to establish God's new family values of absolute true love.

In the history of the world, humanity's strong desire for an ideal of true love has been the motivating force for change. Because you young people pursue a loftier ideal of true family and possess a greater capability for realizing this ideal than anyone else, you are undoubtedly the initiators and principal actors in this time of major historical change. For this reason, you are the symbols of hope for a humanity that is opening the gate to the new century with an earnest desire that it will lead to the new ideal family.

During the course of history, there have been many literary works and recorded accounts giving praise to young people and to their roles and special characteristics. I think, however, that the roles and responsibilities of young people in the family, nation and world have rarely been of such critical importance as they are today, most notably in terms of a revolution for ideal families. Thus, I think it is very timely and appropriate that the discussions of this conference will focus on the theme, "Youth for the True Family, Nation and World. "

Today, families, nations, and even the world are facing serious dilemmas. The more that industry and technology develop around the world and people enjoy more conveniences, the more we find that the family institution that forms the foundation of our lives is being eroded.

According to data from the U. S. Census Bureau, the divorce rate in the United States increased threefold between 1970 and 1990 to the point where each year one couple in six divorces. Across the United States, 30 percent of children are raised in single-parent families. Even further, we see that the decadent, end-of-century phenomenon of same-sex marriage is becoming more prevalent.

There are reports that as many as 40 percent of American girls between the ages of 14 and 19 become pregnant. It is shocking to see that the rate of suicide among young people has dramatically increased 300 percent during the past 30 years. The breakdown of the family is cited as the most critical issue facing modem society. On the national level, too, the limitations of political power have been revealed in the face of drugs, violence, AIDS, chronic economic imbalances and other social problems that have accumulated everywhere in society.

The world today continues to agonize over issues affecting all of humanity, such as the threat of war and terrorism, discord among races, antagonism among religious groups and the destruction of the environment. We cannot ignore the continuing reality that many regions of the world experience the miseries of hunger and disease. If we evaluate these realities as being the outcome of all the ideas and activities that humankind has experienced during the past 20 centuries, then the result of this evaluation would be a failing mark. Thus all families, nations, and the entire world are urgently seeking change. As we enter the new century, it is imperative that we give priority to developing an awareness of our responsibility for bringing about change in the family, nation and world.

Our task is to establish for youth a new status as initiators of change and to open a new age for true families, true nations and a true world.

In a time when everything must be renewed, those who cannot make themselves new will decline and ultimately perish. A seed that fails to sprout at the appropriate time just rots away. When the new morning comes, we must put on a new set of clothes; when the new season arrives, we must arrange a new living environment for ourselves. What is most important here is that we ourselves must first be renewed as true families and true nations in order that we may harness the winds of change for the creation of a true world. Members of the YFWP, what is the one means by which we can renew ourselves, our families, our nations and our world, and change the flow of history?

As we stand on the threshold of the 21st Century, the ideology of true family, true nation and true world is opening up a new historical horizon as a basic philosophy for world peace. Reverend Moon has taught and exemplified this philosophy.

Originally, God's ideal of creation sprang from sacrificial true love that is capable of giving and forgetting and then giving and forgetting again. All of God's creative effort is sacrificial in that it involves the investment of His own power. Because the investment is motivated by the power of love, however, it returns to God in the form of joy that is tens of thousands of times greater.

If parents, motivated by true love, invest in and sacrifice themselves infinitely for their children, then the children will feel infinite gratitude for having received this true love. And the parents will experience great joy in place of their sacrifice. In this way, the power of sacrificial true love initiates give and take action that establishes an eternal relationship of joy and peace in the true family, true nation and the true world. It is here that the ideal world of eternal life is manifested.

On the other hand, the family, nation or world that lacks such true love is nothing more than an empty shell, and will degenerate into a breeding place for all types of distrust, animosity and immorality. It is in the family that our pure true love grows and is perfected. The true family is the initial stage on which the different types of love, between true parents, true husbands and wives, true children and true brothers and sisters are put into practice and jointly grow to fruition.

The true family is the fundamental nucleus of a peaceful world, for it is here that we learn about God's true love through the love of true parents; it is here that we are trained by means of the true love of true brothers and sisters to acquire a universal love for the true nation, true world and all humanity.

Not only that, but the true family is the basic unit of historical linkage, for it is through true love being handed down from parent to child that the generations of the past, present and future are linked together in a consistent value system.

Just as we cannot expect infertile land to bear bountiful fruit, we cannot expect a family that has been destroyed to produce a person who will function appropriately in society and the world. Thus, each of you young people in this age is first of all to become the embodiment of true love and the principal actors in building the foundations for a true family culture and true family tradition.

Beyond the true family, it is in the context of the nation that young people are able to put their ideals and energies into practice. For this reason, the strength of a particular country must be measured not on the basis of its political, economic, or military might, or by its cultural influence but rather by weighing the temperament of that country's young people and their sense of patriotic loyalty. The young people are the sprout; if the sprout wilts, then the tree has no future. But what is the reality of young people around the world today?

The ultimate problems faced by all countries are those concerning young people.

Political, economic, social and environmental issues can be addressed through such means as institutional improvements and government funding. Laws, military power and economic strength, however, cannot solve the problems of youth. These problems cannot be resolved through coercion. There is no other way than for young people to be responsible for themselves. For that to happen, young people must lead sacrificial lives and become manifestations of true love, thus establishing their positions as masters of true love.

True love, which is the starting point of all ideals and whose action will continue eternally into the future, will serve as a force for young people that is more powerful than life itself. When young people acquire a new outlook on their country that is centered on true love, then that country will discover new possibilities for advancement. When diverse groups in the nation adopt an attitude based on true love, they will be able to rise above the limits of their conflicting interests and bring about a society of cooperation, harmony and progress.

The primary force that moves a country forward arises from true love in the form of sacrificial and patriotic loyalty. Among the numerous national heroes whom we respect today, there is not one who did not exemplify a life of patriotic sacrifice rooted in true love.

Also in today's world, there are many challenges arising from differences in region, race, religion, culture, custom, language and citizenship that we must overcome in order to bring about a united world of peace. If we view the world from the perspective of the creator of all things in the universe, that is, through God's eyes of true love, then we can see that the world is one despite differences of race, language, religion and ideology.

When young people dedicate themselves to sacrifice and service centering on God's true love, then they can start to solve world poverty and hunger and begin to heal the wounds caused by differences in economic standards and by feelings of animosity and hatred arising from different historical experiences.

True love is loving even that which cannot be loved. From this definition we can acquire a clear sense of direction for overcoming relationships of enmity and conflict. The philosophical tension between freedom and equality also can be resolved in the presence of true love.

Within the philosophy of true love, it is also possible to reconcile the historical conflict between God and humanity, as well as conflicts among human beings themselves. In true love, God gives and gives and then forgets that He has given. His only desire is to continue in the act of giving. It is this true love that will enable us to overcome selfishness and move forward into a world of harmony and prosperity.

The logic of true love is that the family sacrifices for the country, the country sacrifices for the world and the world sacrifices for the sake of God. This enables us to see beyond tribalism and national self-interest and to set our sights on an eternal world of peace.

More than at any other time in history, the problems we face today force us to view all the people of the world as sharing a common fate. Problems that arise in any particular region or between any two countries can have an immediate effect on the world's balance of power and on its economic supply and demand. As a result of advances in communications media, the lives of people around the world are separated only by hours, minutes, and sometimes even just seconds. Even at this moment, we can communicate our thoughts to the entire world simultaneously by logging on to the Internet. Through the more than 200 communications satellites in space, the world has already been brought together as one community, and the people of the world are living together as one universal family on Earth. The power and philosophy of true love is that, as a master key, it is capable of comprehensively unlocking problems of all individuals, all families and all nations of the world, thus bringing about universal peace on every level. And it is you, the youth of true love, who are to be the principal actors in putting such true love into practice. Purity, freshness, vigor, strength, courage, challenge, progress, sacrifice, endurance, ideals, hope-these are all words of blessing that are bestowed especially on true youth. These words manifest their real value for the first time when true youth practice true love in the family, nation and the world. Furthermore, true youth represent the substantiation of true hope.

It is a truth well established through history that only those who present a new vision and direction and put this into practice can become the principal actors of a new age.

Through a movement for absolute love and absolute purity, you should establish a true youth culture centering on true love. You must never forget that the greatest enemies of you true youth, who must protect the family centering on true love, are the social trends of moral degradation, including moral decadence and self-indulgence. The establishment of true families that will be the foundations of true love is the supreme task we face. This will determine whether humanity will survive or be destroyed.

From this standpoint, the movement for the future blessing of 360 million couples will be a global cultural revolution which the world must accomplish. Human survival itself is at stake. This event will establish the beginning of a new moral epoch such as has never before been seen in human history.

I firmly believe that when you, who are the true youth, become the embodiments of true love and the principal actors in the building of true families, true nations and a true world, then the coming 21st Century will unfold in a future of hope and vision.

Thus, in order to accomplish the 360 million International Blessing in the future, I would like to ask that you return to your countries, create supporting organizations, and enthusiastically work for this effort.

I pray that God's blessings may be with you. Thank you very much.

January 1998

 
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Women’s Federation For World Peace, International - Third International WFWP Convention

by Nora Spurgin-NYC

Women’s Federation for World Peace held it’s Third International Convention as part of the World Culture and Sports Festival on November 26-30 in the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. The convention was attended by 388 participants from 103 countries. 305 were from abroad and 83 from the U.S. Focused on the theme, Women of the New Millennium: Loving and Serving the World, the convention sought to draw women from different nations closer to each other in common concern for peace and the eradication of poverty.

The conference opened with welcome remarks by Nora Spurgin and the First Lady of Washington, D.C., Mrs. Cora Masters Berry. Introductions were made to WFWP officers and VIPs in the audience. A speech by Madam Sukarno was read and a short history of WFWP was presented by Mrs. Lan Young Moon Pak followed by a video on the Bridge of Peace.

The opening plenary session on November 27 featured:

Mrs. Maureen Reagan as Conference Chairwoman, Greetings by Mrs. Gil Ja Sa Eu, the Founder’s Address, "Let Us Become the Living Embodiment of the True Family Ideal" by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon and the Keynote Speaker, Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers of American Enterprise Institute, "What Is Right and What is Wrong with the American Women’s Movement?"

One hundred sixty national messiahs attended the plenary session in addition to 388 participants . Attendees of the conference included a first lady, secretary of state, senators, members of parliament, professors, lawyers, doctors, ambassadors and presidents of large women’s groups. The group as a whole was attentive, attended the sessions, and was responsive to all the speakers. The audience received True Mother’s address well; women remarked that the speeches were valuable and informative. True Mother stated:

"The coming time is the age of One World Under God. God is working for this kind of world and will always help those people who are working for the same goal. There is a problem. Many people want to lead the world but do not want to participate in God’s providence. In order to make one peaceful world, my husband and I have poured ourselves into various efforts. Let me give a few examples. We need to establish an ideal, worldwide academic institution, like a U.N. university. We must transcend the barriers of race, religion and language to complete the foundation of the future world. To exchange knowledge globally, we need a university system for distance learning. We also need to develop a unified medical science. We need not only to cure the diseases of the body caused by the fall, but also to end the conflict between Orient and Occident through harmonizing eastern and western culture. By unifying eastern and western medicine, we can cure formerly incurable diseases, such as AIDS."

The keynote speaker, Dr. Christina Hoff Sommers, was supportive of True Mother’s speech. Participants commented that they appreciated both speeches and sought copies of them. Dr. Sommers concluded her speech with the following remarks:

"We all have a moral obligation to stand up against mistreatment and injustice to women. We need to strengthen the role of women in world’s affairs. But to do this realistically and effectively, we need a women’s movement that strengthens the family and cares about the well-being of children. We need a women’s movement that promotes compassion and understanding between men and women. We need a women’s movement grounded in spiritual and moral values. The Women’s Federation for World Peace is such a movement. I applaud you for being a part of it, and a wish you great success."

The opening plenary session was followed by an overview of our worldwide work by Mrs. Motoko Sugiyama and world reports by representatives of several other nations and a video from Korea.

Bridge of Peace Sisterhood Ceremony

A special highlight of the conference was the Bridge of Peace Sisterhood Ceremony. Over 150 international sisterhood pairs were made. Some women chose to be matched with enemy nations –India and Pakistan, Egypt and Israel, etc.; others were matched with their national messiahs, and the remainder were paired randomly. Wearing their national dress made it a beautiful event. There were many tears of joy as women joined their sisters.

After this ceremony, there was a united spirit of joy and unity among the participants. As we always experienced during sisterhood ceremonies, there is a deep sense of spiritual liberation. As part of the ceremony, our speaker, Ekaterini Economidou, a conflict resolution facilitator from Cyprus, gave a tearful testimony of her own experience of crossing a bridge with separated peoples of Cyprus. This speech was a perfect backdrop for women to chose partners from enemy countries.

Bridge of Love Ceremony

After the Bridge of Peace, we invited couples in the audience to participate in a Bridge of Love ceremony. Ms. Maureen Reagan and her husband led the group crossing the bridge to bow and embrace each other in the center. Fifteen couples crossed this bridge.

After the Bridge of love, we asked all women who had husbands to share in the reading of vows of recommitment to strengthen their own families. They read the vows that were at each plate after which we did a toast with "holy sparkling juice". The blessing prayer was said over the Thanksgiving meal and a representative sprinkling of holy water was sprinkled immediately after the prayer.

As far as we know, all the participants attended the blessing at the stadium as well. After the blessing, some from tropical countries were cold and took taxis back to the hotel, but most stayed for the entire day.

Breakout Sessions

The four breakout sessions had four presenters each, giving us a total of sixteen speeches on the following themes:

Section 1 - Education And Literacy

1. Mrs. Joanna Mari-Greece-Judge, Vice President and Councilor at the Council of the Greek State, Supreme Administrative Court. Topic: The Role of Women at the Approach of the Twenty-first Century

2. Commissioner Aurora Navarrete-Recina-Philippines-Chairman of the Commission on Human Rights; Professor of Law at the Far Eastern University in the Philippines; President, Women Lawyer’s Association. Topic: Human Rights in Relationship to Women’s Issues

3. Mrs. Georgette de Camacho-Bolivia-Spouse of the permanent representative of Bolivia to the United Nations.; Professor of Japanese and English Literature, Author of Literary Publications; Founder and Director of Education and Arts Institute in La Paz. Topic: Micro-credits

4. Dr. Bahiya Al-Jishi-Bahrain- Director of Children’s Department; General Organization for Youth and Sports, Gov’t. of Bahrain Topic: An Education-The Right of Every Child

Section 2-Culture And Healthy Environment

1. Ms. Merlyn Hyacinth Brown-Jamaica-Consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister with special responsibility for the Citizen’s Charter. Topic: Teaching Responsibility in Developing Countries

2. Hon. Gladys Gutierrez-Dominican Republic-Secretary of State, Dominican Republic; Director of Dominican Republic’s Division for the Advancement of Women. Topic: Creating Homes and Societies Safe from Violence

3. Mrs. Aka Adjoua-Ivory Coast- Superior Technician in the field of Hydrological and Rural Equipment; Working with the Ministry of Housing and Environment. Topic: A Woman’s Approach to Problems of Hunger Relief, Surplus, and Distribution

Section 3-Family As A Foundation For World Peace

1. Mrs. Yiyun Chen-China- Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Founder of a center that handles family issues. Topic: Family Issues in a Rapidly Changing China

2. Mrs. Elfriede Abt-Austria-Psychotherapist; Member of the International Parents United Network. Topic: Using Preventive Methods in Raising Children.

3. Dr. Muthgard Hinkelmann-Toewe-Germany-Founder, Practice-Oriented Feminist Science (PROF-S) UN NGO; Professor at the College of Fulda’s School for Social Science. Topic: Structures which Enable Women to Increase their Peace-making Results.

4. Mrs. Laila Balga-Latvia- Director of Women’s Rights Watch in Latvia; President of Social Democratic Women’s Organization; Chairperson for the Council of Valka Municipality. Topic: Women’s Management Skills

Section 4-Youth And Morality

1. Dr. Louisa Woonton-New Zealand-Consultant and Medical Practitioner in the field of health; Working in the area of strategic planning, organization, development and general health awareness. Topic: Women of the South Pacific- Unity and Diversity

2. Mrs. Bedy Budori-Mauritius-Senior Social Welfare Officer at the Ministry of Social Security and National Solidarity; Executive Director of Mauritius Family Planning Association; Assistant Commissioner, Ministry of Women’s Rights, Child Development and Welfare. Topic: Preventing Teenage Pregnancy, Drug/Alcohol addiction and Violence

3. Prof. Harumi Kimura-Japan-Translator, Essayist and Author; Member of the Council on National Language and the Ad Hoc Council on Education. Topic: Protecting Youth from Moral Corruption

4. Mrs. Kristina Seher-U.S.A.-Principal of a private School in Hayward, California; Serving on the board of directors of the Graduate School of Education Alumni Association in U.C. Berkeley; Co-Chairwoman of the WFWP of Northern California. Topic: Character Education All participants attended the breakout sessions with interest and sincerity. The question and answer sessions were lively, and according to the feedback, the participants felt that the content was excellent. Many commented about the high quality of both the presentations, the discussions afterward, and the quality of participants.

Two additional speakers, Datuk Paduka Dr. Saleha bte Hj Mohd Ali of Malaysia, who spoke on "Putting Heart Back Into Education", and Prof. Young Hee Suh from Korea, gave educational and informational speeches which were well received.

Betsy Jones and Christine Froelich conducted an inter-religious service at 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. It was well attended. The room with 100 seats was overflowing and more chairs needed to be brought in. Women of different faiths shared readings, prayers, poems, and music. All the participants were deeply moved. In fact, when people kept coming to the office for tissues, we knew they had a moving experience.

Where Do We Go From Here?

A "Where Do We Go From Here?" forum featured four speakers who spoke about projects which would pair women from developing and developed nations. They spoke about micro-credit loans and sponsorship projects. This was a foundation for asking all countries to think of themselves as "givers" of something material, spiritual, or educational.

One presenter from China, director of a Beijing center for family issues, expressed that China wants to give, not only receive. She said, "We have many wealthy people in China; also, we have many students who speak English who might like to work as volunteers." A representative from Malaysia also said that they want to offer something to the rest of the world. There was a powerful response to this session.

Concluding Session

In concluding the "Where Do We Go From Here?" session, we presented the following 4-step strategy.

Individual level

Step 1. Keep in touch with your sister from the sisterhood ceremony.

National level

Step 2. Go back to your country and help develop WFWP there. Work with the Japanese volunteers who are already there to serve your nation.

International level

Step 3. Create a strategy for international communication and interaction. We want to find 50,000 women worldwide who are committed to eradicate poverty.

By January 1, 1998, send your strategy to international headquarters. What can your country give? What does your country need?

Step 4. On the basis of receiving this information, International headquarters will form a committee to match up needs and offerings.

Testimonies

A lady from India chose to cross the bridge with a lady form Pakistan. It was an especially significant event because this particular day was the anniversary of the separation of India and Pakistan.

One lady from the Philippines was struggling about the blessing especially True Father’s role as Messiah. As a Christian, she said she felt that Rev. Moon was either from God or from Satan; so she prayed for a sign. When the sun came out during True Father’s prayer, she was convinced that this was her sign, and said, "Now I know he is from God."

The wife of the Ambassador from Niger was deeply moved by the convention and our work. Although she spoke only French, she made a good connection with our WFWP translator, seriously discussing her concern for women in her own country. Since the convention, she has already contacted the president of Niger who wants to work with WFWP Niger. Also the translator (in America) is preparing a special fund-raising drive with women in America to help build a well in Niger and connect with the Japanese sisters in Niger for service projects. This testimony is an example of the spirit of sharing that the convention promoted.

The Unificationist Project

uViews, December 1997

When Reverend and Mrs. Moon entered RFK Stadium on November 29, 1997, what handiwork did they survey? They surveyed the fruit of the Unificationist project of almost five decades. Let us first consider simply this period of time, the length of Reverend Moon’s career.

To have a sustained effort of one life spanning fifty years, in the heat of public scrutiny, is remarkable in and of itself. Some scholars achieve it, but in a sphere removed from any other war than that of words. Some politicians achieve it, but usually as great power partisans. Religious leaders achieve it, but, again, usually as representatives of an established belief system.

For a religious leader to achieve it amid the hue and cry of the greatest of men’s passions, bearing the near universal distrust and, dare I say, the fear and loathing of much of the educated portion of mankind, this is remarkable in and of itself. For such a man to stand serenely and happily, as Reverend Moon did on that day, is a monument to the power of the human spirit.

And what did Reverend and Mrs. Moon survey? Most essentially: men and woman who are mates to each other; married couples. Again, let us pause to consider the significance of a gathering of married couples. Such things are not the usual fare these days. As the Pure Love Alliance flyer stated, referring to the Promise Keepers and the Million Woman March, "The men rallied. The women marched. But they were a hundred miles apart from each other." Reverend Moon stood with his wife, and they surveyed married couples who are there as couples, not as individuals. They were there to celebrate the blessing of marriage.

By celebrating marriage, man and woman are celebrating each other in the most dignified way. Man and woman are the two poles of humanity, the human incarnations of the yang and yin of the whole cosmos. They are conscious of being so and enjoying the privilege of loving each other. This is the blessing given us by our Creator in marriage.

Parents and the Future

These couples stood up for that of which everyone knows our society is in desperate need: husbands who are faithful to their wives, wives who are faithful to their husbands, and parents and children who are faithful to each other and to their mutual, natural covenant. They stood as families seeing beyond race, nation and religion to affirm that what unites us is not skin color, not perspectives on the divine, not flags or systems of government, but the love we share in the family. This is the love which creates us, and the love which makes, as the song goes, the world go round.

More than that, these couples stood up for the future. Parents create the future through their love, because their love begets and rears children. Conjugal love always has that "future implication" attached to it; hence it has "responsibility" and "commitment" attached to it. Conjugal love is, in a sense, an entity unto itself, because it represents the baby which it can bring into being. In a sense, conjugal love itself is a person, a third party to the husband and wife. There is always that "future baby" which is an integral part of their love.

This is why Catholics and Unificationists are against artificial birth control. To separate commitment and responsibility from conjugal love is to diminish it, to make it resemble the love of irresponsible Adam and Eve, free sex. Free sex is sex without the future. It is sex with no commitment or responsibility. Hence, free sex does not lead to marriage or family. Hence, free sex destroys society.

Parents and the Public Square

True Parents are the first creators of the "public square." They create that little public square inhabited by children who can say their piece, receive their just desserts, their hugs, their bandages and the nourishment of body and spirit. Rev. Moon teaches that the children’s spiritual life feeds off of the spiritual life ("vitality") of their parents. The family takes a man and woman and makes them the arbiters of that little public world, that small civilization, thus, true rulers.

We may shirk from the idea that parents should use a president, king or dictator as their model, and shrink we should. It is not the traditional behavior of the ruler which should be taken into the home. Rather, it is the traditional behavior of the parent which should be taken into the civil society. The president and king should be true parents to their people, should rule society with the heart of a parent caring for the household. From this perspective, we understand Rev. Moon’s viewpoint that half of elected officials should be women.

This, Reverend Moon surveyed, and in his mind’s eye, he saw and prayed for, the millions upon millions of couples around the world joining the couples in the stadium. These couples affirmed true love, by their very becoming what he has called us to be, husbands and wives of true love. No cotton-candy counsel from this man, but the naked truth: your sexual organ: it belongs not to you: it belongs to your spouse. It is the most holy place, never to be defiled or abused. It belongs to only One; your king, your queen. And in one flesh created by the love of the king and queen, God the Creator comes to dwell. It is something for 30,000 couples, 39.6 million couples, all of humankind, all the people who ever lived, to smile about and celebrate with joy.

And Reverend Moon surveyed a people of peace. I’m not talking about a Woodstock Nation or a political convention trying to be a Woodstock nation, Queer Nation, Rhythm Nation or Nation of Anything less than The Nation of the World. I am talking about the nation of serious homegrown Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and everything in-between, which is what Rev. and Mrs. Moon are calling into being. This is no mean feat, for Reverend Moon has brought this about not through the liberal secular state strategy of leaving religious faith at the door. He has brought it about within the context of one of life’s events most sanctified and identified with the particularity of one’s faith.

Parents and Peace

Most people marry in their church, mosque, shrine, chapel, temple, gurudwara or synagogue. Each dedicates to God as He appears to each. The New York Times Magazine (Dec. 7, 1997) published an excellent series of testimonies of faith, entitled "The Decentralization of God." God is at work everywhere, among every race, political position, theological persuasion and nationality. No one can institutionalize God. We can only recognize, glorify, protect and uplift God’s institution, and that’s the family. There in RFK Stadium were 30,000 couples, surely of every face, political position, theological persuasion and nationality, recognizing God in marriage and dedicating their marriages to God.

We read of Christians and Muslims, in particular, doing battle in words and weapons. We read the most eminent and pious of Christians express fear and ignorance of the Islamic world. We meet Jews committed to "an eternal war" with the Palestinians. One searches for the common ground. Reverend Moon has found it and through his sacrifice has enlarged it to the point at which he can grab the attention of the world. A sign carried by a Unificationist protester two weeks before the event read, "Clinton and Hussein: Don’t Go To War; Come to the Wedding." Who wants to fight at a wedding? Surely Mr. Clinton and Mr. Hussein, if they would truly stand by the best moral traditions of the societies they are in the position to rule, would agree that marriage is profoundly right and important, and would be able to cooperate on projects to protect and uplift families and young people.

End of the Era of Free Sex

Dr. Sang Hun Lee, founder of the Unification Thought Institute, and author of Communism: A Critique and Counterproposal, and the seminal treatises on Unification Thought, has published, posthumously, a work entitled The Coming of the Age of Head-Wine Thought: Beyond Communism. It is, in my opinion, Dr. Lee’s most valuable exploration, because in this short volume he addresses the current ailments of society, and advances the practical tools which Rev. Moon’s thought provides. He faces head-on the question of "what is the Principled economic system," and "what is the Principled political system." He does not provide final answers, but does develop critical metaphors of the Divine Principle a few steps forward in important ways.

A good portion of the first part of the book outlines Rev. Moon’s activities for victory over communism through the 1970s into the 1990s, against the backdrop of history. In the latter part is an illuminating analysis of the sexual revolution and advent of the culture free sex. Dr. Lee presents valuable material from Freud, Reich and Marcuse to point out how sexual liberation is a "left-Freudian" movement. He also argues for the comparability of Marx, Darwin and Freud as architects of the era of free sex.

His discussions are brief but there are adequate footnotes to lead the reader back to the sources. I hope that Dr. Lee’s outline may trigger a good deal more research in this area.

Dr. Lee’s final chapter is entitled "The End of the Era of Free Sex." Of course, it is beyond anyone’s wildest dreams that the era of free sex could come to an end in the foreseeable future. Who can give Hollywood a cold shower? What about the leviathan-like homosexual lobbies? Sex on the internet? The deluge of pornography in the formerly communist world, not to mention anytown, USA?

Quite right. And yet, it was 1984 when Dr. Lee published a work with a similar title, "The End of Communism." This book, too, struck one at the time as hopelessly out of touch with "reality." And yet, it turned out that this book was right on target; reality swung around as Dr. Lee’s book said it would.

To the "end of the era of free sex," let’s believe, with Dr. Lee, that it will come to pass, in the very near future! The last, great liberation!

Divorce: The Magazine

"It’s Never Too Late to Have a Good Divorce," is the headline of a new magazine, out of Toronto, Divorce. Its purpose, writes editor Diana Shepherd, is not to endorse divorce, but to "encourage some couples to explore the possibility of staying together," but for those times that divorce is "your reality," to answer some questions. Another milestone of creativity by the free market designed to meet people’s perceived needs.

But somehow, a magazine which includes guidance on how to have the most healthy divorce gives one a sickening feeling in the pit of the stomach. It might by compared to a magazine called Murder, whose editor explains that his purpose is not to endorse murder, but to encourage some people to explore the possibilities of refraining from it. But to those times that murder is "your reality," we’re here to answer your questions: how to do it neatly, efficiently and at with least legal trouble. Or, let’s say, a magazine called Adultery, or Prostitution. Come to think of it, such magazines do exist, but with somewhat more respectable titles.

Back to the Basics

The U.S. Department of Education has provided funds to five middle schools to conduct a two-year experiment, holding same-sex classes–classes consisting only of boys or only of girls, The Washington Times reports (Dec. 15, p. A5). "Although it is too early to assess the success of the program, teachers and students taking part seem enthusiastic. And there’s more than anecdotal evidence to show: Girls’ grades improved immediately, especially in math and sciences. The elimination of distractions caused by the presence of members of the opposite sex is one of the advantages cited by advocates of same-sex classes." This is wonderful news, marred only by the question of why the taxpayer is paying a half-million dollars to each of the five schools participating in the program.

Christian Numerology

"The number eight was, for ancient Christianity, the symbol of the Resurrection, for it was on the day after the Sabbath, and so the eighth day, that Christ rose from the tomb. Furthermore, the seven days of the week are the image of the time of this world, and the eighth day of life everlasting. Sunday is the liturgical commemoration of the eighth day, at the same time a memorial of the Resurrection and a prophecy of the world to come…" J. Danielou, The Bible and the Liturgy

"…an eighth and eternal day, consecrated by the Resurrection of Christ… There we shall rest and see, see and love, love and praise." St. Augustine, City of God, Book 22, Ch. 30.

(Courtesy Eighth Day Books, a Christian publishing house located on 3700 E. Douglas #40, Wichita, KS 67208.)

The Performing Arts at WCSFIII

by David Eaton-NYC

The World Culture and Sports Festival in Washington, D.C. was undoubtedly one of the most significant events that our movement in America has produced. As director of the cultural programs of WCSF III I was presented with the challenge of fashioning a series of events that would reflect the spirit of True Parent's vision and values.

The following is a synopsis of the week's events.

New York City Symphony and Un Mundo at The Washington Times’ Arbor Ballroom.

This concert was created in order to highlight the work of the Washington Times in South America and its sister publication in Washington, Tiempos del Mundo. The concert featured two outstanding musicians from Venezuela, flutist Marco Granados and harpist Annette Leon in a performance of Mozart’s Concerto for Flute, Harp and Orchestra with members of the New York City Symphony, David Eaton conducting. Both soloists are of notable stature in there country (Miss Leon is the principal harpist with the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra in Caracas) and they performed with great panache and virtuosity as the caliber of their musicianship was extremely high.

The second half of the program feature Mr. Granados and his quartet Un Mundo in a program of Latin Jazz and Folk music. The quartet was of exceptional quality and they received a long standing ovation.

There were several dignitaries from South American Embassies in attendance and a reception followed the concert. Caroline Betancourt of the Washington Times and Matthew Goldberg of Tiempos del Mundo were co-producers of this event.

Spyro Gyra at the Omni Shoreham Ballroom.

Spyro Gyra is one of the pioneering groups of what is now known as "cool jazz." Their performance was of extremely high caliber as well. We expected that, given their reputation as one of America’s leading instrumental ensembles. The production aspects (handled by Kashmere Productions, Ltd. and New World Productions) were first rate and the reception of the audience was totally enthusiastic.

The MC for this event was radio personality Lee Hamilton of FM 105.9, the "cool jazz" station in DC.

Aaron Rosand at the Corcoran Gallery's Frances & Armand Hammer Auditorium

Aaron Rosand is on the last great exponents of the "Romantic" style of violin playing in the manner of Heifetz, Milstein, Oistrakh and Menhuin. His performance was completely masterful and he is a very giving performer.. He is a long time friend of our movement (he visited Father in Danbury) and was very happy to be part of the festival.

International Music Concert at Union Station’s East Hall.

The East Hall at Union Station is a great venue to hold an event. The majesty of the hall lent itself perfectly to our concert. The quality of the three ensembles; Alhambra (Middle Eastern Music) Music From China (Traditional Chinese instrumental music) and Hassan Hakmoun (music from Africa) was very high and the audience was very enthusiastic. This concert highlighted the multicultural aspect of the overall Festival.

Kirov Academy of Ballet at Tawes Hall, University of Maryland.

The Kirov Academy presented a completely first rate performance featuring two solo dancers of the Kirov Ballet in Russia, Yvgeni Ivanchenko and Irina Amosova. The students of the Kirov academy were totally charming. There was a very fine turn out as well with nearly 1000 people in attendance. Michael Beard, Executive Director of the Kirov Academy and his staff did a great deal to generate an audience and their efforts paid off. ¨

Shin Sekai Chamber Ensemble at the Corcoran Gallery

This ensemble is comprised of soprano Yoshimi Kadota, Violinist Makiko Tachugi, guitarist Isamu Nakashio and pianist Rikako Asanuma. Their performances were of a very high level and their heartistic commitment to this event was evident. Having worked with them on many other occasions I was especially proud of their efforts in this concert.

Flutist Marco Granados made a guest appearance in a performance of Astor Piazzolla’s "History of the Tango" for Flute and Guitar, a piece that has become very popular in the classical music repertory. He and Isamu Nakashio performed this piece with a refined sense of sensitivity.

New York City Symphony at Union Station

This concert was a free in the main hall of Union Station. The program was comprised of light classical and seasonal music and featured singers Raoul Joseph, Miyuki Harley and Yoshimi Kadota with the orchestra. As soon as the orchestra began playing hundreds of people gathered around to listen. Singers Raoul, Miyuki and Yoshimi conveyed a kind of heart that is very attractive and they were warmly received by the large audience.

Vickie Winans and Mavis Staples at the Lincoln Theater.

These two signers represent the new and old guard in the realm of Gospel Music. Though Vickie was working with us for the first time she was very gracious and totally professional. She sang to tracks and the audience really loved her performance. Mavis is a friend of our movement having performed at WFWP conferences and for Parents on one of our church Holy Day performances at the Manhattan Center. Performing with a band, Mavis had people dancing in the aisles by the end of her show.

The MC was Allison Wilson, a radio personality in the DC area and she did a fabulous job and really got the crowd into the spirit of the evening. The turn out for the concert was quite good; 900 people with the Mayor's office requesting 200 tickets as well.

"Images of Eden" Art Exhibit

The "Images of Eden" Art Exhibit was a highlight of the Festival. It was the largest visiting art show in Washington this year featuring 200 works of art by 60 artists representing 20 countries. The works ranged from 16th century Dutch masters Pieter Brueghel and Jacob Jordeans to contemporary artists Marc Chagall and Tom Nakashima, a well known Washington artist.

There were nearly 30 Unificationist artists represented and the media coverage seems to have been be quite substantial. Over 2000 people attended the exhibit which was coordinated by Michael and Elizabeth Ennis.

RFK Stadium Production

In addition to the Festival events there was considerable effort made on the stadium production. Steve Marks and David Carlin King of Carlin Enterprises were instrumental in fulfilling our talent, production and ground transportation needs. Their company was able to secure the talents of the Chinese Ribbon Dancers, the Eastern High School Band, the West African Dancers and the Apollo Karate Team.

Soprano Jamie Baer Peterson presented a heart rendering performance of "Morning of An Age" (composed by Kevin Pickard with the text by Randolph Remmel), a piece composed for the Assembly of the World Religions conference in 1985.

The contributions of Raoul Joseph and Miyuki Harley in the stadium production should not be overlooked. They performed "Your Heart will Open the Way" which was composed by Kevin Pickard for the Blessing '97 event. They also sang Eternal Love" and World of Love, tribute songs from the 1992 and 1995 Blessings. Raoul and Miyuki work so well as a duet and I believe the music from the previous WCSF’s was most complimentary to the occasion. Their set was just right to bring the Holy Spirit into the stadium environment.

Kevin Pickard recorded much of the ceremonial music that was utilized during the RFK proceedings. Linda Eisenberg and Larry Moffitt created the script for the Stadium show and their tireless efforts in making the day a cohesive event should not be underestimated.

In Hindsight -- A reflection.

I feel that the quality of performances and production/technical support was consistently high as there were no technical problems and the artistic integrity of each event was never compromised. Being in the Performing Arts for over 21 years has taught me a great many lessons. A reoccurring theme, one that Father himself has reiterated, is that the arts are like the face of our movement. They reflect our values and beliefs -- our culture.

Over? the years we haven’t always had the proper circumstances in which to present our cultural expressions and this cultural festival was a challenge in that regard. I feel that the quality was never compromised and as a result we could be very proud of the quality of that which was presented during the week of WCSF III.

For me personally WCSF was a very rewarding experience. Having been in the Performing Arts in our movement for over 21 years, WCSF III represented a culmination of sorts. This was a harvesting of many of the seeds that Parent’s have planted in the artistic world. I’m sorry there are not more fruit to bring to the altar-artists who can fully appreciate the Father’s commitment to marriage and fidelity as a way to build the ideal of world peace.

Obviously, Father has hope and a certain faith that we can eventually achieve our innermost goals as people (and artists). I remember Father saying that the criteria for becoming a great artist was to become a grandparent. Only after experiencing all realms of family love could one qualify to express the most profound emotions via ones creative endeavors. Obviously we all have a way to before can meet that criteria.

I feel very strongly that with the proper spiritual attitude and external circumstances, many of our more talented members can produce significant art. This was evident in the "Images of Eden" art exhibit and the work of Kevin Pickard (Music Director of the RFK production) Miyuki Harley, Raoul Joseph, Linda Eisenberg (Director of the RFK show) Larry Moffitt and the Shin Sekai Ensemble. WCSF provided an unique opportunity to display the talents of our members in a very positive fashion.

I thank God and True Parents for their support in making the Cultural events of WCSF III as successful as they were and pray for even greater success in the future.

This is the letter of introduction I wrote for the WCSFIII arts program.

Letter

In my thirty years as a professional musician I've had numerous occasions to perform for audiences throughout the world. Wherever my concert experiences have taken me, I have always been fascinated by how much people from diverse cultural backgrounds have in common. The universality of the human spirit is indeed a palpable reality, thus the artistic expressions of any given culture can provide unique insights to the heart and soul of humankind.

When asked by the World Cultural and Sports Festival to construct a series of events that would reflect world culture, I felt that expressing the universality of the human spirit through the arts would be a most felicitous way to pay tribute to the ideals of love and family; central themes of the Festival and elemental values cherished by people of all ethnic backgrounds.

I have always believed that artists could, and in fact should play significant role in creating conditions conducive to world peace and harmony. Obviously, the notion that art has persuasive affections is not new. Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Boethius and St. Augustine shared the belief that art possessed the power to impact the moral and ethical standards of society. Twentieth century German composer Paul Hindemith believed that once an artist believed that particular assertion, one should then use that power "with the severest sense of moral responsibility."

As we move toward the beginning of the new millennium, the arts will continue to have a profound influence on the attitudes and values of contemporary culture. It is my hope that by discovering commonality among various cultures through the efforts of the talented artists participating in this festival, a spirit of altruism can emerge and thereby stimulate our global consciousness to aspire for a world culture that embodies the noble and godly attributes of truth, beauty and goodness.

David Eaton was the Director of Cultural Events for WCSF III.

The Art of Listening

by David Kasbow-Detroit, MI

It’s ironic that in a society that is bombarded with information, where people get degrees in "communication," that an essential part of this communication, listening, is a lost art. It may be good sometimes to tune out the technological devices surrounding us, but when we tune out other people, we lose something valuable. When we listen to others at all it is usually with the purpose of responding with our own viewpoint. We are usually either speaking or preparing to speak. In this mode, nothing gets accomplished because the words go out and are lost. One reason it may be so hard is that we are never taught how to listen. In the world of communication skills, we are taught to write and to talk. We are also taught to read, which is a kind of listening, but we are never taught how to listen to others as they communicate directly to us. This is a tragedy, because listening to others is extremely powerful and extremely effective. We know the experience that when people laugh at our jokes we become funnier and funnier, and if they do not, the jokes in us weaken and sputter out. When someone listens to us, we unfold, create and grow. We know the principle of it: subject and object are both necessary for anything to exist. Who is the person you like to talk to? The one who has an opinion about everything (another subject) or the one who takes time to listen to what you have to say (an object)?

In relationships, listening is lacking especially by men, whether they be husbands, fathers or sons. We tend to be the problem solvers, we tend to "do" rather than to "be". It’s why men are lonelier than women, I think. Unless you listen, you don’t really know people. You don’t let them into your life.

It was Carl Rogers who popularized listening as a therapeutic tool. He named his approach to therapy "Client Centered." It is now the basis for most therapy. It stemmed from his belief that each individual has the desire and ability to grow and to solve his or her own problems. He believed that people have everything they need, and can do this well, if provided the right kind of environment, a supportive environment he called "Unconditional Positive Regard" (or what I would call unconditional love). During World War II, he trained the thousands of counselors needed to help returning veterans. He took lay people and taught them to create this kind of environment through listening. This gave them the ability to be a healing influence for others quite effectively. In sessions with clients, I am still amazed that just being there helps them. I may not answer any question, or give any insight, or solve any problem in a session, but they will say that the time spent together has been good and helpful.

The key technique of listening is deciding to be actively there for the other person more than for yourself. Steven Covey, author of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, encourages us to "seek to understand before we are understood." The goal is to not give your viewpoint, but to really understand the other person; to be able to walk in his or her shoes as closely as you can. Listening sounds like a passive enterprise, but it is actually hard work. Covey says that the result of this work gives the other person "psychological air." It meets a vital need in the person: to be appreciated for who they are; to be affirmed as a person; to really exist! There is a common expression, "I need my own space." But to really have this, we need another to be there also.

Once you can get in the space of being there for the other person, listening can be taken to an even higher level by being "reflective," being able to respond to the other person in such a way that you know where they are internally. This is done by simply reflecting back to the person the emotion underlying their words. When a person tells you his boss is an idiot, don’t tell him, "Well, why don’t you quit?" Don’t tell him, "You should not have this kind of attitude" and don’t even ask him "Why?" Instead, simply reflect back, "You sound angry." Be with him emotionally in the moment. I guarantee that he already knows he should not have this attitude, and actually, he already has some sense of what he should do. What he doesn’t have, which you can give, is the freedom to work his problem out in a non-judgmental, trusted environment, the "unconditional positive regard" mentioned above. When you can do this, people will open up, telling you things they would not say to anyone. The benefits will come back to you in the trust you gain and the bonds you create.

David Kasbow has an MRE from UTS and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Loyola College. He is currently the Michigan Family Church state leader, and works in both a clinic and private practice. He and his wife live in Livonia, Michigan.