One Flesh Theology

UViews December 98
Tyler Hendricks

The first chapter of Genesis teaches that God created man "in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." (NKJV) The details of this appear in the second chapter, where scripture says that God created the man out of the dust of the ground (2:7). God gave to the man a commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and then declared it was not good for man to be alone and that God would make him a helper comparable to him (2:18). Then God created the animals and birds from the ground and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them, "and whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name." (2:19) But there was nothing among these that was comparable to Adam. We know the rest:

"And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man." (2:21-22) Woman was unique from the beginning. God created Adam and all the other creatures "of the dust of the ground" (2:7, 19). Only woman did God not create of the dust of the ground. Woman He created out of the body of the man. From one body, God created two bodies. Thus the man's first words upon seeing woman were, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (2:23) Here we have the biblical foundation for the theology of marriage, what I am calling the one-flesh theology.

God created man out of Himself. Who were Adam's father and mother? God Himself was Adam's parent (Luke 3:38). Since God is male and female in image, God was Adam's father and mother. How can God be plural? Within God, as Christianity teaches us, there is plurality, the Trinity. The opening verses of the Bible tell of God and "the Spirit of God." It speaks of the mysterious "face of the deep" with the "Spirit of God hovering over the face of the waters" (Gen 1:2). From this perspective we can interpret the destiny of the man set forth in verse 24 of chapter 2: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh." Adam himself was to follow this path, leaving his "father and mother," God, and becoming one flesh with his wife.

Let us reflect on why it was not good for the man to be alone. It was not good because Adam alone was not the complete image of God. God cannot see His complete image or reflection in Adam along. God cannot see the fullness of male and female. Also, God cannot see His creativity in Adam alone. Without woman, man is not a creator in the ultimate sense. He cannot multiply children.

God created woman, "bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh." Out of one body, God created two bodies, and then God commanded them to become one body again and through that divine process, to multiply God's image. God's creativity is made incarnate in that unification into one body. The ultimate creativity is passed from the Creator to the creature. Therefore the one flesh in the Garden is a couple. This is very important: the one flesh created in the Garden of Eden is a couple, a husband and wife. God never calls Adam or Eve as individuals "one flesh." To the contrary, He calls their union one flesh. The body is a couple. Reflecting, we can see that the reason is that the body of God is infleshed by love, and the power that makes of Adam and Eve one flesh is love.

To make it a formula, Adam + Eve + love = one flesh. If we take out love, we do not have one flesh. And from whence is the love? From God. And since God is love, we can restate the formula, Adam + Eve + God = one flesh.

Because of the fall, Adam and Eve came together as one flesh centering on Satan, not God. Their motive was physical lust and spiritual rebellion. They were outside the Garden. And so the fruit of Eve’s womb was cursed, not blessed (Deut 28:4, 18) The purpose of God from that point on was to rebuild the body, and the body is a couple. This is symbolized in the Old Testament by God calling Himself the husband of His wife, Israel (for instance, Jer 3:14, 31:32; Hos 2:16-17). It is symbolized in the New Testament by St. Paul calling Christ the husband of his bride, the church. "I promised you to one husband, to Christ," Paul writes to the church in Corinth, "so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him." (2 Cor 11:2) The point is that to rebuild the body means to restore a couple, a married couple. The body in the Garden was a couple, Adam and Eve. The body in the Old Testament was a couple-symbolized by God and Israel as husband and wife. The body in the New Testament is a couple, symbolized by Jesus and the church as husband and wife.

Therefore, John’s Gospel records that Jesus called the people to become one flesh and blood with him on the earth. After the miracle of the loaves and fishes, many people followed Jesus. He told them that the physical bread is not the point, but that he would give them food for eternal life (John 6:27). Then he declared that he himself is "the bread of life" given for the sake of the world, and that all people should "eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood.… Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." (John 6:48-56 passim) In other words, Jesus was telling the people that they should become one body with him. Knowing that Israel was chosen to be the wife of God, and that Eve, the primordial wife, was called to become one body with her husband, we can see that Jesus was calling Israel to enter into a relationship of the most profound love with him.

Tragically, this was the very message that Israel rejected. "On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?’" Jesus’ response was to spiritualize the message: "Does this offend you? What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing." (John 6:61-62) Nonetheless, "From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him." (John 6:66) Only twelve remained and one of them, Jesus said, "is a devil" (John 6:70).

Jesus had wanted to give the blessing to Israel as couples. In John 4 we have the revelatory story of the woman at the well. Again Jesus spoke of the life that he came to give us, this time referring to it as "living water." The Samaritan woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." To this, Jesus said, "Go, call your husband and come back." (John 4:13-16)

Now, the story goes on with the woman telling Jesus that she had no husband, and Jesus replying that he already knew that. Immediately it turns into another miracle tale, because the woman becomes excited about Jesus’ surprising knowledge and she tells everyone and they gather and honor Jesus, becoming his followers (John 4:40-41). Presumably these were among those who fell away in John 6. Miracles do not make good disciples.

The point I want to make here is that most Bible readers also are distracted by the miracle of Jesus’ knowing everything about the woman. Therefore they ignore what it was that he told her to do in answer to her simple request for the living water that gives eternal life: "Go, call your husband and come back." Now, Jesus knew that the man she was living with was not her husband (John 4:18). We have to conclude that he was ready to accept this man, had she acted in complete faith and obedience to his words, as her husband, and to give them the living water-the blessing-as husband and wife. Through her faith, she and her husband would have been saved-but only them together, not she by herself.

But none in Israel had such faith. So at the Last Supper, Jesus broke the bread-his body was broken on the cross. And he shared the wine-his blood was shed on the cross. Israel could no longer become one body with him, physically. The body of Christ became the mystical body. This mystical body, the church, was brought into existence by the advent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit, Jesus’ partner in heaven, brought the bride on the earth into existence.

God led Paul to a deepening understanding of the relationship between the husband and wife as one flesh and Christ and the church as one flesh in Ephesians 5. And here the Genesis passage reappears about the man leaving his father and mother and uniting to his wife and the two becoming one flesh. Here Paul has all the right elements. The elements are Christ and the church, husband and wife, and mind and body ("husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies… we are members of his [Christ’s] body" vv. 28, 30). Unfortunately, but understandably, Paul does not see how it all fits together, and he concludes "this is a profound mystery" (v. 32).

And the New Testament never clarifies this mystery. On the one hand, the Holy Spirit guides husbands and wives to be faithful to each other, for their bodies belong not to themselves but to their spouse (1 Cor 7:4). On the other hand we have the dramatic vision in Revelation of the bride of Christ descending from the heavens to meet her husband in the wedding of the Lamb. Through it all, the dominant images remain "bride" and "children."

It is no wonder that the New Testament maintains a tone of expectation, of a promise that one day will be fulfilled, because the positions of bride and children are positions that presuppose a goal not yet reached. A bride is betrothed but not yet married. Children are not yet adults, and of course are not yet married. Thus Jesus and Paul both counseled that, given this state of affairs, the unmarried, celibate status is preferable to that of marriage (Mt 19, 1 Cor 7, Gal 3:18-if there is no male or female in Christ, surely there can be no marriage in Christ). We cannot, in the ultimate sense, make one body on earth as a married couple, because Christ himself did not form one body on earth with his bride, Israel. His one body was formed in the spirit, in the church.

Since the church is the body of Christ, the church is the mediator of salvation. It is the dwelling place of God. From the viewpoint of salvation, everything else is epiphenomenal-a side issue, subsidiary to the real deal. Your job is not your salvation, your education is not your salvation, your wealth is not your salvation, nor is your power, fame or good looks. And your family is not your salvation. Only the church.

This is why the New Testament churches have no fundamental argument against homosexual marriage or homosexual ordination. The church is the sine qua non of salvation; only it is absolute.

But this is not the original ideal of the Garden. As Philip Schanker puts it, God did not create a church in the Garden of Eden. He created a man and a woman and told them that their destiny was to become one flesh through His love. God has been working to restore that one flesh through His love ever since. In these last days, these latter times, Jesus has sent Reverend Sun Myung Moon to clarify this mystery. He and his wife, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, have established the perfection of the one flesh, and have established the conditions for everyone of us to access that perfection, that realm of God’s glorious love. They have made the foundation for the society, for the nation, for the world and for the spirit world to access it, to become one body of God. So this is a great and glorious day, about which the world for the most part remains in darkness.

Reverend built a church because the churches that Jesus built abandoned him. But his goal from the beginning-from before the creation of the world-was to transition the body of God from the church to the family. In the establishment of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, this has come to pass. The family is now the vehicle of salvation. This is one dimension of Reverend Moon’s statement that the age of religion has passed. The church is now epiphenomenal to the family.

These are my reflections, which, I must admit, are evolving day by day. We live in a fast-changing time and horizons are opening continually. But I wanted to share some of what I have been thinking about.

Recommended Reads

If you have time for reading in this season, I have a few recommendations.

THE WAY OF THE SPIRITUAL LEADER (Part 2), which is part of the Hoon Dok Hae series. The entire series is amazing, and True Father’s emphasis at this time is the volumes on spirit world. But I have also been reading this volume because I need to learn Father’s teachings on church building. Here it is, in spades. I find that virtually everything that I read from other church growth authorities is also present in Father’s words. Remember, Father built his church in the 1950s and 1960s. By the time he came to America he was not working on the church-building stage, but had broader agendas. Recently Father explained that the Korean National Messiahs’ mission is to teach the rest of us how to do ministry. We in America did not experience first hand Father’s "church building ministry." This book gives amazing insights into the way that Father started our church in Korea and how he guided the early pioneers. (I don’t know why I started with Part 2; I am sure that Part 1 is just as informative.)

Staying on the topic of church growth, I have five more recommendations.

REINVENTING AMERICAN PROTESTANTISM by Donald E. Miller. This one is my current rave. Miller is a sociologist who studied in-depth three Christian movements that arose out of Southern California over the last twenty years-Calvary Chapel, Vineyard Christian Fellowship and Hope Chapel. These he sees as typical of "new paradigm" Christianity. They are booming movements, comprising between them somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 churches, three-quarters in America and one-quarter outside of America. There are striking similarities between what they are doing and many of Father’s directions for us that we, for whatever reasons, have not accomplished.

THE PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH by Rick Warren. This is an industry standard detailing the internal theory and organization of Warren’s church, which would fall into Miller’s "new paradigm" category. It is a primer out of which you can gain many ideas for immediate application in YOUR church.

COMMUNITY 101: RECLAIMING THE LOCAL CHURCH AS COMMUNITY OF ONENESS by Gilbert Bilezikian. Bilezikian is the mentor and theological inspiration, I am told, of Bill Hybels, founder of the Willow Creek Community Church. This book begins with theology and moves quickly to application in the local church. The application part is the most important for us. I can resonate with almost everything he says. The only piece missing is the family. He views Adam and Eve as progenitors of the original community. This is correct, of course, but he pays no attention to their role as parents and their family as prior to the community. To be fair to Bilezikian, he may have treated this in another work. In any case, there are good lessons to be drawn for church development.

BECOMING A CONTAGIOUS CHRISTIAN by Bill Hybels and Mark Mittelberg. It’s just a great book of instructions about witnessing by some guys who know how to do it in America. They also offer video and audio tapes and a complete course outline based on the book.

THE CELL CHURCH by Larry Stockstill. This is an instructive book about how to develop your church through small group life. Since the Family Federation is basically a small group activity, it is helpful for us to see how some folks have taken this idea and made it work. [See Chris Corcoran’s review in this issue of Unification News.]

FIRST THINGS. This is a monthly magazine published by Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. It is always engaging and sometimes positively brilliant. Pick up the December 1998 issue for the symposium on contraception. True Father is against birth control, you know. So is the Pope. Are you? Have you thought about the spiritual meaning of opposition to birth control? I think it that the Catholic magisterium is tapping a deep vein of truth here, one that we Unificationists should mine even deeper. This symposium is a good opening salvo.

Ocean Challenge in Kodiak with True Parents

by Rev. Lloyd Howell-Philippines

In early September True Parents called various FFWPU leaders, mostly National Messiahs, half a dozen Continental Directors and other miscellaneous leaders, to Kodiak, Alaska, to participate in a meeting which later turned out to be a 40-day Ocean Challenge workshop.

The first to arrive was Rev. Howell followed by the rest of the Asia team consisting of the Rev. & Mrs. Byung Wooh Kim, Kyle and Shinyo Kim, Mr. Young Tae Park (Mrs. Kim's younger brother), Andrew Lim from Singapore, Dr. Lek and Tony Aparo representing Thailand, Umberto Angelucci representing India and Ralph Jensen, Taiwan.

Having arrived ten days early the Asia team received great benefit in being able to have some intimate moments with True Parents and to attend many breakfasts and dinners at True Parents' table. But most wonderful was to be able to camp out and salmon fish amid the splendor of Marka Bay and other scenic locations. During that time camera shutters were constantly clicking away as attendees captured prized photos of silver salmon and True Parents.

Most other attendees arrived about 10 days later whereupon the multi-purpose nature of the workshop was announced. These being: 1) unity between first and 2nd generations; 2) unity between Adam messiahs in Pantanal, Paraguay, where they too were holding a 40-day fishing challenge, and Cain and Abel messiahs in Kodiak; and 3) to inherit Father's vision for the ocean and love of creation.

The schedule consisted of several hours a day of Hoon Dok Hae, most of it in Korean with comments and guidance by Father, lectures by Continental Directors, testimonies, boat handling and orientation both in the classroom and on the ocean, and ocean and river fishing. Later participants were given a test administered by the U.S. Coast Guard--which all the Asia team passed!

For this writer it was very inspiring to meet and get to know Father's heir and now vice president of the FFWPU, Hyun-Jin Nim who was simultaneously holding his own training program for 2nd generation leaders. His dignified and confident posture spoke of a young man who stood on his own indemnity foundation as a true 4th Adam.

However among all of this writer's experiences the most memorable was to look into Father's eyes and see absolute faith and trust extended once again to us who have so many times failed to meet the heavenly standard. Father poured out his heart and belief in us attendees without reserve--a resurrecting experience indeed.

Of particular interest to this national messiah to the Philippines was to arrive at Kodiak airport expecting to observe native Alaskans only to find that those who I first thought to be Alaskans were actually Filipinos! In fact, as it turned out, Filipinos comprise about one third of Kodiak's population and can be found everywhere: working in supermarkets, McDonald's and as laborers in local fish factories.

Rev. Lloyd Howell is national messiah to the Philippines

New Hope East Garden

by Melvin Perry-Los Angeles, CA

Reprinted from American Neighborhood, newsletter of the Unification Community of Northern California.

The first thing I can say about being at New Hope East Garden is that it’s both Heaven and hell. When we left Los Angeles we had the pleasure of traveling with Thomas Hwang, the Korean National Messiah to China. Arriving at New Hope East Garden, we saw huge buildings all lit up like Las Vegas. Two years ago Kevin Thompson was here; the only building at the time was True Parents’ house. Now it dwarfs compared to the size of the buildings there now.

Our personal room we stayed in was similar to a Motel 6 room. Father really wanted couples, especially three generations of a family, to attend. Three generations of a Blessed family is a complete four position foundation. Attending the 40-day workshop in Jardim is equal to attending True Parents for three years.

The first three workshops are set up as a family: Korea as the Father Nation, Japan as the Mother Nation and America as the Elder Son Nation. The workshop has two primary functions, one being the registration for the Kingdom of Heaven. Only families can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. That is why people are asked to come as couples and/or families. By completing the course, taking a test, making a monetary offering and taking a picture with True Parents, a couple can receive the True Parents Blessing, which is the Clan-level Blessing, meaning to be able to Bless your children and relatives, to be in the Fourth Adam position, to be recognized by God and spirit world as part of True Parents’ family, and to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (or "green card").

The second part of the workshop is for helping Japan. True Father has given the Japanese members a deadline by which to fulfill their responsibilities as an Eve nation or True Father will have no choice but to destroy the island. These workshops are set up to help educate the Japanese members how to fulfill that responsibility. Even Japanese members not living in Japan are asked to attend these workshops. By setting up enough conditions True Father wants to avoid the consequences if they fail.

True Father did say that America is close to accepting True Parents. But if Japan is destroyed, then according to Principle the sins of the parents would go to the children. America will have to indemnify all the sins and grudges that Japan left unfulfilled. Korea is also going through tough times as well. Many of the church businesses are facing financial difficulties.

The reason True Parents went to South America is really a sad story. In 1994, True Father wanted to start a new cultural movement in Korea. But all the Korean leaders turned against True Father. This is True Parents’ third attempt to offer a nation to God so True Father went to Brazil and made the Sao Paulo Declaration in 1995. Very simply, True Father made the members responsible for following the traditions of True Parents by having absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience towards God, True Parents, mankind, creation and the world. True Father also declared that he will build a nation for God by the year 2002.

Since 1995, True Father has been working nonstop in building that nation. Centering on Jardim, True Father drew a circle going out 200 kilometers. From one end of the circle to the other is 400 kilometers. It is about the size of Korea. Then True Father has been buying all the land within that circle. True Father appointed families to be messiahs to one of the 33 cities inside the circle. They have to pre-bless and educate 5,000 couples, and build a church center. True Father is going to develop agriculture, forestry, industry and marine biology. In the near future True Father is going to move all church businesses to areas within the circle. He is also going to have Unification church families come live there forever.

When True Father declared New Hope East Garden, the new Garden of Eden, he took off his shoes and socks and walked around the entire campsite. Two Korean leaders are responsible for the building of the new nation: Pres. Kim and Dr. Yeon. True Father is the main lecturer there while Dr. Oyamada explains more clearly to the members what True Father is saying.

While True Father is lecturing, he can be both entertaining and at times dead serious to all the members-especially to the Japanese members. At the first two workshops Japanese and Koreans were brought to tears as True Father lectured to them about the importance of fulfilling their responsibility. In many cases True Father would be face to face with Japanese brothers shedding tears.

The workshop schedule is set up to allow lots of free time for families to be together. During the 40 days there, there are different tours to go on. All of them clearly show how True Father is preparing the new nation for members and for God. True Father is also building a hospital and an international airport. The school is almost ready to open soon. True Father is letting the members decide whether to come to New Hope East Garden. After 40 days I can honestly say that someday I want to go back and live there. Members really get a chance to live the lifestyle that True Parents live, a lifestyle which makes 40 days at Chungpyung look like a vacation.

Everyone there is totally convinced that True Father is the messiah. With all that is happening in the True Family, members who went to New Hope East Garden are uniting with True Parents 100%. Even after I heard what Nan Sook Nim, Un Jin Nim and others stated, I have never doubted True Father being the Messiah. Right now the only person who is totally united with True Father is True Mother- both as an object partner and as someone representing Eve. And True Father is really looking for families who can not only follow True Parents but become True Parents themselves.

True Father is almost 80 years old. When he turns 80, True Father will no longer give public speeches to members. If anyone wants to hear True Father speak, going to Brazil is the only way now to hear him. True Father also made it clear that he is going to go to spirit world soon. There are many timetables True Father is finishing up, all mostly by the year 2002. True Father stated that if the Feb. 7, 1999 Blessing is a victory, then the age of the Kingdom of Heaven will be here.

I hope everyone can go and attend the 40-day workshop. The experiences that Mika and I had down there are a lifetime treasure.

A New Beginning in Seoul

by Linna Rapkins

This time, we find Father back in Seoul. After leaving Pusan and Taegu, going to Seoul in October 1953, and then returning to Pusan for a December visit, he returned to Seoul in early 1954, accompanied by Mr. Eu.

Father's surprise visit to his little group in Pusan turned into a wonderful and inspiring 21-day revival. On the 22nd day, Father prepared to return to Seoul, so Mr. Eu packed his things to go, too. He had joined the group before actually meeting Father, and now that he had spent 21 days with him, Mr. Eu knew he wanted to be Father's helper forever and work by his side.

A New Church

When they arrived in Seoul in early 1954, Mr. Eu quickly found a small place where they could live. Right away, Father began thoroughly teaching Mr. Eu the Divine Principle. They also prayed long hours that people might be led to their place. Mr. Eu quickly learned how earnest Father was about his mission and how hard this work would be.

Before long, a few people did start coming--one here; one there. This was good, but it wasn't enough. Father knew it would be important to get the Christian churches to help him, so he and Mr. Eu went to Christians again and again, telling them about God's new message and praying deeply for them.

Despite their hard work, however, the same thing happened as before. The Christian people heard Father teaching about God and Jesus. His stories were different from what was taught in their churches, so they thought Father must be from Satan. They stayed away.

During this time, one of the men who had joined in Taegu arrived in Seoul to join Father. We know him today as David S.C. Kim, the former President of Unification Theological Seminary in America.

This man had been a high ranking government official under Syngman Rhee for 14 years. He wasn't like just any government man, however. He was also very spiritual. God had saved his life during the war and had given him a spiritual experience he couldn't forget. He really wanted to work for God, but he wasn't sure how. He went to church faithfully and led the choir, but he knew there had to be more to a spiritual life than that.

When his friend, Mr. Aum, suggested to Mr. Kim in February 1954 that he should visit Sun Myung Moon's little group in Taegu, he did it. After hearing the teaching and after a couple of inspiring spiritual experiences, he became one of Father's followers.

When he appeared in Seoul, then, Father welcomed him warmly and put him right to work.

One day soon thereafter, Father seemed to have made up his mind about something.

"The people in the churches still do not want to work with me," he told Mr. Eu." But if I have no church, I cannot bring Christians together. If I can't get Christians to work together, the same thing will happen to me that happened to Jesus: I will be killed, and the Christians will go through terrible suffering."

Mr. Eu was very disturbed to hear this, but he didn't know what he could do to help.

"So--," continued Father, not waiting for an answer, "we will just have to create our own church and start from the beginning."

Mr. Eu's eyebrows went up. This sounded like a good idea, but would it be possible? There was just the two of them in Seoul.

Understanding his thoughts, Father added, "It would have been much easier if the churches had united with me, but I just can't wait for them any longer."

Mr. Eu didn't dare think over how possible it might be; he simply gave Father the support he needed and nodded his head.

The building they found for their new church didn't look like a church at all. It was old and rickety. The front door was warped from the rain and lack of paint, so it was difficult to open and close. The roof looked wavy along the top, because the building was sinking in some places, and some of the tiles were missing from the roof. Holes in the walls had been patched over with more old boards, and many of the paper windows were torn. And most strange of all, half of the building was painted red!

Father and his little band were not daunted, however. They scrubbed the building from top to bottom. Then they set to work painting a sign that proclaimed who they were: "Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. "

After nailing it in place, they stood back to admire their handiwork. Suddenly, they burst out laughing. The sign was almost as big as the house itself.

"Is this a good place to unite Christianity?" asked Father.

"Absolutely," answered Mr. Eu and Mr. Kim jovially.

They bowed their heads then and thanked Heavenly Father for their church, which later became known by a shorter name: Unification Church. It was May 1, 1954, the day Father's group of disciples became a church.

Their days were busy, indeed. There was no central figure standing over Father, telling him what to do. Although Father could feel God by his side, he didn't wait to be told what to do. He took responsibility to figure out what must be done, and then he did it.

Father followed his regular schedule. Every morning, he rose before the sun and climbed one of Seoul's mountains to pray. For him, prayer was even more important than food.

Mr. Eu worked hard, also. Father wanted him to do all the teaching, so he studied the Divine Principle long hours. He outlined it. He drew diagrams to help explain it. He prayed over it. And soon he was the official teacher. During his lectures, Father sat by his side, and Mr. Eu could feel his support. He knew Father was praying for him all through the lecture. If a guest asked difficult questions, Father would sometimes help Mr. Eu with the answers.

Before long, there were six members living with Father, sharing one room and the three old blankets they owned. They ate from one bowl. In fact, they did almost everything together.

But despite this encouraging beginning, the time came when they couldn't convince anyone else to join. Day after day, no one came to hear about the Divine Principle.

"Hyo Won," said Father one day. "What do you plan to do today?"

"Pray and study and witness," said Mr. Eu.

"Not teach?" asked Father.

"There's no one to teach, Sun Sengnim. "

"Hyo Won," continued Father, "I want you to teach anyway. "

Mr. Eu tried not to show his surprise.

"From now on, I want you to teach every day, even if no one comes," continued Father. "This will make a good condition for people to come. And don't forget--Spirit World is always listening. "

"Yes, Sun Sengnim," promised Mr. Eu. "I will teach. "

Day after day, they prayed and witnessed And day after day, leaning on his cane for support or sitting in a chair, Mr. Eu lectured long hours, pouring his heart out to the thousands of people in Spirit World.

Still, no people came. It became more and more difficult to do anything. It was like trudging through thick mud, with their feet getting heavier and heavier. Everything was indemnity. It was hard to keep going.

"Is it going to be just the seven of us forever?" they wondered "Maybe we're crazy after all."

Father worried about them. Could he keep them from leaving?

"Just don't give up," he urged them. "Hold on. Things will get better--I promise. You can do it." He reminded them, "God loves you very much. He doesn't want you to have to suffer, but you're the only helpers He has right now, so you're the most important people in the world."

Father also sang with them a lot, and soon there was one song they sang over and over that became their favorite:

Jesus walked that lonesome valley;
He had to walk it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could walk it for him;
He had to walk it by himself.

Jesus had to stand his trial;
He had to stand it by himself.
Oh, nobody else could stand it for him;
He had to stand it by himself.

We must go and stand our trials;
We have to stand them by ourselves.
Oh, nobody else can stand them for us;
We have to stand them by ourselves.

They sang it over and over and over--twice, three times, 20 times, 30. Then they felt stronger and more determined.

Then, Father promised them, "By the end of October we will find new members, and they will be very good quality people, too."

Even so, there were many days when they could find nothing more hopeful than his words.

New Members

October arrived, and just as Father had promised, new people began coming. The six months of indemnity were paying off at last, and it was easier to feel hope.

Mr. Eu had to lecture longer hours now--all day and into the night. The more he taught, the more he felt the inspiration that Father had always felt, and he continued teaching long after exhaustion should have set in. The days went something like this.

Guests arrived for lectures in the morning. They heard lectures until noon. They took a break for lunch. Then, back they went into the little lecture room to sit on the floor all afternoon, listening to one long lecture. Dinner came and went.

Then Mr. Eu and the others gathered around the guests, bowing and smiling pleasantly. "Please, won't you stay for the evening? There are some interesting things we would like to explain to you now.

Father had learned that, whenever guests went home after only one day, they always got involved with their family problems, and hardly ever returned. So he tried to convince the guests to stay at least three days. Some of them did.

Even though the Korean War was over, there was still a curfew of midnight in Seoul. This means no one was allowed to be outside after that time. Mr. Eu always got so inspired during his lectures, he seemed to forget about time and curfews. Soon it was 11:00; then 11:30. The guests fidgeted nervously, but he just didn't stop lecturing.

Just when he seemed to be ending the lecture, he announced, "Now, I want to introduce you to our honorable teacher, Sun Myung Moon, the one who received this revelation from God."

The young man, who had been sitting silently beside Mr. Eu or in the back of the room, stood up and bowed to them. All day the guests had seen this young man in the simple clothes, and they thought he was just one of the members. Since Mr. Eu was doing the teaching and seemed to know all the answers, and since he looked somewhat older and was sometimes sitting in a kingly-looking chair, they assumed HE was the leader.

Once they got over their surprise, however, they were happy to meet this mysterious young man named Moon. As soon as Father began speaking to them, they could feel his power and his love, and they wondered why they hadn't known before who he was. They felt as if they never wanted to leave.

Father liked to ask his disciples to sing for the guests. Some of them had voices that were not exactly soothing, but then they sang with such love, it was as if God Himself was singing. The guests felt something beautiful stirring in their hearts.

Soon, it was well after midnight. "Oh, I'm so sorry I kept you too long," Father apologized. "Is it too late to go home?"

They nodded their heads, not knowing what to do, and not really wanting to leave.

"Well, then, won't you please stay here for the night?" he asked. They had no choice but to accept his invitation. If they went home after midnight, they would be arrested for breaking curfew.

They all slept on the floor. Whenever there were only a few people spending the night, there were enough quilts to go around. But when many people stayed, the quilts couldn't reach over all of them, and they had to depend on their body heat to keep them warm.

Next morning, basins of cold water were brought for washing their faces. Then, after a simple breakfast, someone would say, "Please stay for another lecture--OK?"

"Well, I've stayed one day and night already," they reasoned to themselves. "I guess another lecture won't make much difference. But I wonder why I don't even want to leave. " It felt like a loving blanket had been tucked around them.

After another day of lectures, the same routine happened. Listen to Moon Son Sengnim. Eat some rice and kimchee. Sing some songs. Share some thoughts. Curfew. Too late to go home. Alright, sleep under the quilts.

The third day--the same thing. Mr. Eu lectured all day. By evening, the last lecture came to an end. When the guests stood up to go, the family members brought out special cakes and cookies. Well, they couldn't refuse those now, could they?

The feeling in the air was like heaven. They gazed around the room as they ate the little cakes, wondering why they felt as if they might float away. Love filled the air; it filled their hearts. They couldn't explain it, exactly; they just knew they felt something very good.

At home that night, they were soon brought down to earth by the familiar problems of work and family life. Still, even after several days, they couldn't forget Teacher Moon. They began plotting how they could return.

In the days ahead, Father pushed himself to do more and more. Just when he thought he couldn't move another inch, he moved another mile. He always felt desperate to find more members and to keep the members he already had.

Father prayed for the members day and night. He spent many hours with them, teaching them all he knew. He forgot about himself. Whenever someone brought food to him, he might eat it absent-mindedly or he might not get around to it. Many days, he forgot to eat anything at all--one day, two days, three days. He didn't really plan to fast; he just forgot to eat.

Sometimes, he took everyone up on a mountain to pray. They prayed in unison for a long time, their voices growing louder and louder, their bodies shaking and swaying in the cold wind. Sometimes, their words joined together into one voice. It seemed as if they were saying the same thing, all together, in the same rhythm. They felt as if they might float up into the air, and they forgot the coldness of the wind.

While praying, some of them opened their eyes a moment, and they noticed Father gazing off into space with a sort of far away look, his eyes shining as if he were seeing a vision. They looked up into the sky, too; but they saw only clouds. One woman was spiritually open, however; and she saw Jesus come down on a cloud and talk to Father. Bright lights were everywhere--around Jesus, around Father, around the people. It was dazzling.

Father became very tired. After weeks of keeping this kind of schedule, he reached a state of exhaustion. His eyes became red and scratchy from lack of sleep; and at times, he couldn't even open his eyes fully in the sunlight. He felt like closing them and sleeping for at least a year. His bones ached; his muscles ached. He even had a problem with his nose bleeding, because he was so worn out. His throat hurt from talking so much, and he got canker sores in his mouth and on his tongue. When he talked, it felt like fire.

Some of the people noticed this and wept for him. "Please, get some rest, Master," they begged. "You don't have to talk to us tonight." They wished they could somehow make it easier for him. Father appreciated their love, but he still felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and he could not rest.

This was the beginning of Unification Church in Seoul, Korea. But a time of difficulty was just around the corner.

My Experience at Jardim

by Lloyd Hudson

Monkeys, macaus, anacondas, paranas, parrots, mosquitos, beans & rice. What do all these things have in common? They are all elements for wonderful sightseeing in Brazil as well as good fishing, dangerous habitants,friendly wildlife, and delicious eating. All of these ingredients together is the reason 40 days at New Hope East Garden in Jardim, Brazil was such a great experience.

Taking an historic picture with True Parents, daily reading of Hoon Dok Hae, participating in work projects and being directly educated by True Parents in true love and ideal family living. These are the main activities that make up the workshop schedule at New Hope East Garden. They make for an experience not to be missed and one that you will never forget.

How long has it been since members who could not speak the Korean language have an opportunitry to sit in an audience where True Parents were giving speeches, guidiance and sometimes one on one counseling in the thought and practice of truew love? I think we can all respond to that question in total unity. It's been too long!! Right?

These training sessions going on in Brazil are designed to educate the whole family in true love and heavenly tradition. Anyone thinking that they should go to Chung Pyung Lake before going to Brazil should think again. Father is calling all U.C. members worldwide to come to South America A.S.A.P! True parents are not in Chung Pyung Lake at this time. Where are they? They're in Jardim, Brazil. And wherever True Parents are thats where we ought to want to be, Amen?

During a session where True Parents were speaking in the huge temple on the New Hope East Garden property, Father lamented with great frustration "Why are there so few couples here? I wanted to give a great blessing!" The significance of this workshop may not be glaringly obvious initially and it may take some time before brothers and sisters start going to Brazil in mass, but when the full scope of this workshop is percieved many members will regret that they didn't respond to Father's call right away.

This workshop in short allows members to condense a 40 year period of attendance of True Parents into 40 days. Family education, practice of true love and heavenly tradition over the duratrion of this period qualifies each family to be bropught into the the lineage of True Parents. Upon graduation you get the precious opportunity to have a picture of your family or couple taken together with True Parents. In other words ; this is considered to be the family level blessing. It is also registration into the kingdom of heaven. Without going through this 40 day training no one can be registered for the kingdom of heaven. Father is calling for 3 generations to attend this workshop. Children, parents, and grandparents. When my wife and I went to Brazil in the middle of the 1st workshop, which started July 22nd, they had what I would call a familyhood ceremony; meaning it was very much like our sisterhood ceremonies. We were matched together with a Korean halmoni.

Her couple is from the 430 couple blessing. She was there without her husband. After we matched she immediately took to us with a warm and embracing spirit. Her name was Mrs. Sao. She took hold of us like a mother hen and led us around the temple showing us off to her friends as if we were prize specimens. In reality she was really the prize because she showed us so much heartic love while she was there. We came late so we got ot see her leave going back to Korea.

Marie and I had many deep experiences which cannot be told at this time because of the lack of time and space in this paper. To conclude this testimony we only hope and pray that members can really catch the South American spirit and respond to the call of our True Parents.

Mom, I think I’m starting to get bigger!

By Rob Sayre

Our daughter was only three when she proclaimed this truth. It has stuck with us through the years. Whenever either of our girls does something that seems like a landmark for a certain age, either my wife or I will turn to the other and say, "these kids are starting to get bigger." We nod our heads and smile. This fall however, both our girls became teenagers! A scary thought for us as parents, not to mention our unmentionable ages! I thought I’d share with the readers of the Unification News some of our experiences with parenting teens. At least what we know to date!A year ago, our older daughter, a freshman in High School auditioned for the fall drama production.

The play to be produced was "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder. It was guest directed by the Head of the Drama Department at Lafayette College. It is set in the mythical town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire at the turn of the century. My "little girl" was cast as Emily, the lead female part. In it, Emily grows up, gets married to her childhood sweetheart, bears a child, dies at the age of 26 and returns from Spirit World to the people and places she experienced while on Earth. She sees how limited their lives were, how often shallow their time was. It is a wonderful play. During the final performance, we were seated next to the parents of the boy "Emily" marries. There was "my little girl" in a beautiful white gown, looking ever so grown up and radiant, reciting her vows with a handsome young man and looking so happy! My wife and the wife of the groom were crying. It was a surreal experience to say the least. I was half expecting the go to a reception afterward and dance one last dance with "my little girl." Instead, the entire cast went out for pizza and our girl came home the same charming and buoyant young girl.

Or was she the same? Since then, she's taken on a more mature air about her, at times. She can still be silly, laughing and giggling with her sister and sometimes serious and thoughtful. In her honors English class, she is reading serious novels, writing in-depth about important issues and can discuss and argue quite effectively. She is also on the debate team, which I have reservations about. She is becoming more effective in her negotiations with me. She is becoming a young woman.

Prior to my younger turning 13, I declared, in jest that as the True Father of the household, I was halting all birthdays for one year. No one would turn older this year. They just laughed at me. I was half-serious. My thoughts have also been on the blessing, how to help my girls prepare for it and their future happiness and lives. I’ve come to realize that all we can do, as parents is help prepare them to make the right decisions. Even the blessing must be their choice. We can influence their direction and thinking, expose them to our traditions, values and theology, we can set strict guidelines on the types of people they interact with, but in the end it will be their decision. This is as it should be. I’ve been working pretty hard the last 4-5 years to give them experiences that will help them make the Principle their own and to experience God’s Heart. This is the best I can do. I have so many questions. Under what circumstances will their matching occur? When? What happens if Father passes on prior to "their time?" What happens if they choose not to pursue the matching? I do not know the answers to these questions. I know I’ll be more nervous about their blessing than my own. This is as it should be.

Rob & Sally Sayre live in rural eastern Pennsylvania with their two girls, two cats and their wacky dog, Banjo. Sally teaches in the public school system and runs the drama club for the Middle School. Rob is a management consultant and software developer. They, with several other dedicated families organize Youth and Family Camps and other activities for the 2nd Generation. For more information on these see www.bccamps.a9.org.

Let Us Document the Completed Testament Pentecost

by Cathi Close-Arlington, VA

And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, you old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions. Even upon your menservants and maidservants in those days, I will pour out my spirit. Joel, 2:28

In how many countless ways has God reached out to touch many of us directly through prayer, spiritual dreams, visions and revelations? While each experience by itself is meaningful, it is only through combining our individual testimonies that we are able to comprehend more fully the extent to which God is working to create not only oneness of heart but oneness of purpose in this world.

Many people share the awareness that we are now living in the Last Days. Through the understanding of the Divine Principle, we have been given a unique understanding concerning the role of a central providential history which has been ongoing throughout the ages.

It is to these spiritual testimonies which are relevant to the restoration process centering on Jesus and True Parents that this column will be devoted.

Often we may not feel that our particular experiences are significant or outstanding but please remember that God works in so many ways, large and small, simple and profound. We would like to eventually compile these to form a book of testimonies of the Completed Testament Age.

While these are not testimonies about how or why a person joined the Unification church, they could have easily taken place prior to or during a first encounter with the teachings of the Divine Principle, while on MFT, or participating in the Blessing. They are often profound and life-changing, other times deeply intimate. Each one is precious. Please take the time to write out send us your unique story.

Only first names will be used, or they can be printed anonymously. (Please include an approx. date and country of origin.) Many of these experiences are intensely personal and it’s best if the focus is kept on the message itself but please don’t hesitate to share any particular meaning it had to your individual life of faith.

Many of these testimonies have not been written yet but they are in our hearts. They need to be shared. They were given to us by grace. Let’s express them with joy! After publication in the Unification News, I hope we can eventually publish these testimonies in one book. Send your testimonies to: cathi.mike@juno.com.

Here are the first three in the collection.

Personal testimonies

On January 17, 1975, I received a letter informing me that I am a candidate to go to Korea to receive our Father's blessing on February 8th. That night before sleeping I see a vision of Mother. I see her smile, and all the negative elements of the creation respond in delight. She smiles and the hummingbirds dance and the stars waltz and the moon radiates. I have never before dreamed of Mother, and since she doesn't have much of an active role externally in America I have not understood her spiritual position in the cosmos. But to me she is the source of one polarity of radiance, beauty, harmony, rhythm and color. How wonderful she is! What a wonderful vision of how we as women can complement our mate and reflect aspects of God's polarity.

After awakening the next morning I see two more visions. They are in answer to questions about how we are joined to our True Parents. The first vignette is about engrafting. I see that when we accept the Divine Principle and the True Parents, we are like a limb yanked off a satanic tree. The break is ragged, and scars form over the wounds in the course of time. Now, to prepare for the Blessing, I or Father must cut apart the old scars and whittle the broken edges down to a perfect wedge to fit into the notch Father is preparing in the Tree of Life. I will receive the sap or blood of the True Parents and can give to them the true joy of nutrients from photosynthesis and the fruit.

The second vision has a slightly different viewpoint. I see our True Parents as a huge rock and our family as building on the rock. In the beginning only a small part of the rock could be seen above the dirt, and first 3 couples, then 36, then 72, 124, 430, and 777 couples or families could be built on it.

Now we have been clearing away more and more dirt, with Father's aid, and there is space for 1,800 couples. But again, we must plane our surfaces to fit precisely the flat surface of the rock and join tightly with the other families. The process of planing flat is crucial to the preparation. Without our Father's forgiveness we can never make it. But I must deeply pray to recognize my sin, sincerely repent of it, and work to root it out. The our Parents' Blessing will have real meaning.

Joy, 1975, USA

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When I first heard DP I had very little foundation to understand the biblical references. A lot of it went right over my head but even so, I knew it was profound. However, The Principle Of Creation had me floored. The beautiful and exquisite ideal of a family of love, between God, husband, wife and children expanding to become a world of love for all … sometimes I think we've heard it so much by now that we can't remember what it was like not to know… but I was just speechless with amazement.

Sunday night I went home to my rented room in a farmhouse near Amherst, Mass. It was a beautiful spring night. I went outside to pray. All I could do was cry and say, "Thank you" to Heavenly Father. For whatever reason, suddenly all of the spiritual barriers that separated me from God dissolved. It was like air rushing into a vacuum. To even try to remember this is like trying to remember what it was like to be born. I can't recapture it. I only know it happened.

God's incredible love filled my entire being. Every cell. There was no "space" that was left empty. It was absolute. It was total. It was literally as if I had been dead all of my life and this love, that I had never known, was life itself. More than anything it was personal. It wasn't a generic experience, like basking in the warmth of the sun. It was my parent, MY creator, who loved ME. And He spoke to me so gently, tenderly and so, well, lovingly…He said, "This is what I have always wanted for you."

Kathy, USA, 1973

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Ever since my dad passed away we have gotten closer to the church I guess because our family is very much connected spiritually. When dad was in the hospital, it brought our family close and strengthened our faith. All of us experienced my dad's passing in different ways. Some of us had it harder to accept and some of us understood the spiritual aspect so it was easier. My dad passed away on April 3rd and in mid-May my mom and my family received the Blessing.

Mom was having a very difficult time dealing with dad's loss. Right after he died, she had a dream that she was in the hospital and the orderly told her that she cannot see him because it wasn't time. It bothered her for a long time until June 13th, the blessing at Madison Square Garden. That night she dreamt that she was walking in the park with an Oriental woman, having a deep discussion. She was a beautiful person and mom asked her how long she's been in the church. The lady told her for over 20 years. Then they sat on a bench and my dad came to my mom. He didn't talk to her but sat next to her and showed her this piece of paper that she couldn't understand. It was in another language. They started walking together for a while in the park then dad had to leave.

Then all of a sudden she was in a classroom sitting behind a man who looked like True Father from the back. She had a feeling it was him but he never turned around, then she woke up. After this dream, mom felt better and knew then that dad was all right in spirit world.

Donna, Home church member USA, 1998

It’s More Blessed to Give and Receive

by Cathi Close-Arlington, VA

Holiday season is upon us. Try as we might, it is virtually impossible to avoid becoming immersed in the traditions and expressions of what Christmastime has come to mean in America. Our kids catch the idea very young and from then on the best we can hope for is financial damage control. It’s only a very few who can swim against the tide of excessive gift giving. Very few who don’t panic at the last minute, worried that we didn’t get *enough* for our kids.

I have to admit that as the Christmas season approaches I do find myself getting excited about it nonetheless. For better or worse, our family goes all out at Christmas. The way we justify this is that during the course of the year we practice deprivation (as the rule, not the exception.) The way this works is that basically for many requests our kids make (pertaining to material things mostly) there are ten "nos" for every "yes". In a culture which encourages excess, this is a major challenge but the reward is that our kids can get excited about something as simple as a lollipop or a rare trip to McDonalds. Gradually they learn to expect less and appreciate more.

Years ago I heard a phrase that has ever since stuck in my mind. "An occasional extravagance reconciles one to habitual thrift." I liked the idea behind it, sort of along the line of "less is more" with an added ooomph!

So come Christmas we overdo it. Not just as far as purchasing special gifts but in decorating the house and tree. I’m not being prejudiced when I say that we have one of the most beautiful Christmas trees I’ve ever seen. It’s not gaudy at all but it *is* loaded. We collect angel ornaments and every conceivable form of angel that has ever been created graces our home with their heavenly presence on our tree.

While celebrations are great, it just doesn’t seem right to focus solely on our own family. As nice as we try to make our holiday experience, we know that there are many less fortunate than we are. But, somehow I have never been satisfied with token giving. It has it’s place but is lacking the personal connection so needed on *both* sides. For me to go out and purchase a gift for my child to turn in at school feels so distant .

There is a form of poverty in our nation and our world which afflicts the rich as well as the poor. It is the ignorance that we are all brothers and sisters in one human family. There are very real barriers within and without which keep us separated not only from each other but from our true selves.

I was particularly inspired by the Bridge of Peace ceremonies which took place during the past WFWP conferences. While walking over a bridge together does not necessarily change the world then what does? I think that the reason so many participants were moved to tears during this ceremony is because somehow it managed to reach to the very heart of what *will* change the world. The unity created through genuine expressions of love.

How can we bridge the many distances that exist between people with our good intentions and acts of kindness? This is a concern of mine and it has resulted in one holiday tradition that our family has practiced for the past few years which seeks to make an effort in this direction. And with wonderful success.

Since so many Secret Santa programs are already available during the Christmas season (which we also participate in) we decided to take it a step further. We contacted a local homeless shelter and got the names of five families who at one time were in the shelter but are now living in their own apartments. These families were asked in advance if they would like to receive not only a live tree but also decorations. They were very enthusiastic. Later some told us that it was the first time they ever had a Christmas tree at all.

To me, the Christmas tree is such an inspiring symbol. The fragrance, the peace, the magic that it conveys to our senses. To take a small token of God’s creation and turn it into a work of art and beauty with our own creative touches . Isn’t that symbolic of the potential in our own lives?

We organized families who were interested in participating and made up an itemized list of what each person would contribute as far as lights, bulbs, garlands, ornaments, tree stands and cookies. My husband managed to get a local hardware store to donate five trees. In addition to the contributed decorations, the families got together and made some really nice home-made ornaments.

The weekend before Christmas five families were designated to not only deliver but set up and decorate the trees with the recipient families. This was the most wonderful part of the project for us. We brought cookies and drinks and our kids. Everyone got to meet each other and have a good time together and each year we have made new and lasting friendships.

Unexpected developments have come about which we never anticipated. Last year we delivered a tree to a woman who is raising her niece who came from Bolivia in order to receive special treatments from the Shriver Hospital in Boston because she is a burn victim. This woman who’s children are already grown and on their own has had her own unique course of suffering and struggle. To hear what she has endured and gone through in her past is to seriously appreciate much of what we often take for granted. Yet she responds to the needs of this child and sacrifices much for her benefit.

When they travel to Boston for the treatments four times a year, she spends weeks at a time sleeping in her niece’s hospital room while working at local fast food restaurants in order to keep the rent and bills paid while she’s gone. Back home, in addition to working her regular job as a waitress, she does house-cleaning and works part time at a local beauty salon. On top of all of that she is studying to get her beautician license. After we met she insisted on cutting everyone’s hair in our family (with 6 kids plus 2 adults, this is an expense we have a very hard time affording.

It’s become our monthly routine now to troop over to her apartment to get our haircuts. We visit and talk and there is really no line between us that designates one as the haves and the other as the have-not. If you ask me, I think we’re getting the better end of the deal. (Of course, we pay her now but it’s not nearly what it would cost us to even go to the most inexpensive hair salon and much more enjoyable.) I must add that she is a darned good stylist and believe me, our teens are hard to please!

Another single mom we met two years ago has a son the age of one of our kids. What began as inviting him to our house on some weekends to give her a break and give him a chance to ride bikes, roller-blade and play outdoors ended up with him being our son’s best buddy and practically part of the family. He’s spent every other weekend at our house for the past two years.

Our kids are learning, through the relationships that have developed, that we gain from the effort as much as anyone. Not only do they have a sense of reaching out to others to share the holiday spirit but the friendships that are formed are the unexpected gift we receive back!