Sun Myung Moon
January 19, 1976
Barrytown, New York
Translator: David S.C. Kim
Photo date and location unknown
Even though you are part of the nation of America, you tend to think individualistically all the time. Even though we have a president and governor, we are inclined to think all the time that we are the center. This inclination shows how important the individual is. You must know that even though you have this desire for individuality, you must think bigger; you must think of the nation and the world. The individual is wonderful, but why don't you extend your thinking. The individual must center on the nation, based on the large scope. For instance, if one or more of your ancestors was a great person in American history, you must place yourself in the midst of them. If you are an individual who exists for your nation and the whole world, then you are a needed person in that nation. You must individually think, "I am becoming the true center of 200 million Americans, so I must think on larger terms. This means that I, as an individual, will take care of the problems of America, both good and bad; I will be responsible; I will be the center.'' That is the kind of individual I am talking about. If this kind of individual existed in the nation of America, this nation would have no problems. This kind of individual wants to be the center not only of his ancestors, but also of his descendants. That's the kind of individual I want you to be. This kind of person wants to live not only as an individual in this present time, but in the future as well.
The same thing applies to centering on God in the dispensation. That kind of individual thinks of God first; God will lead the person who wants to be the center in His dispensation. You must think: "I have to make up for all dispensational figures in the past who failed. I will take responsibility; I will pay indemnity for them.'' Then you will become a wonderful individual. Not only are you needed in the past dispensation, but if you practice this, you will become God's present dispensational individual. You will even be the center individual in God's future dispensation. That's the kind of individual He wants you to be. That kind of individual pays indemnity for the past, the present, and even the future. He would be the center to give the world direction, centering on God. That kind of individual would be wonderful. Narrowing down the scope of this thinking to the Unification Church itself, you, as individuals, will be totally needed if you think: ''I will do more than in the past Church history. I will pay the indemnity. Even now I will be the individual who is able to give direction. '' That kind of individual is truly centered.
Without this kind of reasoning, an ordinary individual centers on himself. He doesn't care about the future, the present, or the past. That kind of individual is not good. This kind of self-centered individual would not be needed in the past, the present or in the future. This kind of individual, based on such a narrow concept, is not needed in the Unification Church.
You, as an individual, have to think that you are the fruit of past history; you are the center of the present; you are the center of the future. You have to know your value. If you think this way and practice this way, you will be a wonderful individual needed by the whole world.
What is the nature of the Unification Church message? We give an objective analysis of what was wrong with past dispensational figures. What kind of a god is God? God was and is the center of past history. He's the center of the contemporary world. He's the center of the future. The reason why we are even thinking of the center for future generations is because God originally wanted man to be that way. We are individualistic and ego-centered, but we want to be the center for the generations past and present. Those individuals who will be allowed to live in the kingdom of heaven are those who are connected to the past, present and future, and who take responsibility. If you practice this, not only will you become good members but you will also be citizens of God's ideal kingdom; you will be the most needed individual of the future.
You have to feel repentance for the shameful individuals of past history. You have to repent and feel shame for being a small, narrow-minded individual. You have to repent of that. You must be afraid of passing this on to your future generations because you have it in yourself. You have to feel this way. If you begin to feel, to understand, and to believe this, then you are beginning to open the way for a connection with all three generations -- past, present and future.
When you pass that beginning stage toward change and repentance, then you will find the second stage: "What can I do? How do I recover all this?'' If you are going to liquidate this debt for all past and future generations, you must do it in this present generation. You only have one chance to fulfill your responsibility in this generation. Right now you have a spirit with a body; individuals living today have the valuable opportunity to achieve many goals. It is possible.
You must begin to see the value of your individual life. When you are able to make a base in this contemporary time as a useful individual, then you will be able to bequeath your individual value to the next generation. You will see your individuality in all three generations combined and made valuable for the whole world. You will realize how important it is that you are alive in this time with a body and spirit.
To be the center, work hard and practice your individuality in order to become a valuable individual. Be proud of yourself as an individual. Do something for the three generations. Find your value while you are young and can hear the message. Become God's children and do something for God. It is amazing and wonderful to be an individual.
If, in this generation, you develop your valuable individuality, then God will encourage you when you say: ''I, the individual, will be the center for the whole world." God will say: "All right. I will boost you up. You shall be the one." Don't you think God will say that?
Understand how valuable your individuality is or you shall be condemned by your ancestors and you shall not qualify for the present or the future. Your self-centered individuality is not necessarily bad if you know and feel that your individuality is not for yourself but for others, for the whole. When your old individuality goes to hell your valuable individual goes to heaven.
You want to be useful individuals who will connect three generations: past, present and future. I want you to be valuable individuals. Will you do that? If you want to have individual value, raise your hand please. Thank you.