Sun Myung Moon
November 23, 1989
Leaders' Conference
Translator: Sang Kil Han
East Garden
I actually started the world level dispensation at the age of 40. I was married at the age most of you are now -- 40. Thus the age of 40 is very significant.
All birds and animals are sustained by the creation. Human beings, especially the blessed couples and their children, should be able to get along like all the rest of creation. Those children of parents who lived during the dispensation will never starve or be abandoned. This has been described so vividly in Matthew 6:25-34, in which Jesus explains how the birds and animals are fed and clad by God. He asks his disciples why they worry about what they will eat the next day or what they are going to wear. Those problems were for the "Gentiles or the ungodly" to worry about. Those who live in God's Will do not worry but pursue the world of justice. Verse 33 explains: "But seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and those things shall be yours as well." That Kingdom is not just anywhere, but Jesus was literally talking about God's country or nation.
God's most important objective is His nation. God always had a country in mind, selecting the people for that goal and educating them through the prophets. After the Fall, Satan had sovereignty over many nations but God never had His own country.
Even though God had chosen a family and a tribe, His chosen people didn't realize that He could never take a nation. Instead the ideal nation had to be created by the chosen people. God chose the people and the land but could never bless it as His own. Unification Church members are the third Israelites. But just having third Israelites is not the end God is seeking; through them, God is trying to establish His own country.
God's Historical Goal
The Unification Church does not exist so that blessed couples may prosper and have a lot of children. That is not the end God is pursuing. The only thing God has in mind is a nation. God has selected many chosen people, families, clans and races, but selection was not the purpose in and of itself. God selected them for the sake of God's nation. We have so many Christian denominations and churches yet God cannot say, "This is my church."
God selected America and Protestantism has been prospering. But even this country has not turned out to be the country about which God can say, "This is my country." We must keep in mind that God selected America, blessed and nurtured it, not for America's own sake, but for the sake of the world. Through America, we can educate and lead the world back to God.
Whatever we may have acquired so far, God would give it up as the price to gain His nation. If God can win His country, then He is ready to exchange or sacrifice anything for it. That's His feeling. Once we have that nation and can raise our families there, we will prosper forever.
Many nationalities are represented here: from America, as well as from all over Europe and the Orient. But what is our purpose in uniting like this? Every individual here desires to make their country God's country or to find God's country, and to follow True Parents. We discovered that God is our Parent. To do the Will of our Father and live with Him is our purpose in being here. We must establish the country where we can live with God, our Parent.
If you were God or God's person, which course would you take? Would you let the individual prosper, never sacrificing the individual's needs, or would you sacrifice him in exchange for gaining a country? If you were God's person what would you do? (The second course of sacrifice!)
There are many different levels of sacrifice. There is the sacrifice of working hard or the sacrifice of giving up our life. Which level of sacrifice are we willing to offer? If we choose to sacrifice ourselves, could we sacrifice our entire family as well?
If one family were to sacrifice perfectly, could we gain our country? Not likely. What about the whole clan? Even that might not be enough. So we have to invest everything that we have -- family, clan, race and your whole county -- to win the nation of God.
What Is God's Will?
Each one of us feels, "Yes, I am living for the sake of God's Will." But the definition of God's Will varies from one person to the next. My concept is also different. What I am now saying is there can be only one concept of God's Will. For example, America is comprised of many different segments. One person's concept of patriotism and love of God is different from that of the next person. And what scholars or businessmen think may also be different. Each different level of society has its own concept of God's Will.
If God's ideal is so important, then isn't God's goal also important? Shouldn't we invest everything we've got into it? Is God's Will a full-time or part-time vocation? What about God Himself? What is God's full-time work? To accomplish His Will, which is to restore His country. If I took care of my family and myself the way everyone else does, do you think the Unification Church could have been led to this point? Could God have done His Will to this extent? No! Everyone knows that I geared everything to God's Will, not thinking about my life or anything else, except that.
If you are a state leader, should you say, "Yes, I am doing my job as a state leader; I have fulfilled my responsibility"? No! To perfectly fulfill the state leader's position means your ideas should always concern God's country: "I am doing the best work I can with the world-level goal always in mind." Barrytown Seminary students are studying very hard, but should they think, "Oh I have done my responsibility"? No, for the purpose of studying and teaching is to recover God's country and save the world!
There are many problems encountered while reaching for that purpose. How can such difficulties be solved? You must have a fighting spirit, for without that kind of mind, you cannot become victorious. This is not a theoretical way, this is the way I have gone.
America cannot be thrust into that goal of recovering the world until you accomplish the first stage. What is the first stage? We have to be able to influence America in order for us to save America. We need the level of influence in America such that what we do causes America to listen. Or, if we do something wrong, America will criticize us. So the first thing we have to do is to influence America; then we will be able to thrust this country forward to gain God's nation.
Our main purpose and course is clear. With that in mind, compare what we have now with that ideal. What level of influence do you have? This whole country may laugh at our results, which means that God may not be taken seriously. You must always connect everything you do with God's nation, no matter how hard you may have to work in the future. This concept must be clear. In view of that standard, our past standard has been somewhat shameful. We should repent for having such a low concept of God's Will. If the different levels of leadership and membership in the Unification Church were saturated with the feeling, "I must recover God's country," I would not have to do it single-handedly.
Father, with Col. Sang Kil Han translating, addresses the American church leadership.
Wrestle With America
What I have been doing in America and the world is not just to educate you and help you to grow. You are not the final objective. No! I worked hard in Japan, Europe and America not for the sake of these nations only; I have had the world always in my mind. My purpose for gaining success here in America is to use that success for the world. Do you think my idea about God's Will is the correct one?
So have you ever tried to wrestle with America to save it or cried for the sake of America? Look at me. Has America ever welcomed me? No, they always opposed me as an enemy. But I had to love America even though my "enemy" did not know I was its real friend. I gave all of my time and effort to love an enemy. Have you done the same for this country? Have American members ever pushed America so that I could go easier a little bit? No! You have been clinging to me, who am already old, asking me for more. Which should you say: "Father please continue to help us" or "Father, now that we have grown up, we will help you"? Unless you totally change and help me, America has no hope because no one else is saving this country. The year of 1990 is very important, so I am now clearly proclaiming this fact.
Have I lived the way I have just explained? Yes, I did. When my own parents and family went against me, I only had God's country in my mind. I was working and thinking like crazy. Everyone else called me crazy because I didn't think about anything else. Because I was thinking like God, God helped. No one else understood how anxious God has been and still is. You never realized how difficult my situation is. Do we have God's country yet? No.
During the next 10 years, we have to resolve everything on the earth to a principled viewpoint. After this next decade, we will welcome the new century. What kind of concept do you have? God wants a unified world, His one nation. Who will fulfill this promise for Him? God cannot help you until you have set the precedent of working hard. There is no hope unless you think about indemnity conditions. Making difficult indemnity conditions is a hard way. Compare that with God Himself. He had to create all life -- creatures and their environments. Down the 6,000-year path, God never had His ideal nation. God's project of one nation will be accomplished when all people of all nations have absolutely the same desire as True Parents -- one nation under God! God is thinking there is nothing we can be proud of as Unification Church members because we don't have a country.
Use My Foundation Wisely
I have a sense of spiritual sovereignty in America. Do you have such a sense of sovereignty? If you did, then you would talk to the governor and then go together to meet the President. Have you done that?
Unless you wisely use the foundation I have made, God will hold a different opinion of America and its people, meaning you. I will also see American members quite differently than I see them now.
You are adults. Imagine a court judge clad in robes, saying very grave words. Even in the fallen world, the law is that strict. Do you think God's law could be less strict? We can only imagine that God's law is 100 times stricter. When I speak like this, could it be less important than when a judge speaks? In the past, I have predicted many things that came into being within a few years.
The day of our one chance to save the world is coming for the sake of the world itself and everyone in it -- not just for America, nor the Unification Church, not even for me. When the world is recovered, then America becomes meaningful and the Unification Church becomes important. True Parents also become important and meaningful at that time. But before that, only a few people at best will take this seriously.
When you joined the Unification Church, you didn't understand that you were getting purified. But now you realize clearly you have been welcomed into the most precious place. You may think, "Oh, this is our time, I'm meeting top American leaders." But you cannot be proud. To solve America's current situation greatly depends on the quality of the church leaders. You have to really change your way of thinking. Otherwise, there is no hope to make God's country here.
So for the next three years, we have to really get to it. Those who have never been pioneering should go and pioneer for the next three years. Those who have never done fundraising, no matter how many children you may have, will go. In the next three years, we have to seriously work. In pioneering, our central figure is God and we will go straight forward with Him. You have gone through the 40-year period, whose significance has been the formation of the world foundation. Jericho is waiting to fall down in front of us.
The Failure of the Israelites
Imagine the Israelites after 40 years in the wilderness. They were so ragged with nothing to eat and nothing to wear. They looked like beggars. When they finally made it to Canaan, they felt, "Prosperity is upon us." However, once they were in Canaan, there was a bigger task: to digest the tribes in Canaan. They did not know that unless they accomplished that, their coming into Canaan would mean nothing. Compared to the Israelites, the Canaanites were rich men possessing many sheep, cattle and beautiful houses. So the Israelites looked like miserable beggar children. The Israelites envied the Canaanites and lost their identity as the chosen people. By the second generation, the Israelites had completely lost their culture and their nation. You have to understand the significance of this clearly. I know you are in the same situation and face the same temptations. Like the Israelites, you are also the second generation or Abel generation of Unification Church members. The Israelites also faced high levels of wealthy people in the political and scholarly world. But remember, no matter how much power those people have, it cannot compare with our past 40 years. We have come to the end of "wandering in the wilderness" and are making a new family, new tribe and new nation from now.
In the next 10 years we have to think more toward the future. We are intended to be soldiers of the original world. What kind of soldiers? We don't have money, power, or foundation -- only debt. Our only permanent possession is our life. Those who want to die will live; those who want to live will die. This is what the Bible clearly said and it's so true. Why haven't you practiced this in your position as leaders? We have to learn to go down, otherwise there is no hope to save this country.
Look at the vivid history of the Israelites. Only 2,000 years ago, if the Israelites had really fought for their lives in the following 10 years after entering Canaan, centering on Moses and becoming really unified in attaining God's Will, they would have occupied all of Canaan and the Middle East. If they had, the world would be quite different than what we see. But they didn't do that.
So after their failure, other powerful religions tried to restore that situation. But only when Father and the Unification Church appeared, did the people see some hope: "Oh yes, Reverend Moon can do that." My dispensational position is to have my brothers treat me as their enemy. Judaism, the elder brother, and established Christianity as the younger brother, are fighting against me, not knowing that my goal is the same one they are trying to reach.
The really unfortunate thing is, the Israelites had no idea about God's desire for one world nation. They thought God was just for them, not even for another foreign country. They did not help God create His world, which was their mission. Similarly, established Christianity does not know God's ultimate purpose. They think saving Christianity was God's purpose. But God's Will lives in God's nation. It is living proof of God's incredible love for this goal that He sacrificed the first Israelites and the second Israelites, only to raise up the third Israelites. We are in that kind of serious and important position to God.
God is thrusting the Unification Church into the world to recover His country. We should be ready to say, "God, I will gladly sacrifice myself if You can recover Your country."
My role is to teach you and you are to do it. My special mission is to eliminate Satan. With that accomplished, it is now up to you to recover God's country.
Church leaders from all over the United States gather at East Garden
Preparing for the Future World
There is no persecution ahead of the Unification Church, unlike 10, or even 5 years ago. Satan is no longer there. Even if we don't do our mission, God's Will will eventually be done, but the important question is, where will we be?
I have a certain idea of what it means to be a blessed couple, and you have your own concept. The purpose of the Blessing is not just for your own selfish happiness, but to recover God's world and rejoice forever together with God and all our brothers and sisters.
I am now seventy, but am still only sleeping two hours a day and educating you. I am unifying the languages of the world. Blessed children from around the world are coming to Korea to study the Korean language while they are still young. I brought American ministers to Korea and Korean ministers to America to exchange environments and views. I have been doing many things to prepare for the future. The world is invisibly becoming one. Each year there are fewer wars between nations. Look at how international we in the Unification Church have become. I have been reaching out to Russia, China and all the communist countries to make one world without any segregation. America persecuted me so much, but I sent American journalists on fact-finding tours to Russia and China so they could wake up to the reality of communism and warn America. It was predicted that liberals and communists would take over America by the year 1984, but The Washington Times has turned that situation around.
At the Washington Monument Rally in 1976, I proclaimed, "We will go to Moscow." I worked so hard for 12 years to make this happen. It didn't happen automatically. We worked to contact Russian scholars, communicated with Russia through artistic channels, and even co-sponsored a religious conference in Moscow with the Russian Orthodox Church. I worked hard in the Russian media realm. These areas would never have developed by themselves.
Now, Russia realizes that Rev. Moon, the archenemy of communism, is getting close to every aspect of Russian life. They can't get rid of these areas of life, so they are thinking, "How can we unite with Rev. Moon?"
The Soviet Union is in a very serious situation now. They are turning to a free-market solution for their economic ills. The Soviet Union knows that America, with all her economic power, cannot save the Soviets because she is so corrupt. Now, they are looking toward South Korea as a model for them to follow. South Korea has developed incredibly in thirty years.
I must seem like such a mysterious man to the Soviets. They see our shiny, clean cut, pure Unification Church members, and wonder what I teach. They are studying me, trying to get closer to me. Russian media people visited me in Korea last year, and wondered, "How could Korea develop so much in such a short time?" They want that kind of short-term economic development in Russia, too. They made a one-hour documentary of their visit to Korea and their interview with me, which was broadcast on nation-wide television. Many positive articles have come out in the Soviet media.
American secular humanism and Soviet communism are now defeated, making room for Godism to save the world. All of our education at the seminary is to use for the purpose of saving the world. The purpose of the Unification Church is to make one world nation.
I received persecution my whole life, giving everything for that same purpose: the coming of God's one nation. I am the number one patriot in the spiritual world, because of all the people in history, I lead the world in taking responsibility for God's nation.
God's Ideal Strengthened Me
I want to create a new kind of sovereignty, so all the existing sovereignties of the world are persecuting me. My whole life has been a bloody battle to lay the foundation for God's country.
I have taught you to have a clear understanding of God's Will. Actually, you have a clearer understanding than I did 40 years ago. I had faith when nothing was visible and war was all around me. You see your present difficulties and lose faith. No matter how difficult my circumstances were, I always thought, "Oh, our time is coming." Our future was shining so clearly in front of me -- I could not deny it. The reality of the world was like a shadow around me, because my eyes were set on the vision of our future happiness. I could endure a lot of pain for the sake of this vision. I was proud of working for that and America could not shake my determination for that goal. You must understand this point: Our future lies in the viewpoint of God. No matter how powerful America's situation is, it cannot compare with God's power and might.
Many times you have offered me mansei cheers, but couldn't follow through on your promises. From now on your mission is to testify to the true messiahship. I testify everywhere. Promise me no matter how strong the power opposing you, you will testify that you have the highest truth. When God looks down at such determination, His energy will come and surround you.
So please remember my secret. When my own family and relatives opposed me after the liberation of Korea from Japan, I steadfastly went forward for God's country. That was the only thing in my mind. I didn't care for my own glory, but went down and down from the position that God originally promised me. Satan came down too, but at a certain point he stopped, not wanting to go below. That is where I started and began to come up again. I still have this thinking.
If Korea had united with me, then I would never have had to come to America. But if America had received me, then I probably would not have had to go to Russia. So the course I am now taking is only the second and third best. Even if Russia does not welcome me, it doesn't matter, because I am ready to go down even lower. At that point Satan will see it is useless to continue.
This is the way God has been treating me, too. Every time God made me suffer, He had a bigger goal in mind. I understood that after a while. When I press American members to work harder, I know there is a prize coming to us. Just like my own course, your course will be guaranteed in that way.
This is that crucial time when you all have to unite with me and really march forward to the final culmination of one world sovereignty. I am giving one of the last big pushes.
America is a big country. It is waiting to see what kind of seed will be sown. Each part of the American land is waiting for you to go there and plant your seed in it. When that is sown and starts growing, then America won't need me as crucially as before. So I am proclaiming that we spread out and sow ourselves into this land.
The Foundation Is Prepared
The population of North and South America together is about 700 million. In China, it is more than one billion. In God's idea of salvation, which population would He prefer? In North and South America the population is mostly white and Hispanic. They say, "Nobody teaches us; we will teach you." But in China, people are welcoming me as a famous teacher. China is asking me to come visit, as compared with America's complaints about me being here. It will be no problem to lead the Chinese people. I came to America because this was the most hopeful way for God's Will to be accomplished. But there is too much pride here.
Now, our movement has a high-level mechanical foundation in West Germany, a cultural foundation in France, and a financial and electronic foundation in Japan. This is all for our work in China and Russia. Who is willing to follow me there? What about Americans? It would be good if I could bring hundreds of Americans with me, but if not I will have to go alone. There are some good points to working in China, but many drawbacks as well. Communist countries may be more difficult to work in than the more open Western countries. But I still have to go. We have had underground churches in communist countries for many years. I am so moved by their sacrifice.
I have been provided with foundations prepared ahead of me by God. I was shocked and grateful to find out later. In the same way that I have been helped by God, I am making a foundation ahead of you without your knowledge. Future generations should be able to look back and say, "My parents sacrificed so much and yet were still grateful."
American women have to change their attitudes and work even harder for the goal of recovering their country. No matter what their role historically has been, presently they are hurting this country. So I am turning to you American women and asking you to suffer more and work harder. All men are included in this as well. This is for your country of America and for your offspring. You are capable people who must align with God's goal. Who is the major cause for repeating marriage and divorce? Unification Church women have a standard to uphold and demonstrate to the rest of America. If you have no make-up but work hard for God's Will, God will do the make-up for you.
I heard recently that a government agent was sent to Danbury to ask what it was like when I was there. He was told that it was very peaceful during that time, but one week after I left, fighting broke out all over. What about you? Are you influenced by me? How much of my value did you inherit? That is your asset in life. I exerted influence all over the world. Who is influenced more by me, non-members or you? Do you know how much the Korean retired military men or professors are moved in a 10-day tour of our church in America? They are ready to change their life and start in a new direction after only 10 days. What about you? I give you a message from the bottom of my heart, but you have become accustomed to this. If I had invested as much in the Korean people as in you, Korea would be much more advanced. So, I have said everything I need to you.
Take Spiritual Dominion
There is always a reason for what I do. Do you know the church leader in England? He is Japanese. Japan inherited the Eve position from England, therefore Japan is now sacrificing for England so that it will not lose its position in the mission. A Korean leader is in Germany to work with the machine- factory development, to thank Germany because Korea inherited its technology. I have decided to open up a factory in China to help them develop. The archangel country of the West should help the archangel country of the East.
Now we are working with media people from Russia. We don't want to hurt the communists. The reason we oppose them is to save them. The KGB wanted to eradicate me, but did I hate them? No, I felt they must hate me before they could turn around. I know the course they are going. I showed the Russian media people that I was not their enemy. When they were able to trust me, I asked them to bring a message to Kim II Sung: I speak against him only because of the dispensation.
The times have changed. The Berlin Wall has come down and all the satellite countries have turned toward democracy. Communism is on the verge of crumbling.
So please take spiritual dominion in your states. You can proclaim spiritually to the government leaders, "I am the elder brother and you are the younger brother." Teach them what you have learned.
We are building up a media center, including a television studio and a wire service. Why? Because I want to be rich? No -- to educate Americans in God's Truth. And who will be the future managers there? You are. We created a new department at the Segye Ilbo in Korea which researches all affairs that have to do with the Unification Church throughout Korea. Now we can more know quickly about all situations affecting God's Will and deal effectively with them.
So far, we have been persecuted in many countries and I have never fought back. Within a certain time, natural forces will spring up to stop those people because their actions are against the public benefit of their country. This is automatic, not by force. Opposition never continues without limit; it will always recede at some point. You are not as powerless as you may think. 1 here is lots of potential, but the only problem is that it is your responsibility.
Winning Over Opposition
Don't ever set your goal to become popular in your state. Set your goal to be a good problem maker. If you are persecuted and called names, then at night you can feel, "I have done my duty today." That way people will take notice of you. I became so famous within the last 15 years because I did what I had to do and was attacked. I was very audacious; I never worried about what people thought of me. Until now, I had such a bad image, but now it is the other way around. So create positive problems in your state. You may not be al-le to do that overnight, but even if you take 10 or 20 years, you will still be a good age.
I started teaching the very moment the 10-city tour began in America. During this time, my name became well-known, and because of the bad publicity, I was associated with the exploitation of American young people. But I thought, "There is nothing worse that I can expect from America, so I should go full-steam ahead." I decided, if I go to Danbury and stay there for three years, when I come out America will finally recognize its mistake. So I submitted myself to this. And the result was just as I expected. Now people come and burst into tears for the mistake they committed.
What did I do in the midst of that miserable situation? I advised the creation of mobile teams, which travelled around America proclaiming the truth. We really stirred up the country. Why did we do that? Our purpose was not just to evangelize people, but to stir them up. After their complaints, they came to their senses and were astonished at the mistake they had made. Looking at them, all my feelings of being persecuted are gone. Is there any barking against Rev. Moon? Now the same mouths that once barked don't hesitate to say, "Rev. Moon is a great patriot."
Today, The Washington Times has really accomplished a tremendous task. Millions of dollars were spent for the sake of America. Our members have tremendous organizing and teaching power. So here comes my conclusion. Stop going your own way. My idea is far better, so believe it and follow it.
From now on will you be able to understand me directly or through an interpreter? An interpreter sometimes changes the sequence. All of you must speak Korean better than I speak English. Think about my age. Memorizing English is not easy, for I start studying after midnight.
You already know what my message is. You don't need my presence here all the time. Look back at my words, and now you can be a messiah on your own. My words are in 200 volumes, but are you going to read those through translation? Read them in the Korean language. Many scholars are now studying Korean. They are talking about making a contest someday. What if they ask you, "How did you study Rev. Moon's words?" Will you answer them, "I could only read the translated version"? You will have no authority. I am planning to invite you to Korea and let you study Korean at some time. (Clapping) Did you hear about the Song Hwa University in Korea? It has been given official permission to be a four-year institution.
Your Transition Time
I know that all of the Unification Church members are ambitious. Even if I were to chase you away with a baseball bat, no Unification Church member would leave by his own will. You have done the right thing to join, but don't waste your youth questioning whether you are right or wrong. This is very valuable time, both past and present, so spend your youth for the sake of God's country and the world. Don't you think that in the prime of my youth I had lots of dreams, wanting to travel, eat fancy food, and so on, much the same as you all want to do? But I gave all that up a long, long time ago. Why? Because I knew where the most value was. Whatever I do, people will still remember millions of years later. I did not lose my youth, but will revive it over and over again many times. So, why trade that kind of an opportunity for some lesser vocation?
Every day of my life is like a volcano. I wrote a diary while in Danbury. Everybody who reads that, whether they be a prisoner, a journalist, a farmer, or a minister, will be reborn and their life will erupt once more. When they read about my experience in my own words, they will become on fire for God's Will. I wrote a poem about Mother, the first poem I ever wrote to Mother, in Danbury. It is on Mother's wall, framed. It will be such a source of inspiration to millions and millions of women.
The Washington Times was created in Danbury, and Insight magazine. I tried to save America, my enemy, while I was in America's dungeon of hell. Six great organizations were created during my time in Danbury.
This is the transition time from evil to good. So please use this the same way that I used Danbury, which was my transition time to a larger level. I created so many things during the Danbury time, and today we all see the result. You too, work very hard now during this unique time. Don't waste this transition time. There is no more valuable way for you than creating a foundation which you can leave for your offspring. They will cherish your name and deeds because of what you did during this transition time. They will be proud of their first brave ancestor, and your nation will be proud of you.
So remember, have a strong commitment, do a lot of research, and take action. In the future you will be the geniuses of your nation. Emulate me and leave a heavenly worldwide tradition behind. Live for your nation, for the world, for the spiritual world and for God.