Jesus and paradise

Sun Myung Moon
February 18, 1971

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Christians say, "Believe in Jesus and you will go to heaven," but who will go there? Will it be individuals by themselves? Until now, there was no religion that taught about going to heaven together with one's mother, father, and family. The religions that have existed until now gave priority to individual salvation. Yet a religion of a family's entry into heaven must emerge. Only when the concept of family salvation emerges can the doors of heaven be opened. The religions that have existed in the past were religions of individual salvation; they could be likened to like someone rope climbing alone. Thus, the religious world emphasized a life of celibacy. Having a family was akin to having enemies. Jesus said that one's family members were in this sense one's enemies.

After reaching the pinnacle, one should have dominion over the earth. Single men and women have to attend the Blessing Ceremony. Originally, the Kingdom of Heaven was the place God's sons and daughters would enter after getting married and receiving His love – the place unfallen humankind should originally have established.

Jesus went to the spirit world alone. That is why he went to paradise instead of heaven. Paradise is the waiting room before going to heaven; it is not the ideal Kingdom of Heaven that couples enter together with their family members. Therefore, Jesus has to come again to meet his bride, create a family and a people, and take them to heaven. To prepare for this purpose, God has had Jesus remain in paradise. Therefore, Jesus should come again into the world, prepare an internal principled foundation, and, then, enter heaven. These things are not done by guesswork or some vague rule of thumb.

In the future, your father and mother will be saved. The religion that can get every family into heaven and teach everyone the way of salvation can establish the nation. The nation cannot be established individually. Hence, Christianity has no nation of its own. It is a religion in which unmarried men and women create communities. You have met these Catholic priests and nuns haven't you?

In this world there are many countries where Christians reside but there is no country whose sovereign is a Christian leader, a priest or pastor. There is a stark separation. Christianity is a spiritual nation. Not having their own country on earth, many, many Christians have been killed. Had they had their own sovereign nation, it would have protected them from being killed.

Yet because they did not have their own nation, they were scattered abroad like vagrants and driven to their deaths. In the future, we should bring all Christians of the world together and through gaining that national sovereignty we should find our common home, country, and world. That is what Christians should do.