Reverend Sun Myung Moon
September 16, 1979
Belvedere
Translator: Bo Hi Pak
My topic this morning is our internal situation: Let Us Analyze Ourselves. If you assemble a large crowd, among them you will find young people and old, men and women, and people of five races. You will find people of different circumstances: happy and sad, healthy and sick, excited and discouraged. In a gathering of a thousand people, there would be a thousand different situations.
Here at Belvedere this morning there are about a thousand people; each of you has slightly different motivations and situations. When you step outside the gates and head out in a continuous line, you will find a totally different society in Tarrytown, in Westchester county, in New York state, in the United States, in the entire world, and in the spirit world.
Every person or circumstance you encounter will have a different internal situation. Suppose one person, a supervisor or whatever, was told to find answers or solutions to all these different circumstances. What would you think about such a responsibility? Would anyone here volunteer for that job? All people who have ever lived have encountered circumstances that they want an explanation for. All these historical expectations have been accumulating until today.
There are basically two types of people: one kind seeks to advertise their circumstances and explain things, while the other type is more reserved and silent, thinking that explanations are not needed. Of these two types of people, which is more respected? The second type, because those who speak up and advertise themselves normally want to get out of their situation and finish things up quickly, while the others will persevere, confident that they can overcome circumstances on their own.
Those who speak out and try to advertise their difficulties may cause others to be unhappy. They may cause their parents to cry or their brothers and sisters to worry about them. Those who persevere do not make that kind of impact on their neighbors and their surroundings. Those who advertise for help in face of small difficulties are somewhat shallow; those with an internal sustaining power will persevere without letting small things bother them.
Who generally make more effort to justify themselves, men or women? It has been proven historically that women have more of a tendency to explain their situations. You women may not want to accept that statement, but just close your eyes and say, "Yes, Father"! Men who have a depth which they don't easily reveal are more attractive; they can sit down with dignity and make wise observations.
Men and women present contrasting images. Women have smooth, soft skin, while men are bearded. Women tend to explain things, using beautiful adjectives to compose poems and write romantic letters. Men, on the other hand, with their tough looks and closed lips, sit with weight and dignity. In contrast with feminine qualities, these masculine qualities are more trustworthy.
Those who tend to speak too readily-in most cases women-reveal things quickly and their listeners soon get bored. But those who don't expose themselves quickly are more attractive, and people are more inclined to listen. They wonder what is on their mind. Those who give quick explanations soon disappear from sight, but people with hidden depth hold others' attention out of curiosity.
Now, I want to ask you women to raise your hands if you really like those feminine qualities and don't long for something opposite to what you have. Women are always moving around, changing from one position to another; you need an anchor line to keep you from floating away! Do you realize that? The role of the man is like an anchor, holding onto the woman. On the other hand, you tough-looking men, instead of mingling with others like yourselves, go after those charming, talkative women. Men are impressed by women's smiling faces, those gracefully-moving lips, those sweet utterances. Men, who were born to be tough and strong, lack such qualities. Without those feminine qualities, you men can't charm others!
Generally speaking, the talkative people lose the battle and fade away. That is usually the case in history. On the other hand, reticent people maintain their strength and persevere. Well, do you realize that this is a fact, or do you consider it just my theory? In history, what kind of person generally governs? It is the thinkers, the people of few words. They don't have time to talk much because they are busy thinking and dreaming. The men and women who made gigantic contributions to history have generally been this type of person. The people who are busy talking, looking around, having fun, and getting involved in this and that are generally shallow. The people who sit on rocks and meditate for hours on end have depth and sustaining energy. Then which type of person is wiser? The second.
In comparing religious and non-religious people, the truly religious people are generally people of few words; they tend to pray and meditate more. Non-religious people seek to excuse and justify their actions. The Bible encourages people to persevere, be patient, and endure; those are prime virtues taught in the Bible. The Bible doesn't urge people to go out and fight to prove their worth. Even if there is an enemy, the religious people commit the enemy into God's hands and let God ultimately dispose of the adversary position. The first virtue the Bible teaches is to forget the other person's shortcomings and wrongdoing. Furthermore, the Bible instructs us to love our enemy. It is not easy to love one's enemy. Nobody is truly perfect in loving the enemy. Therefore, since you cannot really live up to that credo, you should be silent instead of trying to justify yourself; in such a situation, it is best not to talk too much.
The adversary's side has every freedom to criticize and accuse, but your position is to love them, even though they are your enemy. Therefore, if you don't live up to the Bible's standard, you don't have much to say. If you habitually talk back to your enemy, pursue them and try to justify yourself, people will tend to abandon you instead of supporting you; they may even join the other side. This is the reality of the world.
Consider the United States. If America is to have a vision for the coming days and hope for the future, it needs leaders who are thinkers, people of few words with the capacity to persevere and move forward. Then this land will have hope. The kind of leader who can embrace the entire nation and have room for more will eventually embrace and control the future of the nation. Leaders who get upset at any small situation and instantly react to it reveal themselves as shallow thinkers. Suppose a crisis develops and all 240 million Americans shout and complain about it and ask their leader what he thinks. If he doesn't say much but looks at them wisely, the people will be attentive to him; he will have a certain charm and attractiveness. Such a deep-thinking, patient leader would not respond to his people with hate, but with love. How do you think the people would react to such an expression of love? They would love such an answer! This is precisely why the Bible says to love your enemy; this is love in action.
To review, there are basically two types of people: those who are talkative and those who are reticent. Within each group, there are two kinds: one loquacious person who speaks for egotistical reasons and the other for unselfish reasons. One reticent person keeps silent out of unselfishness and love for the enemy, and the other keeps silent for self-centered reasons.
In handling a great deal of criticism from the public, how should a loving leader respond? How can someone in authority really convey a loving heart to others? The best way for a leader to show care for the people is to demonstrate affection quietly. When people see that their leader is truly concerned about them and the future of their nation, they will recognize the leader to be a dedicated, unselfish person who deserves their respect. The citizens of the nation will support such a public-minded person, and history will give its approval.
Instead of pushing forward greedily, a reticent person gives priority to the public purpose and unselfishly serves the nation, conveying a spirit of hope. Such a person definitely makes an important contribution to history, and history shall record that person's deeds. Such a person will have an international following; not only Americans but British, Koreans, Japanese and citizens of all nations want to see such a leader emerge. Since such a person has a broad public support, the popular sentiment that develops represents God's sentiment. That means that God also likes and follows such a person. Isn't that true? You agree. Even if God were to come out and say, "No, you are wrong; I'm convinced I'm right," you could defeat God, for God cannot win over the principle, since the principle is God. Do you agree with my conclusion?
So look up at God and ask Him what kind of God He is. Ask Him about His characteristics. The principal characteristic of God we learn from history is that He is reticent. God would answer, "Well, if I open my mouth, there are millions and billions of things to explain. I could talk about how much I suffer, how heartbroken I am, and how much people mistreat me. I am the most mistreated being in the entire universe, but I still maintain hope; I have great hope for humanity, and I keep persevering, with few words, seeking to restore all people."
God is a public being, the center of public consciousness. God is God because He is the most public-minded being under the sun. That is His nature because He has no selfish motivation. In doing so, however, He keeps the greatest silence. God never loses sight of the ideal; He never loses hone for tomorrow.
God saw Satan come and subjugate His son and daughter, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden, destroying the entire blueprint for the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Yet God remained silent. When God sent His son Jesus Christ to the world and the people misunderstood him and crucified him, God still remained silent. Today God loves me and has sent me out to the world to accomplish revolutionary changes in it; yet He remains silent in spite of so many upheavals. If God were like American women and tried to explain it all and get everything off His chest, none of you would be able to bear it; none of you would remain.
Unification Church members are the masters of history; you are the hosts and hostesses of providence. Those who play a central role in history are those who most resemble God; those who speak little but think and act for the sake of the public good shall be the central people of our church. Why? Because that is how God is. Because that is the kind of person God loves. Because that is the kind of person who will endure and prosper. Anyone who disagrees with this conclusion please raise your hand. Anyone who agrees with me that God loves those who resemble Him please raise your hand. You raised your hands to the second proposition, but they didn't go up very fast. You responded slowly because you realize that it isn't easy to be like God, isn't that so?
To try to learn sophisticated techniques and proper methods to reach God will not work. I want to teach you the simplest way to achieve the goal. The simplest way to become like God is to live with a sacrificial spirit. You should silently seek to sacrifice for the sake of others, for the sake of the public good.
When you read the Bible you find mention of all kinds of offerings and sacrifices made on the altar to God. Today we are talking about a living sacrifice. When you become a sacrifice, you don't make any excuse; you don't go from one village to the next proclaiming that you are a sacrifice that will be placed on the altar the next morning. A sacrifice is always silent, always obedient. The cow, lamb and pigeons cut in two for the sake of history are silent even at the final moment of offering. That is the way it goes. Somebody else will speak up for you; eventually the public will recognize you.
This is how history operates. The people who make incredible contributions to history are little known in their own time' but history bears witness to them. Suppose the members of the Unification Church were the worst, most unforgivable kind of religious people-we would have a lot of explanations to make. We wouldn't want to be silent. Yet the Unification Church basically remains silent. People will see Unification Church members working quietly, without losing their temper. When you go fundraising you are mistreated in incredible ways. If you were to explode about the injustice, you could do it several times a day. People give you dirty looks, spit at you, hit you, and may even stab you. You experience all kinds of persecution. But instead of trying to explain yourself, you keep busy with your positive mission; instead of confronting the negativity, you keep busy with the positive work of constructing the Kingdom of Heaven. You have no time to fool around with people.
If you remain silent, maintain your composure and hold your peace, people will wonder about you. They will say, "What kind of crazy people are these? Even when we criticize them severely, they remain silent. They must be really dumb!" If the entire village comes against you and criticizes you, keep your composure and your smile. Those who are as reserved and composed as you will marvel, "He is an amazing person; he is just like me!" Normally, the people who see your true value and recognize your unselfishness will be high-quality, influential people. They and their children will discover your worth. They are the thinkers; thinkers search for the essence. On seeing your young, noble face, such people will wish for a husband or wife like you. "I have never seen a person of such rare quality," they will exclaim. These things have actually happened.
Do you love me? Why? Even though you know that I have been so badly misunderstood, attacked and persecuted? Even though people say all kinds of things about me? At least one thing is for sure: I have set the record for getting a bad reputation. I have first prize in that category. No one has been so harshly criticized in his own lifetime as I have been. Not only one class of people has opposed me, but people of all classes, all races and all continents. There is no nationality of people who have not said bad things about me. Are they testifying to the truth? Am I evil? Here you see the same principle at work: everybody says I am evil and wrong, but you disagree. Likewise, when you go to a village, 99 percent of the people may misunderstand you, but at least some will recognize your true value. People around the world have misunderstood me, but you comprehend my worth.
So whoever wishes for a good husband wants someone like me, right? I'm sorry Mother isn't here. Mother is very tired, since she is expecting a baby in the next couple of weeks, and she has to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes or so. Since that is a biological need, I cannot ask her to stay here for two and a half hours, or however long the sermon lasts. The biological need must be met; she is going to the bathroom for a public purpose. Normally you would not walk out of the room during my speech, but if your leaving is for a public purpose it is forgiven.
Many people criticize me for taking American youth away, like a Pied Piper. However, you are participating in a cause far greater than anything they can conceive including staying home and serving your parents. Therefore, your devotion is beautiful in God's sight, and it shall be respected and praised in history. Your parents misunderstand your reasons for joining the Unification Church because they are ignorant about our church and its true cause. Once they understand they will be the first to urge you to go forth. They will say, "I respect you, my child, and am proud of you; please go and serve the public purpose."
I came to the United States and indeed made an impact. Has that impact been good or bad? You are a small minority, compared to the entire 240 million people in this land. You call the impact good, but the rest of the world does not call it good.
When you say good, you are using a gigantic word. Look how it is written: the four letters are formed by four circles. A circle represents at the same time zero and infinity. Thus a circle is a symbol of infinite value, infinite quality. It seems to be nothing; therefore, it is everything. You can make the circle as big as you want and have it contain as much as you want; that is the nature of a circle.
Now where does this gigantic word good start: from a gigantic big place or from a small place? Let's look at the beginning, God. God never spoke the word good when He was by Himself. He only uttered the word good when He began creating. He only pronounced, "It is very good," when He first saw Adam and Eve. He created heaven and earth in six days, but they were just good. However, when God saw Adam and Eve, for the first time He said, "Behold, it is very good." What is so very good? Before Adam and Eve, even though so much had been created, nothing actually existed for God's sake. When Adam and Eve were created,
God saw the possibility of give and take of love, the fulfillment of love, an object whom He could love. God wants to enter into that fulfillment of love.
Which is bigger: God or love? Love is so all-inclusive that it can wrap up even God and float Him away! Enclosed in a love-bag tied with a cord, God doesn't even say, "Ouch!" Instead, God will beg that the pressure of love be increased. God longs for the excitement of love. Therefore, we could say that God exists solely for the sake of love, and that love is everything.
Have you ever seen love? Can you carry it in the palm of your hand? Where is it? Love is not activated until you see an object with whom to have give and take. No matter how beautiful a woman you may be, looking at your face a hundred times in a mirror doesn't excite you too much. But when a tough, stern, ugly man shows up, something inside you starts to warm up, and instead of looking at your own face although it may be lovely enough to grace a Miss America-you find it much more interesting to look at the ugly face of a man. Because the most beautiful woman can find true beauty and excitement in the face of the most ugly man, God pronounced human beings very good.
Actually when a beautiful woman and a handsome man love each other, it is good; but when a beautiful woman loves an ugly man, that is really very good. Is the Unification Church a good group or a bad group? In order to become a very good group, black, yellow and white people should all mingle together, right? When people of all races and all degrees of attractiveness come together, it is very good.
God's nature encompasses both day and night, not just day, not just night. God can rejoice during the day and at night. There may be some situations in which only white people laugh, other situations in which only black people or yellow people laugh. But when black, white and yellow people can laugh together with the same happiness, that joy is universal. God envisioned such universal enjoyment when He pronounced mankind very good.
Today I'm talking about our tradition, our circumstances. Our first conclusion is that selfish situations have no value and should not even be the subject of discussion. Do you American women accept my conclusion? You might want to reply, "That sounds very good, but I want to give a little explanation about myself."
When I started out on this course, I came to the conclusion that the winning way of life is the unselfish one. I decided that the guiding principle of the Unification Church shall be the unselfish way of life; the Unification Church shall not consider any explanation based on selfish reasons.
Upon undertaking this course I resolved to live 100 percent for the public purpose. When I came to the United States, I devoted myself to teaching that way of life to the American people, in whom individualism is strong and selfish motivations prevail. Of course this nation does not eagerly accept this notion. This is like a shock treatment. People react, "Oh, no, Reverend Moon. That is not my way of life. Don't talk about such a thing to Americans. You may live like that, but I'm an American and I won't."
Protests come from all directions: the cats complain, "Meow, meow"; the dogs bark, "Woof, woof"; the tigers roar, "Go away." Everybody reacts so violently to the principle of unselfishness. Let the cats cry and the dogs bark I will remain in peace and quiet. I am engaged in building the kingdom, and I'm building it my way. I have been so busy building that the cats and dogs who close their eyes in violent rejection will suddenly open them and wonder where everybody is. They will find themselves all alone.
How different we are from the cat and dog types of people. Who really loves America? Who is truly concerned about America's future? Who has caught the vision of this great nation? Should people stay in the cat and dog groups, or join our group?
When you came to our group you weren't always treated so kindly; you may not even get eggs for breakfast. In contrast, when you go home your parents may fix you eggs and even serve you breakfast in bed! They may give you whatever you want.
To follow Reverend Moon is not easy; the path is filled with hardship, suffering and tribulation. If you seek a relaxed, easy way of life, go live in a comfortable place. Here you work all day long and the next morning you can't even sit down to enjoy your breakfast. You eat standing up and go out and work all day again. I never praise you, just chase you out again. If you are chastised and challenged over and over, will you still like it?
When will all this be finished? When the world is restored to God's world. When that task is done I will say, "Go and sleep 24 hours, sleep 48 hours, and you will find a whole steak-or even a whole cow-coming and standing on your plate. Then your clothes will be decorated with diamonds. "
I tell my own children to study hard, do their math homework, etc. When they go to high school I increase the pressure, and in college even more. My children might protest, "What kind of father are you to keep pushing me? I'm always obedient. I always try my best. I always get A's." But children cannot complain like that, because they know that the motivation comes from parental love and that their parents want them to succeed.
The same holds true in the Unification Church. You are children of God. I am not going to stop and praise you; you must keep pushing and challenging yourself, because my goal and expectation for you are so great. This pushing comes from pure parental love. Do you follow?
It's hard for children to study every day; but when they are pushed to do the toughest job and accomplish it, the end result is joy and happiness. Even after their parents have died, children recognize that whatever they have accomplished-in serving mankind, becoming a leader, making some contribution to history-they owe to their parents. They realized that their parents pushed them towards such success.
So when I push Unification Church members it is not out of exploitation but simply because the goal is so high and the task so great and I want you to succeed in these tasks. The children who understand the true motivation of their parents and appreciate them shall become great children- and eventually great men and women.
When you joined the Unification Church you frequently heard about a three-year course. But consider the value of three years of schooling. After the three-year course there is a seven-year course, and after that three consecutive seven-year courses! How long a course do you want to enroll in: the shortest or the longest? Would you like to enroll in that triple seven-year course? Twenty years is a long time in relation to the human life span; a lot of things can happen in 20 years. To stick to the vision and goal for 20 years, rain or shine, is not easy; but once you reach it you know you have accomplished something truly great.
How did people view me 30 years ago? Pretty small. How much did I grow in the meantime? Am I still small? What is the difference between the Reverend Moon of 30 years ago and today? Are they two entirely different persons? The only difference is that 30 years ago there was a small circle, and now there is a gigantic circle. What made me great? Three consecutive seven-year courses. I always persevere and push myself forward in a straight line. Each year I have focused on traveling forward in a straight line, but at the same time God has been expanding my territory, using the length of that line as the diameter of a circle. Thus the circle has been getting bigger and bigger all the time.
You may sometimes question what kind of God we have, because the course He has given us seems too much to bear and you wonder why we need to continue. I too had those feelings, but then I would turn around and look at the territory I had covered, and every time I would be amazed and flabbergasted at what great blessings God has bestowed on me. One by one, the people who had seemed so powerful have become smaller and smaller as I look back. They have become so apologetic, so appreciative of my work, so filled with love and respect. This is God's strategy.
I am just one small Korean. Here there are people whose bodies are bigger or taller than mine. There are many great Americans. So why has my stature grown to the point where people consider me a giant? Because I keep pushing myself toward the public, unselfish way of life. Many people had predicted that the Unification Church would be a passing phenomenon and would not last beyond a few years. Instead of fading away, however, the Unification Church is growing and growing. Why has the Unification Church not been destroyed? Simply because we are living God's way of life, and God cannot afford to be destroyed.
You may become so tired and frustrated within the church that you decide to leave; but when you look back in from the outside, you will realize what a precious life is contained in the church and how noble the members are. You will recognize that I am truly following God's way.
Such phenomena have not been occurring in the United States yet, but they happen all the time in Korea. There were many early followers who became so tired and disillusioned that they left. Now, however, when I return to Korea these people cannot lift their faces to me; tears trickle down their cheeks, and from the bottom of their hearts they seek to show me respect and love. They are saying, "Father, you have won our respect. You broke through such adverse conditions. No one can stand in front of you." They realize that if I were a person like them, there would be no Unification Church; God would have nothing to hold onto. That would be a poor and miserable day for world history. But now these early members say, "Father, I'm glad you did it. You won." Sometimes I felt so deeply that I had to succeed, if for no other reason than to show the critics that God is alive. I determined to win because I could not afford to lose.
After listening to all this, would you try to explain your circumstances to me? No, you would shake your head and say, "Father, don't worry about me. Don't worry about my petty situation. I don't have anything to explain." I'm sure that after two long, thirsty months without me you must have been thinking, "When Father returns, I must discuss something with him. My leader doesn't understand my situation, so I will explain it to Father. My Abel figure never listened to me, so I must go directly to Father." Can you do this? No? Thank you very much.
On my part, I too can speak to you only about public matters, not petty, selfish things. There are many public issues to speak about, for the sake of this nation, the world, the destiny of our mission, and the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. You should go out and proudly repeat these things. You can shout them out, knowing that you are speaking for a public cause.
Even without rich food to eat or milk to drink, you can persevere on the public path and nobody will be able to criticize you even one iota. You can tell yourself that the milk and cheese you are foregoing will be saved for the rest of the world. Instead of wearing the best clothes yourself, you can think that you are saving them for the rest of the world.
You may have had a hard day fundraising, but you don't come back and announce how great you are afterwards. You may have gained good results and you feel like stopping at a nice restaurant and enjoying a juicy steak; even with the money in your pocket and knowing that nobody will stop you, if you choose to go to McDonald's instead God will look down upon you with tears trickling down His cheeks. I too look at you and want to give you not just a piece of juicy steak but a whole cow and more. This is how parents feel. This is the link in the chain linking God, True Parents and you. No one-not even God, myself or Satan-can cut that chain.
Last night I spoke to many members who are pursuing a doctorate degree. They feel that so many things remain to be achieved. However, these intelligent people were amazed at the gigantic things I have been accomplishing so quietly that they didn't even notice. Totally surprised, they asked when I did them.
I have a tremendous plan for a future university. According to the master plan presented at a briefing the other day, about $250 million will be needed to build it and $250 million to sustain it. That means $500 million. Do we have the money? The people asked me to call on God to make it work, but I am not in that kind of position. I myself must find a way to make it work.
God Himself looks down and says, "Father, why don't you rest a little bit? Just go slow and easy. It's too much money; just wait." Mr. Kamiyama might feel like protesting, "Father, you are funding so many projects I simply cannot keep up with you." Even though he might think this, he won't say it. It's not easy to make my wishes a reality. We have been working so painstakingly, but look around now and see how much has been accomplished: missionary work all over the world, the top-level Little Angels school, the motion picture "Inchon" filmed on location in Korea, the fishing industry and my vision for the sea. Feeling that what I am doing is so big, have you ever wondered how your efforts can help?
Returning to our situation, do you have more to say to me, or do I have more to say to you? The entire world is watching us. There are a lot of "Moon watchers" around, standing with mouths agape wondering what I will do next. People's mouths are opening wider and wider all the time. You get tired just thinking about this, but still you can renew your energy and walk out with pride to the world.
If each of you follows my prescription precisely, you are bound to be a success. Do you believe this just because it sounds good, or because you know it is a fact? Now, when I say something you believe it, but it used to be that when I talked of so many crucial things you just couldn't believe. It isn't easy to believe. It takes time. Faith and trust must be earned, and I have earned them. Now when I announce something, you can accept it and believe it.
Many years ago I talked about international marriages as the basis for the ideal. I stated that the various combinations of blacks marrying whites, whites marrying Orientals, and Orientals marrying blacks make up the beauty of the human race. It sounded good and logical, but people felt it was naive and irrational to propose such a thing because it could not become a reality. Now what happened this year? At the matching you volunteered for international marriages; even in some cases when I didn't recommend an international marriage you still insisted. It was so amazing and so beautiful. What I used to speak of is no longer just an ideal but it has become a reality.
As you know, the movie industry is a very powerful force but also very immoral. It needs a revolution; a new heavenly spirit must enter it. Those Hollywood considers superstars have great influence among young people, but their impact is often ungodly. The government cannot alter this; only a spiritual revolution can transform the situation. Sometimes I go to Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, and so forth, to observe what is going on in the world of gambling. I must get first-hand information. Cancer is brewing in such places; there are many cancerous threats to civilization growing in Hollywood, Las Vegas and New York. Eighth Avenue in New York, where the World Mission Center is located, is a hub of immorality, and I have a strong desire to clean it up.
The time has come for America to give us due recognition. We must let- the world know. CARP is our task force, heralding the message on the campuses and to the intellectual communities. The seminary graduates joined CARP for active duty as front-line soldiers. They are attending a workshop on the West Coast, and in a couple of days they will be coming to East Garden to listen to me.
Whoever envies my position, let him volunteer to take up my role. Would you like to carry out my task here? After three hours you would probably give up and run away. That is the kind of pressure under which I have been operating.
Do you really want to know about my situation? I have been fishing for tuna off the coast of Massachusetts, and tuna fishing is truly a battle. People go out in luxury yachts looking for the "New Hope" and trying to find out if I am on board. They are curious about my appearance and my actions. They don't imagine that I would go out every day, because serious tuna fishing is a tough job. They assume that I go out just once in a while for enjoyment. I'm out there every day, humbly dressed, working all the time; and looking through their binoculars in our direction they assume I am not there. They think that I haven't even shown up this summer. They don't even consider that the ordinary-looking fisherman they see wearing humble clothes and humble hat could be me. They envision me seated on some throne atop the "New Hope."
Every time I catch a tuna we take it to the pier for processing. People pass by me and notice my fishy smell, but they never consider it might be me. When they see some of the Moonie supporters they tell them, "Please tell Reverend Moon that I missed him. Please tell him hello from me."
Even in tuna fishing there is a need for a lot of creative thinking. I speak few words; mostly I experiment. For three consecutive years the "New Hope" has been setting new records. As you know, people have been fishing for tuna for many centuries, and until now, professional fishermen with 10 or 20 years experience have always held the record for the greatest number of tuna caught. But three years ago they lost the record; they can no longer keep pace with me. Each year that I have set a new record in Gloucester, those proud professional fishermen say, "How can we be defeated by the Moonies? We can't afford to do that." So they go out at 3:00 am, and I go out at 2:00. Then they resolve to leave at 1:00, and I leave even earlier. They cannot sustain this pace more than a day or two, but I do it every day. That is the difference.
No one used to be on the boats at 3:00 am, but now there are as many as 20 boats in operation at that hour. All the boats used to return to harbor at 3:30 in the afternoon, but since I stay out until 7:00 others routinely stay out until dark too.
It isn't necessary to say a lot of words to people; just be disciplined, and they will demonstrate their respect by wanting to follow your pattern. There was a great deal of hostility in Gloucester the first year I set a new record. Now the fishermen have resigned themselves to defeat, and rather than fighting us they join us. Wherever the "New Hope" goes people follow closely, watching every move. They try to imitate my pattern because they too want to catch tuna.
Three years ago I invented a new method of tuna fishing. Until then all the fishermen used a pole and nylon lines. When I stopped doing that three years ago, the professionals thought I was doing something strange. Now, all tuna fishing in Gloucester is done by my method.
Gloucester is the most famous tuna fishing port in the world; people come there from all over the world. So whenever the "New Hope" goes to New Jersey, Los Angeles or Alabama people recognize it and want to honor it.
Three years ago when I first started. tuna at dockside was worth only ten cents a pound. Now, it's $1.75 per pound, and eventually it will rise to $5.00 per pound. My intention is that as prices rise, a 700 to 1000 pound tuna will be worth $3,500 to $5,000. That will provide a good income for anybody. So everybody wants to get into the great gold-rush.
I want to assemble all kinds of boats for tuna fishing. As is common at many fishing ports, the economy of Gloucester has been depressed, but the people of that small fishing village who have been so unkind to me and mistreated me so badly will see their whole town come alive because of my presence. Gloucester will boom and prosper economically. The people of Gloucester will owe me so much, and I'm sure they will come and bow down. So which boat will be most welcome in Gloucester? The "New Hope." The "New Hope" will always bring new hope to Gloucester.
This year I invited all the elder leaders to Gloucester for tuna fishing-the toughest kind of workshop. Next year we will assemble both small and large vessels, about 50 altogether. Can you imagine how much controversy it will create when 50 Moonie boats are launched each morning?
Why am I so interested in tuna? Because solving the challenge of freezing tuna and preserving its freshness will bring a technical revolution to American fishing industry. The Japanese are consuming a lot of fresh tuna now because they love sashimi, the very popular dish made with raw fish. To ship tuna from here to Japan takes much time, and in many cases the tuna do not arrive fresh. However, I invented a certain method for optimum preservation of tuna, and this year the Japanese importers sent telegram after telegram to their suppliers asking them to process tuna like the Moonies do. The Japanese instruct their suppliers: "The Moonies' tuna is always fresh, but yours is no good. What happened? Go and learn how the Moonies process tuna."
I have been going to sea for six years. Would you like to do the same? Let me see the hands of those who say no. Let me see the hands of those who say yes. It is not easy to take care of even one boat; a lot of work is involved. To organize an entire fleet is even harder, and more difficult still to organize an entire fishing industry. We work hard, and we accomplish things step by step. We go the tough way every day. Ten years from now we can turn around and be astonished at how much territory we have covered.
I would like to see the headquarters building of each mission be larger than the city hall. After all, it is God's house. Isn't that a good idea? Some may answer that the idea is good, but it's so tough to accomplish. Well, that's why we do it. It should have been done a long time ago.
Let the world's people do the easy things; the Moonies will do the tough things. And let them take ten years to do it, while we do it instantly. That is what I would prefer. Do you agree with me? Even if you don't like it, still you will go on. Wherever the course may take you, you will not regret it; you will not be disappointed. Instead, you will rejoice at the results.
Is home church an easy job? To do home church means to become the historical number one servant to 360 homes. You start out as a servant and rise from that position to become ultimately the number one master. In home church you construct a ladder which you can climb from the bottom of hell all the way to the top of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Who will make this ladder? You may be a pale, weak-looking woman with small slanted eyes and thin lips, but you are a Moonie and you commit yourself to do it.
When will you do it? Today? Ten years from now? Most people work only eight hours a day and the remainder of the time they rest, eat, or sleep. But we can work 24 hours without eating or sleeping very much.
People will observe you and estimate that you will last no more than six months; but they will be amazed at how you persevere step by step for one, two, or three years. Initially, people in home church will mistreat you. The normal pattern will be for them to mistreat you, spit at you, criticize you, chase you out, do all kinds of things. But you shouldn't care, because eventually, after one, two, three or ten years, you will be like their king and queen. When you leave your area they will shed tears for you. In this fashion you will become the host and hostess of history.
I have many historical episodes stored inside me which I have not spoken about. I am a champion, but not like the wrestlers who boast of their prowess. I am the kind of champion who pleases God, one who is silent.
Regardless of your past, I am interested in only one thing: that you become a champion of history. Sometimes I will agonize for a week before I decide what mission to give a certain leader; during that time I consider that person's various qualities. If someone is not cooperative, it might seem easy to give up and decide I need another person for that position. But when I chastise a leader and move that person to another place, there are historical consequences; the person's children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are affected, so how can I not be serious about such decisions?
Normally I don't give many commands. My practice is first to do something myself and then let others observe it and follow. Do you understand? Each of you has individual circumstances and goes through internal struggles. I know that. I understand your situation better than anyone else. However, if you work silently, always moving forward toward the goal, and after 10 or 20 years you still see no results, then you have something to speak to me about. But without even beginning on the journey, if you complain about various things, making all kinds of noises like an empty drum, your objections are not acceptable to me; they don't fit into God's principle.
This is now the month of September. We are in the latter part of 1979. I know you have been doing your best so far, but not to the degree that is pleasing to me or to God. We need a rejuvenation, a revitalization, a new beginning. This is the month to do it.
There are two kinds of motion: disintegration and reconstruction. If decay proceeds more rapidly than rebuilding we will eventually lose the battle. We need to gain speed and apply the brake to America's decline. Do you take exception to this statement?
In summary: be silent, set a high standard and goal, and keep moving forward.
You are entering the arena of the final battle. You are like champions walking into that arena. Would you like to participate in that final battle? When you look into the mirror in the morning and see your face clouded with unhappiness and discouragement, ask that person in the mirror: "What are you doing? Why are you so discouraged? Get up and go! Go! Go!" Evaluate yourself. Such negative attitudes can destroy the entire dispensation, block Heavenly Father's cause, and frustrate history. Tell that person in the mirror, "I cannot afford to let you become a rascal!"
How many of you became engaged this year? Every day you have been thinking of your fiancée, right? Every night you have been wondering why you didn't get a letter, right? You feel that you have given up everything and you need at least a letter. I understand that feeling. But what does your fiancée expect you to do: abandon all other duties to sit down and write a long letter, or go forward and win the victory that day, even though it means you cannot write that letter? Which attitude characterizes the more public fiancée? When the latter type of couple eventually meets, even though not too many letters were exchanged they will experience tremendous understanding and love. When a public man and a public woman are in love, their cause is a public cause.
I am not saying you should not be in love, because I really support intense love. But you are like students facing an exam. Your prime duty is to pass the test of being a public person.
After hearing me speak this morning at Belvedere, please write a short letter to your fiancée today stating, "If I don't write to you for the next six months, I want you to understand that I am perfecting my public character." What kind of spouse do you prefer: someone who forgets the mission out of love for you, or someone whom God recognizes as a public person? What kind of husband would you want? What kind of wife would you want? You are greedy; I know what you want. What I am teaching you today is very correct. Do you agree with it? Some of you didn't answer; you need to decide whether this is right or wrong.
If I were to explain fully Heavenly Father's circumstances, you would be so ashamed you would have no place to hide. If you knew my circumstances and God's circumstances, you would have no room to complain about your situation.
God is God, even when He is sleeping. In other words, God is number one in whatever He wishes to do, even sleeping. If sleeping were the course that would win the race, God would win. On the other hand, God is also the champion at playing. So you wonder how God decides what to do, don't you?
God is always my guide in decisions. I always follow the public purpose. God has already determined what the public purpose is: pursuing His cause, even if it means sacrificing sleep. Therefore, God doesn't sleep at all; there is no night for God. God can play, but He doesn't; as a public being, God has no time to fool around. All the difficult things God wants to bear; all the easy things He wants mankind to do.
God's position is not easy, yet He utters no word of complaint. God will let accomplishments speak for themselves; until then God remains silent. That is the way you too must go. Don't explain yourself away, but let your deeds and results speak for themselves. Until then, your will should be as unshakable as a rock; keep going forward with an iron will. Then you and I shall certainly end up together in God's heaven and rejoice over the same quality of joy there. You will meet God and me in heaven. That is what God is anxiously awaiting to happen.
Your eyes must work for the public purpose, not for selfish reasons. Look at other people as public persons as well. Don't think of one woman as prettier than the other, or one man as friendlier than the other. Those are not qualities by which to evaluate people; you should consider the degree to which they are working toward the public purpose, the degree to which they are advancing God's cause.
Put your conviction into action and let the world see your achievements. Then you won't even have to ask for anything, because the entire world will bow down to you. Do you understand?
In conclusion, there are two sides to every situation: the external and the internal. One side is always trying to move you toward a selfish purpose and the other side is always trying to move you toward an unselfish, public purpose. You must evaluate each situation, determine which is the unselfish purpose, and then advance toward it. This is the wisest, most successful way of life. Always pursue the greater cause rather than the smaller cause.
At least dedicate yourself for the national cause; when a person speaks for the sake of the nation, it is not out of selfish purpose. Furthermore, the world is a more public concern than the nation. When a person is concerned about world events, national considerations become small and selfish. Beyond that, the spirit world is much more public than this earthly plane; so for the sake of the spirit world a person must learn how to sacrifice our world. Ultimately, God is the most public being of all, the supreme public; therefore, for the sake of God's public purpose, a person can abandon everything else.
All the saints of the past walked this way of life. Jesus lived this way. I am living this way. And so should you. You call me Father, and in that name we gather together. If you are that kind of person, you should follow my way. When you speak, do so not for your own situation but for your public purpose. Instead of doing silly things that get your body tired and make you feel knocked out, open your mouth even 24 hours a day to speak for the public purpose. Use every ounce of your energy for the public purpose, until you fall down with exhaustion. This is the sacred way of life.
Now you realize how God works and what His principle entails. Now you know how to become sons and daughters of God. Now you understand how to become citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let's persevere until the final victory is won. Until God declares the final victory, we shall go on. Are you glad I said this?
Today, September 16, those who will fulfill without making any mistakes, raise your hand as a pledge to me. Thank you.