Sun Myung Moon
October 21, 2001
Excerpts from Closing Banquet Address, Assembly 2001
The Search for Solutions to Critical Global Problems
Global Violence: Crisis and Hope
New York, NY
We all must go to the frontline with a God-given mandate inscribed in our hearts. The more we hesitate, the more serious and difficult will become the problems faced by humankind. Let us look around the world. Who besides you truly worries about the crises we are facing? Who can solve today's problems?
Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think is God's ideal of creation? It begins with our becoming a true seed by connecting to God in true love, true life and true lineage. The true seed then grows into a true family, the true family becomes the seed of a true tribe, the true tribe becomes the seed of a true people, a true people becomes the seed of a true nation, and a true nation becomes the seed of a true world. Because of the fall of our ancestors, humankind became Satan's seeds through inheriting Satan's false love, false life and false lineage, which has nothing to do with God's true love, true life and true lineage. This is a tragedy for humankind and is the biggest problem for us to resolve.
To what does God want us to be awakened? On what foundation might one be qualified to speak about one's true self? You may not like to hear this, but as the descendents of fallen parents, humankind has not realized the value of the true self nor do we know the position we would occupy upon realization of the true self. At the time of creation, God wanted to be able to say "we" with reference to a true family and Himself, and to multiply this family to create a world of peace, His ideal of creation. Due to the fall, however, human beings could not find their true self, nor could God use the word "we." No one could establish a relationship with God such that God would call us "mine" or consider us as His children who dwell consciously in the realm of His ideal of creation. Therefore, the concept of self we possess has no connection with the original ideal of God's creation. To reach that ideal, we absolutely must negate ourselves.
As an individual, we each have to achieve the position of a perfected "I." We can never attain that status unless we place ourselves at the "zero point" and negate ourselves absolutely. We can achieve absolute unity of mind and body only on that basis. Please think about it. Unless we establish an absolute "I" -- one that heaven and earth can recognize -- and establish a perfect family, perfect nation and perfect world, we are defective. How can God embrace defective humankind in the realm of true love, true life and true lineage? How can He enunciate "we," establishing Himself in league with imperfect people?
Reflecting this, we should question whether we are qualified to cry out "I" in front of God. Even before asking that question, we must examine whether our mind and body are united absolutely. A person without a clear answer to that question has a long way to go.
Since God is the subject of true love, the owner of true life and the origin of true lineage, He has been seeking true children who are inseparably one with Him. In other words, God has been waiting for the children who are connected to His life and lineage centering on true love. We become such children through absolute faith, absolute love and absolute obedience. One cannot find true love by looking within. We find true love only with a partner. Even the almighty God cannot attain true love by Himself. That is the reason He created His children as His love partners.
First, we must achieve individual perfection through the unity of mind and body. On that foundation, we should establish a vertical, father-son relationship with God.
How can we reach such a position? We have to return to the situation of God at the time of the original creation. In what position do you think God first started creating? God started creating from a position of absolute unity between mind and body. He invested Himself absolutely, centered on absolute love and absolute life. There was no room for self-interest or self-concern in that process. The teaching of "living for the sake of others" originated there. It is to give 100% of oneself, over and over again.
Our family life follows the same principle. Parents, who are in the position of God in the family setting, must give themselves absolutely for the sake of the family, centering on true love. Without a proper family environment, how can one even think about discovering one's true self? How can we dream of seeking the perfect "we" that is absolute in every direction? Family truly is the cradle of love, peace and happiness!
Ladies and gentlemen, we must not make the mistake of falling prey to worldly fame, knowledge, power or wealth. No matter how famous one may be, if one cannot discover his or her own true self, centering on absolute unity between mind and body, and connect to God vertically, there is no meaning to life. A person has nothing to do with God's providence unless God embraces him and proclaims "we" together with him.
Where can you find your own true self? You will discover it only by living for the sake of others. You absolutely have to put yourself at the zero point, to negate yourself and live for your family, your nation, the world and God. There you will find your true self automatically. This is the inescapable course for human restoration and salvation. It is our destiny.
We should live to build our ideal family, day and night. If we can build world peace, which is the original world for which God has been waiting for tens of thousands of years, this will become the Kingdom of God on Earth. In that world, the sorrowful heart of God will be liberated.
Ladies and gentlemen, let us discover our proud true self that is free of shame under the sun, that has honor before the ocean and that has nothing to conceal facing all things. Let us build our true family so that God will cry out "we" together with us.