Sun Myung Moon
June 24, 1971
Headquarters Church
Seoul, Korea
You probably all know that my parents and siblings live in a place called Jeongju, North Pyongan Province in North Korea. I was greatly loved by my mother.
[The recording was interrupted for an unknown length of time.]
I thought of God more than I did my parents and siblings. My older brother suffered from certain ailments, but he cured himself through the power of faith. He also knew beforehand, through the spiritual world, that Korea would be liberated. My brother was instructed through the spiritual world to have great hope in his younger brother; he genuinely felt hope even though he didn't understand my mission exactly or what path I had to take.
My being his younger brother, caused my older brother to experience so much trouble. In terms of restoration, my older brother represented Cain. A period of tremendous hardship began for my family after my birth. However, without complaint, my older brother took on so much difficulty for me despite those adversities. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to take some quiet time with my brother to express my affection for him and fulfill my fraternal duty.
As for my father, he was a man who could live without laws. Let's say my father borrowed money from someone. He would do everything in his power to repay the person on time and with interest. He was a man of his word under any circumstances, a model person when it came to keeping promises.
He did not need laws to live righteously. Even though I had a good father, sadly, I never had the opportunity to express a son's love to him. Also, my younger siblings and even my older sisters all suffered because of me. As a result, I have an unforgettable, deep internal connection of heart with my family.
I have always felt sorry to my mother.... I am sure some of you are familiar with the story about how, when we were under Japanese sovereignty, the Konlin Maru ferry sank into the sea. I was supposed to be on that boat.
I had already sent a telegram from Japan, where I had been studying, to my family informing them of my itinerary, but just as I was about to board a train from Tokyo Station, Heaven blocked my way.' Three of my friends had accompanied me to send me off. We turned back. Had I gone on that train and boarded that ferry, I would have probably sunk along with it.
I ended up going to my friend's place. I had sent a wire informing my family that I was coming home, so now I had to find a way to inform them I wasn't.... My friends, however, dragged me away, saying that since things had turned out that way, why not have fun together for a few days?
My friends and I were together for three days, during which I could not send another telegram. Until afterward, I had no idea that the boat had sunk. On the fourth day, I heard of the incident. 1 hurriedly wired home, but my family had already gone into a panic. According to the news they had received, the ferry I said I would board had certainly sunk. I had sent them that telegram confirming my travel plans. Everyone was convinced I had died.
People would say that a woman wandering around in her underclothing instead of a skirt was out of her mind. My mother did exactly that. It was around September when this incident happened. Do you think my mother was able to think about shoes and other things? When I thought of that, I realized, Ah! This is what you call parental love.
The distance from my hometown to the town of Jeongju is about 8 km [5 mi.]. My mother ran that distance barefoot and then traveled to Busan. In her state of mind, she couldn't think about shoes or clothes. Having heard news of her son's death, she arrived barefoot at the marine police station in Busan to inquire about the situation. I was not on the list of victims, and there was no other way to know what was happening.
Being told that I had certainly died in the accident, the thought bore on her so intensely that she did not even notice an acacia thorn stuck in the sole of her foot. She noticed it only when it had festered. I returned home half a month (roughly ten days or more) later. When I got home and heard what happened, I thought to myself, Oh, I was so inconsiderate!
That was the kind of mother I had. My family had high expectations for me; they thought I would become someone great after finishing my studies. Yet, I was also the black sheep of our entire village. Many people thought I would become either a patriot if I chose the right course or a traitor if I chose the wrong one.... Rumors spread that I had a unique, strong character. That was the kind of son I was, and thinking of how much my mother nevertheless loved me, I was determined to do something great for her. However, the opportunity never came.
Father's Complex Relationship to His Family
Her son had just returned home after graduation and the first place he was dragged to was a place of incarceration. Whenever I was taken away, it was to confinement. My mother visited me in jail, tears pouring down, and said, "I thought you would become a dragon, but you have become a worm instead."
I heard of all types of rumors about me through my mother. I am not saying this because I thought I was wronged, but to tell you that I was not happy with my mother for coming to prison and crying so much. I know with certainty that my mother had her reasons for crying as a mother, but I could think of only God. My mother, though, was unaware of this. I had never told her about it. My mother was supposed to put her life at risk centered on God and to inherit the tradition, bless the course her child was on, and guide her child to fully pursue the way of the father -- son relationship. Of course, she could not do that because she was oblivious to it. From God's perspective, my mother should not have viewed me as a worm. She had basically lost face, lost dignity in front of Heaven, which is why I had to yell right in my mother's crying face, telling her to get out of the way.
I could not say a single word about the Divine Principle to my mother or older brother. Why? I had to relieve Jesus' sorrowful heart. I had to assuage Jesus' grief over not having been able to share the heavenly heart with his parents and relatives by being placed in a more miserable position than that of Jesus. Following the way with my family, which represented the people, would have certainly been a unique blessing. Had
I held on to my parents, repented while weeping, as a proxy for you, and appealed to them with the same immense heart of devotion I have for you, my parents and siblings would have completely supported me. Supporting me, whom they loved, would mean sending me on a journey on which I might have to risk death more than once. They would have been willing to follow a course through all kinds of humiliation and sadness in an effort to protect their son (or brother) from getting hurt or receiving any damage in the process. I left that family behind and completely poured my love out to you, who are unrelated to me.
Reminiscences of the Hungnam Special Labor Camp
It was my hope that heavenly compassion be bestowed upon death-row prisoners who were considered useless, even in prison. As Jesus was being crucified, to the thief on his right he said, "Today, you will be with me in paradise." In the same way, to follow God's son's lonely path, through expressions of compassion, I fought to give the despairing death-row prisoners hope in their most extreme miserable circumstances by moving their hearts to share their tearful stories. Though in prison, I took on that job.
I realized that I could not take on the responsibility of the restoration mission if I failed to elevate the hearts of those whom I had comforted while in prison to a level where they could genuinely cry, out of sadness at seeing me leave prison -- cry even more miserably than they would for their own parents. That was the mind-set with which I lived. By the time I was released from prison in North Korea, I had often experienced people holding on to me and weeping from the bottom of their hearts; four people had a level of dedication that caused them to leave their parents, wives and children to follow me.
I came down to the south soon after this. I had completely poured out my heart and dedicated myself for the North Korean people. I had unreservedly sweated and bled in trying to gather the few remaining people that had been prepared by God, but they were against me and turned their backs instead. I knew that the only thing left was to offer conditions for those whom God had prepared in South Korea. Following that course in South Korea was not easy either. The work of Satan followed me everywhere I went. By just entering a certain neighborhood, incidents, such as fights or someone dying, would occur. I had to undergo that in order to make it all the way here. Then, it transpired that I met you and taught you the word....
During the early days of our church in the Village of Yeongdo, under Rev. Eu Hyo-won... Let me tell you Rev. Eu's strong point. He read the original Divine Principle and pledged in writing all by himself that he would always be grateful even if he were to become an offering to heaven. I never asked him or instructed him to do that; he came to a realization by himself. I met Rev. Eu at a point on the course when I was at my loneliest. This is God's work. My heart at that time was quite serious. God's work was taking place because of my sincerity. God completely supported the providence, which was able to advance through that heavenly support. I had started from the very bottom. We have risen a good deal since then.
Father's birthplace
Our Members Bear Responsibility to Unite the Koreas
Korea's division at the thirty-eighth parallel was God's retribution arising from his sorrow toward Korea because Koreans did not follow his will after their liberation from Japan. Given that this must be indemnified and the path of national liberation completed, who can bring North Korea and South Korea together? South Koreans? Do you really think unification can come about through only South Koreans? To bring about unification within South Korea, communism must first be defeated. Without that, the reunification of Korea cannot be achieved. That's the problem.
That's why we are standing up against communism today. In order to completely eradicate communism from the face of the Earth, religious people must unite; but Christianity must come together first. Based on that, we can stand up to advocate a movement to unify Christianity. The Unification Church must completely reveal Heaven's mainstream, the true course, and break through all opposition. We must reach an environment where Christian churches and nations no longer oppose us, but welcome us instead. So when must we revitalize ourselves? Must we wait? Now is the time. The seventh Divine Principle workshop for church ministers, which started on June 22, will end today.
You must dedicate yourself to the reunification of Korea even if it means falling into debt. To win over Esau, Jacob offered all the fortune he had gathered for twenty-one years to him. Likewise, you must use anything, any person, or any goods you may possess for Korea's sake through the Christian church. You must not use things for yourselves. You must support Korea's development even if that means sacrificing your own comfort.
You may complain that I say I am your teacher but that I always make you take the hard way while I help others live better lives. You should consider yourselves eternal owners. Only by making an environment where everyone can be happy through our sacrifice as owners can a time of happiness dawn. Isn't that correct? If there's anything blocking our progress, we, the owners, must remove it. How can we remove it? The answer is quite simple. Once your hearts overflow with concern about how to restore and instantaneously liberate North Korea, you can never repress that desire even if you try to. The problem, however, is that many people have become indifferent to the North Korean situation, to whether it perishes or not, as long as South Korea is well off. This corrupt trend must be eradicated and a new people's movement bringing in a new climate must be proposed.
Thus, the problem lies in how to provide the appropriate motivation to take a stand on Korean reunification. From this perspective, I personally feel that our members are the ones that can lead the way because you are in the very precious position of being able to inherit from my parents and my siblings. This is the original, heartrending story rooted in God's love and the heartrending story of restoration through indemnity. My family was sacrificed instead. You must understand this. My family was sacrificed because I came south. My parents and my siblings were in that position. My sorrowful heart cannot be relieved unless I set foot in the north again and weep in front of my parents' graves for not demonstrating the love of a devoted son and for not fulfilling my duty toward them during their lifetimes. You must understand this.
If I were to die first, you must go there to shed tears for me. You must make Father's hometown your hometown and change your way of thinking. Your thoughts must reflect the one traditional foundation that can rectify your national spirit, your patriotism. Then you must cry and in front of Heaven say, I have come and today is the day when God's hope and the hope of Father's ancestors has been achieved.
If you do not weep in front of my ancestors' graves, a unified kingdom of heaven will not be realized. The unification between North Korea and South Korea must first be achieved in order to make Korea into the kingdom of heaven. This aligns with the Principle. Therefore, we must reclaim the northern land that has been trampled upon by the enemy. When I was tortured by communist officials, I pledged, Hey! I may be hanging upside down at the moment, but a day will come when we will stand in opposite positions.
I have fought against communism until now with this determination as my standard. I still remember the name of the person who tortured me. You probably don't know it, because I didn't tell you.
The Unification Church has been going in that direction until now. We must unify the two Koreas at all cost. To do so, we must cross the thirty-eighth parallel. We can see the complete preparation of communist North Korea, including the total militarization of its people and fortification of its territory in alignment with Kim II-sung. Our preparations must be much better than North Korea's. We must fight and move forward toward this goal with all our might. Remember that you must visit North Korea at least once in your lifetime. Do you understand what I am saying? Only by doing that, can you be in a heart-centered position where you can become connected as family and as siblings, a connection where the starting point and goal are one. You must be able to complete the unaccomplished foundation, recover the lost land. You must all know that I have had all members sing "Urie So Wonun Tongil" since 1965 to prepare for this day.
When the 30 million people of South Korea center on North Korea and welcome the spirit of unification, both you and I can go to my hometown. It is from my hometown that I can unravel my history. Probably, none of you knows my history.
Is that correct? If you do not fulfill your responsibilities, I feel that it may not be possible to leave behind the history of how I grew up in this land. Do you understand?
Father instructs a Sunghwa Students' group in 1971. He'd laid the groundwork during the previous seven years so that Korean restoration could be done by the members after Father departed for the U. S. to prepare the worldwide level at the end of 1971.
Cross the Thirty-Eighth Parallel to Save Your Brethren
Now, you must all go to North Korea. If you hear news that North Korean communists are invading South Korea, you must all act with life-or-death resolve. This is what I think. Since the moment I entered this deep valley, having thoroughly understood communism, I have put my life on the line in my fight against it because I am aware of communism's true colors and its social structure.
While I am in very serious circumstances, Unification Church members are taking naps. Are we not refugees who have lost our country? Are we not part of that clan? We must pour out our hearts even if it means going through terrible suffering and all kinds of humiliation for this country, and then with the right attitude and heavenly authority, say to God,
Isn't this the foundation you needed to achieve the liberation of your sorrowful heart?
Through welcoming that day with open arms, you can become people who can have hometowns and people who can take possession of a country. Can South Korea be considered Korea? A land broken in half cannot be called Korea. You must understand this.
You have all received the word free of charge. That is precious. Who made that possible? You met me on the foundation of the good conditions set by your ancestors. God thought well of the Moon family based on the good conditions it had established. I am from that lineage.... It is from there that all the fruit had to come. However, it went the opposite direction, so the beginning had to be made in the opposite way. {Drawing on a chalkboard] The fruit was supposed to be borne this way, but it went the opposite way. Only after reaching this point can it return to normal. This is restoration through indemnity. This substantial providential view can accomplish the liberation of the heart centered on Jesus' family.
Therefore, you must know this and prepare yourselves to cross the thirty-eighth parallel. How great would it be if you could visit my hometown without any difficulties and be warmly welcomed by my relatives there? When we consider all these problems, we come to the realization that we must achieve unification at all cost. Do you understand? [Yes.]
I have not met my mother since I left Hungnam prison. I have not been able to meet my parents. The distance between Pyongyang and my hometown is around 110 km [68 mi.].
I could have easily paid them a quick visit. Why didn't I? Instead of doing that, I looked for all those who had originally connected to me through faith. I had to look for every one of them at any cost. Since I had been incarcerated because of them, I had to find each one, including those who had scattered. Perhaps I would have to go to their graves in order to be able to say to each one of them, "Even though you turned away from me, I never turned away from you." In other words, I had to set a condition that I had kept the promise I had made when we separated. Focusing on those whom I offered many conditions for... Brothers and sisters! When I was leaving for the United States, I asked you to pray to find out what kind of day January 18 was. Do you remember that? What kind of day was it? It was the saddest day of my life -- not because I didn't have money, and not because there were no people. It was an unforgettable day in my life. I had made a promise to them on that day and offered blessing prayers for them in front of Heaven after offering many conditions for them. Nevertheless, they all betrayed me. They may have forsaken me, but I contacted them three times through a long letter in an effort to demonstrate God's love for them. They sent even the last letter back to me. With the letter that had been returned to me in my hands, I left North Korea. If you go to Yeongcheon in North Gyeongsang Province, you will find a bridge. On that bridge, I read the January 18th letter and tore it to pieces. I had such a day! You probably won't be able to guess what was in that letter. As a result, I had to go down to South Korea and embark on a course unknown to anyone, all over again. The word "yeong-cheon" is interesting.... You wouldn't understand.
True Parents at Chung Pyung with the young men who participated in the first workshop for leaders from throughout Korea
Set Your Hearts on Liberating North Korean People
Some of you may think I am a frivolous man because I laugh a lot, but I am not spineless. My time has not yet come. When my time comes, I won't act as I do now. You must understand that your teacher is marching forward looking for the right time.
Even if I were to be dragged away by communists and were to suffer humiliation at their hands, you could only stand in front of me after substantially paying indemnity for restoration yourselves. Right? [Yes.] That is why we must all knock Kim II-sung out of North Korea. That is why we're doing everything in our power to remain in front of North Korean communists by arming ourselves with Unification Thought and running an anti-communist movement. In order to defeat them, you need to be made tougher than North Koreans themselves, which is why I have been leading you on a life-or-death course. However, you will not perish.
Therefore, when you sing "Urie So Wonun Tongil," your thoughts should not be set on whether the two Koreas will unite or not, but on what will happen to the Korean people. I am well-versed in Communism. To be forcefully imprisoned and to yearn for freedom -- I know how miserable it feels to be imprisoned. It is my wish that the foundation to liberate North Korea be expanded.
Just wait a little more. Observe the state of affairs in the future. A day will come when Korea will have no other way to go unless it arms itself with an ideology aligned with the course of the Unification Church. That is why we've been advancing, finding out this and that. In order to realize this, you must become the front runners; you must become the leaders of your platoons, battalions and regiments. Then, we must all march toward one goal. We must also give careful consideration to the problem of how to get Japanese politics and Chinese politics to support the unification of the two Koreas. Do you understand? [Yes.] Please keep these points in minds....
Since you are all indebted to my family, that debt should be repaid. A good gift... What is a good gift? Through the liberation of the satanic world and the world of confinement and restraint, we must forge a path to a world of freedom where we can go anywhere with complete joy. When that realm of liberation has been achieved, wouldn't my family be happy? Once you do that, you can meet my clan and convey God's will to them, can't you?
Since Jesus could not have a clan, we must find a clan and establish it. Without finding this clan, the liberation of the people's heart cannot be accomplished. This is in line with the Principle. Do you understand? As a result, Korea became divided in two, north and south of on the thirty-eighth parallel, just as Jesus was separated from his clan. Everything falls into place, doesn't it? In light of that, the Unification Church cannot achieve its mission without realizing the unification of the two Koreas. Do you understand? [Yes.]
When that day comes...
I have not experienced army life. I have never been in the army before. I have never fought. So when that day arrives, I am thinking of fighting by standing on the front line as the commander-in-chief. Do you understand? [Yes.] This is the path you have to follow.
We must make our own group here in South Korea. We must muster true men of like mind and completely pull out the underlying support of those villains, of that pack of wolves. The problem is, how do we now overcome everything until we gain greater strength than theirs? Another problem is, how do we make you into tough, strong people? I am strong and have a tenacious character. You may become exhausted, but I won't. I cannot become exhausted.
Therefore, you must all sing "Urie So Wonun Tongil" with these responsibilities in mind, for Korea to become the Adam nation.... Can it become the Adam nation when it is divided in half? According to the Principle, that is impossible. The only way left for us is to go into North Korea. But how can we do that? The enemies have in their possession the right of the chosen people whom God loves most. Just as enemies are occupying the place God loves most, they are occupying Korea's northern territory. We can say that North Korea is more or less in the position of the head, more so than South Korea is.
Therefore, we must realize the unification of North Korea and South Korea, and head toward North Korea under this understanding. If this unification is not possible using only the Korean people, the people of Asia must be mustered. With that mind-set, we must inherit the traditional Korean thinking and form a group with life-or-death determination that can fight against communism, the main global culprit, utilizing the spirit of the March 1 Independence Movement, which stood up against Japanese imperial rule. The Unification Church is exactly that life-or-death group. Do you understand? [Yes.] Therefore, you must sing "Urie So Wonun Tongil" with that heart.
True Father visiting members near Masan, a town along the coast, about thirty miles west of Busan
Prayer
This month is a critical time, which can be completed through the number six, which is Satan's number. Please allow this providence to bloom.
The Unification Church will welcome that historic day. Relieve the sorrowful hearts of the members of Joseph's family and of Zechariah's family, dearest Father. We, who have assembled here today, are warriors for unification, brave people who are taking responsibility to establish a natural environment that can connect the church to the people and the world.
Your son, here today, had to follow a path through suffering because there was no group that could confidently stand on the front line of the efforts to unify North Korea and South Korea and completely shake both heaven and earth with Heaven's authority. Now the Unification Church representatives will take on a mission and forge a path that will relieve all historical sorrowful hearts by applying restoration through indemnity. We are determined to freely carry out activities in a country in which the north and south have been reunited.
If those who are fulfilling their responsibilities in South Korea are Abel-type families, those families have the responsibility to transcend the nation and restore the Cain-type families in North Korea in front of God. Members of the Unification Church community alone have been able to realize that they all have the responsibility to cross over to North Korea and restore those families and clans from within the clutches of the enemy. In this manner, we understand that we must become the front runners on the course Korea will take after this year, block today's societal corruption and fight not to fall into it. Enable us to become children who can prepare today for tomorrow's battles.
Knowing that we, as Unification Church members, have the responsibility to repay the debts of the Korean people to you, we understand that we must go back to our original homeland. Father, you are fully aware that it is my lifelong hope to see the day come when an altar can be set up there and all of Korea can praise and glorify you based on a good foundation. For this day alone, I have persevered, overcome all suffering, and have suffered all types of injustice. However, though I was treated unjustly, I know it was your way of restoring me to this position. Thus, we all know that we must follow this path, no matter what, in order to liberate your sorrowful heart and make you happy.
Please enable us, your children, who did not understand this, to offer this nation and people to you even if it means we risk losing everything we have to liberate your sorrowful heart over not having a unified nation. Under a unified determination from this moment, we will lead the people in South Korea to save North Korea; it is the Unification Church's mission to inspire the people to burn with that responsibility in their hearts. Please enable each person present here to realize that this is a personal mission.
June is now coming to an end and July is around the corner. As a month of hope, please enable July to become a month you can be proud of. Please remember all your sons and daughters scattered all over South Korea. Please help your children to realize that the conditions they are offering are not for South Korea, but have been made to save North Korea.
[Recording ended]