Sun Myung Moon
May 23, 1982
Belvedere
Because of the events during the last week, many of you have gone through incredible turmoil and sadness; but I want you to know that all of these things this week are merely part of the process of achieving God's providence. I want you to understand that the most important things are not the external phenomena which we can see happening -- the important thing is what is hidden behind an event. What is the true providential meaning behind an event? Also, it is very important whether or not God is on our side. As long as God's providence and will is there, we have nothing to fear or worry about; in fact, we can always rejoice. Therefore, the key question is whether or not God is with the Unification Church. The answer is an absolute yes.
People should follow where the will of God leads them. Throughout history, one nation after another has experienced struggles between the government and its people. Sometimes the government pursues a direction which the people do not wish to follow. Whenever a government has adamantly gone in an unrighteous direction, people have either forced a change, submitted to being ruled by tyranny, or God has used a third power, from outside the country, to awaken them. This has been an almost unfailing formula for any time in history.
Let us consider, as an example, a family. The central position within a family is that of the parents. Sometimes those parents may make some grave mistake; in such a case, the children may unite together and try to correct that mistake, out of the motivation of protecting their parents. If the parents are awakened to their mistake by their children, they may change their course, and in that way the situation can be remedied. However, if the parents stubbornly refuse to listen to their children and continue along their mistaken way, some third, outside party may come along and intervene in the affairs of that family, and that family may almost be destroyed. When a family falls victim to severe disunity between the parents and the children, a lot of fighting ensues, and the entire community may reject them and ostracize them.
Within the individual, the same principle applies. Each person has two elements -- mind and body. If a person's mind goes in the wrong direction, the body should stop it. When the mind and body work together, that person lives in harmony and happiness. But if some conflict develops and builds up, it may ultimately bring that individual to destruction.
Therefore, religion is absolutely necessary in people's lives. It is necessary, because it always reaches out to understand the will of God and enable God to intervene in the human way of life. Religion is an intervening factor on the internal level, while teachers, advisors and elders are necessary as constructive third parties who can be trusted to intervene in any situation in a good way.
Nothing Changed Between God And Me
Let us consider the Unification Church. Nothing has changed between God and me; when I come before God, I feel no shame about what I have been doing. Even though the government of the U.S. is accusing me of terrible things, I feel no shame whatsoever before them. Furthermore, the events of the past week will not alter the direction of the Unification Church one iota.
Let us consider, then, the relationship between the members of the Unification Church and Rev. Moon. Do these events of the week change our relationship? Not only is it the same -- it is even closer and stronger. You and I are one in heart, so these kinds of things make our bonds stronger. Even if I should disappear from this country, it would only make you stronger and more capable of fulfilling your responsibilities. In this case, you would take the central position and work to influence the American people to take God's direction.
As members of the Unification Church, you don't have to sympathize with me. I don't need your sympathy at this time. What I need is your commitment, a dedication to your mission that is even stronger than ever before, and your willingness to fight the same battles which I have been fighting. This is the only way the salvation of America can be accomplished. Otherwise, some third party or power will come in and succeed in destroying this nation and its heritage.
World Leaders Are Confused
The world is very, very confused at this moment. Billy Graham went to Soviet Russia and proclaimed that religious worship is far freer there than it is in his home state of South Carolina! Recently, another shocking thing happened to Pope John Paul II. He went to the shrine of Fatima in Portugal to give thanks for his life having been spared from the attack one year ago; on the very anniversary of that attack, another attempt was made against him. Likewise, Ronald Reagan is facing rejection of his policies by American public opinion.
It seems that everybody is rejecting these people.
Pope John Paul II is the leader of the entire Catholic world, but not all the Catholics are really united around him. President Reagan certainly does not enjoy the total support of the people of the United States. Billy Graham is now experiencing quite a bit of criticism from his followers, so he is not a leader of a unified group.
One important question is who among all those leaders are acceptable to God and will remain so. God is looking for a group and a leader who can manifest His will, proclaim His will and ultimately bring mankind into unity. Does Billy Graham's visit to Russia accomplish this? Is Reagan doing that, or even Pope John Paul II? None of them knows clearly where the will of God lies. The world is confused, struggling in ignorance of what is right and where to go. It needs someone to proclaim a proper direction which the world can take. We are serving the world at this time, by proclaiming the truth to them.
After the jury found me guilty this week, the public was very interested to see what the verdict would do to the members of the Unification Church. They were expecting to see the church dissolve in despair. What they saw, however, was that the church drew even closer to me in support and became even stronger and more determined. When they saw that, they saw the real truth about the Unification Church. God is with the Unification Church. The Unification Church has made a foundation for God to dwell with us. It has always been true, but this particular event allowed that fact to be manifested to the entire world.
You should evaluate yourself today. Are the statements I make true, according to your heart's judgment? Those of you who are U.S. citizens feel apologetic towards me when the U.S. government mistreats me. You are a different breed of U.S. citizens; you will give salvation to the rest of your country. Suppose I leave America and embark upon a crusade to the African continent. Would you like to go with me? Or would you wave me goodbye, thinking that finally you can relax and take a vacation? The best thing to say would be, "I will take over your mission, Father, while you are away, to save this country. I will work ten times harder than you to accomplish that." If each of you works ten times harder than I have in America, you might all end up in jail! Still you would not mind it?
This is a time of incredible confusion in the world; the distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong, are very unclear. However, we can teach the world what is good and what is evil. We have been given a historical principle as our measuring stick.
Tightened Into Unity
Suppose I go to South America. You North American members would feel an instant heartistic unity with South America simply because I was there. That unity of heart is the only way that North and South America can be united. If I go to Africa, the members in Europe could likewise feel linked to Africa because I was there. We are all one people; wherever we go, we are brothers and sisters. No government of the secular world can achieve such a thing.
Never before has there been a movement such as the Unification Church which was united as one family, regardless of nationality, race or geography. The most dramatic unity among our worldwide members was the way in which we behaved after the guilty verdict this week. We can see that through this trial, God has tightened the Unification Church around the world into one bundle of unity. During the trial and since, all of our members have shed tears -- white, black and yellow people all shed the same kind of tears. Those tears have been shed not only in sympathy for Rev. Moon, but for the sake of mankind and God. You have shed tears because Rev. Moon's tribulations are directly related to the wellbeing of mankind and God.
Life Would Be Easier In Prison
This is the time when we are all going over the hill of crucifixion of heart. We are going towards new horizons. The purpose of the dispensation of restoration throughout history was to achieve the restoration of all the things of creation, the restoration of all mankind as children of God, and the restoration of the parents.
Two important, basic court victories have recently been won in America by the Unification Church: the right to fundraise and the right to proselytize or witness. As long as we have these two accomplishments as a foundation, even if the True Parents are out of the country, no one can sever the relationship between you and the True Parents. If the U.S. government succeeds in ejecting the True Parents from the country, our two greatest victories have already been won. Even though they may sentence me very severely, it will not affect our destiny at all. Perhaps I will establish the Unification Church headquarters inside the prison!
If the U.S. government puts me in jail, they will see what happens. Our home church work and witnessing will succeed even without teaching the Divine Principle! Actually, my life would be much easier if I lived in prison! I am so busy when I am at East Garden and can sleep only two or three hours a night. In prison, I could take my R and R (rest and relaxation)!
When Jesus was going to the cross, he told the people who were weeping for him, "Do not weep for me; weep for the children of Israel." Likewise, I tell you not to feel sorry for me; feel sorry for this nation and the future of this nation.
The people who testified against us will feel terrible shame once the Unification Church movement is recognized around the world. Even the fact of being an American will be a source of shame, because in the future someone can say, "You Americans convicted Rev. Moon of a crime?"
You must clearly show to the world that there are people who will stand up for Rev. Moon and his cause. From today forward, until July 14 when the sentence will be decided, we must clearly demonstrate our strength and resolution. There are 53 days from now until July 14. We must show to the world what truth is. During these 53 days, we must proclaim to the people of the United States what is true and righteous; we can awaken the country to the importance of our movement. We must labor until our mouths cannot move, until our eyes are bleary, until our legs are weak -- until we proclaim to the whole country and world the truth about our movement.
God has given us this period of time in which to bring this victory. I have asked you to witness to people, but how much have you done? Have you done your home church work like I expected you to do? If you do not fulfill your responsibilities, who takes on the indemnity? I do. Instead of making each one of you pay indemnity, God asked me to take responsibility and make restitution for you. That is the focal truth of restoration: Abel is always in the position of the sacrificial offering. That sacrificial offering must not complain, just obey totally. I have no complaint and no excuses, even though others have shed tears for me. I want to comfort God, knowing that He is the first one to feel grief for me. You, too, must be in the position to take the responsibility and accomplish things for God.
During the next 53 days, we must mobilize thoroughly and awaken this nation to the truth. From now on, those things which we have done only in a mediocre way must be accomplished victoriously. We need more members; therefore, I want to ask you to increase our membership by three times during these next 53 days. No matter what your mission, working on the newspaper or whatever, if you claim you don't have time, that is only an excuse. There must be some way for you to achieve this goal. Once there is a resolved determination, there is always a way to achieve it. If you have laid a good foundation in your home church area, you can bring not only three but 30 spiritual children.