University Churches

Sun Myung Moon
November 18, 1989
European Leaders Conference
Camberg, West Germany
Translator: Dong Moon Joo

SunMyungMoon-891118-1.jpg

In Korea we have recently formed University Churches, through which university students can be connected to our church organization. Before, our young church members in CARP were just doing

CARP activities without receiving an education in our church lifestyle. Therefore, when they graduated from the university they could not adapt to life in the church. Our original hope for these university graduates to become leaders of the church was impossible because they lacked church training. CARP is now being conducted more in the church style, so their time at the university becomes training which will enable the students to assume future leadership of the general church membership. This will solve another major problem in the past in Korea, for once they graduated from university, the CARP members had no one they could relate to in the church. Also, when CARP members were drafted into the Korean military, they would return three years later to the CARP center to find their old friends had graduated. They would lose contact with the movement.

Originally CARP's activity in Korea was separate from the general church because of its special mission to fight communist activists, present in great numbers on campuses at that time. But that has changed, thus CARP's mission is different. It no longer needs to be a fighting organization. In the past, CARP served very well by reacting speedily to the tactics of leftist radicals. It was a great advantage to have a separate CARP organization. But all university students who joined the church automatically went to CARP -- creating a serious vacuum in the local churches. I have created the University Church in Korea to solve this problem.

All of the university students in the church should be completely armed with the Divine Principle, Unification Thought and VOC theory and witness to the local people -- giving lectures in their colleges and local high schools where they live. They should visit all of the houses in a 3.6 kilometer radius and think of this area as their hometown. In this way they can bring new members to their University Center. The 3.6 kilometer radius is not an absolute limit, but only an approximate boundary.

When the CARP leader needs help for activities related to the university, he can ask for the mobilization of the general church membership. Similarly, the local church leader should focus witnessing efforts on the campus, involving the university students and teachers, for the best potential future leaders are in that area.

University Churches -- Greatest Outreach

There are many professors connected with our movement but there is no place where they can relate to the church. If they go to the general church services, there are few academics, whereas the CARP centers are completely focused on students. A church comprised of students and citizens from all walks of life, headed by a few eminent professors, could become a great church with a tremendous scope. In the new University Churches, professors could become connected with the church and be given a central responsibility. Then, in unity with the students and other members, the scope and potential outreach of such a church would increase enormously. Through the professors, the entire church activities can be lifted to a much higher level.

You have an active CARP and professors movement in Germany, but they have not effectively connected with the church as a whole. By uniting CARP and the church, they will naturally become connected. The church leaders and CARP leaders have to quickly unite and create a church environment that can move the professors. In this way the academic field can be reached, giving the church a more direct impact on society. For example, if a professor becomes the leader of a University Church he could promote a social reform movement in his community.

The key issue here is for the church leader and the CARP leader to unite and instill their same passion for the salvation of the nation and the world into the professors.

Assisted By Technology

Centered on the professors, the World and I was created. Now the professors consider it a great honor to publish an article in that magazine. Through Insight magazine and The Washington Times there is now finally a forum where eminent scholars can publish their philosophy, which has given the professors great hope.

We are now building a media center in Washington, DC whose facilities can be used by TV broadcasting stations from all over the world. Through the latest satellite technology we can provide a faster and less expensive wire and TV news service to newspapers and journalists all over the world.

Our technological developments are advancing so quickly that one day people will be able to study without going to school or the university. Professors and teachers will give their lectures over the satellite program while students listen and study at home. From now on professor s should have more input into the media, not just the journalists. The scholars and journalists have to unite and lead the field of information.

Therefore the conclusion is that we have to unite the CARP and general church activities centered on the professors. We have to find a way to make the scholars the "fathers" of the churches. All the past and present students of these professors listen to them and thus can be educated in the Divine Principle. There is so much nationalism in the world, but by uniting these professors we will create an institution to move and lead mankind into the ideal world. Great scholars with a world vision get inspired about my ideas. What about you, the Unification Church members?

Now the time has come for all of these things to happen. We already have so many newspapers all over the world, especially in Korea and America. What about Germany? Why is Germany so important? Germany has a providential role. That is why Germany, Japan, and the United States are in an economic leadership role in the world.

We are doing many projects in Germany, but what are the Germans doing? They are complaining. With this kind of attitude, can Germany fulfill its providential leading role in the world? Who is going to win this confrontation? I want to use technology for the sake of the world, but Germany wants to keep it for its own national benefit only. If there was a tug of war between Reverend Moon, America and Germany to determine who could pull the strongest concerning scientific technology, who would win? The German, Japanese and American scientists are now working for their own country's benefit. I am the only one who has established a record of enduring the persecution of America, Germany, and Japan, not only for the sake of those countries themselves but for the sake of the whole world. Therefore, they cannot help but follow me in the future. Eminent scholars see the people of their respective nations focused only on limited national interests. But the greatest people are following me because they are striving for the highest possible standard. These scholars realize that a united, peaceful world could be brought about in the best and fastest way if they unite with me. A peaceful world is our goal!

Karl Leonhardtsberger, National Leader of Germany, is offering True Father a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Karl Leonhardtsberger, National Leader of Germany, is offering True Father a piece of the Berlin Wall.

Cultures Preserved in Harmony

What am I doing? What is my job? "Unification" is something good, isn't it? Unification" in Korean is "tong-il," but the meaning of that word includes also the concept of subjectivity. People may hear the term "unification of the world" and worry that the German culture will disappear. But that is not our concept of unification. The German culture will be preserved in harmony with all other cultures to make a consolidated new world culture and so on. In the Unification Principle we can see the German culture as one individual truth body, as well as the English culture and so on. But besides their individual purpose they have the dual purpose of existing for the whole. This is a universal principle. So when the German members work hard day and night, they don't work for the salvation of Germany, or the English members for England, and so on; they all work hard for the salvation of the world. Up until now the existing concept of globalism wanted to crush individualism and different national cultures. In contrast, our concept of a unified world preserves all the individual differences.

You are only a few members in Europe, but I came here as fast as I could when I heard you were gathering on the 18th in the hope that you Unification Church members will grow great and strong, with well-organized activities that will move the 300 million Europeans and give Europe a leading position in the world. When the people of Europe see so many Unification Church members have inherited my philosophy and tradition, Euro, -e will be turned around quickly. Even if many Europeans gang up on one of our members, they could not separate the relationship between you and me.

Although the German government has opposed me, the time to oppose the Unification Church is over. Beginning from America a new era has come. Russia, China and all countries of the world are soon to accept Unification Thought.

Now you understand how CARP is supposed to work in the future. Focus first on scholars and teachers, then all the citizens connected with them can follow causing each country to adopt the providential point of view.

No matter how difficult it may be in Germany, you should always feel how close we are to the Unification World. Even if the government opposes us, or all of Europe opposes us, just push ahead with the firm confidence they will soon come around. Compare your situation today, with the foundation so clearly visible, with the time I pioneered this foundation. Absolutely nothing could be seen that could have encouraged me. Think of my situation 40 years ago when there was no support from anyone -- only the most severe persecution.

I took on all kinds of suffering without hesitation to build this worldwide victorious foundation for you. Examine your attitude now. What kind of people are you? Are you saying, "I have to make money for myself; I have to take care of my wife and children, and my career"? Forty years ago the Unification Church was only one man! Do you understand what I mean?

Forty-Year Foundation

Every day is important, there is no time to lose. I dedicated myself completely in my younger years so that this worldwide movement could grow. If I had concentrated on my family and my career, this would not have happened. You are the same, for you, too, have responsibilities; but if each of you doesn't become a person like myself, you will not succeed. When you joined the Unification Church you stepped onto the foundation that I had built with sweat and blood. So you should help and cooperate to build and add onto that foundation. You should at least have the attitude, "I will save Germany even if I have to give my life doing it" -- just as I am giving my life for the salvation of the world.

The lifestyle of the Unification Church members in Europe and the world needs a fundamental renewal. Now the time has come when countless people will join us. What will you do then? "The first will be the last and the last will be first." Look at this flower. Its petals must be the same to match together. It is the same between me and you: there has to be similarity for us to harmonize. Am I a tiger, a lion, or a cat? (Tiger) I like the tiger because both male and female hunt and fight for their survival. But a lion expects a female to do all the hunting and hard work for him. I don't like that. What about you? Are you lions or tigers? You have to become tigers. You have to be a tiger that can live on the top of the Himalayan Mountains. We have to become white tigers that can scratch their food even out of the ice and snow of Siberia. Wherever you go you have to be able to survive by yourself. Are you like that? But if a tiger cub is brought up by a man who feeds it and cares for it in a warm and comfortable room, it won't want to leave its comfortable environment once it is grown. Is that the natural way of life of a tiger? The spirit of the tiger should be, "I take care of not only myself but also the smaller animals." When the tiger kills its prey, he lets the smaller animals eat his leftovers. We should think, "I will feed Germany, I will feed England, I will feed Italy, Russia and the world." That scale of thinking is needed! I myself am going to put America on its feet, along with China and Russia. That is the way I am planning my life. You are Moonies, aren't you? Well, Moonies is an old word with negative connotation, so I'll say, "Unificationists." Are you real Unificationists?

Messianic Emissary

Having met me, you should think, "If Father had been like I am now, 40 years ago, what would have happened to the world?" As my emissary, please take on the messianic responsibility for your local area and country. You have to work in my place! Even if a hurricane is blowing in Europe, destroying everything it its path, become the bulwark to stop it. Those who are determined to do that, raise your hands! It is easier said than done. The questions are: How do I see myself, my position? How do I think about my children, my house, my career in the world? There is no greater career than this. Because I have gone this way, I am now respected in the world. It will be the same for you; your goals can be completely achieved in a few years.

Who among you has graduated from UTS? What are you doing now? You should be pioneers. Pioneering is the greatest training course to understand the difficult job of a church leader, to know what a difficult process God's providence of salvation has been and to gain the strength to overcome any difficulty. I have worked in every imaginable area, so I can accomplish God's mission no matter what difficulty is encountered.

I have trained myself to make charcoal in the mountains and sell it, or dig tunnels in a coalmine. At your age, you absolutely must have such experiences if you want to make your mark on history and not just let your life run through your fingers like water. Go to the sea and be a fisherman, go to the mountains and be a mountain man, go to the countryside and be a farmer. Go to the most difficult place and do the most difficult work; that is the best training! When you have no house, no money, no friends, and have to accomplish the providence of restoration by yourself, you will understand God's situation. So, I am recommending pioneering work for you.

We are beyond the peak of the world-level opposition against the Unification Church. Russia is not opposing us anymore, nor China. In America and the world our way is now cleared of any extreme persecution; there will be no martyrs. Remember how it was in 1975 when I sent out the missionaries from Germany, Japan and America to 120 countries? We received the most persecution at that time. Our strategy was to go out and be persecuted so the persecution would collapse in a short time.

Saving the Established Churches

Why did I create the Unification Theological Seminary? I never graduated from a seminary! I want you to save the established churches and your countries. You have to remember that purpose. Once you graduate from UTS, you should be leaders capable of leading your nation. So you should now all go to a pioneering mission, to make yourselves into people who can save your countries and the world. You must establish the right tradition for the thousands of descendants that will follow you.

Don't become examples of good eating and comfortable living, but become an example to the world even if it means suffering a lot. I am telling you this because through you the people of the world, especially the young generation, can be brought back from the road that leads to decadence and ruin to the road of new hope and revival. Your diary should record experiences of suffering, of how you could feel God's suffering heart.

Experiences of being disregarded and persecuted by the people to whom you are giving love will become important material. I lost precious years of my life in prison. But the fact that I went through this suffering is something that can make the young people of the world explode when they realize I underwent such hardship for their sake. When you read your own record of pioneering and how many tears you shed during that time, you will be able to shed even more tears and be more successful when you go to your next mission. This pioneering spirit is not just for seminarians; it is for all members. Get into that spirit! The way of a pioneer is a constant struggle. There are always strong storms blowing that you have to confront. You should be determined: "I will go to the most difficult place in all of Germany!"

Spirit of the Pioneer

The pioneering spirit can save the nation, the tribe, and the individual lite. If you succeed in making a family with a pioneer spirit, a society with a pioneer spirit, and patriots with that spirit, your country will flourish. Your family, tribe, society and country need a pattern that can teach them and awaken them.

So I am giving you all permission to become pioneers! Go the most difficult way. People who live comfortably never know the great feeling of a laborer who has worked hard all day and treats his tired body to a refreshing bath when he comes back home. Or the feeling of a man who went to prison and because of his endurance, the root of all animosity has been turned around when he comes out. What a great and wonderful feeling for that man!. You can deeply experience the real taste of life then. In that moment, when you utter a grateful, "Thank you" it feels like Heaven and earth are bursting. When you come out of the prison, you see the long- awaited outside, and the sunshine and sky of freedom. Those who were never imprisoned can never imagine that. When you are able to freely look at nature again, you become aware of what a wonderful and miraculous world this is. The experiences I had pioneering the vast unknown areas of the spiritual world alone cannot be compared to anything!

Will you become people who just follow others or will you become pioneers? (Pioneers!) Are you confident to take that difficult way? (Yes!) I believe you.