Sun Myung Moon
July 3, 1976
This advertisement appeared in the Washington Star newspaper on July 3, 1976
On July 4, two hundred years ago, a great vision began to be realized. In the Declaration of Independence the principles of the American Revolution were set forth with these historic words:
We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.
Truly the American nation was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. By proclaiming that human rights are "endowed by the Creator", the founding fathers insured that the new nation's commitment to freedom under God would be absolute, eternal and unchanging.
The Revolutionary War presented the first great test of the principles of the Declaration. George Washington knelt in humble prayer at Valley Forge while his suffering men shivered, bleeding and hungry in the cold. He implored God to intercede. God's heart was touched by the zealous righteousness of the patriots. Through their victory, the foundation for a new form of government -- a God-centered democracy -- was established.
One hundred years later, Negro slavery existed as a cancerous blemish on the body of Free America. The Civil War, with all its anguish and bloodshed, finally ended this abominable institution, although the scars of racism would take generations to heal. In preserving the Union, a great president, Abraham Lincoln, called the entire nation to repent in prayer. On April 30, 1863 he summoned all Americans to a "Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer".
During both of these great trials, the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, America as a nation turned humbly to God for guidance and salvation. It was only by His hand that the nation has endured.
Today America faces a third great crisis. This is the growing confrontation between God-centered democracy and the atheistic totalitarian force of Communism. Unless America continues to center her democracy upon God, she will fail in this, her most critical test. Even today, on the eve of July 4th, hundreds of thousands of Communist-organized demonstrators are marching on Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in a blatant attempt to use the Bicentennial to undermine America's true heritage.
What basis do I have for say ng this? Is Reverend Moon trying to rekindle the McCarthyism and "redbaiting" of the 1950s? NO! I am trying to alert America to a very real danger, and to warn you that unless America turns to God, she will lose her God-given freedoms to the tyranny of Communism.
The nature of these "Bicentennial" rallies is clear. The "Peoples Bicentennial Commission" (PBC), which is organizing the demonstration in Washington, was exposed recently by the Senate subcommittee on Internal Security as
a far left organization whose true views are far closer to those of Castro and Mao than they are to those of our founding fathers. Its participation in the Bicentennial is a deception and a fraud. By muscling in on the Bicentennial observance, it seeks first of all to pervert its meaning, and secondly, to exploit it for the purpose of overthrowing our free society. (The Attempt to Steal the Bicentennial, May, 1976, page 1)
In Philadelphia, an even more blatantly Marxist "Bicentennial" event is taking place. Led by such openly Communist organizations as the Weather Underground, this so-called "July 4th Coalition" is seeking to divide the American people and alienate them from their Government. Instead of promoting the ideal of "One Nation Under God", this group seeks to intensify existing antagonisms by encouraging separatist activities by Blacks, Indians, Mexicans and others. More division and more hatred can never bring prosperity to anyone; this is just a Communist strategy to weaken and destroy America. The true key to prosperity is building unity under God.
The ideological confrontation between true, God-centered democracy and atheistic totalitarian Communism is America's third and greatest challenge. America must remember that her freedoms come from God. If America seeks God, her third century can indeed be glorious. If America loses God, she will be destroyed. If racial tensions continue to intensify, pornography continues to spread, families break down and crime rates rise, people may turn in despair to the false hope of atheistic Communism. What an unthinkable tragedy for America, the world -- and God!
I came to America to proclaim this solemn warning from God. It was God's Will that I come here. Two hundred years ago 13 divided colonies of different national and religious backgrounds united together with faith in God to face their crisis. With this blessing, they triumphed and a new nation was born. How much easier it should now be for the one people of America to unite again to face today's crisis. It is the duty of all churches and religious people to transcend denominational barriers and confront this emergency. Only by doing this can America fulfill her mission -- overcoming Communism and ultimately helping create the glorious Kingdom of God on Earth. With faith in God, let us go forth.
On this historic occasion of America's Bicentennial, I pray that God will bless you and your family. Above all, may God bless this great nation of America.
Reverend Sun Myung Moon