Knowing Our Roots

Sun Myung Moon
June 16, 1984
Young Jin Nim's Birthday
East Garden
Translator, Sang Kil Han

Korean leaders and about thirty to forty department leaders of the New York area as well as Blessed wives of the Elder Blessed Couples attended the celebration of Young Jin Nim's sixth birthday held at East Garden on June 16, 1984.

All of the True Children paid their respects and love to their brother Young Jin Nim by participating in the traditional prayer and meal. Right after breakfast, Col. Pak gave a report on the first French-language CAUSA seminar in Washington D.C., and spoke about the European Parliament election on June 17, 1984.

Father and Mother then were presented with the video tape on the first New York Rally for Religious Freedom. It was obvious that Father was very interested in each of the speakers. With Father and Mother and all of us "children" gathered together, it felt like a typical family Saturday morning at home.

Then Father introduced two Korean elder members of our church: Mrs. Young Chun Oh, and Mrs. So Dam Lee. Mrs. Oh testified about the early movement in Korea, how she was prepared to meet Father.

After she finished, Father elaborated for a few minutes on the importance of the elder Korean brothers and sisters, their sacrifice, and their value (see following excerpts from the speech). Father spoke about various topics such as learning the Korean language, and what a true woman's rights advocate is and is not. He spoke about the origin of the English and the Oriental languages. "The English people are the offspring of Vikings and fighters, hunters... The Orientals are mostly agricultural people."...He explained why hunters and fighters naturally develop a more aggressive type of language, whereas agricultural people, farmers, are more peaceful.

All in all, Father said, "the separation of the languages is the greatest enemy of mankind." God wanted to have one language and one culture. For the unity of the world the separation of language is more detrimental than wars.

He also predicted that "one day the Chinese people will function much the same way as Americans today. The Chinese people are deeper-thinking people than the Americans and therefore would be more suitable to fight communism."

As Father spoke, he was sitting leisurely in his chair, speaking from his heart in a fatherly way.

Report by Angelika Selle

Father:

In the early times of our church, all the witnessing was done by spirit world. While members went out witnessing, Heaven perfectly guided them about who to preach to, and where to go. Without their knowing it, Heaven was right behind them. Otherwise nobody could have come to the church; it was that difficult.

In those days we were really as poor as church mice. But I said, "Don't worry. Pretty soon material blessings will come." One day my marriage, the Marriage of the Lamb, took place. From that day forward material blessing would come.

European and Western members especially must pay attention to the testimony of early members, because without them there is no way to be connected with the early church. You must understand that the deepest spot in the ocean was the beginning of the ocean.

Depth of Our Movement

If we look only at its surface, we never understand the depth of something. Our tendency is to see only what is visible on the surface. The problem of our church right now is that nobody is willing to go into the depths of the ocean trying to find out how and where it started. If you did, you'd learn a great deal. Instead, new members as well as old members want to live the good life on the shore. And as soon as you plunge your feet into the water you want to move out again. The biggest treasure of the Unification Church is hidden in the depths of the ocean. This is metaphorically and actually so.

We have to discover it.

This is what I am deeply concerned about -- that you dig into the depth of the foundation of our movement, dig into the ocean. But instead you don't think so much about history. You must go back and reconnect to the treasure house; there you can find all kinds of treasure. The only way to do that is to first listen to these old members -- not only once, but several times -- so that you will become familiar with their way of living and thinking. Unless you do that you can never grow.

If you discover the ocean now, but you are only glad to live on the seashore and enjoy the scenery, you say, "There is a fish and there another one." The real treasure deep down in the ocean will laugh at you and say, "Oh, what a trifle they are, missing the deep things." You don't know anything about how the church started, and you don't care to find out the root of this church.

The taller a tree gets, the leaves on the very top are further and further from the root of the tree. The leaves might boast of their height and ability to look down on everything, but they forget one thing: that the nutrition they derive substance from comes from the very root, through all the trunk and the branches reaching to them. You also tend to forget that.

We must know about these things. Without this knowledge, there is no way that we get near perfection. First we must have knowledge.

Which is more precious: the leaves, the twig, or the trunk? Of course, the root is most important. You, as a normal member who enjoys health and growth, should travel all the way up to the top of the tree and then go down to the very root and travel up again. You have to be able to do that freely. Then you will become a normal branch with normal leaves, bearing normal fruit and seeds. Without referring back to the root you become instantly unhealthy.

Deep Heart of Older Members

The first thing Western members must realize is the deep heart of the older members. Also the older the member gets, knowing the limitation of their life here on earth, they are all the more anxious to be of better service to Father. We must become like that. But then here in America maybe members think they will give out everything they've got in their first ten or twenty years, and then try to take it easy as the years go on. Certainly this is against our tradition. This is not really the natural way of developing a person.

Though we accomplish so much in our early twenties and thirties, when we get to the forties we should not ever lament that we get older. We should become deeper. There is no question that young people are valuable; they have a young nature and without them we would simply not get anywhere -- but at times I feel that the depth and the value of the church lies in the older members. Old members sometimes appear to me a hundred times more valuable than young people. A hundred young people cannot match that one old person. This is truly my feeling. And if I feel so, then I certainly know that heaven feels the same way.

When I look at these old Korean family members, I feel from the bottom of my heart that, after all, I have not been a failure. I have been a man of success. No matter what other people may see, I know that.

Standing on Their Foundation

What about you American members, you hardly are at the age of thinking anything. But starting from now on, you must conduct yourself correctly so that when you reach Father's age, you would be in the same position as Father. It has to be like that. If someone would not be in that position, he cannot escape shame, because this foundation in Korea was created from a desert. Now we are all standing on that foundation. And this foundation saves us tremendous effort and time. So we are better off than the Korean people.

As Mrs. Young Chun Oh told us, one day, twenty or thirty years from now, I would like one of you to come up and speak to the new members, to the world and your own offspring -- your children and your grandchildren. They also might ask you to stand up and talk about the 1980s and 1970s and what you did during my lifetime. This day will certainly come. So what you will be able to speak about is what you do now. Prepare for that day.

What I am concerned about most is this: If we don't live up to God's expectations, if we don't maintain that standard, God simply cannot stay with us. I fear nothing else but that point.

As you may have seen, many old members have nothing to be praised for. Their family, friends, children, and parents all denounced them because they gave up everything. But when you think about it, one cannot do two things at the same time. You have also had to decide between this or that. You had a choice either of staying in the satanic tradition, or of dropping everything to come into the new. Naturally all the old members chose the new life with God. Therefore, everything they did was meaningless in the eyes of outside people, and they were called bad names. But they were never the same again. They understood that they had found an inevitable new course.

When you look from a secular point of view you see nothing really different about the old members. But when they pray they are instantly flooded in tears. When new members pray, it is always after a long effort that their tears are induced. Also the old members were the core workers. They participated when God was making the rock bottom foundation of the Unification Church, whereas we are making the internal foundation of the Unification Church. That's the difference.

To The Elder American Blessed Wives

You elder American Blessed wives might not realize it, but are watched by the rest of the American family because you are the earlier members. When their families face sensitive problems, they always look at you to learn how you overcame that when you were in their position. It's as if you are not just individuals; you have no choice -- you are looked upon as an earlier Blessed member. And whether you like it or not, they will refer to you for the standard. That is the kind of thinking you should live with every day.

If you survive this ordeal and the test of time, you will be regarded as people who survived, persevered and conquered. You will be the ones. You are the mainstream carriers of the spiritual tradition which these old members in Korea have built alongside Father. We have to inherit that tradition and pass it on to the next generation, and stay very much in that mainstream tradition. We must live up to that tradition.

If you think that I always stress the value of the Korean members or the Japanese members as of primary importance, that is not so. My reason for bringing Japanese and Korean members here to America is to have those Korean or Japanese members, who had gotten so close to me, teach you the right tradition. But you are the target, the goal, not the Korean or Japanese members. And to make you understand about myself is very difficult for me. Americans are neither last nor least important! 

The Heavenly Possession

Reverend Sun Myung Moon
World Mission Center
June 3, 1984
Translator - Sang Kil Han

There are many different kinds of contests, such as the Olympics or other forms of matches. These contests are held in local areas, such as villages or counties, and then they move up to the state and the nation-wide levels. Where would the greatest champion want to fight his ultimate match? The goal must always be how to reach to the top level of the match.

This is how people look at it and if we put ourselves in God's position, we can say that He would feel the same in that respect. God would like to have some championship match that He can claim as His own. Don't you think so? Compared to all the contests and champions we have in this earthly world, God would certainly like to have some champion who far surpasses all of these. God certainly would not like His champion to be inferior to these earthly champions. Do you agree?

This morning's title is The Heavenly Possession, so what would that be? What would belong to God? God needs material, just as we do, doesn't He? Also God needs people. Then whether it be material or people, what would God like to possess? This is the question we have to consider.

Looking back in history, we know that there has been continuous confrontation and conflict between good and evil. But when we say "good and evil," we must refine the definition. What is there which is definitely good, really good, in its perfect sense? If you say, "I am good ' you must still ask yourself, "How good am I? Am I really good or just sort of good?" This is something we have to think about.

We know one characteristic of goodness is its unchangeable nature. Look back upon your own personal history and see if the line has been very straight. You will see that there have been zigzags and ups and downs. You must think, "God is looking for something really good. Where can that real goodness be found?"

The Unification Church members are considered to be good. Those who think, "I am really good. I am honestly, genuinely real good," please raise your hands. How come a few hands went up and then quickly went down? We can further ask, "Have these qualities of goodness ever existed in the past?" Even then, did God have full possession of that goodness or use of it in His dispensation?

We can think about ourselves or about other persons we have known. You often engage in conversation about your central figures and people you work with, evaluating and criticizing them. But then people seem to always forget one thing-is the person who is speaking about others sure that he is standing upon the perfect position of real goodness?

Satan and God are always in a competition to claim their possessions. God says, "Since this is good, it belongs to me." And Satan says, "Since this is not so good, it belongs to me." Then what or how much would the difference be between not-so-good and really good? To which side would they belong? Of course, the not-so-good would belong more to Satan's side. How about really good? Where does that belong? This can be a serious question.

Put yourself in God's position and look down at all of the world. Is there a person whom God can confidently claim, saying, "This person is really mine. I can be completely confident of that. There is no possibility that this person will go back to Satan." Is there such a person among us? That is a very serious question. But then, originally everything was supposed to belong to God- all things, as well as Adam and Eve. Our task at the moment is how to bring these lost things back to God. In order to do that, we have to change what is now evil back into lasting goodness. Do you think that is easy? No. it is difficult but it is something we must do.

Imagine that from the very earliest time there existed two people, let's say a couple. And that couple did not die but kept on living, year after year and century after century, and they are still living today-let's assume that. Let us also suppose that they fell and became people of evil, and then they lived until now. In order to change those people into people of goodness, goodness that we can trust, how much effort and time would it take?

Let us assume that after great toil and a great amount of time invested, they acquired the perfect mark-they are now people of 100% goodness. That is great. However, what is the chance that they will slip down from that 100% standard? Let's say they might fall to the 95% mark or then down to 90%. What is that possibility, against the possibility of remaining at the 100% mark forever? Which is the more possible-to come down, or to stay up there? Certainly, it is very possible for them to come down. In order for God to claim those people as His possession, either He must wait until they are perfected or God must come down into the not-so-clean, earthly place and try to receive them as they are. What do you think? Do you think God can stay where He is and take them as His legal possession?

By this standard, where is each individual? Do you think that you belong more to God or more to something else? In order to truly belong to God, you have to be 100% good. In that sense, do you think you belong to God all the time or do you belong to something else most of the time? That something else or someone else-who is he? This is a very serious question. If God did not take someone until he or she was completely perfect, then where in this wide world is there something or someone that God can confidently claim as belonging to Him all the time?

Can God love a person who doesn't belong to Him? Such a person will kneel and pray, "Please, God, listen to my prayer. Please do this, please do that for me." How would God feel? Would He be so happy that so many are praying to Him and grant those prayers instantly? Instead, if you were in God's position you would think, "Oh, that person came again and he is praying the same things!"

But then, God often hears the same people praying over and over for Him to give their family or their country a lot of blessings. How would you feel if you were God? Would you enjoy listening patiently to that, over and over? Or would you feel like escaping from that! And when we talk about God's possessions, there arc many different kinds or classes of that-like the individual, or the family which can belong to God. Likewise, the clan can belong to God; also the nation can belong to God; the world, and the universe, as well. Where in any level can God claim, "This is mine."? God certainly must have a plan through which He can claim all people as His possession so that Satan could have nothing to do with them. In order to convert people like that, God must have a certain plan.

We can see that God, in order to continue His dispensation, will take an object-namely, someone who is not perfect. Therefore, it must be a conditional contract. God says, "So long as you remain in that position, you will be working with me. You will be mine and you will belong to me. But if you change your status or position, then it's your responsibility." That is what God would say. God can only promise, "Because of the condition that you make, I will regard you as belonging to my side." But He cannot say unequivocally, "Yes, I will bring you over to my side as my possession for eternity." Perhaps He can say, "You are on my side," but He cannot say, "You are mine." There is a difference.

This is not very invigorating for you to listen to, is it? But then, there is no other way to explain the situation. All people were created to be qualified to go to Heaven, but in reality there is no one now who truly belongs to Heaven. That means Heaven is empty now. It's really empty-you can't even find a few people there. Do you agree? Of course, we are talking about the real, highest Heaven. When we think about how to go to the highest Heaven, can it be easy or is it difficult? You say it is difficult, but how difficult? It is so difficult that when you are a person of 100% goodness, you have to cling to that so seriously that you will not tall down again. How seriously would you exert yourself to stay in that position and not slip down?

Let's use an example. If you are clinging to something with the constant possibility of falling off if you let go, how tightly do you have to hang on? How about, since you have strong hands you can rely upon your hands alone? No, that wouldn't be enough. Perhaps you could just cling on with your hands and your teeth. Would that be enough? We see in adventure movies where somebody is picked up by a rope-if he let's go of it, he will die, so even though his hands are hurting and his body is exhausted, he never lets go. He knows he has to keep hanging on. Even though you are that serious, there is still no guarantee that you will continue to stay there at the 100% goodness mark for eternity.

Without a doubt, everyone belongs to the side of sin, but the question is to what extent-a little or a lot? Are you very confident that you will become good sons and daughters of God? If there were 100 people in this room, every one of them would try to be good. There is no one who would not want to be good. But who actually behaves in a good way? Let's say that only 10 out of that 100 will behave in a good way. Perhaps 10 is too optimistic; maybe fewer than that would be correct. What we know and what we try to do is not in question; the real question is, how do we put those things into action?

Do you want to become a Heavenly possession? How do you propose to do that? If there is only a tiny hole through which you can get over to the side of goodness, will you be willing to squeeze through it? How? It is like a very difficult school examination. Because of the difficulty of the questions, very few people will pass it. You must study very hard. The better the teacher, the more difficult standards he maintains in his examinations. If the students know that the questions will be easy, they won't study. The good teacher will always set the standards high and will therefore be unpopular. Isn't that true?

Does the good teacher always give easy questions so the students can pass easily? No, that is not the way of the good teacher. What sort of a teacher do you think God is-good, mediocre, or bad? God is an absolutely good teacher. Therefore, He is absolutely difficult in His standards of achievement. When God puts forth His examination, He will ask Satan, "Do you think you can do that?" Satan will turn around and ask God, "What about You- do You think You can do that?" God will say, "Yes, I can." The success of the examination should be determined when Satan says, "Oh, I cannot do that." Satan must confess that he cannot fulfill the examination. God has to raise the standards of the exam to that height.

Where to set that standard would be the question for God. God has to think about what Satan hates the most whenever He is setting up His examinations. That has to be His basic criterion. We could draw a rough line between two groups of people. On one side there are those who always love what God does; on the other, there are those who almost always like what Satan likes. Someone may have passed all of God's tests, but in this area he always fails. God will say to him, "You always flunk my exams in this area, don't you?" In order to decide who is perfectly qualified to belong to God's side and who is not, everyone must take an examination. This examination question must center around this standard, this criterion.

There are professors who have given many thousands of exams to students, so they have a certain standard when they make up new exams. Many students think, "Even though I cannot make a 100% mark all the time, perhaps I can be above the cut line. Maybe I am getting near there." Have you ever seen any person who likes to take examinations! No, there is no one-no student, no serious person-who loves to take tests.

But then everybody agrees that there must be examinations. Nobody seriously suggests that exams ought to be abolished. Our relationship to God is exactly the same. Is the examination room the same place for God's test as for Satan's test? They are different rooms, but where do we take God's exam and where do we take Satan's exam? Where does Satan most often test us? It is in the outside world that Satan tests you the most. At the same time, within the Church, God is constantly giving you examinations.

Let's look into the nature of the examinations. What kind of a test does God usually give? What kind of a test does Satan always give? There are two different kinds of test questions. We know one thing-they are extremely opposite. God and Satan give different kinds of questions. Satan will give a good mark to those people who are not serious, who loaf constantly; the more they goof off, the better marks they get from Satan. In the secular world, if you make lots of money, maintain an extravagant lifestyle and work as little as possible, you will get very good marks. Everybody in that world will respect you. Now do you see the difference? Everybody in the secular world is trying to get a good mark, too.

People sleep an average of eight hours a night. If you sleep ten hours, you would get a mark of 150% from Satan. He will say, "Go ahead and sleep for 24 hours. Then I will give you the absolute highest mark." It's easy to get good marks from Satan. What can be easier than sleeping a lot? Also, you don't have to care about other people. Just eat the best food yourself. That's really easy, isn't it? Furthermore, if people go out dancing a lot and use drugs to feel good, all of this will add up to good marks from Satan. The Gay Liberation movement and the free sex group will get high marks. It is very easy to do those things-how easily people are tempted into those kinds of things.

When a person really gets into those things and enjoys them, after a while he will have such a weakened conscience he will even wish that God did not exist. Thus if he hears, "God is dead:' it suits him fine. He will really want to believe in that. God is nothing more than a nuisance to such people.

However, God's examination is completely opposite to Satan's. God tells you, "Do not eat so much. In fact, fast." And He says, "Sleep as little as possible. Also, pray all the time." Praying is not very easy. The Bible tells us, "Pray without ceasing." Is there one paragraph in the Bible that teaches people to live for their selfish purposes! In there one pan where the Bible does not teach us to sacrifice ourselves and love others? No, there is no such area. Why is the Bible so consistent? It is because God abhors Satan. God and Satan cannot coexist. So in order to do away with Satan, God must teach people how to pass His examination and get away from Satan.

We must understand God's position-it is one of misery. He doesn't like to give people difficult examinations but He has no choice. If He just gives easy questions, everyone could pass, but then so could Satan; then Satan would always stay with us. There could be no separation. When God gives us a difficult exam and we fulfill it but Satan cannot, that is the only time we free ourselves from Satan and return to God's side. Can you understand God's miserable position?

All religion gives difficult examination questions to people. There is no exception but some religions give relatively easy questions. When the one religion emerges that gives the most difficult questions of all, the world can see-even though that religion may be unpopular among poor students-that is the religion which is closest to God. Isn't that true! So you, as would-be sons and daughters of God, would you look for the easiest examination, thinking about how you could get away with the most? Or would you challenge yourself with the more and more difficult examinations?

How nice it would be if you could eat and sleep adequately, live comfortably with your family, and still pass God's examination. That would be most fortunate. If there were such a way, don't you think I would have taken it first? After all, I am pretty smart and I could find it, if such a possibility existed. But since I didn't go that way, you know that such a way cannot allow us to pass God's examination.

Let me ask you a question: Why do you cling so tenaciously to this difficult examination? Why don't you just go out and live your life in an easy way? Suppose I tried to chase you out of here-would you go? If I kicked you out the door, would you knock down the wall to get back in? Suppose I threatened you with harsh treatment if you stayed-wouldn't you run out the door? No?

If you were given the choice between taking the path of an easy religion or a difficult religion, which do you think you would have to take? This is a very simple question, but you must still answer it. The Unification Church, no doubt, is one of the most difficult religions. But then, it is supposed to be the most difficult religion, not only of the 20th century, but also for any century in history. The goal of such a religion is only to establish the Kingdom of God; that is our only concern.

Many people say that the Unification Church is great; it has a wonderful teaching, but it's too difficult to carry out. Therefore, most people cannot come into the Unification Church, they say. Does that mean the Unification Church is a good religion or a bad one? People say that since the Church is so good in its teaching but it is so difficult, therefore, the Church is not so good. Is the Unification Church good or not so good, in your opinion? It is very, very good!

Reverend Moon has a larger than average nose for an Oriental man. Do you know what a big nose signifies? It shows a person with a lot of ambition and someone who is very assertive-in other words, he never listens to anybody else. Therefore, Reverend Moon will never accept mediocrity or anything second-rate. I only want to see the best and naturally I want you Moonies to be the very best kind of people. Will God look down at my effort and say, "Why do you have to give such a rigid examination? I don't like that."? No, God always approves of the examinations I give. God tells me, "You are doing a great thing," and He tells you, "When you pass Reverend Moon's examinations, you will become my true sons and daughters."

Is my thinking crazy? It depends on how you define crazy. Looked at from the other side, do you think I enjoy giving you such a hard time? Let's say you are a baseball champion, the greatest pitcher. Suppose you have been pitching the ball and practicing every day. Will your coach tell you, "Oh, take it easy. You've practiced enough. Go take a rest."? Of course not. The coach will feel very happy inside that his pitcher is doing so well, but externally he will show a very harsh face and criticize you, saying, "What kind of a pitch is that? You can do better!" It may infuriate you, but that is what a good coach must do.

It is like a law that as soon as a person is given praise and compliments, he starts to decline. This is true in history, as well. Whenever a country achieved excellence and no one could match it and everyone knew it, it would always begin to decline. The United States government has given a test to Reverend Moon. I am working on that test, along with all of you. Satan snatched Heung Jin away from us and that was another way he gave us a test. When that happened, people around the world who were watching thought that our church would never be able to recover from such a blow. However, I still proclaimed the Day of the Victory of Love and since then things have changed drastically.

The people of the world observed that and they were surprised. They couldn't imagine what was in Reverend Moon's mind. Therefore, what they don't know, they tear, don't they? The outside world doesn't know how to take the Unification Church. They wonder, "Is this some monster?" In other words, they can't find any parallel in history to our church. There was never any group which aspired to such goodness before.

Actually, Satan would have a problem if God would say, "Now you own these people eternally," referring to Unification Church members. Satan has become very aware that Reverend Moon is an undesirable character for him-once Satan starts trying to hurt Reverend Moon, Satan is the one who ends up being hurt.

Does Reverend Moon belong to God? Even though you may say that I am God's possession, I always think differently from that. I am always trying my best to become God's even better possession. I always think that I must make myself ready. Therefore, I have thought that before I go to jail in Moscow, I will train myself in the jail of America. I look upon the present time as the training course for a more difficult situation in the future. I have lived this way throughout my life, from my boyhood until now.

When the subject gives a direction, the object follows. I belong to the Oriental race and most of you belong to the white race. Does it bother you to be object to someone of another race?

Let me ask you, should I give you an examination only once in a long while, or should I give you a daily examination, just like some good schools do? Sometimes you are lifted up high and sometimes you feel like you are in the lowest possible abyss. Sometimes you are leaning to the west, sometimes to the east, and there has been no place for you to settle down. You may be thinking, "I am already a 35-year-old woman and my first baby has just been born. How can I continue to live the rest of my life like this?" I understand your situation, but nevertheless I must push you even more. This is not only my position, it is Heavenly Father's position. We are in this kind of position-shall we stop here or shall we continue to go forward?

We will have to show something that surprises the satanic world, something which will amaze them. We must make a big impact upon them. I have always been like that. I have always liked to score points, make an impact and gain the attention of people. How about you? Whom do you resemble? You must think that you resemble God Himself, as well as the True Parents. Who decides the score, the mark? Is it me or is it God Himself? It is God.

Isn't it true that even though you may believe you did really well in some examination, you still worry about it until you actually receive a good grade from your teacher? If a few days pass between your test and the announcement of your grade, you will worry almost as much during those days as you did while you were preparing for the test. The ones who usually get the best marks on examinations are the ones who really worry about them. The one who is quite confident after the test that he got a high mark and doesn't think about it anymore is the one who usually gets the low mark.

The good student will strive to make 100%, so if he only gets 98% he will concentrate on making up those 2 points on the next test. The person who is satisfied with 98% will never be able to make 100%. According to this standard, America is bound to be weaker than any other nation which is leading the opposite way of life. The American way of life is not rigorous enough to carry you forward in the future.

For instance, this is the vacation season, so most Americans think that they simply must go on vacation. The American way also includes eating a lot; people are always munching on snacks or drinking some beverage such as Coke or coffee. What have we done in the Unification Church? We did away with vacations, didn't we? Also we work very hard and discourage eating and drinking a lot. One thing is certain: if we continue going in the same direction as the majority of Americans, we will definitely perish; but if we live differently, we will have a much better chance of winning.

If you are asked the question, "Do you like the American style of life," you answer emphatically, "No." When we disagree with the American way and we live the way we know is better, then ultimately America will follow our lead and everyone will be the winners. However, the moment the Moonies say to America, "Yes, you've got the right way and I agree with you," then all hope is extinguished. It is even better yet if you not only do not go along with the modern American lifestyle but you even hate it.

There are millions of people coming to this country from all over the world. Once they have worked hard and achieved success, they can live the way the rest of Americans do. America has always been proud of being such a successful melting pot. There is one person however, named Reverend Moon, who came to this country and did not become Americanized but instead tried to influence America. This is something unusual and it is something Americans cannot tolerate. This is why so much persecution has come to Reverend Moon. It is intolerable that Reverend Moon has refused to "Americanize."

The simple fact is that once a person advocates the American style of life, he will be joining the way that leads to destruction. But whenever a person advocates the way the Principle teaches, then that person will bring hope to America. Eventually all of America will follow this way of life. It is that simple. The country or environment which is heading for destruction contains nothing which God can claim from it.

Eminent scholars and Ph.D.s have told me in the past not to continue along the path I have gone. They have warned that nobody would ever follow me. However, even if nobody else ever followed me, I have pursued this way of life. Now people are saying, "I realize how wrong I was and now I want to follow you."

While so many people were criticizing me, I did not have time to listen to them, much less respond to them. I was too busy taking my own examinations from God on the individual, family, national and all the different levels. I had to concentrate solely on passing all those examinations.

Most people would run away from the American courts and prisons; there are many other societies to live in. Why did Reverend Moon come to America, knowing that there was great difficulty waiting for him? It was for the purpose of recovering the world. I cannot even think about retreating, knowing that I am right. The world is God's goal and therefore it is my goal. America is small compared to this great goal. If I retreated in the face of difficulty from the smaller goal, how could I gain the larger goal? There is a simple and logical reason for my following this way of life.

What about the Moonies? When a person joins the Unification Church, he often thinks, "Everything is different. I never had to live like this. I can tolerate some things, but this is ridiculous." Or someone will say, "I waited for so many years and finally I got blessed, but now I cannot even live with my spouse." Reverend Moon is telling you not to telephone your spouses but to write to them instead, even though you are so exhausted. In fact, whatever is most difficult, that is what I will direct you to do.

You are thinking, "How much longer can I go on like this?" But you must think about a great and valuable machine. All sorts of parts make up such a machine- sophisticated, small, delicate and sensitive parts are needed. In order to test that machine, the manufacturer may say, "Kick it again. Make sure that it is perfect." All of the parts need to be checked over and over again; only then can it be assured that the entire machine is perfect. Sometimes we might test the machine three times beyond its normal capacity. Until the machine passes such a test, it cannot be a truly dependable one.

How about that kind of training for you? You are being given that kind of a training course. Thinking about such a thing is rather easy, but acting that way is not easy at all. I will give the general comment to the Unification Church members: There is nothing wrong with what you know. You know plenty; you are not failing in that area. But when you act, that is where you have tailed to pass so far. All of you members are supposed to be doing God's work throughout the nation. But we have found that since this building came into our possession, one person after another has crawled into this "den" and has become a hermit. They say, "I am sick." If that person is truly sick then he ought to get well after a few weeks, but in reality he does not want his sickness to go away. He wants to stay here. But such a person never gets well and he continues to be sick, for one or two years. Later, after everything advances, such a person will surely become the prey of Satan.

Satan will snatch you through the opposite sex. For a woman, there will be a seemingly more attractive man than her blessed husband. The same will be true for some blessed men. There are men who are thinking that their blessed wives are not the greatest on earth. But one day such a man will be snatched away by a woman who appears to be so much greater than his wife. We have a lot of people like that in this New Yorker building and it upsets me very much.

The one who encounters that kind of situation hates me. He says, "Father, how can you be so nasty?" But I take pity on them. Some of those were really dedicated members in the past. Thus I thought, "Now I will shake and wake them up." We have to try to return them to our rank and file.

One way of solving this problem is by selling the New Yorker. Or we can keep it and then make everybody move out. Which way do you think is best? I have thought about selling it but then we have to think about the consequences. The satanic world would rejoice, "Finally the Moonies gave up. They are selling the New Yorker." We don't want to do that, so we shouldn't sell the building.

But if I chase you away, people will say, "Father exploits American members and now he chases them away." Will you say, "Reverend Moon made us work so hard and now we are sick and he is chasing us away."? I am sure I would receive that kind of criticism. Therefore, who should do the chasing away-me or you? If you say, "Us," that includes more than one. But when you say, "I" you mean only yourself. "I" is always closer than we." Therefore, should you say "I" or "we"?

Therefore, you will be the one to chase away the people from this building? How many will you chase away? What about the people who live here-are you waiting to be chased away, or will you chase yourselves away? Perhaps you say, "That suits me fine. I will go out and live in the world." But once you went outside to live for yourself, where could you go?

Everyone is going out to war now. For what purpose are you going to war? Are you doing it so that Reverend Moon can become rich and powerful? Very soon there will be floods of people trying to get into the Unification Church. Now is the time to go out, even though you are tired and aching. You may be crying but you have to just hang on.

We often don't know why we are in the Unification Church, but once we go outside the church, then we know. People in the secular world can sleep all day long, they can eat all they want, but still the Unification Church life is really great and stylish. We understand that once we leave our centers. I know this more deeply than anybody else; that's why I can always run in front. I know there is absolutely no other place that is better.

Once I decided that I must go to prison, all of a sudden I began to have hope for the future. But if I were still preoccupied and pondering, I could not have any hope! If I go to prison and stay where no American can catch up, then all Americans will come and bow down voluntarily. Also, my descendants will do the same thing. That is because Reverend Moon is not aiming at only saving America but is going beyond this country and embracing all of mankind. Therefore, America cannot stop Reverend Moon any more than it can stop God Himself.

I know that I can go into prison and when I come out I can go to any country in the world, such as Africa or South America, and make the same amount of foundation as in America within only three or four years. I know I could do that. I will gather people from all different countries. America is not my enemy. Even though America is not understanding me or agreeing with me at the moment, still there are many other countries which are.

The best way is to strive to awaken Americans so they can understand. The Moonies will now decide to wake up for the sake of America and they have pledged to continue to work for America's sake. If I ever forgive America, it will be because of the Moonies. I want all of you to work harder and move around faster than when I am with you. I think this way, "Even though America is deteriorating rapidly, as long as there is a foundation which l have made in this country, then Cod will have to preserve this country because of that foundation." I think that even though Cod has such a strong urge to punish America, still God cannot do that because Reverend Moon is here and the Moonies are here, trying their very best to follow His way. Because of that, God must preserve this country.

With this situation, chasing people away from the New Yorker to do their missions is a very justified and normal thing to do. Whether or not you are with me, I am going this direction. Jesus said, "Do not cry for me, cry for your own children." This is the same as my situation today. It is for your own sake that I am chasing you away from here. For this reason and this goal, you should forget about everything and get out of your little rooms on your own. Why? It is so that we can continue to be on God's side; so that we can continue to be God's possession. There is no other reason.

Once I leave this country, there will be no one to help you, to lead the way for this country. While I am here and giving you directions and you are following them, then it all becomes legitimate in the sight of God. All becomes connected and related in the sight of God.

All of you Moonies assembled here, are you really anxiously awaiting my final commands to you, no matter how harsh they may be? Those who are waiting for that, raise your hands. Will you join together so that we can make a sweeping influence upon New York? Will you pledge to never allow New York to be comfortable but rather you will shake the city and wake it up? Would you like to give it a try? Are you going to need a command before you do it, or are you going to do it voluntarily?

All the white members in the New Yorker will be assigned to the places where white people are hated the most, such as Harlem. And the black people will be sent to where they are the most despised and must try to win the people there. But there you will fight like nobody has ever fought in this country before. In history nobody was ever more serious or worked harder than we will. We Moonies will make a new, first-place record. How about that? In that way, everything will be solved. You can do that without me.

You can tell yourself that until now-last month, yesterday-you were not so strong, you were wobbling. But now you are different and now you can know better and be firm. All the Korean and Japanese members as well as you big white American people must take great strides. Many Americans are impressed by bigness, aren't they? That is a historical American way of thinking. They want to hit it big and become Number One. When the Japanese people are working so hard, you must tell them. ""No, I will do that work." If you did that, I would be very happy.

Why should you Americans follow in the wake of the Japanese or Koreans? Why not do better than they do? Everything about the Japanese is smaller-their height, their faces, their mouths. They eat small, they walk small. What are you Americans waiting for? There is no reason why Americans should be outdone by Japanese or Koreans. Why should you be? When you outdo them, I will be really happy and consoled.

Those of you who fully agree and accept mobilization, raise your hands-both hands. Thank you. I can trust you. From this time on, we will divide New York into ten districts and fifty sections. Of course, I gave this command a long time ago, but because of the IOWC activity, it has not been emphasized, but now we are coming back and paying attention to this. We will concentrate once again and we will remain stationary and do Home Church activity now. How many homes should each person do? 360. 1 already gave you detailed instructions for Home Church-you should sleep there, eat there, and just stay there. Do you understand that? Until now, you haven't done that, have you? I know that some of you have, but I want everyone to do it.

We are literally a Heavenly army, aren't we? In an army, a soldier doesn't know from one day to the next where he will be sent. Much the same way, once you receive your missions, you go where you are needed.

Now what is our mission? Of course, we have the Home Church work but we also have a specific mission to fulfill. As you know, there was a big rally for religious freedom recently in Washington. It was a very vigorous and spontaneous activity by many different Christian leaders. They have come to realize the need for their unity and they are beginning a very powerful movement in that direction now. Therefore we are doing the NCCSA movement. NCCSA means social action. We have been working closely with the established churches. After all, we come under one God and we are all working for the same goal. One of the things we do is to distribute food and needed materials which government agencies are giving away. We take these things from the government agencies and we distribute them to different churches, schools and factories. While we are doing that, we will be working closely with churches. As home church workers, you should get in touch with the churchgoers in your areas. In other words, you are home church members but you are actively engaged in super-denominational activities. Let's do away with differing denominations and bring everyone together under one God.

As you know, the Principle view is that Abel must bring Cain into unity. That is Abel's responsibility-to make unity with Cain. Unless Abel finds his Cain and makes unity, he cannot come forward to the Parents. Only upon that kind of foundation of Cain/Abel unity can God work. That is the Principle view. Therefore, the Unification Church members of the United States must make unity with the established Christians here, and upon that foundation God can come down to this nation. No matter how difficult our situation, we have to make unity with Cain. Upon the foundation of that Cain/Abel unity, the country itself can be saved.

During this time of my court case, you must make unity with other Christians all over the country. You are in the Abel position and they are in the Cain position. After you make that unity, America itself can be saved. Do you understand? The purpose for my coming to this country was to achieve that unity between our movement and established Christianity here. No matter how difficult the situation becomes for me, I absolutely have to make this foundation. Now we have the chance to make that unity. We are now serving the physical needs of people through our food distribution and also the internal needs of people through our inter-denominational work. That is serving Cain on the external as well as the internal level. This is our church's duty.

Our mission now is to bear the cross, just as Jesus did and just as I have done up till now. Now you must take up your own cross in order to restore Cain. This national movement is well underway at this time. We are concentrating on the city of New York and that is why you are being assigned to your particular areas. Do you understand that connection? We are working throughout the New York area-this is the most significant area in the United States. If we can succeed here, we can succeed in any other areas. Therefore, this is our formula city, the model area for our work in other places of the country. Once we master the formula, we can do anything.

This is the last major war that Heaven must fight. We are all soldiers of Heaven. This is the proud Heavenly soldiers' authority. Do you understand? You must have that kind of mind. We are marching forward, with no regard for whether it is daytime or nighttime. We must be working every day. Once we make the victory here in New York, we will move out to every other place in the world. You must have the confidence to do that. No matter how difficult, we are going to make the foundation here. If we do not do that, God's problems will be great, the Unification Church's problems will be great, and so will the problems of the world. Please be confident and strong as a Heavenly army.

We have come to organize what should be the strongest spiritual army in history. It doesn't really make any difference whether I go to prison or not; still you must remember the organization you started today. This is the most important thing.

Day of All Things 1984

Sun Myung Moon
May 31, 1984
World Mission Center
Translator, Bo Hi Pak

As you know, we have several special holidays in the Unification Church which the rest of the world does not celebrate. The first one is God's Day, then Parents' Day, Children's Day, and Day of All Things. What other great days do we celebrate? We celebrate the True Parents' Birthday, the Day of the Victory of Love. Also we now celebrate the most recent holiday -- the Day of the Love of God.

You are here today to celebrate the Day of All Things. Does such a phrase sound funny to you? If there had not been a fall of man, we would not have needed so many celebrations. The most central day would simply have been Parents' Day. As you know through the Divine Principle, we go through the indirect dominion and the direct dominion of God. Adam and Eve were supposed to receive their marriage blessing from God and that day would have marked total harmony between the indirect dominion and the direct dominion. If that day had come to humanity -- that day of perfection -- it would have been the day of celebration of everything, including the meaning of the Day of Victory of Love, the Day of the Love of God, the Day of the Victory of Heaven, and the Day of All Things. All these days would have been included within that one special holiday.

However, the fallen world came into being. People have parents, certainly, but what kind of parents? All parents are separated from God; thus they are fallen parents. Certainly there are children in the world, but they too are fallen. All the things of creation existed before humanity did. If God could have claimed ownership and dominion over all things, then there would not have bran a problem. All things would have been in a totally different position.

The Center Of Mankind and the Universe

Many people ask why God created the universe or what is the purpose of creation. Furthermore, people wonder why God created humanity. Isn't it a natural question to ask who is the owner of this universe and mankind? Who can claim ownership of them? This is an unlimited universe -- the word "vast" isn't enough to describe it. There may be at least one hundred billion more planets the size of Earth in the universe; there are billions of stars in the galaxies. They are all in motion. You know how frequently automobiles collide with each other on the freeway, but the planets and stars do not. They maintain their constant motion within the framework of order and • discipline.

Anyone who, knowing these things, says that the universe is just the product of randomness or accident must simply be crazy. The human body consists of approximately four hundred trillion cells; each cell maintains its independent life and we could compare the distances between them to the distance between the earth and the sun or other planets. There is a mini-universe within each human being. When you are turning around, the whole universe is moving! The distance between two different cells can be compared to the distance between the earth and the sun -- such is the ratio of distance between the micro-particles within your body.

The human body appears to be solid, but there is far more space than solid mass. So where is the center or focal point of your body? Furthermore, who is your master or the owner of your life? These are the two basic questions -- who is your center and who is your owner, your master.

Human existence is further divided into the duality of men and women. This is quite convenient -- it could be compared to the woman being the left arm and the man the right arm, both parts of the same body. Clearly the left and right arms work together smoothly in any body. Even if they have some conflict, they have to cooperate and come together to get anything done! If you want to eat your dinner, you need both arms -- one holds the fork, the other the knife, for example.

The Center Of Human Beings

After considering all these things, the basic, fundamental question remains: who is at the center, who is the master? What is the center of men and women? What is their central point? What is the physical center of a person? Is it the head, the arms, or what? Someone might claim that the head is the most important and therefore the center of a person. So all you really need is a head to be a man? Physically speaking, the brain is certainly the central command post. However, people are more than just their physical selves; we also have spirits. What is the spiritual center of people? It is heart. Where is the spiritual heart located? The Oriental concept of the location of the heart, rather than in the center of the chest, is that it is in the bosom. Likewise, the conscience according to Oriental thought is linked with the heart.

As long as a person has a good brain and a healthy conscience, then he or she can be qualified to live as a man or woman. That is all you need. We have a physical body and a spirit. What is the point at which the two things become harmonized? Dr. Kim, you just graduated from 120-Day Seminar, so you answer the question! Even this Ph.D. hasn't ever thought about this question! Actually, this is a most crucial question which relates to everyday living. Does it interest you? Yes, it does. All the trillions of cells that are woven together within your body -- from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet -- must have a central point somewhere. There must be a point which vibrates in the center, harmonizing and focusing the rest of the body. Where is it?

That point is the place which distinguishes men from women. Where is that place? Raise your hands if you know. You are poor students! What makes a man a man and a woman a woman? What is the difference? It is that one point, that one thing. This is a law of nature. You understand this, right? There is a symbol to indicate the male and female instruments. The physical body and the spiritual body are one hundred percent united in the particular organ of men and women.

When people grow toward maturity and become teenagers, they become sensitive to love. When their love begins to activate, the physical as well as the spiritual senses combine and focus the whole body toward love. Men and women start to pull each other. They start to attract each other and turn toward each other. When a plus and minus come together and are totally united, they start to turn and speed up, and they have the tendency to be pulled apart. That is why we have "God's mechanism" to keep us together; through those parts, we can stay together in one hundred percent unity.

Love Penetrates Everything

Love penetrates everything in men and women. It goes through all the trillions of cells in the body in just a second, like lightning. There is nothing that love cannot penetrate. In Oriental thinking, women are like containers and men are like the substance that fills them. Therefore women are said to represent the earth and men represent heaven. When they come together, unity between heaven and earth is achieved. Likewise, a low area always seeks to be united with a high peak; the high peak longs for that lower point. It is not easy to be a high peak or to be a low depth; both are difficult achievements. They long for each other. Optimum balance and harmony are achieved when these two places of high and low come together.

Both the high and the low points look for, search for their optimum point, their balanced state. God made you men and women in a beautifully balanced way. Each individual has a body which is symmetrically balanced, left and right. Likewise, a man and woman are like two balanced pieces meant to come together through the power of love.

The surface of the ocean could be considered a horizontal line. Below that line is the kingdom of the sea -- all the creatures and fishes that live in the ocean are there. Above that line are all the mammals and birds and air-breathing animals. That is the dividing line. The fish derive their oxygen from the water.

By the same token, the ocean reaches high tide once a month and a woman has her "high tide" every month. There is only one full moon each month. The waters of the earth are affected by the moon; thus there is only one high tide and one low tide each month. Women are also affected by this monthly cycle. Nature affects the life of women. You are pulled by your environment each day and each month.

The motion of life involves the highest point coming down to the lowest point; the lowest point moves up. Left moves to the right; right moves to the left. At amusement parks such as Great Adventure or Disneyland, there are all kinds of exciting rides that carry you way up high and then down low. Also left to right and back and forth. That is really exciting -- going up high and low, moving left and right. Why is that exciting?

Because the universe is moving like that all the time -- everything is moving up and down, left and right. Since you can't feel that motion, you can go to Great Adventure once in a while and get a thrill! That is a natural human desire and tendency.

Proper Place for Men and Women

We could observe two different sets of people, holding on to each other and turning around and around. One is composed of two men and the other is a man and a woman. Which is more beautiful and romantic? The man and woman. Why is that? It is simply because it is a reflection of our universe. It is universal law, custom and tradition. Everything in the universe naturally seeks to conform with universal law. For example, imagine what it would look like if someone went to the beach attired in a suit coat and tie and boots. That is clearly out of place. By the same token, God desires the proper place for men and women.

If you observe two big hairy men lying together in the sand on the beach, talking, you would think that they must be arguing or fighting. But when one big hairy man is lying down, talking with a lovely woman you immediately feel that romance must be involved. The two scenes are a contrast -- one appears to be fighting and the other appears very romantic.

What do you think I am talking about today, this Day of All Things? In today's degraded and perverted human society we observe the so-called Gay Liberation movement, which promotes lovemaking between people of the same sex. But this is totally apart from the universal principles of behavior; it is simply unnatural. Universal law teaches one basic lesson -- that of harmony and balance between the two aspects of God's creation, male and female. This applies not only to the animal kingdom but also to the minerals. This realm also contains the plus and minus elements. Can you imagine that any proton would ever seek to come together with another proton? The only way a proton can make a "date' is with an electron.

Even if God Himself wanted to, He couldn't force the proton to make union with another proton. That proton could protest to God and say, "No," and the reason is simple: two protons together are not creating anything or benefitting anything. They are losing something instead because without the reciprocal give and take between the positive and negative elements, there can be no growth and development.

Misunderstandings of What Causes Progress

But here is the problem -- the point where harmony breaks down. The philosophers who came up with the law of the dialectic -- Hegel, and Frederich Engels in particular -- saw a conflicting, confronting nature within universal law. Unless we successfully resolve the question of the dialectic within the universe, we cannot find the true formula for peace and harmony. Survival of the fittest, the strong eat the weak, power causes progress -- these are major questions.

What are the kinds of power in the universe? There is the power of knowledge or truth. And there is the power of wealth and money. Also there is the power of authority or domination.

America today is a very wealthy capitalist country. Men enjoy boasting about their status and power, while women tend to prefer having money and spending it! Can you imagine that a power-hungry man and a money-hungry woman could come together into harmony? Will those motivations bring a man and woman into unity? Not at all.

Perhaps a well-educated man and a wealthy woman will be able to make perfect unity because of those things. The truth is that people who are centered around such values as wealth, power or knowledge are always thinking of how to exploit others. Thus they cannot become one with anyone. Do you think that any family can prosper upon such values and become a harmonious family unit? Sometimes people will cooperate on such a basis but it is only for the sake of convenience and it is only external. There is no way to achieve perfect internal unity.

Unity Brings Benefit to Both Parties

The message I am trying to convey is that what is important is not what is external; what is important is what is internal, basic and fundamental. There must be some place where the body and mind of people can find unity. There has to be a certain order between the mind and body. The mind can't trade places with the body and become the object sometimes. The mind is the subject and the body is the object; within that order, they can harmonize and achieve unity. That unity will bring benefit to both of them.

Mind is the subject and body is the object. When you make a decision, is it your body or your mind that does it? You say, "I've made up my mind." Can you imagine saying, "I've made up my body"? That certainly doesn't make sense. There is a certain universal order; there is the proper subject/object relationship. When the subject and object are clearly determined, then harmonious relationship can come about.

We have been speaking about the center of human beings. Our internal center is our conscience. Our body is the object to our mind. Therefore, the body must obey the directives of the conscience. In order to be in the subject position, certain characteristics must be fulfilled. They are, first of all, broadness -- the ability to reach out to wide areas. Furthermore, more public-minded thinking. Between the mind and body, which is broader and which is more narrow? Certainly the mind is broader. From every point of view, therefore, the mind is the subject and the body is the object.

The original people were supposed to grow up with this relationship of subject and object, mind over body, and then become mature with a sensitivity and understanding of love. Then they were supposed to achieve unity in love, which we call marriage. All of this understanding comes out of the Divine Principle. It is inevitable that all people must go through their growth period, the indirect dominion of God.

Human beings were meant to be born into the indirect dominion of God, to grow up with their minds and bodies growing together, the body totally obeying the mind. Then when men and women came to the point where they could understand love, they could seek out their mates.

Why do you need men? Why do men need women? You need each other for love. What is the terminal point of the love of men and women? Is it in your head, or your heart? Where is it? Your love is expressed ultimately through your male and female "couplers."

Men and women have certain God-given organs with which to express their love. We call these the sexual organs. But the sexual organs of the man belong to the woman; the woman's sexual organs belong to the man. No matter how great may be Dr. Kim, he was not born for himself but for Mrs. Kim. The same is true for Mrs. Kim -- she was born for her husband.

The reason why I am emphasizing this point is that people tend to take it for granted, without understanding. Many of you think that you can do whatever you want with your body.

Let us analyze women. You have pretty, delicate skin and you are lovely to look at. For whose enjoyment did God create you? For another woman to come and enjoy your smooth skin? No, a woman was created to give joy and satisfaction to a man. Women want to put things on or decorate yourselves. Is that for yourselves? What about your bosom, does it exist for yourself? No, your bosom is for the sake of your children; they own it. You also have large hips, not for your own purposes, but to give a broad and safe foundation for your children. When you analyze yourself, nothing you possess belongs solely to you. Even your eyes are not there for your own pleasure. They are there to look at others. Your ears are made to hear someone else's voice. Truly, nothing belongs to you. That is why I have said that you were born to live for the sake of others.

The very same things can be said about you men, as well. Men have broad shoulders, not for you to boast about but so that you can carry the burdens of your family. You have to work and sweat so that you can take care of your wife and children! We can observe two different kinds of men. One, which we might call "interesting," is the kind who is quite small and always speaks rapidly. The other kind, we might call "dramatic," who is large and doesn't talk very much.

Sometimes love is painful to bear and you hurt each other. Would you like to have nothing but sunshiny days, 365 days of the year? No, you look forward to the contrast of storms, snow, rain, thunderstorms and lightning, don't you? That is one aspect of beauty -- the emotional contrasts. In our daily life, nothing is totally smooth. We always experience upheavals and change, but we can melt these things with our love.

When men and women are united, plus and minus together, you either become a bigger plus or a bigger minus. When perfect harmony is created between men and women, you create a bigger plus. When a man and woman are perfectly united, you become the perfect minus to God, as your plus. Love will not come to visit you unless there is a harmonious subject and object relationship.

What is the central theme of human life? It is true love.

By the same token, what is the central theme of the universe? Do you think the universe cries out for money, or knowledge, or power? Everything in the universe is looking for the power to harmonize. What is that harmonizing power? It is the subject and object relationship. For anyone to grow, benefit and improve himself, he must make relationship and unite in a subject/object relationship.

Love Is the Harmonizing Power of the Universe

What is the harmonizing power of the universe? It is none other than love. There is nothing that love cannot penetrate and bring together. This visible universe seeks to make harmony with the invisible universe. This material universe cannot exist alone; it must have a corresponding partner, on the invisible level. Just like the individual human being -- each has a physical body, composed of trillions of cells and it must make harmony with the spiritual body. The universe, too, seeks to make harmony with the invisible spirit world. We have that invisible subject, and the center of that invisible subject is God. Human beings originated from that invisible point.

Therefore, human beings receive their invisible spirit, which is primary over the visible body. With our visible bodies, we have dominion over the visible universe. All these things God willed to happen -- invisible world, visible world; invisible man, visible man. And God wanted to see unity between all these things, not through power or money or knowledge, but through the power of love. Thus we come to the conclusion that God created everything for the fulfillment of His love.

Satan knew this truth very well. For that reason, he aimed at the love of men and women, knowing that if he could control love, he could control the universe. It is through love that true ownership can be exercised; ownership comes from love. Thus all things were meant to be truly owned by God who delegated dominion to human beings. It is human nature to want to own things; even to want to own the entire world is a natural feeling. But one thing people don't know is that, once they own something, they must offer that ownership to God, who is the ultimate owner. God's ownership of the universe can only be achieved when people claim true ownership on behalf of God. Thus God's and man's ownership are determined at the same time.

Human history has been the struggle of God to restore His rightful ownership over all things. Satan claimed ownership of all things by claiming dominion over human love. Until now, God could not claim true ownership over all things and this has been the worst tragedy for humanity. The turning point for human history is the day of hope when the Messiah comes, endowed with the power to restore the world with true love. In that way he will return true ownership of the world back to God, once and for all.

True Love Is Parental Love

What is true love? You say "God's love," but what is God's love? You can give me a lot of beautiful adjectives, but where and what exactly is true love? In order to find true love, we must look first for the foundation or the base of true love. The foundation of the universe is this: the relationship between God and men. God is our Father and men and women are His children. Therefore, the universal, basic love is that of parents toward children as well as the filial love of children towards their parents.

How does a child trust the sincerity of his or her parents' love? A child knows he has true parents when he sees that they are ready and willing to give up their lives for him. And this kind of love doesn't ever change; it is the same now and forever.

True love comes from God; thus God must be the true Father. So God must be ready and willing to give up everything, including His very life, for the well-being and protection of His children.

According to this definition, what are true children? They return the same quality of love to their parents. That is, they are willing to give up their very lives for the sake of the well-being of their parents. The same definition can be extended to conjugal love. The quality of the love between husband and wife should be the same. When each spouse is willing to give up his or her life for the other, they are truly an ideal couple. God and the entire universe embrace and protect such a couple.

On such a level of love, no explanations or complaints are needed. The universe just acts. Among you blessed couples, if anyone is trying to say they love their spouse more than they are loved by their spouse, then they have already failed the standard. Words and explanations of love are not needed between a truly loving husband and wife. Only by your actions -- the looks you exchange, by the expressions on your face, by the way you touch -- you know how much you love each other. Even by your very breath, you can know the intensity of your love.

Some wives have a problem with snoring husbands. In fact, some divorces have been based upon this problem! But from now on, if you have a snoring husband, look at it another way. Think, "What a wonderful husband I have! Even in his sleep, he wants to protect me. If anyone tries to break in, they will be scared away by his snoring!" It's all in how you look at it! For people in love, there is nothing you cannot overcome and digest.

Your wives can feed you men the most simple, hard bread and still convey their sincere love. Perhaps all she has to feed you is just a bagel and a piece of cheese, but you should think, "This is my love bagel! I am eating the essence of my wife's love and it's going to give me lots of energy." Any husband who eats with such an attitude will never get sick. The reason is simple: everything in the universe surrenders to love, even germs and viruses. No materialistic value should touch your love. The quality of your love depends entirely upon your own attitude. The incredible, vast world of love can be tapped when you use it properly.

Any family which embodies the standard of true love will create its own superhighway right into the heart of God. Expanding the family level of love to the nation, people can exhibit the purest patriotic love for their nation. Such a family is a patriotic family. That family will be respected and revered by millions of people, as well as dwelling in the Kingdom of Heaven.

This is the way you can elevate your level of service. Beginning with your family, you can serve for the sake of the nation; from the nation, move up to the world; from the world, move up to the universe; from the universe, you can serve the sake of God.

Parent to Humankind

I have been practicing and teaching this concept of love for my whole life. Now the Unification Church is facing a tremendous challenge. This is an emergency time; I am facing the court battle. At this time, I must be united with all the brothers and sisters around the world, in order to exercise parental love toward the world. Even though the U.S. government has committed a crime against me, I am still in the position of parent to humankind. Thus I want to be responsible for the wrongdoings of all the nations and people.

I know the Principle and thus, whenever one puts oneself in the absolute plus position, an absolute minus will always appear. Because of my absolute plus deeds, Christians of this nation are bound to respond to me in the minus position. This was dramatically manifested yesterday in Washington. When the Unification Church is completely united with the rest of Christianity, they will form an absolute plus unit. And the rest of the free world will become the minus; they will automatically come to unite with us. That is their destiny.

The mandate today is this: let us unite all people, every race and color of mankind, not for the sake of ourselves but for the sake of the unity of the world. I am in the position to overcome this current difficulty through love. Even if I have to go to prison, that indemnity would protect the rest of the world from Satan's attack. Thus that would be a great victory. Regardless of how much suffering I may have to endure, a great victory is ahead of us -- the unification of Christianity, as well as the rest of the free world.

Creation Awaits Ownership of True Love

Today I want you to understand that the things of creation have never before been cared for by a true master; they have not been owned by a true owner. You could ask everything from the chemicals in the dirt to the cells in the human body this question. By whom would you like to be possessed? Everything will shout out the same answer. Do you think they will say they want a man with money or knowledge or worldly power to possess them? No, every single aspect of the creation yearns to be owned by men and women of true love.

That love can be defined simply: it is parental love. And from that central love, tradition flows. The parent is always in the position to protect, to regenerate, to educate -- that is the parental role. And it is unconditional, with no strings attached. All the things of creation are ready to be loved. They are waiting for their true lover to come and claim ownership over them by true love.

Why have I given this particular sermon on this Day of All Things? Today you must realize that all the things of creation are waiting for someone to come forward and claim them with true love. This is our duty toward all things, toward nature. We are in a dramatic position -- from the smallest molecule to the entire universe -- we are given life as the masters of creation. What a precious and incredible blessing of life God has given us. If you look at everything with that attitude, nature will want to follow you everywhere you go.

If you are such a true master for all the things of creation, you can ask them, "Where would you like to be?" And they will answer, "We would like to become part of your body, so would you please eat us?" That is the consummation of their love and through you, they can become closer to God. It is only through the power of love that you have the right to claim the privilege of food from the animals. Some people think it is a pity to kill animals and eat them; but when a person has true love, those animals can joyfully give up their lives to become a part of a higher form of creation -- the children of God. In that way, their animal cells can combine with the cells of God's children and those animals can fulfill their love more fully.

Every human cell can taste the love of God. No animal cell can taste that love; but once it becomes part of the human cells, it can experience the love of God. For this reason, human beings have the royal privilege of sacrificing their lives for the sake of love. And this follows along the same principle that we have been speaking of: God Himself would gladly sacrifice His own life for the sake of love.

Dying for the sake of the love of God is truly the most glorious ending for any human being. Why is that? Because of this same principle -- the animal cells want to become the human cells and likewise human beings want to become a part of God Himself. When you live and die for the sake of the love of God, you can become one of God's cells. You belong totally to God. Your very cells become part of God's body.

If you become men and women who live with this understanding, fulfilling the purpose of love, you will be doing the greatest work and will be directly linked with God. For that reason, as the leader of the Unification Church, I will never hesitate to allow the members -- who are my own children, no matter how many millions we become -- to sacrifice for the sake of the world. To die for the sake of God will elevate you to the highest position in the universe -- a part of God. I will not let you suffer or die in vain; you will become a part of God.

Our central concept of love is the most beautiful and dramatic in the world. Your goals and your ideals are the highest; there are none higher. Today let us make this memorable day more memorable by coming to the realization of the true meaning of the Day of All Things. Fulfill the purpose of this day. This is the reason I have given this message today.

At this juncture of human history, the Unification Church is facing a most significant battle. The worst thing imaginable to me is that I would ever do anything in the slightest degree shameful in the eyes of the American people, of the Western culture, furthermore in the eyes of humanity, history, in the sight of all the saints, and ultimately in the sight of God. I declare to you that I will never do anything that could ever be shameful. Absolutely never. That road of doing the honorable thing is the road of agape love -- the true, unselfish, parental love.

Be Proud Of Your Inheritance and Tradition

If I establish the tradition of the universal man, then the rest of humanity will eventually follow. Everyone will come to learn that tradition. I will never be alone.

I am giving this instruction to you: Be proud of your inheritance and this tradition. Do everything possible to overcome your difficulties with the power of love. Be victorious and conquer with the power of love. Seek no revenge; harbor no hostilities. In God's way, we shall overcome. I pledge to you that I will always go the truthful and right way. Will you follow me in that way? 

Day Of All Things 1984

Reverend Sun Myung Moon
May 31, 1984
World Mission Center
Translator - Bo Hi Pak

As you know, we have several special holidays in the Unification Church which the rest of the world does not celebrate. The first one is God's Day, then Parents' Day, Children's Day, and Day of All Things. What other great days do we celebrate? We celebrate the True Parents' Birthday, the Day of the Victory of Love, and we now celebrate the most recent holiday - the Day of the Love of God.

If there had been no fall of man, we would not have needed so many celebrations. The most central day would simply have been Parents' Day. As you know through the Divine Principle, we go through the indirect dominion into the direct dominion of God. Adam and Eve were supposed to receive their marriage blessing from God and that day would have marked total harmony between the indirect dominion and the direct dominion. If that day had come to humanity-that day of perfection-it would have been the day of celebration of everything. It would have included the meaning of the Day of Victory of Love, the Day of the Love of God, the Day of the Victory of Heaven, and the Day of All Things. All these days would have been included within that one special holiday.

However, the fallen world came into being. People have parents, certainly, but what kind of parents? All parents are separated from God and thus they are fallen parents. Certainly there are children in the world, but they too are fallen. All the things of creation existed before humanity did. If God could have claimed ownership and dominion over all things, they would have been in a totally different position.

Many people ask why God created the universe and humanity. Isn't it a natural question to ask who is the owner of this universe and mankind? This is an unlimited universe-the word "vast" isn't enough to describe it. There may be at least 100 billion more planets the size of Earth in the universe and there are billions of stars in the galaxies. All of these are in motion. You know how frequently automobiles collide with each other on the freeway, but the planets and stars maintain their constant motion within the framework of order and discipline. Knowing these things, anyone who says that the universe is just the product of randomness or accident must simply be crazy.

The human body consists of approximately 400 trillion cells; each cell maintains its independent life. There is a mini-universe within each human being. The distance between two different cells can be compared to the distance between the earth and the sun-such is the ratio of distance between the micro-particles within your body.

The human body appears to be solid, but there is far more space than solid mass. Where is the center or focal point of your body? Furthermore, who is your master or the owner of your life? These are the two basic questions- who is your center and who is your owner or your master.

Human existence is divided into men and women. This is quite convenient-it could be compared to the woman as the left arm and the man as the right arm, both of them parts of the same body. Clearly the left and right arms work together smoothly in any body. Even if they have some conflict, they have to cooperate and come together to get anything done! If you want to eat your dinner, you need both arms-one holds the fork and the other the knife, for example.

After considering all these things, the basic, fundamental question remains: who is at the center, who is the master? What is the center of men and women? What is their central point? What is the physical center of a person? Someone might claim that the head is the most important and therefore it is the center of a person. So all you really need is a head to be a man?

Physically speaking, the brain is certainly the central command post. However, people are more than just their physical selves; they also have spirits. What is the spiritual center of people? It is what we call heart. Where is the spiritual heart located? The Oriental concept of the location of the heart, rather than in the bosom, is in the solar plexus. Likewise, the conscience in Oriental thought is linked with the heart.

As long as a person has a good brain and a healthy conscience, then he or she is qualified to live as a man or woman. We have both a physical body and a spirit. What is the point at which the two aspects become harmonized? This is a most crucial question which relates to everyday living. All the trillions of cells that are woven together within your body, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, must have a central point somewhere. There must be a point which vibrates in the center, harmonizing and focusing the rest of the body. Where is it?

That point is the place which distinguishes men from women. Where is that place? What makes a man a man and a woman a woman? What is the difference? It is that one point, that one place. This is a law of nature and since today is Day of All Things, we are talking about it. The physical body and the spiritual body are 100% united in the sexual organs of men and women.

When people grow toward maturity and become teenagers, they become sensitive to love. When their love begins to activate, the physical as well as the spiritual senses combine and focus the whole body toward love. Men and women start to attract each other. They start to attract each other and turn toward each other. When a plus and minus come together, they start to turn faster and faster and thus they have the tendency to be pulled apart. That is why we have "God's mechanism" to keep us together; through those parts, we can stay together in 100% unity.

Love penetrates everything in men and women. It goes through all the trillions of cells in the body in just a second, like lightning. There is nothing that love cannot penetrate. In Oriental thinking, women are like containers and men are like the substance that fills them. Therefore women are said to represent the earth and men to represent heaven. When they come together, unity between heaven and earth is achieved. Likewise, a low area always seeks to be united with a high peak; the high peak longs for that lower point. It is not easy to be a high peak nor to be a low depth; both are difficult achievements and they long to reach each other. Optimum balance and harmony are achieved when these two places of high and low come together.

Both the high and the low points search for their optimum point or their balanced state. God made you men and women in a beautifully balanced way. Each individual has a body which is symmetrically balanced, left and right. Likewise, a man and woman are like two balanced pieces meant to come together through the power of love.

The surface of the ocean could be considered a horizontal line. Below that line is the kingdom of the sea-all the creatures and fishes that live in the ocean are there and they derive their oxygen from the water. Above that line are all the mammals and birds and air-breathing animals.

The ocean reaches high tide once a month and by the same token, a woman has her period every month. The waters of the earth are affected by the moon; thus, since there is only one full moon each month, there is only one high tide and one low tide each month. Women are affected by this monthly cycle. You are pulled by your environment each day and each month.

The motion of life involves the highest point coming down to the lowest point and the lowest point moving up. Left moves to the right; right moves to the left. At amusement parks such as Great Adventure or Disneyland, there are all kinds of exciting rides that carry you way up high and then down low, then left to right and back and forth. Why is that exciting? It is because the universe is moving like that all the time-everything is moving up and down, left and right. Since you can't feel that motion, you can go to Great Adventure once and a while and get a thrill! That is a natural human desire and tendency.

We could imagine two different couples holding on to each other and turning around and around. One is composed of two men and the other is a man and a woman. Which is more beautiful and romantic? Certainly it is the man and woman. Why is that? It is simply because they are a reflection of our universe and conform to universal

law, custom and tradition. Everything in the universe naturally seeks to conform with universal law. For example, imagine what it would look like if someone went to the beach attired in a coat, tie and boots! That is clearly out of place. By the same token, God desires the proper place for men and women.

If you observe two big hairy men lying together on the beach, talking, you would think that they must be arguing or fighting. But when one big hairy man is Lying down talking with a lovely woman, you immediately feel that romance must be involved. The two scenes are a contrast-one appears to be fighting and the other appears very romantic.

In today's degraded and perverted human society we observe the so-called Gay Liberation movement, which promotes lovemaking between people of the same sex. But this is totally apart from the universal principles of behavior; it is simply unnatural. Universal law teaches one basic lesson-that of harmony and balance between the two aspects of God's creation, male and female. This applies not only to the animal kingdom but also to the mineral realm which also contains the plus and minus elements. Can you imagine that any proton would ever seek to come together with another proton? The only way a proton can make a "date" is with an electron.

Even if God Himself wanted to, He couldn't force the proton to make union with another proton. That proton would protest to God and refuse. The reason is simple: two protons together are not creating anything or benefiting anyone. They are losing something instead. Without reciprocal give and take between the positive and negative elements, there can be no growth and development.

Let me ask you, why did you come here on this busy weekday to listen to me speak? Did you come in order to be lessened or destroyed? No, you came here to gain some benefit, some inspiration. How can you gain benefit here? You know that you can gain elements for wholesome growth through give and take with me. If you went away from here feeling empty, you would think, "I should never have come." You need to go away feeling that you have profited.

So you came here with the mind of a merchant-to gain a profit-right? Even though you wanted to gain a heartistic profit, it's still the same thing. Why am I talking about these things this morning? Let me give you another example. When it comes time to eat, do you feel the desire for your food? When you eat your vegetables and fish, is the food joyful or are you? You may be eating for your own joy and satisfaction, but what about the food? Is it also joyful to be eaten by you? Do you have the confidence that your food is happy?

The philosophers who came up with the law of the dialectic - Hegel and Friedrich Engels, in particular-saw a conflicting, confronting nature within universal law. Unless we successfully resolve the question of the dialectic within the universe, we cannot find the true formula for peace and harmony. We must answer the major questions of whether of not such things as survival of the fittest, the strong eat the weak, power causes progress, are in fact true.

What are the kinds of power in the universe? There is the power of knowledge or truth, and the power of wealth and money, as well as the power of authority or domination. Some people like to flaunt their wealth by showing off and wearing fancy clothing. There are many people who easily surrender to the power of governments. What about you? Would you like to become political leaders of your country? Or perhaps you would prefer to become a highly educated scholar, with five or six Ph.D.s? Adolf Hitler, who preached "German superiority" and practically took over all of Europe, claimed that he and the Germans needed more "elbow room."

America today is a very wealthy country whose people are entangled in one or another of those worldly temptations. Men enjoy boasting about their status and power, while women tend to prefer having money and spending it! Can you imagine that a power-hungry man and a money-hungry woman could come together in harmony? Will those motivations bring a man and woman into unity? Not at all.

Will a man with a good education and a woman with a lot of money be able to make perfect unity because of those things? The truth is that people who are centered around such values as wealth, power or knowledge are mostly thinking of how to exploit others. Thus they cannot become one with anyone. Do you think that any family can prosper upon such values and become a harmonious family unit? Sometimes people will cooperate on such a basis but it is only for the sake of their convenience and it is only external. They have no way to achieve perfect internal unity.

The message I am trying to convey is that external values are not important; what is important is that which is internal, basic and fundamental. There must be some place that the body and mind of people can find unity. There has to be a certain order between the mind and body-in other words, the mind can't trade places with the body and become the object sometimes. The mind is the subject and the body is the object; only within that order can they harmonize and achieve unity. That unity will bring benefit to both of them.

When men and women are united as individuals in mind and body, will they look at each other and say, "We can't get together."? Actually, men and women send out signals to each other, like electronic waves. Even their different voices-the woman's which is high and lilting and the man's which is low and rough-send signals of attraction. People cannot avoid feeling attracted to that "other kind of animal." A woman is intrigued by a man's hairy face.

An interesting thing is that the males of most species in the animal world are the most beautiful ones. Look at the birds-the males are very colorful and bright while the females look very humble and even dull. So when the females and males are together, they look harmonious. They are much happier to be together rather than alone. They like to rub up together and touch each other. The more they touch, the better they feel.

The same is true with people. Men have a muscular, hairy feel while women are smoother and silkier. This can be compared with the way machines are put together. A hard metal shaft within a transmission will be encased within a softer metal; together they allow smooth turning. If hard metal were to clash against hard metal, it would cause breakage. Hard and soft create harmony throughout the universe.

Mind is the subject and body is the object. When you make a decision, is it your body or your mind that does it? You say, "I've made up my mind." Can you imagine saying, "I've made up my body."? That certainly doesn't make sense. There is a certain universal order; there is the proper subject/object relationship. When the subject and object are clearly determined, harmonious relationship can come about.

What about men and women-which is the subject? Are you women reluctant to say that the men are subject? Many American women don't like Reverend Moon's concept. You say, "Women are number one!" When you observe a man and woman walking, does it look natural for the woman to walk in front? Which way is ideal-for the man to follow the woman, or the woman to follow the man?

Why is it ideal for the woman to follow the man? You don't even have to articulate a reason because God already settled the issue. Men automatically take larger and wider steps than women, so naturally women will fall a couple of steps behind the men. Can you imagine a romantic love scene between some strong, John Wayne type man and a beautiful woman, where the man lays down and begs the woman to come to him? You just feel repulsed by that. But when John Wayne assumes the subjective, aggressive role and takes the woman into his arms, you enjoy it. That's natural. Woman cannot fulfill the man's role and man cannot fulfill the woman's role.

However, American woman often tend to misunderstand this. What about you Moonie American women? Do you have a different tradition? You are saying no from the head down, but your lips are trying to please me by saying yes!

We have been speaking about the center of human beings. Our internal center is our conscience and our body is the object to our mind. Therefore, the body must obey the directives of the conscience. In order to be in the subject position, certain characteristics must be fulfilled. They are, first of all, broadness-the ability to reach out to wide areas. Furthermore more public-minded thinking. Between the mind and body, which is broader and which is more narrow? certainly the mind is broader. From every point of view, therefore, the mind is the subject and the body is the object.

The original people were supposed to grow up with this relationship of subject and object, mind over body, and then mature with a sensitivity and understanding of love. Then they were supposed to achieve unity in love, which we call marriage. All of this understanding comes out of the Divine Principle. It is inevitable that all people must go through their growth period, the indirect dominion of God.

Human beings were meant to be born into the indirect dominion of God, to grow up with their minds and bodies developing together, with the body totally obeying the mind. When men and women came to the point where they could understand love, they could seek out their mates.

What does the great bulk of literature dwell on? The glory of love. Even children's literature, without fully understanding love, looks forward to the glorious day when love can be fulfilled. If we took love out of literature, there would be almost nothing left. Could anyone write a poem about the beauty of his own face? Can you imagine someone proclaiming his love for his own eyes, his sweet ears, his beautiful lips? That just doesn't make sense! But when someone writes about his beloved, it is beautiful. Everyone can relate to a person saying, "My darling, your eyes are like the mists of the morning. Your mouth is like a flower." That makes sense.

Even in the desert, you can feel that you are in a golden palace when you have your love with you. Likewise, it is more romantic to be Lying with your beloved in the sand rather than sitting on some golden throne. It doesn't matter whether those lovers are buffeted by a sandstorm in the desert because their love turns everything into goodness. Love has that kind of power; it can transform the desert into an oasis.

What do you think? Is that true and wonderful? Do you women claim that you don't need men at all? Or will you state that you absolutely need men?

Why do women. need men and men need women? You need each other for love. What is the terminal point of the love of men and women? Is it in your head or your heart? Where is it? Your love is expressed ultimately through your male and female "couplers." Men and women have certain God-given organs with which to express their love. We call these the sexual organs. But the sexual organs of the man belong to the woman; the woman's sexual organs belong to the man. No matter how great a man may be, he was not born for himself but for his wife. The same is true for a woman-she was born for her husband.

The reason I am emphasizing this point is that people tend to take it for granted without understanding it. Many of you think that you can do whatever you want with your body.

Let us analyze women. You have delicate skin and you are lovely to look at. For whose enjoyment did God create you-for another woman to come and enjoy your smooth skin? No, a woman was created to give joy and satisfaction to a man. You women naturally want to decorate yourselves with pretty clothes. Is that for yourselves?

What about your bosom, does it exist for you? No, your bosom is for the sake of your children; they own it. You also have large hips, not for your own purposes, but to give a broad and safe foundation for your children. When you analyze yourself, nothing you possess belongs solely to you. Even your eyes are not there for your own pleasure. They are there to look at others. Your ears are made to hear someone else's voice. That is why I have said that you were born to live for the sake of others.

The very same things can be said about you men as well. Men have broad shoulders, not for you to boast about but so that you can carry the burdens of your family. You have to work and sweat so that you can take care of your wife and children!

Sometimes love is painful to bear and you hurt each other. Don't you prefer to have love that is like a diamond, rather than like some common metal? In order to be like a diamond, you must have strong and hard characteristics. Would you like to have nothing but sun shiny days, 365 days of the year? No, you look forward to the contrast of snow, rain, thunderstorms and lightning, don't you? That is one aspect of beauty-the emotional contrasts. In our daily life, nothing is totally smooth. We often experience upheavals and change but we can melt these things with our love.

Unification Church women must know that the man is the subject and woman is the object. Why is that? When men and women are united, you either become a bigger plus or a bigger minus. That is the way you have to move. When perfect harmony is created between men and women, you create a bigger plus. When a man and woman are perfectly united, you become the perfect minus to God, as your plus. But love will not come to visit you unless there is a harmonious subject and object relationship.

What is the central theme of human life? It is true love. By the same token, what is the central theme of the universe? Do you think the universe cries out for money, knowledge, or power? Everything in the universe is looking for the power to harmonize. And what is that harmonizing power? It is the subject and object relationship. For anyone to grow, benefit and improve himself, he must make relationship and unite in a subject-object relationship.

What is the harmonizing power of the universe? It is none other than love. There is nothing that love cannot penetrate and bring together. This visible universe seeks to make harmony with the invisible universe. This material universe cannot exist alone; it must have a corresponding partner on the invisible level. Just like an individual human being who has a physical body which must make harmony with his spiritual body, the universe seeks to make harmony with the invisible spirit world. We have that invisible subject and the center of that invisible subject is God. Human beings originated from that invisible point.

Therefore, human beings receive their invisible spirit, which is subject over their visible body. With our visible bodies, we have dominion over the visible universe. All these things God willed to happen-the invisible world, the visible world; invisible man, visible man. And God wanted to see unity between all these things, not through power or money or knowledge, but through the power of love. Thus we come to the conclusion that God created everything for the fulfillment of His love.

Satan knew this truth very well. For that reason, he aimed at the love of men and women, knowing that if he could control love, he could control the universe. It is through love that true ownership can be exercised; ownership comes from love. Thus all things were meant to be truly owned by God who delegated dominion to human beings. It is human nature to want to own things; even to want to own the entire world is a natural feeling. But one thing people don't know is that once they own something, they must offer that ownership to God who is the ultimate owner.

God's ownership of the universe can only be achieved when people claim true ownership on behalf of God. Thus God's and man's ownership are determined at the same time. Human history has been the struggle of God to restore His rightful ownership over all things. Satan claimed ownership of all things by claiming dominion over man's love. Until now, God could not claim true ownership and this has been the worst tragedy for humanity. The turning point for human history is the day of hope when the Messiah comes, endowed with the power to restore the world with true love. In that way he will return true ownership of the world back to God, once and for all.

Where can we find true love? We cannot find it in this fallen world. What is true love? You say "God's love," but what is God's love? You can give me a lot of beautiful adjectives, but where and what exactly is it? In order to find true love, we must look first for the foundation or the base of true love. What is that beginning point or foundation? The foundation of the universe is this: the relationship between God and human beings. God is our Parent and men and women are His children. Therefore, the universal, basic love is that of parents toward children as well as the filial love of children towards their parents.

Looking at the fallen world, do parents love their children stronger or do children love their parents stronger? Actually, parents are supposed to give their love freely and unconditionally; parental love doesn't seek benefit for itself. But in many American homes today, parents are changeable; thus they are not fulfilling parental love, which is unchanging. One day some parents may be loving and the next they may be neglectful. Thus the foundations of many American homes are shaky.

The original love of God is that of a parent. For the sake of the children, the parent can willingly sacrifice everything, including his life. This is the basic, original love. Children are supposed to learn about love from their parents and then reciprocate that love. Thus the origin of the universe is love, not simply life. Life came about because of love.

The definition of true love is, first of all, a willingness to sacrifice one's life for the loved one. Such love is parallel to the love of God and communicates itself to the entire universe. How can a child trust the sincerity of his parents' love? He knows he has true parents when he sees that they are ready and willing to give up their lives for him. In that case, what are true parents? They want to give up their very lives for the well-being and protection of their children. And this kind of love doesn't ever change; it is the same now and forever.

True love comes from God; thus God must be the true Father. God must be ready and willing to give up everything, including His very life, for the well-being and protection of His children. Satan has the opposite characteristics-he is willing to sacrifice everyone and everything else for his own sake.

It is love, not any sort of material, that is the essence of the universe. Furthermore. the kind of love we are talking about is that which is willing to give up everything, including life, for the beloved.

According to this definition, what are true children? They return the same quality of love to their parents. That is, they are willing to give up their very lives for the sake of the well-being of their parents. The quality of the love between husband and wife should be the same. When each spouse is willing to give up his or her life for the other, they are truly an ideal couple. God and the entire universe embrace and protect such a couple.

On such a level of love, no explanations or complaints are needed. The universe just acts. Among you blessed couples, if anyone is trying to claim that they love their spouse more than they are loved by their spouse, then they have already failed the standard. Words and explanations of love are not needed between a truly loving husband and wife. Only by your actions-by the looks you exchange, the expressions on your face, the way you touch-you know how much you love each other. Even by your very breath, you can know the intensity of your love.

Some wives have a problem with snoring husbands. In fact, some divorces have been based upon this problem! But from now on, if you have a snoring husband, look at it another way. Think, "What a wonderful husband I have! Even in his sleep, he wants to protect me. If anyone tries to break in, they will be scared away by his snoring!" It's all in how you look at it! For people in love, there is nothing you cannot overcome and digest.

Your wives can feed you men the most simple, hard bread and still convey their sincere love. Perhaps all she has to feed you is just a bagel and a piece of cheese, but you should think, "This is my love bagel! I am eating the essence of my wife's love and it's going to give me lots of energy." Any husband who eats with such an attitude will never get sick. The reason is simple: everything in the universe surrenders to love, even germs and viruses.

Thus, even though you may not have much material wealth and you may not have wonderful food to eat, that is not the criterion for your love. The wife can love her husband all the more when he has only one suit to wear. He can be secure in the knowledge of her love. No materialistic value should touch your love. The quality of your love depends entirely upon your own attitude. The incredible, vast world of love can be tapped when you use it properly.

Any family which embodies the standard of true love will create its own superhighway right into the heart of God. Expanding the family level of love, people can exhibit the purest love of patriots for their nation. Such a family will be respected and revered by millions of people, as well as being worthy of dwelling in the Kingdom of Heaven.

This is the way you can elevate your level of service. Beginning with your family, you can serve for the sake of the nation; from the nation, you can move up to the world; from the world, you can move up to the universe; and from the universe, you can serve God.

I have been practicing and teaching this concept of love throughout my life. Now the Unification Church is facing a tremendous challenge. This is an emergency time as I am facing the court battle. At this time, I must be united with all the brothers and sisters around the world, in order to exercise parental love toward the world. Even though the U.S. government has committed a crime against me, I am still in the position of parent to mankind. Thus I want to be responsible for the wrong doings of all the nations and people.

I know the Principle and whenever one puts oneself in the absolute plus position, an absolute minus will always appear. Because of my absolute plus deeds, Christians of this nation are bound to respond to me in the minus position. When the Unification Church is completely united with the rest of Christianity, they will form an absolute plus unit. And the rest of the free world will become the minus; they will automatically come to unite with us. That is their destiny.

After hearing this sermon about love, you can understand Jesus' behavior in his last hours. Even though he was being crucified, he bore no resentment or hatred toward anyone. Instead, he forgave and loved the Roman soldiers who pierced his side. Christianity had the golden opportunity to spread the Christian spirit to the entire world after World War 11. If the True Parents had been accepted at that time, this world would have been very different by now. But that opportunity was lost.

Even though Christianity has existed for 2,000 years, we have not had the tradition of true love. I came in order to introduce that tradition. I initiated my public ministry right after World War 11. That was the time for the rest of Christianity to accept my love and for the world to change, but they rejected me and I had to begin from the very bottom. The Unification Church started out as the replacement for the foundation of established Christianity and we had to come up from the very bottom. Just as Jesus had to suffer his crucifixion, I must now suffer this legal court battle. It is a consequence of my course.

The mandate today is this: let us unite all people, every race and color of mankind, not for the sake of ourselves but for the sake of the world. I am in the position to overcome this current difficulty through love. Even if I have to go to prison, that indemnity will protect the rest of the world from Satan's attack. Thus that would be a great victory. Regardless of how much suffering I may have to endure, a great victory is ahead of us-the unification of Christianity, as well as the rest of the free world. As you know, evil always takes the aggressive, attacking position. Evildoers always have to repent later, but they attack first.

Today I want you to understand that the things of creation have never before been cared for by a true master or been owned by a true owner. You could ask this question of everything, from the chemicals in the dirt to the cells in the human body: By whom would you like to be possessed? Do you think they will say they want a man with money or knowledge or worldly power to possess them? No, every single aspect of the creation yearns to be owned by men and women of true love.

That love can be defined simply: it is parental love. And from that central love, tradition flows. The parent is always in the position to protect, to regenerate, to educate-that is the parental role. And it is unconditional, with no strings attached. All the things of creation are ready to be loved. They are waiting for their true lover to come and claim ownership over them.

This is true for all aspects of creation-from the lowliest plant and mineral cells through the animal kingdom. All the smallest insects as well as the beautiful flowers, and everything else in creation, exist to communicate love. Thus when you love the flowers, you automatically have a relationship with them. The world of flowers is like a great symphony orchestra of love-all the fragrances and colors impart different tones, interweaving and creating gorgeous harmony. Have you ever stopped to say, "God, thank You. I know You made all these things for me, so that I could understand and give love."?

The cicadas sing in pairs in the summertime, creating their own kind of harmony. Have you ever thought that they were singing about love? The male and female are calling to each other to get together. Likewise, on a deep autumn night you can go outside and listen to the massive insect chorus. All the insects, from the smallest to the largest, are singing their special songs. Some are soprano, some are alto, some are bass; and they have their own rhythms. You can't see them, but they are singing their songs while they are loving each other. Everything in nature exists in the pair system.

There is another world of incredible beauty and love under the water and within the sands on the shore, where innumerable small creatures are busily engaging in activity. What are they so busy about? They are communicating their love to each other.

Nature is the love textbook for human beings to study. Another example is the salmon. When I went to Alaska, I observed the activities of salmon and I was deeply impressed. The salmon is the "restoration fish." When it is born it swims to the ocean and lives there for several years, but then it always returns to its place of birth to lay its own eggs. They create their pairs and they mate, but once the eggs are laid, they die-both the male and the female.

Why have I given this particular sermon on this Day of All Things? Today you must realize that all the things of creation are waiting for someone to come forward and claim them with true love. This is our duty toward all things in nature. We are in a dramatic position, we are given life as the masters of creation, from the smallest molecule to the entire universe. What a precious and incredible blessing of life God has given us! If you look at everything with that attitude, nature will want to follow you everywhere you go.

If you are such a true master for all the things of creation, you can ask them, "Where would you like to be?" They will answer, "We would like to become part of your body, so would you please eat us?" It is only through the power of love that you have the right to claim the privilege of food from the animals. Some people think it is a pity to kill animals and eat them; but when a person has true love, those animals can joyfully give up their lives to become a part of a higher form of creation-the children of God. In that way, their animal cells can combine with the cells of God's children and those animals can fulfill their love more fully. Animals fulfill their purpose of creation by being eaten by a person of higher love.

Every human cell can taste the love of God but no animal cell can taste that love. Thus once it becomes part of human cells, it can experience the love of God. For this reason, human beings have the royal privilege of sacrifice, for the sake of love. And all this follows the same principle that we have been speaking of: God Himself would gladly sacrifice His own life for the sake of love.

Living and dying for the sake of the love of God is truly the most glorious life for any human being. Why is that? It is because of the same principle that animal cells want to become human cells. Human beings want to become a part of God Himself. When you live and die for the sake of the love of God, you can become one of God's "cells." You belong totally to God and your very cells become part of God's body.

If you become men and women who live with this understanding, fulfilling the purpose of love, you will be doing the greatest work and will be directly linked with God. For that reason, as the leader of the Unification Church I will never hesitate to allow the members-who are my own children, no matter how many millions we become-to sacrifice for the sake of the world. I will not let you do this in vain; you will become a part of God.

Our central concept of love is the most beautiful and dramatic in the world. Your goals and your ideals are the highest; there are none higher. Let us make this memorable day more memorable by coming to the realization of the true meaning of the Day of All Things and resolve to fulfill the purpose of this day. That is why I have given this message today.

At this juncture of human history, the Unification Church is facing a most significant battle. The worst thing imaginable to me is that I would ever do anything in the slightest degree shameful in the eyes of the America people, of the Western culture, in the eyes of humanity, history, all the saints, and ultimately in the sight of God. I declare to you that I will never, absolutely never, do anything that could be shameful. That road of doing the honorable thing is the road of agape love-the true, unselfish, parental love.

If I establish the tradition of the universal man, then the rest of humanity will eventually follow. Everyone will come to learn that tradition. I will never be alone; I will always be surrounded by the multitudes of supporters. Ultimately the entire universe, the nations, and God Himself will be with me, supporting me.

I am giving this instruction to you: be proud of your inheritance and this tradition. Do everything possible to overcome your difficulties with the power of love. Be victorious and conquer with the power of love. Seek no revenge and harbor no hostilities. In God's way, we shall overcome. I pledge to you that I will always go the truthful and right way. Will you follow me on that path?

Those who want to pledge to me that you will receive my tradition and who truly want to become the rightful sons and daughters of God, please stand up. God is the master of love and the true owner of this universe, so let us claim the position of true owners and victors over the world by the power of God's love. God bless you.

Original Eden Centering On True Love

Reverend Sun Myung Moon
May 27, 1984
Belvedere
Translator - San Kil Han

When we hear of the Garden of Eden, we think about the ideal place we read about in the Bible, where God, Adam and Eve and the angels were dwelling. However, we have a different understanding than that of most traditional Christians about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Rather than being a literal fruit, we know that it represents love.

We know that the will of God is to fulfill His ideal of creation. That ideal requires the accomplishment of the Heavenly four-position foundation. What is that four-position foundation? It is the relationship of God, Adam, Eve and their children. What is the center of that four-position foundation? That center is neither God, Adam, Eve nor the children. Love is the center and it connects everyone.

Who is the first one to experience love? We know that God should be the starting point of that love-love does not start with Adam and Eve nor with their children. Any action always takes a specific direction. If God is situated at a certain point, in which direction would He give His love? He would direct His love right at the center.

Love needs someone with whom to interact. Consider your eyes: both eyes move around to focus on something. There are three points involved-each eye and the point upon which they focus. The eyes must focus precisely in order to see clearly; otherwise, we would see things in a blurry way. God, like the eyes, must have a focal point toward which to direct His love. His attitude is not, "I am the Center; you must come to me." He always seeks to find the right focus; He is the one acting and moving.

There is nothing that God cannot do. Yet, can we say that God has no need for anything? If God had no need for anything more than what He already has, then He would be in a static position; there would be no action necessary. Nothing in the universe exists in a static position; everything is in a state of motion.

Almighty God has everything within the universe- certainly all wealth, power and knowledge is within His domain. Yet, He does not exist in a static situation. Thus He must be moving, just as is everything else in the universe; He must be moving toward something, seeking for something. That something must be love.

God could use His wealth to propagate this love; certainly He could use power to make this love more exciting; certainly He could use knowledge to make this love more bright. Let us put this question to God: "God, do you need power? Do you need knowledge? Do you need money?" He would answer, "Well, not so much." But if we asked Him, "Do you need love?" He would say, "Yes!" in a very emphatic way. Love is really the only thing that God wants.

God could instantaneously gather to Himself plenty of power, knowledge, and money; but He has to work for and develop the satisfaction of His love. Love that we expect to experience in the future brings us hope. We can always look forward to more love in the future. We can never use up all of our love in the present. When we experience love in the present, we always want to improve, advance and increase it.

We can see that love is something for which God has been seeking eternally and will continue to move toward for eternity. Love is never a static thing; it must always be pursued. Which do you like better-something which starts out small and gets larger and larger for eternity, or something which starts out big and then gets smaller and smaller for eternity? Naturally, you would prefer the first. That is the way God feels, too, about love.

We want everything else in our environment and the universe to follow the motion of love, moving in the same direction and rhythm. We don't want things to go against that love. Centering on true love, everything should breathe in and out together in harmony.

All things are meant to act and react according to the rhythm of true love. In the relationship between man and woman, the man is in the subject position and the woman is in the object position. Even though some women think they are not in that position, nature knows better; nature doesn't follow anyone's opinions. For a woman to say, "I don't need a man as my subject," is the same as her saying, "I don't need to breathe air or eat food."

What is the deepest motivation behind human activity? Is it the desire for lots of money, status or knowledge? No, it is the desire for true love. Men and women will open up everything within themselves for the sake of true love. When two people are in love, the woman doesn't protest if the man embraces her from any position-he can come up and hug her from behind, or jump on her and knock her down-she is never offended by the affectionate expression of his love. Can you imagine a woman saying, "If you want to show me affection, you can only do it when we are sitting down, facing each other. It's not fair if you come up behind me."? No, a woman wouldn't set those kinds of conditions on her lover.

Only love can motivate a stately, dignified person to move around in a vigorous, lively way. God Himself would never trade true love for anything else in the universe. However, there are people who marry for the sake of money, social status or some other superficial reason. The person who would do such a thing is not a genuine person.

Why should a person put love above all other values? It is because the ancestor of human beings-God-does that and we naturally take after Him. The instinct to cherish love above everything else is given to us by our Father, our Creator, who is our Cause and our original Ancestor. Every child resembles his Parents; thus we resemble God.

Women are created to exist for the purpose of love; therefore women exist for men. The opposite is true-men exist for women and for love, not for any other reason such as money, power or knowledge. Isn't this true? Do you agree, or do you have a better idea?

All things that exist move according to a certain rhythm. This is not only true for human beings, but also for animals, insects, and even down into the mineral kingdom. The mineral realm moves, too. Although a stone may be stationary, its molecules and atoms maintain a certain motion. The action and reaction of a subject and object relationship exists within all forms of life.

The result of the constant give and take between subject and object is growth and expansion on every level of existence. Everything develops according to stages. When we look at the development of the creation from a certain perspective, it appears that Darwin's theory of evolution is correct. However, the evolutionary theory doesn't explain that the smaller levels of existence always strive to have give and take with larger levels. In this way, the smaller beings elevate their value. Within the relationship of love, smaller beings want to take the object position to a larger being; with their give and take, the object can be elevated to the same level of value as the larger subject being. This occurs on all levels of existence; this is the nature of love.

Thus smaller beings can have hope for their growth and development in the future, because of their give and take with larger and larger subjects. This is the only way for a smaller being to become greater in value-within the relationship of love.

Thus a woman feels that she is the greatest, most valuable being and possesses everything of value when she has love. When her beloved wants her to do something very humble, she will not protest. Thus love can make us larger and smaller. Love has that omnipotence.

If love could only make us larger, then God, who possesses more love than anyone, could never go down into the small and humble places of the world. But because of His love, God can make Himself very small and can go anywhere He wants. You wouldn't mind what your beloved did to you, even if he put his fingers into your nose, isn't that right? Or you women might climb up onto your husband's shoulders and ride around-he wouldn't mind it at all, would he?

Have you ever observed a child poke a finger into his nose and then the next moment put that finger into his mouth? In love, people can do even that sort of thing to each other. You like everything about your beloved. Thus love has a mysterious, wondrous power. Do you think I am exaggerating, or is this the truth?

Which is the case-does God go into love or does love go into God? Which would God prefer-would He like to be included within love, or would He like for love to be included within Him? Which is contained within the other? God wants to be contained within love. Why is this? Every being wants to look forward to becoming larger and larger. Even God wants to look toward the future in order to become larger. Thus God should be able to be contained within love. Do you understand? Since God also wants to have hope for the future, He wants to be able to go in and out of love and not the other way around.

All the beautiful things of the universe manifest themselves for the sake of love. The insects chirp in the nighttime and the birds sing during the day for the sake of love. These sounds are all a part of the universal orchestra of love. Human beings are in the position to be the kings and queens of all other beings and thus they are supposed to move in harmony and rhythm with love. Observing all this motion and sound centering on true love, God is drawn to contribute His rhythms of love, too.

Why do we think the way we do? It is because God created us to think in a certain way. Adam and Eve were created to stroll together hand in hand through all the things of nature, sharing in the harmony and beauty. God would have been so happy and excited to see such a scene.

Now you have some idea of what the universe is all about. You can feel within yourself that this must have been the original ideal for human beings; you know that this is not just a fantasy. This is simply the way God originally planned the world to be. The things I have been telling you clearly connect with all the experiences you have had in life; the things you have already observed tell you that what I am saying is true. Now you can see the universe in a clear and cohesive manner.

Love will never diminish or fade; it is the one thing that will expand and grow forever. Nothing else in the world has that power. Look at the activities of the animals and insects-what they are doing today is the very same thing that their forebears were doing thousands, even millions, of years ago. Unlike human culture, these creatures maintain the same "traditions" without change. In some ways perhaps they improve, but they do not change in the way that human societies do. The law of the universe is very rigid. Rules for the subject and object relationship are not open to change. Those beings which are not suited for each other will simply not be able to form a subject/object relationship. There is no room for interference in this law. Thus the theory of evolution, which claims that accidents caused the development of the universe, is completely off-base.

When we can see the universe in light of the original purpose, Darwin's theory doesn't make sense. How could the rigid laws of existence be abruptly broken here and there, allowing some smaller being to jump to a higher level? Pushing Darwin's theory to its logical conclusions would mean that even an insect could become a direct object to man-in other words, become the spouse of a human being. But the universal law dictates that a human being must marry another human being. Can a man marry a monkey? What sort of a child would be produced? The rigid laws of existence have not changed for billions of years.

According to these laws, we can look at the way men and women relate and determine whether they are behaving in the original way or not. In American society there is a dreadful misunderstanding of the meaning of freedom. A man might take one woman as a lover one night and then the next night, he might take another. The woman might do the very same thing. Is this the original way for which they were created? How can you say "no" so confidently?

We can look at the original arrangement-there was only one man and one woman, Adam and Eve. They didn't have a choice; there was absolutely only one of each. The American way is definitely not the original way. The Unification Church is unique in that we are trying to conform with the absolute standard of love. Each man and woman is blessed in marriage to one spouse and for eternity that cannot change.

God continually moves toward His focal point of love; likewise, man and woman move in the same direction. That line between man and woman is a straight, horizontal line; it is not a crooked one. As a person grows up, he becomes taller and larger but the direction of his growth is always the same. His nose continues to grow in one direction; every part of him does the same. There are not two directions of growth.

You might ask why you can't go in many directions, why you must just go in one direction. If you don't follow one direction strictly, you can never meet with a true woman or a true man. That means you will not meet with true love. True love exists only at the point where God, man, and woman come together. If you are wobbling you will not get to that point.

God contains the duality of masculine and feminine, which we could represent as an oval coming down in a vertical direction. Men and women are the representatives of the same duality and could be represented as an oval stretching in the horizontal direction. When these two ovals connect, they create a tremendous spark. That point of connection can only be at the point of true love.

When there is a perfect minus, it will always attract a perfect plus. This is the law of nature. Regardless of whether the minus wants it, it will happen. Therefore, whenever a perfected woman and man are moving toward each other, they will form a perfect minus to God when they unite. They don't have to worry about how God will come to them; it will just happen. When this takes place, the whole universe will reverberate with thunder. Everything is accomplished.

Every cell of a man comes to a common focal point when he is engaging in love. The same is true for a woman. In their moment of physical union, the man and woman can form a new organism, a new life. The essence of their love is given to that new life, the embryo. Every cell in the bodies of the father and mother are alert and focused on giving that new life. No part of their bodies is asleep or distracted. The experience of love, with its intensity, can overcome everything, including sleepiness, hunger, even death. 100% of the cells are going in one direction toward their one focal point, which is love and new life.

Why do men and women want to come together, above all other desires? It is because only in that way can we bring God down with us. What more could we want after that? Why do people cherish wedding ceremonies so much? That is the time when God is supposed to come down to join with the man and woman, according to the original ideal.

In the ideal situation, a man and woman will feel that nothing in the universe is as valuable as each other. They feel that they want to stay with each other for the rest of eternity. Why is that? It is because one's spouse represents God Himself. Through this kind of original love, new life is meant to begin. The baby born of such love is like the original baby meant to be born in the Garden of Eden. This is the standard. The baby is the child of Adam and Eve and at the same time, it is God's child too. This is the original ideal of children.

However, what is the reality of human society? The way in which children are born is entirely different. Fallen man and woman are actually moving in a different direction, not on the perfect horizontal line toward one another. They come together and create new life anyway, but they are more in the presence of Satan than God when they unite physically. Thus the child that they produce is contrary to the original standard.

There is no external sign to distinguish the original child from the fallen child, but inside of them is the difference between Heaven and earth. They cannot be the same. Billions of human beings have been born, but mankind has not yet achieved this original ideal.

It is important to understand what the original ideal for love is, because only if we can see where we are supposed to be can we hope to get there. If you never knew what the ideal is, you could never begin to achieve it. But once that ignorance is dispelled, you can move toward the ideal.

This ideal is so important because it is the only way we can connect ourselves to God. This is not an abstract thing. It is real. If you don't take this point seriously, you will never find the true, deep meaning of religion. You will never understand why the Messiah is so essential. You will think, "The Messiah is a great teacher. He is like one of us." But you will fail to realize your need to reconnect to God through the Messiah; you must realize that this is a life and death situation.

Unless you know about the ideal and where you are in relation to it, you cannot truly appreciate the value of the True Parents for your own life. If you do not feel the depth of your separation from the ideal, then you will not feel deeply enough your need to become one with the True Parents. Once you fell that, then you can appreciate the value of religion for your life and the necessity of True Parents for your life.

Only one religion has taught the idea of the Messiah as the bridegroom and his followers as the bride-that is Christianity. This is because Jesus wanted to restore that point of true love. By becoming the true bridegroom and teaching others the position of true bride, Jesus could teach about true love. Only when true love is consummated can the direction of the fallen world be reversed. With the advent of the true bridegroom and the true bride, there is a connection between the fallen world and God's world.

What was the responsibility of those in the bride's position, the Israelites and all those who were supposed to follow Jesus? Whenever the perfect bride is prepared, the perfect bridegroom will inevitably come. Thus if the Israelites had been prepared properly in the position of bride, then the Messiah would come on that national level of preparedness. We can see clearly that the Jewish faith was the preparation for that. They were following the Ten Commandments in order to become the perfect bride for their bridegroom, the Messiah, on the national level.

In the Old Testament days, their direction was very clear and simple. Their were told: simply forget about everything else, don't pay attention to how you will be living in the future, just stay within the commandments. Prepare yourselves for that special moment when the groom will come to rescue you.

Thus, the Israelites had a rigid, single direction in their religion. They had one simple goal to prepare for, nothing else to concentrate on. That was how they were being educated by God. That bridegroom is the only person who brings true love to the fallen world. No matter how prepared the people were, they would not have been connected to true love without the true bridegroom.

If the people had realized these things, they would have wanted to obey their true bridegroom in every way. If the bride knows how impossible it is to meet with God on her own, she will welcome the bridegroom and will never bicker or make any demands upon him. Instead, the bride will be completely obedient and happy to be coming back to God. The only thought the people would have had would have been how to unite themselves completely with their groom. Then the bridegroom would have educated the people through various means and then would have told them, "Now you are worthy to take the position of true bride."

When the true bridegroom first arrived, the people, in the position of bride, could not possibly understand him and follow his ways without substantial teaching and training from him. He would have educated them with a deep heart and brought them up to the level where they could be worthy to take the bride's position. This would have to be done on the national level so that God could eventually reach out to the rest of the world.

The people should have listened to Jesus and followed his teachings with a completely humble and open mind. They should have been desperate to listen to him. But whenever people say to God, "I will go only so far. I insist on protecting this much of myself," then their education stops. God cannot continue to fill you when your self centered thinking is predominant. Satan will move in to such a mind and will claim that person. God cannot stop that from happening because the responsibility rests with the individual. Many Americans think, "God, you are not fair. I must maintain my own ways and you have no right to tell me what to do." But that cannot be.

Every country, large or small, has its border line. Some bordering nations are very different from each other. Within any country there are certain laws and in some countries a person will even be put to death if he breaks those laws. Whenever a person goes into a different country, he must learn about the laws there first. Within the country of the true bridegroom-the Heavenly world-the law is very rigid.

When the bridegroom comes into the bride's country, can the bride say, "Now I want to do just what I feel like doing. Let's forget about this rigid standard."? No, the rigid law must still be observed. The bridegroom has the authority to guide the people, even though he comes into their territory and they have been following their own ways for a long time. For example, if the bridegroom comes into Washington, DC, the people who have been living in Washington for many years must still concede to the one who comes to connect them with God.

Satan will constantly want you to say, "This is too much. We have complied with Heavenly law pretty well so far, so why doesn't the Messiah yield a little bit now?" But God will say, "No, you must continue to persevere. You cannot compromise with the standard of true law." These are the different tendencies of Satan and God. The people in the position of bride to the true bridegroom cannot stop following the laws of the bridegroom's country. The bride must remain completely obedient to those laws. Once the bride herself becomes one with those laws, she can then go out and teach them to the rest of her fallen nation, finally to return to the bridegroom.

Why is this so? God's true love is transmitted from only one person-the Messiah. In order to connect that true love to a bride, this process must take place: the bride must move in the proper direction in order to connect with the bridegroom, just as the bridegroom is coming from a certain direction to connect with her. Once their unity is achieved, the bride must then go out into her fallen country to bring about unity among the churches and within the nation and to bring them all back to the bridegroom.

Every child originates from the seed of his father; the mother is like the earth in which the seed must be planted. Likewise, the restoration involves a completely reversed path. Therefore, people seeking restoration must follow the directions of the Messiah completely.

There is another way to say this. When you were living in the realm of the fallen world, you loved many people, such as your parents, your brothers and sisters, friends and so forth. Now that you are seeking union with God's true love, you must give a greater love to the Messiah than any love you ever gave to anyone in your secular life. If your love is any less, then it will not be enough to connect you to God. Jesus taught this, saying, "Whoever loves his wife, parents, or brethren more than me is not worthy of me."

Jesus said forthrightly that one's own family is one's enemy. How in the world could such an attitude be justified according to secular values? Jesus knew that unless people could go beyond that secular love they could not become one with God. We can imagine how much the worldly powers were upset by words like this from Jesus. By the same token, many people have been upset by the teachings of the Unification Church, particularly the parents of people who have joined. But they do not understand the nature of the historical transition that is taking place. In Jesus' time, people did not recognize him as the Messiah; in fact, he was just a humble carpenter from Joseph's house in the eyes of most people. How could they imagine that Jesus was the Messiah, especially without knowing what he was saying and teaching?

What would the people of that time have said about what went on in Jesus' church? We can imagine such talk as, "That young woman was once a perfect wife, faithful to her husband, but once that young carpenter from Nazareth came here, she started following him and became like a crazy person. She goes to visit his church early each morning and doesn't even come home some nights. What is she doing there?" That is how the secular world must have viewed Jesus' church. But Jesus didn't have any other choice in order to teach the fallen people; he had to instruct them in such an intense manner in order to save them.

There is only one way for the fallen world, whether an individual, a church or a nation, to reconnect with God, and that is through the Messiah. He is like the origin; he is like the seed. Even though people are already born and grown, they all have to trace back to the same father and be born again.

The only way to do that is to love the Messiah intensely. This is precisely the law that was in effect when Jesus came as the Messiah. The Divine Principle and the restoration do not compromise. Two thousands years have passed and now is the time of the Second Advent. Through the Unification Church, the same pattern and situation has reappeared. Many women have visited the church and have become members. In the past, people observed that some woman was a very faithful, chaste wife and mother, a good daughter to her husband's parents. But then she joined the church of this bachelor preacher in the neighborhood and she hardly ever came home! That woman felt that she never wanted to leave the church, even when it got late at night, because she wanted to listen to what the teacher was saying. Day in and day out, year in and year out, she continued to stay and listen.

This applies not only to women. Women were more religious in general, that's true, but there were men as well. Men gave up their families and went to the church, just like Jesus predicted and told them to do-drop everything. "If you love your own family more than me, you are not worthy of me." These men and women precisely carried that out, in spite of their difficulties. They were going through the reversal of their birth. Father first and then Mother, and then being born again.

In the Unification Church I held a rebirth ceremony after the birth of our first child. I established a condition and held a ceremony in which all the grown-up church members shared the same meal that Mother took after she gave birth to her true child. And the second, third, fourth and fifth children came, and so on, and I elevated the standard even higher-from the individual to the nation, expanding the realm of indemnity. Also, I gave blessings to couples at various times, connecting each level to this true love. Do you understand?

After accomplishing all that and on that foundation, I came to America. I accomplished all the necessary spiritual conditions in Korea and then came over here to reconnect with the established Christian churches.

The unity of Christianity around the world was only possible when I had established enough conditions of embracing the established churches. That is why I spent so much effort and money for the established Christian churches before I paid attention to Unification Church members.

By Heung Jin's ascension into the spiritual world, the borderlines between people there could be abolished. T here is a big movement of unity, doing away with even Hell's borderline, so that all of Hell, as well as Heaven, will become one big sphere of God's direct dominion. This huge task was accomplished and we see so much development. I have been doing the same things here on earth as Heung Jin has done in spirit world. By establishing the Day of the Love of God, I declared to the world that there is no longer a division between Hell and Heaven on earth. No matter where I am, even in prison, still it is part of the planet earth and the whole earth has been declared to be under the direct dominion of God.

On the Day of the Love of God we started a new, one heart and love movement. On this day, members pledged to be desperate to become one in heart and love with the Parents. We are doing that day in and day out by intense prayer. This is the II Jeung movement, which means we are all moving in the direction of the bridegroom. Now the bride is ready. The bride and bridegroom are on the verge of becoming one with each other. For that ultimate accomplishment we established the II Jeung Movement. Pray for this to be victorious.

Only love can make this possible. Now is the most crucial time of transition, which can be compared only with the time when Jesus went to his crucifixion. After he was crucified, he spent three days in Hell, and after that the resurrection took place. But I am doing all of this, while I am alive. You must realize now that the very day you are living in is the result of long, long years of preparation, of condition after condition. That includes the blessing of the 36 couples, the 72 couples, and so on down to the 8,000 couples; now we are on the verge of reconnecting everything through this one-heart love movement.

We have come through this step-by-step process, according to the law of restoration, moving toward the ideal that God intended for this world. By going the reverse way I established the necessary conditions, through the 36, the 72, the 120, the 430 couples, then the 777, the 1800, and finally the 8,000 couples. Step-by-step I have moved forward with these conditions, and we are now being born again on the world foundation. We are now on the verge of this great transition.

You haven't worked this out; I have worked it out. But you are inheriting this most solemn position. You must know that I did not just set up this Day of the Love of God by whim, but that there was a long, painstaking, agonizing history behind it. You don't know everything about that, but you know that an unswerving foundation exists. You are standing on that foundation. So all you have to do is just be absolutely confident.

We are creating this whole new tree of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Your families are the branches of this tree, rising out of the one central trunk. The branches are not individuals but families. It is the family that is at the center of the Kingdom of Heaven. The family branches out from the trunk.

It would have been ideal if the 36 couples and the 72 couples had done everything perfectly. Of course, later blessed couples' mission would have been easier. We can see that the recently blessed couples do not understand the meaning of their own families so deeply. One reason for this is that the earlier couples did not show them a perfect example. They have not been educated properly. But what we have to understand, nevertheless, is that we are on the verge of becoming perfect. We are going to be like that, so we have to realize where we belong.

No matter which blessing you belong to-whether you are one of the 8,000 couples or one of the 1800, 430 or 36 couples, whatever-you must maintain your position and regard everybody else as constituents of the whole tree. II we love God and the Unification Church, we have to achieve this unity. Before now, there have been all sorts of misdeeds and failures in earring out missions, no matter which blessing someone was in. How did they fail? They failed by not attaining unity. In this trying time, I am urging all of you to come into unity. When things are comfortable and slack, your minds tend to be lax; you feel no urge to become one. But now is a good time for you to unite, honoring the tradition of the Unification Church.

All of you have the determination that you would go to jail and serve a sentence three times longer than mine-I know that. You must mobilize that kind of determination to the fullest extent and direct it into the complete unity of the Unification Church, knowing where you belong an. adhering to that position. Everyone has his avenue, hi road clear. We must achieve complete unity above every thing else. Certainly, self-centered thinking has absolute!: no place in us now. Through this one-heart love movement you will all connect eventually to the True Parents, a families within the Unification Church. When we do that what happens? God, without condition, can come and live with us. And God can make Hell null and void-there will be no such a thing as Hell. Therefore, there will be n' place where Satan can reign.

This is precisely why I established last Sunday as the Day of the Love of Heaven. Center on the True Parent completely and there will be no condition or place left for Satan to claim as his. The point where Adam and Eve fell was at the top of the growth stage. To go from that point to the third stage of perfection has taken me forty years. I. these forty years, all the conditions necessary have take place. Now I am standing on the top of the stage of perfection. Although all the Unification Church members and families are scattered around the world, their focal point is the same. They are very much connected with true love, through the True Parents. All is connected. We are making sure that this is so, each and every one of our families, so that God can reside with us and accept that as a good enough condition for the abolition of the demarcation line between Hell and Heaven.

In other words, the borderline between the Unification Church and the secular world-all the rest of the world-is abolished now. Centering on who? Centering on the Parents. We must realize this is where we are now. The blessed couples failed to attain unity by themselves. They were supposed to attain it and do their missions, but they didn't. I am bearing my cross now for the failure of all the blessed couples of the different levels. When that is accomplished, from then on the world will be connected. Through this one heart-movement, we will all make up what was failed in the past.

It is clear what all the Unification Church members and their families must do. They must, through this one-heart love movement, pray that the entire Unification Church become intact, in one piece and completely united. When that happens, then God will make sure that there is no borderline between Hell and Heaven. Therefore, the whole world will come into the direct dominion of God. Once this happens, the attitude of the people of the United States will become favorable towards our movement. We won't even have to try so hard. When spring comes, everyone automatically revives. In the same way, when this is done, all the minds of the churchgoers and the minds of the U.S. citizens will move towards God's point of view and away from secular powers or political parties or things like that. Their minds will follow God's mind, more than anything else. This will surely take place. Do you understand?

We must have the utmost confidence. There is no reason why any other power can overcome us-none! The greatest power of all is the power of God. All of the fallen world as well as all the religions of the world are destined to return to the original condition-the original Eden centered on God. That is what is being accomplished now. Satan knows very well that he must observe and comply with the original law, once this original state is restored. It is up to us. You cannot have confidence unless you understand, but now you understand and you can have absolute confidence and no power can overcome you. Everything will be accomplished, provided we become united.

No matter what, you must be united for the biggest goal and be obedient to the True Parents. No matter how incredible it may seem, if you have the utmost confidence, we will have victory. This is why I always urge you to become strong and brave. Nothing should intimidate you. Everything follows certain numbers in the spirit world-you may have heard that. The number 6 represents the satanic number, and three times 6 is the number of perfection, or 18. In other words, that is the apex of what Satan can achieve; he cannot go any higher than that. That's when he stops and that's when God starts going up. This is that day. We have been the underdogs until today. Knowing this principle and knowing that this principle will work, I know that if I go to prison it will not really be a prison. It is just another backyard on the planet Earth. So if I go to prison, I will bring the gospel and love to that prison. I do not feel that from that time on, I will be behind bars and in Hell. Not at all.

You will see that the tide has shifted. Until now, the Abel side had to pay all the indemnity to restore the world. That has come to its culminating point. In other words, the cup is full; you cannot pour in any more. The indemnity is done. You may not understand everything, but you can have absolute confidence. You must realize that this is a very unique time, in which all the failures of man's responsibility to receive the Messiah, starting with established Christianity, the 36 couples, and all the rest of the blessed couples within the Unification Church and the nation, everybody that ever failed to receive the Messiah is indemnified. Already that indemnity is complete. We are now in a new territory. Wherever you walk this morning and from now on, there is no such thing as Hell, except in your mind. Before today, this was not so. Therefore, we must have absolute confidence.

If we really march forward in complete unity during the next three and a half years, centering on the True Parents, the world will absolutely change, both spiritually and physically. That's roughly 1988. That is forty-three years since 1945, the end of World War 11, and the year that Korea was liberated from Japanese domain. This is a new exodus to the world level. The Israelites' exodus was on the national level, but this is on the world level. At that time, they spent 430 years as slaves in Egypt. Likewise, there have been 43 years since the liberation of Korea and the end of World War 11. This is the significance of the remaining three and a half years. And this is a totally unique time. This is the moment we have been waiting for. Until now, it was more or less the preparation for this one time.

We have experienced that there is no distinction between nations and races, no German, no American, no white, no black, no yellow. We have gone over these differences. We are completely one-we are one family sharing flesh and blood. In other words, this is the first time in the history of mankind anywhere that people have gotten together in complete unity, centering on this amazing true love.

Spiritually, we are much farther ahead than you even realize. Physically, too, by 1988 the situation of society will be completely different from what we can imagine now. It will be much more toward God's direction. At that time, not only America but also many countries around the world will recognize the meaning and value of our work and they will offer support for our activities in their countries. By 1988, we will have our own fatherland.

Have confidence and remain centered on true love. There is no enemy within true love, not even Satan. I have never regarded anyone as my enemy. I grasp hold of my so-called enemy in my left hand and I never let go until that enemy loves me. Do you understand? Satan is not in the position to dominate mankind. You must understand what you are. You are the entity which was reborn through the True Parents. By the rebirth of the 36 couples, you were reborn again. By this process, including the 72 couples, the 120, the 430, 777, 1800, and so on, as each new family was born again, each of you were a step nearer to your own rebirth. Now you have been born again, but where? You are born on the top of all this foundation; it is not the same as if you were born ten or twenty years ago, when this foundation wasn't there. There is nothing which can dominate you anymore. Satan has no condition, no power and no right to claim anything. That is where we are standing now.

Please raise your hands if you have your one-heart love candle that was passed out on the Day of the Love of Heaven. This candle is not given to everyone, but only to those who are blessed. Not everyone who is blessed has it, either, but only those who have made the determination to become one with their spouses and want to keep their family intact. That is the four position foundation-God, True Parents and the couple, looking forward to the birth of your true child. The ones who are ready to do that and could pledge that received those candles. Those who are not so confident, not so determined that this family you have is the absolutely intact family which you are going to cherish for the rest of eternity, you are not worthy of these candles and should not receive them. The moment you receive the candle and understand the meaning of it, and pray under the light of that candle, you have only one direction, one heartistic love that goes in that direction.

You must have only one heart and one direction. Your direction is towards the parents, who are directed towards God. There is no room for deviation or compromise, because the restoration of the world is much too important. In the past, you may have had different ideas. You may have been confused in a little or a big way, but not after this moment. What can cause you to be confused or discouraged? Everything is clear now and you must start living now, only looking back to repent for what you have done wrong. This is a new position now.

Like Jesus said to the weeping, sorrowful disciples, do not feel sorry for me but feel sorry for your own offspring. That was a strong statement of judgment. God has done so much for mankind, so much for each individual, each family; it's up to you to make full use of that and bring yourselves completely out of Satan's domain. I am not worried about myself. I have done what I can for you; there is not really much more that I can do for you. Once you make your strong determination, everything will be solved. Why? True love, God and True Parents will control everything. Satan is not a part of that world. If Satan is not there, then nothing is there to come against God's will. Everything will bow down to the true love center, including Satan. The only thing left for him will be to bow down to the original ruler of the world.

Centering on the Day of the Love of Heaven-which was last Sunday-have absolute confidence and nothing will stand in your way. I asked all the members that day if they were determined to go forward with absolute obedience and confidence and they said yes. If I asked you again this morning, I know you would pledge again with a clear mind, nothing ambiguous or bothering you. I would like to add something to what you have already pledged. It is to ask God to please come and share in this pledge and watch over all of us in this assembly here. Also I want to ask God fervently to confirm that this is His word being spoken now. Do you join in that pledge? Those who pledge, please raise your hands, and God will share in and become one with us here while we pledge. I will pray about these things. Please join in my prayer.

(Father prays.)

Have the utmost confidence and everything will be solved rather easily. Have pride that you now belong to the original state of the God-created world, not the fallen world. Everything will come within God's original four position foundation, nothing will remain outside of it. You must see the world in exactly the same way as unfallen Adam and Eve would have. This is why I have been teaching you about the original world. From this time on, you should not complain. When Heung Jin went to spirit world, I did not cry. Was that because I was lacking in heart? In that time of despair, I quickly moved to the Unification Ceremony, which Satan did not expect. No matter what difficult times came, so much the better, and the more I stepped forward and did not retreat. Nothing set me back.

When a secular family or individual is confronted with these kinds of things, it is like a death blow for them. But not for me. I know the Principle of the dispensation. No matter how difficult or impossible something is, it all depends on which direction you give it. The ascension of Heung Jin was directed toward the achievement of God's goal. Thus it was indeed a leap forward.

I know that this coming time will be similar to when I went into Hung Nam prison. I found disciples within the prison, a church within the prison. Likewise, if I find myself in prison in the United States, there will be many people there who will support me. Thus in a literal way Hell on earth is gradually transforming into Heaven on earth. There is no need for me to suffer anymore or to go to prison, even. Satan no longer has any right or reason to demand the condition, not at this stage. We are clearly beyond that boundary and on another level.

World events will move in such a way that neither the free world nor the communist world will have the ability to solve the problems they raise. Only Reverend Moon, and his vision and ideal, can solve those problems.

I know that will be true. I know that you all feel like going with me into prison, isn't that true? Therefore, what can you do when you are determined to go to prison? You can do anything and everything. You should have such determination on this Sunday morning. With that pledge we will march forward from this time on. We will defend our dignity as the true sons and daughters of the Heavenly lineage. God be with all of you. Amen.

Ae Chun Cho -- Love Of God Candles

Sun Myung Moon
May 20, 1984

I have brought the light from the prayer candles which were lit at East Garden when I made the declaration on May 16. Only those who have been blessed may receive these candles. Those who are not yet blessed will receive theirs once they are blessed. This candlelight will be a symbol to ward off all satanic infiltration. So whenever you have an emergency in your family affairs or your church affairs, you can light your candle and pray in front of it. It will give you a spiritual shield to protect you from Satan's infiltration.

There are two most important things to remember. Wherever the light from these candles goes, you can know that God and the True Parents are with you. Since I started this tradition with Mother, whenever you share this light you will be sharing the tradition of the True Parents. This light is a symbol of the presence of the original love of God. Furthermore, if there is discord between husband and wife, you are not entitled to light these candles. They should not be exposed to a shameful situation; they should be respected, like a holy tabernacle. Nothing disgraceful within your family should come before them.

Also the candle symbolizes the true spirit of love. The light is on top and the wax is self-consuming; it gives itself up to the light. Thus it is representative of sacrificial love. The light itself comes not only from the wick but from the harmony of the wick and the wax; both are needed. This symbolism is very important. Likewise the husband and wife are in the same position. You must give yourself up for the sake of true love.

This light will be extended to all the Blessed couples, not only the leaders. You can pass it to every couple around the world. There are two candles, representing Father and Mother. Each family should have two candles. The name of the candle is Ae Chun Cho -- the candle of the control of Heavenly Love.

You should have a special mechanical lighter with which you light the candles each time. I would prefer that you light that lighter with the original fire from the candles. We can expand this throughout the world. The light from one candle can be given to another and so on. Thereafter, each time your special lighter runs out, you should go back to an original light to connect a new lighter.

I will now pray. Afterwards we will light the candles. (Here Father prays.)

The candle on the right is Father's candle and the one on the left is Mother's. As you go by, light them separately but put their lights together once before you move on. Every time you have your Ae Chun Cho prayer, always put the candles together again. This shows the complete unity of husband and wife. I hat is why I directed that you have no right to light these candles unless you are united; your prayer would have no meaning in that case. If anyone violates the law of the Blessed couples, they should return the candles, because that family would have no right to continue to own them and expand it to others.

Prayers On May 20, 1984

Sun Myung Moon
Translated by Jin Soo Kyung

Father and Mother passing on their blessing to all brothers and sisters in Belvedere, toward the end of the Sunday service, on May 20, 1984.

Sunday Speech

Loving Father,

Today is May 20, 1984, but actually it is to be considered one with May 16, when, at 12:54 a.m., I declared the Day of the Love of God. Through the unity on the family level expressed then at East Garden, today can be connected with that day of historical declaration.

Heavenly Father, please come and dwell amongst us now.

Because of the unity between True Parents on earth and Heavenly Father, Heung Jin, and Jesus in the spirit world, all 120 nations in the spirit world and all 120 nations on earth now have the right to resurrection.

Due to satanic love, we lost the sovereignty of God. But now, at this historical peak of Tang Gam, centering on the love of True Parents and the love of God, we restore this lost historical heritage and are able to declare the Day of the Love of God.

Oh God! Oh earth! I proclaim that we stand united in the Shim Jung territory, with one mind and one ideal. May God, True Parents, True Children, and all Blessed Families be united centered on the sovereignty of God's love. Let us form one heritage and march forward together.

May this day be one of great dignity. Please accept this declaration, in which I proclaim the Day of the Love of God in the name of God and True Parents.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Candle Ceremony

Loving Heavenly Father,

I declare that today is the Day of God's Love. This is a sign of victory, that this candle will never be extinguished. May this light reflect everywhere the love of True Parents and the love of God.

Wherever this candle burns may the family be united, and may that family have peace, connecting with the sovereignty of Your love through this light.

This candle will be able to prevent the power of darkness, to prevent all that is improper, and to protect from the shadow of discord whoever holds this light; please, allow this candle to become a candle of the victory of holiness.

Also whoever loves this candle, wherever the special prayer is given, may they be united with True Parents, with the world of spirit and the world of body, under the governance of Your love.

I initiate the Ae Chun Candle in order to connect the everlasting future history with Your glory. Therefore until the Kingdom of Heaven is established I bless them (all those who hold these candles] in order that they may succeed. I declare all this in the name of the True Parents.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Day of the Love of God

Sun Myung Moon
May 20, 1984
Excerpts
Sunday Service
Belvedere

May 20, 1984. True Parents with the older children and their spouses. Front from left to right: In Jin Nim, Ye Jin Nim, Un Jin Nim, Hoon Sook Nim, Nan Sook Nim. Back from left to right: Kook Jin Nim, Jin Sung Nim, Hyo Jin Nim, Father and Mother, Hyun Jin Nim and Jin Whi Nim.

The meaning of the title is that heavenly love controls everything. We all know that the human fall occurred because of the misuse of love. The love of God is the center of the universe and all the creation came about as a manifestation of this love. God's urge to love brought about the creation. If no fall had occurred, the world would have been centered upon God's love and God's love would have had total dominion over all things. Since God created the world out of His love, once God's love is consummated, the purpose of the creation is consummated.

Nature: God's Classroom of Love for Man

As you know, according to the Principle of Creation, the creation of all things was done in gradual phases, beginning with the mineral kingdom and progressing through the plant and animal kingdom and culminating in human beings. What is the essence of nature? Nature is the museum of the love of God; it is the place in which God manifested his love, and through it we can perceive the love of God. Nature is the realm of generation and regeneration. A little insect, for example, may exist for less than a year, but its eggs will hatch and the new insect will carry on. The cycle continues.

Did you hear the singing of the birds this morning on the lawn? They were singing love songs to one another. Nature is our textbook. When I heard those birds, I felt inspired to sing a love song to Mother. Everything in creation exists in pairs -- the cats, the birds, the insects and so forth. Nature is our classroom of love -- it is the holy temple which God created in order to teach people how to love. Everything you eat -- vegetables, rice, bread, etc. -- wants to become a part of your body when you have a loving attitude. They want to gain a higher place of love, but when you eat them with a selfish and hateful mind, they revolt against going into your stomach. They don't want to be a part of anything other than love.

Just as the things of creation gladly give themselves up to become part of a loving human body, we humans also willingly die for love. The popular theories of random selection and evolution are completely off base. The truth is that the lower forms of creation willingly sacrifice themselves to the higher beings for the purpose of fulfilling higher love.

I want you to know that love is the most holy and supreme impulse. If you can lay down your life for the sake of your spouse, you are the greatest lover. Likewise, those parents who give their lives for their children have the highest love. Therefore, we must learn the lessons of love from nature. You should naturally want to go out every day and look at the sky and the birds and animals in order to perceive new lessons of love.

Your home must be one of love, not only for your family but also for the things of nature. All the creatures, including the insects, will want to become a part of your "love orchestra." You will have plants, animals, flowers and insects dwelling together in love.

Sadly, the values of American society have become so materialistic. Even when people look for potential marriage partners they often think first of how much money that person makes. In some cases an ambitious young woman will marry an old, rich man because she knows he will die within a few years and she will inherit his wealth! Or perhaps a woman will marry solely in order to claim half of a man's property when she divorces him! If a woman has that kind of thinking, she is filthy inside even though she may look gorgeous on the outside. I feel such a strong urge to reach out and clean up the kinds of things that happen in Hollywood. So many degraded and ugly things need cleaning up there.

Only Love Is Greater Than Life Itself

The universe welcomes those men and women who consider love the supreme value. Does anyone here think I am wrong in saying this? Love is almighty; it is greater than life itself. There are no adjectives large enough to describe love. It is absolute, unchanging, beautiful and sweet; yet none of these words encompass love. Throughout the history of literature and poetry, what is more praised -- love or life? Or are power and money the focus of poetry? No, love is most praised. The reason is very simple, yet perhaps most poets don't fully understand it.

God put the most holy place [the sexual organs] of men and women in the location on the body that was safest and most protected. Particularly women's most holy places are well protected. Therefore, when you women sit down in a careless way it is very ugly to behold. You must sit in a way that maintains the protection and dignity of your holy place.

From this fundamental point of view, the true standards of courtesy, etiquette and protocol can be derived and can endure. The permanent standard of protocol is derived from the permanent value of love. In order to change that ethic or protocol, love itself would have to be changed and no one can do that.

In the fallen world women are abused by men, who want only to gratify themselves sexually; that is far worse than the animals. Love relationships should be done in a beautiful, even artistic way. Engaging in love should be like giving and receiving the most precious gift. Imagine if you were receiving diamond jewelry. You would relish so sweetly the unwrapping of that gift, carefully pulling off the ribbons one by one. The scotch tape and the paper would be taken off one by one. Ultimately, after the process of unwrapping, you would see that diamond.

You Unification Church members should know how to relate to the beauty of nature and how to enjoy being in creation. Even when you are all alone, you can feel the thrill of seeing a lovely flower. You can watch the fish in a bowl as they vigorously chase after each other and you can say, "They are running after love and they never tire of it." Tell yourself, "I will never get tired either because I am running after love." Salmon can teach a beautiful love lesson to humanity because they experience only one love and then they die. They give their lives to love, to hatch their eggs, and then they die. Their lives are consummated by the fulfillment of their love, and they have nothing more to live for.

Now you can understand the concept of love that I am speaking about. When you get up in the morning, why not time your walking with the rhythm of the birds singing? Birds jump around and sing and then they kiss each other. They are great teachers of love. God assigned them the mission of teaching clumsy men how to love!

The Beauty of Marriage

When a husband and wife are truly in love, having a disagreement will not hurt anything; in fact it will increase their loving feelings later. After they clash with each other, they will embrace that much more strongly. Do you couples experience these kinds of things?

So now you understand that your most holy place belongs to your spouse, not yourself. You were not born for your own sake but for the sake of others. As long as your terminology is "we" and "us" the universe supports you, but as soon as you think in terms of "I" and "me" the universe will turn against you. Eventually you would be expelled from the universe.

This is the beauty of marriage -- it pushes people to think always of themselves in terms of another. Likewise, living in a family requires us to think in terms of "we" -- the children think of their parents, the parents think of their children, each child thinks of the other brothers and sisters. But often this is not the case in American homes; for this reason many American families are heading toward destruction. But what about the Unification Church? Are we heading upward or downward? We are rising.

A day such as this -- the Day of the Love of God -- has never before been declared. People simply have not imagined that the love of God was supposed to have dominion over all creation. If you could choose between reading a difficult and complicated philosophy book or a poem about love, which would you prefer? Quite simply, people enjoy the sweetness of love over everything else.

The message I am giving to you today is not only for this particular Sunday but is of universal importance. It is the foundation for all understanding and that is why I have spoken so clearly about it today.

I want you to understand that the human fall wrought total destruction upon God's dream of love and degraded the most holy experiences into the most shameful experiences. Original love was supposed to be man's ticket into heaven; but on the contrary man purchased his ticket to hell through illicit love.

The fall of humankind perverted that ticket to Heaven into a ticket to Hell. We must cleanse the love of the world and stop the multiplication of the consequences of the fall.

Due to the fall, human beings must stand in shame before the lowest forms of creation. The supreme creation of God was degraded to a point far below that of the animals, plants and minerals. However, Americans and people in general today think that they can continue to pursue a degraded form of love and enjoy greater and greater prosperity, but that is not the case. From God's point of view, the way of life in secular America today deserves a judgment worse than fire and brimstone. Furthermore, the consequences of America's actions pervade the rest of the world. Thus the degradation of morality has spread worldwide.

America must kneel down before the rest of the world and repent in shame for fostering immoral values. Everywhere men and women have been exploited by the promotion of this immorality. I came to America to ignite a moral revolution and stop this nation from falling into destruction. People proudly point to all kinds of laws and there are many different levels of courts, but what are these courts accomplishing when the nation is pervaded with corruption? I came here as an emissary from God, to turn this nation around in the right direction. But instead of receiving God's messenger, the power of this nation was turned toward prosecuting him. For this, I am sorry to say it, but I know this country will be punished. Even now I am praying to God to withhold his judgment and give us a little more time to turn this nation around to repentance.

I am not, and never have been, the enemy of the American people. I do not believe that American people of conscience will be judged by this court decision. It was the U.S. government that took the enemy position to me. I have great hope that the people will rally to oppose the government's actions against me. The particular government which persecuted me will not remain forever, but the ideal and the teaching I have brought to America will stay and prosper, eventually to create a righteous government here.

Korea

If Korean Christianity had united with me in 1945, I would not have had to go through all these legal battles. The end of World War II was a unique time in human history. Korea was closely allied with the United States and the leadership of Korea was Christian. If Christianity had united with me then, the entire nation could have been united. This was the first and only time such an opportunity arose in history. It was the opportunity for Christianity to redeem the world.

The Messiah should have appeared once Christianity was ready to take dominion over the world; that was the ideal time for the Second Advent. That special time was the point toward which God had been working throughout the two thousand years of Christian history; such an opportunity has never arisen before or since. God knew the value of this opportunity; thus, He wanted the United States, centered upon Christianity, to take the worldwide position of a twentieth century empire like the Roman Empire. Through this nation, the world could become Christian and that is why the United States had the position it did.

At that dispensational time, I was in Jesus' position; established Christianity was in Judaism's position; and the United States was in the position of the Roman Empire. The Korean nation was in the position of Israel. All these elements comprised God's side. That was the historical parallel. Once Korean Christians recognized the Messiah and united with him, all these steps could have been fulfilled within seven years. Before I reached the age of 40, the entire worldwide dispensation would have been fulfilled.

True Mother would have come out of the Christian realm. Perhaps she would have been a British woman. It could be. Why not? Once the worldwide foundation had been accomplished, I would have picked the True Mother on the world level. Imagine if the royal princess of England had become the Rue Mother. I am only interested in one thing: how to restore the world.

It is because our movement was rejected by Korean Christianity that our boundaries became so limited. If we had been supported, the Korean movement would have immediately become insignificant because the movement would have become worldwide and universal, with no boundaries. Let's say that the True Mother had come from Great Britain, the source of English-speaking culture. The United States is in the position of child to Great Britain. It would have been very rapid and easy for America to humble itself to Britain.

With such circumstances, God's providence would have progressed very rapidly. The Messiah would have had dominion over the world. Even in the face of total opposition, I was able to create a worldwide foundation. Imagine how much I could have accomplished in seven years if I had been given the proper welcome. Do you think I am capable of that? Communism would have been stopped at that time; it certainly would not have come as far as it has.

However, all these were destroyed when established Christianity opposed me. That is why communism was able to grow rampantly and conquer over two-thirds of the world at this time. If I had been supported and accepted by Christianity, what leading powers of the world would have opposed me? This Christian nation of America would not have opposed me; Judaism would not have opposed me; neither would Christianity or the free world.

The United Nations was created in ignorance of what should be the guiding principles. The United States should have taken the governing position of righteousness over the United Nations; however, they gave up their world leadership.

I am sure that some agencies of the U.S. government must be interested in knowing what Reverend Moon's first message is, after the Supreme Court's rejection of our suit. I am happy to let the CIA or the FBI or anyone else get recordings of the things I am saying about the United States. This nation and world can never be ruled properly by Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, or any party. Only through the guidance and inspiration of God's principles can anyone give proper leadership to this world. Reverend Moon, inspired by God, has a plan by which he could inspire the leadership of this nation. If they would follow these directions for seven years, I know this nation could be completely cleaned up.

Brothers and sisters listening to the Day of the Love of God speech on May 20, 1984 in Belvedere.

It Is Time for the Unity of Christianity

Even under continuing opposition and persecution, I have continued to love this nation. We held a special day-long organizational meeting yesterday at East Garden to fulfill God's wishes at this time. I want to create an organization in this country that truly represents God's forces, greater than the Republican, Democratic, or Communist parties. We need an organization that God can rely on.

This sort of organization was supposed to have been inaugurated 42 years ago, at the time of Christianity's great opportunity. However, I had to begin from the very bottom to erect a new foundation through the Unification movement around the world. Now, we are announcing the inauguration of this organization. It is time for the unity of Christianity. At last the unification of Christianity is happening.

I was in Korea at the time of my indictment. The U.S. government was hoping that I would not return; they were shocked to see me walk into the courtroom and proclaim, "I am not guilty." Why did I return to America? I cannot abandon my mission to unite Christianity with the Unification movement.

Jesus Christ was not supported by his own disciples; he was rejected by Judaism and the chosen nation; he was crucified by the Roman Empire. Thus I am in the position to restore these failures of two thousand years ago. I wanted to go through the court battle, which is the modern day crucifixion launched by the U.S. government. None of my disciples have fled; Christianity has united in support of me, rather than cursing me; eventually the public opinion of this twentieth century Roman Empire will come to support me. By going through this, I am restoring all those historical failures.

After all this time, the New York Times has finally spoken the truth about me! As they put it, the U.S. government has won the battle but has lost the war. Public opinion is coming to the side of Reverend Moon. More importantly, the Christianity of the United States is rallying to my side. All these things have happened through the court battle.

When Jesus was crucified, he received no support from his disciples, or Judaism, or the chosen nation, or the Roman Empire. But when the U.S. government crucified me, it was different. The Unification Church became united and solid as a rock. Christianity turned around and supported me. Korea, in the position of the chosen nation, has been swept with indignation and many people have united with me. For this reason, at the end of April we achieved our goal of seven million people in IFVOC.

Japan is reaching 7.5 million membership in IFVOC. Ultimately the United States, which links Korea and Japan, will have forty million members of IFVOC and CAUSA will have seventy million people worldwide. American public opinion will see me as a hero.

The purpose of this organization is not political; its purpose is for the salvation of the United States and the free world. Those seventy million people will be united, not for any political purpose, but as God's force to stop the spread of worldwide communism and bring about a new, moral world.

According to the law of indemnity, I have indemnified the persecution of Jesus which occurred on the national level; I came to restore on the worldwide level what Jesus was not able to do two thousand years ago. Because of this achievement, this is an historical moment upon which God and True Parents have declared the Day of the Love of God.

What Matters Is Historical and Public Opinion

The final stage was supposed to have taken only seven years, but because of the rejection of Christianity it took 21 years. During that time, I moved onto the worldwide level. Today it doesn't matter what any U.S. court, including the Supreme Court, declares. What matters is what history and public opinion say. This is the ultimate court in which I shall be vindicated. Thus the fact that people around the world have rallied to my support is the real victory.

Most saints and religious leaders have never been able to walk the path I am walking while they were alive; only after their deaths did they make their greatest achievements. But now I am going over this ultimate hill, still alive and strong. This is a tremendous victory in itself. I want you to understand that the True Parents could not install themselves on the perfection level. Because the human fall occurred during the perfection level of the growth stage, the True Parents appeared there as well. From there we have waged the worldwide battle.

Due to the rejection of Christianity, the seven years had to be prolonged to 21 years. But if the Christians had accepted me right after World War II, my mission would have been accomplished in seven years. During the 21-year period, I indemnified two thousand years of Christian history, as well as the two hundred years of American history. This is why I held an important rally during the bicentennial year in America; that was our showdown on the worldwide level.

I love America and my heart is not for revenge. I am still looking forward to this nation's salvation. My duty is always to love Cain.

Il Jeong One Heart Prayer Session

I am saying to God, "Please postpone your wrath and punishment upon the United States and let me take responsibility for their wrongdoing. Even if I go to jail, I want to be responsible for their wrongdoing, I want to be responsible once I am free."

At the moment I learned of the Supreme Court's decision I prayed to God to hold back His judgment. I immediately declared to God that I would have no sorrow for myself but for the nation and the world. I asked Mother and the children to be totally united and have a special prayer and pledge. Furthermore the older Blessed couples and leaders of the movement pledged themselves to be totally united with the True Parents and True Children.

Yesterday I held a meeting of the worldwide leadership, lasting all day and night. We created a special organization as well as a chain prayer session called Il Jeong. Il mean one and Jeong means heart -- the one heart prayer session. It started all night last night at the East Garden holy ground. The focus of the Il Jeong is this: that we shall take responsibility and repent for the wrongdoings of America and the free world, ultimately to bring salvation to them.

If we do not do this, there is no way that God's goal after World War II would be fulfilled, even at this late hour. The era of just paying indemnity is over; everything we accomplish from now on becomes a plus. We can build our tower of victory. Whatever we do will give God more power and dominion over the world. Centering upon the spirit of the love of God, all these things will come about; not upon a spirit of vengeance. We can post this sign: "The Love of God Will Govern," because, after all, we are entering into the direct dominion of God.

We can do this only because the True Parents are at the center. By the fall of Adam and Eve everything was lost to the satanic world. Thus the wrong and bad parent took over the world. But now the True Parents have brought the original love of God, with which they are wiping up and cleaning out all illicit and filthy things of the fallen world. This new era is beginning with the court battle, which is my time of crucifixion.

Immediately after his crucifixion, Jesus descended into Hell and stayed there for three days. He restored his power of dominion through the love of God. By the same token, I must descend into the hell of this earthly world in order to establish the dominion of the love of God here. Then I will resurrect.

I am making the declaration that Jesus was in the parental role in spirit world; now True Parents are on earth, centering on the original love and claiming God's dominion over all humanity and all things by overcoming all the power of Hell, both on earth and in spirit world. This is the declaration ceremony.

Day Of The Love Of God

On May 16, 1984, at 12:54 a.m. I declared the Day of the Love of God. This is the turning point upon which original love will begin to govern the world which has always been governed by satanic love. I have already set the condition, so there is no possibility for Satan to invade or accuse this victory; he has no power to infiltrate my conditions in any way. Before this turning point, all the hard work you did was to pay off historical debts. But from today forward, every drop of sweat and blood and all your hard work will add to our tower of victory.

Until now, God's side did not have such a position in the world and Satan could always take everything away from God. But now God will take everything from the satanic position into the heavenly position, with no strings attached. I will never return to Korea or anywhere until we have achieved unification -- first of all, internal unity of the Unification Church movement; and the external unity of the Unification Church and the Christian world.

Until I accomplished this foundation, I did not feel I had accomplished my mission. But now I see that the Unification movement has become solidly united, centering upon the True Parents. Furthermore, the Christian community has united solidly with me. For this reason I now feel free to go anywhere and work any place else. I do not look at the American people as my enemies; I see them as restored and original people. When I look at them in that way, the more opposition they give us, the greater victory it becomes for Heaven.

The government is the servant of the U.S. people and American public opinion is supporting me at this time. Therefore America is not lost, and I look at it with the eyes of true, original love. It is only a matter of time in which America will surrender to justice and the truth about me; the free world as well. Even those who have been my archenemies will turn around and say, "Reverend Moon, we misunderstood you but you are a living and loving saint, special throughout human history." Once that condition has been established, the entire world can be educated within forty days. This is the satellite age, after all.

For this reason, we must not delay even one more minute. If you delay, you will create the opportunity for Satan to invade and weaken you, so you must march forward right now! In order to accomplish our goal, we must accomplish the goal of forty million. Remember what the Christians of the first century had to endure. They were forced to hide within the Roman Empire in the catacombs; they were captured and fed to the lions in the Coliseum. When we think of those glorious martyrs, we know that no matter how hard our work becomes it never approaches their level of sacrifice. There is no way we can excuse ourselves.

Are You Ready?

In order to prevent satanic infiltration within our movement from now on, I will ask you several questions that I want you to answer from your heart. Are you ready?

The first question I direct to True Mother: Are you ready, unto your life, to give your total love, loyalty and dedication to the ideal of God and True Parents, so that we shall achieve this goal at any cost and at any sacrifice?

Mother said, "Yes, Father:"

Now, because of Mother's clear and loyal answer, Satan has no way to infiltrate this holy family, even if Mother makes a mistake.

The next question I am asking to the four Blessed children here, led by Hyo Jin, the eldest son. I ask them if, from now on, the are totally united with the concept and ideal of the True Parents. Are they willing to faithfully execute their duties as True Children and to accomplish, unto their lives, the goals of Heavenly Father and True Parents?

Hyo Jin answered clearly, "Yes, Father."

So from now on, even if you make a mistake and do the wrong thing it will not affect the destiny or mission of the Unification Church. This pledge was made upon love.

Now I ask all the Blessed couples, headed by the 36 couples, this question: Do you pledge to unite totally with the True Parents and the True Children? Will you fulfill the goals of the True Parents even unto your lives, fighting as gallant soldiers of heaven? Will you bring the victory, on the foundation of the original love of God?

The congregation answered, "Yes, Father"

So far all your mistakes and wrongdoings have been paid for by the True Parents, but after your pledge this is no longer the case. From this time on, you will be taking responsibility for your own mistakes. In other words, no matter what mistakes you make, they will not become a hindrance to the True Parents' dispensation in the world. Your pledge was that you would not be a burden to the True Parents or the Unification Church, but that you will become their champion.

The Day of the Love of God was never an established fact before, so all your misdemeanors were suffered by the True Parents. But from this day forward, things are different. All the things that members did wrong in the past always came back to me and people accused me. But that will not be happening any more. The time has come for you to be the responsible ones. This is a day of liberation for the True Parents. The responsibility is now upon your shoulders, not mine.

Today we have gathered together the Unification Church leaders from all around the world, including more than 120 countries. Upon this occasion, will you pledge your life for the fulfillment of the dispensation of God? If so, please raise your hands and say, "Yes, Father." Thank you, Amen. By making that pledge, you gave liberation to me and Mother.

The Love Of God Prevails

At this hour I declare what I have already declared in prayer: that there shall be no more fear of death. That fear shall be overcome by the power of God's love. When Heung Jin passed away, I overcame the sorrow that people normally feel when a beloved son dies. By the power of God's love I proclaimed January 3 the Day of the Victory of Love. On that day, I declared our total liberation from the fear of death.

Likewise I am saying today that the love of God has overcome any fear of imprisonment. That is why I proclaimed today as the Day of the Love of God -- only the love of God prevails and shall have dominion over the world. The turning point has been reached. We shall see the rejuvenation of joy in the Unification Church. Within Christianity, God is providing us with this great momentum.

I have already said this at East Garden so I would like to say it officially today. Let this declaration go out to the world from the True Parents. From now on, from a hundred battles we will win a hundred victories and nothing less. Every move we make will bring us the victory. The indemnity era is over. We are beginning to build our tower of victory. Today is the day of declaration of this significant message, along with the Day of the Love of God.

This declaration is not only a horizontal one. It has been made in the eyes of God and the spirit world as well. The entire universe -- heaven and earth -- are listening to this declaration. We have our slogan for the year -- Creation of the Fatherland -- and this is our goal here on the physical earth, centered upon the original love of God.

Everyone please stand up. Make up pairs by holding onto one person's hand. Raise your free hand above your head. We are going to pray and you will receive a blessing from God and True Parents. You are standing in pairs because you can only be blessed in the sight of God when you have created a pair. You must create a circuit by which to receive the blessing from God through True Parents, that is what you are doing symbolically now.

A good day will come because you have made a good turning point. In the meantime, let us really work hard and sweat to hasten that good day. Everything will be harvested into Heaven. So far, all that good work went to pay indemnity but from now on, everything will be incorporated into our tower. Now you know the term Il Jeong. This is the Day of the Love of God. January 3, 1984 was the Day of Victory of Love. Today, I was finally able to declare the Day of the Love of God itself.

By the Seunghwa of Heung Jin -- his elevation and ascension -- a new gate was opened in spirit world. Now spirit persons can be united to work actively with the earthly realm! By today's declaration, the heavenly gates are all opened up by the power of True Parents. This power will penetrate all the way to hell in spirit world; by the same token, it will go all the way into the most hellish places here on earth, including prisons.

When Jesus was crucified, he went into Hell for three days and opened the gates there. By the same token, by today's declaration I am opening up the door of the earthly hell for three days. Everything shall be indemnified and this will bring the new turning point.

There is just one thing I would like you to know -- through the crucifixion of Jesus, everything was lost. But by this declaration of the Love of God and the victory of the True Parents, everything is restored.