Sun Myung Moon
May 21, 1977
World Mission Center
Translator-Bo Hi Pak
At a meeting or service like this, the person who makes the effort to arrive first and sit at the front is the most prepared to receive some blessing. I want to ask all of you who just arrived with the IOWCs from different parts of the country about what kind of feeling you had when you came to New York. Were you excited, or did you feel it was just another change? You were excited about coming to New York to see all the skyscrapers and sights in this famous city, right?
I am not much to look at and I am so busy that I don't have a second to spare, but even so you wanted to see me. I just finished a meeting with the European leaders and they all were anxious to know when I was coming to Europe. I had to tell them that such a trip was not in sight yet. I thank you from the bottom of my heart that you are excited to come to New York because you want to see me, but I am also sorry that I cannot spend the time with you that you desire. I arrived at East Garden at 3:30 this morning and then got up at 5 o'clock. You too will get busier and have a tough schedule. Do you mind?
Men normally have a very adventurous character and like to go out to catch something, like animals and birds, right? How about the women? Men and women certainly have different characteristics. Would it be better for us to follow the men or women's direction? I tend to agree with the men that we had better follow the men's direction because men are basically born with an out-going, aggressive nature.
The characteristics of men and women are very obvious when they have extra time; men are always going out to find some adventure while women sit down to do needlework or draw pictures or work in the kitchen. What would have happened to this world if there had been no men but only women pioneering human civilization? If there were only women to advance human civilization, we might still be living in a primitive age. Do you women agree? It is women's nature to disagree and answer no, even though inside they know it is true.
All things considered, what are women really good for? Who designed your clothes, women or men? Answer me honestly, who runs faster, men or women? Who designed the watches and created the eyeglasses and made the beautiful rings that you women wear? You women are sitting idle and trying to exploit men, aren't you? Do women at least show gratitude and humbly accept whatever is given to them, or are they always trying to take advantage, taking more whenever they are given something? What is a good woman? What is a good man?
God has been watching the movement of history, knowing very well the nature of women. He has been thinking that before the end of the world women's true honor needs to be restored, that women should become people who can live for a good purpose instead of being a degraded group. He is also drinking that He will give them a hard time and have them pay indemnity for all the things that women have done in history. If God is really watching history, do you think He would have such thoughts?
If I were in God's position, I would have thought about it. Is it a reasonable idea? There will certainly be a time for the complete renewal of this fallen world and God is thinking about how to use women as the champions who can really give their blood, sweat and tears, letting them elevate their old situation before the new world begins.
Do you want to become men and women of God? Putting yourself in that position, would you also think that this is the time for women to really play a major role, to repent and indemnify the lives of women in the past? Did you ever think about things in this way before? Women must be revolutionized for the sake of God and the sake of the New Age. Is there anyone here who disagrees? Do you women want to get married simply to be loved and to be given lots of gifts?
Let me ask you another question. If God really loved you, would He tell you to take it easy and sleep late and not bother about doing any hard work? Or would God say, "Because I love you I'm going to put you to work so that for the first time in history true women may be seen. By working with all your heart and soul I want you to become women that history will be proud of in the future." Which way truly expresses the love of God? I am convinced that you know the right answer. I've given you women a hard time this morning, but don't worry, we'll give the men a hard time too.
Who in history has committed more atrocities? Who killed more people in history, men or women? Acts of war and the most horrible crimes have been committed primarily by men. Are you men proud of this? Have men been good material or bad material? If you think men are basically bad material then do you think God should treat them harshly or leniently? When God starts to push you hard, will you welcome it without hesitation or will you be rebellious? In examining history, we see that man has been a rebellious animal, always complaining when God asks him to do something.
Are you good men or evil rascals? I heard your answer. If you are evil rascals, should God treat you as decent gentlemen? Suppose a tiger got loose in New York one day and ate one man. The police would be mobilized and the event would be big news. Is it a good thing for tigers to eat men? It is not good at all, but every day in broad daylight in New York how many men kill other men? Is that worse than a tiger killing a man? The tiger might eat the man for food, but a man doesn't have to kill another man. In light of this, are you men superior or inferior to a tiger?
Men sometimes do things that are even worse than the acts of animals. How would you treat that particular tiger if you caught it? Would you praise it and give it food or would you punish it? If you were captured and punished like the tiger, would you rebel at your treatment or would you be resentful? Repentance makes sense to us, but what about the rest of the world? There aren't many signs of repentance to be seen.
Is God willing to tackle the vast work needed to tame evil men and change them into champions for His cause? If God roughs you up, would you protest that He can't do that in America? When God sees someone who can tame evil man and make him a champion for the cause of good, would He worry about what method was used? Would God worry about whether the work was too hard? If God knows that men and women have been evil throughout history then He would certainly want to see to it that men and women restored their lost honor and became committed to the side of good before He began the task of rebuilding the old world into His new Kingdom.
Would God Himself do the work on earth or would He summon men and women to do it? If that is the case, would you like to be hand-picked by God when He needs a champion, or would you want to avoid that role? You want to become God's champion, right? Who would become the leader of a group of such people? If you were God would you choose someone who could only complain or someone who was obedient and only wanted to fulfill God's will? You say you want to become a leader. Have you already passed that test, or are you still considering whether to go that route? Are you still mulling over the question or are you going straight to the goal? Your answer doesn't sound confident because it comes from your lips, not from your heart.
I am not just trying to entertain you; I have a reason to say these things this morning because I want to hit a target. The bullets I am shooting are God's words and my target is your heart. When I ask you whether you really want to become men who pass the test of God, your answer should show the confidence in your heart. That is a decision being made by everyone. American young people do not think in this fashion.
God sees degrees of commitment among you. God is sincerely trying to advance peace among man, longing for the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Will He make such efforts just to see all of you pass only the third degree? Nothing comes easy in this world, particularly the most excellent performance.
Suppose one of you gets very tired and loses his will to go on but then is dragged by force and pushed so hard that he cannot help but bring the Kingdom. Will that person be grateful later or not? After that person enters the Kingdom the club he thought was so cruel will look more precious than gold because that was what made him find God's world. From that point of view will you welcome a beating from such a club? You answer yes because you know that without such discipline you might never find that blessing. There are two kinds of whipping. When a whipping is given for the sake of someone's eternal life, it is a good whipping. American young people do not understand this concept. They confuse it with another type of whipping, which is given to satisfy one's own greediness. That is evil.
Is murder a sin or not? What about capital punishment? When a criminal is executed for his crimes under the law, no one is doing it for their personal benefit, but for the safety and security of all. If any person is seeking revenge for his personal reasons, however, falsely accusing someone in order that he be executed, then the person who actually needs to be punished is the accuser, not the prisoner.
You must know clearly the definition of good and evil. The outward action is not evil in itself; the motivation behind it is the source of good or evil. This is a serious matter to consider. If God felt that 1/2 of mankind had to be eliminated in order to save the other 2/3, do you think He should do it or not? God is ready to do that if necessary. Unless you completely understand this then the world will be confusing and you will have no clear direction. The side of good always perseveres in hope, trying to benefit mankind. The side of evil has no such characteristic. As soon as evil people feel vulnerable or abused they strike out, regardless of who is right.
Is God a good God or an evil God? Is Satan good or evil? Do you know the criterion for deciding whether God is good and Satan is evil? You must think that you can persevere for the sake of good, being patient and sometimes suppressing your anger, moving on with hope, not despair. The reason for such perseverance is the need of the world and God for your assistance. God is persevering and patient, not for His own sake, but for the very enemy who harbors animosity toward Him.
Everyone in the universe has parents, right? Were your parents good or evil? Many American young people say they don't know and don't care one way or the other but that is not good. Do you have a good mother and good father? Many of you didn't answer because you are doubtful. There is much divorce in American society, but whose side does God take? God will ask the husband and wife whether they considered the possibility of getting a divorce before they committed themselves to marriage, and in order to receive His sympathy their answer must be no. The partner who takes the initiative in seeking separation is the person who is guilty of wrongdoing in front of their children.
If it is the mother who caused the separation then her child can even protest to her and comfort his father by saying, "My mother does not deserve to be a member of this family. As your son I want you to be happy. I will bring you happiness, even if I must find and serve a new mother." That kind of young man would not be unhappy with having a new mother. Having a clear sense of justice, he would be serving his father by bringing him a new wife to make him happy again, knowing that he is a good man. How many American young people think in that fashion? Most of them could care less, thinking that if their parents want to separate that it is their business. They aren't interested in calling their new stepparent "father" or "mother." Marriage in America is like a business contract signed by two people and broken whenever they feel like it. America's family life is absolutely miserable because divorce is so prevalent and so casual. The Unification Church is going to be a different kind of movement. By having a clear sense of judgment we can reconstruct American family life and create a healthy, harmonious society. We will create permanent homes in our society. Selfishness and unselfishness determine the value of everything and even in family squabbles and divorces the person who acts out of unselfishness and for the sake of the children and the community is a good person. Unless we practice this clear principle there is no way to reconstruct American society.
In every comer of life selfishness is your worst enemy. You can evaluate your own home life from this standpoint. If one of your parents was selfish or greedy you felt disgust and your children will be the same. This message is painful for those who cannot accept or live this principle and I understand very well that they will oppose us. Will you then support me or join the negative people who are opposing me out of selfishness? Even if I chase you out, would you still come and support me? The only reason for you to come is that I scold you and chase you out, not for your own benefit, but for the benefit of all.
All through the past, present and future anyone who has pursued this goal has also gone this drastic way. The parent who tries to be patient and persevere through difficulty with his partner, hoping until the very end for a reconciliation, is a good person. That person's future will never be completely blocked. A selfish person may seem to be living a very wise and clever way of life, but this life will eventually hit a stone wall.
Parents and children may not get along too well sometimes, but the important thing is which side is closer to God's principle. In individualistic America many parents only think of themselves as instruments for giving birth to children, nothing more. They go their own way and let the children go theirs. On the other hand, there are children who regard their parents with contempt for their lack of education or low station in life. Those sons and daughters may be convinced that there is nothing to be learned from such insignificant, ignorant people, regardless of the fact that they are their mother and father. Those proud, boastful children will reject their parents, denying that they have any responsibility to them.
Would you still become a pious, loyal son, regardless of your parents' situation, or would you be boastful? Would you still respect your own parents even if you became a professor at a famous university? Even if there was not much to learn from listening to them, would you still pay respect to your parents? Why? Their unselfish motivation is the reason you should respect them, the fact that they tell you certain things for your sake and not for their own benefit or ego. One principle always operates in this universe, which is that your motivation is the actual measure of the value of your actions.
True parental love is always given for the sake of the child. Because it is not measured by money or by honor, parental love does not tarnish or change. Even if you have knowledge that can change the world, if you utilize it for you own benefit, you are no more than Satan. What can we consider precious, the vast knowledge of professors or the unchanging, sacrificial love of parents? There is no comparison between the two. American young people must know where true value lies.
I have the mission of grabbing the wild, untamed young people of America, disciplining them, and revolutionizing the life of American homes. I want you to become mothers and fathers who are dedicated and sacrificial, who are not boastful about their own deeds but who give totally. Your heart will resemble the heart of God when you steadily try to serve the well being of your family every day, without change. That giving and serving is equivalent to the actions of God. Then you possess true authority, more than anyone who is trying to command everyone else.
If you can be totally unselfish then you can offer certain advice sometimes, even to your father and mother. If you are lovingly living that principle then your deeds will be noble and justified. Even in that case, however, no son can compete with the degree of intensity of his parent's true love; if you blindly serve and respect your parents, you still feel no complaint because the intensity of parents' love and children's love has no comparison. Parental love is far greater and more intense. We must make this boundary absolutely clear.
This boundary line of truth is straight, not crooked, extending from the individual all over the world. Can you clearly see it or not? The significance of its straightness is that no one can challenge it; that straightness is unselfishness. In living that principle you can be patient and persevere and do your absolute best for the sake of others.
I am closely watching the many blessed couples in our church. The couple which assumes that the church should support them is one kind, while the husband and wife who want to not only support themselves and not be indebted to the church, but even want the church to be indebted to them is another kind of couple. No matter how early you were blessed, if you are trying to use the members and the church for your own benefit, you are no good. That is exactly how I think about myself. There is no exception to this; that is the way of goodness.
I am fully aware that America has come against me, thinking that I am a dangerous person who should be thrown out of America, but I will change America's young people and discipline them and give them a hard time, all for the sake of America and for the sake of those who are trying to destroy me. I want to make absolutely clear the truth that America does not exist for the sake of the Unification Church and that we will not exploit America. The Unification Church is only an instrument to bring this nation to God; America and the world come first. You must never act by thinking only of what is beneficial for the Unification Church. I never think like that. I will only support what will benefit America and the world, whatever the penalty or sacrifice may be. If Satan puts up a roadblock then I will penetrate it.
I ask you to come this way also. If you hesitate to go this way then I will even spank you. By knowing my motivation you will know whether that is a good or evil act. Even with a handful of people like you I will confront the opposition and penetrate all the way to the final goal.
When you look from the point of view of truth you realize how much ugliness there is outside. Is the motivation of our opponents unselfish or selfish? On the other hand, is what I am trying to achieve selfish or unselfish? That is the standard which determines good and evil. Our opposition is waging a war to destroy the Unification Church, but I will never bend. They fabricate all kinds of allegations, but still we are patient. We have profound truth to testify about and yet still we take beating after beating.
Which side is pursuing a good cause? Do you have confidence that you are pursuing a good cause or aren't you sure? Because we are pursuing an unselfish cause we are on the side of absolute goodness. That is why God respects you, why He is with you. Furthermore, the good people of the past and future will bow down before the strength of your conviction; you are not pursuing this good cause with popularity and fame but in the face of impossible misunderstanding. Because we persevere under those conditions our efforts have value. If we are totally on the side of God then the selfish world will fall into chaos and the time will come for the harvest. You must have that kind of confidence. We are men of justice who are not to be deterred by events around us.
You did not have too much power or authority in the past because your goals were not clear or were founded on incomplete truth. But as soon as you clearly saw the truth in your heart you felt the power to pursue this life. Truth is power; knowledge is power. Americans are proud people who think they are first-class citizens, being very civilized and very dedicated to justice, even sometimes giving up their lives to save others. Are you really proud Americans? The most important thing is whether you are really proud to be a member of the Unification Church, even though you are persecuted. Are you here because you have no other choice? You are a coward if you take cover every day.
If I were a coward I would not have ever challenged America. Instead I stood up in the name of God and now I cannot tum around. That is the way I have walked for thirty years, but I am never defeated, even by fatigue. The people who adamantly opposed me twenty and thirty years ago now bow down to me. Some years ago the Japanese media publicized me as the worst rascal under the sun, but now the Japanese are realizing that Asia needs my philosophy and conviction. Now the same situation is happening in America, with impossible things being said about me. Our opponents thought that I would easily be gotten rid of, but instead they have found that I am getting stronger and that this movement is getting stronger and that this movement is getting bigger. They see that I have a fearless attitude and that the time will eventually come when even this country will change.
Would God feel excited to see such an iron-willed man marching on or not? Would God tell me to relax and take it easy, or would He say, "My son, go on. I am behind you 100% every day"? What do you think God wants from me? How would He feel if I asked for a vacation, even after thirty years? Instead I tell God to take a vacation.
What kind of teacher would you like to have, the first type of person or the second type? How could you claim to love me if you are trying to push me to work harder and receive greater suffering? You have to answer, "This world needs you in order to be transformed into goodness. Only you can liquidate all the evil. I absolutely support you. Please be patient and go on, even though it is difficult." That is true respect.
If every year one out of a hundred people dies, every year 40 million people are passing to spirit world and in most cases they are going into hell. It is love and respect to ask me to go on because you know we can bring them to heaven. When you say that then I will bow down and listen to you. If you are thinking of everything from God's point of view then I can say that I love you. Such sons and daughters can rightfully inherit the Kingdom.
That is exactly my position with God. I say the same thing; "God, 40 million people every year end up in the dungeons of hell. We must save them. I need your spirit and power in order to do the job." God will not only listen but will always support such a prayer; the man who walks in that spirit is a man of justice. His goal is clear and noble; it is not even America's goal or one country's goal, but the goal of the world, spirit world and God. The man of justice rises up for the liberation of God.
We come to the conclusion that men of justice are assembled in this room and in the Unification Church. This movement is truly trying to do justice for God. Why am I so busy every day? There is no area I do not touch or become involved in. I go out to sea, set up factories and businesses, create newspapers and buy real estate, not just in New York but all over the world. There is absolutely nothing that I do not touch. Sometimes even our members and leaders are confused about which project is top priority. When we go to sea we are fishermen and in the mountains we are hunters. We are workers at our factories and journalists at our newspaper. What is the central point?
Do I work this hard because I eat 100 meals a day? I haven't even had breakfast this morning. There is no one who worries about money more than I do. If the whole American defense budget were given to me I would still worry about money. Do I work this hard to get my food or car or house? Am I working for my wife or children? For honor or fame? You young people already give me much respect and love so what else could I be doing all this for? I could discipline and run this organization to be more powerful than even the most evil kind of organization like the Mafia, but I am standing on the side of God, trying desperately every day to accomplish something.
Are you lucky to be here because you don't have to worry about having a place to sleep or about having some work? Why are you lucky to meet me? I push you to go out to witness, fund raise and sell the newspaper early in the morning. You are sometimes so busy working from morning to night that you have not even a moment to relax over a meal, having to eat standing up.
People will say that you are crazy, but you are never crazy in the sight of God. Sometimes I wish that you were so busy for the work of God that you even had no time to go to the bathroom. Become a person who has no shame before God. Yesterday I saw a beggar pick up a rotten apple, clean it and put it in his pocket. I thought, "I wish that beggar could be a Unification Church member for the purpose of God." I am looking for the man or woman who, even though he may have ample bread at home, so strongly feels the urgency of God's work that he merely picks up a rotten apple in the road and eats it and continues on. That person Would do that not because he is in need, but because he is so dedicated to the work of God that he didn't want to spare even one minute for himself. We need that kind of spirit to accomplish the will of God. The saints in heaven, all good men and women, Mother and I, and even God will bow down to that person.
I know very well that this is the way of life of the saints and holy men. Would you be self-conscious and worry about your own dignity and honor, or would you forget all those things and be crazy about your mission? The more of a beggar you become the more you will be reduced until you have nothing. Why would you want to pursue this way of life? That is the life that God lives and that is the only way you can bring restoration to mankind. It is the one way of life that does not perish but remains eternally. The Kingdom of God is built in that humble fashion.
Yesterday I went to Barrytown to train the seminarians in making nets. I found that buying the necessary materials in the New York area would have cost thousands of dollars. I was looking for a way to save God's money so I went all the way to New Haven, Connecticut, where I found the right kind of surplus store and bought everything for only a few hundred dollars. I was dressed very humbly and no one in the store knew who I was, yet they sensed something different about me. When the Lincoln limousine pulled up front to load in the materials the owners of the store were completely flabbergasted! They stood in the door like robots as we drove away. Then they realized that I was Reverend Moon.
Later at Barrytown everyone went through intense training in making nets. I was teaching them until 1:30 in the morning, but even then I didn't tell them to go to bed or just give them instructions and leave. Then everyone realized I was going to speak to you at 6 a.m. so they said, "Father, we will take care of this. We know how to do it now so you go ahead and talk to the members in New York."
Why didn't the seminarians complain about working all night? They knew that I was working harder than anyone else. I am teaching you a hard way of life but that's really the good way. Only the pursuit of a good purpose can produce people who don't complain about hard work. As long as you feel you can go one step ahead of me and that you shall do more than I do, the Unification Church will be a church of resurrection at the place of death; we must climb down to the place of death in order to get our glorious resurrection.
American people are clever people and I know you understand what I am saying to you. The young people of America outside of our Church are perishing every day because sexual immorality, drug use and the VD epidemic are spreading. The result of that life is that many of their children are born deformed. In a spiritual sense those young people have already perished. They have abused their freedom and they don't seem to care about their families, their society, nation or anything. How can such a society survive?
I am not the only one talking about the decline of America; parents, religious leaders and researchers confirm what I am saying. Can America be restored as a God-centered nation by the armed forces or the Pentagon? Can the knowledge of science that sends men to the moon cure the ills of society? No scientists or government leaders can do it. Even if all Americans were united together they would still find it impossible to accomplish by themselves.
In order to save America God sent one man from Korea with a message of salvation, yet everyone considers him an enemy. You young people of the Unification Church are the only hope for America and you must become a stepping stone for this country's salvation. When America is turned around, the entire world's population will have hope. This is why God sent me to work in America, rather than to any other nation. You must not be defeated.
I want you to know that I am a very lonely person. I began a one-man crusade thirty years ago, when absolutely nobody understood me. I stood up without fear at a time when the world was crumbling in darkness. I have traveled from the distant mountainsides of Korea, through many difficult years and have finally arrived in America, trying to install God's movement here. Imagine how far I have traveled!
From the very first day I undertook my mission I dreamed of America because far before you were born God had a master plan and the United States of America was its target. If God is concerned about fulfilling His plan then He has to bring young people like you to the Unification Church. We did not meet in the Unification Church just to save ourselves; we have the much greater purpose and mission of liberating God, heaven and earth, and all mankind. Since God sent you to me, I have the responsibility of transforming you into champions of God, and after being disciplined and trained you will become historical persons. I want to make the Unification Church members work harder than a beggar, not because you are hungry but because God and humanity are hungry. God thinks in this way.
Why did we buy this kind of building here in New York, big enough to hold 5,000 people? Simply because we must prevent New York from crumbling. I gave instructions that all our buildings were to be restored and fixed up, not only physically but also in the spiritual sense by our members giving their hard work. If everyone worked at the pace I do, with the same purpose in mind, we would have beautifully finished the physical restoration of our buildings in a year. All that work would not have been prolonged this long.
You should never think that now we have lots of comfortable bedrooms and plenty of hot water. The New Yorker does not exist for your own comfort. You have no idea what a burden and responsibility our Church is bearing economically because of our properties. Before you think of all the wonderful things you have to think of how much sacrifice by brothers and sisters it took to acquire such things. Do the leaders of our movement worry about the financial situation? Heavenly Father pities me because I have taken up that burden. If you know how many Korean families are suffering, how many Japanese members are suffering, then you know why we must solve these financial burdens in America.
President Carter's administration wants to withdraw the troops from Korea, but I continue to bring people from Korea and Japan to save America. America is still important in the sight of God as the instrument to save the world. If America fails in its mission then America shall become the enemy of God. Our mission must succeed even if we all must become living sacrifices. America is deeply indebted not only to me but to the Korean and Japanese members of the Unification Church. I have found that if I am indebted to someone I simply cannot sleep well nor relax until I repay them. Anyone with the tendency to take advantage of other people will never succeed and never prosper.
Are any of you wearing the same three-year-old T-shirts and pants over and over again? You have lots to eat here, but in Asia the kind of food you eat is considered a precious meal and three-year-old clothing is considered brand new.
You want to go to the same part of heaven the Korean and Japanese members will go to, but does your conscience hurt if you aren't working as hard as they? If you feel shame then you have felt hell, not heaven. You must be liberated from that shame so you can stand proudly before God and the spirit world. I want to help you be liberated from shame so that we can enter heaven proudly, side by side. The Korean and Japanese members have set conditions and sacrificed themselves for the sake of America. You would be ashamed if you went to the spirit world without doing much here on earth. Then I would also feel your shame because I would not have fulfilled my responsibility to teach and discipline you. Then the spirit world would have to chase you back to work in the physical world until you fulfill the necessary conditions. My aim is to push you out and discipline you so that you can ,be completely liberated from shame.
It takes a lot of money and manpower to run the newspaper company and I have not committed us in that way as a hobby or for entertainment. Why should we start a newspaper if it is only a burden economically? I know that it is needed as God's instrument to fight against communism. That fight is our ultimate responsibility and we must prepare today or it will be too late by the time the confrontation becomes an emergency. Two years ago I founded the Unification Theological Seminary amidst criticism about wasting money and manpower, but no two years later the seminary has become vitally important in the overall scheme to fulfill God's goal.
The newspaper will be equally important in the future. Even though you and I are suffering to lay the cornerstone, we've got to do it for the future. You say, "Father, we'll never let you down, but you must realize that there are human limitations." I want you to know that God's 6,000 year old history of restoration will never be consummated if you think in that fashion.
We are trying to make a dream come true and that's why I am leading you. If you could do it yourselves within the normal limitations then I would not be needed. Nothing is impossible in God's sight. You must trust the living God and know beyond the slightest doubt that you can do anything. Everyone has been watching me and the Unification Church for the last four years and they know that our movement is growing and succeeding. After the successful Washington Monument - Rally I founded the News World and our critics are confident that our newspaper company will crumble so they scrutinize us with great interest and curiosity.
This venture is a real test because those major newspapers which have a history of 100 years and more are struggling financially today. The old established newspapers like the New York Times and Daily News are watching to see if the News World will last even six months. Even if we last one year they will say, "Well, Reverend Moon is an unusual man, but his newspaper will certainly fold after another year." The Unification Church will gain a reputation for being able to do the impossible once the News World becomes an absolute success.
After we win our reputation for always succeeding, people will come to join our work and be part of us. The die is cast. We are committed to this goal and we shall achieve it. With a reputable newspaper like the New York Times struggling to keep growing, the impact of a booming News World, not only in New York but throughout the United States and around the world, will be tremendous.
I am already proceeding with the next project and have instructed Dennis Orme to lay the foundation for another newspaper in London. The world has predicted that I will be destroyed and become soup, but the entire spirit world is cheering and supporting us and God is proud that the day has finally come when He has a real champion on earth.
I can understand why we look crazy to the people who are struggling to keep newspapers going that are floundering now after 100 years of success. This kind of crazy venture is exactly what I like. I don't want to do just what ordinary men have done, but something that other men cannot do. Do you like being challengers? Of course it's difficult, but can you always stare at the goal without closing your eyes and march on? Compared to our goal, this little newspaper company is a peanut; the Madison Square Garden and the Empire State Building are just little toys. We must think that way and not be intimidated by a peanut project. You should be like that because no matter what, we are going to save New York and the entire country and world.
At the outset of this speech I said that men and women have been wicked from the very beginning. God wants to see the day come at the end of the world when He can mobilize such wicked men and women and put them into work far harder than slavery to let them really prove themselves worthy at least once in history. You accepted that challenge, didn't you? You are different from ordinary young men and women who are pursuing the gratification of their carnal desires or seeking their own honor and knowledge; you are giving your heart and sweat and life and blood, everything for the sake of God.
What will God say if you become crazy about this mission, trying to bring the Kingdom of God here on earth? Would I feel like rejecting you or like glorifying you? I am eager for the day when I can ask you to stay behind and not go out because the work is already done. The time will come when the entire world will work for you and you won't have to be out on the front line. By the time that happens I want you to have acquired a record that no one can top, that will enable you to stand proud and without shame. In order to obtain the greatest victory we must give our greatest devotion and make extraordinary sacrifice. Those who can do it, raise your hands. Thank you.
How many copies of the paper will you sell? Some members reluctantly go out to sell the newspaper while others say, "Father, I want to go out and I'll really live up to your expectation." Which kind are you? I know that even some leaders have been complaining. I'm sure that from this time on there will be no such person among you.
We must create the journalism and the mass communication of justice. Unless we can turn journalism around, how can we save America? If I am basically a religious leader, why do I become ensnarled in such a difficult worldly task? My goal is to save the world and unless we can influence the media to become an instrument of good, the world will be ruined even faster. Everything must focus on this problem. This newspaper is really a showdown for us so your eyes must focus on the newspaper and your mouth and ears and every other organ as well. Your mind and heart and will must be focused upon the newspaper. I want you to know with complete certainty that this is my own policy. No matter how good a leader someone may be, if he can't do well in selling newspapers, I don't need him in that position.
I seldom send out personal letters, but I recently sent out directions to all the foreign missions around the world that they should serve as reporters for the News World. They have a dual mission as missionaries and as reporters. When the European leaders came for a conference I also emphasized to them how they must contribute to the News World. We must follow God's pattern; God is holding His own will and ideal in one hand and in the other He is pulling the satanic world to His side. That is exactly what we must do-seize our Principle way of life and at the same time grab the media to speak to the world. People controlling the channels of mass communication have significant power to influence peoples' opinions so we must pull their work toward God's goal. It is God's way to fulfill a dual responsibility with no complaints.
I found an unusual inspiration in seeing the Western way of life, particularly in the style of eating. No matter how hungry Orientals may be they always use one hand, but Westerners use two hands for cutting and holding and grabbing. By seeing this nature I knew that Westerners are equipped to handle dual responsibilities. Yet even having that tradition, Westerners are most single minded! You only think about one thing at a time; if you are told to do two or more things you become totally confused about where to start.
Your two eyes are both coordinated, as well as your two ears and two hands. What does all this show? Can't you do two missions at the same time? Some people say that if they try to do two things at once that neither one gets done, but that is so ridiculous that you shouldn't even talk about it. If you can't do two things well it is only because you lack commitment.
You can be like the gunfighters in Westerns who fire both guns at the same time. We don't want just one-gun fighters! Isn't it more exciting to see someone using both guns at the same time rather than just one? You must be able to pursue dual goals, but that does not mean you need a dual spouse. That is the only exception and other than that you can do many things. If you want to have a lot of children, go ahead and have dozens of children!
Even though you may lose one hour of sleep in order to reach your assigned newspaper area, go ahead. When God instructs me to do something I may get no sleep at all, but I do it willingly. Likewise you must do 100%. I am instructing you from the public point of view and from God's standpoint. Not only will your fulfillment of those instructions give you satisfaction, but it will benefit all of New York. If you are going around the instructions and looking for the easy way out then your efforts are unacceptable. The more effort is needed to bring your accomplishment, the more blessing you can bring to the spirit world. If you sell 100 copies in a convenient area but another seller has to travel a greater distance and then sells 100 copies, his accomplishment has greater value. The person willing to take up the worst kind of responsibility with enthusiasm shall control the world. Are you trustworthy? I had all the IOWC teams come to New York and I want to see them completely outdo the New York members.
I am speaking now to the blessed couples stationed in New York. You must not become a burden to the church. The World Mission Center is home to those on the front line and I will chase out anyone who thinks their family is an excuse for not selling newspapers. If the Japanese couples are like that, they should go back to Japan. They should not become a burden to the hard-working men and women in the World Mission Center. If any American couple is like that, they should go to another center. The World Mission Center is the battlefield and everyone must keep pace with the fighting forces who live in this building. Otherwise, they do not deserve to live or eat here.
If you have a complaint, please raise your hand and tell me. Is your complaining for the sake of America and the world or are you complaining from a selfish point of view? If your answer is the latter, you must stop centering upon yourself because it affects all those around you. God needs men and women who can dedicate themselves to humanity and the world. There are no exceptions.
God's dispensation cannot be entrusted to selfish people. Men of honor and justice will live in the World Mission Center. This is God's house and must be utilized solely for God's purpose. So much sweat and blood and sacrifice went into purchasing and restoring the World Mission Center that any activity that is not for God's purpose must not occur here.
Sometimes I get very tired and I want to lie down even for a few moments, but my conscience never permits me to do that. If I am living like that then how can you take a nap? If you think of the world, God and posterity, you realize there is a lot of work to be done. I want to leave the most meaningful inheritance to you and my plans for our Church are not for my own purpose but for you.
Anyone opposing God's will is our enemy. The communists are watching and waiting to see us crumble but that day will never come. If people curse you and scorn you, don't retaliate. Instead say to yourself, "Wait just three more years and we'll meet again then." That is what I have been doing all these years. Opposition is like an elixir to me; it always stimulates and spurs me on to accomplish more courageous things. Anyone on the side of justice grows stronger with opposition and difficulty and therefore we are bound to be successful.
Today after pledging a new determination, will you rise up to a higher level of accomplishment, or will you continue at the same pace that you have been keeping? When you come home after a day's work and feel you have not fulfilled the day's quota, you have to cry out in repentance and ask God for forgiveness. God's heart will be moved and He will have mercy upon you. The dark night of evil is so close at hand that we cannot let a day go by without having absolute commitment.
I do not want you to be defeated but to be victorious men and women. I must do more than any of you. Anyone who can survive and prosper under such discipline for ten years can then go out and do anything in the world; he has nothing to fear and there is nothing he cannot be successful at. This is how I think about myself.
Everyone who really understands the purpose of the Unification Church, whether in spirit world or on earth, wants us to be successful. I am restless because the goal is so near. It is like a tug of war; the day is coming when the rope will break and we'll jump over the victory line. I want you to be busy working hard from this time on and to be proud of the schedule you are keeping. Perhaps you beautiful young ladies will want to be transferred to a remote area if you cannot keep the pace I have set. Actually I am a person to be pitied. I do not like to push you out either, but for the sake of God and humanity I have to do it. Can you sympathize with me?
Throughout human history women have been defeated by men, but from this time on I want you women to be victorious over men. The small Japanese women have been working under adverse conditions here in America, yet they are so determined to not fall behind the men that they have been winning over them. You American women, however, do not think in that manner, do you?
Do you want me to trust you? In order to trust you I must train and discipline you and push you out. Will you stand for that? Sometime I would like to invite only the women to Barrytown to catch carp in the muddy lagoon. The carp are bigger than you are and they are so heavy that You will just sink into the mud. Would you throw the carp away to lighten your load and call for help or would you tenaciously cling to the carp and call for help? I'm sure 99% of you women would throw the carp away!
Everyone knows that Mr. Ken Sudo is a short man. When he was fishing in the Barrytown lake he sank in the mud and could not move. Probably all of you women will sink in the mud too. If there were only one or two of you then you could be pulled out, but if all of you sank at once, what could we do? The high tide would cover you! Then all the newspapers would print that I buried the women in the mud. Do you still think I should take you to Barrytown? If I do we will need a special watch force prepared to rescue you.
One year ago the Korean Folk Ballet asked to go out to sea with me. I told them that the sea is rough and that it would be very difficult, but they persisted and finally I took them fishing for tuna. After the boat had gone out one mile, the entire Korean Folk Ballet was wiped out! If I hadn't taken them out then at least I would have remembered them for having the willingness and guts to go, but instead the trip was a miserable failure and it is not a pleasant memory. The same applies to you. I know that no matter how loudly or how much you women shout, I cannot trust that you can do it.
Can you surpass the men at selling newspapers? I cannot trust that either until you show me you can do it. What about you clumsy men? Will you be defeated by the women? I cannot trust you men either because you are too easily distracted and are tempted by so many things. Do you all want to show me what you can do? Will the men or the women be the winners? I want you both to be the winners and then I will gladly be defeated.
In that way the Unification Church will never be defeated. If you can defeat me then the Unification Church will prosper. If I can defeat you then the Unification Church will decline. I want you to be champions! I trust that you can do it.
Let us rise up at this hour as the men and women of justice. Raise your hands if you pledge to fulfill the role as men of justice. Let's be victorious together. May God bless you and be with you. Let us pray.
