The Central Figure And The Transitional Period

Reverend Sun Myung Moon
March 7, 1976
Chung-pa Dong Headquarters Church
Seoul, Korea
Translator -- Il Hyon Kim

Prayer

Father! Today is March 7, 1976. It is the first Sunday morning of this month. Please let the whole universe be filled with Your glory, mercy and compassion.

Born to life in the fleeting course of history, each human being holds himself in high esteem and promises Heaven that he will reap victory during his lifetime. But in reality all people lead a life of continuous sighing, revealing in their own personal lives the accumulated failure of humankind. Please allow them to have compassion on themselves for this miserable state.

Human beings do not have answers to such questions as: where they began, what kind of courses they must go through, and where they are heading. Father, You know the direction of their past, present and future. I realize that without Your compassionate loving mind, no one could do anything about this heart-rending state of affairs and see Your highness and nobleness and the hope-filled world of victory. We have already seen that none of man's own associations or relationships or anything of like nature can introduce the human ideal. The experiment to prove the validity of this has been completed.

For that reason, only when people transcend the human and come to know and worship You as the Absolute Being can they transcend the realities of life and start a beacon fire for future pioneering. That is the only hope left to humanity.

Father! Since You founded the Unification Church in such a confused world, please don't let us stop breathlessly running toward the apex of Your hope, even if our path is treacherous. I earnestly pray that You will allow us to become the true, historical, heavenly children who can surmount anyone's persecution, anyone's interruptions, and the interference of any country or influential person.

Father! Please feel concern about the shape of things in Korea. Please watch over the path the people of the world should take, Father. I know that they must not perish. Humankind should not meet with destruction. Yet I know that their salvation is possible only under Your guidance. All that results from humanistic relationships will end up in despair and sorrow. When I think of this, I know that someone has to carry out the mission to newly connect with You. I know that doing that would be taking charge of part of the mission history wishes to be carried out. All religious people of the world today must take charge of this mission and allotment of responsibility. They must go over to the world of final victory by contriving heartistic relationships that transcend nationalism. Although the mission to shoulder the long fostered final hope of dissolving and resolving the bitter resentment and limitations of humankind is left to the religious people, since numerous religious people do not know this, Father, please look at them with compassion.

I know that all religions move toward one concluding point. I think of all religious people as pitiable people who offer their minds, bodies and all that they have, trying to subjugate everything before the subject of their faith. They seek to attain what will be of value in the future. I know that the people who go the path of faith are those who follow, promising to lead lives of trials and conquest by denying themselves and surmounting the environment. They look forward only to the hope of the future and break fresh ground. Please have a compassionate mind toward them, and allow them to become the ones who can stop the phases of human misery that are ruining humankind. Based on such a viewpoint, I feel that the responsibility of the Unification Church today is so great.

Please take a kindly interest in Your children gathered here this morning. Such questions as "For whom have I gathered here? What am I seeking? What am I going to find? What am I going to leave behind in my heart that is of value in my life?" are very important. Therefore, Father, please grant us the grace from Heaven that can fill up the questioning minds with Your compassion this morning. I sincerely wish and desire this.

Not long from now, on June 1, 1976, we are planning to have a Rally at Yankee Stadium in New York, America. Since the children of Unification scattered around the world are funneling their devotion in one direction, Father, please listen to all of their prayerful cheering. By remembering the day of victory, please allow this to be a day the memory of which You can praise. I pray this from the bottom of my heart.

Since today is the first Sunday of this month, I pray sincerely that Your limitless blessing will be with all who gather in Your name -- all religious organizations and all of Your children. I earnestly wish and desire that You will encourage them to do more than promise to accomplish the responsibility left to the righteous religious people as standard-bearers of world liberation. Please let Your limitless love be with us in the remaining time. I pray in the name of True Parents. Amen.

Why Human Beings Seek to Become Beings of Higher Value

It is true that the people who live in this world wish to see improvement around them. They cherish a certain hope, even if they are not consciously aware of it. It is true that they seek to become beings of a higher level of value in the future than they are now.

Such a human proclivity will continue as history flows. It was the case in the past, it is the case in the present, and it will be the case in the future. When you think of this matter, you come face to face with the very important question of when the ideal world we seek will come.

We know that there were thoughtful people in the past. However, the environment or the society, the state or the world in which they lived could not satisfy their desire. When we think of this, we can deduce that there were people throughout the periods of history who gave a lot of thought to surmounting their environment and developing it into a higher dimension, a future world of hope.

It is the same now and it will be the same in the future. Why are we so? Why must we seek to attain the ideal of the future like this? It is because human beings did not have an ideal start from the very beginning. Because human beings could not start from an ideal position, they cannot but go toward the ideal. That is the natural conclusion.

Why couldn't we start from the ideal position? If we had become more valuable beings than our original state, then we would have started from an ideal position. Why, then, couldn't we begin ideally? What was the reason? All the people of the past, present and future picture the ideal in their minds. If God created human beings with love, He should have enabled them to go from an ideal starting position to a place of better and higher happiness, yet He didn't. What was the reason? Considering these matters, we cannot help but think that there is some aspect of failure here.

From this point of view, if God existed as the center of an absolute ideal, He would have wanted to help human beings become thus. Human beings were not to assume such a position right from birth. If human beings came to be in such a position after a process, even though they are not that way from the start, we can accept God as good. If, on the contrary, human beings were left in a position where they were forever yearning for this ideal yet never got past the start, then we cannot help but conclude that God cannot be our ideal center.

Human beings are in a position to yearn for such things as goodness, ideals and happiness because, while they go through the prescribed process, they have not yet been able to emerge from it. In this sense, we cannot but recognize such terminology as the Fall, which religious people use. When we apply such a term as the Fall and acknowledge that it occurred, then we understand these matters. Why is it so? It is because people are in the fallen realm.

Our human ancestors fell right at the place where they could have made an ideal start, having already gone over a certain period. They were facing the time of the ideal. Yet because they fell from that state, none of their descendants could surmount and rise above that standard. Therefore, the original standard which we must go over with hope for the future still remains to be achieved. The action of our conscience, that is, our original nature, is moving toward that original standard at all times, even when we are not aware of it.

For instance, let's take the case of a magnet. The strongly positive magnetic force of one magnet orients itself unconsciously toward the negative magnetic force of another magnet. The same type of action takes place in our minds or in the constitution of our original nature.

Without the Cosmic Level Transitional Period, We Cannot Receive the Ideal World

Human beings who fell, committed wrong and remained in a state of immaturity. We still wish to reach the state of maturity and attain a higher level of value within ourselves. This has been human history. What is needed here is a transitional period. In order to go beyond an environment, an individual level transitional period is required, a family level transitional period is required, a national and worldwide level transitional period is required. If there is Heaven and Earth, a transitional period in which the Heavens and the Earth make an about-face will be required. Otherwise, no matter how we human beings seek to attain the ideal home, we won't be able to achieve it. When we perform a turn-about, we must do it through the guidance of a central figure. We cannot execute the turn haphazardly.

What is it we seek? If we talk about a family, there has to be a central figure. Even if the family has been suffering destitution, if the central figure of that family takes the step of making a complete about-face and from there starts accomplishing, then the standard of hope for a renewed family will come about. The same principle applies to the clan, the tribe, and the nation, as well as to the white-robed race and to Korea. If this Korean nation is fated in the realm of the Fall to perform a turn-about in the course of history, then the national level transitional period will definitely have to come to pass.

When you look at the whole of Asia, there are peoples of various nations. The less-developed Asian countries can eventually lift themselves up to be newly-advanced, ideal countries only when each of the constituent countries receives in common the transitional period for Asia. For this to happen, there will definitely have to come a whole Asian level transitional period. Going further, a worldwide level transitional period will have to come.

As you know, the world you are looking at now is in confusion. Some say that this is the period of downfall in the sense of value -- a period of breakaway from ideology. When we face such a reality, we cannot fail to see that people are moaning in despair. Thus, we realize that we need a worldwide level transitional period by either successfully dealing with this world or by rising above it. This applies not only to the Korean people but to the American people, who are guiding the democratic world. Even the Soviet Union, guiding communism, suffers internally from such pains. Without distinctions of the individual, a nation or a country all are looking forward to the rapid progress of the morrow without knowing it. Since all of us are in such a fate, we wish to see the transitional period for the whole world come.

Then what is the problem now? The point of transition for the individual is facing the north, the point of transition for the nation is facing the south, the point of transition for the world is facing the east, and the point of transition for Heaven and Earth is facing the west. Is it then possible to make a complete about-face while each part of the whole faces a different direction? If that is to happen, even if an individual level turn-about or a national level one or a worldwide level or even a Heaven and Earth level turn-about occurs, they cannot be linked together.

The world is made up of many individuals called "I." Korea is composed of the expansion of an individual, and humanity is also made up of combined peoples, which is the integration of linked individuals. Therefore, there absolutely has to be a transitional period in which the individual direction, the familial direction, the societal direction, the national direction and the worldwide direction are brought conclusively into a common direction. Has this ever happened successfully in history? Has there emerged in the course of human history a distinguishable path after the direction is brought into line? No, there hasn't.

Confused as they were, people have come through the individual level period, the family level period, the tribal, the society and the national level periods and finally have arrived at the worldwide level period. While they try to perform a turn-about after arriving at this worldwide level period, if they would have made an about-face centering around this democratic world and the communist world and then been able to leap over to the ideal world, that would have been fine. That was not the case. As far as the world is concerned, it should be established on the grounds of having the individual and familial foundations, as well as the foundations of the nations. Since all those must be connected to one another, even if this is the period of the worldwide level, the transitional period appears after synthesizing all at one point. Unless the cosmic level transitional period in which individuals, families, nations and the world can get connected and brought in line with one direction, we won't be able to have the ideal world we all wish for. We come to that conclusion. In that sense, "The Central Figure and the Transitional Period" is very significant.

We Should Become a Central Figure Who is the Center of One and the Center of the Whole at the Same Time

Now let us come back and think about ourselves. Am I really my own master? There are Mr. Kims, Mr. Parks, and so on. Under each surname, each one insists upon his own ideas. If ever one gets mistreated a little bit by another party, he wishes to return accusation full force. Each one holds himself in high esteem. But is one really his own master? That is the problem. Do you have mastery? No matter how much I insist upon my own ideas, I do not have mastery over myself. Throughout the periods of youth, middle age and old age, their whole lives, people wander about without a sense of direction. The path that leads to happiness does not lie there. Happiness should be eternal and absolute. Am I ready to be happy? In other words, have I found the self who can be my master forever? That is the question.

Rather than saying Mr. So and So is the master of the country or of the world, the problem is whether you know the master who can say, "Regardless of whether I represent the country, the world or Heaven and Earth, I am the master of myself and that position is secure." What human beings need to attain is mastery on the individual level, mastery on the family level, mastery on the tribal level, mastery on the national level, and worldwide level mastery. The position of mastery is one and the same. That means everything is all connected. [Father speaks while writing on the board.] That is, the master is the center. When we talk about being a center, we mean that it concurrently becomes the individual level center, the family level center, the country level center, the worldwide level center, and the center of Heaven and Earth.

Ladies and gentlemen, you know the toothed wheel that controls the speed of the balance spring in a wristwatch, don't you? It has a shaft that looks like this, swinging back and forth. This can be extended any length. It is a straight line. Do you agree? It could go to the end of the sky, but the end is one point. [Father draws a diagram on the board.] Similarly, this side is thicker, and this side is like an individual. When there is some little mistake made here, then the whole will have a problem. As long as this exists and operates, there should be a center that can operate as the support to this extension while remaining plumb to it.

We cannot say that a small center is not a center just because it is small. A small thing can be the center of a big thing. Do you understand what I mean? Although the center is small, it becomes the center of one as well as the center of the whole. The whole relies on the one center. The matter of the center is the issue.

Looking at ourselves from such a perspective, do we want to contend with each other? No, we don't want to contend with each other, confronting one another. Though I am standing here, I want to contend with the universe. I have the thought that if I move, the universe moves. Aren't you the same way? You fight at the risk of your life, feeling angry when someone makes light of you. You try to combat them. What is the reason for this? It is the human desire to set the values of ourselves up against the universe and contend with the Supreme Being, if there is such. Don't you agree? There is no one who is not like that. It is human desire not to confine my own individual standard of value to that of the individual, to try to set it up in a position where it can be the center as well as the subject of the value of the whole -- where it can mutually give and receive relative value when dealing with the whole.

This Is the Final Period in History Without a Central Being

Where is the place of the master, where the center of an individual can get connected to the center of the family, the center of the family can get connected to the center of the nation, and the center of the nation can get connected to the center of the world, and so on to the center of Heaven and Earth? This is the problem. Is there really a master inside of you? Suppose that your mind is the master. Can you trust your mind? There is a saying that human nature is fickle, isn't there? Yes, there is a saying that while human nature is changeable, the mountains are the same for all ages. How miserable is it that we live relying on our mind that keeps changing many times a day according to the changes of the environment?

Even if this extension moves back and forth, if the center is kept in balance, harmony can be achieved. But if this part falls away and the rest tries to work without the support, it is an extremely dangerous affair. Looking at today's individuals, we can picture the toothed wheel of a watch without the support, rolling about here and there as it pleases. Moving back and forth, rolling over and over -- if it were rolling over and over in this fashion on the streets of this global village, think of how everything would collide and thus break. That is exactly what is happening.

That being the case, what is the problem now? A righteous center and righteous master must set up. This has to become the support to the center of the whole. This should be able to point the direction and operate for the common ideal and guide it all to progress toward a certain goal. But where is such a central diameter, central direction, central hometown, and central plumb of value? This is the most significant matter for concern.

Jesus said, "The Kingdom of Heaven is in your mind." What kind of mind did he mean? Which mind was set up as the standard? Did he mean the mind of a disciple who had the mind to either sell off or forsake Jesus at any time? No, he did not mean that kind of mind. He meant the conscientious mind that can go directly toward the one direction forever, without fail -- the mind that has been transformed before the eternally immutable standard of the original nature. The Kingdom of Heaven exists in the middle of the ground of such a mind. Whose mind is this? The one that is centered on God's mind is such a mind.

Where is the Kingdom of Heaven? If you say it is in the mind of God and in the mind of the person who has a mind that resembles the mind of God, then that sounds all right. But if you say that the Kingdom of Heaven is in continent mind, that does not sound right. We talk about things or even criticize things based on a certain central point. Only after we set up a certain standard called a goal can we distinguish progress and regression, front and rear, right and left, based on that standard.

What on Earth is the central being of this world today? That is the question. Is there a master of your mind in your own selves? This master of your mind should not say, "Let's go this way while I'm young." You have to go straight from the moment of birth until the time of death, throughout your lifetime, without distinction of youth or age. If there is a path I must go, I should be able to say, "This is a path not only I must go, but all people must go." We must reach the standard where we can discover our own selves, the selves who can determine the central direction for all people of the past, present and future. Only when people reach the standard where they can determine such a central direction and their own selves can they become their own master for the first time. It makes sense when you say, "I advance with this conscience, with which I can be the master of the standard." If you mumble about, running around as you please without a direction and goal, then it is very dangerous. It will quickly result in more and more destruction and self-ruin rather than happiness as you approach the final day. You must know this fact.

When you think of such an aspect on the individual level, you naturally come to the conclusion that such a miserable final day will come to humanity, for it will be reflected on the national and worldwide levels. The final period is dangerous to this world of humanity, which has not yet found the image of and does not have the central being.

When will such a time come? Right now is such a time. People with wealth worry because they have it. People without wealth worry because they don't have it. Big countries worry because they are big. Small countries worry because they are small. All kinds of problems exist. Where there are problems, there cannot be happiness. A nation or a world that looks at resolving problems as a hobby could be a happy nation or world. But when the problems are brain-wracking, they are miserable. In other words, a healthy man who digests everything and anything eats without hesitation and is happy. For a weak person, on the other hand, who suffers from stomach trouble and is sick and cannot digest everything, eating can become a bitter thing.

The Center Should Be Immutable

What is necessary to human beings? Some say what we need is money. Can money solve the fundamental problems of human beings, who have been seeking throughout history to attain all ideals? Far from it. That is impossible. What about power? That, too, is impossible. What about knowledge? That, too, is impossible. What should be the center? What should be the central being? Should it be the body or the mind? If the mind changes less than the body, then the mind becomes the center. The thing that changes more becomes external.

What is it that changes less among human beings? Only after setting up these kinds of essential qualities that change less should we seek to attain them. Things of a changeable nature will not do. Only after setting up the unchanging original nature within ourselves should we seek to attain unchanging value within ourselves. What is more valuable which does not change?

In relation to human beings, there are two things we can count. One is life and the other is love. Life has a direct bearing on us, and love is formed when you have a relationship with a reciprocating partner. That is why you set much value upon yourselves and hold your lives in great regard.

If you look into the hundreds of surnames of your ancestors, you find much differentiation. We cannot say all our ancestors were good. There might have been some bad ones. Our ancestry might be variegated. From the paternal line, some might be good, while they may not be good at all from the maternal line. They were the result of being gathered up from all over the world and then spread throughout the east and west, where they were freely blended.

If your ancestors' sphere of goodness throughout history is analyzed, it may be seen that there is a great diversity in degrees of good and bad, similar to the mountains and mountain ranges of this global village. Some ranges of mountains stretch straight and are of worldwide repute, while others do not stretch because they are cut into pieces in an unimaginable fashion, creating hollow places and leaving various configurations of the ground. Like a water hole closeted in the deepest valley, a human being might express his desire, saying, "Oh, I would really like to be a mountain top." Yet it is not going to happen. We are leashed to the string of fate that we cannot do anything about and about which we do not know. This applies to Korea, too. Korea is tied fast to the string of a fate that is not known. Picture the scene where that string of fate goes up and down, dances, and moves left and right.

There is some kind of standard line in the middle of this universe that gives direction as to how the being called "I" should go. The directions are similar to: "Going over to the right is good; going over the top is also good; going over to the left is bad; going down below is also bad." It cannot be that both ways are good. It cannot be that this side as well as that side are good. There is such a saying that the right side indicates good luck, the left side indicates bad luck, up is lucky and down is unlucky. On either side of the middle on a straight line, if there are more things on the right, that means there are more good things; if there are more things on the left, that means more bad things. Either way is possible. [Father writes on the board.]

Where is the being called "I" standing? Where do "I" stand? Without knowing where they stand, people say, "Human beings are equal." That is not the case, however. Are all branches of a tree equal? They look equal, don't they? But the amount of sap that goes to each branch is different. Do you agree? They all receive the sap from the same position, but the amount varies. When a certain branch receives lots of sap through the trunk of the tree, it will thicken.

The same principle applies to human beings. If lots of good people come out and are in the position where they can absorb the sap of the root well, if the branch gets strong, the stalk will survive, even if the stalk until now has grown crooked. It is the same way trees grow. Watching things like these, whatever can we set down as the standard? It has to be an immutable thing. It must be straight.

You say something like, "This man has his mind straight," don't you? Where do you attach importance when you say a man's mind is straight? When we say something is straight, we mean that in two ways. One is to mean horizontally straight, where its straightness parallels a standard straight line on a horizontal plane, and the other is vertically straight, when its straightness makes a right angle (90 degrees) in relation to the horizontal plane. Without the mention of verticality and horizontally, it is difficult to talk about straightness.

When we talk about straightness, which standard is it based on? We cannot just obscurely say, "Straight." That is a self-centered remark. Have you become the vertical line of the universe? Originally, you should stand in a position where your mind should form an ideal right angle before an ideal horizontal standard. Only after that can you complain about your discontent, insist upon your presence, insist that you shouldn't be infringed upon, etc. Since that isn't the case, all arguments for and against are nonsense.

This thing called the standard, this horizontal line, must transcend time and place. It must transcend the past, present and future. If it is horizontal today but is changed tomorrow, then it is no good. The horizon remains horizontal wherever you see it. Think of the surface of the sea. Is there a difference between the American horizon and the Korean horizon? It is common everywhere that water keeps its surface level. That is why when people build a Korean house, they use a level also, so that the house won't collapse. There may be differences in height and differences in standard, but the fact of having to maintain horizontally remains absolutely universal.

In this sense, the matter for concern for us is what to do with the fundamental problems. Speaking of human beings, if their mind and body become completely one, forming a right angle to each other, they are not aware of any difficulty.

The Being of Value We Are All Inclined Toward Should Become the Center

Think of water that circulates. If I put this object in the water, it will circulate, keeping a uniform form and shape. But if this object is crooked, it will create some irregularities. (Father spoke while writing on the board.) What does this mean? While in motion, if the angle is completely correct, the action of turning will not be interrupted. A problem occurs only when a slight difference in angle comes into being. Even with something like a high speed lathe, if the angle is correct, it accelerates faster as it turns. But if the angle is incorrect, it gets into trouble the moment it starts, making a thumping noise. By the same principle, human beings also should maintain a correct angle in terms of horizontally and verticality. The horizontal line should cut the vertical line at right angles. In that sense, we come to notice yet another transmutation in our own selves. Even though the term "transmutation" sounds a little awkward, it comes into being as a strange, distinct acting entity because mind and body are on a separate plane. Isn't that right? If they maintain right angles to each other and stand on the 180 degree standard, they would be able to turn without feeling any percussion or impediment. But if one maintains five degrees and the other maintains ninety degrees in relation to the other, noisy friction is created.

Wherever can we set up the central point that old people, youth, Orientals and Westerners, without distinction of ancient and modern times, and even Communists would like -- and not only human beings but God also would like? What can that be? That is the problem.

When I see things, for whom am I seeing? You are looking at things, blinking your eyes. What are you looking at? You are looking at none other than your object partner. Then do my eyes exist for me or to see the object partner? For whom do they exist? To see the object partner or to see myself? They don't exist to see myself. There is no need to see myself. The eyes exist to see not myself but the object partner. How sorry we are to hear that! (Laughter) But it is true.

For whom do the ears exist? Do they exist to listen to my own words? To listen to whose words do my ears exist? (The object partner's) They all exist for the sake of the opposite. To touch whom and for whom do my hands exist? Why is the strength in me spent? For what purpose do I do this action? For myself? Self-centered action is a waste. Get active for your own sake for ten minutes; you will find yourselves not liking it. Then for whom do you try to go into action? For the sake of the opposite, the object partner. Viewed from that standpoint, then do we decide the value of human beings based on how they relate to their opposite or based on themselves? This is a problem.

The Ideal Home of Man Cannot Come About Without Love

With priority given to life itself, is the life of the male most important or the life of the female most important? Which is first? Females would say females were first, and males would say males were first. Which is first, the chicken or the egg? It doesn't matter much. It is all right not to know the answer to that question. What matters is that they both need something so much that they cannot live without it. Once they have that, they would not care much about which one is first and which one is last. They would not care which one is the subject and which one is the object. Neither would mind being either. If there were something eternal and immutable that all people like, that would be an ideal thing.

If you look into it, you will find that ideal thing is not life. Even life is not the ideal thing. What is it? [Love.] Yes, love is that ideal thing! I am not sure whether you mean permitted love or illicit love, but nevertheless, love is the ideal thing. Do you like love? Do you like sarang? Love in Korean is sarang. One of the Chinese characters which reads sa has a meaning of death, and one of the Chinese characters which reads rang has a meaning of one's husband. (Laughter) I don't mean that kind of love.

Considering these kinds of matters, we can conclude that without love, we cannot attain the ideal home all human beings pine for. You cannot accomplish the ideal home without love. If there is a path that can lead straight toward the ideal state, what kind of path will that be? It will not be a path of struggle as in communism. It is the path of love. You must realize that.

What does religion pursue? Philosophy today seeks to answer the question, "What is the meaning of existence?" Why do we need to know that? Rather than seeking to know the cause, what is the reason? Why do we exist? It is necessary to know the cause, but knowing the reason is more necessary. Don't you think so?

Why do I exist? Why do I have eyes such as I have -- why do I have a mouth? Why have I ended up being like this? When you investigate these kinds of questions, you will come to know that you don't exist for yourselves. You come to the conclusion that you exist for the sake of the universe, for the sake of something bigger.

What is the nucleus that an existence itself, having a point of safe settlement, can forever long for, the common ideal, of its own accord? For that, we have to bring out love. Philosophy does not know love. Centering on the question of what existence means, theories of existence have become a big issue and pose problems in thinking, while logic attaches importance to the question of how human beings feel value. Love is on a far different plane.

In contrast, religion deals with love. What kind of love? God's love. God's love is an immutable love. If you took love out of novels today, what would be left? Lies of lies that crazy people engage themselves in. What are poems? What are poets? All of them are intoxicated by futile argument or vagrant fancy and argue pointlessly about love. The same criticism applies to the religious life also. Once you take out the heartistic tie of the religious life, nothing remains in it. The central being must give priority to something people in general can value. This leads us to the conclusion that an individual has to attach importance not to life but to love, by all means.

Where would God, if He exists, put the origin of the creation of the universe? Would He put it in life or love? For God, His own life is the most precious thing. However, one's life cannot exist only as a self. It is impossible for one's own life to be aware of itself. By mutually giving and receiving with a being called an object partner, one will be able to obtain a guide as to the presence of difference, balance, or big differences. That is why something that is central in a reciprocal relationship, rather than life itself, must certainly be set up. In that sense, God Himself also has to set up love.

Only God's Eternal, Immutable, Ideal Love Can Save Humanity

What kind of love are we to stress? What kind of life are we thinking of? We are thinking of a life centering on love. Satanic love? No. Then are we talking about the humanistic, secular, personal level, Mr. So and So's level of love? No, not that either. That cannot be the standard. Can you be the standard? Say you are someone who can say, "I have sons and daughters in my family who have graduated from various colleges; some have a Bachelor's degree, some have even their Master's degree. Because of my sons and daughters, wherever I go in Korea, people receive me with respect and call me 'the father of Dr. So and So' with their heads bowed down. Then I show my dignity." Are we talking about that kind of love? That kind of thing might be a priority at a certain time, in a family or for a generation. However, it cannot be of foremost importance forever.

Love is eternal and unchanging, unique and ideal. Ideal love! Even if it is not there, only when we set it up even as false logic can we find a way to save humanity today. That is why, even if it is not there, we must make it. Even if there is no God, if it is possible to set up an imaginary being, that imaginary being still can play the role until it is proven whether God exists or not. Now is that kind of time. How nice would it be if God exists? How nice? Which would be nicer -- the communists disappearing from the Earth or the love of God, which we had assumed did not exist, actually turning out to exist? Which one would please us more? (The latter) Yes, the latter. From the position of dealing with the issue of God's existence, from the position of accepting the existence of God, all can be resolved by bringing out God's love.

Can we solve everything with love? Problems are solved by people who center on love. When we say people, do we mean men or women? We mean men and women. If a man and a woman unite centering on God's love, would there be happiness or unhappiness? This applies even to fallen people. Don't you think so? Think of the universe. Why were a man and a woman created? Imagine if only a man had been created. Why has the universe ended up being the way it is? Some say it all happened according to the law of natural selection, but there are males and females in birds, fish, horses, cats, dragonflies, ants and even in microbes. Why did it happen this way? Anyone who says it all happened by chance is crazy. It couldn't happen without a cause.

What is the cause of the occurrence of male and female? It is not logical to say that although the cause is not known the result is what happened. Why were those males and females created? To do what? To fight? Look at human history. It is full of fights. Human beings are said to continue to exist through their intrinsic qualities of conflict. Listen to the theory of evolution.

Well! Do a male and a female exist to fight? Do they exist to fight or to be united? By what? (By love) What would happen if there were no love? Needless to say, they would have fought with each other most of all. Without love, the fight between man and woman would have been fierce. Why? Because the grain of seed is different between the two. Since the woman has a different grain of seed, why would the man have left her alone? He would have cleaned them out. Once the woman had gone, would the man still survive? He would disappear also. Why is that? Why is it necessarily so?

They exist for love. Because of love, human beings are higher than animals. They are on a different plane. I told Sang Hun Lee (Dr. Sang Hun Lee) about this yesterday. We hear some people say that they would die for the sake of humanity, that they would die for the sake of their country. Why do they do that? Do animals do that? Have you ever heard a horse saying, "Ah! I am going to die for the sake of the horse's world"? Did you ever see that kind of thing? Or a cat saying, "I am going to die for the sake of the world of cats"? Can you imagine a pig saying, "I am going to die for the sake of the pig's world"? Human beings have a different coefficient. When they say things like "Sacrifice for the sake of your fellow countrymen," and "Let's sacrifice our lives for the sake of humanity," they not only say it but also put it into practice. Did you know that?

Why does this Mr. Moon go to America and bother to spend even a cent? Why? Since every single penny I spend was earned by shedding blood and sweat, why do I do that? Until now I have exerted much influence on many organizations in Korea and spent much money on them. For what reason? I had saved the money by not eating food and not wearing nice clothes. Why would I spend that money that has the value of my blood and sweat? I often starved myself, hesitating to go to the coffee shops and spend money for a cup of tea, refraining from going to noodle shops to buy and eat a bowl of noodles. Yet, for a good cause, I have never hesitated to write checks for tens or hundreds of millions of won. Why would I do that? Why? Please don't get the wrong idea, saying, "Ah, since the teacher said that he was giving away as much as hundreds of millions of won, he may give some money to me also." (Laughter) That can happen only when you and I are bound by predestined relation, when you and I have justifiable reasons for it and when the value of the purpose of doing that is glorious. It is not going to happen solely for your own sake.

Human beings are different. They move from this position to that. Even after having a nice meal, they think of better foods. Animals, after a good meal, say, "Ah, I am so content," and then they sleep soundly and roll about. When you look at baby pheasants under a small pine tree with thick branches, they are so content, tumbling about and falling asleep. That's all they want. What about you? Once you are full, is there anything more that you want? You say, "Well, earning my graduation certificate from Seoul National University is my hope..." and you go ahead and earn it. Yet after you earn it, are you content and do you stop wanting anything more, saying, "Well, I am happy"? Once you earn your Bachelor's degree and Master's degree, do you stop wanting more? Human beings have great greed. That is the difference. Human beings have that special quality other animals don't have.

There are professors who insist upon the theory of evolution, who assert that human beings are the result of evolution and developed from lower animals. Do professors like the idea of having a common ancestor with monkeys-being relatives of monkeys? Even professors don't like that.

Man and Woman Centered on True Love Are the Standard of Hope Humanity Wishes For

What kind of being is God? God is a being who has a relationship with human beings. If God were different from human beings, would He be able to form a relationship with them? If human beings try to go up, God tries to come down. That's the way it should be. It should be that way for unification. If God also tries to go up when human beings try to go up, they cannot meet. That is why human beings try to go up and God tries to come down.

That is the reason people say that God will descend to this Earth or that the Messiah will descend to this Earth. Instead of saying they will ascend, they say they will descend. God wishes to come down. When He does that, since He is an honorable being, He cannot make a fruitless call on the Earth. Therefore, there has to be a proper time for His descent. There will be a right time for His coming. It involves His dignity, so it cannot be done imprudently.

When we make an appointment to meet at a certain time -- at 5 o'clock, for instance -- we must be at the appointed place at the appointed time in good faith. Only then will the opposite party say, "Yes, you are a punctual gentleman." If you arrive five minutes early, that five minutes will be wasted time. It is not economical. Don't you agree? If you are late even one minute, it is no good. If you show up on the fifth chime of the clock, it is not right. Only when you show up on the third chime is it ideal. The advent of God will occur likewise at a proper time, in such a fashion. God will wait for the right time for His descent.

If God exists, what would God and human beings center on? They are not beings who center on money, knowledge, or power. Only the one who has unchanging eternal love, only the ones who center on unchanging eternal love can transcend all steps of the social ladder. When the individual likes this love, the family dislikes it. Correct? When the family likes it, the clan dislikes it. Correct? Love looks unrefined, like an unattractive-looking fish called ho chi. One feels scared of seeing it in one's dreams, but the taste of its love is wonderful. When this becomes reality so that everyone, including the grandparents, the clan, the society, the nation, the world and God come to say, "I like it," all of us will come to join it. When that happens, the world will revolve around that one center.

The act of revolving is done with purpose. Centering on one direction, it is done in all directions. Just as there is a line of magnetic force on the Earth, that one direction carries out the eternally unchanging activity of giving and receiving. The Earth is not dead. It is active and alive. Because its line of magnetic force is in action, it is alive. Being in a living state is nothing unusual. Things in motion are alive.

When we think of a human being, we think of a man and a woman. Only a man and a woman who become completely united into one can become the cosmic central beings, human beings with value based on unchanging love. If that man and woman were in a country, that man would become the president of that country and that woman his wife. In the world, they would be the president and wife of that world.

What does the being center on? The dimension of the central being will differentiate according to how much impact on the realm of love the comparative standard of value the man and woman centering on love have, and how much power they have to be able to assume the responsibility in a subject partner's position. The conclusion is that the true man and the true woman who center on love are the standard of hope humanity wishes for.

Human civilization has come through many complicated wars, a series of conflicts. Nevertheless, this history of conflicts can be overcome all at once in the future and can be changed over to the ideal world. When that happens, what would be required? It won't be money, power or knowledge. This universe would like to revolve based on a true man and woman who center around perfectly true human love. Do you understand? Would you like to revolve around yourselves also? (Yes) Would the college professors like to revolve around too? Why do college professors need love? They should just become study-bugs. Professor Choi, do you like love? (Yes) (Laughter) What would our grandfathers have been like? Would they have liked love? (Yes) I know you like it, but what about your descendants? (They will like it, too) Can you revolutionize it? When there are beings called men and women, and they are seeking true love, can you revolutionize this? Can you make them forget about this through education? Can you educate them by saying, "Hey, you two, man and woman! Since I am teaching you after having made a strenuous effort for the past thousand years, you should not love each other"? Is that an education? They will say, "We don't need that kind of education. Even if you cut our throats, you cannot stop us. Nothing will." When you speak like this, you feel good, don't you?

Since God is mathematical, He has to conclude, "In the final days, a man and woman centering on True Love have to be found." This is the conclusion about the world of the future, after all this fleeting history. Otherwise, God is no more than an ideal. He is a nonsensical and vain God.

Seen from this viewpoint, where can we form the ideal conclusion? Are we going to bring this matter to a close at the relationship between professors and their pupils in a college? No. Then where? At the highest position in politics? Are we going to settle this in the living room of the world's richest couple? No. None of these are the right answer. God must bring the cosmic final days as well as the history of human civilization to a conclusion through the central persons of unchanging love, centering on one man and one woman who keep one love, who can embrace the universe and more, whom the universe needs and can care for.

Happiness is to Give When You Wish to Give and Receive When You Wish to Receive

The man and woman must know love. Why let them know love? What are they going to do after knowing it? Are they going to fight and have their relationship break off? No, not at all. They will stick fast to one another. Even if they are told not to be united, they will become united. I remember seeing some things on your wedding day. Although in Korean thought there is the notion of the predominance of men over women, in the case of Bo Hi Pak, when his petite bride said, "Please come," he followed her very well, saying, "Yes, yes." (Laughter) When she handed over a basket to her groom, saying, "This is heavy," he took it without complaining and followed her well. Seeing that, I was thinking to myself, "It is a magical, unique harmony. What caused me to think so? Isn't something strange? That proves that when it comes to love, everyone likes it, with his or her mouth watering. In that sense, love is the absolutely primary factor.

Now, think of an oily-faced, fleshy man with a fat belly eating a nice dinner. Would he be happy when he eats, mouth watering, all alone? Of course, he would be. But how much happier would a male general and a woman general feel when they eat dinner together, with their mouths watering? It would be a sight to see. There is an attraction. If one person was eating there alone, people would look at the person once and move on, thinking that one person reciprocating with him or herself is an unlucky thing. But if there are two people reciprocating, the more the people see them, the more they would enjoy seeing them. They would enjoy watching them laugh, they would enjoy watching them reciprocate; they would enjoy everything about them.

Where does happiness come from? It comes from the position where one can give whenever one wishes to give, forever, and one can receive wherever one wishes to receive, forever and wherever, including inside and outside of myself. That is, happiness is possible only where there is true, real love.

On Cheju Island these days, when maidens get married and receive an estate from their parents, it is said that they register the estate under their own name. The reason is said to be that they must assert themselves in case they are ever separated from their husband. Are they real, ideal couples? When handling money, the women might grab some smooth and crisp bills and say, "This is my money! The wrinkled bills are my husband's money!" (Laughter) Is that a right thing to do? That is not love. Think of this case. The woman breaks open the secret money packet and, finding all the money gone, asks, "What happened?" The man answers, "Oh, I spent it." The woman says, "Well, you spent it well. I don't mind your spending the money at all." This is the way it should be. But what if, on the contrary, with lips trembling with anger, the woman says, "Oh, my goodness! You spent the money again! What, again?" (Laughter) We should be able to open the secret packet and offer help, always. These days, some men try to lend their wife a bank's money at interest. One who is like that is like a flunkey.

You feel happiness when you can give limitlessly, always, and when you are able to give and receive freely, night and day, deep and low. You are unhappy when you are unable to give and receive when you want to. When the husband gives his wife the eye, then the wife is to receive it furtively. When the husband slips a word to his wife, then the wife is to take it quietly. When given something, without delay, you should be able to receive one hundred percent of it. If the husband moans in his dream, the wife is to wake him up, saying, "Honey, what is the matter? You were dreaming, weren't you? What happened, honey?" What if instead she says, "Oh, that useless headache! There he goes again, going senile!"

God Is Present Where Giving and Receiving Take Place

What is happiness? It is being able to give whenever there is a wish to give and to receive whenever there is a wish to receive, limitlessly. It is not happiness if you only give or if you only receive. If human beings today could give when they want to give and receive when they want to receive, they would be happy.

Can you give for the sake of the world? When this Mr. Moon says to the youth of the world and the people who follow the Unification Church with absolute faith, "Here! I will give this to you," they all then extend their hands, saying, "Yes! Please give it to us." When I say, "Go and fetch," they all then bring all they have, saying, "Yes." When that happens, Teacher Moon is not unhappy. Do you understand that? When you get into the action of giving and receiving, you are not causing any waste. You become the plus. Can you imagine how nice it is? Why do you become the plus? Because God is present where you get into the action of giving and receiving. A third person joins where the action is, according to the heavenly principles. That is the principle of the Unification Church.

When two people get into the action of giving and receiving, even the third person at their side feels good. There is a saying that you don't go and live in a room next to newlyweds who have been married less that three months. The newlyweds talk in whispers all night long. If the groom ever says, "Oh, please honey! Let me sleep ..." that man is a flunkey. Instead, the man should say, "Oh, really? Tell me all about it." How joyful would that be? God feels the same way. He likes talking in whispers about joyous things. The master, the Lord, enjoys it more than the people concerned.

Once I met an old woman matchmaker. One particular match she had made worked out well. After the wedding, she would come and visit this couple once a week and observe the pleasure of the man and the woman. She was able to tell how much she was appreciated. If the man had kept a sullen silence, that would have meant there was trouble. There was a very famous matchmaker in Pyongahn Bukdo province who was my aunt on my mother's side. She arranged about 500 couples' matching, which is less than the number I have. (Laughter)

If you listened to her about the secret of her success, she said she would find out whether the newlyweds were getting along well or not by testing the couple. She would approach the wife and ask in whisper, "Are you alright"? If the wife smiled a welcome to her, she would then know that everything was fine. Next, when she met the husband working in a rice paddy, she would ask him, "Is everything airight"? Then he would come running with a long step out of the rice paddy and express joy, looking happier to see her than to see his own mother. He would say with his wife standing next to her, "Oh, you've come. Please stay." (Laughter) At this time, this matchmaker lady turned to me and said, "Matchmaking is such a nice experience."

While going round the land of Korea, if she ran out of money, she would simply go and visit one of the families which she had helped through her matchmaking. According to her list of couples, they are graded 1, 2, 3. She would visit them and stay overnight at their place. The next day, she would simply say, "I wish to leave." Then the car fare would be ready. Even if her own son was very pious, he would not have been able to accompany her through her rounds, paying her fare. That is why there is happiness when one can give when one wishes to give, and one can receive when one wishes to receive. What do you think? (That is right)

When feeling happy, which object partner and which subject partner would be happier? The higher the subjectivity you have, the happier you feel. While living in Korea, some people who are living in a small village find happiness in maintaining a friendly relationship with the chief of that village. Next, if they get to be friendly with the county headman, they find happiness. If they have a friendly relationship with the governor of the province, they find happiness there. If they have a friendly relationship with the Korean president, they feel national level happiness. With the American president, they would feel happiness on the level of the democratic world.

Which is better, the higher or the lower? (The higher) Surely, the higher is better. How about reciprocating with God, if the Supreme God exists? (That's great) Yes, that will be great.

Ladies and gentleman, when you feel happy, do you enjoy the moment with your eyes closed or open? (Closed) If you enjoyed it with your eyes open, that's false happiness. (Laughter) Why do you think you close your eyes when you are happy? It means I am putting everything out of the way and putting myself in complete unification. It means unification of the whole. This may sound amusing, but it is true. Well, it feels good when we have an interesting talk in the morning, it is true.

Is love first or life first? (Love is) Why is it first? We have a problem here. According to modern scientists' view of the universe, power exists in the universe, and the power is like the power of life to human beings, and this universe came into being by this power. This is a different view from what you say. Which is first? Love or life? (Love) Why? Are you telling me that the Earth came to life from God's original entity of life and began because of life? Therefore, life is first. Is that it? (No).

The Liberation Of Heaven And Earth

Reverend Sun Myung Moon
March 3, 1976
Choongang Training Center (Sootaek-li) Kyungki-do, Korea

Thank you for the good attendance. But now this room is too small, so I am concerned. Can you hear me over there? [Yes.] People in the back there are self-invited guests. [Laughter.] Who told you to come late? Latecomers have no choice. Please keep still. Unless you remain still the whole place is agitated for nothing. [Laughter.] Those people in the back, please be quiet. Remain still. It is not a problem for me if the people in the back cannot hear. I want at least the people who came in first to listen carefully. I see some of you look sulky already. "Tut, tut!" Don't look so discontented, and be quiet please. Silence please.

From this time on, it is not the time for the guests to talk but the time for the host to speak. Who is the host? The host is the man standing here. Is that right? [Yes.] I don't know about that. [Laughter.]

Now, let me ask you a question. Some members from Kyungki-do also came here. Who sees me for the first time? Please raise your hands. I don't expect many. But still, I see some hands go up from among the members from Kyungki-do. Lower your hands, please.

I have lost my voice. My voice is hoarse from the speaking tour going around to many different places. I expect that new people may have great difficulty listening. But I want you to understand the situation and listen on. [We can't hear you.] If you can't hear me I'd better stop here, not starting at all.

Now, let's sing one song. Which song do you want to sing? ["The Man In the Wilderness".] "The Man in the Wilderness". It's a man's song; what are women going to do? Thinking of "women trying to bear resemblance to men" let's sing the song. Let's begin.

1. The man, our man, who runs across the wilderness Today in Bukkando, tomorrow in Mongolia Living the life of a floating weed, floating on and on Can't even count the number of years being away from hometown Run [run] our man [our man] with your back to the setting sun No regrets in the life of the man

2. The man, our man, who is from the endless wilderness Embracing the strong wind from the Amur River This place is the battleground for a man The beard is waving in the wind with a smile on his face Run [run] our man [our man] plowing through the cold wind No regrets in the life of the man

Let me speak today under a title that is exorbitant. I mean exorbitant [kuhchang in Korean.]. Where is Kuhchang? In Kyungsang-bukdo? [It is in Kyungsang-namdo.] Yes, it is in Kyungsang-namdo. You must be from Kyungsang-namdo. [Laughter.]

What does this say? [Father speaks while writing on the blackboard: "The liberation of heaven and earth."] "The liberation of heaven and earth!" Isn't that an exorbitant title? [Yes. Applause.] I'm concerned about my voice being hoarse. Since there are many people gathered here, I am in trouble. Can you hear me? [We can't hear you.] We have a problem here. Can we raise the microphone sound? Which is the better sounding microphone? This? Now, can you hear me? [Yes.] Can you see my face? [Yes.] Do I look handsome or not? [Handsome.] Thank you.

Well, please bear with me since I cannot speak loudly because of my voice condition. I feel very sorry toward those who came here for the first time. I am going to have to ask you the audience to be sympathetic and accept my apology. Most of the people who gathered here are young. Am I right? [Yes.] The majority of you are below thirty. Since more than ninety percent-I am not exaggerating-present are that young I will have to direct my speech to them. To speak to young people, the contents have to be pleasing to them. Therefore, I am sorry to the elderly audience, and hope you will understand the situation even if I happen to use a tone or word that is a little unpleasant to you.

When you speak to young people, you have to speak the words that are stimulating. Words giving spurs. Rather than saying, "You-u-u-u com-m-me he-e-e-re" [slowly] You have to say, "You come here." [quickly] The young need unnatural, intemperate rhythm rather than natural rhythm. So, even if you hear such a word, please be understanding and keep listening. Alright? [Yes.] Oh, someone just broke a window. Well done. Very good. [Laughter.] It can't cost more than a couple of pennies, can it? Well, go ahead. You can break the next window. Try. [Someone breaks a window. Laughter.] Okay, let's stop. Stop. You must listen to the boss. Okay, stop! We have a problem here. What shall I do with my lost voice? Since I am here . . . Please sit down. Sit here.

Humanity Is Waiting Eagerly For the Liberation of the Earthly Kingdom

We today are aware of the fact that human history has seen numerous conflicts carried out to acquire freedom. From the individual level, going through the family, the tribe, the race and the nation, to the worldwide level, such conflicts are still being carried on. Even though we cannot tell what restraint the thinking people with their own purposes in life think this world is placed under, we are aware that all people, regardless of what time in history they lived on earth, have thought of achieving and are wishing to see the appearance of a heaven and earth of freedom, a world of peace and an ideal world, by bringing about liberation. From this viewpoint, historical humankind and humankind on earth today both are eagerly waiting to see their liberation.

There are several kinds of liberation. Today, there is Heaven and earth as well. In Heaven, there is God, and on the earth, there are human beings. Upon hearing the word, Heaven, regardless of where we come from, we all think, however vaguely, that God exists centering around Heaven.

Who is the master on this earth? Man is. Therefore, seeking to liberate the earthly kingdom can be seen as seeking to liberate humanity. What is more, as far as seeking to liberate humans is concerned, attaining the human liberation will not solve everything. Even if humans attain liberation, we have not given enough thought as to whether we are speaking of the beginning of liberation or the end.

We know that God exists, and at the same time that if there exists a good God there must exist an evil devil on the other side of that good God. Borrowing the term used by the Unification Church and the established Christian churches today, we call the devil Satan. The devil Satan. An extremely evil god, namely the devil Satan, who stands against God, is governing over this world.

In religion, today's human world is seen not as standing in the realm of liberation, in which God has liberated human beings, but rather as standing in the fallen world controlled by Satan. That is, the world is under restraint. The Unification Church sees it that way and the established Christian church also sees it that way.

Observing us human beings, we realize that we have been under some kind of restraint, although it has not been clear what kind until now. For that reason, seeing yourselves individually, each of you realize that there is a conflict even in your own self between mind and body. But if we were born as beings in which the mind and the body necessarily fight against each other, it would have been absolutely impossible to apply to human beings the terms personality, perfection and liberation.

Human beings originally had the internal element by virtue of which they can stand in a position that is liberated, and that is ideal. However, because they were placed under restraint halfway, because they became fallen halfway, and because they fell out of order, they remain in this restrained position. This means that through liberation, man can go to the ideal position. But, if man had originally been born to be in this shape and in this state, no matter how much effort is being made, that effort would prove in vain.

Who put this world under restraint? It is not good human beings nor the good God who placed the world under restraint. As to the motivation for such an occurrence, we can possibly form a logical argument that an evil man placed the world under restraint or that an evil god placed the world under restraint. However, it is not possible to form a logical argument that a good human being or the good God is the culprit. If we could form such an argument, we would have to conclude that there cannot be a good human being or good God.

Likewise, human history has been placed under restraint by an evil human being, and at the same time it was placed under restraint by an evil god. That being the case, it is natural for us today to stand in a position where we demand our liberation, and it is natural to advocate liberation. Therefore, seeing human society today we conclude that absolutely everyone, without exception, since early times, has been dreaming of a world of peace, a world of the unified ideal.

Besides, the world that was created by one God cannot consist of two different qualities. If there exists one God who has one purpose, that God is a being of absoluteness. Therefore, no matter how great an ideal that Absolute Being thinks of, plans and visualizes, that ideal cannot be of two different parts. Because God is the one and only being, and is the Absolute Being, that ideal also must have the quality of being "one and only".

Seen from this viewpoint, there has never been a time when the human world in the earthly kingdom established one central figure, one race and one nation in the realm of one ideal. Starting from the level of the individual, going up through the levels of the family, the tribe, the race and the nation, to the worldwide level, people have struggled on. They are now within the sphere of struggle where they have to fight the life and death battle, having set up two great blocs called the democratic world and the communist world. Then what is the ultimate purpose of this fight? We know very well the fact that the purpose is nothing other than the "final campaign for the liberation of this earthly kingdom"

Now, a problem comes into the picture here. There is the world of Satan. Then there is the world in the middle, which has not yet reached either the world God wants or the world of Satan. This is how I look at it. Therefore, centered on people living in this earthly kingdom, Satan opposes the liberation of goodness, while the good God is trying to liberate the world of Satan.

Religion that Is to Lead The Liberation Movement Centered on God

Who is to play the leading role in the liberation movement? You must know that it is the good God that is in the position of playing that role. Unless the good God brings about the movement to liberate the evil world of Satan by mobilizing the good people on God's side, unless there is a trace indicating that God has unfolded the dispensation in an historical course, one might conclude that God does not exist. If that is the case, all the efforts man has made up to now in education, saying, "Be good! Be good!" and setting up ethics and morality, will end up in smoke.

Our ancestors pursued the truth through such an historical course, and the people who put ethics and morality at the center of their lives and respect it in this age may be right, but what do all their activities achieve in the end? They achieve nothing more than what is revealed in their effect, their value and their positive achievements made toward the liberation of this earthly kingdom.

From this standpoint, the good God plays the central role in leading the liberation campaign with the good people after calling them. What kind of people are those who can partake in that campaign? That is the problem. To the question -- "Are they philosophers?" some could answer, "Yes, they are philosophers." Or to the question -- "Are they politicians?" some could answer, "Yes, they are politicians." Or to the question -- "Are they economists who control the economy?" some might answer, "Yes, they are economists." Or to the question -- "Are they capitalists?" some might say, "Yes, and only we capitalists will do." However, all these qualities are nothing but appurtenances, by which I mean, things attached to the main point.

In order for God to operate and accomplish such a liberation campaign, He needs to raise up an independent entity. At the same time, by being equipped with a form in terms of that individual entity, He needs some kind of organization through which He can expand His domain globally. That being the case, what would be the organization? Korea? That would be nice. That would not be bad at all. What about America? That would be nice. But we should respect not an external country but an internal country. That is the only way, and that's the way I look at it.

As to that form, it is not philosophy, not science, and not politics either. Then an organization in which field will take responsibility? There is conclusively no organization other than religion that can assume the responsibility. Why? It is because activities centered on politics, philosophy or any other aspect of society change while keeping time with the passing phases of their period. Can God's liberation movement also change, keeping time with its period? No, it cannot change, because it is absolute.

Once a plan was drawn up, God cannot but carry it out with consistency according to the way it was drawn up, until the period of historical finality arrives. In other words, even if it is running counter to the passing of the historical phases, God has to unroll the movement which is driving out against the tide of retrogression.

Then whatever kind of path through history has religion walked? It has come forth taking the path in which it could not change into the form that was consistent with its time period in history, according to which religious forms change or sovereignties shift. Therefore, we know very well that religion has been victimized and persecuted by numerous politicians and statesmen, and has faded away on the path of death. With what I've said so far, the main points of my sermon have now been made.

To the communists today the sound, "Oh, the laborers and farmers of the capitalist world have to be liberated" is ringing loudly. However, God has not completely become the subject of goodness throughout history. Thus the sound of that liberation has not been one that falls in line with the specific religion that God leads on the good side. That religion is the standard of liberation sought by religious people who are throwing energy into this liberation movement.

Communism rests on the basis of materialism, and it dreams of worldwide liberation on that base. Communists deny even the existence of God and brand religion the opium of the masses. They crush it into pieces and eradicate even the form of it in their world. Seeing that they advocate liberation while maintaining such a position, one can see that what they advocate does not even cohere theoretically. There is no doubt that Communist liberation is a confrontational liberation which opposes God. So, if a demonic god exists, this god will become their flagman and launch a worldwide frontal offensive against the flagman of the religion God wants. We can conclude that this describes today's Communism.

Then what is Communism? Communism has come forth equipped with a form of demonic religion, a form of religion for an evil group of people. Communism is a form of religion taking the materialistic position, and it is being used as a tool for the purpose of completing the devil's theory. This is how I look at it. Why? Because there is an evil god.

This is a time when, by having united on the worldwide level, going over the national level, and taken a common line, the Communists emphasize solidarity of the nations. I want you to think about the forefront of liberation centered on God. Where is the leading country centered on God? Ladies and gentlemen! Do you know which country is the leading country? You don't know. Since America is the leading democracy, it would seem to be the leading country, wouldn't it? When you look at the whole of Christianity, America seems to have the worldwide dominion.

But the question is: centered on religion, which is the country that can command the worldwide forefront of liberation? Which is the leading race? Prior to that, which is the leading religion? Aside from all these questions, once God liberates this earthly kingdom, what is He going to do with it? Giving thought to this question, you see that God is not trying to enlarge His sphere of influence by establishing sovereignty. God is not trying to find something different for which He can wish in this human world. God is omniscient and omnipotent, and therefore He doesn't need money, doesn't need power and doesn't need knowledge either. Then what does He need? Because God is the subject of life who created the Heavens and earth, is it not true that He needs a human being with life?

God Wishes to Reciprocate the True Father-Son Love with Man

Then what does He need? Whatever is the main purpose of God, who is trying to liberate man? What is the purpose? Once He has liberated humankind, what is He going to do next? That is the problem. Judging from this point of view, God's purpose for liberating this earthly kingdom is to have the people of the earthly kingdom as His sons and daughters, who live lovingly in the father-son relationship in the realm of God's love. That is all. Nothing more.

As to questions such as -- What is God's ultimate purpose in wanting to liberate the earth? Why did He create the heavens and the earth? And for what did He create human beings? -- The answers we have come up with so far were only vague ideas. They were too general. Why did He create man? Why is there such a powerless God who creates human beings and then lets them go through terrible hardships for thousands of years? Conditions pertaining to all kinds of problems have grown to be enormous. Even if you continually search for the answers to those questions, you still do not find understanding, because after you find some answers you get bombarded with still more questions. Yet all these have to be resolved.

Please think about the conclusive answer to the question -- Why did God create man? Do you think God created man because He wanted to look at him? Well, look at Koreans. They look awful. What is there to look at? Being black and all. Compared to Koreans, westerners are fair and clean and have eyes that are like clear lakes. They are of fine stature, tall and stylish. So, externally, Koreans do not compare, and cannot be grouped together with them. Don't you think so? That is the case. Well, why do you laugh? Because you feel good? Or, bad? I simply said Koreans can't be grouped together with westerners, and you laugh. Why?

God did not create man just to look at his face. The reason why God created man and the whole cosmos is because He needs to reciprocate love. God needs love too. If there are some Christian ministers in attendance here they might ask, "Does He really?" Yes, God needs love. If you are alone, you cannot reciprocate love, no matter how much you need it.

We hear the words, "God is love." What on earth is love? Have you seen love? [Laughter.] I mean, have you seen love? People mistakenly think that they experience love even when they are being alone. Being out of relative relationship, words such as love, peace and happiness do not hold good their true meanings at all. Although there is love inside of me, Moon so and so, when I am alone I cannot know whether there is love or not. But when there is my wife reciprocating with me, love will wriggle out of me. Don't you agree? Before my reciprocating partner emerges, if I say, "Gee, I feel good because love is wriggling out of me even when I am alone," then I am a crazy imp. I hope no one speak ill of me because I said the word, imp, directed to myself. [Laughter.]

The same logic applies to God. When God says to Himself, being alone, "Oh, I'm enjoying my love," you can ask Him, "Are You crazy?" He would not know how to answer that. Am I right? Or wrong? Any one who says I am not right has something lacking in his brain; a half-wit. [Laughter.]

Why did I say God created man? He created for love. What kind of love? The father-son love. Speaking of father-son love, there are tons of fathers and sons having their respective relationships. Do I mean that kind of love? What they have is all false father-son love. True Love between father and son! With such love bearing fruit, and the perfect father-son love attained, when the sons and daughters, who have grown up while being intoxicated in the realm of such love, get married, the perfect conjugal love will be produced as the next step.

Has God ever experienced that kind of love? Do you think He has? [No.] God is like man, for sure. Do you think God knows how to laugh? [He knows.] Would He know how to cry or not? [He knows.] Yes, He knows. He laughs when He feels good and He cries when He feels sad. Christians today believe that God has only good feelings in Him and that He does not feel any sorrow. But that is a misunderstanding.

Here is an analogy. Seeing his son going to the place of execution after having committed a crime and receiving a death sentence, even a fallen man in this world does not say, "Oh, I feel good." Does he? [No.] Even fallen people today do not say that, and fallen parents on this earth do not say that either. So do you think God, seeing human beings being dragged towards hell and being taken to the place of execution after the fall, would say, "Oh, I feel good?" We don't need that kind of god. Regardless of the number of gods existing, we don't need them. Even if the son vanishes like dew at the execution place, his parents will still feel under restraint. Watching the bright heaven and earth, the liberated heaven and earth of freedom, you must know as the fact that even if you really have something to brag about, you cannot puff up yourselves and say, "Follow my example!"

This is the sentiment of the human world, and the same thing applies to God, who is the subject partner of the laws of nature. Human nature can represent heavenly emotions, and human ethics can represent heavenly principles. If human nature can connect to heavenly emotion, it can connect to God also.

God's children, who should not have fallen and are immortal forever, are to share the common ideal with Him, centered on love. However, seeing those children becoming losers and being taken to hell in chains by Satan, if there is a god who says, "Oh I feel good," such a god is not needed. Even if such a god is around, he is useless. But God is not such a god.

The origin of today's religion is none other than God, and God is in the position of subject partner in the world of heart. Therefore, without knowing God's situation, you cannot realize God's will. Even if you realized the will of God, without knowing His heart, there is no value to it. What need is there?

Then today if there is a god looking at the phenomena of this world, would that god be happy? Is that even remotely possible? [No.] Can he be happy? Is it possible? [No.] I lose, I raise my hands. No matter how much I shout, I lose. Maybe the Christian ministers did not lose, but that's another matter.

When you look at Christian ministers, they say "Holy God, God of Glory, full of joy and grace." Those are only words. It's deception. The God whom I know is different. I have met God and done all kinds of things with Him. I have a very impatient character; it's like a sword when it comes to righteousness. In the course of discovering truth, I have gambled thousands of times at a risk of my life.

I am not telling you a worthless tale. I am telling you a fact. There is strong credibility here. Right? Do you think I am a swindler? [Laughter.] Let's be honest here. It's good to be honest. I could be a swindler, but what I am talking about is reasonable. It's logical. Whether a person speaks with a stick or strikes with a bat, it is alright if he is reasonable. If the bat strikes with a rhythm it will become very soft. It just has to be reasonable and rhythmical.

When the rhythm becomes a chord we feel good. That is how it is. You don't have to play the piano to know that. No matter who the person is, and even though he may be a swindler, if his content is reasonable, you should answer, "Yes, it's plausible." Then you are not an ignorant person.

Then if God is a God of True Love, when that God looks at the condition of fallen humanity; looks at humankind which has not welcomed the day of liberation, even though thousands of years have passed since the original ancestors fell, can that God sleep comfortably and rest easily? A god who can do that would be struck by lightning. You can curse that kind of god all you want.

There may be a person who has shed a lot of tears on this earth. A person may cry for a thousand years saying, "My father and mother have suffered so much from the days of their birth. They have received so much persecution from the world. When I think of how many tears my mother shed, this unfilial son feels so much pain and agony." His tears, however, cannot be compared with God's tears. Her tears cannot match God's tears. Even if a lord, who has lost all his land and becomes an exile, goes through a course of hardship and the valley of death in order to repossess his land and his nation, even if he cries for many many years, he cannot match God's tears. This we should know as a certainty today.

Humankind, who are God's sons and daughters, were not supposed to go to hell. They were instead to be intoxicated in the realm of freedom, peace and liberation. If a god sees people taking a wrong step and riding a train to hell and says, "You are doing fine," that god is not God.

A religion that worships that kind of god as a parent, as a head of their religion, as the central being of the eternal ideal, is worthless. The God that I know is not that kind of god.

Even though you find a history of tears on this earth, no person has shed more tears than God. There is no person who has a greater pain in his heart than God. God has suffered the hill of death and more situations of misery than any person in history. He has received injuries and there are scars all over His body. Because God is that kind of God, I have determined to take responsibility for humankind and fight to comfort Him.

Up till today you have not perceived God clearly. Who is that historical God? God is a God of history, a God of the ages and a God of the future. No religion until now has realized how God has lived. I know that there is no one who understands the mind of God, who, looking at today's pathetic situation and having watched humankind's critical moments of hitting submerged rocks, has been able to create a providential direction.

We must make certain that we create the day of liberation which God wants. In order to do that, God set up numerous religions to be a shield and a guide. God has established a worldwide base of heart, by transcending races and nationalities and caring for religions. But religions have done away with God and have lived to satisfy their own desires. We clearly perceive that this is the reality.

That kind of religion will be judged in the last days. If Christianity is that way, it will diminish. If Buddhism is that way, it too will diminish. If the Unification Church is like that, it too will diminish.

Become a Creditor Rather than a Debtor

Ladies and gentlemen, it is good that you have gathered here today according to my request, but why are you here? You should know why you are here. I am not doing this in order to demonstrate faith and go to Heaven. That is too boring. I am doing this in order to liberate the world through faith. I am saying that since we know God's feelings, let us not try to believe and be saved, but rather become fertilizer and the cornerstone for world liberation. I have seen that God is looking for a religious leader who seeks to destroy the enemy's main camp and raise a flag of liberation on the earth.

What have you come here for, some of you even without letting your husbands know? Why have you come here, receiving curses, being mistreated, and going through humiliation on the street? I have not gathered you in order to put you into hardship. If so, I deserve to perish by thunder and lightning. You have gathered here because there is no person, no association, and no state that is doing the work of liberation. You should know that you have come here in order to bear such a responsibility, although you are brittle women or powerless men.

Who will liberate the earth? If we cannot block out Satan, the end is at hand. We should know that there is someone God desperately longs for, the one who not only must defend the world through the true God-centered religion but also must take back the world and expedite the liberation of the earth. Even if the established Christians do not know this, we Unification Church members should! Although other religions do not know this, the Unification members should!

The path Unification Church follows is a path of suffering. When an individual tries to follow this road, he wonders why the persecution is so severe. It is because allowing the Unification Church to remain on earth will make earthly liberation possible, so if there are Satan and devils, they all will attack it.

It is this Reverend Moon who must follow the fate of risking personal attack, who is destined to walk the road opposed by countless families of the enemy world, and who has the responsibility to go on under the opposition from tribe, nation, state, and even Asia and all the countries of the world.

As you may know through the news, America is now in a turmoil because of me. There is a big commotion in Europe also. In Korea, one stage of the storm is passing through, isn't it? Why am I getting hit with curses throughout my life in a world where others live happily? Why do I still have to do this so busily, when I am now almost sixty, having started while a blossoming youth in my 20s, and when I am now in a phase to settle down like an autumn leaf? It is because I have seen that God is busier than I am. If I had not known God, I would never have done this. I had never realized that God was in such a shape. Hence, I am doing this in order to carry forward His path of victory. I am giving up my own life, not trying to draw it back. I am an honest man. If I had not known God, I would not have done this. Have I gained money or anything else by doing this?

I do not like going into debt. I inflicted debt on the individual, the Unification Church and the Republic of Korea. Today, in America, I am not relying on her. How incompetent one must be to incur debt!

You should know that the way of filial piety, loyalty, and saintliness is such that you follow it in gratitude even if you have to give up your life. Therefore, there is no saint who did not die for Heaven. Without that condition, you cannot be a saint.

From this standpoint, Jesus prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want". why did he offer such a prayer? Who did Jesus realize God to be? He saw that God had never incurred debt. You should know this. God is not falling into debt now, nor has He ever had a debt in the past.

You should know that the debtor must become a servant and kneel down, while the creditor becomes the master and the center. For this reason, although the Unification Church has been receiving persecution from the Republic of Korea and established Christianity, now the country is supporting it. Am I a member of the ruling party? Although I am not a member of the ruling party, when it comes to working for the good of our country, the ruling party and all parties rely on me. They like us because they know, certainly based upon their investigation that we are a patriotic group. Do you understand this? [Yes.]

Today, established Christian ministers oppose me and pray for me to die. Then how much will God . . . They should know the shame. Then God tells me, "Such and such a minister is praying for you to die". He also says, "Even if he is praying like this now, look at him in a few months. His three generations will decline." Even if they pray for my demise, when a Christian minister was starving I sent him rice, with a name of one of his Christian members on the bag.

What is the established church? They turn out to be an elder brother. As we see it through God, they are an elder brother. I cannot go against an elder brother. A saint is the one who serves and worships Heaven.

Look. Who is evil, the one who punches an innocent person or the innocent one who gets hit? Why are they bitching about the Unification Church? Are we asking for rice or rice cakes? They say that I have taken away some Christians, but I have not. In 1954, I suggested that we not put up the sign. I let people come and listen to the Principle, and told them to go back to their own churches, and yet they refused to go back. After they came in through the front door and heard my speech, they categorically refused to go back to their old churches although I told them to. So I drove them out through the front door, and yet they came back through the back door; and when I kicked them out through the back door and closed the main gate, they climbed the wall and came in. This is what happened; have I done anything wrong here? Since the Christian clergy could not feed the believers, they fell into that situation. Why do they neglect their own faults and only accuse the Unification Church?

Ladies and gentlemen, a debtor never succeeds. If there is someone in the family who likes being indebted and relying on others, he will be excluded by everyone. Is it not the way of the human society that if a child provides credit to the family members even more than the parents do, then the parents must yield all their rights to the child? [Yes.] A wife should not be indebted to her husband, nor a husband to his wife. You should know that eternal world peace will come from the family in which everyone is trying to give credit.

Today, as for a country, if everyone in the country tries to snatch from others and to run into debt, that country will perish. If the Republic of Korea only likes receiving foreign subsidies, she will fall. But as she tries to pay her debts with a profit multiplied several times, she will not fall.

We Must Unite for the Sake of World Liberation

I would not welcome it if the established churches or government offered to support us with money. I want to earn it with my own hands and support the world, church and government. I do in three years what others do in ten. With what? With mental concentration. I am different.

Ladies and gentlemen, how long do you think it took to build this house? It took twenty eight days. It was not built by an expert. I directed the work and it was built by a handful of people. Buildings such as the Chungpyung training center we built in one week. If we are united, we can create a miracle; if we are divided, however, we will perish.

Ladies and gentlemen, are you united? [Yes.] Even the grandmothers? [Yes.] How about the grandfathers? [Yes.] What are we trying to be united for? What are we going to do with our unity? It is not for the sake of the Unification Church. We are not trying to serve our own church. If we think that we should unite and bring prosperity to the Unification Church, it will fall. Then what are we going to do with our unity? We should go for world liberation. The Unification Church, which seeks to be unified for the sake of world liberation, will remain until the day of world liberation. Do you understand this? [Yes.] If our unity is for the sake of the Unification Church, however, and world liberation is secondary, it will perish before it sees the day of liberation.

Why is Christianity collapsing, even when now are the last days and the age of Second Coming and world liberation? It is because the essence of the Christians' faith is misguided. They have abandoned everything outside their own boundary, saying that they should believe and go to Heaven and their church will go to the highest Heaven.

God did not establish Christianity in order to save Christianity! Not so that the ministers and elders should eat and live well! You should know that He established it for the sake of saving the world. The purpose of establishing any religion lies in the liberation of the world!

This may be the first time you have met someone who speaks with such a grandiose title. Heaven and earth soup? Oh! We must become heaven and earth soup if heaven and earth are to be liberated. what is heaven and earth soup? After being heaven and earth soup, we should become heaven and earth harmony soup. When such is the purpose God seeks to fulfill, they say, "I will go to the Heavenly Kingdom." You thieves!

Members of the Unification Church, do not pray, "God, please bring good fortune to our church." When you offer such a prayer, you will get hit with thunder and lightning. Pray, "God, quickly bring about world liberation, as sought after by our church. For this purpose, give me power, ability and love." Do you understand this? [Yes.]

These grandmothers in the Unification Church; they try to bring their children and introduce them to me. But I will say, "Drop it." Do not bring them until they establish a foundation on which they can represent the church and proudly stand in the front-line of world liberation. Otherwise, I do not like it.

I have abandoned my own parents, wife and children, and even my country, for the sake of this work. I can discard the Unification Church at any time. I am not saying this to save my dignity. Nor am I saying this to gain sympathy from you. This is an honest story.

You know what the Bible says, right? The words of John 3:16 are known to everyone, from the kindergarten kids to the Sunday School students. It says that God sent His only son because He loved the world. Does it say because God loved certain ministers of the Christian churches? When it says God loves the world, should His love be limited only to Christianity? It is for the world. You should know that the Messiah came for world liberation, and not for Christian liberation alone.

If Christianity fails to do its mission, it will get directly hit by a cannonball. This is the God of justice I know. They will get a direct strike. Let Rev. Billy Graham, with worldwide renown, raise his voice. Still they will all be drawn in. Their attitude is wrong. The content is wrong. Such a wrong thing cannot stand before the court of a just world. They will perish.

For this reason, we should bring a revolution even now. If you really love God and Jesus, you should realize that Jesus came as the commander of world liberation. When it is said, "Let us all march against Satan's main camp, resembling God's heart with a heart that transcends the nation and church, with a liberating shout and raised flag, and with the Heavenly fortune harmonizing with the earth", you should say, "Amen". The path of a believer is such that it should continue even when his neck gets thrown away and bowels get cut out.

A True Religion Develops Further the More It Is Persecuted

Who will fix the disorder? You may say, "Alas, Father will probably fix it", but is this to lean on others, or to be leaned on? The one who leans on others perishes. He becomes a slave. The one who relies on others becomes a loser.

Look. I did not appear in a public place for thirty years in Korea. I stayed buried in Chungpa-dong like a mole, with a posture of an imbecile. But I did not borrow from this country. I organized the Federation for Victory Over Communism for this nation, which no one else could do, and quietly educated some ten million people. Owing to this, young people of our Unification Church shed many tears. They suffered a lot.

Without suffering, you cannot even open your mouth before me. When I say, "I have gone through such and such a toil, and you rascals, go and do more", then you should say, "Yes". I have lived like this. I have a lot of stories once I start talking about it.

Therefore, let the Korean people and the established church persecute us as much as they can. Since I give credit, in the passage of history after my death, history will establish justice. History is a judge of justice. Thus, it will inevitably become clear who was right. At that time, the descendants of even the next few generations will completely kneel down. Thus, I have been proceeding with an understanding that this is a battle already won.

The Unification Church, which has been expected to perish, still has not perished. Why? If Satan had been with it instead of God, it would have disappeared a long time ago. Knowing this, I have never done anything that would lead to collapse. Likewise, I know that our members are serving all of the United States. When they ask to see me, I say, "I will meet you when I need to, but not when you need to." I am this kind of a man.

As for my coming here, have I come here to serve your need or have you come here to serve my need? [We came here to serve your need.] You came because of my need. What is it that I need? To train dedicated people for the liberation of Heaven and earth. Are you offended? If so, please leave. Are you offended? (We like it.]

So, no matter how much America speaks against me in the media, I laugh it off. The media knocked off Nixon in a year and half, but it will not be able to knock me down, even if they try for thirty years. It has been three years so far, and they have not yet struck me down.

Why is it so? Politics is an external world, and it can take a hit with a little shudder. But religion will disappear, as it receives more and more strikes. [No!] Religion will disappear when battered! [No!] You are right; a true religion develops further as it receives more and more persecution. Now, is the Unification Church a true or false religion? "A true religion." If it is a false religion, it will be wiped out, but if it is a true religion, it will ignite with spiritual fire as it absorbs more and more hits. Thus, I can say, "Media, you have lost to me." Is it not the case?

Also, since America itself is indebted to me, they will at some point of history kneel down, although they do not know this now. I can become their teacher. Is it right or wrong? [Right.] It is exactly right. It agrees with the historical point of view. It also agrees with all human ethics and the way of Heaven. It is because I live in such a way that I do not budge even against a population of 240 million. They will be pushed off rather than me.

The main Unification Church building in France was blown up by a bomb, but I said, "Good, the time has come." The French leader came to America and said to me, "Father, one local church in France was blown up." I said, "It is good."

"I can't hear you." [Shouted from the back.] If you can't hear, block your ears and stay still. [Laughter.] What can I do if you can't hear me? I can't talk any louder than this, so what can I do? There is a mic, but shall I become a friend to a mic or to people? I'd rather with people. [Laughter. "Use the mic!"] My mouth is the mic. Is this the mic? [Laughter.] You don't need a fake mic, right?

To go back to what I was saying, although one Unification Church was blown up in France, Reverend Moon's victory has already been determined. Who lost? [Applause.] Let the FBI imprison me. I shall neither shed tears nor breathe a sigh. I do not pray about this. I would not offer such a petty-minded prayer as, "God, I am here, and please let me out soon. When I went to the Sodaemun prison. . . . at the time of the Ehwa and Yon Sae Universities incident, they would have melted in my hands in six months, but this Hwal Lan Kim. . . She has become a ruined Hwal Lan Kim. [Laughter.] She will be in fine shape in the spirit world! Now you will understand what I am saying. Without something special, would I have a power to melt away in a few months what she established through dozens of years of hard work? This is not done through power of Reverend Moon, but of God.

They now see that the man who had such ability at that time can now work in America with the same ability. Therefore, instead of wasting thirty years, if Ehwa University and Yon Sae University had united and the established churches had supported me, the world would have come into God's hands. God has such power. Do you understand this? [Yes.]

When I went to America, I declared that I would finish my primary mission in America in three years. God is with it, so I finished in three years. Is this so or not? Go to America now. There is no one who does not know Reverend Moon. Anyone who does not know may be human, but probably is a friend of wild boars or pigeons.

I am fighting this war for a reason. Reverend Moon, born in Korea, is a miserable man. His face is ugly, too. This is the most ugly face, isn't it? [No.] Is it okay? (Yes.] Only my wife likes it, but do you, too? The ladies here, do you like me? [Yes.] That's why they blamed me. [Laughter.] Look. They are crazy about it. They like it even though I kick them and do all sorts of things. I will tell you one story. This is a digression; it will take us forever if we go like this. There was a grandmother. Her shape was enough to make one afraid of seeing her in a dream. [Laughter.] There was such a grandmother. I won't tell you her name. Now, this woman boldly says to me, "I will be sorrowful if you don't see my face morning, noon, and night." (Laughter.]

When I am sitting in the bedroom, she sticks out her head without an invitation and greets me with, "I am here." Now, she does this for the twelve months of the year. [Laughter.] When she came in the morning, I would be stuck with her until late at night. So I told her, "You old woman, go away!" Wouldn't you feel impelled to do that? So one day, I called her in and said to her bluntly, "You old woman, why do you keep coming in without checking who's in here? You old woman, why are you coming in when your face is ugly enough to disturb someone's dream if seen twice?" I made a big fuss. Now, the grandmother got hurt, and said, "How can this be? Alas, I kept coming everyday because I thought that Father loved me most in the world and he would miss me. But it now turns out that I came without being wanted. Alas, this is serious!" So there was a big commotion. It was a good subject of prayer. So that grandmother prayed to God seriously. She wondered whether I did it because I hated her or because I was endeared to her. She had to resolve this, and she fasted and prayed for three days. Those who are here for the first time may not understand what this is. How can you know what a fasting prayer is?

During the fasting prayer, she asked God, did you make my face the ugliest of all women's faces? Why didn't you make it in such a way that Father would like it?" She prayed for three days without eating, so how hard must she have prayed! She must have used all her strength, to the point of death. Then God told her, "Whether your face is ugly or beautiful, it is my image." (Laughter and applause.]

This accords with the Principle. So I surrendered before her words. [Laughter.] There was no better answer she could have given. "Whether it is ugly or pretty, it is my image." Whose image? [God's.] It meant that since it is God's image, Reverend Moon, who likes God, has no way to reject it. So I laughed. After that, I bought her clothes and such things.

The Unification Church Should Defeat Communism And Be Responsible for Christianity

Well let's get back to the main points. For what reason did God create man? It was because of love. For what did God create Christianity? It was because of love. For what did God send Jesus? It was because of love. For what did God create the Unification Church? It was to realize God's will of love. To what level is love to be realized? The level of the church? Of Korea? Of the world? It is for the cosmos. It is not for Korea, nor for the world, but for both Heaven and earth. Because there is a spirit world, it is both of Heaven and earth. The word "both of Heaven and earth" is a new terminology of the Unification Church, isn't it? The word both of Heaven and earth signifies the cosmos, that is, the spiritual and physical worlds.

Then what "ism" does God prefer? Is God a nationalist? An internationalist, or a cosmopolitan? Is a nationalist qualified to be a child of God? Is an internationalist good enough? No, neither are good enough. You should enter the spirit world, therefore you should be a cosmopolitan person.

Then, is it a good attitude for God's son and daughter to just live amidst the sinful world and just look at the world in which God has struggled? Whatever cosmic position they may stand in, are those who are just onlookers qualified to be God's son or daughter? Or are you willing to fight seriously to get rid of the obstacles that block you from being God's son or daughter? Are there such people? Is there such a religion? Are the Christians like that? Not at all.

According to that viewpoint, I think that the Unification Church is the only true one on earth. Amen. If normal Christians hear this they will get upset, saying "Look at those arrogant guys." But I will show them. Who will be responsible for world communism? America cannot be responsible for it. Korea cannot be responsible. Communism is an international ideology, and to fight it we need an international ideology. We cannot do it on a national level. We must do it on a world level. Can you chase it away? [Yes.] Can you chase it away? [Yes.] Can you chase it away? [Yes.]

Therefore what is most problematic for God? First God wants sons and daughters who can dispose of communism for Him. Next, God wants His loving sons and daughters who can revive Christianity and elevate it to a higher level. Christianity is collapsing. For two thousand years Christianity has suffered from all kinds of challenges -- death from traps, lions and boiling oil. But it is now decaying. Who will be responsible to revive Christianity? God. If He could, He would have done it a long time ago. It is impossible unless there appear people willing to do it. In this sense, Unification members have to do it.

We hope Christians will open their minds. If they had opened their minds right after Korea's liberation in 1945, I would have resolved world Christianity within seven years. If any Christians are here, please go and report this to your church. Nobody can defeat this view. They will not be able to win in theory. If they cannot win in theory, they will be defeated.

Is that good or bad? How about the Christians' view? Is it good or bad in their view? How about Reverend Moon's view? [It is good.] Then it must be good in God's view. Do you follow? I know it with absolute confidence. Then, is Reverend Moon false or true? [True.] It will not be proved true by your saying so, it must be proved by God saying so.

People Who Want to Live in the Realm of God's Love

Do you want to live in a free society that is in God's love? [Yes.] Have you ever lived in such a society? [No.] Have you ever lived in a country where people become free centered on God's love and dominion, and where God's love is full? [No we have not.] Then, what kind of world are you living in now? In an evil world. Why are you living in such a world? Moreover, many people are now saying that the world is collapsing.

Do not worry about it. Last November I gathered scholars from sixty nations and held an International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences in New York. All kinds of people, including Nobel laureates, participated. When I asked these questions to them, they had no answers. So I should teach them. They have researched all other possibilities, checking them out thoroughly, and have declared that they all smell bad, and that only Father's ideas taste good. It will be okay.

Are there any Korean people who have been doing that? No, there are not. Look. A few days ago, newspapers made a special report about a Korean world table tennis champion, didn't they? Who is a greater champion-a table tennis player or one who gathered numerous young people and matched them for marriage? How about the Unification Church? Is it easy or difficult to bring 1,8OO couples to marry? [It is difficult.] Please imagine how difficult it is. How can people make accusations without thinking about how difficult it is? They accuse because they feel jealous. Korean people say that if one's cousin buys land, the other feels pain in his stomach. It is a terribly bad Korean characteristic.

Well, what do people call such a person -- a matchmaker or a go-between? It's called a matchmaker. Who is the king matchmaker in all history? It is Moon so and so. He is standing here. Is it true? [Yes.] I have never met anyone who wants to kill me for making a bad marriage.

When someone asks a Unification Church member "Where would you like to live on earth?" you will answer that you wish to live on earth with freedom. Let's live in the realm of God's cosmic love where man can enjoy life beyond national and international boundaries. [Yes.] If you don't like it, you do not deserve to live there, and you'd better just fade away.

Today we cannot allow Satan to liberate the world in his style. Communist catch-phrases must not be accepted, whatever the cost to the Unification Church. Communism is, therefore, the most serious problem. This time many North Korean agents who live in Japan came to Korea, didn't they'? [Yes.] People do not know how much I have poured out my heart to liberate these people. Kim Il Sung will hate me the most, and he will want to kill me. I will chase away Communism by myself and I will revive Christianity by myself.

Among Jacob's twelve children there was Joseph. All of Joseph's eleven brothers tried to kill him by throwing him into a cistern. But he was saved and sold into slavery in Egypt. He went through many miserable situations. But by correctly interpreting the Pharaoh's dream, he became the prime minister of Egypt. He then saved his brothers and tribe. When his family came he could not persecute them, instead he treated them well. This is the position of the Unification Church.

Now, Christian churches are having a bad harvest. They will come to the Unification Church and ask for help. They will fall into the same position as Joseph's eleven brothers. If they ask, "Please help us," I will not say, "You are my enemies who prayed for my death." When the time comes, I will sympathize with them. Why? Because of God. If there is no God, there would only be problems. I am a tough man. When I was six or seven years old, I was hit by a friend without reason, and my nose started bleeding. I only stopped fighting when he and his grandfather surrendered to me. I am really tough. Once I have convinced myself to righteousness, I will fight at the cost of my life. Because I have such a character, God wants to use me. When you are like that, life is not a problem.

Unity of the Foundation of Influence To Root Out Worldwide Communism

Up until now, Moon so and so of the Unification Church has made our church members work as mendicants. Therefore our members experience many things having to do with established Christian church ministers, and they can never forget these experiences. We went about as simple, poor people, like beggars. We moved about in crowds without a room to stay in, being treated contemptuously by each house, one after another. We didn't play such a game for nothing. The Unification Church members who seemed like beggars passing by were not a corrupt imitation of the Heavenly Kingdom, but were the people bearing the seal of the King of the Heavenly Kingdom. What are they called? [Secret royal representatives.] Yes, they might be the secret royal representatives of the Heavenly Kingdom. The reason that I have created a commotion until now and thus become the man of trouble is not to bring a calamity upon this nation and this world. I might be the man through whom Heaven would bestow blessing upon this nation and this world. Humankind does not understand things such as this. Only God knows. Only God and I know about it. The members of the Unification Church do not know about it, do they? [They do.] They don't, do they? [They do.] Really? [Yes.] Then, how come they are the way they are? They drive me so hard like this. Without having a drop of sympathy for me. Are you being sympathetic with me? [Yes.]

Look, my lips are blistered from speaking so much in Pusan. Do you want me to speak more? Or, shall I stop? I am asking you, the members of the Unification Church who have so much sympathy! (Laughter.) So, which is better, continue or discontinue speaking? [Continuing is better.] If you say, "Discontinuing is better," it can be taken as being sympathetic, but you want me to continue? These people! [Laughter.] What kind of sympathy is that? [Then, you could take a short break before you continue. Laughter.] There is the man who is considerate! [You should continue.] But if I take a break I will have to go by a roundabout way back to Chungpa-dong by car. That is not good.

Well, to change the subject, if you say, "You, the teacher, taught us that the path the teacher is walking is for the sake of the whole, not for the good of the individual. Therefore, you must continue," then I am in a fix. You cannot just ask me to continue. Do you understand? Only when you say, "You must continue in obedience to the teacher's teaching, 'Live for the sake of the whole even at the sacrifice of the individual,' can even the teacher say, 'Amen.' Otherwise,..." So now, do you want me to continue? Or, not? [Please, continue.] That tells you that there is a limitation in your sympathy.

Now, what is our hope, the hope of Korea? It is to end the conflict around the 38th parallel. Am I right or wrong? [Right.] What does president Park hope for? He too wishes to abolish the need for a DMZ at the 38th parallel and bring unification between north and south. Right or wrong? [Right.] And also, what is the hope of the Unification Church? [Unification of the cosmos.] Our hope is not only to unify the 38th parallel but also to expel the Soviet Union and Communist China. That is the way the teacher thinks. I am not doing things such as this just to catch Kim Il Sung, beat him up, and boot out the North Korean Communist Party. It is for the sake of kicking out the worldwide Communist Party. Do you like that? [Yes.]

Therefore, from now on, Korea has to have peace with Japan. Otherwise, it cannot survive. It should not hold onto atheistic communist regimes, such as Communist China or the Soviet Union. It should trust countries which support religious freedom, such as Japan and the United States. I have been preaching and advising this way for fifteen years already. I am now praying that God will guide the prime minister of Japan for the sake of the future.

Moon so and so has been working for this providence of God while being abused. I've done all I can to save Asia and save Korea while being abused. Yet, I was maligned as being a traitor of the nation and a traitor of the Christian church. Why? If it comes to pass that Japan goes wrong, I will then have to ignite a flame to expel worldwide atheistic Communism by calling the people of righteousness throughout America, with all the nation's leaders as the central figures, centered on American Continent. I am doing that now. I am aware that unless I can set up this educational foundation against atheistic communism all over America by the year 1978, and unless I can defend faith in God and freedom by cultivating more than thirty thousand members, America will be in danger. That is why the teacher perseveres in his efforts night and day. There is not enough time.

Ladies and gentlemen, you be responsible for all problems pertaining to dealing with the communists in Korea. Is that all right? [Yes.] By so doing, do not let this three thousand-ri peninsula (the whole of Korea), which the teacher has loved, for which the teacher has shed blood and tears, be overthrown. If it is overthrown, the prestige of being the suzerain state of God's providence will be lost. You must come forth with the national characteristics with which you can play the role of leadership to the whole world, stepping forward hoisting victorious authority, authority which can be won only in the zone of danger, where you directly confront those of the opposition, standing at the vanguard of an ideological offensive against Communism. Only then can the Unification Church receive praise for being from the suzerain state, the homeland. If the Korean peninsula is overthrown, but the members of the Unification Church who stay on God's side worldwide play the role of restoring it by overcoming Communism and liberating the nation from it, Korea will lose its prestige as the suzerain state. This is a matter of concern, and that is the reason why the teacher has been working hard until now.

As regards having to develop God-centered education against Communism, Asia and Japan are in the same situation. The only organization that will save Japan is the International Federation for Victory Over Communism. This is the consensus of all Japanese leaders. Prominent figures of the general public always ask us for assistance. This will happen in the near future in America as well. That is why we have been educating young people in the nation, to work for the public good through the Sae Maeul (new village) campaign. Isn't that right? [Yes.] These people will travel abroad from Korea to Japan, to America and all over the world. Then I will build a university to teach the youth of the world, and raise the standard of godly knowledge throughout the world. We will have to convince all Communists of the errors of their thinking, moving them in a God-centered direction, opposite their present one. I am playing that kind of game.

Therefore, the Unification Church must win over Communists. If Communists work twenty-four hours we should work not twenty-four hours but forty-eight hours, sixty-eight hours and seventy-two hours, without sleeping. We must work and persevere more than them.

Then what is the source of God's most brain-racking troubles? The first is Communism, the second is the fall of the established Christian church and the third is the problem of the fallen youth in this earthly kingdom. Unless we straighten these things up, God's line of defense and the worldwide foundation for God to resolve His will in this earthly kingdom will suffer a crushing defeat. You must be aware of this.

Who is to be responsible for these causes of trouble to God; who is to solve such difficult worldwide problems? It would be ideal if countries that guide the world would assume this responsibility. But because they cannot bear this responsibility, a religious organization with a worldwide foundation is going to take the responsibility for God's liberation. But then again, Christianity, which has a worldwide foundation, cannot play such a game. Therefore, the Unification Church today must cultivate the base with which it can surpass the standard of world Christianity within a short time and, by putting this new standard on a firm base through reorganization, draw up a plan of and foundation for action. Otherwise, there is no way to survive. That is why I am busy.

Behind the Scenes, Communists Manipulate the Crowd which Opposes the Unification Church

I sent missionaries to 127 countries last year. Out of those, four Communist countries kicked the missionaries out. All the missionaries who stationed together in each of the remaining 123 countries are enemies to each other. From the standpoint of Americans, Japanese are enemies, and the Germans also are enemies. People who have traditional nationalistic feelings cannot become the citizens of the macrocosmic nation, and cannot become God's sons and daughters moving toward cosmos-ism. Though the missionaries met as enemies, coming together from nations which were enemies thirty years ago, they overcame this and love each other more than they love their own nations. Having moved to their assigned foreign lands they are making efforts to unite into one.

How big were the missionary teams which I sent? They were groups of three, each coming from a different country; one Japanese, one American and one German; all former enemies of each other. Seeing through the window of God's providential will, we must have the content with which we can unite ourselves with the shimjung (deep heart) transcending nationality in light of the providential will of God which intends to have a unified world and universe. We must also have the ability to put this content into practice. Unless we can do that, the Unification Church also will be expelled from the presence of God's will. Can we do it? Or, can't we? We must accomplish it. For this purpose, all kinds of people went out to 123 countries and are going into action.

What is more, I invited Japanese and Germans to save America. I told Germans to love Americans more than they do Germans, and Japanese to love Americans more than Japanese. Only when you love Americans to that extent will Americans testify to you. Those Germans who joined the Unification Church now must be recognized as having risen above the Germans living in Germany, who used to advocate nationalism, as well as above Americans who live in America with the same attitude. By the same token, those Japanese who joined the Unification Church must, before stepping forth, receive official recognition that they are above the Japanese living in Japan as well as the Americans who live in America, even though they were enemies thirty years ago. Otherwise, you cannot establish an example for the world to emulate. That is why, as soon as I arrived in America, I invited all those German members and Japanese members to America and asked them to work so hard. I hurried them up twenty-four hours a day, disregarding night and day. Can you imagine how difficult it has been? Do you think I was comfortable while letting other people go through all sorts of hardships, making it tough for them to survive? That is not easy. But the result is that the Unification Church of America has already established as an historical fact that it must follow the sacrificial traditions of the Germans and Japanese. Only the teacher can accomplish this kind of thing. Therefore, absolute loving obedience to God is required by the teacher of the Unification Church.

With this foundation, the spring water gushing out of a new fountain is cleansing every aspect of corruption in American society at the present time. That is the campaign the Unification Church is conducting. Nevertheless, some foolish people of the world are greatly confused because they think the circumstances they have been in are about to break down and be scattered. Our campaign is like a thrust which applies a progressive increase of force. That is the reason why this is perceived to be a social problem, and people come forward in opposition.

Behind the scenes, who are pulling all the strings of the opposition? The Communists. Suppose we have five hundred parents opposing us in Japan. If you investigate, you will find that few of them really are parents. There might be only one person out of those five hundred, who may be a nephew of a Unification Church member. The rest of them are all Communists. These Communists are afraid that once the day comes when the Unification Church solidifies its worldwide footing they will lose their power. That is why they oppose us in exactly the same manner throughout their worldwide network. Even the recent bombing of our church building in France was the work of Communists.

Behind the scenes in the established Christian churches of South Korea today there exists the evil influence of Communism. Look at the situation. Communists are presently demonstrating against the performance of the Little Angels. What have the Little Angels got to do with Communism? The Communists demonstrate because Reverend Moon is involved. They are just bothering Reverend Moon. But they are sleeping on a volcano. In a city such as New York, rape, robbery and murder take place in broad daylight and in the open air. Into such an extremely dangerous American land this man, a yellow man called Teacher Moon, arrived from Asia and started fomenting a disturbance, lifting the whole country up and down. Therefore, it is natural that while there are many people supporting us, there are also many who oppose. In such an environment, it is possible to take out a contract for the assassination of a man. I fully checked the underworld. I researched everything, including the background of the Mafia. To win you must know the enemy, shouldn't you?

Watching me doing all these things, all kinds of people make threats saying, "Reverend Moon, be quiet or you will have a bullet coming toward you." They make all kinds of threats. To these I say, "You fool! I have been getting such intimidating threats for thirty years already." (Laughter.) If I shrink back in the face of such threats, the final decision in this war cannot be reached. You have to be bold. The teacher has an antenna and thus, if he feels danger upon a certain path, he avoids that path. When I am inside the car, my feeling will tell me not to go that way. I have such an antenna. I am fitted with special equipment.

Korea Has Not Escaped the Crisis of Suffering

The reason I came to Korea this time, first of all, is that if I stay in Korea for about forty days and go back, it will be good for the country. This year is the turning point for the worldwide fate of Korea. From the viewpoint of God's providence, Korea has just entered a turning point of great heavenly fate. Thus even Communist countries are trying to solidify a worldwide strategy. This is a time when all these efforts of communist countries can fail.

God loves me. Thus I must come to Korea and give chung sung for forty days. [Editor's note: The term "chung sung" has no direct English equivalent, but it means something along the lines of "measurable investment of the whole heart and soul".] For that reason, I am traversing all parts of Korea and trying to fulfill this. This country must not perish. It must not die. By all means President Park should not die. He should do well until I come back after a few years. He must guard against Kim Il Sung with iron fortification. Then I will come back, after making a foundation worldwide.

A good child is not the child that makes troubles within the family. Which is better, the person who always speaks out loudly within the household, or the person who goes outside and speaks? [The person who goes out.] Reverend Moon is that way, right? So, is Reverend Moon good or bad? [Good.] Really? [Yes.] Didn't you give the wrong answer? [No.] If I yell something at Koreans, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Thus last year, after a thirty year period, I decided to confront the established churches. We bombarded them with the "Day of Hope Festival." They were blown away because of some seven hundred foreigners, and I thought, "Is that all there is to these Christians?" I was disappointed. We punch them with one shot, and they fell with a grand fall, after trying to oppose us. What's the use of losing, when you go against something? They should try to win if they go to the trouble of opposing. Weren't the established churches totally crushed? [Yes.] Ask any other person who is not a Unification Church member whether Christians or the Unification Church won. I will not lose. "If you touch Unification Church members, I will..." If I command, "Grit your teeth and confront the Christians. One should convince hundreds... " You are a fearsome people. Do you feel good? [Yes.] You feel good even if it is night, and you are hungry. [Laughter.] In the Yoido ....... Do you remember that time? [Yes.] Do you want to do it again? [Yes.] From now we shouldn't do it in Korea. Everything is finished. Rallies, how many of them do we have to do? How much do we have to spend?

Now we must do it in America on June 1, 1976. We were going to do it on May 28th, but there is a very complicated event being held in that city at that time. Thus we had to move the date to June 1. When June first comes ... Yankee Stadium is a big baseball stadium in New York. There we are going to gather about 70,000 people. What would the people coming there want to see? Who do they want to see? This yellow race, Moon's face. Because whether I am infamous or famous, I am a great man, right? [Yes.]

Right now they have not decided whether I am good or bad. Whether this person is infamous for bad reasons or famous for good reasons, American people make a hero out of a person. They respect famous and rich persons. Do I have a lot of money? I do, right? And also I have young people, right? If I ask them, they will come from San Francisco to New York in three days. It usually takes a week by car, but they will come in three days. They could also come in twenty-four hours.

In this way, centering on our support for President Nixon, we did all the training. That is why we go to a place, to which people might go once in a lifetime, within three days. We can do this any time and whenever.

Who do people want to see in Yankee Stadium? [Father.] They come to see Reverend Moon. When they come, I am going to capture them. I can handle the American people. I have that kind of ability. When that happens, New York will become silent. And if New York becomes silent, every city in America will become silent, even the media.

Then in September I am going to make a newspaper. I am going to inspire young people and prick the bottoms of media companies. We have a newspaper company in Tokyo, right? [Yes.] New York and London are the gathering places of all the media, such as the UPI and AP. It is the gathering headquarters of all of Asia, gathering place of Europe and gathering place of North and South America. I will do this all at once. This is the highest dream of a journalist, and Father will do it in just a few years.

Is it easy to make a newspaper company? Every month, Japan is offering one hundred million Yen. That's about 1.2 billion Yen given every year, right? I am talking about Japanese Yen. It's about 1.9 billion in Korean Won. I am doing activities that require that kind of money and more. Do you understand? And if I make this newspaper company in New York, I have to pay 300,000 dollars every month. Wouldn't you like it if I gave you some of that money? [No.] The company can operate only if I pay three to four hundred thousand dollars every month. For three years, that is. If we can hold on for three years, we will have a stable foundation.

Then we will make it also in London. Our correspondent will be a most famous correspondent of the biggest newspaper. We are going to go to groups of correspondents and tell them, "Hey you, don't you want to go to Tokyo? Don't you want to go to London, to New York?" and win them all. Thus I am going to reach the top people of the UPI and AP and restore the media of the world. I know that if I am not able to coach that area, it will be swallowed up by Communism, and that is why I am hurrying this up. What a bad fix this is for me, to do the things that even Americans couldn't do. Shouldn't you sympathize with me? [Yes.] Then do you people have money? Since you don't have money, you can only pray with your bottoms facing heaven. [Laughter.] You should at least do that.

What is the reason that I am doing all these projects? You have to know what that is. For what am I doing it? I don't have a dream of conquering the world. I already made enough wealth to be able to eat a cow a day and more. Do you understand? I have already prepared so that even if I go to all the states of the United States, there is a place for me to stay and a car. Or if I go to London, France, or wherever, and even if I land at night from a jet, someone will pick me up in a nice sedan and bring me to a place to sleep. I made a foundation in England, and I prepared a foundation in Germany. Did people even dream that a person who received insults as a lonely individual and was persecuted by all the so-called elite of Korea, could do this?

If these elates had welcomed this man thirty years ago and worked with him, Communism would have disappeared by my hands, like the falling leaves of autumn. The democratic world would have raised the flag of liberation in the name of God, and therefore the liberation of Heaven and earth would have been fulfilled. But because the established churches in Korea stood in opposition, the historical democratic world as well as historical earth was injured. Korea has to indemnify that.

Therefore, Korea still has not gone over the crisis of suffering. Reverend Moon of the Unification Church is not a fool. I know for myself that I have a lot of ability. If I need to, I can dig through anything. But I still do not like doing that. If some need appears, I could command, "Dig through!" and if someone else cannot, I myself do it. I have the ability to be diplomatic as well as be persuasive. You have to know that.

Pray to Liberate God

Thus today for Unification Church members to be leaders, they first need to know how to take care of economic problems. Then they need to know diplomacy. Then they need to be able to give speeches that can persuade the masses. Because I educate people based on this leadership training, Unification Church members graduated only high school but can give speeches more eloquent than college professors. Isn't that true? [Yes.]

As a result, Regional Leaders and District Leaders are only in their twenties, but police chiefs and county magistrates come by themselves and listen to our words. Even if a person has graduated college or has a Ph.D., he loses to a high school graduate. A college education is no problem for us to handle. We are equipped with an ideological and theoretical system.

Why do we do this? To do what? Is it because I need money, or I want to become president of Korea? No. I actually do not like becoming famous. I went to Choong Nam this time, and the police bureau guided me around in a motorcade. I don't like that. It's all right that they are concerned about me, but my hope and desire is that they love the citizens of Korea more than they love me. I would want them to become national leaders who can lead Korea to be the nation I hope it to be.

You Unification Church members of Kyungki-do and Seoul: Seoul and Kyungki-do are the heart of this nation. You are the soul and the heart. I thank you for coming because you love Father, but I have taught you that before you love me you must love the people and that before you love me you must love God.

A parent who can possess a true filial son, is not the parent who praises his child for being filial to him, but is the parent who tells the child, "My child, just as you love me, love your brothers and sisters even more. Love your neighbor and nation more than you love me." That person is qualified to have many filial children.

If there is a good king, that king should teach his loyal subjects, saying, "I appreciate that you give devotion and prayer for me, but first love the citizens and God, and then love me." That is the good king who can lead many loyal subjects.

Then today, who is God who can lead the saints? God does not teach them, "Do your utmost duty through your loyalty to me." He will instead say, "Even if you abandon me, love the people. Liberate every being on this earth as well as all the spirit men in the spirit world, and then love me." God is that kind of Being, and that is why He can eternally possess the name, "Jehovah" before all people.

Unification Church members, do not sympathize with me. I don't like that. Don't pray for me. I don't need those prayers. But instead, pray for the liberation of this nation. Since God is in restraint, pray to make God a free God, who can come to Korea and do whatever He wishes. Pray that God will be a liberated God. Give prayers that can liberate God.

A parent who has an unfilial child is restrained because of that child. In order to liberate that parent, the child has to be more filial than the degree of his disobedience. Moreover, he has to be recognized by the masses. In that way he can cleanse his past sins. That is the heavenly law. By the same token, saying, "For Father only ... " is unnecessary. Do things for your neighbor and this nation. The people of this nation are miserable. For five thousand years they had been singing, "Let's build a three room, thatched house, invite foster parents and real parents, and live for ten thousand years... "We can be grateful for the words of welcoming parents, but to live in a straw-roofed, thatched house for thousands of years? These are a miserable people. We must teach these people correctly. If these people, who don't have money and are not equipped with other things, are not able even to have God's blessing, where can they go?

God is just. The reason that God kept this nation alive through five thousand years of history in Asia is that He longed for the day when Korea could help Asia, centering on the consummate love of God, and by receiving His love.

Korea Will Prosper When the Unification Church Prospers

When God shines that love and that will upon this land, if this nation can shape itself into a power that can liberate Asia and liberate the world, for the liberation of Heaven and earth as God desires, then the people of this nation will become holy people and the people of hope.

Today, when we see that there is no religion that can possess such hope, no denomination that can leave behind that hope, when we realize that only the Unification Church can at least talk about these things, we know that if God hears what we say, He will not feel bad. Moreover, if we actually accomplish these things in the worldwide stage...

Even if the Unification Church had started without knowing His will, God would have come, taught, and worked with us, saying, "You, work together with me." But if from the beginning we started with God and accomplished His will, how much hope and expectation would God have for us? You must think about this point. You must know that the Unification Church is that kind of place. It is not a place where worthless people, who want to get into a corner and sleep, are gathered.

People say that I am superhuman, but I am not. I am a desperate man. I am a totally desperate person. There is no such thing as superhuman. I went to America and brought some Americans to recognize and listen to me, and I tested how much endurance they have. I took a boat out on the Atlantic Ocean, and fished day and night. I said, "You! You president of the American Church, you leader of America, get on the boat," and fished overnight, without resting. I wanted to see how many hours they can endure. We worked twenty-four hours a day without resting. I urged them to go out every chance I got. It was a matter of educating without talking, of showing an example while being silent. In this way, experiencing ruthless hardships, I went on doing this month after month. When I did that, I saw that those who were on the boat at the outset all left, and when I asked people to go out on a boat, they would tell me to go alone.

But the driver, the one person, was still following behind, as he had no choice. And so I thought, "Let's see if he likes it," and he was enduring pretty well. Then I wanted to educate him further. So I went out in the morning, fished without sleeping all day, then came back, ate, and asked to go out again. Then after that, I thought, "Well, well, well"

Why do I do this? It is because I must raise up children, put up a notice board in the western land, and make dedicated people through whom God can protect the notice board. Why do I, born as a Korean, go to America and do this?... I am not doing this for no reason. I am a desperate man. Superhuman might sound holy, but if you view me in terms of God's heart, I am a desperate man for God.

The reason that I stand on this podium even if I have a hoarse voice is that I want to go on standing on this podium until I fall down. Don't think that I am a nice person. I am a fearsome man. I am a sorrowful man. If there is a sorrowful person in the world, probably no one is more sorrowful than I. I cannot tell this to anyone. Without God, I am the most miserable person. You must know that. I do not need money. I do not need honor. The only issue is: who will defend this nation? That is the problem. Awake, but like a mad man, I am a man desperately doing God's will.

The Unification Church Must Carry Out A Worldwide Movement of Liberation Together with God

If I ask the Japanese members to bring all of Japan's wealth to Korea, they will do it. Do you understand what I am saying? All the Unification Church members in America, if I ask them, will invest all they have for the sake of God's will in Korea. This terribly poor nation. .. Last year I brought about thirty billion Won [about four million dollars] and poured it into Korea. Ultimately, the Unification Church has to do well in order for Korea to do well. Korea will prosper only if the Unification Church flourishes. Do you understand? [Yes.] Also in order for the Unification Church worldwide to do well, the Unification Church of Korea must do well!

When Japanese members come and watch your faith, they should be kneeling down silently, without a word. You must have something to show an example, so that they cannot misbehave. For Reverend Moon, anybody in the Unification Church... There is President so and so but in front of me they are all.. Why? I have received more verbal abuse than anybody. I have suffered for the Unification Church more than anybody. I have taught people more than anybody. That's why. For seven years from 1957 I have slept less than two hours-a-day average. Why? Because I knew that there is a unspeakable story of Chun Ryun. That's the sin. Sin. I could not die if I wanted to. If I die, who will love this will and Korea? And who will liberate this world which I want to liberate? That is why God will surely hold on to me and plead His case with me.

Thus if you ask a spiritually open person who Reverend Moon is, he will immediately fall into tears. I saw even western spiritualists weep bitterly and loudly, saying how pitiful and miserable Reverend Moon is. The world doesn't know, but God knows. When God sees how, centering on this small man, all kinds of unexpected events occur, passing through space, transcending time and transcending space, God is not without sympathy. That is why I am still alive. If He were not, I would have died. With a character such as mine, I would probably have died.

Thus the problem is knowing God. Because I know God, I cannot speak even if I want to, and I cannot die even if I want to. You must know this fact. For that reason, enduring is also for the sake of shortening the time to liberation, and receiving verbal abuse is to make certain of welcoming the day of liberation... Do you understand what I am saying? You should gladly endure and persevere.

What would it be like in God's world where there is no fall? There you become a true child centering on True Parents and centering on Adam. A true "kinship" would spread, and you would become the tribe of the true Adam, centering on true ancestors. The culture of that world would be Adam's culture. This world is not that kind of world, right? That world is a unified world. It is not like the trashy world of today. It is one world. Once it is united centering on God's love, nothing can separate. Even in this fallen world, a parent cannot separate a man and woman's love. He cannot separate them even if he kills them. Then in an unfallen, good world, who would separate two people united in God's love? If that unity happens, mind and body will not divide. Do you know that? Mind and body are naturally one already, it is only broken down.

Thus where should unification happen? On the 38th parallel. It has to begin from the 38th parallel of the mind and body. Ultimately, if one person can be perfected, everyone can be perfected, standing upon the fate of that man.

From this viewpoint, should we recognize Communistic so-called liberation? [No.] If an ideology appears, centering on a similar philosophy that excludes God, and says that men by themselves will revolutionize the world, that revolution has nothing to do with God. Do you understand? [Yes.] Even if that kind of liberation triumphs, unless again another liberation occurs with the participation of God and religion, the world will not be a world of peace.

Because we know this, the Unification Church today, together with God, must create a movement of liberation for the world. Even if we cannot do it, we should take responsibility for it. If we can do nothing else, we should at least research in order to hurry the process. And if we don't fulfill, we should at least become the material of sacrifice. If not, three generations ... If that does not happen, liberation will never be achieved. It absolutely cannot happen centering on some philosophical ideology, some changing ideology. The liberation has to happen centering on an absolutely unchanging ideology, based on a situation suitable for absolute immutability, God's ideal of creation, and God's original ideal. A religion which is able to do that must appear and must carry it out. God cannot do it by Himself. Because man made the error, committed sin, God as parent cannot take final responsibility for it. It is the same with secular law. If their children had committed a crime and a mother and father tell the court, "I will receive the punishment for what my children have committed", can the court approve of that? No. Thus, man must do it, man.

The Unification Church Should Hurry on Its Way

Then, when does God help? Although God wants to help the human world, He cannot. Why? It is because man took in Satan. Therefore, only when man subjugates Satan through fulfilling his responsibility and comes to stand on the unfallen and victorious foundation, can God manage and guide him. This is the Principle of Creation. Since God cannot cooperate until man arrives at the position of overcoming Satan and to the international level, God is unable to liberate the world at this time.

Only when religions work in unity, and worldwide Christianity and all religions go over this level, can God help. That is why God cannot actively help the Unification Church. I was helped because I went ahead relentlessly with my life at stake and because I went through it all betting my life and without fearing persecution. So at the time of the Holy Wedding in 1960, we were in a war zone. Where in the world has there ever been such a wedding?

Thus, by persuading the individual, family, and tribe, we organize the tribe and nation of Heaven. This way, the Unification Church is trans-nationally conducting the movement of forming a national foundation for the sake of a new ideal and God's Kingdom.

What are we going to do with this? We will liberate the world. What? [Liberation of the cosmos.] Liberation of the cosmos comes only after that of the world. We will liberate the entire spirit world, too. Even Jesus is not in the Kingdom of Heaven. When I saw him, he was in Paradise. Did Jesus, who came in order to liberate the world, fulfill his mission? No, so his mission is not over yet. Since his mission was not completed, he could not be victorious for the liberation of the world and be loved as a son by God. This is the path of the Unification Church today.

How long will the Unification Church remain? It should go on until the earth, spirit world, and eventually God are liberated through the heart of True Love. Eventually, we must liberate mankind, the spirit world, and God. This is the first time you've heard this, isn't it? We thought that God would liberate us, but instead we must liberate God. We should know that God is in bondage with regard to shimjung. You can understand this without explanation, right? [Yes.]

You should know that such a crucial mission is placed upon the shoulders of the fragile woman. Although you may put on a skirt and cook rice in a tiny kitchen, while eating this rice, whether it be with a spoon or with your fingers, you should be able to eat with a thought of serving mankind. You can wear shabby clothes, but you should think that you are wearing them for the sake of mankind and for God's dignity, and that you are living for the sake of God. Do you understand? [Yes.]

You should pray for your children, "You, when you grow up, don't be a traitor of the state, but be a saint of the world." And you should repent over and over. With my babies, Hyo Jin and Ye Jin, I have for ten years... It is pitiful. We met them as their father and mother, and yet... although they are in America now. Because we come in late, we see them late at night, and in the morning there is no time to see them. Always... They can never see their parents, although they want to. It is not easy to be a father. I am a sinner. When we come in late, we go into their rooms and pray with them, "You understand me. Your father and mother are not bad parents. It is just that although we want to be with you, we cannot because we know God's situation." And then I sleep. It is hard to be a father.

Although I have sent missionaries to dozens of foreign countries, I am living in the overly ornate rooms of East Garden. I do not need that house. But I have no alternative, because while operating in America you cannot attain recognition otherwise. These days, I can use luxury cars. Why? Since this world is a capitalistic world, you cannot make your way without something to show. So I have no other way. It is not for the sake of my own glory.

I pray at night without sleep. When the wind blows, I get up in the middle of sleep. I am a sinner. I am a person who prays, "God, I know that there are people who trust me and are praying tonight. As you know my heart, please don't leave them in the miserable situation. They are pitiful, so please hit me instead of them." I am a big sinner. In my walk, when I find a place to sit and rest, I complain, "When will God become able to walk this land freely with me, and when can I take the pitiful members of the Unification Church around the world and rejoice?" I pray like a man who is half-crazy.

Why am I doing this? It is because I have seen that God is more desolate than I am. To desire even in my dreams to live with God, our Parent, for a thousand and ten thousand years, with the praise of all the people for the path of filial piety and loyalty. You should know that such is the path which I, whom you desire to see, am following.

Although I cannot give you money and power, because I don't have them, you will not go into ruin if you accept this philosophy. You will not perish! I must be the first commander for the liberation of the earth, and you be my elite representatives. Then the Unification Church cannot perish. We cannot let it collapse. If you can exert your spiritual effort day and night, with your hands raised high, loving your neighbor as your own body, and taking delight and pride in the step-by-step progress of the providence through you, then the Unification Church will absolutely not perish. If it does, I am a liar. Hence, we should hurry ourselves. You should know that the path of the Unification Church is such that you have to repent after sleeping at night and you cannot take a nap. Do you understand this? [Yes.]

Only when the day comes when we can liberate the earth, by showing the world the trans-national direction and one road, can we put up a new flag in Heaven and receive the praise for the earthly victory from God. From that time, the movement for the liberation of the spirit world will begin.

The Unification Church Must Liberate God along with The Liberation of Heaven and Earth

We must liberate the spirit world, which is hell. We should demolish the walls dividing countless religions. Without achieving unification on the earth, the walls will not come down. So didn't Jesus say, in Matthew 16:19, "Whatsoever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven"? We must resolve it on the earth. Since it was entangled on the earth, it should be loosened on the earth. After we realized this amazing situation, we recognize why the earth has been so problematic. Numerous religious people do not realize that the problem must be solved on the earth, and they try to go to heaven after death. But they will never be able to go to heaven in such a way. I have met faithful ministers and faithful and famous figures of history, but they are all dwarfed. Although they should inherit God's will, they are powerless, centered on their own greed.

Why did the Unification Church come into being? It was not for the sake of me. For whom? [For God.] It was for the sake of the liberation of the earth. Then we should liberate Heaven and earth. Liberation of Heaven and earth. Liberation of Heaven and earth. Afterwards, from such a position of shimjung, we should liberate the suffering God. When we can say to God that the sons, families, tribe, country, and mankind have come to Him, which He longed for and desired to regain, God will be liberated heartistically. Through this, our God can laugh, dance, and sing. You should know this.

Do the people now on the earth think that God has been dancing and singing with joy? God cannot love man, who is like a dog. So far, God has never enjoyed true and unfallen original love. Why? Because man has fallen and because he is living in the realm of the fall.

If God can laugh, what will His laughter be like? If He laughs wildly, what will happen to the world? Will it flip in and out? When God dances, the five seas and six continents will feel a big bang, and the world will be turned over. Have you ever seen this, however? Do you know such an historical fact? You should know that God is in sorrow, in loneliness, in pain, and in desolation.

We should liberate God in the world of shimjung so that God can exclaim and dance, "My son, the original world I was seeking after has been realized." Even God Himself cannot do this. It can be done through the utmost exertion of filial piety and loyalty. Since the wrong was done by man, it should be undone by man. Do you understand this? [Yes.] Until that day, the Unification Church cannot perish.

After the liberation of the earth, then comes that of Heaven. Then we should heartistically liberate God. We are in the path that even demands the ultimate sacrifice. The Unification Church is very hard to follow, to be honest. Nevertheless, will you still follow it? [Yes.] Those who would still like to follow, please raise your hands. Put them down.

Let Us Become Agents for the Liberation of Heaven and Earth

You should know that our motto is to become such an agent of liberation. When you go to your own villages, you should put up a sign stick that says, "This is a village of liberation desired by God". Do you see? You should know that when the Republic of Korea is liberated, it will become a country of liberation desired by God. After going to America, I am fighting in order to turn that country into one God desires. Do you understand? [Yes.] Can there be any opposition to this? There cannot be. If I die without fulfilling the task, please write as my epitaph," A man who died pitifully for the sake of the liberation of Heaven and earth". Those who will carry on the task even through the generations after my death, please raise your hands. Put them down.

That is why you have a busy future. When you see pictures of your parents or relatives before you sleep, and you think that you have not fulfilled the duties for them, you should not sleep. You should not. When you want to see your graduation album, you should see it after you convey this to your alumni friends and have exerted all your effort until you fulfill the responsibility. You cannot look at the album without completing your responsibility. This is serious business. As the Communists do all sorts of things in order to secure their foothold, we should offer even more intense effort and multiply the liberation agents of God one by one. This way, we should win over the Communists. In Asia, centering on Korea, we should win over the communist Peoples Republic of China and Soviet Union. Although a worldwide movement to bring this about has started, nonetheless, America is replete with signs of ruin.

Thus, unless we correct the three major problems and create a new system for the youth, which I mentioned earlier, the world will not be set aright. Everyone will get hit by Satan's poison arrow and see their wounds fester, rot, and shed pus. So America is in deep trouble. But now that I am there - - One diplomat said, "Reverend Moon is the problem in America." But the real problem is not Reverend Moon, but America itself. America is unable to see that Reverend Moon is there to solve her problems.

With this understanding, will you serve as righteous and dedicated people of liberation or not? [We will.] How about the sisters? [We will.] What if your husbands oppose it? [We will still do it.] Will you still do it, forsaking your own husbands? [Yes.] Then go ahead, do it. [Laughter.] You bring those husbands to me. Everyone should do it.

So we should liberate Korea, right? [Yes.] We should unify the South and North. For this purpose, our women should stand in the front line. Who brought about the fall? [Women.] Since a woman led the fall, in the future the female cadre of the Unification Church should take over the task of defeating the communist troops. The men can watch. [Laughter.] Why do you laugh? This is the principle. So why do you laugh? [Because we like it.] Because you like it? Then it's okay. [Laughter.]

With you and with the young people of the Unification Church throughout the world, I will serve as the commander. I am serious. It is not a play. Do you understand? [Yes.] That's why I built up an industrial foundation. For the sake of Republic of Korea, I built this. Christianity cannot do the job, for they will ruin everything. We must do a dissection, and I will be the surgeon who opens the stomach. When I go to the mountain and I catch a wild boar, I suck its blood with a pipe. In the future, I will do the same with all the evil people, even if it requires my sacrifice. With such an intention, I am even willing to eat the offspring of a poisonous serpent.

I am a man consumed with such han. [ Editor's note: The word "han" roughly means sorrow or grudge. However, han is not simply these feelings, but contains love: it is a unique sorrow, anger, or hard feeling which one experiences when one's sincere love is frustrated. ] Do you see? So if someone wants to oppose the Unification Church, he has to give up his life ten times and more. Moreover, when I die, I will subjugate him in spirit. So ministers of the established churches better not persecute us. How can they persecute without even being willing to give up their lives?

Now, our sisters of the Unification Church, will you become agents of liberation or not? [We will.] Will you or not? [We will.] You won't? [We will.] You won't? [We will.] Our brothers, will you or not? [We will.] Will you lose to sisters or win? [Win.] Will sisters lose to brothers or win? [Win.] Why don't you compete? [Laughter.] You can carry on this competition forever. If a few people faint in the middle of this competition, I will be responsible for it. As for a struggle like this, you can have it as much as you want. Struggle is acceptable in this case. Now, I am exhausted. Shall I take some rest? [Yes.]

Now you probably understand. It is good enough to go as far as liberating God. What shall I do after that? I will give all I have done over to you, and disappear somewhere. Would you like me not to disappear, or instead to live together with you? [Yes.] You should live better than I do, right? But when I am around, can you live better than I? I won't feel comfortable to see that you can live well only after I do. So I am saying this in order to make sure that you live better than I do. Is this someone to be thanked? [Someone to be thanked.] You know it. [Laughter.]

Now you probably know. Since the Unification Church is carrying out a huge mission to liberate even God, imprisoned in the world of shimjung, although nations of the world may perish and religions of the world may collapse, it will remain until the day the will is accomplished. Since God needs those people, He will hold on to them and fight along with them until then. How about that? Amen! Hallelujah!

True Father's Prayer

Beloved Father! We hear the news of the fierce battle in America every day. I have come to this place as my sixth stop on the Korean itinerary course. Father, we know that the word liberation of Heaven and earth is a word You greatly appreciate. Jesus came with this intention. We know that there have been many ancestors of faith who came with such an internal shimjung from Heaven, and yet died without being able to express it to the evil world.

Your pitiful child is standing here. Father who worries about me, I am sorry. I clearly remember Your voice that admonished me when I was in tears. I have not forgotten You, who embraced and loved me when I was struggling in prison. I have not forgotten Your voice, which said, "I am here," and told me to be strong and courageous when I was being driven around in tears, having no one but You to look to.

No matter how big America is, I know that it is only a handful of sand for You. Before You, who fears that America may ruin the democratic world, I resolve to follow this path even if I have to throw up blood; so please be with me. Pitiful Father, I am not in miserable shape. Please count on me. I am not sixty yet, and I am an ambitious and vigorous man. Please count on me. I will never stop going forward.

Today, the members of the Kyungki Region and some of the Seoul members have gathered here. I know that there are many who were not able to be here. Please console them. They have not realized that this teacher they respect is such a sorrowful and desolate person. I have spoken with a desire that by kneeling down, repenting of their past, and criticizing themselves, they escape shame before Heaven, and that in the future they become new people from this time on; so please accept it.

Father, we must protect the Republic of Korea. It cannot go into ruin. Please fulfill Your hope through the people of the Unification Church, who are driven around and chased after. We know that in history, those who were chased out achieved revolutionary goals.

Following the Holy Name of God, who has ever been welcomed in his generation? You have established me in the position to be welcomed with a worldwide foundation in my generation, however, and I think I do not deserve this glory. You should have stood in such a position rather than I, so I sincerely desire that the day come soon when we can serve You this way.

Now they have pledged before You to become dedicated people for the liberation of Heaven and earth by raising up both of their hands. This is not a pledge made with the teacher but with You, so please don't let them forsake it. Let them understand that this pledge should remain, even when they have to go over the hill of life and death. Let them endure and overcome harsh paths of suffering in order to leave a tradition of loyalty before You. I sincerely desire this.

Father, we hear the people of the world calling for the day of liberation through us. I know that the pitiful souls of the spirit world are crying out for salvation through the miserable folk of the Unification Church. Moreover, when we consider that You are thinking of these things, we are overwhelmed with repentance. So please leave everything up to us. We have promised this time that as we follow this path, laying down our lives, we will march on and on without hesitation; so we eagerly ask You to trust us and take a peaceful rest.

We have been doing wrong because we did not know, but since we know now, please have hope. As we have pledged to become women and men who will not stand ashamed before the allowed day and the will, we eagerly ask You to push us and drive us upon such a road.

We prayed all these in the name of the True Parents. Amen.

Message at the Unification Ceremony

Sun Myung Moon
January 31, 1976
Seoul, Korea

SunMyungMoon-760131.jpg

As you know 1976 is a historical year. The Yoido rally last year prepared the national foundation spiritually and established the substantial national standard. Because Jesus died on the cross the nation of Judea and the Jewish religion could not be united. Last year was the historical period for restoring this through indemnity. At the time of Jesus, the Jewish people and the government joined to confront him. Last year the Unification Church and the government together confronted the established churches and turned the situation completely upside down.

Unification Church members from 60 nations came to Korea representing many nations of the world. Looking at the national point of view horizontally, we can say that the democratic world has the spiritual mission of Christianity; therefore, the International One World Crusade (IOWC) was organized in order to give our movement a spiritual foundation on the worldwide level. The Western team members brought along the victorious spiritual foundation of all of Western Christianity.

Last year's events also created an opportunity for the Asian and the Western cultures to be united, since many spirit people who had come to Asian nations while they were on earth and many Christian spirit people who had sacrificed themselves here helped us. They had tried to achieve that unity on earth, but never succeeded. This unity has now created an opportunity for making contact between good Asian spirit people who had been loyal patriots and good Western spirit people who had done good deeds for their cultures.

Korea is a nation which has paid the historical indemnity condition representing the whole world; therefore, it must establish one unifying teaching representing the entire world. The spiritual unity in Korea means that both Christianity and the Unification Church are uniting, as well as Western culture and Asian culture. Now the spiritual foundation of Christianity must be connected to the world centered upon the Unification Church in Korea today. There is no way we can reach out to the world physically unless we have all the blessings of worldwide Christianity centered here on the spiritual standard, and can connect those blessings with the physical foundation in Korea.

The Yoido rally was a historical event that established these conditions. The participants came not by their own will alone, but were moved unconsciously by the entire spiritual world which was mobilized for the occasion. This rally was unprecedented in Korean history and established a world record as well.

This shows that now is the time to jump forward according to the fundamental principle centering upon the nation. Thus I have established certain conditions in the United States. In the third year of my course in the United States the media began to attack me severely. But I know that by this April we will go over the peak and take the offensive.

It makes me feel good that the communist accusations that I do brain- washing have all been dismissed. A recent court case clarified this, and our accusers were sentenced and had to back down. All the American news media have been opposing God's providence since the time of President Nixon, and they are now trying to kick us out, saying that the leaders of the Unification Church are coming to the United States and are influencing the entire nation. They contend that a stranger appeared and began attracting young people away from the affluent American way of life.

We know our activities are sacrificial deeds for God's providence, but the news media sees them as something to be accused. They say that members are forced to sell flowers or raise funds on the street. But Unification Church members are voluntarily doing this as a sacrifice in order to bring life to the world. The world esteems people who work faithfully eight hours a day for themselves, but how can we save the nation if we just imitate what people of the world do? Theoretically it is reasonable that we should do more than they do if we are working for the sake of others and the whole world. This is our point of view, which they do not understand. This is why we get up early in the morning and come back at midnight or 1 a.m. Americans consider this overworking.

Some people thought that the Communist Party was assisting me and using me to gain control of the United States. So they investigated through the CIA, but they could not find anything. If I had not initiated Victory Over Communism (VOC) activity, a lot of problems would have developed. I initiated VOC activities in Korea and other parts of Asia and have been considered the authority on anti-communism. No one can ignore that fact.

Thus they are very concerned about me. They are trying to create a situation in which they can catch me and accuse me. From an ideological point of view, I am not a member of the Communist Party; from a religious or Christian point of view, I am in the leading position. So they cannot find any condition to accuse me.

The Yankee Stadium Rally

Our activities were all done in order to meet the dispensational time conditions. We are now working in the spiritual Christian cultural realm, since the United States is the central Christian nation of the world. My three-year course in the United States that ended last year established a victorious spiritual foundation, which connected Christianity and the Unification Church. We have control over the spiritual foundation no matter how much noise the democratic world or established. Christians make. The foundation we established in Korea has set the national and substantial standard both spiritually and physically. This was the purpose behind the three-year course in the United States. We must work to set the national and substantial standards in the United States through 1976,1977, and until April 1978. Then the United States will certainly enter a whirl of great confusion centered upon me, but that confusion will decline after the second year.

Jesus was crucified because his situation was reversed after the second year. However, today we are going in the opposite direction--up. Therefore, the three-year period from 1975-77 should connect the victorious worldwide spiritual foundation with the victorious physical standard. The victorious national condition set both physically and spiritually at the Yoido rally has made this possible.

Because I know the absolute authority of the Principle--that no one can ever get victory over us no matter how they attack us--I am fighting with great confidence. Now a big battle will begin centering upon Yankee Stadium.

All the Unification members will attend. Among them there are many kinds of people. Our course until the Washington Monument rally will be our second major battle centering upon the Madison Square Garden rally. If we can meet that standard, a historical turning point will come after the Washington rally.

Those who oppose us are disappointed; they are questioning what kind of person I am. They are so worried about being at a disadvantage that they are now attempting terrorism. Terrorists attacked the Unification Church in Paris. The same phenomenon can happen in the United States as well. There was a threat to blow up Belvedere, and we talked to the local fire station and the police. The New York Times officially reported that the incident in Paris was carried out jointly by the established churches and the Communist Party. Now, the American people cannot refute us when we claim that the Communist Party is working behind people who persecute us.

We are marching on with these advantageous conditions. Now, with this Unification Ceremony, the unification line has been set for the individual, family, clan, tribe, nation, and world. Do you understand? We have never held such a ceremony before. Previous ceremonies were all related to the past; we never had a ceremony to establish the horizontally unified front line. The fact that the Unification Church could cross the peak of national Indemnity, gather together all the blessings of the world, and carry out this ceremony indicates that the Unification Church is marching to the determining point of eternal victory. You must know this.

The New Era

In the speech at the beginning of this year I announced that schools of thought must be unified. The prominent professors of the Korean Professors World Peace Academy (PWPA) are now aware of the greatness of the Unification Thought which the Unification Church is teaching. The Korean Department of the Interior and the Department of Information had been offering programs of ideological education, but recently they asked us to take it over. After our seminars, 98 percent of the participants recommended that this be developed as the education for the whole nation. Such a response convinces us that this nation must surely be equipped with this new thought, and establish a foundation to be able to harmonize things on a new dimension. All things, internally and externally, are coming together.

Now you understand the time we are in and what is going to happen. The Unification Church, centering on my family, has only one way to go--that is the way of the Principle. So far, we have been walking complicated paths. However, now we must guide ourselves based on the principled standard. This time I did not come with Mrs. Won Bok Choi. From now on things should be guided centering upon the family. There are many problems in the family, internally or externally; we have to deal with many things, such as education of children. We have been fighting on the front line; from now on, mothers also have to stand on the front line. We have to establish an internal and an external order.

We had never been able to establish a clear order or position. Why? The position of unfallen Adam is a unique position in relation to the world. An individual cannot secure his position without paying indemnity for the worldwide historical indemnity condition. This is why the position of an individual has not been established. I have done many things in order to establish the worldwide historical indemnity condition, so now the position of an individual can be established in relation to the family, tribe, nation and world.

Unification Ceremony

What does unification mean? So far Cain has been hitting Abel. Evil has been attacking good. From now on, that era is over. Good can smite evil, but evil may not hit good. You must know that today is the historical turning point. Therefore, we call this ceremony the Unification Ceremony. Do you understand?

Unification Church members need to completely unite their body with their mind, and guide their mind by the public thought. This hasn't been done yet. The body must unite with the mind, centering upon the purpose which our mind desires. No matter how difficult our circumstance may be, the goal for our mind and body never varies. No matter how miserable the condition in which I was placed, I overcame it with this thought. I never wavered.

You too must become willing to sacrifice your body in order to achieve unity with the mind, centering upon God's will and God's ideal of creation. There is no accusation by living that way. When you go against that way, however, you will certainly become sick or have to pay certain indemnity.

A man whose mind and body are united, and a woman whose mind and body are united, should form a family. When a man and a woman love each other, they have to do so centering upon God's ideal of creation. The husband's love for his wife or the wife's love for her husband are insufficient by themselves; their loves must be united with the love of the ideal of creation. The love of the ideal of creation is the love centered on God, binding together husband and wife.

The position of True Parents is secured only when vertical love is established within the realm of horizontal love, and horizontal love is established within the realm of vertical love. Then children can stand in a position inseparable from their parents' position. If they break away, they certainly will have to pay indemnity. Also, children must be united with each other centering on their parents. Just as Cain hit Abel, elder brothers have been hitting younger brothers in Cain's position.

Children should serve their parents faithfully with filial piety centered upon God, and brothers and sisters should be united centering on God's will. For this to happen, parents have to educate their children. Until now children have been educated in school. From now on, however, parents must take responsibility for educating them. Father and mother must be united and be examples for their children to follow. For instance, the father should demonstrate how a man should live and how he should care for a woman. We must establish this kind of tradition and must create new families.

Such a family can be the model for their neighbors and relatives, starting a unified circle. If people value our way of life, they will come to believe in the Unification Church and want to live centering upon the love of God's ideal of creation. Then neighbors come spontaneously to such a family to ask for advice. And relatives will come to them for counseling when difficulties arise.

All Things Will Be United

We have been involved in ecumenical activities. When ministers listen to the Principle their attitudes naturally become softened. In an atmosphere of love, all the elements in ourselves will harmonize and become tempered. To make all our dimensions harmonious, we should keep them free. When elements are kept free, they can be united into one. So when we create an atmosphere of love, people will begin to open themselves, even unconsciously.

Such a family can unite its neighbors and relatives. They will tell you all their secrets and you can listen to them and comfort them. After that, if you guide them in a good direction! they will come to trust you. In this way unity will be realized in a clan and in a nation. Let's say Mr. Kim's clan becomes united with his family and the clan becomes better; that means that the nation also becomes better.

Nations also must be united. A nation means a state and a sovereignty. We must certainly have the determining point for establishing our Fatherland. Sovereignty represents God. A God-centered state--the state whose sovereignty represents God--was a task that Adam and Eve were supposed to have accomplished. They fell, however, and left the indemnity to be paid on the worldwide level; therefore, some nation in the world should indemnify and accomplish it, going through the necessary suffering course of indemnity.

To be established in the position of a son, a nation must pay all the national indemnity. Korea was divided and the communist nation of North Korea was established. If the two halves--South and North Korea--are united and become the new Israel, it will be an example for the world.

If an ideology that can overcome communism appears in a nation confronting communism face to face, that ideology will become world- wide. Then any democratic nation that does not like communism must learn the thought of this nation, because it is a bulwark against communism. That way, a condition to forgive even Satan will be established. We can say to Satan, "You helped to prepare the way of unification; therefore, I will forgive you.

Thus we can see God's dispensation to save mankind transcending all peoples, all races and all ideologies. Since we are equipped with anti-communism theory, we can be united with nations that are threatened by communism. On the other hand, communists also attack us.

Time for Victory

What communists want to crush is not the government but me. As a result, people will naturally come to our side. We are entering a time when we can develop our movement more in Asia. From the dispensational point of view, the time from now until April is a peak. The first year of the crusade activity ends this April. The second year starts from there. Then a big change will occur both in our nation and in Asia. You must understand the importance of the ceremony we are holding now in order to bring glory to God.

All the 36 Couples, 72 Couples, and 124 Couples should form one team. We cannot have branch families. The 36 Couples represent the ancestors of history. The 72 Couples represent children, sons and daughters. The 124 Couples represent nations of the world, and the side of Cain. They also represent 12 branches on the worldwide level. Thus the ancestors and Cain and Abel can become united and the 12 branches also become one. This is the history of restoration. The key point of the history of restoration is that when the parents become united they transform bad Cain and Abel sons into original children of God and guide them into unity. The 72 Couples are the Cain and Abel branches of the 36 Couples. Therefore, they must become united. But family unity is not yet the horizontal foundation on the world level. The 120 apostles (124 Couples) are the representatives of the 12 branches reaching out to the world. In other words, the 120 apostles are the archetypes enlarged to the world level.

In the dispensation centered upon Jesus as well, the 72 disciples were supposed to become united centered upon Jesus and work to accomplish the restoration through indemnity. Jesus established the representatives through the 12 apostles and 72 and 120 disciples. They should have accomplished certain conditions, but they failed.

In our restoration through indemnity, we are able to advance by establishing these three stages of families. That is why 120 couples and leaders of the nine districts of Korea participated in this ceremony. The nine districts of Korea represent the nation and the world; and the district leaders symbolize tribal chiefs. This ceremony--held on the second floor of the headquarters of Korea--has worldwide significance. Invisible border lines had separated the individual, family, clan, tribe, nation, and the world. From now on, however, everything will be on a straight line. This Unification Ceremony has created this alignment. This is the most precious ceremony in the Unification Church.

The Fortune of the True Children

Actually, I tried to hold this ceremony with Hyo Jin and Ye Jin, but they had to attend school. So I did it with Kwon Jin.

The 'Hyo' of Hyo Jin's name means filial piety. Blessed families can win victory by serving with filial piety. The 'Heung' of Heung Jin's name means prosperity, and the 'Hyun' of Hyun Jin means rising. He will rise after the Blessing. Kook Jin will appear in the nation; that is his responsibility. Kwon Jin will appear in the nation and bring the power.

Each of the True Children has a distinct nature. Kwon Jin smiled the 17th day after he was born. Usually babies are glad when they are held at all. But he never enjoyed being held for only a short time. If someone picked him up, he had to hold him for a long time. He has a unique and wonderful nature, and is very wise. The Unification Church is marching on with Kwon Jin. Dispensational meaning coincides with his name, Kwon Jin. Since Kwon Jin was born in the United States and has its citizenship, he represents the United States. Through him, the United States and Korea can be connected. That's why I brought Kwon Jin with me this time.

You should exemplify the meaning of unification, creating unity in the family, the society, and the country. You should be unchangeable centering upon one purpose, the realization of the unified nation and the unified world. Otherwise, you will have to pay indemnity from now on.

There are three stages of paying indemnity. You may suffer a lot materially, then your child may become ill, or you yourself may become sick; In the Old Testament Age people paid indemnity by making offerings. In the New Testament Age, indemnity was paid through children--sons and daughters. In this Completed Testament Age, indemnity is paid through parents. Therefore, you have to suffer physically and materially. You must conform your family to God's providence. Otherwise your children will pay indemnity. But if you are still obstinate and do not repent, you personally will suffer. After being punished on the three stages of formation, growth and perfection, if you still do not repent, that is the end. This is the law of indemnity.

If you understand this principle, your mind and body must become united, your family must be united, also the church, nation and world must be united. It is the heavenly principle that a family must be unified even at the sacrifice of an individual. This is the way of goodness. If we can save our relatives at the sacrifice of our family, we must go that way.

To sacrifice the nation for the sake of oneself or to sacrifice relatives for the sake of oneself, or to sacrifice one's wife for the sake of oneself, these are totally opposite to the heavenly way. A wife must sacrifice herself for the sake of her husband, and parents must sacrifice themselves for the sake of the family, the family for the sake of the clan, the clan for the sake of the tribe, the tribe for the sake of the nation, and the nation for the sake of the world. Accordingly, if the nation of Korea is to receive the blessing of God's kingdom, it must stand in the position of son on behalf of the other nations and set the tradition of sacrifice for the sake of the world. If Korea does so it will never fall. This is totally opposite from the usual way of thinking.

Now all the nations are trying to use other nations, such as the United States, for their benefit. Life in the Kingdom of God is totally opposite. In order to establish the world that God wishes, we should sacrifice our nation beyond what any other nation has sacrificed for the sake of world happiness and God's kingdom--regardless of the opposition we may face. When we sacrifice our nation for the sake of the world, we are guiding it to become the world's leading nation. That way we will establish a historical tradition and gain true achievement. In this fallen world, only the achievements attained with a sacrificial spirit, only good achievements, can remain. Those who lived that way are regarded as saints and historical figures--central figures and people of merit.

Therefore, to sacrifice oneself for the sake of others is reasonable. It corresponds to God's position. To throw oneself into something is to create one's second self. God threw Himself into the work of recreation as well as creation. That is how indemnity is paid in the history of restoration, or recreation. Indemnity will be paid only when one invests in it the power of recreation. Without this, the history of recreation cannot begin. The conclusion is drawn theoretically. It applies to me as well.

The Way of Sacrifice Is the Formula Course

We gather money here and sacrifice our nation, sending the money to the United States. The United States is a rich and affluent nation, but in the history of recreation, we have to save the United States at the sacrifice of Korea and Japan. So we have thrown everything into the United States. God threw Himself into the creation of Adam and Eve. God invested the archangel, all things, and His entire spirit into the creation. Creation requires total investment.

For this reason Korea should become the first nation to throw itself into God's providence. If Korea does become such a nation, it will never perish. Nations supporting Korea will naturally appear, and Korea will receive the blessing and prosper. Other nations will follow the direction of this nation. Thus the way of restoration, the principle of unification, can only follow the course of indemnity. Restoration and unification cannot be accomplished without self-sacrifice.

We must make an effort to unite our body with our mind even at the sacrifice of our body. When we confront difficulty, we must overcome it, consoling our mind even if our body aches. This formula matches the Principle. This formula applies to an individual, a family, a clan, a tribe, a nation, and the world, as well as the spiritual world. The formula course that we should go is the principled one. An individual exists for his family, a family for its clan, a clan for its tribe, a tribe for its nation, a nation for the world, the world for the heaven and earth, and heaven and earth for God. When we do this we can receive the fruits of God's sincere investment. This is the Principle, the way of heaven.

Then who will become the master? The person who sowed seeds and cultivated the crops becomes the master. In the spiritual world it is the same. He who enjoys a good harvest in autumn is the one who sowed the seeds in spring. This is the heavenly principle. Accordingly, one must sow seeds with sincerity and cultivate with sincerity.

This formula is the foundation for achieving perfection. This is the Principle. Speaking about the ideal of creation, we must earnestly fulfill the ideal that God implanted in us with His sincere heart. The perfection of the ideal of creation means accomplishing the ideal on the worldwide level.

Speaking about unity, ask yourself whether you have achieved such unity in your activity. You know well the answer. If you say you do not know, you are telling a lie. You know whether you are a genuine person. Only when you face yourself can you make progress. Your conscience knows everything and you can learn from it.

Both husband and wife know whether they are truly standing in a principled position. When parents fulfill their responsibility to their children, they know whether they are taking care of children in a principled way. A family knows whether it is fulfilling its responsibility for its clan. Because your conscience guides you, you should be able to practice the principled way, almost as if you had already been taught. Thus, people can receive God's blessing through practice. If people cannot practice the principled way, even after being taught, they have to take responsibility for it. That is the heavenly principle. You have a conscience, and through it the spiritual world teaches you.

Any Effort Leads to Development

Up until now the way had not been opened for a family, a church, a nation, the world, and the spiritual world to be united. Even if an individual or a family had achieved perfection, true perfection was left unaccomplished until the worldwide standard was established. No matter how loyally or sincerely an individual or a family served, they remained on the level of individual perfection, since the way through the clan, tribe, and nation was not opened, and individuals could not stand on the world historical position. That is the reason why people could not live the ideal life in the spiritual world.

I have now opened the way for you to go to the world starting from the individual level, through the family, clan, tribe, and national levels. So once you join the Unification Church, if you make certain effort you can make rapid progress. You are living in such a precious time. Do you understand?

Even people who served with their best loyalty, waiting thousands of years, giving their best loyal service, could not accomplish perfection, because the way was closed. The historical indemnity had not been paid; therefore, people could not resolve things in their 70 or 80 years of life. After going to the spiritual world they had to resurrect through their descendants and pay indemnity again. But from now on all the good spirits will push their descendants day and night. Such a time will come. This is the result of today's ceremony.

The spiritual world cannot keep silent; it can cause illness or other things to happen to their descendants if they do not go to the Unification Church. Recently in the United States, too, such phenomena are happening. Organizations will also be pushed. Ancestors can teach their descendants through spiritual works. All the ancestors are being mobilized to push their descendants by all means. That's the time we are in.

For this purpose Un Sun Halmony has the mission to liberate ancestors, opening the way for them to come to the earth. This ceremony lays the foundation to dissolve the resentments for thousands of generations of ancestors and open the way for them to resurrect. I have been doing these works through this elderly woman. Do you understand? Leaders may not understand clearly, but ancestors are being liberated. On May 1 of last year we performed a ceremony for the total dissolution of resentment and dissolved the resentment of even Satan.

It is very historical that such a ceremony is performed this year. Now Buddhists, for instance, can make rapid spiritual progress. All providential religions are now being pushed to make new leaps. This is the time for us to encounter the spiritual world. We cannot solve the confusion of the spirit world unless we know the spiritual principle. For this reason if you are not in the course of unification, the spiritual world can attack you.

The good spiritual world represents the good archangelic realm. God, the archangel, and Adam should have been united in the Garden of Eden. Now God, the good spiritual world, and the Unification Church are unifying. This is the same as God, the archangel, and Adam being united. The Cain world should follow in order to avoid destruction. Cain can survive by following. Such a time has come.

I have already set up the condition for an individual, a family, a tribe, a nation, and the world to be able to connect with God and heaven. In fact, I have established the condition for the Unification Church to make rapid progress. We know that is God's will. Knowing this, you should live not for yourself but for the nation and the world. You should try to give a donation even if it is a penny. Especially the 36 Couples and those who have public missions should never live in a private way. Do not use money in a private way. If you use money for God's public will, you will not violate the law in front of God. But if you use money in a private way you will have to pay indemnity.

The Principle of Unification

You should understand this principle well, and the 36 Couples, 72 Couples, and 124 Couples must be united. The 72 Couples should not criticize the 36 Couples, nor should the 36 Couples criticize the 72 Couples or the 124 Couples, and so on. Even if the 72 Couples do very well, I cannot praise them if they do not appreciate the 36 Couples. Even if the 124 Couples do well, I cannot bless them unless they appreciate the 72 Couples. This is the principle of unification. Therefore, these three sets of families must become united. The 36 Couples are the resurrection of human ancestors, the 72 Couples the resurrection of children, and the 124 Couples the resurrection of the people of the world. Therefore, if they become united, the family, children, and the world can become united. For this reason I am responsible for these three stages of couples. Do you understand? From now on, therefore, you must think in this way.

We must mobilize a nation in order to save the world; I must mobilize my clan, the Moon clan, in order to save the nation of Korea. And my family must save my clan. This is the task of a tribal Messiah. But we must have a national Messiah in order for us to become clan Messiahs. When the clan standard is established, we have to prepare ourselves to keep the principle and be connected with the national standard; then we can go up to the national level. This is the course of restoration through indemnity.

We can face God only when the subject and the object become united. For subject and object to become united, they need a center. God certainly should live there. When subject and object perform give and take action, movement begins. And their motion needs a central point, an eternal central point. If subject and object are not united and do not perform give and take action, they cannot establish themselves as an object to God. This means that they have no relationship with God.

Therefore, husband and wife must be united centering upon God. Parents and children must be united centering on God. Compared to that ideal, I must say that you are living a haphazard life. You should have a substantially fruitful life. You must focus your mind on establishing these relationships in substantial life, and you must bring certain results in your lifetime. 

In One Battle We Want to Liquidate the Failures of the Past

Sun Myung Moon
January 12, 1976
Excerpts
The Total Accomplishment of the Providence of God
Belvedere

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As you know, today is the first Sunday of 1976. The total accomplishment of the work of God in the providential history has to he done in a certain time, and this morning I intend to speak on this particular subject because I feel that this is the time. As we know through the Divine Principle, because of the Fall of man the original ideal of the providence of God has not been the reality. All things are divided. Actually heaven and earth were supposed to become one. This oneness has been broken and heaven and earth separated. Man apposed to be the center of heaven and earth and this universe; however, man is also divided between mind and body.

At the same time, our mind was supposed to be high, noble and sacred. Even without any particular education and indoctrination, our mind was supposed to know the clear direction to go; between mind and body there is supposed to be oneness, just like heaven and earth should be in oneness. However, as heaven and earth separated because of the fall of man, the mind and body also are separated. God always dwells in unity. There1fore in the divided world since the fall of man, God cannot find His place to dwell and to be in peace. Then how can we make this unity become reality?

For unity, there should be one controlled direction so that everyone joins together for that one direction. Man has been the key element to bring the divisiveness in this universe; therefore we have to find a key to return to man.

What is peace? Peace means the unity between subject and object. Peace can he found when there is effort to make one, effort to make a reconciliation. Before we even dream of the unity of the universe, or between heaven and earth, we must initiate a movement of unity between mind and body. Therefore we have to originate the movement of unity from man. Today we talk about world peace and world unity, fur this is a big world. Where can this world peace and world unity be started? From one man.

Then where can we find such a man of perfection or man who has the key? The very thing that Jesus Christ testified that he will come back for a return second time, shows there is more guidance needed in the world. Otherwise he would not make such a statement. This world still needs a savior, which shows that our fundamental question has not been solved. Who is he? That man has the inherent key of the problem of the individual, family, tribe, nation, world and cosmos. The savior is a basic scale or the measurement by which this world can be measured or straightened up. That one central point serves as a common center a for all levels: universal, national, tribe, and family. The Messiah is coming as savior to this world to present the pattern or the model so that it can become a show case, so that every way of life in this world can be measured by such pattern and model.

So when you find the Messiah, you become completely one with him, imitating his model. Then whatever he is, you are. If he is individually perfect, you are in the position to be also as perfect as he is. The Messiah is coming to bring everybody to the position where he does not need the Messiah.

What is the definition of value? Value must be eternal as well a unchanging. Gold has unchanging quality. Gold never rusts. No matter how roughly you treat gold, it still shines out in the same quality.

What kind of man must we become to be valuable? We must become a man with eternal quality. The conflict and confrontation within you cannot make you eternal; you must have harmony within you. Are you that type of man?

Then why do we need the Messiah? So that we also can become like the Messiah. When you meet the Messiah you will be like the Messiah, so you will be perfected on the individual level. Then what about the family level? The Messiah is the center of the family. Jesus in order to show the pattern of the family, what should he have done? He should have organized his own family first. Why wouldn't God want more children of His own, His grandchildren, and great grandchildren? Put yourself in God's position: He wants Jesus to have direct descendants, like the sand in the ocean and the stars in the sky. Let's say Jesus not only got married but had his own descendants. Then all Christianity would have a central point to rally around. God certainly ted that.

This is the time for harvest. All of the leaves will fall so that we can see clearly the branches and trunk. The winter of human history has arrived. That winter will wipe our all the lies.

All will fall like leaves. There is a branch remaining in wintertime. That branch will bear the fruit. In that fruit there is hidden inside a seed. The seed is the possessor of life. The seed contains the strength and energy of new life. Therefore even though winter comes, this particular seed will not be affected the leaves and branches and roots and the trunk exist condensed within the one seed.

The seed is the beginning point of everything, so therefore the fruit bears seed. The seed will be like the one God has started in the very beginning.

God has been like a father, He is farming in order to harvest that one truthful seed on the last day. The man who is coming as the seed of the universe is the Messiah. Within that one seed there is the potential perfection of all levels. So in the last days that seed is corresponding to the first seed God sowed in the beginning of history. The Messiah is coming as a perfected Adam. So when the Messiah comes, he will present himself in the True Parent's position. He is going to give rebirth to the old fallen generation, so that they tie themselves into the direct lineage of God.

Where is the central point going to be? There should be two central things. One is the central religion, and then a central nation. What is the central religion of the modem day dispensation? Should we evaluate the same way God evaluates? What is the characteristic of God? Power? Money? Sovereignty? God is love. So then which religion is centered on the love of God? That religion has to be in the central role.

Two principal things make Christianity unique and central: one, Jesus as the son of God. Second, the theory of bride and bridegroom and also of world brotherhood. We are all brothers and sisters. Jesus did not preach white is superior to black. He pronounced the equality of man. So Christianity has all the components to build God's ideal reality here on earth.

What is the power that brings America into unity? The origin of America is the Christian faith. Persecuted Protestants in Europe founded a land of freedom of religious worship and they came to this new world because God was more valuable to them than anything else. It is truly a miracle that during the Revolution, George Washington's army, feeble, untrained, well out surpassed won the war. This was impossible without the help of God. If we remove Christianity from America, nothing remains behind to hold this nation together. Without God, this whole continent of America would have been divided into many different nations like Europe, and the 200 year history we are celebrating would have been nothing but a continuation of struggle and strife.

America is in the position of the spiritual second Israel. Now which should have central role, the nation or religion? Religion. Religion is equivalent to the mind, and the nation is equivalent to the body. Therefore, religion, which is in a real place to serve this world, should he in a position to lead.

So when the central religion is united with the central nation to create a foundation, then you will know God's day of fulfillment of providential history is near. And that is America. A new spiritual movement is inevitable. In that new spiritual movement the Unification Church was born for the goal of world unification of the cosmos, heaven and earth, men and women and mind and body. That goal must be more valuable than our own lives, than this nation, than the world and all the existing Christianity. So we have to transcend all things, united together upon this one goal unification.

We are longing for what God is longing for, and we have the God-designed family. We have God-designed religion, and we are preparing the God-designed national background. Now we are preparing to have the God-designed world foundation. That is our project in 1976.

1976 is America's bicentennial year. When you celebrate the 210th American birthday, the world showdown will be over. America must he awakened by that time. If after 210 years of America's birthday, America is still going a route of apathy and complacency, then the Communist era will come. 2,000 years of Christian history are indemnified by 200 years of American history. That 2,000 years and 200 years of American history and Christian history indemnified by the Unification Church in 20 years. So therefore the 20-year dispensation -- the most critical period is divided into three seven-year courses. We are in the third seven-year course, and the first three years are the most critical. It is not by accident that the bicentennial celebration of America is where we can make a visible, dramatic showdown. The showdown is coming at Yankee Stadium. At Yankee Stadium we are going to indemnify and restore the failure of Cain, the failure of Abraham, the failure of Jacob, the failure of Moses, and the failure of Jesus.

This is a victory on a worldwide level which will absorb all other elements. When we bring this spectacular and triumphant victory at Yankee Stadium, it will become a phenomenon of the world, not just of the United States.

The failure of the central figures in the past: Noah, Moses, Abraham, and Jacob and Isaac, was because they did nor have a serious attitude in meeting every instance: cutting a dove for example, and striking the rock. Because they did not think they were the central figures of dispensation, that awareness was lacking. Are you serious enough to think that Yankee Stadium is the cross-junction of human history?

God knows the seriousness of this battle of Yankee Stadium, and I know the seriousness. Now you must respond to the seriousness in the same strength.

We are the resurrected body of Moses, the resurrected body of Noah, the resurrected body of all those saints in the past, the resurrected body of Jesus Christ. For the sake of all the dispensational history we must bring this great victory together.

So in one battle we want to liquidate all the failures of the past so that we can bring only victory. This is a very critical moment of human history. Like Noah after the flood judgment. Like when Abraham took his son to the Mount of Moriah to offer his son as a hurried offering. This is the time Moses is leading the troops to the Sinai desert. And Jesus Christ at the Mount of Gethsemane praying so desperately for his destiny. We are at the same moment of human history.

So in the first week of 1976, I am giving this particular message. I want you to take it seriously. You must become men of conviction. You must possess the conviction that when you strike the earth, it will split. When you push, the mountains wall go away. You are like canes of Moses. You are like Isaac in relationship to Abraham.

We must be more serious than the saints and prophets in history. We should become more serious than Noah, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, more serious than Jesus Christ praying at the Mount of Gethsemane. Because this is the final battle, the cosmic battle. This battle will decide the entire destiny. No one in the past has borne such a burden in one event. God's wishes, then your blessing in the future. We must he serious just like Jesus Christ bearing his own cross to the Mount of Calvary to be nailed down. We must be serious like that.

Living Sacrifice

Sun Myung Moon
May 8, 1977
Excerpt

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The religious way of life and way of faith is the way of sacrifice, and the necessity of sacrifice came into being because of the fall of man. According to the Divine Principle, the fall prevented Adam from standing on the side of either God or Satan. Fallen Adam was not in a position where God could fully claim him; therefore, throughout history God has worked to separate the good and evil in Adam through the providence of Cain and Abel. By Cain and Abel making a proper offering together, God would be free to claim Adam.

According to the Principle, the purpose of a sacrifice is to enable God to determine the ownership or possession of a particular level of creation. Therefore, we come to the conclusion that unless we can make an acceptable sacrifice, from the individual through the universal levels, by which God can claim the entire creation then we will not have the Kingdom of God on earth. The sacrifice offered on the altar of God must be separated or cut in two. The altar symbolically represents the entire universe, upon which the sacrifice is cut into two parts to show that good and evil are separated in purity. In order to be accepted by God the blood of the offering must shed, demonstrating that the impure blood of Satan is drawn out.

The Old Testament era is the period in which man must make offerings of all the things of creation. All the creation was employed for making offerings. The things of creation will purify the altar, and upon that foundation man himself can rest upon the altar. The most important aspect of the offering is that it is not for God's sake but for man's sake. A great distance between God and man was created by the fall, and man is destined to indemnify his way into heaven; thus the offering is not for the sake of God but is the opportunity for man to become closer to God.

God's role is to judge whether a sacrifice is acceptable or not; when God is presiding over a sacrifice He is approving it. It is man's heart in making the offering that needs to be approved by God. Man must be completely united with the spirit of making the sacrifice as a conditional offering on the altar. All throughout history man has made many kinds of offerings, including superstitious offerings, thinking to please God by bringing Him something. That was a wrong understanding.

The true meaning of offering a sacrifice is to enable man to come closer to God.

On each level of restoration - individual, family, society, nation, and world -- man must represent himself and make an offering to come closer to God. From this we can also conclude that the making of offerings should not be continued for eternity, and that the day will come when man will have no further need to make offerings.

God has a final purpose in restoration, and the symbolic altar on the individual level has been expanded onto the level of one tribe and one nation. After making a successful offering on the worldwide level, man can finally eliminate the necessity of further sacrifices or offerings. The key principle in making an offering is this: the man and the sacrifice must become one.

During the Old Testament era man used the things of creation to make offerings. The physical offering by men was supposed to be made on the national basis with the symbol of the universal sacrifice for men being the Messiah. Why is the Messiah needed as the physical consummation of the sacrifice? Jesus Christ as the Messiah came as the sacrifice upon the altar of the nation of Israel, but the Messiah needed man to complete the sacrifice because man was to be benefitted, not the Messiah. The Messiah does not come for himself but for man. The universal Messiah came to the nation of Israel, the universal altar, and the people of Israel were supposed to completely unite with him and thus be offered together on that altar. However, that unity was not there. Jesus was offered as the sacrifice on the altar, but there was no man to offer that sacrifice to God. There was no one united with Jesus.

When Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, none who accepted him were there, and the priests and all the disciples had disappeared. No one was there to offer Jesus as the sacrifice on the altar. An offering and sacrifice is presented to God for the sake of man, but if there is no man there to be benefitted then how can the offering be given value? The only possible way that the sacrifice could still be effective was to consider that Jesus was separated between spirit and body. In that way Jesus' body represented the people of Israel, whereas Jesus' spirit took the position of the actual sacrifice. By having his spirit and body united, Jesus made his sacrifice acceptable in the sight of God. For this reason the dispensation of the New Testament era has been separated into the spiritual and the physical dispensations. Jesus' offering was accepted as a spiritual offering; the sacrifice he offered was a spiritual one. Therefore, Jesus has been working on that base to establish the spiritual foundation, from the family to the society, nation, and world, until the time when the physical offering could be made.

We frequently hear that the church is the body of Christ. Does this mean that those buildings of wood or stone are the body of Jesus? What is the body of Jesus? Not the building but the people of the congregation are the body of Christ. What right do people have to say that they are the body of Christ? When Jesus was crucified 2,000 years ago Jesus' body was in the position of the people. Ever since the crucifixion Jesus' body has been represented by the people who have united spiritually with Jesus. Those people were not there 2,000 years ago, but all through the New Testament age believers in Jesus have served in the position of the body of Christ.

If the believers are the body of Christ, then could there be more than one church? There are many different denominations and kinds of Christianity, which indicates that Jesus' body has been divided up. This is not acceptable in the sight of God. When we see the current situation from the viewpoint of God and Jesus Christ, the existence of so many denominations in the name of Christ is heartbreaking. It is just as though Jesus' body itself had been torn apart.

Under God there must be one more universal physical offering that is not separated between spirit and body.

This must be accomplished by people united together to offer a living sacrifice which can be accepted by God. In order to serve as a foundation Christianity must be united into one body. That is the first and most important condition to be achieved. The heart of Jesus Christ is grieved when he sees that his own body has been so shamefully divided. Christianity today is in the position of Jesus' body, but when there is one mind, how can there be 1,000 bodies? There should be one mind and one body.

Are all the hierarchies in Christianity really the one body of Christ? Can the Pope in Rome claim that he is completely one with Chris and that the mind of Jesus and the body of the Pope are one? Originally God intended for the Pope to be the one symbolic body of Jesus, representing all Christians of the world.

If Jesus' mind and the body of the Pope had become completely one then the Roman Catholics uniting with the Pope could have been one with Jesus. By thus having all Christians represented by one central figure Christianity could have set the tradition to become one with Jesus. However, even the unity between Jesus and all Christians together would still not complete the necessary conditions for making the final universal offering to God. If that one condition could consummate everything then there would be no prophecies needed for the Lord of the Second Advent.

In reality there is a permanent gap between Jesus and the people that cannot be closed, however much they try to unite. Because Jesus' own mind and body were not sacrificed together 2,000 years ago it is impossible for Christians today to completely unite with Jesus. One more gigantic step is needed in order to complete the universal offering which was predicted, in which the body of Jesus and the mind of Jesus are totally united to become the living sacrifice on the altar.

Because of the faithlessness of the people the body and mind of Jesus were permanently wrenched apart. Consequently, in the future someone representing the body of all Christianity or mankind will receive the spirit or mind of Jesus, and become one completely united entity offered to God as a living sacrifice. This is the course of restoration.

The conditions which were permanently broken by the crucifixion of Jesus must be restored and consummated. That is the role of the second coming of the Messiah. Do you think the Messiah could fulfill that role by coming as some fantastic celestial body up in the air? It is ironic that in this modern, scientific age people harbor the idea that someday Christ will appear up in the air and ask Christians on earth to join him there.

In view of the extensive division and conflict within Christianity today, do you think being lifted up in the air is going to suddenly bring about unity? Maybe Christians would arrive there and stand back to back while trying to meet one Lord! Can you imagine men who are that unprepared to receive Christ begging God to send His son? A revolution in religion must come and we must change ourselves and prepare for the coming of the Lord in a different way.

What does God want from the Christians? Would God encourage them to become even more divided? Instead, God would say, "Don't worry about the Messiah. I will send him when you are ready, which won't happen until you become united!" It is what God wants. Unless a spectacular movement for the unification of Christianity unfolds here on earth there is no way that God can send the Messiah. Could God allow His son to be crucified once again?

What will happen if Christianity fails to become united?

In that case God would allow it to become so weakened as to render it powerless. If this were not the case the denominations would still fight among themselves and would inevitably crucify the Messiah again. If Christianity declines, however, it would not have the energy to crucify the Christ. Furthermore, people would be much more open to receive new direction and when Christ did come it would be much easier for him to work in such an environment.

When will the end of the world come? It will come when the Christian churches have been weakened by fighting among themselves to such a degree that they have absolutely no effectiveness here on earth. When will that day arrive? When the individual is separated from the Principle of God, the family, society and nation will break down. The whole world of Christianity will then be weakened to an impossible degree. This is exactly what America is experiencing today.

Christianity in America has become so weakened and fragmented that nothing could possibly restore the existing pieces into one whole. It resembles a pottery vase which has shattered into so many pieces that it is impossible to put it together again. Any movement for unity must begin by melting all the broken pieces together and re-molding them into an entirely different shape, rather than attempting to piece together the original form. Our goal is unification by the revolutionary tactic of melting and re-molding mankind according to the concept of God. The emergence of a movement of unification in this particular era is the most remarkable work of God.

If you are truly united then God will smile upon you. Unification is the most important qualification for meeting the Messiah. Until the foundation of unification is prepared you need not think about receiving the Messiah. Who wants that unification? First God wants it and then you unification soldiers want it. What God wants is actually what man wants. If the whole stage is ready when the Messiah comes then he can fulfill his mission without any inhibitions or delay.

Our goal is world unity in order to make the universal offering. For this purpose we must gather heavenly champions from all five races, black, white, yellow, red, brown.

What would fulfill the ultimate ideal of God? Neither the individual, family, society or nation is the problem. The problem is how to unite all men together as brothers and sisters, creating one family of God. That is God's ideal.

Could Americans who hate races other than their own truly be entitled to heaven? It is impossible. In order to be admitted to heaven white people must receive a citation from black people, and black people must be cleared by white people, "Yes, these people are truly entitled to heaven." Unless you are approved here on earth by your brothers, you will never end up.in heaven. When I came to this country, Americans witnessed an Oriental man suddenly becoming influential, particularly among young people. Either subconsciously or consciously many white people harbor suspicion of Orientals and they have been trying to retaliate against me at every opportunity.

One reason that white people might resist me is that they view me as a guardian of minority groups. If there is conflict between blacks and whites, then who can qualify as a mediator? It does not make sense for either a white or black person to stand between them because one of the two sides would never listen. Therefore, the mediator whom God would send must be a yellow man.

If the present situation in America were left alone this nation would polarize into two extremes; eventually whites and blacks would come to the point where there could be no harmony or coexistence, and one group would exterminate the other.

The American government should budget millions of dollars just to prevent that occurrence, yet I have come as a mediator without asking even one penny of the government.

Without realizing what I am trying to do, Americans have been trying to kick me out rather than accept me. I have brought a God-given solution for the impossible division among the Christian churches, yet those same churches have bitterly criticized and opposed me. Judaism and Christianity are just like oil and water and without accepting some mediator from God they cannot resolve their conflicts. There is no reason for Judaism and Christianity to oppose me.

God needs to find a man with guts and a single-minded will; otherwise it would be simply impossible for Him to deal with Satan. Are you also the type that can totally grab a situation with both arms and not release it under any circumstances? If that is so then the lump in my throat is all gone. You are my hope and because of you I can forget everything. I have that same relationship with God, and because of me God can be patient and persevere. "My son is withstanding all those impossible trials. My son is still hanging on and I should be patient."

America's economy has no guarantee of permanent prosperity. This country has lots of potential problems with all its different peoples and cultures, and if someday its economy crumbled this nation would degenerate into a most savage, primitive and barbaric society. At that point the communists would grab their chance and ignite a fire in the oil of confusion. America is more vulnerable in this way than any other country.

My topic today is "Living Sacrifice." Of all the sacrifices offered in the history of the Old and New Testaments, none were completely successful. Today, however, God is putting His hope in you, and you are going to be in the position to fulfill. Will you indemnify the wrongdoings of history? In other words, will you become a living sacrifice in the position of a living animal?

Do we belong to the animal kingdom? We are animals yet we are different because we know God. We belong to the animal kingdom because we have all the functions of animals, yet because we know God we must put ourselves in the position of a living sacrifice. Jesus came to do the same, to unite everything into one through his sacrifice. You must understand one thing very clearly; when Jesus came as a living sacrifice, should he have come down to unite with the people, or should the people have gone up to unite with him as the sacrifice?

Would you ask Jesus to come to you, promising that you would faithfully wait for him, or would you say, "Lord, you just sit right there. I will dash to where you are?," We are the ones to move and take action. This is what God and Jesus are expecting of us. Jesus did not say that he would do our repenting for us and then bring the Kingdom of heaven to us while we sat still. He said, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" We are the ones who must adapt. Jesus did not come to be changed; we are the ones to be changed. This point must be absolutely clear.

Ultimately Jesus will not save you; Jesus brings the power of salvation but only you can save yourself by reaching out to Jesus.

All the Christian denominations are praying and waiting for God to come and rescue them from the evil and despair of the world by taking them up into the air. That will not work. God is waiting fora man to come who will say, "God, You stay right there. I will change myself, then l will change the world by bringing the people to Your throne and Your way of life."

Do you think God would want to have one final showdown at one altar, with mankind making one offering that would finally establish universal salvation? Or would He want to accumulate little offerings here and there, bit by bit, day by day? Trivial prayers are offered here and there every day and after listening to just ten people you would get tired. God has to listen to billions of people trying to talk to Him, with everyone saying, "God, can You give me a little more blessing? Can You give me my salvation?" If all of a sudden someone comes up to say, "God, don't You worry about me. You rest right there and let me go down and take over Your job," God's eyes will pop out!

God's life has been so tedious, listening to the same old prayers for thousands of years. I know very well that God blocked His ears many years ago. Put yourself in His position; wouldn't you want to block your ears if you heard the same kind of nagging wherever you went? I knew this a long time ago and I decided not to pray such prayers.

The only prayer I can offer to God is, "God, don't You worry about me. Go ahead and rest and let me take up the fight as Your representative. Let me fulfill Your ideal." God can sense such a prayer coming and then He listens closely, pulling all the cotton balls out of His ears. A selfish prayer is just a dirty prayer, a beggar's prayer. We ought to offer the prayers of comfort and inspiration and encouragement to God, not the prayers of beggars.

God's heart has been broken over and over and pierced by people's faithlessness and distrust. He has been suffering so much that if He hears someone say, "God, I know Your heart has been broken. We cannot afford to let Your heart be broken another time. Let me take over Your burden; let me take over Your sorrow," how wonderful He feels! Even though that man may not be able to fulfill his promises, God is still looking at him like a Daddy, "What a nice son I have! He has so much heart, so much giving."

When you go out fund raising, don't ask God to send people to you and give you your goal. Instead of praying that kind of prayer get down to work and at the end of the day bring God your result, "I had a wonderful day God, and I offer this money for Your purpose. You have suffered so much. You wanted to see Your ideal fulfilled right away and I'm going to work continuously to fulfill Your dreams. Leave it to me."

You could be one of two kinds of people. One kind of person says, "I worked so hard but nothing came. Maybe God has left the Unification Church. What can I do?"' But the other kind says; "God, no matter how difficult my experiences are they are still far less than Your own suffering. I am glad to have a chance to taste Your suffering, and I am going to go on and ultimately win the victory for You. You can rest assured."

You have a choice. Would you like to become the sacrifice itself, or the person who offers the sacrifice? The sacrifice? Are you sure? Not too many are speaking with confidence; your yes is shaky. Because of unavoidable circumstances Jesus' body and soul were divided and offered separately as he died on the cross. Was that Jesus' desire or did he want to become a living sacrifice offered in one unified manner? What about you? How can we become like the mind and body of Jesus offered together?

Think of your situation the same way that Jesus thought about his. In walking through the valleys of Israel Jesus did not think of them as belonging to someone else. He thought, "God is my God. Israel is my nation. These are my people." There was always an intense seriousness in his heart. Are you of the same frame of mind? Are you thinking, "God is my God. Mankind are my people, and I am here to save them?"

What was the conviction and philosophy of Jesus? Did he just routinely eat good meals and idly pass his days, planning to live a long life? Jesus thought, "God is my God. Mankind are my brethren, and this whole world is waiting to be re-created by the son of God. I am here for that mission." God thought in the same way that Jesus did. Both God and Jesus were pursuing the same ideal and ideology, and for that reason God could give His inheritance to His son Jesus.

Jesus wanted to give his inheritance to the Christian world, to his brethren.

He wanted to give each Christian the conviction, "God is my God, mankind are my brothers. This land belongs to me and I am responsible to God to re-create it in God's way." Those people who are denominational and sectarian leaders and only interested in promoting their own sectarian purposes are outrageous. We must inherit Jesus' philosophy and ideology instead. Denominationalism is just a roadblock for God. We must break away all the barriers of sectarianism in order to really reach the people.

We may abolish the national and cultural boundaries, but more than that we must work to re-create the world as one unit, and the people of the world as one family of men under one God. This is not only God's ideal and Jesus' ideal, but it is the deep hope of all who are struggling in this crumbling world. People may be convinced that such an ideal is impossible yet still they think about it. Even in the world as it is people talk about peace, don't they? The peace they are seeking will be the result of having parents, children and relatives united together in harmonious, joyful unity. Doesn't everyone desire this unity as parents, husbands and wives, and children?

If the ministers and clergymen who preach sermons on Sunday morning cannot talk about God as "my God," or about mankind as "my people," or about this world as the home of one family of men, they are heretics. They are frauds if they cannot talk with conviction about these things.

Who are you then? Do you feel that God is "my God?" Beyond the boundary of America, have you thought about all lands belonging to you? Have you ever thought, "I am responsible for this land. I have to invest myself in restoring this land in the sight of God?" This is the kind of religion God has been waiting for. Therefore, we in the Unification Church cannot be aloof of the world situation. We must feel totally responsible, as if this world belonged to us, for nobody else will take care of it. "I must take up responsibility because the Christian churches are crumbling today. The young people are morally corrupted so I must take up the responsibility. I can see the world crumbling because of the infiltration of communism, and so I must be responsible for communism." We each have to think in this way.

Since this is our determination we must revive Christianity, overcome the communist ideology, and work with young people to bring back God-centered morals.

Are you dating and having a good time with other young people? Do you want to brush aside responsibilities and just pray and wait for wonderful reforms to appear as a blessing? No, you must be different. What do you think about while you are eating? You must think, "The world, Christianity, communism, the young people." What do God and Jesus think about when looking down at this world? Those same things.

Do Jesus and the saints and disciples sit idle and do nothing in spirit world? No, they are always working, constantly looking at the world situation and thinking and laboring in the same way that God is thinking and working. What do you think about? The blessing? Your every word and every deed must be permeated with the thought, "God and world, God and world." In that context you must speak, act and work.

Until now you may not have thought about this, but in listening to me you can clearly understand Jesus' philosophy and God's philosophy and now you can see clearly how you can become a true Christian and champion of God. Have you come to that realization today? Even unto his death, Jesus was absolutely unmindful of his personal loss. Instead he was worrying about his mission, God and the world. In the 2,000 years since his death Jesus has been continually working for God and the world.

Christians should inherit Jesus' philosophy and conviction, but instead they are often fretting only about their own denomination and church. Instead of feeling concern for the rest of the world they are concerned about securing their own heaven. They are thieves! It is ludicrous to see such people opposing me when I have totally given myself to bring the world back to God! Which side is God standing on?

We arrive at a simple conclusion: Any movement that God approves will be prosperous no matter what, and its opponents will inevitably crumble.

Our job is to bring salvation to Christianity while there is still some sign of life. When God sees a man who is desperately pursuing this mission all day long He is inspired and cheers, "My son, you are even better than II" Don't you want to live that kind of life?

So far have you been worrying about yourself, about what kind of marriage you will have, and what you job will be? Jesus proclaimed so clearly, "Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or put on... Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness." He said that the gentiles worry about themselves, but the chosen people need to worry about bringing the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth.

Can you firmly determine to inherit Jesus' philosophy as your own, and live and act and think precisely as he does? Then you will become one with him as his younger brother. If you try to become a Christ yourself, then will Jesus say, "You blasphemer! How could an ordinary man try to be like me? I am King of kings!" Or will he say, "My brothers, God bless you"?

Those who only live to fill their own stomachs shall not succeed. How about you? Is your mind completely filled by God and the world? Is there even a little bit of room left over for anything else, or with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul are you absolutely centered upon this mission?

Every penny I get I use for the sake of world restoration; every member who comes I mobilize for the sake of world restoration. World restoration is my only thought and constant hope.

Until my hope is realized I cannot get tired.

It is impossible for me to break down. If anyone can live up to God's standard then without any hesitation I am willing to give my entire inheritance to him. Such a person is absolutely entitled to God's kingdom. I did not come to America to be indebted to this country or jealous of those who live here. I do not have to worry about my own circumstances, and America does not have to help me. I came to help save America.

Unification Church members should never think, "I am witnessing and fundraising to help Reverend Moon." Not at all. You are doing all those things for your own salvation and to benefit your own children. Strictly speaking you are not even doing it for God or Jesus. You are doing it for yourself and it will benefit you more than anyone else.

Man was supposed to be born for God, for humanity, and for this world. That is his original purpose. Everybody wants to bring a gift to God; what kind of gift would you bring? Neither an entire world of treasure nor titles of power are gifts that God will accept. Instead God will cherish the deeds you did here on earth out of your love for Him, and how much you precisely lived His own philosophy when on earth. That record here on earth is intangible, yet that is the only gift that God can recognize as meaningful.

Do not even think of your own family from a selfish point of view.

When you sisters look at your husbands you should think, "My husband is representative of all men of the universe." When you brothers look at your wives, think, "My wife is representative of all the women of the world. When we have unity between us we bring unity to the universe and unity to mankind. I am serving by living as a true husband." As you serve your husband or wife you are serving the entire world of men or women. Men and women together in marriage are an example of service for the world. In marriage there is no barrier of heart so there could be no barrier of race or nationality. There are no barriers in the world of love. That is Jesus' ideology.

It is indeed my Ideology that we have the Unification Church become a total sacrifice as we reach out to save the world.

If this is wrong then there is no such thing as God and we do not even have to worry about finding hope in this world. In these Last Days God sent me to teach His people, not with symbols and parables but with the absolute truth, not in a mirror dimly but face to face. There is no excuse now because the broad daylight is here.

What is your mind filled with when you are eating? By loving God I make God mine. By loving the world I make the world mine. No matter what the world may do to us, we will love this world and these people more than anyone else here on earth.

I may perish but I must leave the indelible footprint of my tradition and ideology behind. You must think, "Even if I die I will achieve this goal and ideology through my own children and posterity." Then true liberation can finally take place; the agony and sorrow of Jesus' heart can be rectified and God's broken heart shall be liberated. Do you know this clearly now? Before you even eat, what are your thoughts? While you eat what are you thinking? After your meal what would you think about?

Why did God give you your own eyes? To see the world from the viewpoint of God; your eyes are God's windows. God gave you your ears to hear music as a resounding inspiration to love God. Your nose was given to breathe the air of love, air of harmony, service, and sacrifice. All your senses were meant to reach out to love everything and revolve around one central figure -- God and the world.

In using a fish net you have the weights to draw the net down and anchor it. Love is like the weights of the net; we just follow the path of those who went before us in love, drawn behind them. There is no line above love. You must not pursue a love that will be shameful in the eyes of God or mankind. Americans have tried everything in their quest for fun and carnal pleasure. Living that kind of attitude will only bring the destruction of mankind and the world, and the destruction of God's tradition. Fostering that kind of life is like murdering billions of people and spreading their blood over the land.

There is no room for dancing or rejoicing in a world filled with that destruction because there would be no joy. That is the mind of Jesus. Your body lives according to your mind and obeys your mind. Through living, your mind and body become one. When you harbor Jesus' mind and live accordingly then Jesus will say to, you, "You are my soul. Indeed you are my body and you represent me totally."

How wonderful Jesus would have felt if his disciples had followed him that closely! If the disciples had really shared his mind and lived up to his mind with their actions, how victorious his mission would have been! That was exactly what Jesus wanted, but that tradition was not created 2.000 years ago. But now I am proclaiming precisely the same ideology of Jesus and God and we can live that ideology for the first time in history. Would God brand us as heretics or would He be grateful?

Regardless of opposition we must go on, and we must become one with Jesus by doing so.

We must really pledge to God, "Nobody will deter me. I am going to inherit Jesus' own ideology and I want to live it." So far this has been hazy in your minds perhaps, but at this moment can you say, "God, this is absolutely clear, and I am going to live it." Can you make that pledge?

If your goal is real then it has been worthwhile for me to come here and really speak my heart. I am a representative of Jesus and my life is a living sacrifice on the altar of God. Since I am in that position then I am living the life of Jesus and anyone who helps me and follows me shall receive salvation. If this is also your conviction and faith then you are the physical resurrection of Jesus and his ideology, and through you the entire world will see resurrection. You will bring salvation wherever you go, and anyone opposing you will in reality be opposing God.

The showdown shall be made before your life is over. You will see that anyone who goes against God cannot last long. I have witnessed many occasions when people who made a wrong relationship with me simply perished. I prayed for their forgiveness and prosperity, yet in spite of that they suffered. Once anyone comes against God and His ideology they are in a most serious position, even though I may pray for their blessing.

I am alone but not isolated or weak at all. Would you like to be me? When you lie down you must think that you are Jesus lying down: "My body is the resurrected body of Jesus. I am reviving Jesus' breath that was stilled 2,000 years ago." Is this criminal in light of the Bible? Not at all. The Bible is teaching us to become one body with Jesus; Jesus taught, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." He also said, "You are in me and I am in you." Jesus meant that everyone can become a representative of the Messiah, a part of the Messiah. Your becoming the physical manifestation of the Messiah is the essence of God's ideology and Jesus' ideology. Are you heretics by claiming to be messiahs? Not at all! God created everyone to be a messiah. As Jong as there are people who need to be saved the title of Messiah is needed.

At the moment of your death you should be able to say to God, "I lived for You and for the world. I have done my absolute best, and You know that I spent every ounce of my energy for You and the world. God, please receive my soul." Then you are indeed a son of God, and shall be gloriously accepted at the throne of God; you shall remain as an elder brother or sister of the world for eternity. Because you lived the highest credo under the sun no one can exceed your position. Step by step we want to bring the family, society, nation, and world to be transformed into the altar upon which we can present ourselves as a living sacrifice. When God can accept our offering then the world shall be revived and resurrected. At each stage we are expanding the Kingdom of God here on earth.

Everyone has pledged today to become a champion of God in that respect. Members of all five races are assembled in this room. Those who can say, "God and Father, without any mistake I am absolutely going to live that life. Until I die I shall not change my course. I am going to live for you, God, and mankind." Let us make that pledge once again.

My Heavenly Father, please accept this pledge of our young people to give their heart and soul and life for You and Your mission. Give them Your blessing so that they shall become a living sacrifice on Your altar. They shall bring the world into resurrection and they shall bring this world into the Kingdom of God here on earth.

This is a historical moment that you shall remember.

I want you to live your life as a living sacrifice. May 8, is a day of new beginning and from now on you must not voice complaints. The world is tired out but we cannot be tired out. God has not rested yet; I have not rested yet; you cannot rest yet. There is nothing you cannot face, nothing you cannot do for God. If you really are what you pledged then America will live. newspaper.

Let us face whatever shame may come and the victory of God will soon be proclaimed here on earth. Your deeds and your way of life shall be raised up; the world is waiting for your offering, having only one thread of hope, which lies in you. If you live with that faith and conviction then God will always be with you, never leaving you alone for one moment. May God bless you in your victory. Let us pray.

The Dignity of God and Man

Sun Myung Moon
April 1, 1977

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I want to explain God's concept of creation focusing on the dignity of God and man, His supreme creation. Through the establishment of the dignity of God and men, certainly men would be fulfilled and perfected, and God's ideal and purpose would be consummated. If the perfection of men had been fulfilled in the very beginning, then with God and men together in complete harmony the ideal world of God's love would have prevailed.

If that had happened there would have been no sorrow for God. Instead God would have experienced the birth of His joy, in which He would have been praising the dignity of men. If God could treat men with such dignity then of course men's glory would be without end, and men would always have come to God in deepest admiration, respect and love.

In that case God and men would have become one, pursuing one common destiny. Adam and Eve would have had the same dignity as God. The perfection of one man and one woman was to be the perfection of God and the perfection of the entire universe. The home of Adam and Eve was supposed to be God's home and God's own family, and then that family would have become the focal point of the universe, the heart of God's world.

If that focal point had been established then the spirit world and physical world together would have become one. But today, the spirit world and physical world are totally separated. You know that you have a mind, but you are not sure where that mind dwells. Nobody can explain the mysteries of the mind because none can see the mind or touch it. However, if I asked if you have a mind, even though you could not show it to me you would not deny that you have a mind.

In the same way that our own minds are real to us, God would have been a living reality to us. Your mind dictates your actions and the relationship between God and men should have been the same. Now we must be careful of our words before we speak, but what about a perfected man? A perfected man is automatically a reflection of the universal mind, which is God. No man of perfection would be able to deny God. In addition, the dignity of true Adam and Eve would remain for thousands of years, so that all their descendants would maintain the same dignity that Adam and Eve enjoyed.

The relationship between God and man would have been of perfect oneness; God and man would have walked together for eternity. You cannot separate yourself from your own mind, and in the same way all men would have been unable to separate themselves from God. That would have been man's perfection. If there had been no fall and that perfection had prevailed, such men would have become the nucleus of the universe.

Invisible God made visible through man

The perfected home would have become a unit or model for the heavenly society, nation and world, such that no matter how far the world of men expanded, it would always resemble one man. Then who should be the center of the universe? Actually the central axis of the universe is formed by God and Adam and Eve. Why would God need Adam and Eve? Why do they need Him? For two purposes.

First of all, God's ideal of love would be fulfilled through Adam and Eve. Secondly, and this is very important, the invisible God would have been made visible through men. In other words, Adam was supposed to be the visible form of God, and through him the invisible God could have made a relationship with the visible, physical world. God's ultimate purpose for the creation of Adam and Eve is this: After being perfected here on earth in oneness with God, Adam and Eve would have passed away into spirit world. There Adam's own spirit body would be like the body of God, and inside that spirit body God would be dwelling as Adam's mind; God Himself would be the mind of Adam.

Today we have our mind and body, with an inseparable relationship between the two. Similarly, when Adam and Eve were perfected here on earth and then were elevated to the spirit world, God would have become the mind of Adam and Eve and they would have been the spirit body of God, so that God and men in spirit world would have been inseparable, one body. In this world people speak about dying, but actually there is no such thing as death. Instead of dying you just pass into a new realm after giving up your physical body. Your mind or spirit body becomes your body in the spirit world, and God will become the center of that body as the mind of your spirit man.

If you go to spirit world without reaching perfection here on earth, you will never be able to accommodate God as your mind in spirit world. You will be like a person here on earth with a body but no mind, It may seem impossible, but that is the situation. If your mind were removed could you still be a man or woman? Here on earth our supreme mission is to prepare ourselves to welcome God as our mind in spirit world. The whole purpose of our physical lives here on earth is to make ourselves dwelling places of God so that when we pass into the spirit world our minds can become spirit bodies in which God can dwell. That is the preparation we are going through here on earth.

What a supreme position we have been placed in! We are all supposed to be the bodies of God. As the Bible says, we are made as the temples or dwelling places of God. If Adam and Eve had initiated perfection here on earth, becoming one with God, their children would have been the children of God. Children always resemble their father and mother. When we are born as children of God then we would certainly resemble God and be in His image and likeness.

Now you can see realistically why we call God our Father: we are His children. We are now looking for God, but if Adam and Eve had been perfected, seeing them would have been seeing God. Adam and Eve's position would have been God's position because they would have been the bodies of God. In spirit world God should have been dwelling within Adam and Eve. God indeed is the Creator and center of the universe and if God had made His dwelling in Adam and Eve, then their position would have been the center of the universe as well, both physically and spiritually.

In Genesis it is written that Adam named the things God had created. Actually Adam was the instrument God was speaking through. In other word, God was naming every creature through Adam. God dwelled within Adam and in that way exercised lordship over all creation.

So far men have not known the true relationship between God and men. To repeat, there were two reasons that God created man: first as the fulfillment and manifestation of His love, and second, as the visible forms of God. This is a most amazing truth. Through perfected Ada, 1 and Eve as the nucleus of the universe, God wanted to expand His Kingdom here on earth. No matter how big man's world might become, God would still be the center of it. Clearly the culture of mankind should have been in one sphere, which we call the Adamic cultural sphere, truly God's own culture here on earth.

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We are living to restore the dignity of God

God's intent was to have one culture, but since the fall of man, what has come about instead? The terrible separation between God and man resulted from the fall. An impossible situation has occurred. The separation took place and because we are the reflection of the spirit world, a separation between our minds and bodies also occurred. Do you realize that there are two persons living within you, two minds? The conflict within ourselves came because of the fall of man.

If in the very beginning God had created you with a split personality or two conflicting minds, we would have to conclude that God Himself existed with a split personality, having no unity or harmony from the very beginning. Or if that is not the case, then we would have had two origins instead of one. But that is not so; God is one harmonized being, and we have only one origin. This separation occurred only because of the fall of man.

The topic of my message is "The Dignity of God and Man." Where is that dignity God wanted to speak about? Can we restore our dignity by ourselves? Can God restore our dignity by Himself? No, it is a joint project; the restoration of the dignity of man can be done only by the joint effort of God and men. Then what should we do? First of all, we have to understand the original reason why the dignity of God and men was lost.

The whole problem began when individual creatures -- the angel, Adam, and Eve -- became self-centered, thinking about themselves first. That was the beginning of the wrongdoing. Furthermore, they wanted to perfect or fulfill their love with themselves at the center. In order to restore the dignity of God and men we now know what has to be changed. To undo the wrongdoings we have to reverse that way of life. We must make God the center of our lives, not ourselves, and we must seek to fulfill our love, not with ourselves in the center but with God in the center.

What is the purpose of our lives? I want you to know that we were born and we are living to glorify God, to put God before all. And we are living to restore the dignity of God. Then why do our minds exist? They certainly exist for the sake of God, and our bodies exist solely for the purpose of God. Could they exist for some other purpose, or for someone else?

Our mind and body are in the position of subject and object here on earth, and their common goal, their purpose of existence, is solely for the sake of God. Both are dwelling at the same point and both are focusing upon the same goal, with the mind dwelling in one dimension and the body in another. However, when we became self-centered this complete unity and harmony between the two was distorted; mind and body became out of focus with each other. In under to bring them back into focus they have to move opposite the directions in which they have been going. Once we form perfect unity of mind and body, then we will become the dwelling places of God, and God will come into our houses for relaxation.

Because of the fall of man, the mind and body moved out of focus. Actually the mind has remained Godcentered, but the body moved so that Satan has been controlling it; it has been turned around to the point of being completely out of joint with the mind. Who will turn this body back to its original position? Do you expect Satan to do that? Will God come down and turn it back? If God could intervene directly to bring man back to his original position, then God would have done it a long time ago. Men must achieve this.

Were you born as direct heirs of Adam and Eve, or were you born among the multitudes of the world's population? Since the beginning of human history, countless generations have been born. To look back in search of the starting point would be very complex and involves tremendous distance. The American people are descended from all the races of the world, making it simply impossible to research back to the very beginning. As a result, here in America you have no history of some central origin. Through many thousands of years of human history, God's position and men's positions have been completely separated. In addition, man's mind and body have become adversaries, going in completely different directions.

A recent philosophy has been proclaiming that the physical body, not the mind, is the center of man. According to the communist ideology matter is the ultimate origin, and the mind does not really exist except as an illusion. What they are saying is that the mind is an outgrowth of the body and dies with the body. Is there even the slightest hope in that ideology for man's mind and body to become one under God?

The God-centered mind is always self-giving and public-minded, but the body is always selfish and seeks to satisfy itself, avoiding sacrifice or difficult situations. The body is only searching after its own benefit. You have a conflict within you between a body with selfish desires and a God-centered mind. If you see something pleasing, your body says, "Get it! Grab it!" In contrast, the God-centered mind says, "Wait a minute. You must use that for the sake of God and the world." You feel that conflict, don't you?

Our ropes and anchors

Satan is always trying to create obstacles so that the body is unable to rejoin the mind. Satan has a rope around our bodies which is tied to an anchor deep in the sea. The body is trying to float and swim to the ship, but the anchor holds it down. Satan is saying, "You cannot go without my permission."

What is that anchor? Self-centered love is the anchor and selfishness is the rope. There must be some power, some sword, which can cut that rope and send the anchor to the bottom of the sea. Once that anchor and rope is cut off then the body is free and can automatically come back to the mind. You are like a ship floating on the water; do you have an anchor or not? I can see that you have many ropes and heavy iron anchors pulling on you.

You can see then that we have to hope for God and our minds together to become like sharp swords which can cut those ropes. That is the role of the religions which God has been raising up throughout history. Their purpose is to create the atmosphere where God and the mind together can cut the rope and anchor of temptation and selfishness.

Unless you completely cut off self-centered love then you have no way to be free. The Bible does not use diplomatic language; we are taught the naked truth in the Bible.

That is why the religious way of life is always cruel to your own body. Religion has no sympathy for the body and is continuously subjugating it. When we understand God's purpose and ideal then we come to the conclusion that religious life is the arena where God has been trying to achieve His goal. So far some people have caught glimpses of it, but no one has completely crystallized the truth.

After hearing this, has the spirit world become more realistic to you, as well as the true relation between the spirit world and physical world? Do you really know what is wrong with this world and with yourself so that you know how to restore your original godly position? This is why the Bible says, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." When you chop off the anchor of your fallen body which is stained by sin, then what kind of person do you become? You are transformed into the holy body of God, your original role. By doing so you are not only restoring yourself and men's true position, but more importantly you are restoring God's own position and dignity. Do you have the courage and determination to cut the rope of Satan away from you? Do you want to bring your body back to the original position of oneness with a God-centered mind or not?

Why do you eat breakfast? Why do you sleep? When you go to bed and your head is snuggled into the pillow, have you ever thought, "God is lying down on this bed, because I am the temple of God." Have you ever said to yourself, "God, won't You rest with me now?" And then in the morning when you wake up and get out of bed do you think, "God, You are already awake. Good morning, Father." That is the way you must live, feeling God's presence with you in every action, feeling that God is going before you.

Men and women, do you want to get married or not? Does that mean that you are going to marry, or that God is going to be married through you? Have you ever thought, "I am doing a favor for You, God. By my marrying, You will meet Your better half through me." When you sisters become brides then God can become a bride through you; the same is true when you brothers become grooms. As you are walking down the aisle to the wedding music, not just you and your mate but the two essentialities of God are walking together, and in happiness they are joined by the blessing.

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In love you can climb up on the top of God

You can feel that God is just tickled to death inside and does not know how to contain Himself. You are happy by knowing that God is happy; always God comes first. Has your life been molded as a "God first" way of life? Would you prefer a life of putting yourself first or God first? Which one is more dramatic? God's expectation for the love between Adam and Eve at the very outset of His creation in the garden of Eden, and His hope for the perfection. of your love now is the same.

How can your love become eternal and unchanging? It is possible because God does not change; the same God who was with Adam and Eve is with you. Even though historically speaking Adam and Eve lived many thousands of years before you, Adam was supposed to have had the father's role to you in the spirit world since he was supposed to be the dwelling of God Himself. Had this occurred there would have been no generation gap between father and son. The love that you feel and the love that Adam and Eve feel would have been the same emotion of love with no gap or barrier. In that love you can go anywhere, even climb up on top of God. Love brings intimacy and complete oneness; there is no formality in love. Therefore, even though a man becomes President of the United States, he exercises no formality with his wife. They do not bow and give some long greeting every time they meet.

Do you want to dwell in that intimacy of love with God? We all agree that we want to share that intimate level with God. Then we have to chop off the rope; it is not going to be that easy but somehow we have to chop it off and let the anchor plunge down to the bottom of the sea.

Do you really want to be centered on God 24 hours a day?

Aren't your minds going in 120 different directions, thinking about past dates and girlfriends and boyfriends, or wanting more education and social standing and a little better way of life? Don't you think, "What am I doing here! I have to go out and witness and fund raise every •lay!" I am sure that many different kinds of doubts creep in. You can see from the criteria I laid down this morning that you have been living with doubts and suspicions, ups and downs. Is such a man really going the fastest way to the goal or not?

You must be single-minded; just chop off temptation and do not look back. Do you think there is some big gap between you and me and that I am a miracle man? We have only one difference: I have completely subjugated my body, while you are taking longer. Wherever I go and whatever I do, during the 24 hours of a day there is not one moment, not one split second in which I separate myself from God. This is absolutely perfected in my way of life. That is the only difference between us.

Let the people oppose and persecute me; I do not even have time to listen to them because I do not want to divert my mind from God. If I am thinking of God more intensely than they are opposing me then these things will automatically be taken care of. You know that often something looks impossible, but for the sake of God we must do it every moment of the day. I am just driving myself; that is my way of life.

You must always love God and always feel, "God, there is nothing I cannot do." How do you manifest your love? Love is reciprocal, needing a circuit. I always want to be extreme in my thinking, and love to the absolute extremity of love. Most people want to love a handsome man or a beautiful woman, but I think the opposite. I want to love the ugliest man and woman, the oldest man and woman, those whom society ignores. I want to pay attention and be able to love them more than anybody else.

God is convinced that you are capable of doing this. God knows that you are capable of loving in an extremely different way from most people.

I have been living in that fashion, but when God gave me a bride, do you think He picked one who is very ugly or very beautiful? Because I was thinking in one extreme, God rewarded me in the opposite extreme. That is how this viewpoint works. Can I bear the cross of love? That is the worst test for any person! This is why we should always ask ourselves, "Can I love my worst enemy, and take his child to be my spouse?" Can I love the ugliest, most impossible person? If God is convinced that you can do it, then you are totally victorious in His sight.

We have all put ourselves in the position of God's adversary. We are in the position of His enemy. From His viewpoint we are extremely dirty, and ugly; we have been rebellious traitors and are the children of traitors. However, God has not only been forgiving these traitor -- you and me -- and bringing us back to be in His position, but God wants to bestow upon us His supreme blessing and grace.

God is a pitiful God; He wants to dwell in love with His enemies, His impossible, rebellious children. When Adam and Eve rebelled against God they indeed broke His heart. Ever since, God has been a tragic, sad God, but He has never given up hope. He is always searching after treacherous and rebellious men, trying to find the slightest ray of hope to restore them to the supreme position of His sons and daughters. You can see how infinite and abundant the love of God has been.

If that is the truth then even if my body turns to dust a thousand times over I will still be grateful. I could utter no word of complaint to God because His love is far greater than anything I can imagine. This is the position men should take, "God, I just want to do Your will. Anything you want I will go and do." Even after saying that some men are most treacherous and rebellious, thinking, "God, what about my position, honor and dignity?" How ridiculous it is in the sight of God! He can't even think of those things.

If you really know your own position you know you have nothing to say about God, no complaint to make. That has been man's position. All men have been living in the dungeon of hell in complete darkness, but a ray of light is coming down from heaven so that we can be restored into the highest part of heaven. It is indeed the most unbelievable grace that we can imagine. We must grab it at any price. Do you understand God's heart?

Let us awaken to the truth of our position

Today is April 1. So far we have done our jobs in our own way. We have been living without even thinking of man's supposed dignity, and never thinking about the dignity of God. We have been thinking on a very trivial level, "I'm a member of the Unification Church and I have my position and my rights and dignity." We know now that we must shatter that type of thinking.

Today we must revolutionize ourselves. Let us once again shatter ourselves and awaken to the truth of our position. We want to reach out to a new, heightened goal, and proceed there with the utmost determination and sacrifice. The God that we know is a suffering God, a heartbroken God. We are His sons and daughters and we must be in a position to comfort Him. In order to do that we must understand His heart so that we can take His burden upon our shoulders. That is the only way we can comfort God.

We must stand in God's position where He was persecuted for many thousands of years. No one has suffered more throughout history than God. We will not complain but be grateful to take the worst kind of suffering that God might have. God has been so misunderstood, wanting to save the world but instead being cursed by the people He loved. People have said there is no God, but they are blasphemers. Instead we will each say, "Let the people of the world come against me, I will pray for them and bring salvation to them as You have done throughout history. I can die for that mission, Heavenly Father."

If God wanted to take revenge against the traitorous and rebellious actions of men then He would have already destroyed mankind many thousands of times over. But at each betrayal God forgave. Can you say, "God, I know Your heart. Now let me forgive the world. Give me Your suffering and let me suffer for You, even more than You have suffered. Then when I return to Your throne, I will ask You to forgive the world. After suffering so much for You I will ask You to forgive them because of me." Silently God will nod.

We must feel that we are liberators of the sorrowful, broken heart of God, that because of us God will say, "I suffer no more. Because of you I do not feel anguish and sorrow in my heart." We should be able to stand in that position.

How can we liberate God's historically suffering heart? Let me give you an analogy in human terms. Imagine that your youngest brother was killed in an accident, as well as your wife and son. Instead of expressing your own sorrow at your personal tragedy you go to your mother and say, "Mother, I know your heart is broken because of the death of your youngest son. I think of your heart more than my own tragedy. Can you be comforted by me?" Your mother will say, "Certainly I can. My son, you have suffered more than I yet after all that, you still forget yourself and try to comfort me."

The highest possible way to comfort God is to not worry about your own claim or reward. Forget that. Just think of going from morning to night, think of how you can comfort God best. That is the supreme form of loyalty.

You have a choice between two ways of life. One is the eternal secret way in which God wins; the other is the way of temporal glory and honor here on earth. Which one would you prefer? Would you put yourself completely in service to God, or do you want to work for your own sake and your own honor? As the leader of the Unification Church I must always think how best to lead the members. Since I know the suffering heart of God I want to bring the Unification Church through the worst possible suffering. Under those circumstances we will say, "God, I want You to be comforted. I have no word of complaint, nothing but gratitude." Knowing God's own world and own heart, and really loving you, I have to lead all of you on that route. I myself have taken that route. Do you want to follow me?

Unless you go that route then you have nothing to do with God in the ultimate sense. You will have no intimacy with God, no closeness. Therefore you will not be able to lift up God to His true dignity. If you have failed to lift up God then you can never restore your own dignity. In this way of life alone there is hope to liberate God from His sorrow and by doing so you can liberate yourself from sorrow. All will be lifted up together into the ultimate dignity of God and man. Do you want to participate in this battle?

We want to live the pattern of God's life

You must think, "I want to bear the cross of every individual man and woman of the world." God is not in Heaven sitting on His throne, enjoying the show. No, He wants to bear the burden of mankind. God is always thinking, "How can I bear the cross, the burden of My family?" God always thinks how He can bear the cross and the burden of the nation and the world, "How can I fulfill the responsibility of heaven and earth?"

You can say to God, "My life here on earth is short, far less than 100 years. Compared to eternity it is a spark of light, but during this short time I will think of nothing but Your mission. Give me the cross that You have been willing to bear." Think of it, God's suffering is vast, persisting for so long throughout the whole span of history. Our suffering, no matter how big, is just a spark of light, yet with it we can set an enormous condition.

We must put ourselves in a position to comfort God, always having that intention even though we may not always succeed. "God, I am sorry I did not quite live up to Your expectation yesterday, but today Father, I will do it." In our short span of life here on earth we want to live the pattern of God's life so that God will be able to say, "My son, you have lived precisely as I did. You suffered as I did and you worked just like I did, thinking and agonizing over the same things. You have fulfilled the work that I intended to fulfill. My son, I am proud of you." We must be in that position.

We should be willing to say, "I want to live to the utmost degree, and no matter what God's desire maybe, there is nothing I cannot do. Furthermore, I want to volunteer for the worst possible mission that God has." Then God will say, "My child, you are very good. You were not supposed to suffer or live like that, but for my sake you suffered and worked so hard. For my sake you gave yourself and died in a tragic way. My heart is filled with mercy toward you. I almost want to say, 'I am sorry,' but don't worry. I have the power to restore your honor and your life in the greatest glory of all on earth and in heaven.

"I expected Adam and Eve to be perfected, but they failed My expectation. You are their descendant but you deserve a far greater position and far greater honor than was originally reserved for them. Before heaven and earth I declare that you deserve the highest honor. Adam and Eve were supposed to be born of God, live of God and die of God. They did not, however, and because you did, you are greater than Adam and Eve." Thar is what God will say to you.

I want you to clearly know my own will. My ambition for you is not that you become important statesmen, Senators, Congressmen, or the President. I do not want you to be billionaires here on earth or to receive acclamation and honor from all mankind. My intention is that you become men and women who can live life in a God-centered way so that you are born of God, you live for God and you die for God. Then when you are elevated to spirit world you will absolutely receive the honor of God and of all heaven and earth. That is the kind of men and women I want you to become here on earth.

In external appearance your way of life may be tragic, and other people may think that you are living miserably. But do not forget the reason behind it: the true pride of God. You have a choice and no one can force you. Which way will you take? It is not easy.

When an adversary comes to attack and slander you or falsely accuse, the general human tendency is to fight back and seek revenge. But the moment that you feel anger and the urgent impulse to attack your opponent, think of God, "God, what do You think in such a moment? I know; You forgive, and if I cannot forgive this enemy, then I am eliminating all the hope of mankind. If I do just as ordinary people have done, then I am eliminating the hope of God. I cannot do that." God thinks this way.

If God became really angry, then would He say, "No more! I am finished with you and done with it!" If God quits then there is no more hope for mankind. For the same reason you must feel that if you explode in anger, then the hope of mankind will vanish. We cannot have that kind of heart. "If I curse' someone, that curse shall become universal and shall remain. I am responsible for that." Can you make yourself that important?

I want you to understand that God is not a God of glory. God has been the God of suffering, the God of heartbreak and tragedy. You cannot comfort God in fine clothing; you cannot comfort God in a most relaxed, comfortable situation. You cannot praise God in a position of honor. God will not want to receive it. Instead you must come down to be even more miserable than He is. In that way you can comfort God.

Before you search after the glory and dignity of God you must first conquer tragedy. heartbreak and misery

In that position you can raise God into glory and honor in His dignity. That is the route the Unification Church is taking. Right now America truly misunderstands me, spreading false accusations and allegations. But I am praying to ask God's mercy and blessing upon this country. My prayer is, "God, let me receive all the misunderstanding You have received throughout history. Let me take all the ridicule You have taken throughout history. Let me undergo all the pain You have undergone in history. Otherwise I am not worthy to stand in front of You."

Now let us imagine that I died under these circumstances. Maybe because of the misunderstanding and false image the media has created of me in America, the American people would applaud my death, saying, "That troublemaker is gone. That controversial Reverend Moon has died." They might celebrate. But I want you to know that at least one person in the universe -- God -- will cry. That is what counts.

I have taken up that role. Do you see that Jesus took that route and died in precisely that way? But God bestowed upon Jesus the power to restore His highest dignity and honor. Also in heaven God gave him the power to lift man up from his misery, from the very bottom of hell. Jesus has absolute power to resurrect everything under the sun. I feel that if even one man or one woman comes forth from among you who can live up to that standard, then my life is a success, not a failure. One man is a universe.

Maybe every single one of you will perish. If only one person is victorious and consummates God's way of life, then that one man shall set the tradition of the Unification Church and on that rock God's tradition and Kingdom shall indeed be built. Those who want to participate in erecting this tradition of God, the Kingdom of God here on earth, raise your hands. If you really feel that you want to participate in that, then I want to assure you that the glory and honor of God shall rest with you. Thank you. Let us pray.

The Greatest of All is Love

Sun Myung Moon
March 20, 1977
Belvedere, New York
Translator: Bo Hi Pak
Excerpts

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Do you like love? What is love? Describe the shape of love; is it long or very thin or round? It is a very difficult task, but if we ever tried to describe love in one word, the nearest thing might be "fullness." The ultimate question for man is this: Is life or love more precious? You say love is more precious, but can you explain why love is greater than life?

In history, poetry and literature we commonly hear that love is greater than life, but no one has precisely described why. Which began first, love or life? Indeed the beginning point of life is love, and no matter how much life you have, it alone could not bring new life into this world. Only love can do that. The love of your father and mother together brought new life upon this earth. No matter how great a life a single person may live, alone he does not have the power to give life to another.

Let us look into the origin of the universe. What is the fundamental caused which brought the universe into being, energy, life or love? Have you ever thought about what motivation was involved? Some scientists claim that the universe began with a huge explosion of energy. While existence certainly begins with energy, what is the origin of the energy? Is energy self-creating? Energy results from the interaction of plus and minus; it can only exist in a circuit of reciprocal give and take action between a subject and an object.

Here in this room there is also give and take action between you as the audience and me as the speaker. If there were no one in this room to listen as I gave an energetic and powerful sermon then I would look very foolish. Without give and take there is no re-creation of energy, and if I were speaking to an empty room, would I gain more energy or lose power instead? But since you are here, very excited and energetic, our mutual give and take becomes increasingly intense and stimulating.

The most fundamental energy for the existence of this universe was created by energetic give and take action. Universal truth can be described as the substantial interaction between two entities in this visible universe. The entire invisible world as well, functions according to this same principle. We can conclude that nothing can come into being or remain in existence unless it is in a subject-object relationship with the action of give and take maintained between them. This is true in the mineral and plant worlds. Do insects sing for their own enjoyment or to get the attention of another? Why do animals call each other? For their objects.

How much do you like your object? It is interesting to discover that we have more intense feelings toward our objects than toward ourselves. Do you sing or dance for your own satisfaction? Even though you may sometimes dance alone, in your own mind you envision some object watching you.

Would you like to live in laughter and joy, or in tears and sorrow?

When you are alone do you normally feel like laughing out loud? If you went around smiling and laughing without an object, you would be considered a crazy man. Laughter, singing and dancing are all human expressions of joy and happiness, but when you do these without an object or audience they make no sense. Clearly our way of life requires a partner with whom we can interact. When two loving partners share laughter, song and dance, their joy will become ever deeper without limit. When love is inspiring you then your singing and laughing and dancing become so wonderful.

In every field of art the greatest masterpieces are the works which describe the most beautiful, limitless love of men.

When you experience those masterpieces you are stimulated in your feeling of love and the joy of that masterpiece comes alive. If we removed everything about love from the masterpieces then would any life remain?

Which do you prefer, laughing or crying? In reality the muscles involved in both are quite similar. When you look at the faces of someone laughing and someone crying, both their mouths are open and their eyes are squinting and tears are rolling down their cheeks. What may cause you to cry? You may feel sorrowful after some great loss, or when your expectations have not been fulfilled, but the deepest sadness arises when you become separated from your object, your partner, At the bottom of all sorrow is losing your connection to your object so that you can neither give out nor receive.

The definition of great unhappiness ls the loss of anyone to whom you can give and from whom you can receive.

You are most unhappy when you have no one to love and be loved by. Isn't that true? If you lose a great deal of money or valuable property you may be unhappy, or having no one to teach or learn from you may feel sad, but is that the worst kind of unhappiness? The most unhappy person is the one who has lost the person he loved and who loved him, so that he has no one to share his love with.

You would prefer to live your life in laughter and joy instead of sorrow and tears, wouldn't you? In order to have that laughter and joy you would have to get power and earn money, right? No? Did you know that already? Maybe you vaguely knew, somehow, but after hearing this you truly know that love is the most important and fundamental aspect of life. Do you just think, "It sounds reasonable," or do you deeply know that this is true?

Which is superior, man or woman? Even if you are a giant superman, a tall man with big muscles and very handsome, without your object you are a very poor man. Suppose you had a choice between being a superman but remaining all by yourself, or being pint-sized but having an object, someone with whom you could have give and take. Which would you prefer? Are you sure you would want to be pint-sized? There are some people who are not answering; however, their eyes say yes! That is the simple truth.

How much do you need your mates? You absolutely need each other so that you might discover and experience love. In saying that you absolutely need your object, you could never mean, "Well, love is nice to have but it's not essential." When you went on dates before you came to this church, was your motivation to find absolute love? If you answer no, that means you were not really serious about love and your actions were closer to an animal's. Would an absolutely happy person go after such love? That kind of carnal, unprincipled love should be wiped out. Can you say, "Yes, I have experience of love, but with deepest seriousness I am now searching to discover love that is even greater than my own life."

Which world did you belong to in the past, heaven or hell? Without exaggeration fallen man has been destined to death and hell. If you do not know that your search for true love and life is not a joke, your life will not be anything more than a joke. Love is greater than your life, so love is not a joke. The most divine and holy world is the world of love.

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After acquiring that absolute love a person really knows the value of that most mysterious and holy world.

When you know that divine and mysterious world your laughter will be divine and mysterious and the expression of joy in your singing and dancing shall also be very divine and mysterious. Anyone who dirties this most valuable love with cheap, carnal things is the worst kind of criminal in the universe. Regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, anyone who seeks to contaminate your love in an impure way is your worst enemy. Because love is greater than life, that person would be committing a crime worse than that of taking your life.

The American way of life, including many of your lives before you joined the Church, is just a quest for very shallow, instant, animalistic love. If you were that way then you have never truly experienced that divine and holy love of God. Your shallow fun could only become progressively more shallow, soon becoming boring and tiring. When you stamp on that most precious pure love you become just a worthless person; you can kill such love.

Is American society advancing toward heavenly prosperity, or declining into secular hell? Shall we leave America alone or shall we do something about it? Will the President of the United States or America's economic power be able to change it? How about almighty science? Who will do it? If we truly know that Americans are going in the wrong direction then we have a responsibility to inform and educate them.

You must search for the true way. If your father and mother or teachers were encouraging you to pursue cheap love, should you follow their instructions or not? Suppose the American government followed a policy of encouraging Americans to enjoy their fun and follow their animal instincts. If that were written into the Constitution would you blindly obey or not? "I would be different," you say, but with everyone else going in the opposite direction how could you change? Would you have the energy and drive to go all by yourself? Whatever the circumstances, you are now determined to go because you have hope for the rest of the world, even though the entire world may come against you. That world is wrong because it does not know the truth, but you_ have truth so you have hope. That is why you should go on even all by yourself.

If someone came forward to proclaim such love would you follow him regardless of whether he were black or yellow or white? Why do all you white members come and give me a hard time? Because of you, the American government, American families and churches are opposing me. What makes you so sure you should follow me if I am teaching about such a committed love for God? You trust the ideal and you have hope in the future. We cut ourselves out of this world because the world is in despair, and we choose to strive for the ideal, to gain true love, hope, and a constructive future.

I will explain why love is so precious. The answer is rather simple: you are the product of love.

The most logical and important principle of the universe is also the product of love. God created this world because He needed to have His own object for the give and take of love. Love is God's fundamental motivation for creating the universe.

Man was supposed to be born in love, grow up in love and live in love for eternity. That is man's destiny. Is there anything further you could wish to receive? This is the ideal way of life. Where could that love originate? That could only originate between a subject and object who have become so completely one in harmony and unity that eternally nothing could break them apart. The greatest love emerges from such as this.

Men and women marry to consummate love. At what point do my wife's life and my life become one? When we eat a good meal together? When we exchange money? Only when we become one united in love, right? Life begins when love brings unity and harmony between the two of us, and when life emerges then our ideal blossoms. When you are completely satisfied in love then your ideal is already fulfilled because there is no greater ideal than the fulfillment of love. This is the sequence: love brings unification, life and ideal. When our love brings harmony between us and new life emerges, then the fulfillment of our ideal also comes.

When two lives are welded into one, love will become more powerful and intense. When two lives become united into one, greater life, energy and power come and a greater ideal can blossom. If love is taken away will anything remain? Will there be any way to unite? Without love it is impossible for people to come together and give their lives to each other and say, "For you I could die." That kind of deep sacrificial feeling cannot be demonstrated without love. Without love nothing can bring you into fullness.

In contrast, the communist ideology centers on struggle; that is the key word in communism. If one class is struggling with another, is there any way to unite? Dialectical materialism analyzes progress as one entity dividing into two contradictory entities, which then clash with each other; out of that clash something greater will emerge. That ideology is striving for unification but because it eliminates love it can never bring true unification. Communists talk about a life that is not true life, and about an ideal that is not the true ideal. The ideal is impossible under communism.

The ideal is what can bring the highest and the lowest together into harmonious joy

If we confront each other in struggle can we have the ideal? That ideology of struggle is now creeping across the face of the earth, affecting millions of lives every day. The evil ideology of communism lures people into becoming ruthless and cold-blooded; murder and extermination is the daily diet in communist countries. In his lifetime Chairman Mao exterminated over 150 million people, and in North Korea alone 3 million people were murdered. The New York Times recently published the fact that over 600,000 people were exterminated in South Vietnam immediately following the war there. Is this the ideology in which we can find unification? Communism is truly the enemy of humanity and enemy of the ideal; needless to say, it is the enemy of God.

The key word nowadays in the Carter administration is human rights, and that is good; however, there is something greater than human rights which is life rights, life itself. Communism is not just violating human rights, but violating the very life rights of millions of people. In such an extreme situation talking about human rights does not make any sense; if this administration were really serious about human rights then it would speak out about the millions of people who have been deprived of the right to live. America must stand up to declare that communism is mankind's worst enemy.

We must preserve and safeguard the right to live

There are so many millions who have been deprived of such rights already. They are silent people, the prey of communism. When they stood in front of the firing squad did they praise the name of Stalin, Mao Tse-tung or Kim Il Sung? Orin their inmost hearts did they desperately call upon the name of God, that somehow He could exercise His power so that the communists could no longer continue with such cruelty?

Without including love, you cannot even speak about unification and the ideal. The fundamental problem of humanity today is how to restore love. If we cannot restore love, do you think we can establish true peace or one world of brotherhood? Can we actualize the ideal without love?

You are actually the result of this wonderful principle, for you were a part of the uniting force of love of your father and mother, and your life came into being at that point. You participated in their lives and the blossoming of their ideal was the beginning point of your life. You participated in the love of your parents which had created unification and brought life; you participated in the love of parents which brought the ideal. If any one of these three are removed then the entire ideal will become crippled. You cannot remove the ideal; you cannot remove life and you cannot remove harmony and unification.

Parents and children will become eternally one even if the mother is a hunchback and the father the most ugly cripple under the sun; no one can separate them from their destined relationship as parents and children. Could you exchange your parents for someone more attractive? You are a part of them and cannot separate yourself from them. You are the result of their harmony, their life and their ideal. Don't you feel some built-in human instinct to defend them from criticism? Why do you feel so strongly about them? You are connected to them, and when something is harmful to them it is automatically harmful to you. Instinctively the loving relationship between parents and child creates the impulse to protect because in this universe there is an automatic protective force that preserves the entity of love. Now you can understand logically what you may have only felt in the past.

Are you going to stay connected with your parents for eternity, or at a certain moment should you separate yourself from them? Speaking particularly to women, when you get married and have a home, would you welcome your father and mother as well as your in-laws into your home? Prior to joining our movement were you thinking the same way that you do now? You might have preferred having a husband but no in-laws. Be honest. They are a burden. Is that kind of thinking selfish or unselfish? If you happen to marry someone who does not have his own father or mother, then in order to accomplish this ideal you even have to bring his godfather and godmother to live with you so that you have someone to serve and be united with. If you can think this way now it is only because you have come to understand the truth about how men and women should live.

You have a built-in instinct that rejects being separated from this loving unity because it should remain for eternity

There is no such adjective as "temporal" when you talk about love; love is for eternity. All of you want to be in a loving relationship with your parents for eternity, and if this eternal circuit of love is broken for some reason, in the depths of your heart you can never accept it. That disapproval is not a crime or a sin, but the instinct of self-preservation. Until we have the logic and principle that will explain human behavior and human nature then we will never have a true vision of the future but remain in darkness.

Who is greater, your parents or you? Parents are supreme because they possessed love prior to your existence, and they will always be ahead of you in the possession of love. You emerged out of their love, and for that reason you will always be in a position to follow after them. No matter how miserable your mother and father may be, as long as you have a loving relationship you will never want to be separated from them, even after the termination of your lives here on earth. Is that right?

This morning I have presented the clear principle of love, so I do not need to say anything further. You can claim before your own father and mother, "Without me you have no true love because I was there and I participated. I was a very important element of your loving relationship." As a child you can say to your own parents, "I cannot be a part of you or one with you until there is unity and true love between you two. Your unity, your true understanding, and your true ideal is what will enable me to become one with you." A son or daughter can force his parents together in a way.

With true love between your father and mother you will begin to see true harmony and the ideal emerging in your home and you will certainly want to stay there. So many American homes today are just the opposite, which is why there is such a gap between parents and children. As long as there is a warm and loving atmosphere in a home the children would never want to leave. But even if the children may go away to the hippie life, if there is a loving atmosphere in the home they will feel pulled back and repentant.

I want to reorganize American homes under the principle of love

I want to see a revolutionary change come about in the American home so that the impersonal, functional unity there is transformed into true loving unity. That is the job I am undertaking. Thank you for your applause; do you mean it though? There are many people today who just do not want to look at reality, and when they hear about something like this they do not want to deal with it. They would rather point at me and snap, "You go home and do not bother me. Live your own life; why should you bother America?" When you read between the lines in the New York Times and Washington Post you will see, "Why do you bother America?"

The emergency is upon us, and before the fuse runs out on this time bomb we must achieve our goal. I am anxious to get this done right away, and day in and day out we must push ourselves. This providence to restore the true love of God is now in motion and the efforts of all heaven and earth are focused on the restoration of this love in humanity. Love alone can bring fulfillment and perfection. Love alone can bring the true fullness of life.

Can love speak to the past, the present and the future? We come to another principle. The value of love never changes.

The value and principle of love for our ancestors a thousand years ago was just the same. Their love was supposed to bring unity, life and the ideal; a thousand years does not change that. A thousand years from now science may have improved our way of life, but the content of love will not have changed. Tens of thousands of years in the future this value of love will not have changed. God built the entire universe according to the reciprocal relationship between the two entities of subject and object, and as long as the existence of subject and object continues, the principle and the energy of love will not change.

According to dialectical materialism, matter is the origin of the universe. Does that make sense to you or not? If love forms the formal, central truth of the universe, how could anything else create the same result? Unless people are talking about love they are not really talking about unification.

Can you really believe that love is only sweet today because science has advanced? Maybe a thousand years ago love was sweet while today it has many artificial elements in it and has become sour and impure. However, as far as true love is concerned there has been no revolution or advancement; love has one origin and that one origin has never changed. Therefore, the contents of love will always remain the same. As long as there is harmony of love, life, and the ideal related to the original source, they will not change.

That world of true love is the world of the unification we are talking about: the world of unity, true life and true ideal. If you have one life to live, where would you like to live? Would you prefer living in this artificial carnal world of love, or would you prefer to live in the world of true love and a God-centered life? Your answer is proof that there is hope for unity. If all of you think like that then there is a chance for true unification to come about, and then the ideal can be built upon this love.

Is God's original ambition and desire that the world and humanity taste unity and true life and true ideal, or could He care less about the way the world drifts? God's desire is the same as man's, and can only be fulfilled by the response of men. In the same way, man's desires can only be fulfilled when we receive response from God. Our ideal lies in God and God's ideal lies in man.

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If you want to poses, God's universal love you must become a personality of universal caliber

I want all of you to have universal personalities, but where shall we begin? With the Unification Church, or on the level of the country or the world? We cannot begin with just the individual because as I have already explained this morning a single person cannot impart love. There must be a circuit and the basic unit of that circuit is your home, your family. That is the building block.

You may conquer the world yet still not have harmony in your own borne. Then you are not the person who will accomplish the ideal. President Carter may be a truly great statesman and have power to influence the entire world, but if in his own family there is constant fighting, is he a happy person? The ideal world begins in your home. Heaven begins in your home.

When Jesus came to proclaim the truth did he say that only a single people could be elevated into heaven? Jesus' blueprint of heaven included bridegroom and bride. When you read the Scriptures you can see that Jesus with his bride was to have been the foundation of the Kingdom of God. Describing the return of Christ, the book of Revelation clearly speaks of the marriage supper of the Lamb, where he will appear in his victory as a groom with his bride. One model home is needed to become the center of the universe, and the purpose of Jesus' coming was to build that model family.

No matter how much you tear the whole universe apart looking for the shortcut to unification you will not find any better solution than this one. If there is God then this has to be His royal way. Suppose that up to now God has been dozing, truly unconcerned about having His kingdom here on earth, and then all of a sudden He hears me preaching this message here on earth; I am convinced that He would exclaim, "Well, my son, you have something better than I have. Let me borrow that!"

You have studied philosophy and science at universities and done library research, but did you ever hear about this? Have you been hearing a very expensive lecture or not? Are you newcomers here being forced by regimentation to believe certain things, or are you just joyfully responding to truth? You are experiencing the greatest of all extraordinary revolutions, a change of heart.

Are heaven and our homes two entirely different things or are they one and the same? Who is dwelling in our homes? Children. Who else? You should be there, husband and wife. Who else? You are indeed notorious Americans because you mention grandmother and grandfather last. Will all these components of your home be united by rules and regimentation? God's true love will unite them. The love of grandparents, parents, husband and wife, and children will all melt together into one unchanging love.

There is the action of life in that unchanging love, where they talk about the ideal and their hopes for the future. Anyone who has deep respect for the love between grandparents, husband and wife, and between parents and children is qualified to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God. The greatest inheritance grandparents give is the tradition of love to our parents, who then leave it to us. You are becoming husbands and wives, and your duty is to leave the inheritance of love for your own children. The sequence of inheritance is the same, and you cannot neglect any of those loves in a process of being selective. The same principle applies to each relationship.

The application of the truth means that as much as you love each other as husband and wife, with that same intensity you must be able to love your parents and grandparents.

That same love will bring one heart in your home, which is the building block of the Kingdom of God on earth, and when many families come together they will make up a society, nation and kingdom on earth. Can you see that all those relationships are equally precious?

In comparing American homes to this standard, do they live up to this particular principle? Are grandparents in America generally happy people? With whom do they want to live? It is a most logical conclusion that grandparents want to live with their children because that harmonizes with universal truth. God wants to live with His own children, and grandparents inherit that tradition.

When you become old would you want to live in a senior citizen's home and have only fellowship with nurses? Why not? Someday every one of you will be a grandparent; it is your common destiny. Senior citizen's homes may be more convenient, having medical facilities to handle emergency situations, but even though they may suffer some inconveniences, old people really want to have fellowship with their own children, laughing with them and looking at their grandchildren. When you become old will you not think the same way? Should we change the American way of life in terms of family structure?

When will the universe become one? You never thought about that before. The center of the world is humanity, which means men and women. Men and women are the center of the universe, to inhabit and represent the entire universe. The unity of the entire universe results when men and women become one in love. That is the point at which the universe can become one.

If two men came together would the universe be joined together? Man represents heaven and woman represents earth, and because a man is in the subject or aggressive position he will take the initiative. Are you that kind of man or not? You are stubborn and instead of listening to anybody you want to be your own boss. You only listen when the truth convinces you and then reluctantly you have to yield. A man goes straight forward to where love is; nothing can conquer a man except truth and love. Men are that stubborn.

How about women? Do women want to take the initiative or be the recipients of love? Do you women want to receive a proposal from a man or do you want to do the proposition? Women are built to receive and men are built to initiate action. God has also given men and women particular roles in loving, with men taking the initiative and women the more passive role.

Heaven and earth become one when men and women become one, with man representing heaven and women representing earth.

But husband and wife are each greater than the universe: Your wife is not merely one woman or your husband merely one man. Each represents the entire universe. Because love is the moving force to conquer the universe, the entire universe will listen when you face each other with love. What kind of husband do you want? Do you want a husband who only drives you like a slave, or do you want husband who looks at you as being even greater than the universe? Which kind of wife do you want? You each want to have that kind of preciousness.

It is natural that young men and women in their teens become very romantic, talking about the universe, losing themselves in music and reading romantic poems. They come to realize they can communicate with the universe, that the universe is a representative of themselves. When older teenagers think of becoming men or women they view their lives with the highest ideals and most beautiful dreams in their hearts, dreaming in terms of the universe, and equating their lover to the universe.

When you have the urge to unite with such love, will you want to live in slow motion? This is the age of passion, and you want to be like a fireball, blazing into oneness with your love, and concentrating your entire self into your love. The Japanese expression "kamikaze" conveys that spirit. You want to express your ideal in the most dramatic, beautiful, extraordinary fashion, and you also love to exaggerate. "Boy, the entire world is mine."

Men and women actually start out from different extremes, but when they bring themselves together they feel the entire universe resounding with each step they take, and all of nature responding. That is young passion. When young men and women become serious, God also becomes serious. When they are very dramatic and romantic, God becomes romantic. When a young man and woman just engulf each other in a heavenly collision of love, the explosion is greater than thunder. When young passions collide even God will be shook up! When God is a part of young passion, that love is an eternal one, not a cheap thrill but something serious and precious.

Should the love between husband and wife be stabilized in one solid central point, or should it be blown around by the wind? The love of husband and wife should become a stabilizing force, like the bubble in a horizontal level. Diamonds also have a certain stable structure that will not change. When this universal force of passionate love brings husband and wife together to be completely melted into one, then are they poor, oppressed prisoners, or can they really feel freedom and joy in their love? That is the kind of adults you must become, not just foolhardy and superficial. You must concretely anchor yourselves as a stabilizing force of the universe.

Once you know this truth you must live the truth, and if you even tried to separate you would be completely upset by the pain of it. You could not survive. If your love does not change then will your joyous singing and dancing change or not? As time goes by you may change your format, but your motivation for singing and dancing would have no reason to change because they are the expression of joy.

Men and women as husband and wife become the stabilizing central pole of the universe, bringing together heaven and earth. In both the physical world and the spirit world, the value of a couple is the same, and the more territory they conquer and embrace with their love here on earth, the more territory they can deal with in spirit world. The scope of that area will determine their depth of understanding in spiritual life and their value in spirit world. Ultimately how much you practice this principle here one earth shall become a measure of how much territory you deserve in heaven.

When you move your position away from the vertical line then you can no longer even talk about territory or about the Principle. Only once you have become stabilized in the central point and move along the vertical line will you have territory. Without doing this, your existence will be like dust or like the morning dew, which comes and goes. Only that one vertical line of love will link you with the universe.

If a circle represents the universe, the area below the central horizontal line represents the physical world and above, the spirit world. You can draw thousands of vertical lines within the circle, but there is only one longest vertical line that passes directly through the center. That is the line of love that I have been speaking about. In this bisected circle, the right side represents man, and the left side represents woman, each being equally distant from the center. When this man and woman come together in perfect unity in the center, a vertical line automatically comes into being.

It is a universal principle that where there is a perfect plus a perfect minus automatically comes into being. When a perfect minus exists then a perfect plus automatically comes into being; we can see that in the principle of electricity. Thus, when the completed, perfected husband and wife come together heaven and earth automatically come together, and the parents can appear. In our human relationships as individuals, when God and the individual become completely one in vertical unity, horizontal brotherly unity is automatically there. Before that could take place, however, the fall of man destroyed the entire universal foundation.

The point where men and women join together la the very point where God wants to dwell.

This central line is the line of love. God is dwelling in the center of love, this line of husband and wife. Once there is true love uniting husband and wife their home becomes the dwelling place of God Himself. The family is directly connected to the eternal love of God, and God-centered unity, a God-centered life and a God-centered ideal come into being. Once you grab hold of that love you have hold of everything.

My subject today is, "The Greatest of All is Love," This has been Part I. In Part II I want to speak about how we should live and apply the Principle here on earth. If I start on this it will take all morning, but shall we do it now?

After you are born you grow intimately in the love of your parents, but as you grow toward adulthood you gradually become more independent. Toward what are you moving? You are looking for your own mate, aren't you? Will your parents say, "You rascal! You loved us this far and now you are giving us up!" Or will they say, "My son, my daughter, this is your day; I understood you. Go ahead, look for your ideal mate."

Are parents despairing and despondent at such a time, or are they joyful? Where men and women become one the atmosphere is enriched. Children are born in the love of their parents, and grow in their love. At that time their love is in the formation stage. When children grow up they move gradually toward their own love, and in a marriage their love enters the growth stage. Are husband and wife content to just love each other or do they want to have something else? When they have a loving relationship with their own children their love is fulfilled on the perfection level.

God created man's life here on earth to encompass three full cycles of love.

In the formation stage we experience receiving the love of parents. Love in the growth stage is the conjugal love of marriage. Love in its perfection is love of parents toward their children. Will your parents be jealous when they see how much you love their own grandchild, or will they be happy to see that you and your own children are so completely in love? The maturing of love is a natural process, and everyone will welcome it. Parents and children have an eternal relationship. That formation stage of love remains eternally; conjugal love is an eternal love, and the love of parents toward their children is also eternal. That is the common ground of love in which there is no change.

The basic building block of the Kingdom of God is the home; however, God's goal is not to have one home alone, but to expand into a society, nation, world, and universe.

God's goal also includes the spirit world. You have to reach all the way out to the world and then return all the way back to the beginning point, your home. Don't you want to embrace the universe with your own arms? Do you want to grab it so you can extract some benefit, or do you want to embrace it in love? If the universe you embrace all of a sudden discovers you are the worst kind of criminal or dictator, it will revolt against you. However, if you love the universe it will want to remain in your embrace. How much do you want to love the world? Your standard is to love the world more than you love yourself and more than you love your own things.

What criteria determines if someone is an American patriot? If someone loves America more than his own wife and family, then he is a true patriot. The universe hopes to be loved by someone who can give more love to the universe than to his own life. Anyone who can be truly sacrificial, loving the nation more than his own family and things, is indeed the supreme patriot.

Going deeper, we could classify great people into two categories; one category is great people and the other includes saints or holy men. What is the difference? Every country can name its great people or powerful figures like heroes and patriots. From that nation's point of view a person may be great, but he may still not be a saint or holy man. A holy man or saint is the one who loves the entire world more than he loves himself, his own things, or even his own country. An American who loves the world enough to sacrifice himself, his family and his nation is indeed in the category of holy man or saint, for that is precisely what God has done.

God is the cause, and the person who can perfectly reflect God in his deeds is a saint.

Let us examine God's pattern of work in restoration history. In order to save the world God gave His only begotten son and even allowed him to be killed. God has been sacrificing his own faithful people time after time, allowing those closest to Him to become martyrs in order to save the world. God does not punish His enemies or destroy evil people; instead He continually sacrifices His own people, His owns sons and daughters, sustaining His hope for the salvation of the world. Therefore, throughout history the holy people are those who demonstrated the utmost quality of God's sacrificial spirit. To which category do you want to belong, the great men, or the saints?

When parents see their children mature and become adults beginning their own families, will they be heartbroken? Do parents grieve to see their sons and daughters becoming independent from the old family ties? Of course if that meant eternal separation they would be sad, but their children are actually just maturing into another stage of life, and when children become parents themselves they can appreciate their own parents much more.

When husband and wife experience conjugal love they feel, "This is the very love our parents experienced before we came." And when they become new parents and love their own child they deeply feel, "This is the very love we received from our own parents. This is the joy they felt." When you become mature you will be in a position to more deeply appreciate your relationship with your parents. It may seem like the birth of your own children could create more distance between you and your parents, but in actuality, through your experience of loving your own children you will certainly experience a new depth of the love of your parents.

God's law is such that you mature in love and advance from one stage to another: from parental love to conjugal love to the love of parents for children.

That same development occurs in a horizontal way. Your love for your family expands into your love for your society. That expansion will not diminish your love for your family but will expand it into deeper maturity. Your love of society will grow into love of the nation and the world, and each time your love will progress into a deeper maturity. If President Carter were to demonstrate such sacrificial spirit in the service of this country, literally sacrificing everything including his family, then the people of America would praise him, and make efforts to help his family. When a sacrificial spirit is shown in that way then the bond between the government and the people becomes deeper, and more sympathy can be shown by both.

If you demonstrate extraordinary sacrificial spirit in order to achieve some higher cause, then once you achieve that goal people will praise not only you but also those whom you had to sacrifice along the way. If a family was sacrificed for the purpose of the society then it would become a heroic example for others, receiving recognition and praise, and also serve in creating greater unity within the society. Why am I telling you this? Suppose that instead of pursuing only its own selfish benefit Americans were to demonstrate a sacrificial spirit for the sake of the world. After achieving that goal of world salvation, America would not be left destitute, but would be in a position to receive glory and gratitude.

Were one saint to give up everything--his own life, his own family and surroundings--in order to relieve mankind from sin and liberate God from His sorrow, then everything that he used as an instrument of his effort, everything he sacrificed for that purpose, would be immortalized and praised in the end. Everything that he sacrificed would join with him as part of his ultimate fulfillment.

The Unification Church is pursuing that goal of liberation, gathering together such beautiful young people from all races and all the six continents. We want to become a sacrifice for the sake of world salvation and the fulfillment of God's will, and once we achieve that goal we shall never be forgotten. Once the day of victory comes, not only will you participate in that achievement, but your life shall bring all mankind into glory.

Why will you never be forgotten? Those who participate in the fulfillment of God's ideal will have lived God's own way of life, which has been to sacrifice His own family for the salvation of His tribe, His tribe for the society, and His society for the nation and world. Because that is the way God lives, anyone who also follows this principle shall never be destroyed or diminished. God is taking that route because once the highest possible Kingdom of Heaven is built here on earth, Satan will no longer have any way to accuse.

The true religion must go the road of persecution, and the religion which can unite the world is going to receive unprecedented persecution.

We do not offer any excuses or complaints since we know this as the truth and still choose this life. Instead we will just humbly obey God's mandate and go through this way silently. The Unification Church is destined to walk that path. For the sake of God's providence, can you sacrifice your own family and nation, and even sacrifice this world? How can you say yes? Deep in your heart you know that you are not going to lose anything; none of your sacrifice will ever be in vain, but shall reap the highest results. This is what you know in your heart.

Considered solely in commercial terms, this guaranteed return is really a fantastic deal. The Unification Church looks like a helpless lamb being clobbered by nation after nation, yet never attacking anyone in return. Don't we know how to fight? No, we know how to fight, but we have a reason and God has a reason to be patient. God has not yet allowed His anger to explode because His purpose is to save even one more soul. God can judge mankind at any time, but He is delaying judgement in order to save as many people as possible. That is the way He works.

If we achieve world unification through this process then no one in the past, present, or future can criticize or discredit our accomplishment. Those who are now trying to destroy us shall soon be in a position to realize what kind of crime they are committing and then be overwhelmed in their repentance. They are judging themselves; they are not judging us.

If God is the king of wisdom then we must understand why God has taken this route.

He adopted this strategy as the means to win the greatest of all victories. This strategy will readily expose those who have no faith in God. In Satan's world such sacrifice ends a relationship, but in God's way the sacrifice or separation will bring greater harmony; the greater the degree of separation the greater the resulting harmony. For a common purpose we all go in different directions, and though there is physical separation there is no such thing as spiritual loss because we are united in the same purpose. In God's world physical separation will bring greater harmony and greater accomplishment.

The selfish way of life is the satanic way of life, and the unselfish way of life is the God-centered way of life. But the unselfish way of life is the short-cut to reach the ideal world of God and is a life that will grow and expand. We must adopt this as our way of life. Will you live that way of life only until you get married, or even afterward? Will you further pursue it to the ultimate fulfillment of the victory of God?

This is my way of life. My wife and my own children have become a sacrifice, but I cannot give up the mission. Even if I were to die before winning the final victory, the purpose and course of the providence would not be ended. Once the dispensation for which I sacrificed myself and my family was fulfilled then God would be responsible to restore me and my family. God will be able to give me anything I desire, and I will ask, "First I want the salvation of the world; mankind must live. Next I want to see my family restored." Then God will fulfill it. Therefore, sacrifice does not mean losing. This physical world is not our ultimate existence and sacrifice is the divine right to participate in the fulfillment of God's ultimate goal. Then beyond this world we have another eternal home.

If I live and die solely for the sake of mankind, then where will mankind go? Someday we will all meet in the eternal spirit world. The pinnacle of our lives is not reached in the few short decades of our time here on earth. The measure of how much heaven you deserve in the eternal world is determined by how much you demonstrate a sacrificial spirit for the sake of the world while you are here on earth. I want you to remember that.

Your parents may not understand you at this time and your own nation of America does not understand you, but I want you to understand that this is temporary. You can tell them to wait a while and be patient, and you also should be patient. This separation is not ultimate and eternal at all, but instead you are going to reap blessing for them and embrace them, and they shall be grateful to you. That is the way I have lived. In Korea I gave up everything and underwent the most intolerable persecution, always being chased and accused. I never lived my life for myself or my own family, but solely for the fulfillment of God's will. In America I am walking that same path.

How is this nation going to pay its debt? I must leave some opportunity for America to pay back its debt, even if it is done by the descendants of those who misunderstood me during my lifetime. One way I can do that is through continuous, unconditional forgiveness of this nation. That has been God's way of life. God's heart embraces even His own enemy, and will never denounce or cut him off. This law is the force governing and uniting you people.

What kind of power can break us and separate us from that love? The power of love alone can conquer everything.

Love will bring eternal victory and eternal heaven. When you possess that particular love of God then you desire and do anything you want! That love alone can give you complete liberation. That is my destination, what about you? God bless you. Let us pray.

Today in the Light of Dispensational History - The Momentous Year of 1976

Sun Myung Moon
February 23, 1977
Excerpt
New York, New York
God's Will and the World
Unofficial Translation

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The Momentous Year of 1976

The whole world came around trying to beat us down in the momentous year 1976. In 1976, the entire history of God was culminating in two major events: the Yankee Stadium rally and the Washington Monument rally. Especially, the victory of the Washington Monument rally was achieved at the highest summit in God's dispensation. World attention toward our movement came to a peak that year. In the year of 1976 I became known to the world.

The events in which we gained such victories that year will never be forgotten or erased from human history. I appeared to the world as a historical torchlight in the year 1976. In my public ministry, I had been appealing and pleading to the people directly standing before them. With the victory, my public speaking, this dispensation reached its conclusion. Was Rev. Moon then defeated or victorious?

Those who wished us to fail miserably were watching very attentively for the outcome of the Washington Monument rally. By their own standard, was our accomplishment a success or a failure? Could our adversaries think we were a failure, or do they have to admit we were a complete success? From the President down to all who opposed our movement, they must have enjoyed watching the fireworks at the completion of the rally. I want you to remember that the Washington Monument rally was a decisive victory that became the turning point in human history.