The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1987
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The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1987 |
Which is more important -- "I" or "we"? This is a fundamental question. "We" usually means men and women, but actually "we" should include everything God created -- the trees, the animals, all things of creation. The most important point we must establish is that each person, each "I," dwells within the group, within the "we" -- not "we" within the "I" Saying "I" signifies an individual surrounded and protected by a multitude, called "we."
Whenever you speak of "I," you already denote "we" in that each "I" can be seen as a representative of the whole group. It is only when you speak of yourself in reference to the whole -- everybody else -- that the emphasis upon yourself is acceptable.
But in this society of America today, individualism has become the pervading spirit. When individualism goes to its furthest extreme, a person begins to repel everything else. He thinks, "Why do I need my family? Why do I need my country? Why do I have to care about the world?" All of these attitudes are the extreme manifestations of individualism.
If you don't care about anything other than yourself, then that "I" becomes very selfish. An American might say, "I am second to none in the world because I am a citizen of the number-one country" However, it's all right to feel proud if you are also thinking, "I am a representative of the United States and I want to represent my country well" In that case, thinking proudly of yourself is acceptable. When you act as a spokesman, representing the entire entity, then your value is virtually equal to that of the whole group.
Suppose one of your eyes proclaimed, "I don't care about that nose or that mouth or those things called ears. I'm the most important" It doesn't make sense for the eye to try to focus on itself alone. Only when the eye recognizes the importance of the whole body and strives to serve for the sake of its overall well-being can that eye correctly feel it is indeed import ant and plays a most significant role.
When you say "we," what does that include and where is your position? You are in the center of your loved ones. Above you are your parents, below you are your children, on the left and right are your brothers and sisters. If you are a woman, your husband is in front of you, and if you are a man, your wife is behind you. Wouldn't you like to be in the middle, surrounded by those you love, or would you like to just go off to the side somewhere, isolating yourself and dwelling alone? Certainly you want to be at the center.
When you are at the center, that means you are a representative of the whole. You represent everything above, below, to the right and left, to the front and rear. All the elements of the whole can be found in the representative.
How many people are needed to become the representatives of all human beings? Actually, two people -- one man and one woman. Should just women be the women's representatives? Someone else could represent women even better. If there were a man among your representatives, wouldn't you feel stimulated? If only men were the men's representatives, the men would be bored, but if women became involved, that would be exciting. Don't you want to become a representative, a champion of something? Anyone without such an aspiration has a life that's not worth living.
It is natural to want to be proud of your country, to be a representative of your people, a champion of your nation. The United States, with every race here -- black, white, yellow, brown, red -- is a microcosm of all humanity, containing people from every race from around the world. This is truly something to be proud of. Therefore, God approves of your pride in being a representative of a nation that represents all humanity.
But if you are trying to push everybody else down to give yourself number-one importance --that is satanic. Look at your hand. Ask it, "Would you like to exist only for your own sake, or would you like to be doing something worthy and good for the rest of humankind?" Certainly the hand would prefer the second option. Compare one person who represents the United States with a person who represents the entire world. The one who represents the world has the greater value. Why do you prefer to live for the sake of the world? Because everything in the universe welcomes the person who lives for the largest purpose. To be welcomed, valued, and respected is the desire of all existence.
To take another step, which has the greater value -- living for the sake of all 5 billion people on the earth today, or for the sake of all the people who ever lived? Certainly historical humanity is the larger purpose. Going a step further, we know there is a Creator of the universe. To live for the sake of God -- isn't that an even greater purpose?
What does God like to represent? Money? Knowledge? Power? Suppose there were something that embraced the past, present, and future, as well as all men and women; something that would not tarnish in value; something that everybody liked -- children, parents, grandparents, people from the East and people from the West, high and low, rich and poor, educated and unlearned. If such a thing were to exist, then wouldn't God say, "Yes, I will represent that"? Is there such a thing? Yes. It is what we call true love.
All creation throughout history is looking forward to finding its true representative. Do you think history has found that person about whom the whole of creation can say, "Yes, I am well represented by that individual"? Do you want to place yourself in that position, to represent all creatures? You say yes. What a revolutionary difference that is from the conventional, selfish outlook of people!
By now you have come to the realization: "I am the representative of the nation and the world and the universe and all creation." But do you want to represent that all by yourself, or together with your loved ones? You want to be together, don't you? Why is that? Togetherness means there's a circuit of love, and only through a circuit can love be enacted.
If you are an Olympic champion, you don't want to win a medal just for yourself -- you want to win it for your nation. You want to see your nation's flag being raised and hear your national anthem being played. You want your parents and children and your whole family to be there with you, and you want to represent all of them well, isn't that true?
People salute the person who represents them well. They are not saluting some idol; they are paying homage and respect to their representative. There are thousands of statues of heroes all around this country, but that does' not mean that Americans are idol-worshippers. Honoring your nation's champions and building statues to them is a good tradition and will inspire all future generations.
The large tree out on the lawn here at Belvedere -- what does it represent? That tree is declaring to the world, "Look at me! I represent God's ideal of creation. What a wonderful being I am!" You should salute that tree every morning, saying, "You are a greater champion than anything else because you represent God's ideal."
Even a tiny blade of grass can say, "Don't look down on me. I am the representative of the love of God, a creature who appeared because of God's love. You must show respect to me." Then you've got to salute that blade of grass.
Everything is connected to the love of God. Every creature on earth says to love, "Please come and dwell with us." Love does not have any particular dwelling place, nor any particular direction -- but amazingly it becomes the center of all things. This is its secret.
You always find true love in the very center. You must not forget this concept. When you look at something, wherever your attention goes first becomes the focus or center -- and that is where true love dwells.
Let's say there are 360 closed doors in a circle. Only love has the power to open them all at once. Were it not for love, even God would have to go around opening them one by one. When your husband comes home, it doesn't matter which door he enters. You won't say, "You can't come in the back door, just use the front door." When your loved one is coming home, every door is open to him, isn't that so? Even if a big man who looks fearful -- rough and dirty like a beast -- is touched by true love, he blossoms like a flower. He smiles and shines with the beauty of true love. If you are intoxicated by true love, there is nothing you cannot do.
In true love, the lower your position, the better. This is because the lowest position can best complement the highest position. The truly virtuous king is the one who loves not only his cabinet members or his ministers but also those who are the lowest, poorest, and most miserable. A good king must be able to harmonize with even an old lady in the countryside.
There is no one whom God, with His true love, cannot love. God tries to embrace even the ugliest, most evil and vengeful person with His true love. He is able to love even His own enemy. If you go down to hell with true love, you can change it into heaven. Where do you think true love shines most -- in the broad daylight or in the darkness of night? The darkest night is the opposite of light and is the enemy of light, in a way, but actually that enemy is the one who can most fully recognize the brilliance of the light of true love.
The greatest statement to man that Jesus Christ made was "Love your enemy." That statement can conquer the world. I have not only reiterated that statement but explained it completely. If the enemy is invaded and totally surrounded by true love, will he cry out in agony, "Oh no, we are dying"? Or will he say, "Hooray!" Even the enemy would be jubilant to be conquered by true love.
You resemble God. Do you love your enemy, as He does? You are destined to resemble and to pursue love because you were created by God.
If love had a certain shape, like a square, then it could only accommodate a square-shaped person. But love is like the air -- there is no shape, no form to it. Love can sometimes be round, sometimes thin, and can even be stretched like a thread. But that love thread will never break. It can stretch endlessly and will never say, "Don't pull me anymore. I'm already stretched too much!"
Love wants to bind God together with all those within the love string. That love string will make God stretch out vertically -- He will become very tall and thin. God will even feel pain at being so stretched out, but it will be a joyful pain. He will say, "More! Stretch me more!" Only the power of true love can do such a thing.
Wherever your love dwells is the place where your true self dwells. Vertically speaking, you are dwelling within the heart of your parents. Of course you can't dwell physically in the heart of your parents so something that represents you -- your true love -- dwells there.
You also dwell in the heart of your beloved spouse, and when you have children, then you dwell in their hearts as well. When you are asked, "Where are you?" you can answer, "I am dwelling amidst my beloved universe': This is most incredibly convenient: Since love has no particular location or shape, love can go anywhere and stay anywhere. When you have planted the seed of true love everywhere, then everywhere is your home and you are welcomed by everyone.
God has a very long range vision. He knows that even within the individualistic nations we see now, someday there will emerge righteous people who will truly embody His love and embrace all of humanity. Even from the enemy's descendants, someone will be born who will reciprocate the love we give our enemy now. America's help for Korea now can be seen in essence as a reciprocation for all that I have done here.
One good example of the work I have accomplished is your Blessing. You all began from very different backgrounds and cultures, but coming to the point at which you could allow me to suggest an eternal spouse for you is the greatest testimony to how selfless and God-centered you have become.
What is our title today? "We Shall Dwell in Our Original Homeland" Where is the homeland of God? Our original homeland is the place where God dwells. But where is that? The focal point and essence of the homeland is true love.
If you examine any seed, you will see that there are two parts within it surrounding the embryo at the center. Each seed might be said to be a symbolic representation of the whole universe -- the positive and the negative joined together. Every human being also has two parts -- the physical and the spiritual united together. At the center, like an embryo, is true love. God created two parts of the human race -- male and female -- and He designed them so that they should be joined into one, as a couple. What makes two parts into one? It is only true love, not any other power.
Men and women come together as a couple and create a family, which represents the universe. Husband and wife are like the eastern and western points coming together. But God wants to see a round, globe-shaped entity. In order to create that round unity, men and women must have children. Thus the family comes to exist. When you become such a global existence, then you represent all four directions -- east, west, north, and south. Your harmony creates a vertical and a horizontal line of unity, which cross at the center, forming an axis. This axis must be centered on God and true love.
What actually is the Kingdom of Heaven in heaven? That is when families have been perfected here on earth and can enter the spirit world to live forever, centered upon God and true love. Without that, there is no way we can even talk about the Kingdom of Heaven. Once you accomplish this formula on the earth, then it will fit anywhere and everywhere.
Heavenly love is always giving, always altruistic. The action of giving means you are participating in the act of creation. God created first, and you are creating a second time. That is what the action of giving represents. You must understand that not only God creates -- we, too, are co-creators. We are constantly creating every day.
God's creation is nothing more than the investment of Himself -- manifesting Himself and giving Himself. Therefore, as we engage in our own second creation, we must invest ourselves through sacrificially giving. The person who gives most, leads. Why are the parents always the central figures of the family? It is because they are always giving unconditional love.
The
True Family celebrates Kook Jin Nim's and Sun Jin Nim's birthday on
July 9. Back row, left to right: Hyun Jin Nim, Kook Jin Nim, Jin Whi
Nim, and Jin Sung Nim. Middle row, left to right: Hyo Jin Nim, Jun
Sook Nim, Nan Sook Nim carrying Shin Young Nim, Kwon Jin Nim, True
Father, Sun Jin Nim, True Mother, Ye Jin Nim, In Jin Nim carrying
Shin Myung Nim, Un Jin Nim, and Jin Hun Nim. Front row, left to
right: Hyung Jin Nim, Young Jin Nim, Yeon Jin Nim, Jeung Jin Nim, and
Shin Jeung Nim.
Who is the patriot? It is he who is willing to give everything for the sake of the nation, even his own life. The whole country can turn around centering on the tradition of that one patriot. This society of the United States has not understood this central point. People feared that by unselfishly giving, they would diminish themselves. But on the contrary, by giving one can gain. The more one gives, the more he can receive. That beautiful secret seems unknown as yet to the people of this society. We have to teach them this principle.
What God has been doing is investing His whole being for the sake of creation, without any reservation, without withholding an ounce of His energy. That is what God's tradition is all about. We as co-creators can do no less. If you do this you will prosper.
In the satanic world there are no absolutes and everything is relative, as we see in today's society. Setting a good family tradition is crucial because there one can find a solid centering point. A tradition of love always manifests itself in beauty and virtue.
The United States must have some unchanging axis that it can present to the world, saying, "Look at the tradition we have in our country. We are so proud. Everyone should follow our example." What do you think that axis is? It is the tradition of true love. In the home, the highest virtue is that of filial piety. In the nation, the highest virtue is patriotism. In the world, the quality of sainthood is the highest. At each level, the central practice is that of true love.
The Unification Church is the school of this true love axis. We are people of different races and cultural backgrounds, yet we practice the same principle of love. In fact, what the Unification Church is practicing throughout the world in more than 120 nations is the tradition of holy son. The Korean word sung ja means "holy son." Even more than a saint, the holy son of God embraces and practices the principle of love for the sake of all heaven and earth. That is the tradition I am trying to create. Every member of the Unification Church who practices this same principle, regardless of what race or culture he or she is from, can become a holy son or daughter of God. That is our ultimate goal.
The order or hierarchy in spirit world is determined by one's fulfillment of true love. How much true love "equity" you have will determine your position. The king of the spirit world is the one with the most true love. Once he is ordained in that position, it is permanent.
We want to live in the homeland -- the place where true love dwells. God wants to dwell within the hearts of men and women, within the parents' heart, and within the children's heart. Those hearts can be the dwelling place of God only if they are places of true love.
In order to secure your place in the constantly revolving, cosmic motion of God, you must be able to push out and give rather than trying to pull in and take. How does love come to exist between a husband and wife? It is when both want to serve each other. Instead of pulling on each other for love, they should push love toward each other, giving everything of themselves to the other.
What is true brotherhood? It is when brothers try to give to each other, pushing out toward each with their love. If one brother tries to take from the others for his own sake, there will be a big hole, a puncture. Then that family has to move forward on a flat tire.
The parents who live their entire life for the sake of their family, serving and loving them purely, cannot go anywhere else except a high place in heaven. All the people in the spirit world will want to come and be around such parents because they will also enjoy the benefit of their true love.
You cannot invite God to dwell within you as long as you remain flat. You have to create room for Him by becoming round, like a ball. Then you can invite God and the whole universe to dwell with you. You should have this kind of purpose in your mind: "I want to be a higher, bigger, wider person. I want to be deeper and longer." That means you want to become global. You've got to create your family as a global dwelling place, not just a flat plane. You want to expand into all directions. When this intensified true love entity is assembled, it is no longer flat. Like good bread, it rises up and swells into a nice round shape.
If there had been no fall of man, this process of creating God's homeland on every level would have occurred automatically. But because of the fall, we must struggle and fight for each step forward. As we constantly confront our enemies on each level, we must melt them with love; then we can move up. I have encountered enemies along every stage of the path of life. But I struggled, overcame, and always embraced my enemies with love. Then I could move on. As long as I dwell in the original homeland, which is true love, no satanic power can infiltrate. This is my protection.
You have to live for the sake of others. You've got to invest yourself without any hesitation. That is the role of the co-creator. As much as God invested His entire being, you have to invest your whole being. When you do, that brings a new creation. Because I have followed this secret throughout my life, I have been able to make the most extraordinary accomplishments, something that will remain for a million years to come.
Even if all 240 million American citizens run away from this country, I will remain to the very end. I will defend and protect America. The citizens of this country want to be loved by someone who brings true love, someone who can love them in an extraordinary way. Americans want to deserve such love; they are waiting and longing to receive such love.
Ask the entire world, "Do you want to be governed by a person who truly represents the love of God?" The world will say yes. This is the secret. The fallen world is trying to conquer and subjugate through force, through war, but we have a different strategy. By practicing true love as our way of life, we can win the world for God. How convenient and practical this is! God's idea is not just theoretical.
On a hot summer day like this, July 1, why have I been speaking for so long and working up such a sweat? Because I want to give to the absolute degree, with nothing left over. This is for you. I only know of one way to prosper -- that of giving totally, absolutely, to perfection.
I want you to live happily. Particularly you husbands and wives, I want you to be truly happy couples. But I also want you to live without any shame in the sight of God or the nation. You must be able to stand with your chin held high, with true pride. What is the secret to living like this? Can you say to the nation, "Give me more. Take care of me"? That brings shame. You must give to the nation. Ask, "What do you need? Let me give it to you. Let me provide whatever service you need."
You must be willing and ready to sacrifice your family, if necessary, for the well-being of the nation; you must be willing to sacrifice your nation for the well-being of the world. That is the true way. When you struggle and win, then you become a true representative of the nation, world, and cosmos. Only because of the fall of man is this kind of sacrifice and struggle necessary. Perfection would have been an automatic process if the fall of man had not happened.
Don't ever think that the homeland is someplace far away. Wherever you practice your true love, that is your homeland. Don't you want to live in dignity, walking down the street with your head held high? In order to do that, go ahead and sacrificially serve this nation. Then you can become truly proud, without shame. You men and women who live your lives in this manner will be protected by the universe; the universe will be your "security guard."
So many times I have been thrown into jail. But every time I came out of prison, I experienced leaps and bounds of prosperity. Why is that? It is because the power of true love is supporting me, pushing me forward like a tailwind. Anyone who pays attention to each individual, anyone who passionately loves and tries to meet the needs of his brothers and sisters and his society -- such a person can never go wrong or be neglected. Nothing is more precious to your life than love. Love does it all.
At East Garden, I am always in the position of host, whether it is morning, noon, or evening. I am always there to pay attention to everybody. Sometimes my family and household members tend to neglect the people who come to visit, saying, "Oh, Father will take care of them." Even sometimes those on the East Garden kitchen staff disappear to their own families at night. The people who leave their jobs are not my kind of person. They should think, "I am always the one responsible for this household. No matter who comes or when they come in, I will serve them and have something ready for them." Instead of just me feeling that way, everybody should feel that way.
Each of you should feel, "I want to take Father's big burden upon my shoulders and gratefully bear that burden. I want to become the number-one person in the church to take the initiative in practicing Father's message' If you want to take the heavy burden of God and the True Parents and sprinkle true love here and there and everywhere -- in every direction, if you are always emptying yourself out and then coming back to get refilled by the word, then you are a true Moonie.
Now every aspect of the environment is ready -- everything except you. It's all up to you now to choose what route you want to take. You have to be determined, "I want to follow Father's living model, to be like him." Nothing else.
Today is the first of July, and half of this year is over. The second half of 1987 is beginning today. I want you to live these remaining six months of 1987 with this love principle that I expounded on today. Those who can say, "I will live by that principle, Father. You can trust me. I pledge this to you," raise your hands. Thank you and God bless you.
I gave you each 360 homes in order to distribute God's love to you. As you distribute more love to the people, you in turn will become bigger and bigger. If you do not distribute love, however, you will stay as gaunt as you are. If a tree wants to live and be healthy, it must grow many branches. If a tree grows no branches, it will simply wither away and die. However, I have never met one sensible person who asked me why I assigned him only 360 homes to distribute love to instead of three times as many.
I am very serious inside when I consider how you did the last 40-day condition. How are you going to make it through this one? I decided to pray for you for 40 days and make sure you got started very well; then I could leave to visit other countries. But if you slump down like this, how can I be free to go? I must make sure that you understand this condition properly.
Tomorrow, begin everything fresh, not like yesterday or today. Now that you know how important this is, you can make a new start tomorrow. I actually blame the leaders, because they were responsible for explaining the purpose of this condition to you. If a leader didn't understand, then he should have asked me once more to explain it to him. Now do you know for sure? If you don't, ask those who do to explain it to you.
When I made plans for home church I made sure with heaven first that it was the right plan. I got assurance not just once but many times, and God said to go ahead with it. You must know that I always check things in advance. There may be some disadvantages or shortcomings, but they don't matter. We must be united and go ahead full speed. If you aren't serious, then it will be impossible for you to follow me in the spirit world. I am going so fast that you will never catch up with me otherwise.
If restoration were not a difficult task, then Jesus would never have died on the cross. There is no excuse or compromise in restoration. God and the spirit world have chased me also. God did not prevent me from going to the communist prison camp or stop people from opposing us. God could have prevented those things but He would not. The path of indemnity is utterly serious. Even if you miss some meals or don't get much sleep, you must keep going to your houses and witnessing to the people....
I have explained everything to you in detail, so now if you still don't follow, it is no longer my responsibility. What can I do if you refuse to listen? It is only after you do your five percent that you can be connected with me. If I had not done my five percent I would not have any connection with God.
Do you think I am doing home church as a hobby, or simply because I like it? Without doing this dispensation, there is no Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Ten thousand people could create a huge network. If we created such a network of home church, we could save New York....
I have been preaching this for three years. Do you know what an incredible age of dispensation this is? Although you don't understand completely, you can demonstrate one great virtue -- obedience. The Kingdom of Heaven hinges upon your ability to fulfill home church. Whether or not we can demolish and clean up the satanic world depends on home church. It is the one way we can win.
I know this is the most difficult dispensation we have ever faced. If ever I plant a tree, I'm going to plant the tree that is the most difficult to grow. That should be our experience.
The cherubim with their fiery swords represent an impenetrable curtain that no one can pass unless he embodies the love of God that can break down that wall. The cosmic spring of the providence of God is here. We shall see the spring of heaven come to this world, and when we penetrate the barrier we will liberate ourselves from the fallen world and enter God's realm. You have learned the secret weapon for penetrating that barrier. I came to this world to teach this to whomever is willing to learn.
The hill I crossed over was no ordinary hill. Crossing over that hill was the most severe kind of test, but by doing so I laid the highway. Your hill, even though it is of the same kind, is much smaller.... God's hill was incredibly big. God crossed over the biggest hill to reach out to meet me, and I crossed over my hill to search for you. Your hill is a microcosm.
Eventually, those hills will be flattened and no more will remain to be crossed. The way to cross over that hill is home church. The springtime of home church is the springtime of the cosmic dispensation of God. The time for home church is at hand. The people who are anticipating the spring are like the birds who know even in the cold weather when spring will come. These people will respond to home church. These are the people who will be awakened and who will rejoice together in the song of spring.
Now you know why home church is important to you, to God, and to all humanity. You know this is the last war that you or anyone will have to fight. You need to have a renewed outlook and determination in the 1980s. I feel I should establish the standard and tradition in America, and with that prototype the whole world can benefit.