In spite of everything I still believe that people are good at heart. I can feel the suffering of millions and yet, if I look up at the heavens I think that it will all come out right and that peace and tranquility will return again. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

The unprecedented changes and struggles of the twentieth century mark the birth-pangs of a new age. No one can deny that the world has come closer together and many divisions have been overcome. East and West, North and South have begun to mix. International economic blocs have formed. The United Nations, as well as numerous other international organizations, improve the quality of life for all people. Major religions are seeking common ground in their beliefs. Even ideologically, the chief confrontation of this century, that between Marxism-Leninism and democracy, has dissipated. In addition, the spectacular advance of science and technology in this century has made it possible for us to enjoy life more fully than ever before. The development of telecommunications and the rapid expansion of the airline industry have given us unprecedented access to almost every country in the world. There has never before been such a vast interchange between peoples, cultures and races. Our world has indeed become a global village.

At the same time, the devastation caused by world wars and many other regional and international conflicts has been unprecedented. The collapse of communism has not ushered in an era of peace. Mismanaged industrial expansion during this century has damaged our environment, and the moral decline devastating all societies is only gaining momentum.

The direction of history in the new millennium will be determined by the way the world responds to the Second Advent of Christ. Many Christians believe that Jesus will arrive on the clouds of heaven. This view is based on a literal interpretation of a few passages in the Bible. For instance, in the book of Daniel we find the prophecy that the Lord would come on the clouds: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man ..."; Jesus quotes these words when interrogated by the chief priest.

As we saw with the story of Adam and Eve, the Bible contains symbolic language. Jesus stated that he spoke in parables and symbols. In the case of the biblical description of Christ's coming, the word "heaven" does not refer to the literal sky but connotes great value, sacredness, or goodness. Representing and embodying these qualities, Christ will again come as a man on earth, with the power and presence of God, rather than in a supernatural fashion by literally descending from the sky.

The references in the Bible to the last days do not mean that the world will come to an end at the time of the second coming. If the first human family had started in goodness, humanity would have remained eternally good as God is eternally good. However, because the first human ancestors fell away from God, human history has been marked by evil and sin, which God cannot allow to exist for eternity. The history of fallen humanity must come to an end. The biblical references to the last days do not mark the end of time but the end of fallen history and the beginning of a new age during which God's kingdom will finally be established.

Because Adam and Eve did not fulfill God's ideal, and because Jesus was prevented from bringing God's kingdom on earth (as a result of being rejected by his contemporaries). Some will be born on earth as the third Adam to complete the providence of restoration. He will destroy Satan's dominion over man and substantialize God's three blessings on the earth. Born of a woman, somewhere in the world, he will finally cure the infection of false love, brought on by the fall, by establishing a pure, God-centered lineage into which all humankind, of every race, religion, can be engrafted.

He will break through Satan's barriers to become a man of perfected character. He will live a life of true love, investing all his energy and resources for the benefit of suffering humanity. To fulfill the second blessing, he will find a bride, and together they will overcome the fall, thereby establishing the ideal of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Through accomplishing this, they will substantialize the position of True Parents. The True Parents will guide humanity in overcoming the real conflicts between nations, races, religions and cultures, finally bringing about a world of lasting peace. To fulfill the third blessing, they will bring the way to unite religion and science, our technology and our values, leading to a world of both spiritual and physical perfection.

The True Parents will speak clearly and plainly of the truth, liberating all men from suffering and ignorance and realizing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Their fundamental motivation, however, is to liberate the suffering heart of God.

But as with Jesus 2,000 years ago, the True Parents can expect to meet persecution and misunderstanding. In fact, Jesus himself warned of this when he asked, "When the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8).

Share The Revolutionary Insights of The Principle

We live in the most exciting, but perhaps also the most fearful era in the whole of history. Whereas some believe that the world will be destroyed in an apocalyptic disaster, the Principle states that the reign of human selfishness, ignorance and fear -- and not the planet Earth -- will soon come to an end. God's live will prevail when the final division of good and evil comes at the time of the Second Coming. The future of humankind is not gloomy, but hopeful. All will be saved. A new world is at hand. God's promise is being fulfilled today.

This booklet has presented a brief introduction to the Divine Principle. There are countless testimonies to the power of the Principle to give hope and new life to all people. Those who have examined its contents sincerely have found it to be a true gift from God. The Principle shows how husbands and wives can establish pure, eternal relationships, and how parents can guide their children on such intimate matters as love and marriage. It offers lasting solutions to the social and national problems facing our world today. We heartily encourage you to study the Principle and find out how it can benefit you and renew your life.

Some sayings...

"A pragmatic sociologist is likely to say that the Unificationists have come upon a family program that works. While marriage counselors and parish priests are wringing their hands over the breakdown of family life, the Unification Church is doing something about it." Dr. Joseph H. Fichter, S.J., Professor of Sociology, Loyola University, New Orleans

"The vision of the unity of humankind in relation to God is central to the teaching of Reverend Moon. This vision of unity is not uniformity, but incorporates into itself diversity.... Such a vision is what is most desperately required to move us beyond the impasses of the present." Dr. M. Darrol Bryant, Professor of Religious Studies, University of Waterloo, Ontario; Canada

"... when we work with you for the unity of humanity we stand on our own convictions and traditions, while sharing with you your great vision of God at the center of all and an all-embracing love for all humanity... We pledge, rooted in our own religious traditions, to work with you for the fulfillment of the will of God." Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios, Former President of the World Council of Churches.

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