The Unification perspective on church and state sees religion and politics performing distinct but harmonious roles. God speaks to His people through various religions and the conscience, and the people elect representatives through the democratic process to realize God’s Will in the political realm. Because both people and religions are imperfect, the political process fails to function as it should ideally. The solution to this problem lies not in radically changing existing democratic political systems, but in educating people and stimulating them to seek God’s Will. In this way, democracy will play host to the Kingdom of Heaven on earth when prophecies such as that of Jeremiah are fulfilled, that, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” (Jer 32:33-34)

God works through all religions, so the state should not impede religious freedom by favoring one religion or irreligion. Reverend Moon emphasizes the importance of religious freedom. “If you do not have religious freedom, you have no freedom at all,” he explained to a US Senate Hearing in 1984. (6/26/1984)

Religious people, as responsible citizens, are responsible to derive the highest moral values from their faith and apply them in all spheres of life, including politics and government. To foster vibrant religious life, the state should be religiously neutral and yet benign toward all faith expressions as beneficial to the society. Hence, tradition-specific creeds are inappropriate as official state slogans, but general statements such as “In God We Trust” or “God save the Queen” are laudatory for promoting godliness in general. At the same time, the state must maintain due respect for those who do not profess religious faith.

Ideally, according to the Exposition of the Divine Principle, religion and government are analogous to mind and body. Religions and the conscience convey God’s Will to the people. The people, humbly realizing the limitations of even their most profound understandings, form political parties, elect representatives and trust that God will act through the vote. When the people seek God’s guidance sincerely and respect others’ similar aspirations, His ideals of peace, liberty and justice can be accomplished through the democratic process.

We believe that a just and effective political structure requires the separation of powers. “From the beginning, the separation of powers was to be characteristic of the political structure of the ideal society which God has been working to realize.” (EDP 361) In such a system, people elect representatives to enact laws, executives to implement them, and judges to interpret them. Both constitutional monarchies, with a Prime Minister, and republican democracies, with a President, are consistent with this ideal. What must be avoided is the tyranny of a dictator who controls the executive, legislative and judicial functions, or the “tyranny of the majority” that fails to protect minorities.

The Family Federation rejects dictatorships whether propped up by religion, race or secular ideology. We reject the notion of rule by priests (theocracy) and are wary of state religion altogether. We uplift people seeking God’s Will through religion and conscience, and acting politically in a democratically-elected representative system with a constitution that guarantees freedom of religion, the separation of powers and minority rights.