The Words of the Farrakhan Family
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The Words of the Farrakhan Family |
Min. Farrakhan speaks in Korea
SEOUL-The true Oneness of God, and the universality of true obedience to the One God, was the recurring theme here in Korea Feb. 10, the 25th country visited by the Honorable Louis Farrakhan and his delegation on the World Friendship Tour III.
Just as the Million Man March attracted strong support from Christian men as well as from Muslims, Min. Farrakhan's appeal and his interest in Korea, transcended religious boundaries. Befriended by Unification Church founder, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the World Tour visited the home base of the Korean evangelist's work.
"Everywhere we went in Korea," the Muslim leader told an interviewer, "we felt at home. Our impression of (the) Rev. Moon and those who follow him, is very high."
The Muslim delegation visited two campuses of Sun Moon University, two of several financially successful industries established and built by the Rev. Moon, and watched a cultural presentation by Unification Church members including a children's group called "The Little Angels."
"I said last night that Rev. Moon has become immortal," Min. Farrakhan said of his host. "But the physical body cannot sustain life for a long, long time, so God gives man and woman a chance to experience His Mind, His Will, His Spirit.
"If we are filled with God, then we can beat death. Rev. Moon is the manifestation of God's Spirit and Will in a human being. Because he is building institutions that will live long after he is gone, I believe that Rev. Moon has literally found eternal life, and what most men seek and never find-immortality-by doing good and building institutions that are in harmony with the universal order of things."
The Muslim leader explained that his own first impression of the Rev. Moon was similar to the first impression most people have of him -- with a jaundiced eye -- because it was acquired through misrepresentations in the media.
"But when you come closer to learn of the man, to learn of his philosophy, to see its connection to scripture and the Will of God, then you begin to see Rev. Moon. People say, 'Farrakhan is a hater. Farrakhan is an anti-Semite. Farrakhan is this. Farrakhan is that.' And so people that read the daily newspapers in America, many of them have a very negative view of Louis Farrakhan.
"But when they meet me, when they converse with me, when they see the work that I'm doing, then they say: 'Oh. He's not what we thought.' And Rev. Moon is as far away from what America has depicted of him as the Sun is from the Earth."
With tense relations between Black and Korean communities in America, and with "Black Muslims" and Korean Christians apparently having so little in common, why would Min. Farrakhan take any time at all to visit Korea, he was asked.
"I have always said as a student of religion: 'Why would God, Who is the Author of Peace, send men into the world to teach different religions, causing children to fight and kill each other over religious teachings that they probably don't understand?'" the Muslim leader explained.
"And the more I studied the scriptures, I realized that the division among human beings over religion is not ordained of God, but it is really the work of the enemy of God. In that context then, I see Rev. Moon as a man coming from The Father, who sees the children at odds with each other.
"Everything that I have read of (Rev. Moon), and experience of him, I see him attempting to break down the barriers that divide people religiously, ethnically, racially, and nationally. So I see him as he sees himself, as a true parent of human beings who need better parenting."
Blacks in America, who are consumers, but are not producers of their own needs, can learn much from the example of thrift and discipline among the Korean people, Min. Farrakhan said. "At the same time, the Koreans don't understand why we are not as productive and civilized a people as you are, so you don't have respect for us, because we have not earned that respect."
In the Black community, where Korean merchants have made success for themselves by supplying some of the products and services needed by Black consumers, there is friction because of different cultures and ways of life. "Unfortunately it has caused loss of life on both sides," Min. Farrakhan said.
"How do we end it?
"Well, here I am. I'm here in Korea. I have a relationship with my Korean brothers and sisters. How can we translate that into a behavior that will make Koreans and Blacks work together for the common good?
"There are a lot of Koreans in California who have asked me to come and speak to the business community, and they want to engage in helping me to raise the level of productivity of our people," Min. Farrakhan continued.
"I believe that some union with the Nation of Islam and Rev. Sun Myung Moon will allow me to put many of our young gang people to work, doing productive things. And when they say: 'How did you get this fish that you are selling in the Black community?'
"'Oh, I got it from Rev. Sun Myung Moon and the Korean brothers, and their great fishing trawlers.' Now we are selling fish throughout the Black community. Then I can teach my people how to save money, how to invest money, and then begin to produce the things that they consume.
"'Well how did you do this?' 'In cooperation with our brothers and sisters in Korea.' Then the whole atmosphere begins to change. It is a process that is going to take time, but we have already begun that process."
In addition to a Korean language newspaper that is written, produced, and distributed nationally in Korea, the Rev. Moon's industries there include heavy machinery manufacturing; stone carving of delicate art objects; as well as the manufacture of stone products including tables, beds, and granite and marble facades used in building construction.
All this is from stone and rock quarries owned by the Rev. Moon, often utilizing patented carving and cutting techniques and tools developed by the Rev. Moon's employees.