Strong Abel and Natural Subjugation

Tim Elder
August 11, 2012

Kook Jin Moon -- April 18, 2012

There seems to be some misunderstanding about the "Strong Abel theology", and I would like to try and help clear this up. For example, one question submitted to Kook Jin Nim during the recent "Freedom Society" U.S. tour read as follows:

Q: What has happened to the philosophy of "natural subjugation" in the context of "Strong Korea" and the "Freedom Society"? Won't the military buildup of one nation provoke that of others to the point of re-establishing or further entrenching a M.A.D.-type global dynamic?

The starting point for Strong Abel theology is the family of Adam and Eve, and their two sons, Cain and Abel. Both sons made offerings to God, but God accepted only Abel's offering. God's plan was to love Cain through Abel. To make this possible, it was necessary for Cain and Abel to create unity between themselves. If they had done this, God could have restored Adam's family back to the Garden of Eden in that generation. Unfortunately, Cain wound up killing Abel, and the result was the beginning of the long and painful providence of restoration.

So we ask the question, "How was it possible that Cain could kill Abel?" If Cain were physically weaker than Abel, he probably would have had difficulty killing Abel. If he was able to kill Abel, it must be that he was somehow physically stronger than Abel, strong enough to overpower Abel.

But what if Abel had equalized the disparity in physical strength by using his creativity to develop a weapon? For example, what if Abel had developed a gun? Then, as Cain approached Abel to kill him, Abel could have pointed the gun at Cain and ordered him to retreat. We can assume that Cain would have retreated in the face of Abel's credible deterrent force.

The result of this encounter would be that Cain and Abel would both live. Because they were both alive, the opportunity for natural subjugation would continue to exist.

Strong Abel Theology does not contradict or replace natural subjugation. Instead, it helps preserve an environment where natural subjugation can take place by insuring that Abel continues to live. When Abel dies, the opportunity for natural subjugation dies with him, and God's providence is delayed. An important requirement for natural subjugation is that Abel continues to live.

The questioner expresses concern over a "M.A.D.-type" global dynamic. MAD, or "Mutually Assured Destruction" was the principle that guided U.S.-Soviet relations. The idea was that neither could attack the other, because any attack would result in the assured destruction of both countries – along with the rest of the world. It's worth noting that MAD served its stated purpose. A full-scale nuclear war between the U.S. and Soviet Union never occurred.

MAD broke down when the United States, under President Reagan, embarked on a major military buildup. The result of this buildup was not war. Instead, it was the downfall of the Soviet Union, which found that its economy would not support a similar buildup to match the U.S.

When Abel became stronger than Cain, the result was peace.

What if Cain builds up his strength to match Abel? In this case, Abel needs to continue to building up his strength to stay ahead of Cain. This is a contest that Cain is destined to lose. In the end, dictatorships cannot match the creativity and efficiency of a free democracy.

World War II is a good example to understand Strong Able Theology. The war began, because Cain (Germany) perceived that Abel (Britain, France, U.S.) was weak. In providential terms, World War II was an attempt by Cain to kill Abel.

In fact, Abel had allowed itself to become weak following World War I. We can say that the cause of World War II was Abel's failure to fulfill his responsibility to maintain a credible deterrent sufficient to stop Cain from attacking. If Abel had maintained his strength, perhaps World War II would not have been a "hot" war.

After the war began, Abel quickly increased his strength and managed to defeat Cain militarily. In this way, Abel managed to stay alive. Also, with Hitler and the Nazi Party out of the way, there was unity between Cain and Able. Then came the Marshall Plan, which was the Abel's way of sharing God's blessing with Cain, based on their unity.

It was the strength of Abel that made natural subjugation possible.