Personal Testimony

Peter Koch
May 22, 1963

I came from non-practicing Protestant background and grew up in a predominantly Catholic town in Germany. In grade school I learnt the basic concepts of Christianity in a rather naive way. But as I grew up and started to think by myself I discovered a great discrepancy between what was taught and what I could observe around all me in daily life. I could never accept the concept that Jesus died to pay for all the sins. I found that religion was probably the most efficient way to rule the masses of the people, but that it was not for me. The existence of God or a life after death seemed to me rather questionable at best.

I intensely disliked going through a great deal of philosophical acrobatics to arrive at some conclusion which would somehow "float in thin air" and could not be anchored down by undeniable evidence. If you do not study philosophy or religion but engineering, then you develop a habit of approaching problems on a very realistic level.

About a year and a half ago a German friend of mine in San Francisco told me about a new revelation given recently to a group of people in Korea. I was told that this revelation pertains to the promised Second Coming of the Lord, is the key to the hidden meanings of the parables and symbols of the Bible and will bring the fulfillment not only of Christianity but of all other major religions and philosophies as well. Beyond that my friend made some rather dynamic statements.

When I went to Miss Kim's place and heard the new revelation, I: could not readily define my position to it, but I could feel the tremendous power of this message, and I had to admit that it made much more sense than anything else I had ever heard. I was quite impressed by its simplicity which was so much in contrast to the complexity of other religions or philosophical systems. So I decided to investigate the new revelation as an honest inquirer without any prejudice. And this should soon turn out the most rewarding decision of my life.

In studying the message I, a former agnostic, became convinced that God has started a new dispensation and has given this revelation to guide his people. We generally spent about 3 hours in formal study of the revelation, and then we would retreat to the kitchen to continue in an informal way over a cup of coffee or a bowl of rice. I have learned more in that kitchen than I have in the university. The Bible, even to contemporary theology professors, a. book of mysteries, became completely clear.

At the same time I experienced a spiritual uplifting which was almost beyond my comprehension. My spiritual senses were opened to a degree which I had never thought possible for anyone, let alone myself. I started receiving visions, revelations, voices, inspirations, and dreams testifying to the truth of the new revelation. Several times Christ appeared to me and spoke to me. All those were unforgettable experiences affecting the very core of myself.

Since I had had practically no religious background, I was interested in a comparison of the Divine Principles with the teaching of the existing churches. The best way to do this is to participate in the discussion groups of the various churches around the campus of the University of California in Berkeley. I found that the discussion leader invariably came to a point where they either ran into contradictions, not due to his own personal shortcomings, but inherent in the doctrines of the particular church, or he had to admit, "Gee, I really don't know." There was a man who had spent years in the seminary and many more years teaching religion, and he was unable to cope with these questions. And here I sat and I knew the answer after only three weeks study of the Divine Principles. Usually the answer was very simple. "Well," I said to myself, "maybe I do know more."

Especially, however, in their spiritual life could the churches in no way stand any comparison with the new group I had met. The churches were spiritually declining, if not to say dead. On the other hand I had experienced in the group what it means to have a living relationship to the living God.

I observed the reaction of others to the message. Those who have earnestly inquired about it have felt the same impact. But few people are hungry for the truth. I am sorry to say that most of the people do not trouble themselves to investigate. They shake their heads, call me all sorts of nice names, and tell me that I must have lost my mind.

But I am not crazy, I know what I am talking about. They do not bother to find out, but they know for sure that it is wrong.

We are living in a time of great changes. I realized that so far there was not even one person in my home country who could tell the people about the revelation God has given to guide man through the coming years of extreme stress. Since it is of paramount importance that people are prepared for the quickly coming changes, I gave up all the plans I had for my life and am now going back to Germany to teach my people.