Principle Is Absolutely True

Steve Deddens
November 1970
St. Louis Center

Many things have impressed me about Principle, but what has been most important to me is my deeper appreciation of Father, His Son and His world. I have many qualifications I could make on some statements. Time really doesn't permit me go as deeply into some things as I would like to, but I. hope they will ring true in your personal experience.

Until Principle I had always hit around truth. Now with the promise of knowing the way to proceed toward God, I am_ frightened and skeptical at times, and yet strong, determined and reassured. But I can say this about the Principle. Many questions that I had concerning angels and the spirit world have been answered. It is very prevalent in Catholic theological circles to consider angels as some mystical personifications of good and evil, yet why are they such significant figures in the. Bible if they aren't real? Also the idea of the spiritual part of man has always intrigued me. But many now say we must die first to find out anything definite about the "Soul" of man. This has to be changed. We must know our whole self if we are to respond to Father as His Logos would have it -- as a whole person. We must know, therefore, something more than traditional teaching has taught about the spiritual part of man.

I feel that Principle is absolutely true in its statement that we are in a Satanic world and that this is the reason for the chaos of the world. The concept of man's alienation is prevalent on all fronts of man's thought. Ever before him is the fact that the ideals that he has always hoped for mankind and for himself have been made reality. Man is filled with the feeling of loneliness, unimportance, and worst of all, he is confronted with a black void as far as a tangible purpose in life.

It is as if men have been walking toward a dim light (Old 'Testament Times).Then on approaching closer, the light becomes brighter and New Testament times come into view. But as some people approach closer, they think to look back and stare into a deep, deep darkness that no light has been able to penetrate. To turn back to the original light they had seen is not easy because they have completely lost bearings. They panic and look in what seems to be every direction, but they don't see the light. Think of how all react when we are in an inky blackness with no light whatsoever. We may easily panic and become frantic, or we may close our eyes and pretend that there is light but that we don't intend to look at. So we stop, sit down and just wait. (I'm referring to people who stop looking for light or truth because they can distract themselves with other pursuits.)

If the point of alienation seems overstresses, it is because we haven't as yet been able to face the aimlessness of life most people feel. Those who have faced it are at times tragic and at times heroic figures, but the theme of this alienation is most prevalent in modern art, philosophy and religion. People of a certain caliber are capable of a search for truth and meaning beyond the ordinary. Sometimes, however, they find nothing absolute and they feel spiritually impoverished. They find no black and white proofs for anything. They can't undeniably prove God. They either doubt or deny His existence. But as I have said, some people look a lifetime in sincere search to fill some void they can't explain in their life. The void gnaws at them when they deny God, but they would sooner deny Him than say He exists. This is an intellectual problem.

The void have been talking about is the result of disillusionment. Imagine one of the stronger members of Principle being confronted with great doubts about the Father and the Son, even though he or she has shown great dedication in the past. If he or she decided to look elsewhere for God, this world be a most intense situation of alienation and would bring feelings of insecurity, loneliness and aimlessness. This may eventually serve to bring the person closer to God, but if he rejects God, imagine the hollow, empty numbing feeling of internal silence that would persuade his mind.

The general public, however, is hiding under a facade and is reassured by it. But they can't hide for long. Clearly people are awakening to the fact of their eventual death -- maybe it will come to send them into an even deeper reality than they now know. This may sound unreal to you, but men have literally lost their minds when confronted with no purpose and have made their own god. Frederic Nietzsche is one of them. He spent a good part of his life in the void of man without God. Many others explore this void today, but use other methods than the mind to escape alienation; for example, alcoholism.

The seeming impenetrable darkness that I claim is so widespread is only illuminable in faith. But people suspect faith. Why are there so many faiths? Doesn't it seem as if people are just plugging in a different substitute for the void in their life? People who have real faith and conviction and who have experienced God are no fabricating stories. However, people don't want to be duped. If there is to be a better life and a better man as a result of belief, then why have men fought with each other over faith, especially Christian against Christian? How can they war with each other? How can believers be guilty of the same crimes non-believers are guilty of? Where and how is this man of faith better? The feeling of mistrust is that they will escape one level of darkness to go either into an unreal world of thing one's eyes or that they may even be plugged into a new depth of darkness (especially if faith gives way to disbelief after a while).

So what I am saying is that man is screaming in need after something or Someone. He is not at home in this world and no one can tell him that the world is really all that wonderful. This compels me to say how urgently I have felt the need to tell others about God. And when I really began to know Him through the Divine Principle, was invigorated. I know how much I need Him, but the thought that He, my Father needs me makes God no longer out there, but rather very close to me.

The approach that lacks conviction is one that is intolerant and one where members are too tied up in being something other than God's children. Family members are and should be living proof of God, and I experience this because I have always felt a warmth not immediately given to others. There is to be no facade in Principle. There is to be only one direction to look in and that is toward the light of restoration. All men know that changes must occur and we must show them where their best chance for knowing happiness lies. It would be selfish and unlike God's children not to talk of Him when there is a situation conducive to telling.

So the way I view Principle is that it is not the only way for me to learn about God, but if I really want to know Him as someone affected by me then Principle is the best way to look.