2.1. What is the meaning of Trueness?

If there were a true being in heaven and earth, who would it be? It would be the Absolute Being. In modern Korean, when we refer to the Absolute Being we say "there is only one." We shorten that to Hana-nim (God), where Hana means "one."

Then, what kind of being is God? God likes both the good people and the bad people on earth. Even a condemned criminal going to his place of execution says, "God, have mercy on me" before he dies. In front of God, even those who are facing the death penalty for their crimes resolve to become good again and to make a new start with hope. Why is it that, in so doing, they want to offer their best service to God, depend on Him, and be with Him? Why, in their innermost heart, do people willingly leave their parents and brothers and sisters, wanting to be closest to God in order to share their personal concerns with Him? This is because God is true.

A true person should not just like people who like him. He should like even his enemies who would wish him dead. A true person should be someone that every person can entrust everything to and discuss everything with. He should be someone in whom people can place their hopes for everything.

While you were growing up, there was probably someone you hated. Is a person who hates another person a true person or false person? Surely, he is a false person. In this world, there are many false people.

The one who wishes to be a true person must balance both sides. If there are members of the Unification Church who really like the people who like them yet actively hate those who hate them, are they a good group or bad group? They are a bad group.

Therefore, let us like even those who hate us. If you like someone who hates you, he will also come to like you. If three times or more you act kindly towards someone who hates you, he will bow his head. Just treat such as person nicely three times, and you will win him over. Try it yourself and see if I am right or not. People have a conscience, which tells them whether they are right or wrong. (39-302, 1971.1.16)

Our country has many good people and there are many wonderful people in the world. There are also many people of great renown. Then, who are the great people of Korea? When we speak of a great person in Korea, we usually talk about Admiral Yi Soon-shin. He is a great man. You all like Admiral Yi; but do you think he is a true person? We do not know, but we still admire him. However, I do not admire him so much. When I say this, you may think, "This is strange. Why is he like that? He does not like one of our national patriots! Is Reverend Moon a communist or a traitor to our people?" In answer I will tell you why I do not admire Admiral Yi. All Koreans know Admiral Yi as a patriot, but Japanese people think of Admiral Yi as an enemy. This is mentioned even in Japanese history books Admiral Yi is an enemy from the viewpoint of the Japanese and a patriot for Koreans. That is why I do not admire him.

That which is true must be true everywhere; in Britain, in Germany, in America, in Korea, in Africa, and also in Japan. Something that is true has no enemies. There is no one who dislikes something true. If something is liked from one side and disliked from the other, it cannot be perfectly true.

If Admiral Yi were a perfectly true person, Japanese and Koreans alike would honor him as a great man and true person. But looking from the standard of the true person, Admiral Yi is not a perfectly true person, although he might be a true person to a lesser degree. He is a true person in Korea, but not in Japan. I am sure there is no disagreement on this. Since I want to see a true person, I don’t admire someone who is less than a true person such as Admiral Yi.

Then, in this world, what kind of person is a true person? As I said earlier, he is someone who is liked by both bad people and good people. If he is liked most by good people, should bad people hate him the most? He must be liked the most by bad people as well. Although there is a mixture of good people and bad people here, all people desire the best things. If we say that all people like something. We mean that not only good people but also bad people like it as well.

So, if some people who are considered bad do not like a certain thing, if means that it is not a true thing. True things are those that must be liked the most not only by good people but by bad people as well. This is the definition of a true person. A true person is one whom bad people as well as good people like the most. Someone like this is a true person.

Being "true" is not limited to individuals. It applies even beyond the whole, and seeks to make connections of value. Since trueness is liked and sought after by everyone, it must be everywhere. (63-88, 1972.10.8)

We have not gathered here for our individual purposes but for the purpose of the whole. Thus, we should serve our family before ourselves, our people before our family, our nation before our people, and our world before our nation. In addition, before we as individuals become true, our families must be true, and furthermore our nations and the world must be true.

Human beings are engaged in the course of restoration where they as individuals cannot be the motivating source of all blessing. Then what is that motivating source? It is trueness. For human beings to realize their true self, they must have a relationship with God, who is the source of all life, death, adversity and blessing. Without making that relationship, they cannot attain their true selves as individuals.

Trueness must be centered on God. This is why trueness is realized when the decisive foundation is attained upon which humankind can be brought into order and governed as a whole. You should know that without such a foundation trueness cannot be established.

God is the source of trueness. Trueness is established because God exists. When God departs, so does trueness. Then rather than trueness, the origin of evil will emerge.

We can have true results only when there is trueness. In other words, God’s desire can be fulfilled because God exists. Hence, concepts such as trueness and goodness are mainly established by God rather than by human beings.

From this point of view, we can understand that trueness is not something human beings can define in any way they please. In other words, trueness is not subject to the arbitrary management of fallen people. Rather, trueness is to govern fallen people. Therefore, we should always submit to that which is true. We should elevate trueness and meekly follow it.

Even looking at your daily reality or at your conscience, there is no way to deny that trueness is owned entirely by heaven.

When we pray, we often say, "Our true God, our holy God, who is in heaven" just vaguely, out of habit. However, until now Trueness has not existed in the genuine sense. Because it has not existed, its origin cannot be found in the history of humankind but at some point beyond human history. It transcends history. In other words, since this origin has to be pursued in a place beyond our present circumstances, religion is not something through which one’s faith is based on a single person as the central point.

Of course, there are people who see their religious founder as the standard of their faith. However, there are also people who transcend this point and pursue "trueness" by inviting God in. In light of this, we can say that throughout history many people have been unable to grasp the source of trueness either in the course of their lives or in the society around them. Any situation that only connects people amongst themselves cannot provide a source of trueness.

Trueness is the absolute standard. Hence, it is necessary that God, the Absolute Being or deity, make an appearance here. Why is this so? It is because until now there has been no true person on earth. Thus, the person who lives in pursuit of trueness can not of himself be the motivating source of trueness. This motivating source has to be God. In religion or history God inevitably appears when humankind’s situation comes to the final and crucial crossroads. A definite need for the Absolute Being then arises.

Even when you pursue the value of existence which is the final goal of philosophy or dig into the origin of existence, which is the final goal of true knowledge, these pursuits will inevitably involve God, the transcendent or absolute being. Why is this so? It is because without building a relationship with the Absolute Being, questions about the origin of knowledge or the value of existence cannot be answered. This is why people in serious situations have always sought to resolve matters through that which is true. We cannot deny such a fact.

Hence, human beings alone cannot be the source of trueness. God, the Absolute Being, must be involved here. A religion that proclaims trueness without God is unthinkable. Human morality that emphasizes that which is true cannot deny God.

This is why Confucius said, "Those who follow heaven will prosper, and those who go against heaven will perish." These are words centering on heaven. Heaven must certainly be involved. They are saying that prosperity, downfall, advance, and decline are not determined by people but by heaven. Considering these things, since trueness cannot be attained without an originating point, the motivation for which comes from heaven, the question arises, "Where is the true person among the people living on earth?"

Where is the place where trueness can dwell? With heaven as the origin, God would want to establish the place of trueness on earth. This is God’s desire. So the question is, "Where on earth can it reside?" It would stay in the vicinity of our daily life. This is why Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is in the midst of you." The Kingdom of Heaven, which is the true nation, is in the mind. It has secured its place in a deep, deep valley where there is no selfishness.

Our mind’s fundamental aspects are the intellect, emotion, and will. Among these, where is the kingdom going to dwell? Which is most fundamental among the intellect, emotion, and will? It is neither the will nor the intellect. It is the emotion.

If you have something most precious to you, where would you want to keep it? You would want to keep it in a place that only you know, a place where no one else can touch or interfere with it. It would be a place where only you can handle it. Where is that place? It is in the deepest part of your heart. You bury it deep in your heart, and thus you are led to say, "It is safe here, I can relax." In other words, you put it in a place similar to a chest where people commonly keep valuables. From this point of view, the place where trueness can stay is the deepest part of your heart. (24-315, 1969.9.14)