North Garden
Kodiak, Alaska
September 9, 1998

To: Regional Directors, State Leaders, Tribal Messiahs, Department Leaders, all Members.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in True Parents' name. As newly appointed vice president of the FFWPUI, and as a son of our True Parents, I would like to express my gratitude for your life of ongoing sacrifice for the sake of God and True Parents. Although we are absorbed in our various missions and responsibilities, I think we all are concerned about Nan Sook's book about her life experiences. I feel it important to share with you the heart and spirit of my family in relationship to this.

Most of us first evaluate challenging situations based upon a rational interpretation of the Principle. Indeed, the logical character of the Principle is a great blessing, as it allows us to enter into a deep understanding of God's purpose of creation, the nature of spirit world and so forth. But while the logical structure of Principle may be what attracts us most at first, as we mature in our life of faith and dedication to God and True Parents, we realize that the framework of the Principle is incomplete outside of the context of true love. We can realize that God's true purpose of creation moves through the rational framework to bear fruit in the realm of heart, or shimjung. When we consider the tragedy of the fall, we see that God could have left Adam and Eve with no chance for redemption, based upon the lawful aspect of Principle. But the Principle truly arises out of shimjung, God's heart. True Mother spoke of this as "the logic of love." This is why God took responsibility for His wayward children in the garden, and the providence of restoration could ensue.

I hope that we can keep this in mind as we look at the current situation. No one can deny that we are working through a terrible tragedy for Hyo Jin Hyun and hence for our entire family. But we cannot allow the difficulties anyone faces, or decisions anyone makes in response to them, to shake our faith. It is in times of challenge and disappointment in particular that we have to understand God's providence not just as an intellectual exercise but from the perspective of heart.

Our family has followed a difficult and unique spiritual path as a result of Father's uncompromising commitment to a public life. Each family member has had to face their own trials and suffering to discover the true meaning and value of True Parents. On this course, each person confronts unique challenges, as in any family, and the problems that might exist for some do not necessarily apply to others.

To understand God's heart of restoration, as well as the heart of our True Parents for their children, we can reflect on our own love as parents for our own children. I do not think that any of us as parents act simply on the basis of rules and regulations, rewards and punishments. Parental love forever seeks understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation and growth.

Therefore we believe in the possibility of redemption in every situation. We know that through true love, everything will be restored. Together with True Parents, we consider Nan Sook to be part of the family. We do not criticize her, even though we do not agree with what she sets forth in the book. We do not seek redress for the difficulties that will result from the book's publication. She is not our enemy, but a daughter, a wife and mother, and our sister.

We are ready to take care of unresolved problems and we would like Nan Sook to be part of the healing process. True Father's family is responsible for the restoration of 6,000 years of biblical history. And as always, through your love and prayer for True Parents and the True Family, we can shoulder this great responsibility and overcome all the challenges on the way. True love gives us the strength to go beyond the past and create a new future. Together we bear the task of bringing to fruition the investment made by God, True Parents, the True Family and each of you. Our True Parents are firm in their commitment and vision, and are growing stronger each day. As we maintain unity with God and them, we have absolute confidence in victory.

Please take these things to heart over the coming weeks. I thank you deeply for your attendance of True Parents throughout the years as well as at this historic moment.

Sincerely,
In True Parents' Love,
Hyun Jin Moon,
Vice President FFWPUI

HSA Headquarters
New York City
September 10, 1998

To: Regional Directors, State Leaders, Tribal Messiahs and all Members.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

You may or may not be aware of negative stories currently in the media. Much of it revolves around the recent publication of a book called In the Shadow of the Moons, by Nansook Hong (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1998). It may not be a pressing matter for you to read this book, but occasions may arise in which you find yourself called upon by friends or family to respond to issues raised.

We write at this time to offer information, positions, and reflections which will help, should such occasions arise. In the book and related negative media, you are likely to encounter certain recurring themes and attacks. We have identified approximately six such areas and have given these matters very careful consideration. As you prayerfully develop your views and understanding please make use of the following aspects which should be considered when addressing these points:

1. Issues of Personal and Marital Abuse

As you know Father and Mother both teach and embody the noblest ideal of love and mutual respect between husband and wife. We have been taught from day one that our spouse is God's own child. For men, our wives are daughters of God. ANY form of abuse or disrespect, and certainly physical abuse, is absolutely unacceptable.

2. Issues of Financial Misuse

Father teaches and practices the principles of honesty and integrity in financial affairs. All of the businesses and non-profit organizations affiliated with the Unification Church (HSA-UWC) are audited by a firm of certified public accountants every year and are in compliance with IRS regulations.

3. Issues of Political Power

All evangelical religions have as part of their mission the spread of Gospel, the "Good News." Unificationists believe God wants His love to reach all people and naturally invest in spreading Unification teachings.

Father's opponents argue that father personally seeks political power. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Father is a 78-year old religious leader. He has never sought political office or power. He simply leads the life of a devoted religious leader. As with other religious leaders, Father seeks to influence society and culture to embrace spiritual values embodied in his religious teachings.

4. Religious Freedom

Father has a deep and abiding love for the United States and its tradition of religious freedom. He has great respect for America's Judeo-Christian foundations, and for the many great religions which currently influence American culture. As a religious leader, Father adds his voice to the many who express concern over current trends toward extreme individualism and excessive materialism. True Parents are completely sincere in their work for the sake of America, its freedoms and its traditional Judeo- Christian, family values. These works, including those listed below, are in no way a ruse in order to gain membership in the Unification Church, or to "legitimate" True Parents' religious teachings. Father has initiated a great many projects to support spiritual values in America. These include:

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification
True Family Values Ministry
Women's Federation for World Peace
The International Coalition for Religious Freedom
Pure Love Alliance
The Washington Times Foundation
The American Constitution Committee
The American Leadership Conference

5. Teaching and Practice of Family Values

As we all know, the restoration of the ideal family means everything to True Parents. It is the core of their life's work and the unending content of Father's teaching. Families are the dwelling place of God's love, and the place where people learn the basic patterns of living an upright and positive life.

But the family is not an isolated and self-centered entity. Father teaches that the family should be dedicated to serving the welfare of the society, nation, and world. No one applies this concept more fully than Father and Mother, and as such their dedication to the world mission has entailed an enormous sacrifice for their children. Sadly, problems can arise from this, and have. Still, Father and Mother did their very best to love and educate their family, even while they devoted themselves sacrificially to their world mission. Despite difficulties, they are a model couple in terms of living as True Parents for their own family and the world, and this remains as valid today as ever.

6. Lifestyle Issues

The property that houses Father and his family is owned by the Unification Church and serves primarily as a center for local, national and international conferences, and secondarily as housing for his large family and the conference center staff. The constant presence of church leaders and guests, at times numbering over 500, creates the very opposite of self-indulgence. Family members live without normal privacy enjoyed by others.

It is widely known that True Parents maintain a severe spiritual discipline, dedicating long hours in prayer and teaching and conducting a public ministry at great cost to themselves and their family.

Furthermore Unification doctrine has never encouraged poverty for its own sake. Father encourages members to develop their talents, and devote their blessings and prosperity sacrificially for the public good. He encourages his children to pursue their extraordinary talents, but this parental impulse is not limited to his children. Reverend Moon enthusiastically invests in ideas and projects arising among church members in many areas, ranging from performing arts, to fishing industries, technology, and manufacturing.

We think you will come across these themes generated by negative media and recognize where particular aspects of the above information are applicable. Even though this information, applied together with your own life of faith can help you to digest and respond to upcoming challenges, please always refer all media to Mr. Chris Corcoran, the official spokesperson of HSA Family Church headquarters. His phone number is 212-997-0050 x213; his fax is 212-719-4784; his e-mail is pr@hsanahq.org. As always we are praying for you and for all Blessed Families. Please continue to pray for one another. We fully anticipate that our faithful dedication to God will allow for this event, as with all things related to God, to work together for good.

God Bless You,
Sincerely,

Rev. Joong Hyun Pak
Continental Director

Dr. Tyler Hendricks
President

TO: Regional Directors, State Leaders, Tribal Messiahs
FM: Tyler Hendricks
[circa 9/15/98]

Two seemingly small but important issues have been brought to my attention in relation to Hyun Jin Nim's September 9 letter to the membership.

First, Hyun Jin Nim was not speaking from his position as vice- president of FFWPUI. Hence the identification of his FFWPUI position in two places was a mistake. Also, since he was not speaking as an official representative of the church, we should not have utilized church letterhead.

Second, the more appropriate signature is with Hyun Jin Nim's last name, not with the honorific.

The following reflects these corrections. It is in the proper format, including a formal cover page. Please keep this set in your files and discard the previous one.

September 9, 1998

Dear brothers and sisters,

Greetings in True Parents' name. I would like to express my gratitude for your life of ongoing sacrifice for the sake of God and True Parents. Although we are absorbed in our various missions and responsibilities, I think we all are concerned about Nan Sook's book about her life experiences. I feel it important to share with you the heart and spirit of my family in relationship to this.

Most of us first evaluate challenging situations based upon a rational interpretation of the Principle. Indeed, the logical character of the Principle is a great blessing, as it allows us to enter into a deep understanding of God's purpose of creation, the nature of spirit world and so forth. But while the logical structure of Principle may be what attracts us most at first, as we mature in our life of faith and dedication to God and True Parents, we realize that the framework of the Principle is incomplete outside of the context of true love. We can realize that God's true purpose of creation moves through the rational framework to bear fruit in the realm of heart, or shimjung.

When we consider the tragedy of the fall, we see that God could have left Adam and Eve with no chance for redemption, based upon the lawful aspect of Principle. But the Principle truly arises out of shimjung, God's heart. True Mother spoke of this as "the logic of love." This is why God took responsibility for His wayward children in the garden, and the providence of restoration could ensue.

I hope that we can keep this in mind as we look at the current situation. No one can deny that we are working through a terrible tragedy for Hyo Jin hyung and hence for our entire family. But we cannot allow the difficulties anyone faces, or decisions anyone makes in response to them, to shake our faith. It is in times of challenge and disappointment in particular that we have to understand God's providence not just as an intellectual exercise but from the perspective of heart.

Our family has followed a difficult and unique spiritual path as a result of Father's uncompromising commitment to a public life. Each family member has had to face their own trials and suffering to discover the true meaning and value of True Parents. On this course, each person confronts unique challenges, as in any family, and the problems that might exist for some do not necessarily apply to others.

To understand God's heart of restoration, as well as the heart of our True Parents for their children, we can reflect on our own love as parents for our own children. I do not think that any of us as parents act simply on the basis of rules and regulations, rewards and punishments. Parental love forever seeks understanding, forgiveness, reconciliation and growth. Therefore we believe in the possibility of redemption in every situation. We know that through true love, everything will be restored.

Together with True Parents, we consider Nan Sook to be part of the family. We do not criticize her, even though we do not agree with what she sets forth in the book. We do not seek redress for the difficulties that will result from the book's publication. She is not our enemy, but a daughter, a wife and mother, and our sister.

We are ready to take care of unresolved problems and we would like Nan Sook to be part of the healing process. True Father's family is responsible for the restoration of 6,000 years of biblical history. And as always, through your love and prayer for True Parents and the True Family, we can shoulder this great responsibility and overcome all the challenges on the way. True love gives us the strength to go beyond the past and create a new future.

Together we bear the task of bringing to fruition the investment made by God, True Parents, the True Family and each of you. Our True Parents are firm in their commitment and vision, and are growing stronger each day. As we maintain unity with God and them, we have absolute confidence in victory.

Please take these things to heart over the coming weeks. I thank you deeply for your attendance of True Parents throughout the years as well as at this historic moment.

Sincerely,
In True Parents' Love,
Hyun Jin Moon
North Garden
Kodiak, Alaska

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