Public Life

Sun Myung Moon
April 1, 1982
Excerpts
Belvedere

True Parents, with their younger children (left to right):
Sun Jin Nim, Yeon Jin Nim, Hyung Jin Nim,
Young Jin Nim, and Kwon Jin Nim.

When we think deeply, we ask ourselves, "How can I fit into this world, nation and society, and still be able to fulfill my own personal ideals and desires?" Everyone wants to see events occur exactly as he wishes, but that seldom happens. Living in a free country doesn't mean people can do whatever feels good. Only upon the public foundation can freedom truly flourish. When you became a member of the Unification Church, you joined a new kind of disciplined environment, which has certain rules and regulations. To enjoy true freedom, you have to see your personal desires and ambitions in a new light; you must direct yourself according to a certain discipline.

The court asked me to appear. I stand up to all these experiences, conquering them in order to acquire true freedom, true joy and true fulfillment. Today, April 1, I am going to court. Many Unification Church members are very solemn and gloomy, but don't feel that way. You should feel that this is a confrontation in which the more public standard will overcome. I have never been afraid of court battles. I have endured incredible injustices, but each time I have been confronted in public arenas, I have prevailed. This will be no exception.

If you are really convinced that our public stand is the highest possible one, then hold on to your commitment and persevere. If you are truly moving forward unselfishly towards the goal of public well-being, God will always be following you. As soon as you have won the battle, He will step forward and plant the victory flag in front of you.

Our goal in the Unification Church is to reach the heart of God and to create the world of God's heart. I am the coach in our marathon race to that goal. Should I give the runners an easy training schedule, or should I push them every minute of the day, so they can accomplish this goal? The Unification Church is under a tough coach, that's for sure! After two or three years' discipline from this coach, you cannot help but change. People see that under my coaching, you have become very charming and attractive. People say all kinds of bad things about Moonies until they actually meet one! If those around you are attracted to you and if God likes you, what other goal can.se have? We can become the hope of the world, as well as the hope of God.

True victory can be attained only by a person with a public heart doing public deeds. The word "public" is synonymous with "unselfish." Can you determine to follow my example, living your entire life for the sake of righteousness and the public value, overcoming all obstacles and attacks? You might want to put off trying to achieve the ultimate goal and do whatever you wish for now. A long time ago I came to the conclusion that there is no easy way out. We must each think, "I was born for the public purpose, so I am going to walk the public path every inch of the way."

You were born not by your will but someone else's. Some mysterious power is working in your lives. The air you breathe, the sunlight that warms you, the food you eat -- nothing really belongs to you; you are only a custodian of these things while they are on loan to you. As you grow, you become indebted to your parents, to nature, your society, nation and so forth. I have been teaching you to seek a greater and more public way of life. Even if your parents and your society oppose you, you have the strength to continue this public way of life.

From the public point of view, no one can deny that I have given my heart, soul and resources for the sake of this country, which is so central to God's providence at this time. My true victory will be won in the judgment of history. Eventually a more public-minded group of Americans will praise and honor me for what I have been doing. We must be strong and bold, because we have nothing to be ashamed of.

Your family is a higher public level than you as an individual; the society is higher than your family, the nation higher still and the world beyond that. God is more public minded than the world, and God's heart is the ultimate realm of public- mindedness. You can't just leap to God's heart, that highest standard of public life. That giant oak tree behind you started many years ago as an acorn, grew into a small shoot, then a little sapling. When the tree was young, it was vulnerable to drought; when it became big, it was exposed to winds and lightning. It had to follow the rules of nature in order to become fully grown.

In the same way, in the Unification Church, there are certain rules: the individual must live for his family, the family for society, the society for the nation, the nation for the world, the world for the universe, including the spirit world -- and all of these for God and God's heart. Once the individual has reached that highest possible level, he can return to himself in the greatest fulfillment and become the center of the universe.

You do all kinds of hard work in the Unification Church, yet you feel peace and joy and fulfillment here. I never pat you on the back or comfort you, and there are thousands of members who have never even seen me in person. Why do you stay? Because you found the greatest public life through my teaching and standard of heart. Your motivation is the most important factor of your life, for your value is not determined by what kind of work you do. When your thoughts are one hundred percent for the public purpose, then no door will be closed to you.

Most people think that courts are found only on earth, but I know that there is another supreme court in heaven, where God Himself presides. There, based on the standard by which I have lived, God and history have judged me to be not only innocent, but honorable. That is the ultimate victory, and it has already been won.

Everyone on earth must eventually face that supreme court. Most people pass through that judgment when they die, but for those who pass through it while they are living physically on earth, there is no death. Don't you want to be judged "not guilty" by God's supreme court while you are living on earth? Because I want to see you pass that judgment, I am sending you to Africa and South America, to primitive jungles, to suffer for the public purpose with the most public minds.

I have no fear. My mind and heart never wavered when I came to this country, and I spoke out fearlessly for righteousness. My desire is to allow true justice to prevail; therefore, I confronted these charges face to face. Throughout history, righteous persons have gone the same way. l never feel lonely, for all the righteous men in history who have suffered and been persecuted are with me today and every day.

The road of righteousness is always a road for the bold and strong. Walk the path of righteousness with your chin held high. Even if I should no longer be among you, today's sermon should be a guide for the rest of your life. The spirit of this teaching will live forever. My spirit will remain in America, no matter what, to guide this nation in the path of righteousness. The time will come when righteous people of America will take this path and follow the example of my teaching. Then America will once again be moving in the right direction. My prayer today is for my accusers, that their lives may not become miserable because of me. I am asking God to forgive them.

You may forget many things, but never forget this one point: we are destined to live a public way of life. God will be the judge, and His verdict alone will stand throughout history. Satan will be your prosecutor, and Jesus and I your defense lawyers. Every deed you do, in every moment of the day, is recorded and will be judged in that final courtroom. The public way of life is your preparation for that final judgment, the basis of being found not guilty, being declared an honorable citizen of the universe.

Every one of you who follow my teachings will be judged not guilty. Your public way of life will be a beacon of hope for all generations to come.