The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1984 |
Father has written on the blackboard, "Congratulations for the New Year, January 1, 1984."
Happy New Year. The slogan for the year of 1984 is: "Creation and Building of the Fatherland."
Mother and I extend to you congratulations and our wishes for God's abundant blessings upon you during this coming year.
This year will bring many new dimensions in our work as well as great progress and prosperity to our movement. I want you to understand that we have come to a turning point. First of all, the democratic world centered upon the United States of America is facing a turning point. This nation will not make progress unless it undergoes a great change. The foundation of this nation, which is religion, has also come to a turning point and must undergo a great change.
Where are religion and the free world, namely the U.S., heading? Democracy has made progress up to this point but it has now hit a kind of dead end. Religion has come to that same point. Therefore, in order to make further progress, we must initiate some drastic change. Which should play the subjective role: religion or democracy? The world of democracy should follow the direction of religion. But religion has hit that dead end, so we must initiate that new way for religion.
America is a predominantly Christian nation. Where is each individual within this nation standing? Most people would have to answer that they don't know where they are. They are sure about democracy, or about their religion, and they are not sure about the future. This is not true only for young people but is also true for people of all ages.
When the young people within a society are in a state of confusion, the older people can guide them from the standpoint of tradition. But this is not the case. Older people are equally as confused as the young people.
The thinking people of America, those who are really concerned about the future of this nation, must find a way to link God and mankind together. They must know that God and mankind cannot go in separate directions. If such a solution becomes available, there is no question that the religious world will welcome it. Likewise, the American democratic system will welcome it.
The communist world has a very powerful goal or dream. Although it is based on falsehood, still it is taking mankind toward that dream. Communists are taking initiative in the world and the rest of the world is reacting to them. The communists proclaim that they will exterminate capitalism, particularly the U.S.A., and bring about a Utopian dream world. The democratic world has nothing to offer the world in the way of a dream or a vision. Therefore, they are facing an incredible historical crisis.
Even if the communists seem to be winning around the world, there are extraordinary things occurring within the Soviet Union itself. They have been promoting a Utopia without God, claiming that man created the concept of God. They also say that Utopia can be created from the material things of the world and that material is the essence of the universe.
If God truly exists, how can He stand by and watch the communist world rising up and denying Him? God has been losing ground in the world. The free world is gradually losing its ability to contain communist expansion and the communists are taking more and more territory. God must be doing something to rebuild strength within the free world and to counter the growth of communism. If God truly exists, then the foremost interest must be to find a way to contain communist expansion and ultimately to liberate the communist world itself. What preparation is God making?
Will God rely on wealth to liberate the communist world? It has been greed for money that has caused this nation to lose its soul; people have chased after their own wealth at the expense of their own souls and the soul of this nation. We can see that it won't be the richest people in the free world who will be God's champions in the critical time for the world.
Are the people who have position and power the ones who are the hope of God? What about the academic community and scholars? People with money, position and learning have abandoned God in their pursuits, for the most part. In the process, they have led the United States to the condition of almost total individualism. Knowing this, God must not be looking toward such people to help Him. He is' looking toward others in His effort to mobilize true, dependable forces against communism.
The kind of people God needs must not be filled with individualism. They must be the men and women to yearn for the benefit of the whole, the world and the nation, and are ready to give themselves for that purpose. God is looking toward the young, idealistic people, those who reject money, power and the establishment. He needs people who want to serve God and humanity unto their lives. Within American society, the hippie movement represented those kinds of people but they didn't know God. They were idealistic but without including God.
Therefore, God must be looking for young people, like the hippies, but who have put God into their lives and who have the vision and dedication to say, "I want to rebuild our society, nation and world under God."
Moonies are not just talking about good things; they are doing things all over the country. They are trying to evangelize the entire country, giving new spirit everywhere, from coast to coast. They are people of action. When God looks down, seeing young people crazy about Him and their mission, going from east to west, north to south, He feels good. He feels particularly good when He sees that the Moonies are of imposed of young people from nations that have historically been enemies.
Put yourself in God's position and imagine how you would feel to see young people from hostile nations working together harmoniously for the sake of the salvation of the world. How do you suppose God feels to see other young people following the path of drug abuse or free sex, good or bad?
An average person, when faced with a false accusation or attack, will vociferously try to defend himself and will overcome. But the Moonies are not perturbed when people attack them because they are concerned with things larger than themselves. The Moonies' philosophy is, "Go ahead and throw all your curses at me. You are wasting your energy while I am not stopped in my work to rebuild the world."
Are there differing brands of Moonies, such as U.S. brand, or Japanese brand Moonies? No, there is one, unified brand of Moonies. Whether they are black, yellow or white, they are all the same -- Moonies. If the different races of Moonies were represented by ropes of different colors, they would all be tied together and connected for the same purpose. Would the different colored ropes resist being tied together with each other and ask for the same color?
When God looks down, seeing all the multi-colored ropes intermingled with each other -- black to white, yellow to black, white to yellow -- does it make Him feel good or bad?
Suppose there were ropes representing money, status, power, knowledge, and love. Which would God prefer? He would prefer the love rope, for sure. The love rope is the best of all. The love rope is the one which is multi-colored and intermingled. That means that from the white mother, a black child could be born. From the yellow, a white child; from the black a white child. That would be incredibly beautiful to see.
Do the white people of the United States, the most advanced nation in the world, accept God's goal of one unified race of His children? The majority of the people do not welcome that. When they reject that goal, they are going against God's will. Ultimately they will be demolished if they oppose God. What is happening is that the white population of this country is decreasing. It has become fashionable for young white couples to have very few or even no children.
But what about Moonie couples? They are trying to have as many children as they can. Imagine a white mother holding her twin babies, one of which is black and the other of which is yellow. How dramatic that would be to God. He would say, "Beautiful!" Within the most beautiful garden, we see the yellow flowers being visited by the white and blue and other butterflies and that is more beautiful than a butterfly, of the same color. That is natural beauty. God likes that kind of beauty. I do too! How about you?
The communists have a righteous claim, at least; whether they are practicing it or not is another issue. They say, "The suffering working people should throw off their chains and bring about an ideal world." Therefore, the communists have more than the democratic world, which has no dreams to offer. If the communists accepted the existence of God, then God Himself would be moved to support their work over that of the democratic world, which has no inspiring message to promote. However, the most fundamental mistake of communism is the denial of God; therefore, since they give no room for God to dwell, He has to pull out of communism its best qualities and import them into the free world.
God has seen that the young people within the communist world have become His allies. They have watched their fathers and grandfathers doing unjust things, failing to practice what they preach; so they are trying to move out of the communist world. But within the communist world, when the young people rebel against the establishment, they have no access to God's activities.
There is a worldwide movement of young people which is even more idealistic than communist youth, centered upon God. It will ignite the imaginations of young people everywhere, like gasoline. Within the free world the establishment is opposed to this movement, while many young people are embracing it as their ideal. At the same time, the establishment of the communist world is rejecting this movement completely and the young people are turning toward it for that reason. They feel that if their fathers are rejecting something, it must have value for them. So young people from both worlds are being drawn to this movement.
That is the Unification Church movement. It is hitting communism hardest so the young people in the communist world are inspired. They have no way of attacking communism, so the Unification Movement is doing it for them. Thus they will be drawn to the Unification Movement; they will examine it and they will find a far greater and more profound vision than the communist vision. Thus it will catch their imaginations.
Inside the Soviet Union, incredible turmoil is occurring. In the democratic world the problem is one of moral degradation, but the communist world has a political problem -- political corruption and degradation. When the Unification Movement achieves a certain level, it will satisfy the imaginations of the young people of the free world and the communist world as well. It has the power to unite all the idealistic young people of East and West.
We are striving for the liberation of all people throughout the entire world into true freedom. Will we create a new type of democratic world? What are we going to accomplish with all these people? Our goal and God's dream is to bring democratic people and communist people together and make them into the sons and daughters of God, making them citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.
Our journey has a final destination and that is not Washington, D.C. or New York City, or Moscow. It is nothing less than the land of God, the Kingdom of God on Earth. What kind of place would be God's Land? The Land of God is the place in which the intense love of God dominates. In order to enter that land, you have to transform everything about yourself into love -- your shoes must be shoes of true love, you must have clothes of true love, your very body must be one of true love. When God looks at you He will see your eyes, ears, nose, even any white hairs on your head as perfect, if you are a person of true love.
We know that our final destination is the land of God, where the love of God prevails and dominates all life. Has this ultimate destination of mankind, the land of God, ever been established before in human history? Therefore, that land is still ahead of us and we must pass through the current stages of society, namely the democratic and communist stages. We must go beyond them to get to the land of God.
Is there any other group in the world which has as its goal this Canaan, the land of God? There is none other than the Moonies. Do you appreciate being a Moonie? You are in the very best place, so why do you have so many problems, so many complaints?
There is only one instrument that can accurately measure the status of Moonies and how close you are to perfection -- the eyes of God. There is no other scale or device. When those two eyes of God look down upon the earth, He doesn't look at anything besides the Moonies. He does not even look at the false Moonies; He is only interested in the true Moonies. True Moonies are those with powerful magnetism. They have a tremendous pulling power. When another person comes into contact with a true Moonie, that power automatically gets transferred to him.
Your ultimate goal is to become the truly loving sons and daughters of God who are amply receiving the love of God.
The democratic world has come to a dead end; likewise, the communist world has come to a dead end. But the Unification Church is just beginning! At this time, everything we are doing is moving forward toward a new era -- that includes the court battle and all the difficulties of the Unification Church. They will all come to an end. The court battle is a universal battle; it is not just my battle alone. It involves the initiation of communists. It involves Jewish people, Protestant people, and all kinds of Americans. Their situations are also entangled in this case.
In the past, people tried to exterminate the Unification Church from this country. However, they are starting to see that they were mistaken; they are starting to think that Moonies are good, after all, and that Rev. Moon is valuable to have here. There is a new groundswell of opinion.
Very unusual things are happening. Of course, those on the conservative side, such as the editors of National Review, are coming out strongly in favor of Rev. Moon's vindication in this court case. What is more amazing is that those on the far left side of the spectrum, even the Washington Post, are saying, "Reverend Moon must be treated justly. The Supreme Court must hear his case." That means that the extremes on both the left and right are supporting Rev. Moon.
Those between the left and right positions are the so-called silent majority. They are looking for someone to guide them in their stand. As they see that those people on the left and right are taking a pro-Rev. Moon stand, they tend to follow. This is the kind of groundswell I mentioned.
The time has come for them to look at the Moonies with open eyes. They are beginning to change. Do you feel to the bone that this is happening? These changing attitudes toward Moonies are not confined only to America; it is a worldwide phenomenon. The entire universe is shifting, coming to its turning point. This is that very time.
As you know, 1984 is the 30th year since the formal founding of the Unification Church in Korea. However, the family foundation was already completed, so I began my ministry on the national foundation, moving toward the worldwide level, in 1954. In these 30 years, people from every country, language and background have come together to join the one family of man under the one Parenthood, one God. The one Adam race has been established. Therefore this is a totally new world.
God's race is those who are born to live in God's country, marching toward God's country. Without having God's race, there can never be God's country; without God's country there can be no world of God. Can there be two different countries of God? No, there is absolutely only one country of God, just as there is only one God. No matter what part of the world you come from, you are all part of the same race, the same country -- God's race and God's country.
Do you want to go to Heaven on the foundation of the Unification race, nation or world? Before the Unification world can come about, you need the nation; before that, you need the race. We have achieved the Unification race, but we do not yet have the nation. This nation will be one nation under God; therefore there will be no cultural or language barriers within it; that is the nation which I am seeking through the slogan for this year. Our goal is to create the one nation which is truly under God.
After that, we will move on to the ultimate goal of one world under God, as well as one universe under God. But until there is the foundation of one nation, we will have to suffer.
We must create and build our Fatherland. Can we do that by just idly waiting with folded arms? Never. We must emphasize our horizontal unity now. All the enemies must come together into unity, Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Adam and the archangel. What is the power by which to unite them? Only God's love. Together we are pursuing the common goal of our Fatherland; it is what we all need. We can transcend any sort of enemy relationship.
Probably you Americans would like to see the Fatherland built here. The Japanese want to see it in Japan and the Germans probably want to see it in Germany. But who shall decide the location of the Fatherland? There are two ways to decide: we could vote on it and the majority would rule; or, we could allow our superior to decide. Who is the superior who should make the decision? It is God. Certainly God is beyond any election or term of office. What about the Messiah? Is he elected by popular vote? No, the Messiah is anointed by God. That is not the democratic method.
In the Unification Church we have the unique terminology of "True Parents." What is the definition of True Parents?! I want you to understand that True Parents are the first point on earth in which the love of God has been anchored. Did the True Parents receive the love of God when they first came to America? In what geographical location did God bestow His love to them? Who will understand that backward country of Korea? No matter whether or not the people of the world recognize and respect it, the important fact is that the love of God has indeed landed in a specific place. It doesn't matter whether that place was a desert, an oasis, or an island -- that is the place where God's love landed.
What is the most historically important geographical location in the U.S.? Certainly, it was Plymouth Rock where the Pilgrim Fathers first landed, but where did the sovereignty of this country first land? It was in Philadelphia at Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell is the symbol of that first sovereignty. I went to see that bell and it is really shabby- looking, not to mention that it is broken. But that doesn't matter. This country's sovereignty first landed in that place and that is why we value it.
Between God and Satan, a tremendous showdown has been made. Korea is divided between North and South. Germany is divided horizontally between East and West. These are the divisions between communism and freedom. Once Korea and Germany are united as free countries, all the rest of the communist powers will fade away. The most crucial confrontation is being contemplated now in Korea. The northern part of Korea is run not just by Kim 11 Sung but also by the forces of the entire communist world, including Soviet Russia and Red China. They are all lending their weight to North Korea. Likewise, the entire free world is lending its weight to South Korea. Japan is nearby, just across the strait. The U.S. is across the Pacific Ocean. Korea is like a bridge between the superpowers of communism and democracy.
When I went to Korea this time, I brought accomplishments of a worldwide nature. We rallied people together all over the nation, mobilizing them to the one common goal. A tremendously victorious foundation was achieved within the ten days of our tour. Now we have returned here to celebrate God's Day.
I did not return to Korea on my own but took with me a foundation of international strength, representing the First and the Second Israel. Three Jewish scholars went with me on our tour, and they proudly and loudly testified to the Korean people, asking them not to make the mistake of the First Israel in rejecting Jesus. Also, a scholar from the Christian United States spoke, representing the Second Israel. In that way, representatives of the First and Second Israels brought testimony to the Third Israel, the people of Korea.
Moreover, seventy-two countries sent accomplished scholars to Korea for the tour. In that way, the Korean peninsula is linked to all those countries. There were sixteen nations that sent soldiers to fight the Korean War but they were unable to gain a lasting victory against the communist aggressors. This time, the entire world represented by seventy-two countries under the leadership of the True Parent came to Korea and discussed the establishment of the permanent Fatherland. Also, the scholars of the seventy-two nations unanimously agreed to a resolution in front of me. Every one of them signed the declaration which was a war against communism, in the name of their seventy-two different countries. On the foundation of that victory, I was able to return victoriously to the U.S.
All the preparation for such a huge national rally was done within one week. In ten days, I visited eight different cities. The whole country was worked up. The gymnasiums were jammed and many people could not get inside. Later on, I invited the leaders of the nation to convene and I spoke to them in two different rallies. All together, we held eight rallies in Korea in ten days.
The final rally was scheduled for the city in Kwangju, on the southern tip of the Korean peninsula. At the same hour when I was standing on the platform, victoriously, Satan would not allow such a victory. He attacked the True Parents' family by way of Heung Jin Nim's accident, in the same hour as my final rally. Just as I was speaking, the accident occurred. Satan was really trying to disturb my victory in the city of Kwangju. That is a city with a reputation for rebelliousness; the government has had trouble there in the past. However, the citizens of Kwangju welcomed our rally unanimously. Thirteen thousand people came. Since the gymnasium could only contain eight thousand, five thousand stood outside in the 15 degrees below zero weather (Celsius). Inside, the mood was completely supportive and disciplined. Satan had no room to hit there.
Also there has been underground activity in Korea by the communists. Since our rallies had been so successful throughout the nation, they were planning to do something to harm me in the city of Kwangju. We received that information. However, they had no opportunity to do that. All the spiritual mediums and those who were praying for our success warned me that I had to be very careful in Kwangju. They strongly urged me not even to speak there because of the danger, to let somebody else speak. But I went and spoke there and was able to claim a complete victory.
Heung Jin Nim was in the Abel position within the True Parents' family. He was the most exemplary, obedient son, with the greatest piety. He was the most comforting son to Mother and me. Through the tradition of Christianity we know that, in order to receive greater blessing, there must be a sacrifice offered. Heung Jin Nim was that sacrifice in front of God and Heaven which humanity and our movement offered. This morning I held a special ceremony in the hospital chapel. It was called a Unification Ceremony. Through the foundation of this precious sacrifice, we called for the unity of the First, Second, and Third Israels -- Judaism, Christianity, and the Unification Church; also, the unity of Adam and Eve, and the archangel nations, the unification of True Parents and their family; and the members of the Unification Church as well as all the races of the world. We called upon total unification. His sacrifice will not be in vain.
The life of Heung Jin Nim is now hanging by a thread. I am calm; either way, I know that the will of God will be done so that the victory of God's dispensation throughout the world will be achieved. As I told Mother, our son's life may have to be offered as a sacrifice. That should be an incredible moment for the sake of humanity in which the best possible sacrifice will be offered to God. In return, the peace and harmony and unification of mankind will be achieved.
Heung Jin Nim was a pious son who constantly comforted Mother and me. He loved us dearly. It is truly heartbreaking to see him lying in the hospital. But I know that we must not allow ourselves to become discouraged or saddened by this. God will bring much greater victory for the sake of humanity. The most important thing is that each of you succeed Heung Jin Nim in his pious spirit, loyalty and obedience, and love of the True Parents. Heung Jin Nim was unable to see the creation of the Fatherland. You should feel like taking on his spirit and building that Fatherland in his behalf. You should feel like bringing the victory to 'True Parents in his behalf. That is most important.
Heung Jin Nim has been longing and praying to see the day of the creation of the Fatherland. So his spirit must be inherited by you; in that way, his sacrifice will not have been in vain.
This year's slogan is an unusual one. Because of the sacrifice of Heung Jin Nim, I am giving you this mission and responsibility so that you can feel deep in your heart that you will succeed him. Jesus died; because that one man died, humanity could be saved. By the same token, the life of Heung Jin Nim can make the spirits of billions of people come alive. That is the way God works.
I am totally calm, leaving destiny within the hands of God. If God allows Heung Jin Nim to recover by some miraculous power, that will be cause for great glory to God. But if he is chosen to be a sacrifice for the sake of humanity, then let God's will be done. We shall move forward and prosper to an even greater degree upon that sacrifice.
If Heung Jin Nim becomes that sacrifice, he shall be buried in the Fatherland.
During the next seven years, you should learn Korean. All the sermons and talks I have given up till now could fill about 300 volumes in the Korean language. I have directed that they be condensed into 120 volumes. These are not written in English but in Korean. The members of the Unification Church will be responsible to read this original textbook at least several times during their lifetime here on earth.
So far, Volumes I, II, and III of the sermons and talks I have given have been published in the Korean language. During the next year, many more will be published. I am urging even those members who do not read Korean at this time to buy these volumes. After I have been in the spirit world for several hundred years, these first volumes will be priceless possessions for your descendants' homes.
We are going to build one Fatherland and one culture. Do we see anything like a one-culture world today? No, there are multitudes of cultures. But it is God's will, without question, to see one sovereignty, one nation, one language and culture centered on Him. Do you understand?
This morning, at this especially sacred moment, we are consecrating our lives for the highest purpose. We shall move forward to the ultimate victory that God has ordained. That is the mission I give to you this morning.
This is the message of New Year's morning; it is a serious one and also one of commitment. Become the fulfillment of this message. Become a Heavenly soldier who moves forward toward the greatest victory in the year of 1984.
God bless you!