The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1985
|
|
The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1985 |
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: You have assembled here from all parts of the world, leaving all kinds of situations behind you, just in order to welcome me and to encourage me on my return home. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to you for that.
To see the beautiful mountains and skies of my homeland again and to be able to stand in front of you tonight evokes emotions in my heart that are hard to describe. I believe that you have come here tonight in order to welcome a man who has dedicated himself for the will of God and the ideal of "living for others" rather than an individual called Rev. Moon. It is this fact that makes this meeting today a truly historical event.
The very order of existence in the universe is basically one of living for others. A world of true ideals, true love, and true peace is God's ideal of creation and at the same time man's desire. The origin of ideals, and the origin of happiness and love, is found in living for one's counterpart. If we look at the universe, there is not one single thing which exists only for itself.
The mineral world exists for the sake of the plant and animal worlds, the mineral and plant worlds exist for the sake of the animal world, and the whole of creation exists for the sake of man. Then for whom does man exist? Man exists for the sake of God. God created all things and enables them to grow and develop for the sake of others. The basic law of the universe is that man is not born into the world as an end unto himself. Instead he is born for woman. The converse is true for woman. From the moment a husband and wife are married, each spouse should live with the thought: "I was born for you, I live for you, and I will die for you. The couple that does this can be called an ideal husband and wife. Living for others is a fundamental law of the universe. It is from this point that true love begins.
All beings exist for other beings. A truly pious son should live for his parents. Thus the love of true parents, the filial piety of true children, and the love of true husband and wife all originate in living for others.
If we extend this principle, we can conclude that a true people should live for the sake of the nation, and a ruler should live for the sake of his people. We can all find true happiness if we live according to this principle. Since this is the law governing all beings in the universe, true men that have lived for others will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, or Paradise, the world where God lives and where the same rule of living for others applies.
This is the reason why all religions teach about self-sacrificial service and the realization of love for the sake of others. The position of a person who lives for others naturally becomes the central position and a position that commands respect. For example, if the youngest son in a family gives generously of himself to the other family members he naturally becomes the focus of love and monopolizes their affection and admiration.
True
Parents and Dr. Bo Hi Pak during the playing of the national anthem.
Living for others does not stop with the individual; if the family lives for others, then the family heaven can be established. If we extend this principle to the national level then we can realize the national level heaven. On the world level, when the whole of mankind lives for others then we can realize the ideal world of harmony and happiness. In this way we can bring about the world heaven. The ideal world is an eternally unchangeable world where God is the parent and we are brothers and sisters living for each other, a harmonious family of man. In order to realize this world, a man was sent as the leader of God's Providence. He is called the Messiah or Savior. He comes to show the way to build the highway of love in this world where true love does not yet exist.
Jesus came as the Messiah on the foundation of Judaism and the nation of Israel in order to save the world. While he was trying to awaken them for the sake of the world he was rejected by them and nailed to the cross. Jesus' hope was for Judaism and
Israel to live for the world, but they desired a God and a Messiah who existed only for themselves. The resurrected Jesus, however, spiritually guided Christianity as it expanded throughout all nations.
The United States is a nation chosen by God as a representative of world Christianity. It should be centered on God and take the leading role in the salvation of the world. The United States has the important mission to spread the Christian spirit and Christian ideals. The blessings which God has given the United States are not for the sake of the United States alone. They are for the sake of the whole world. America does not exist for itself, but for all people.
Knowing that this view reflects God's innermost heart and providence, I felt compelled to go to America. For the last 13 years I have been working like a madman to awaken that nation. While attempting to deal with the circumstances resulting from the Second World War, the United States often forgot its mission to work for the whole world. When America failed to live up to God's expectation, the foundations of the free world were shaken. Numerous problems arose within the nation: racial problems, drug abuse, immorality of young people, destruction of the family, violence, crime, and the infiltration of communism.
There might be numerous reasons for these problems but, ultimately, it comes down to the spiritual and moral deficiency of the United States. God's expectations for America were bitterly disappointed. The internal problems of the United States have added to the sorrow of God. God has hoped for the appearance of one man and family in America who could totally dedicate themselves for the sake of the world, and for America to become a country exemplifying the principle of living for the sake of others. But in reality no such individual and family could be found, and the faith of the nation of America is shaking in its foundations.
President
Jae Suk Lee, president of the Unification Church of Korea, offers a
triumphant Mansei!
God called me to America from Korea to fulfill this goal. The mission that heaven has given me is not something that I may relinquish whenever I wish or when things do not work out. My mission has been to continually search for a prepared foundation and to awaken people to reality. However, instead of repenting America rejected me. In spite of the severe persecution and derision aimed at me during my 13 years in the United States, I have worked to create loving individuals, families, and communities. My task was to raise up new people who would be able to live for the sake of the world.
God does not want people to just believe in Him. God wants us to fulfill our responsibility. Because I know God's will so clearly, I have dedicated my entire life to the accomplishment of this heavenly mission.
In the first place, during the last 30 years I have gathered together scholars from all over the world in order to teach and make this God-centered thought universal. As a result, a secure foundation has been established in 100 nations. Secondly, since the Kingdom of Heaven is not composed of spiritual elements alone, we had to invest a great deal of money and effort into technical and scientific development. We have since reaped much fruit from these investments.
Thirdly, we are establishing a worldwide economic foundation for the realization of God's will, developing different economic areas and researching into the possibility of international cooperation for a future monetary order. Fourthly, we have built up a worldwide media organization in order to provide society with honest and moral journalism. In addition, we are promoting activities in various other fields, all of them directly related to the task of realizing God's will on earth.
As you know, in August I was released from prison in America. The case against me had been fabricated and I was imprisoned, but throughout the 13 months I never stopped praying for the future of America and the world. I prayed for God to forgive America and help me fulfill my mission. I also initiated and directed countless events to rekindle the spiritual and religious foundation of the United States.
To fulfill the Christian spirit of service our movement bought 250 large trucks to be used for community service work. From prison I also began many kinds of new projects. Among these were international professors' conferences to discuss how to overcome communism, a movement for religious unity, a weekly news magazine, and a monthly magazine. An Unbelievable Path of Adversity
Even while receiving unprecedented persecution and facing unjustified imprisonment, centered on God I did more for America and loved America more than any individual, group, or religious denomination. Furthermore, while carrying out that heavenly mission, I have walked an unimaginable path, more stained with blood and tears than any other person. But since it was a path for the world and to save America, I went through this suffering path gratefully, and overcame it. Since I received the call of God, my life has been full of hardships. During the time of the Japanese occupation of Korea I took part in an underground student organization and was imprisoned for my activities. When I was evangelizing in communist North Korea I was accused of being a spy and almost died in a labor camp in Hungnam. In the early days of my mission in South Korea I was held in Sodaemun Prison here in Seoul, accused of heresy. And, most recently, I was the victim of racial and religious discrimination in America. In this way, my life has been a continuous string of hardships.
In spite of a tornado of opposition and persecution, I did not waver from the heavenly way of living for others, and I have returned, having fulfilled the conditions of the providence. This victory is not my victory alone, but also a victory for God and righteousness. Do you think it was easy for such a victory to be gained while the whole world was coming against me? I am not trying to praise myself. If it hadn't been for God I would not have survived. I only glorify God.
As an unimaginable miracle unfolds in front of us in this moment, all of you have become partakers in this miracle. I hope you will treasure the memory of having been present at this occasion, commemorating a historically unique victory. I also hope that you will not be content to just be amazed by these accomplishments, but that you will try to find out the exact providential meaning of this event and connect yourselves to it and take this opportunity to make a great leap forward in your own spiritual life.
I recommend this to you not only for yourselves, but also for your nation and your country. If Korea does not turn its back on the foundation I have laid, it will rapidly become a leading nation in the world. When we look from the standpoint of God's will, we see that the Korean people are a people chosen by God and that the Korean nation is a central nation in God's providence which should provide the world with a model of living for others. Many historical and unknown events in God's providence are intertwined and centered in Korea. This nation has the mission to take responsibility for the world and has set numerous spiritual conditions in providential history.
Although the Korean people have an excellent natural character and culture, they have walked a path of suffering which cannot be compared to that of any other people. Their suffering must be understood in view of the heavenly providence. The challenges and tribulations that Korea experiences are part of God's providence, and He waits anxiously for the nation to overcome them.
East and West and North and South meet in Korea, and spiritualism and materialism, theism and atheism are also concentrated here. It seems that this whirlwind of ideas in this country is the labor pain before the birth of a new era. The Korean nation cannot solve its national difficulties apart from the will and providence of God, and a solution cannot be achieved by Korea alone, but only in connection with the world. In order for Korea to provide spiritual leadership for the world, Korea will have to overcome its difficulties by awakening to the will of God and by following the person whom God has sent.
My foundation and that of the Unification Church has been established by strictly following the will of God and by completely living a life for others. Now the Unification Church and I have gained the victory and overcome all persecution.
If the Korean nation, on the foundation of my worldwide victory, lives for the world, then Korea can not only overcome its suffering, but can also become a center of love, truth, and peace before the world. It will receive an even greater blessing than America received.
Rev. Moon is not weak. He will not rest on his past merits nor yield before an unrighteous world. Even though the road may be long and the task of accomplishing the world of heaven enormous, I will continue on my way.
Ladies and gentlemen, on this occasion, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your support and faith in my innocence during my court battle in America.
I pray for God's eternal blessing upon your family and our fatherland.
Thank you.