In the next few issues of the UTS News, I will introduce you to the "Fresh Start" program. This program has been developed from several sources, including Christian groups who have studied health, nutrition and the social sciences. You may be shocked and surprised by some of the facts presented in these articles, that is simply, and sadly, because we have been lied to at an alarming level for years about many aspects of health and nutrition, and all in the name of "profit!" Just as when we first encountered The Principle, we will have to consider making some changes, as we move into a state of more principled dominion over the physical and material realm. This is our inheritance. It is time to integrate this knowledge into our daily lives, and become living examples of our commitment to spiritual, emotional and physical principles, that visibly declare our position as the most blessed people in history!

In this issue I will provide a little background about myself and the program. (Being Irish I enjoy a good story). In future issues I will focus on the topics that make up the "F.R.E.S.H. S.T.A.R.T. program.

In 1960 I was two years old, and living in an old stone cottage in the west of Ireland with my parents, my older sister, and with another sister 'on the way'. The cottage had four small rooms, no electricity, or running water. Drinking water came from a communal pump up the road, and water for other uses was collected in rain-barrels outside the house. We bathed once a week, one after the other in the same water, in a tin tub in front of the roaring turf fire. Hunger was the ever-present challenge. We survived mainly on a diet of porridge, potatoes, milk, eggs, bacon, cheese and homemade bread and butter. It was blessing enough to have sufficient food on the dinner table to feed the growing family. We were glad for the simple blessings that came our way. On very rare occasions, perhaps at Christmas or Halloween, Mam would somehow magically produce some "sweets" or maybe even a pudding or a cake. That day would be a real feast-day for us, and we would look forward for weeks to those special occasions.

When we were a little older, we would walk the two miles to school in all weathers, often with only some bread, and a little cheese for our lunch. How we made it to adulthood on such an "unhealthy diet" and in such challenging conditions, and still turn out "normal" (a relative term depending on one's opinion) seems to have been some sort of miracle.

In the 60's, Ireland was a very poor country. In those days, a "healthy diet" was simply "getting enough to eat!" Our lives were very much shaped by the requirements of survival. We developed a strong reliance on each other because of these conditions, and although considered "poor Irish", we had built a strong family tradition that would serve us well in the future, when facing more insidious challenges to our emotional and spiritual health. It would be many years later, when we moved to England, before we would enjoy the luxuries of choice, or television, or owning our own car. It was time for a fresh start, with new, different conditions to consider. We, like everyone around us, believed that more choice, equaled more prosperity. I have since learnt that this is not necessarily so, and in these next few articles, I hope to share some of these findings with you.

The 1960’s were important years for the Unification Movement too. This was the time when American Christianity was to have recognized Sun Myung Moon as the catalyst who would unite them all in one great God-centered revolution. All the great Churches were to bring their combined knowledge, experience and assets to the great banquet feast.... But the invitations were rejected!

So, the beggars got invited, (that's us folks). Unqualified, unprepared and pretty much an ignorant lot, with little to offer except wholesome hearts and a lot of youthful enthusiasm. Because those Christian institutions didn't unite with us, we have been deprived of their collective wisdom and knowledge, which would have gone a long way to complete God's work more quickly, fully and efficiently. Don't you ever feel that we seem to be way behind some of the denominational churches when it comes to social work, organization, and just generally getting things done? Yes, all those centuries of organizing, studying, and writing stuff down has paid dividends for the mainstream Churches today, just like God wanted it to. But then, they were supposed to humbly bring all their valuable insights to True Parents, so they could complete their providential work. When they didn't, True Father had to get someone else to do the job, (us) and that meant very much ‘starting from scratch’.

Now, 40 years later, we're still sticking in there. There is no doubt that we have learnt a great deal, especially in regards to principled interpersonal relationships, and in regard to understanding the spirit world. But, when it comes to taking dominion over the physical and material realm, my experience is that this is where we could pay a little more attention. There is a wealth of knowledge out there that we have yet to inherit. I'm quite sure that God isn't investing all this time and energy into us so that we all end up witnessing only in the spirit world. Or from hospital beds, because of prematurely fading health! So, in the belief that we were supposed to inherit this knowledge anyway, I hope to present some key scientific principles for healthy living, from a base of knowledge and experience developed over twenty years in this field. Much of what I wish to share, is material from seminars and presentations delivered to Christian communities over the last few years.

This information will help us identify the principled choices, among so many that are not! Just as my family made a fresh start and faced so many new choices when we moved to a new country, now, our movement has established a spiritual base from which we can study all the physical aspects of our world as we prepare to take principled dominion over it. Many of the choices we face in daily life present themselves innocently enough, but often conceal hidden dangers to our emotional, physical and spiritual well being. It's all about how, and with what and whom, we relate. Principled give-and-take action is the key!

Question of the month: Which one of the following topics is the most important to understand in maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Food. Recreation. Exercise. Sleep. Hydration. Study. Tenancy. Addictions. Relationships. Trust—in—God. (FRESH START).

The answer is… The one(s) that YOU DON’T understand! Because that is probably the one that will be your undoing! It is difficult to make principled decisions based on what we don’t know. So, starting in the next issue, we will begin examining how to have principled relationships with our physical environment. Meanwhile, consider these words of wisdom:

 Download entire page and pages related to it in ZIP format
Table of Contents
Information
Tparents Home