The image of God is male and female. That is, the very foundation of the universe is a dynamic existence which contains energies which we call male and female, or positivity and negativity, or complimentary, polar opposites.

Therefore we observe the interaction of male and female, or positivity and negativity, throughout the natural world. The Creator's nature is manifested in the creation. Either that, or 1) there is no creator and we are not creations (i.e. we created ourselves) or 2) the words Creator and creation have no meaning, that is, they are falsities, naming something that is not actual.

Even by observation we can know that nothing can come into existence, nor maintain its existence, without this interaction of male and female. This interaction takes place both within an entity and between an entity and other entities. For example, within an atom there are interactions of protons and electrons, and externally the atom relates with other atoms to form molecules. Everything is relational. The world is an ecological whole. That's why we enlightened westerners now put our plastic containers into one receptacle and our glass into another and our coffee grinds into a third. There is no garbage (except for that amazing new invention: information).

This universal principle of masculine/feminine is a guide for human life. That is, it reveals how we can live in order that we might be in harmony with the cosmos, or in synch with the cosmos. This is a good thing to know, because the cosmos is one unit, indeed, a universe. William James, the American philosopher, said it is a multiverse, but science has advanced since his day. Since the universe is one unity, there is no other place to go. If we are not in synch with the one reality, then we are indeed "out of it," big time. And being out of it has been more or less the human condition since the fall.

The fall can be looked at as the great disharmonization, as the event when set humankind at odds with the universe and its principles. Some say that we can regain harmony through physical means: the food we eat (as if the fall were eating the wrong food), the clothes we wear (as if the fall were the killing of animals), the fuel we use (as if the fall were the discovery of fire). Others say we can regain harmony through spiritual means: a well-adjusted personality (as if the fall were a psychological trauma), humility (as if the fall were a sudden onset of arrogance), or enlightenment (as if the fall were a sudden descent into blindness and ignorance).

But the fall, by Unificationist thinking, was the misuse of love by a man and a woman. Therefore, we can regain harmony by establishing the true harmony of man and woman. This means true marriage, and it is the meaning of the Blessing of marriage.

The Blessing of God is necessary because a man and woman by themselves cannot establish harmony with the cosmos; the cosmos is involved as well. And the Creator of the cosmos, God, therefore is involved. No individual can declare to the universe: you have to harmonize with me; rather, the individual must harmonize with God who is the Origin of the universe; in that way, the human being is in harmony with the universe.

Similarly, a couple cannot proclaim themselves to be perfectly in harmony with creation, without gaining the approval of the creation. To gain this, the couple must love the creation, live for the creation, be true stewards of creation. Again, this comes through the couple establishing true oneness with God. To do so is to gain God's Blessing.

We live at a time in history when the price of such a Blessing has virtually been paid by the generations which have come before us. Just as we enjoy the fruits of the scientific and political works of the past generations, we enjoy the fruits of the sacrificial faith, hope and love of the past generations. The question is, what do we do with it?

In the field of technology, for example, we can simply drive cars and fly airplanes, enjoying the fruit of the labor of past generations. But there is a little more work to do, to solve, for example, the problems of pollution caused by this not-quite-perfect technology. If we settle for this "pretty-good" technology, without bringing it to perfection, it will destroy us, and decree that the work of the generations was in vain. To solve the pollution problem will cap off the work of generations, and allow it to be sustainable.

Similarly, we can simply enjoy free love in a prosperous and open society, enjoying the fruit of the sacrifice of past generations. But there is a little more work to do here, too, to solve, for example, the problems of adultery, fornication and homosexuality caused by this not-quite-perfect love. If we settle for this "pretty-good" love, without bringing to perfection, it will destroy us, and decree that the work of the generations before us was in vain. to solve the polluted love problem will cap off the work of generations, and allow it to be sustainable.

This "capping off" is the meaning of the Blessing. It is the final step on a long road toward the sanctification of marriage.

Who will give shape to the world of the future? Will it be the blind forces of economy, politics and nature? As we know from our own lives, we can do the most when we have a clear plan for the future. Setting a goal gives shape to the future which we in part create through our hard work.

Take, for example, the United States. The founders had a clear vision for the shape of the society which they intended to create. The pioneers of the 19th century had a clear vision of the nature and destiny of this nation. This vision lapsed in the mid-twentieth century. Thus, the nation has floundered, its tremendous economic energy being dissipated a far too great investment in products and services which are not beneficial to the greater world ($8 billion a year on pornography, for example; or hundreds of billions on Hollywood films).

What are the compelling visions for the next century? Islam has a very strong vision. The vision of communism failed. Christianity has a great vision for individual happiness and family coherence as long as they do not raise their eyes to far and go wandering off into the clouds in which they expect to meet the Lord. The most effective vision may be that of the techno-barons. But I would advise such folks to read a short-story written over 50 years ago by a science fiction writer named, if my memory serves me, E. M. Forster, called "The Machine Stops." He envisioned a world in which everyone lives alone underground in an air-conditioned home, connected with everyone else on the planet through a system of televisions and computers. It surely is the world which the architects of virtual reality are bringing us. I read recently of prototype body suits through which people can have virtual sex with each other. Anyway, the story proceeds through some plot which I forget, but the end is that the machine stops, and people have to face real reality.

I digress. The point is that mankind is in need of a vision for the world as one, beyond poetry and songs and into practical reality. Now is history's golden opportunity to bind mankind together, to heal the wounds of the past and create one true world under God. Everyone wants it, and it is not that far away, if only we would move in the right direction.

That direction is defined by the healing and wholeness of marriage and family life. The special work of Reverend and Mrs. Moon, which they have been pursuing for years with single-minded intensity, is to connect this ideal of the family with the structures of the world: scientific, technological, governmental, media, educational, cultural, legal, recreational, and so forth. We find that all peoples are ready to combine their energies for common goals of peace, freedom, unity and happiness. But the foundation is pure love, absolute sex, complete marital fidelity. Once adultery and fornication are overcome, the world and universe will be God's oyster. This is the meaning of the Blessing.

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