The Words of Young Oon Kim
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The Words of Young Oon Kim |
Again we would like to share with all of you some of the comments we are so fortunate to hear from Miss Kim as she has been teaching in group conversation and in questions and answer periods.
A number of interesting points were brought out in a discussion of the preface. The following comments were made as to why God did not reveal more or all to those in the Old Testament Age.
Man's understanding grows as does his physical life. Even if there had been no Fall, there would have been a developmental or growth period. Because of the Fall the kingdom of darkness reached even to the throne of God and He felt deserted and uncomfortable in this darkness. He knew man was filled with falsehood and would be unable to see truth. The situation could have been restored through Cain and Abel and Abel's son could have been the Messiah, establishing the Garden of Eden.
However, even then the depth of truth that is given to us today would not have been given to them or likewise not have been given in Jesus' time. Our Leader knows much more than was revealed to Jesus, just as Jesus knew more than Adam. God can always reveal more if we can understand. This is why the rationalist, the positivist, and the scientist of today aren't satisfied with Old and New Testament religion. They do not fill the cup of understanding.
The New Testament was written in parables and symbols because it was more suitable to their depth of understanding and environment. Also, this type of explanation served as a protection. Often our Leader explains things in an offhand way or only partially, or may say "pray about it." It is an indirect method which some may understand directly, but others may take longer. God leaves a certain part for us to search out for ourselves. If he gave us all or too much, Satan's attack and the indemnity would be that much greater.
Even Jesus didn't always understand what he was revealing except perhaps by his feelings. He did not reveal the cause of the Fall in the New Testament, and it sometimes seems as though he acted somewhat unwisely. It is important to understand that Jesus was in every aspect a man, and acted as such. If he had acted perfectly, his disciples would never have deserted him. As a human being he had a fantastic responsibility and did an outstanding job. It should be remembered also that the Gospel writers sorted out and wrote what they as individuals believed and what they wanted to get across to convert and teach the people. They put Him up on a pedestal, often making his life confusing and unrealistic.
Miss Kim gave new insight into the statement that God revealed to only "one" man. In Jesus' time God revealed many things concerning the time and the Messiah (though not necessarily to the rest of the world) and feelings and hopes were very high. Those who received these revelations were not people of high status or in leadership positions. The situation was the same in Korea...
There had to be one to put all of these partial revelations together. Jesus often quoted from Old Testament scripture. As the Dead Sea Scrolls reveal, Jesus was familiar with the Essene school and included much of their teachings in his. His parables weren't received through direct revelation, but were combinations of the Old Testament, the Essenes, his experience, careful study, and revelation. So much more our Leader diligently read, studied, and prayed over the Scriptures and other teachings. He listened to others who had received revelations. In this way he found how all things fit in and make a complete picture. Therefore it is not just one revelation, but that our Leader is the one who fitted all things together. In Korea many are constantly receiving revelation. However, they are always careful to report to our Leader because the revelations are not always quite correct. Still, he learns from what others receive. It is important for us to learn from what others receive. Once God reveals, it is for everyone and should be shared.
It is interesting to note that a man Miss Kim invited to lecture to us on. Saturday mornings on existentialism brought out a point emphasized by Miss Kim in the preface. He noted that the twentieth century is completely different from any other age. Looking at past history, each period--Romanesque, Classical, Gothic, Romantic, etc. -- seems to be part of a pendulum movement; each period seems to be one of reaction against an opposite. These tend to alternate in certain cycles. However, the twentieth century is a cutting away from all previous periods and not just from the period preceding it. This is another reason why we are living in a new age.
In discussing different roles of our Leader, such as Seeker, Servant, Son, Parent, Judge, it was asked why he was not considered as a healer and did not stress healing power. There seems to be so many spiritual phenomena happening every day, why not healing?
A person who does healing is doing an inner and internal spiritual work with physical results only. Because of this, they will be weakened physically, their energy drained, and they must recover. We need to be strong and should use our energy for spiritual healing. If you are healed spiritually, the physical body will respond. Even if you are healed physically, when the spirit is weak, you only get sick again. Jesus did quite a bit of healing, but we have to remember he didn't live in such an advanced age as we. People often have gotten the wrong concept of his healing because of this. Today we are well supplied with all types of doctors, hospitals, and medicines, besides being able to be spiritually healed. It still is good to pray for the health and help of others, even though not doing the actual healing.
In discussing the three basic types of love, Miss Kim recently gave the example of the Oriental concept of filial piety:
The virtue of children is obedience. When the children have become adults they must fulfill the responsibilities in their own lives, but always having the greatest respect for their parents and seeking their advice. When the parents have grown old, their children care for them as they would for their own children -- caring for the needs of the parents, not just paying formal respect. Our love for God and for our True Parents should follow this kind of pattern.
The feeling of the father and mother determines the atmosphere of a home. If they are loving and happy, the atmosphere of the home will also be one of love and happiness. The heavenly Father must also feel joy in order for there to be joy in the universe. The Father's desire for the power and joy of His creation's response to His love is not just a selfish feeling, therefore; until He feels joy, His creation cannot. There is no atmosphere of joy in God's universe. If God were angry all the time, everything on earth would die; nothing could grow. It would always be winter. It must be spring in the heart of the heavenly Father before the spring comes to His universe.
People are so sensitive to even a bad word from others, to even a change of expression. Think how much more sensitive God is than we are! To love God is to eliminate all blocks between ourselves and God, to do away with all feeling of distance between us, in order that He can manifest His energy and love. He is ever seeking to do this. The Direct Dominion of God is possible when the door to the Perfection Stage has been opened. Communication with God is not Direct Dominion in its full sense. Many people in the past may have experienced the Direct Dominion of God spiritually; the purpose of this dispensation is to bring the Direct Dominion of God fully on earth -- to the physical body and the physical world as well.
In order to establish the Direct Dominion, our Leader had to establish himself as the Tree of Life, which Adam never fulfilled and which Jesus was unable to accomplish. God is the root of this tree, and the True Parents the trunk, his descendants, are the branches. The first 36 couples blessed represent these branches and signify the 12 gates. Other branches also shoot out from the trunk of the tree. With the blessing of the 72 couples, branches came forth from the original 12 branches; when the 128 couples were blessed, branches grew on the 72. In this manner, the Tree of Life will grow and expand. Through our Leader's blessing we become grafted to the branches of the tree, which is the source of our life. This relationship is the Direct Dominion.
Therefore, our progress may seem slow if we measure only by our numbers. Yet we can see the whole world is turning favorably toward God's new dispensation, even though people do not understand what is happening. A new vibration has been released on earth -- it is spring weather from the heart of God. All people are responding broadly to this feeling. Our Leader wants to form a solid foundation through the grafting to the Tree of Life, to form a center for the cosmos. So the growth of the tree itself will not be rapid; we will not turn the whole world overnight. But still, the spring has come, and the world is responding to its invisible, irresistible force.