Barrytown, New York
Master Speaks
Translated by Col. Han
Everyone knows that when we are young, we do have and must have a dream. And I know that young people all over the world are wondering, "What kind of dreams do American young people have?" We also know that, in this country, which is the idol of other countries, actually, the reverse is taking place. But the young people gathered here in this auditorium have dreams greater than anybody ever had. "Is it true?"
Then what dream is that? Is it to be a Senator or Congressman or to be a wife of a Senator or Congressman? (No!) If not, then what is that dream? To realize the Kingdom of Heaven? What is that? What's good about it?
When we examine the dreams of people today, the great people in the world might say, "If I can only change the world," that's their dream. And young people's dream is to move the world. But suppose a young man accomplished up to one step short of success? In other words, he has everything, and he's just about to grasp the world and move it, but then he dies at that moment. What good has he achieved? You can imagine that such a man would be a very pitiful and miserable figure.
For those gathered here, what kind of dream have we? The young people here have a dream which is even stronger than that of most young people. You have a similar dream to move the world, but it doesn't stop at the world level. Here the young people have a very lofty ambition. They are not only interested in moving the world, but also the entire spiritual world. Are you confident that you can do that? (Yes!) Your ambition doesn't stop there, I know. It goes one step beyond that; it is to grab onto the hair of God, and grasp it firmly.
Then you can hardly be called saints. People will say, "They are crazy people!" Most people aren't even sure if God exists. But now the people here would like to get a hold of the hair of God! Then by grasping God by His arm, when I lead God this way, He comes this way, and when I lead God that way, God will follow me that way. Wouldn't you like to wrestle with God and play with God? (Yes!) And you would never let go, even if you die? (No!)
Well, suppose God blows on you, so you would just be blown off like a particle of dust. But even if He blows on you, would you cling to Him strongly enough so that you won't be blown off? (Yes!) Likewise, in the spiritual world, have you clung to the spiritual world so tightly, that even if they kick you, can you still cling to it? Do you have such strong tenacity? (Yes!) Well, let's come down a little lower. You are saving the world, so you're holding on to America. If America tries to shake you off, then are you really confident that you'll never let go of America? (Yes!)
Why am I saying this? Because these are serious problems. God has one desire: To find someone, some young man who will cling to Him, and will never let go, no matter what. Would God be happy to meet such a man? Or would He not? (Happy!) On the other hand, when God has around Himself some man who is not so righteous and not so good, how would He feel? Let's say, here's one very handsome man, and this not so handsome girl who loves him very much. She's not only not so handsome, but even ugly. Imagine that this girl comes to the handsome man and clings to him. Would he be happy about that? Well, no, and neither would God be happy. But those who are assembled here are not so bad, really. We might say something harsh about them but they still remain, and they are more and more enthusiastic. Actually, we cannot find people like this in any part of the world. If this is true, if God is going to be a prisoner of somebody, He might think, "Then I might as well become a prisoner of these Unification Church members." When you are holding onto God strongly, then would you just hold Him tightly, or so tightly that it may be painful to God? (Tightly!) Well, even if it was so painful that God would really grimace, He'd be happy.
Now, let us examine this in a little more detail. Many people will cling to Him very strongly, but many people have many different reasons. Some people want something out of God, so they just hang on tight. And then some people will just cling to Him because they like Him. They don't care if God doesn't give them anything. If someone would cling to God very strongly, hoping to get something out of Him, then God would not feel so good about it. But if one unconditionally clings to Him because he or she likes Him, if no matter what, they can't help liking Him, then there is nothing God can do about that. We have to study seriously the possibility that if you cling to God very tightly, even as to give Him pain, if you do that because you like Him, then His pain will only be happiness and pleasure. Do you understand? (Yes!)
I have an interesting little story to tell you. In Korea we have one grandma who is a very old lady, very small, very short, and if you see her face-it's really something: it's very dried-up, and has bumps here and there. She followed Master all around. When Master went to ride in a car, then she would already be there, with Father's bag in her right hand. She followed everywhere! Then Father would yell at her, "I don't want to see you!" And "You are not so handsome!" and she would just sit there. In the Korean Church, Father's quarters are upstairs. And Father usually stays upstairs, and when he is coming down the word spreads that Father is coming downstairs. She is the first one to hear that, and she occupies the closest seat. Then Father says, "Why do you have to be so close all the time?" But her response is just happy-she doesn't know what to do. Then she goes around, saying, "Oh! Father said some harsh things to me this morning!" So what can you do? Can you strike her'? Or what can you do? So then one day Father simply got tired of saying harsh things to her. So she says, "Oh, Father is beginning to like me now!" And now that she believes that Father likes her, she follows even more.
So one day, Father made up his mind and said, "Come here." Then he said, "Why are you following me? You are not so handsome, you are the disgrace of the Unification Church! Stop following me!" Father became serious, and he really meant it! She kind of sensed that, but she didn't believe it. So she went and she prayed to God and said, "God, did you do that because you really dislike me?" And God said, "No matter how ugly you are, you are my reflection. No matter how beautiful you are, you are my reflection, also. So, therefore, I love you-that's why Master loves you and you love Master. "
She was so happy that the next day she came to Father and said, "I have news for you." She said, "Yesterday I prayed to God. I got permission to love you, because Heavenly Father said no matter how ugly I am, I'm still His reflection, no matter how beautiful I am, I'm still His reflection. So I have a right and I have permission to love you. " And Father thought about that for a moment. That was a really reckless answer, but that fits the Principle so perfectly! And if it does, Father cannot do anything about it. So Father had an actual working knowledge at that moment of how much she was trying to like him, so he can never deny it. So Father made up his own mind that, "When I exercise this Principle, when I like God very much, God can never deny
m" He learned that lesson. Did you hear it" (Yes!)
It is a very amazing and surprising fact, that when you like God no matter what, if you like God strongly enough, then He can never deny you, and He won't deny you. Suppose you cling to God so strongly, and tell Him, "I want to follow you anywhere you go-if you go to a high place, I'll go to the high place. If you go to a low place, I will follow there. If you go to bed, I'll I follow right to the bed! " And if you do that, God has no way of deny you. Can you understand that'? (Yes!) Would you like to become like that one day'? (Yes!) Do you just want to watch God, or do you want to walk up to Him and touch Him'? (Touch him!) Not only touch, but cling to Him'? (Yes!) Those who want to do that, raise your hand.
The reason I am saying this is that no matter what you are, if you like God so strongly, and you cannot help but liking Him, then God can come to like you very much. Wouldn't He be proud of somebody who will cling to Him so tightly and strongly, and genuinely? He would be proud because no King, nobleman or great man in this world has ever been liked by someone like that. Then if God is liked more than that, won't He be glad'? He'll be very proud of it. Since He's God, He should have at least one who would just cling to Him, and like Him. When I imagined this many years ago, I told myself, "I will become like that. I will become one to like God that much. I will be the one." How about you? Are you going to be beaten by me, or are you going to win even over me'? (Win!) Well, would God be unhappy because of that, or would He be happy about it? (Happy!) You are right, He would be happy.
Likewise, if you really like the spiritual world and cling to it, they automatically will come to like you; they can go no other way. So, if I cling to something because I like it, then that becomes mine, really. You also want to be occupied by those who you really like, don't you? (Yes!) Especially so when the man is handsome and good. Then this can be really true. And a man, in the same way, would like to have such a woman and a woman would like to have such a man. When they get together, that's true happiness. Now we know the secret.
Likewise, if we cling to the world and like it so much, then even if the world persecutes us and tries to shake us loose, we still cling tightly to the world. How would that world react? Eventually-and very truly-the world can never shake us loose. The same logic applies in all situations. Now if Master loves this country America so strongly, in fact more strongly than Americans do, then will America shake him loose'? (No!) No matter what they do, he still will like this country, and will cling to it. Then what can they do about that? If you know this secret, but also feel it and make it a part of yourself-then you can really conquer the world.
Have you ever met anybody whom you clung to, and said, "I can never let you go, because I like you so much!" In the spiritual world, you are sometimes so fascinated that you cling to it, and say, "I can never let you go, because I like you so much!" Have you ever embraced all mankind and all the human race on Earth and said, "I love you. I like you so much that I can't let you go?" Have you ever experienced that? This is where the difference lies between any other organization and the Unification Church. Our Unification Church is composed of members who love people so much that no matter what they did to them, they would still like them.
When we first meet someone, we don't like them so much. Later we say, "Oh, I don't care about him, I don't like him so much." But by and by, you will learn that you really like that person. So disliking is most basic. But if you understand, then it can serve a certain purpose. If you have some means of doing something, it will help you do it.
You already know Mr. Choi, who started the Korean residents in Japan movement; the small Mr. Choi? He's one of the most successful men in the Unification Church. He joined the Church about the time when the Church was going through a lot of ordeals. Father went into prison, and there were a lot of detectives coming in to find out if there was anything for which they could prosecute us. His behavior was rather unique: he followed many people to many places. Even if a grandmother went somewhere, he followed her until finally he found out she was going to the toilet. He followed everybody everywhere. When he heard something, when somebody spoke to another person, he would write down every word that he heard. Everybody misunderstood him so badly, that sometimes somebody would want to beat him. There was a witnessing program, and before the program was even announced, he was already at the witnessing site. He knew, somehow. And then he witnessed to about 20 different people, and no one taught him the Principle lecture. He taught himself, and he lectured and he brought in 20 people. But still we didn't trust him as yet. But those whom he witnessed to came into the Church. These people in turn, went out and witnessed to other people. When that happened, then people began to believe in him. And then later, Father asked him, "Why did you behave like that in the very beginning?" Mr. Choi replied, "Well, I liked everyone so much, I couldn't help following, and I couldn't help but write down everything. What's wrong with that?"
After that when Master would tell him to do something, he did it, not only because he had to, but because he liked it: He liked to be told by Father what to do. That's the only reason he did it. So, therefore, he improved. Even when he was sent to Japan, it was a very dangerous place at that time. The Communists were not under spiritual control, so it was very dangerous for him to walk around all by himself. But Father told him, "In three years you will lay the foundation. " And he did lay a foundation in three years. Laying a foundation in Japan was something the government tried to do for a long time. They couldn't do that but he did it. So, no matter how difficult it is, once you like your job or work, then how do you feel about any difficulty? When you like something, you really don't mind putting all your waking hours into it; even if you put in 20 hours you can still be happy.
Now we find out that liking what you do can be a dynamic source of power. When you like something, does that something become good or bad? (Good!) Like when you hear about the 100-day training, then you say, "Ooh! 100 days! I've been to 2 1 -day training already, and on top of that I did 40-day training. Now 100?" Can you study well under those circumstances? No. But when you like to do it you can learn and learn and learn more, then 100-day training can never be a bother. Now the conclusion is this: if we want to succeed in something in the very shortest period of time, what can we do about it? It is a very rational and reasonable conclusion that, in attempting something, when you like it you can always succeed.
Another way of proving this is the fact that when you like it, and it is worth liking, and if God likes it too, He gives you every kind of support. That's another reason why you can achieve that so easily, and so much better. It's the very principle of man's being, that man wants to be intoxicated, crazy about something. Don't you feel that? (Yes!) If you were overjoyed until you became insane, would you be a happy man or an unhappy man? (Happy!) Have you ever become overjoyed until you became crazy? Has anybody become like that?
Just watch the people of the world. They are crazy about money, sometimes sex, and sometimes even other things, they become really involved and become insane. Since everybody's getting crazy over something, what are we going to be crazy about? (God!) Yes, and only because we like Him. And when we really become like that, then that world is Heaven. Now you know the secret of success, how you can best achieve Heaven.
If you work and work for 24 hours, liking what you are doing, then you would succeed in doing it. If you witness to some person but he doesn't like you, but you still continue to like him, and you return to him, how can he refuse? When you do that three times, the spirit world will take notice of this and put great pressure on that person. Eventually he will listen to you, and he'll even like you. The Heavenly person loves the people in Hell, and when we practice that, that is Heaven. When you continue that for a certain time, then all evil will eventually vanish.
Now, everybody, what is the purpose of your being here and studying'? Did you come here to study for only your personal success? (No!) You can pursue success, yes, but if you do that under circumstances where you can be happy, then that achievement can be eternal. On the other hand, when you don't like it except for the sake of success, then no matter how hard you work, God will take your success away. He does that so you will have no one to blame but yourself.
The Principle is simple. When you come to like something, then everything can be solved. Witnessing is the same. You would like to witness very much wouldn't you? (Yes!) When you go witnessing with this in mind, and with this principle, you can be successful.
The truth can always create another truth, instantly. So when you have that genuine feeling, and go to an old lady, you would really like her, then she, instantly, will like you. A child is the same way. So, it stands to reason, in that situation there is no indebtedness to each other. If I like a person and he likes me, there is no room for indebtedness. Apply this principle everywhere, and you'll be a successful man. If you like everyone so much that when a person is leaving, you wish that he would stay longer, then you will find, all of the sudden the whole world will like you in turn. When someone visits us, or we visit somebody else, if we want to stay with them for a long time, they will come to like us, and so will anybody else who is close to them. This is a rule of life.
When we like America, for instance, we like America, American people, and American natural beauty. Then when you go out on a foreign mission how can you-as an American-love other people? Once you go out to other countries, there's no country like that country. You will find that the bathroom is quite different from what you have here. But try to accept it and like it. Even during the 1800 couples' blessing there were European and American members asking for the Western style toilet that you can sit on. Father said, "Don't even think about that!" Heaven can never be realized when one is centered around his own standards. You will have to come to like many things that you're not accustomed to. Must you Americans really sleep on beds? (No.) If a blanket is not large enough to cover all your body, then you have to just cover the stomach area. Once you come to like everything, you'll never get sick.
Father, of course, had to go through many difficult things. Even in prison, when he was tortured, he didn't put up a fight. Rather, he just thought, "It's OK if you strike me; how much can you strike?" He couldn't be injured and he couldn't hate them because he knew they didn't know any better. So how can he hate them? So, he persevered, and he never got sick. Once you begin a certain task, then whoever and whatever turns your mind from it is your enemy.
Last year Father went to the Atlantic Ocean all the time. Father thought, "I will test some of the Americans to see how much Americans like me. " Some mornings he would wake up and say, "Let's go to the boats, " but everybody hesitated. Sometimes he stayed in the boat 24 hours. No sooner did he get to East Garden, when he started again. He did that many times. That was a good chance for him to test some of the people. He thought that since he likes fishing, then he'll be the man to be responsible for that area. That was his decision. Can you understand that? (Yes!)
What is the most fearful thing? When we really like something, if that includes God, even God cannot escape.
You have a historical witness in the Bible. It says, "Be always of good cheer." You want to succeed don't you? (Yes!) Now do you, or don't you know the secret of how to succeed? (Yes!) How can we be world-renowned people? One thing I'm sure is, whoever wants to be a worldly famous man will have very little chance of making it. Even if he becomes famous temporarily, then he soon dies. He can prolong or maintain his blessing, but those who did something because they liked it will succeed, because they put so much time and energy toward it. So I say to you young people, if you begin now, success is almost guaranteed.
You might ask how Father feels now. He remembers his younger days when he liked to do the will of God. He liked it when he was middle-aged, he liked it when he was a young person. All he did was something that God liked, and he liked God so much, that now he finds himself Master of the Unification Church. He would rather have died than dislike some things, especially the will of God. So he has to be constantly on the move. Naturally he has to succeed. Even when you go to a tropical area, and sweat is falling like a waterfall, and you still like it, then who can say anything against you?
Father has heard many comments in the past that Father is a man of iron. He doesn't believe in that. The only thing he knows is that, whatever he undertakes, whatever he puts his hands to, whatever he starts, he likes it and he does it because he likes it. When he starts doing something, then instantly, it's as though he's born to do that. He feels that way. He doesn't even think to be head of the Unification Church, or anything like that. Because his moral and spiritual posture is that way, not even young people can match him. When he does some difficult thing, he doesn't think, "Oh, I wish that this would go by very quickly!" He doesn't do that. Rather, he would always like to continue some more. So how can he get tired? Now you know the secrets of success. This is an entirely new world. I know this is the first time you have heard this. You can immediately tell if someone does something because he likes to or because he has to. Now that you are doing it, you might as well be happy and do it. And when you do something happily and you accomplish it, then even for the rest of your life you can never forget it. It can be a beautiful memory.
Test it! You do it and test this out. If this principle does not apply, then the Unification Church is false. Now, if you really like to witness do you think you can be successful in witnessing? (Yes!)
In Korea, many different district churches gather hundreds of people, and they wait and wait for many hours for him to arrive, and then when he comes, he speaks alone to one individual 80 years old. The rest of the people really must have faith, because they aren't happy that Father is talking to him. And, now you know, those kind of people are the people who never understand how God loves for him to talk to that man. So he determined once more-"OK, if you feel that way, I'm never going to speak to you." So he goes on and on speaking to the old man. When Master comes and does something that they don't understand, why don't they think that there must be a reason, why can't they accept that and come to like that?
Now you have concluded that I am a good man. Then are you good or bad yourself? (Good!) Ask yourself, and I would like to ask you how much you have liked your own parents and your brothers and sisters? Have you ever done that? (Yes.) Those people who have never done that before are bad people. How much have you liked your own family, your teacher that taught you in high school or college'? And how much did you really like the President of the country" And how much have you liked one saint that appeared on Earth? And then extend this question to God, to everyone that you can think of. When the answer is "No," then you are a bad person. OK, with that criteria, are you a good person or a bad person'? That's your yardstick. Have it ready, and measure yourself all the time. Whenever you have this feeling towards other people, your success will be guaranteed.
I'm going to tell you one little story that I experienced this morning. On the breakfast table was a letter which I opened. It was a letter of protest from the parents of one of the American members who married a Korean. They wrote protesting that "I told my son or daughter, so-and-so, to marry an American, not a Korean. But, he married a Korean. Why is this?" The letter said, "You're wrong!" But I don't believe I'm wrong, because she's talking from an American viewpoint. In the same way, the Korean parents won't be happy, for their son marrying an American. We did it because we knew they were destined to love. We did it, and we have to pursue that tradition. We didn't get married only because we liked each other. We got married to do the will of God, because we like God's will so much that we want to establish it as a long-lasting tradition for the future people who follow us. If the majority of Americans agree to that kind of narrow-mindedness, then this country will surely perish. America is composed of as many races as exist on Earth. But, if one race asserts itself and tries to claim that it is the only race, then this country will disintegrate very soon. That was a lesson this morning for me. This is the kind of thought which is an enemy to me, and I shall fight it. Now, do you think that Father's idea is right, or that particular parent's idea is right? (Father's!) Actually, the parents are trying to rule their own grown-up children. It was the idea of grown-up sons and daughters. If they decided to marry, then how can the parents go against that, especially with the will of God in mind? A boy or girl who is over 28 years old has enough sense to make such a decision. It is well beyond the parents' dominion.
No matter what kind of persecution you receive, you are right and they are wrong. If God sees this which He does-who would He like to leave on Earth? That majority, or this minority? I wouldn't even budge if all Americans opposed me because of this idea. In the first place, they have no qualifications to oppose me. They should never oppose us, not knowing what's behind us. I mentioned this as a source of confidence, not to go against anybody. You must be confident. This is what God wants, and this is what the world wants, this is what Master wants, and this is what all humanity wants, including the spiritual world.
We know we need to exercise the strongest leadership in this country-spiritual leadership. Do we have one spiritual leader in this country now, who is stronger than Reverend Moon? (No.) In fact, they should want to surround all this country with a net, in fear of losing Father. This is what they should feel, because they need him. Now, they are thinking about something completely opposite to that, which is not right. They try to chase him. But this should not deter us. Now, I'm more or less alone, with a few members, but I know that I am working for the history of this country. This idea and ideal are absolutely necessary to restore this country. Do you believe that? (Yes!) The man with this very strong ideal can never be seduced by hippies, and idle his time away In vain. We must have a dominating subject to lead the world with confidence. Anything that opposes this power-your direction-will perish.
With this in mind, when you do something because you like it, nothing can beat you. The place where these kind of good people live-that is Heaven on Earth. Since we are going to build Heaven ourselves, we should be the first ones to become that way. Let us start right here at this moment, from this point. Then the task will be to extend our members gradually. Up till now we have never had a really good man. Now the good men are those who live with these ideals and practice them. If one likes God, and God in turn likes him, then they embrace together. Will they just live for a few years? No. They will continue eternally. For thousands and millions of years, they will never be separated. Those who would really like to live in this fashion, please raise your hands.
