Los Angeles
Translator - Bo Hi Pak
There have been many religious organizations in history, and in today's world, but there are few which celebrate days like God's Day, Parents' Day and Children's Day. In the secular world there are days like Mother's Day and Father's Day, but the philosophy behind those days is entirely different from our reasons for celebrating the four heavenly holidays. Their reasons are horizontal or national in scope, but we have vertical reasons and historical significance behind what we do. We do not talk about tradition in a horizontal way, but centering upon God. We always put the word "True" in front of the names of these days, meaning that they are God-centered.
In considering the significance of these days we have to go all the way back before the fall and before the creation of Adam and Eve. Since the fall there has been no way for any man to celebrate True Parents' Day or Day of All Things because the true God centered parents, children and all things could only exist before the fall of man. Since the fall, nothing could be called "true" in the sight of God, and thus, these days could not be celebrated. That must wait until mankind is restored to Adam and Eve's position before the fall.
Where do all mankind stand then? Ever since the fall they have belonged to the satanic side and God could not claim them. As long as men remain on the satanic side, there is no one God can claim as being entirely His. The satanic world develops in the same sequence as the heavenly side, beginning with the individual, family, tribe, and so forth. All of these are interconnected and all together belong to one house of faith. Ever since the fall God's actions have centered on restoring lost mankind. He cannot force them to return to His side. How can God restore them all? God cannot claim lost mankind as His own until a certain condition has been fulfilled by which Satan cannot accuse them any more.
has led a self-centered, individualistic way of life. Satan's existence is based on the idea that everything exists for himself, and, therefore, he exploits the whole world for himself. Evil people are those who regard everything as existing for themselves. Satan lives a life of indulgence for his pleasure and he regards everything as prey to satisfy his mouth and stomach. Satanic love is sensual love for selfish pleasure. People who seek such love also want to exploit everything for their own sake, including freedom. Such people don't acknowledge that any moral imperatives or discipline bind them.
Does today's America reflect the heavenly side or satanic side? America's way of life today is incredible. Today's disco dancers are like people in a madhouse. Those who pursue God's way of life must deny this way of life, and turn around to go in an entirely different direction.
If a person wants to pursue the ideal man, family and nation, what way of life does he follow? It has to be entirely different from the satanic way of life. If the satanic quality is self-centeredness, the heavenly quality is public-mindedness. God is the center of that kind of personality because He is the most public-minded of all. If Satan is pursuing self-centeredness then God must be pursuing public-mindedness. In this kind of conflict the only way one camp will decline is when its members desert to the other side. Therefore, God's way of life in world restoration has called for people to live exactly opposite the way of the world. One thing religions have always had in common is the teaching of self-denial and unselfishness so the best of all religions always proclaims the most publicminded way of life.
If a husband and wife decide they should be public-minded, should the husband serve the world and also spend a lot of time with his wife? The wife should encourage her husband to serve humanity even if he has to sacrifice their relationship and neglect her totally. Do you women have the courage to tell your husbands that? Because of the Divine Principle you know the answer is yes, but before you knew the truth you would have said, "That's ridiculous." If you look back on your life you will see what a distance you have traveled toward the unselfish point of view since you joined the Unification Church.
That attitude applies to religions as well as individuals. In evaluating religions you must look for the one that is most public-minded. Some people believe in God because they think it will bring some blessing to their family, or perhaps their society or nation. Others might try to be God-centered because they want to serve humanity, or perhaps the universe and spirit world, but the religion which is most public-minded will be the one which God upholds and which will survive in the last days.
What about going one step further, and wanting to work not only for the salvation of mankind but the salvation of God? Would God be mad at such a person? God will be astonished by someone with such a big mind! This person would not want to liberate only God, but want to dwell in His heart all the time so God wouldn't be lonely. He would want to occupy God's love so he could stimulate and communicate with God. God would have to follow such a person because without him God would be very lonely. The nation, world and all the races of mankind would also follow that person because the entire world needs the love of God. Our goal in the Unification Church is the highest one-the liberation of God. Not only that, we want to be occupants of the love of God and spread it throughout the world.
Would you rather marry someone who is superior or inferior to yourself? Where did you get the idea you want someone superior to you? That quality comes from God. Would you want to love an ordinary, simple person, or if at all possible would you want the greatest person in all the universe? If you could, would you want to propose to the greatest possible person in the universe? Of course you would. God is the greatest of all, so it is the natural instinct of all men to want to possess Him and occupy His love. That's the Unification Church tradition. We are not necessarily handsome or beautiful, but we have the biggest and most noble minds in the world. We look for the very best.
If God were available to be proposed to, I know all American women would go to Him. Because it is so easy in this country to get rid of a husband you don't want, I know American women would be the first to reach God! In that race Oriental women are at a disadvantage because they are too shy and reserved. But Westerners are very straightforward; they see the goal and just go for it.
The problem is how God would react. Would He just embrace you immediately, or would He hold you off and ask, "Who are you and why did you come?" If you told Him you had come to monopolize His love, He would ask for whom you did that. When you replied it was for yourself, would God say that was a good answer? He would refuse to give you His love. Then He would shoot a question at you: "Did you ever think of occupying my love for the sake of your neighbor or the nation or world? Or for my sake?" If the answer came back, "I thought you existed for me," would that person pass or flunk? When that person returned home all discouraged, his whole family would be gone. Where could he go then? There is nowhere left for him to go except hell.
If you tell God you need His love for the sake of the world, what do you think He will do? He will say, "In spite of your deficiencies, your mind is so noble and pure that I love you." God works in that fashion. God is always the center of unselfishness and publicmindedness. Naturally He wants to be monopolized by sons and daughters who are public-minded. He wants to be prisoner of people who are as publicminded as He is in thinking of mankind.
If you move in that direction, what will your way of life be like? The basic pattern would be one of sacrifice. There can be two people working hard, one who is selfish and one who is public-minded. The selfish person doesn't want to sacrifice himself and if he gets hungry he will complain and want to stop. If he doesn't get time for lunch he will grumble. In the same situation the God-centered person thinks differently. If lunchtime comes and goes, he will hope that his lunch is being given to someone who needs it more. He will feel that if spirit world could spread the benefit of that lunch around the world then He doesn't need to eat lunch tomorrow or even next week. He is willing to suffer. Naturally that person will be hungry, but he will tell God, "If that lunch can serve someone who is hungrier, then thank you for the opportunity to serve in two ways."
Even though you are limited physically, your mind can still travel freely and be linked to the world and universe. How wonderful your life is when you can breathe the universe. A man who lives like that has no limit; he can communicate freely with the universe and even spirit world, just as though he could launch satellites to all those places. He is creating bridges with all kinds of objects in the universe.
Your mind has no limitation, so when you need God, there is a bridge He can cross over to you. You can call anyone and communicate with him. You can make yourself a dictionary or encyclopedia of love and know every aspect of love. When you own the unselfish love of God, you can go anywhere and embrace any circumstance-clockwork, mining, farming, anything. You feel at home everywhere.
At night you normally lie on a flat bed to rest, but when you realize that the definition of what is normal only depends on your attitude, you think that in order to love God it would be normal to sleep standing up. Then it feels natural. If God knows you are sleeping standing up, then when He goes to lie down to sleep would He remember and bring you inside to lie down also, or would He let you keep standing and just go to sleep? If God knew His child was standing up and loving God, He would go out to get him and put him in God's own bed. God would embrace him all night long.
If God has a long beard and in His sleep it spreads over the son's face, wouldn't tears run down that son's face at being near his Father? It's a very different, but dramatic and extraordinary life. For that man, what the world says about him is unimportant. Even if the world puts him in jail, he is still absolutely crazy about the love of God. Even if a village dog barks and bites him, it won't bother him. If the dogs belonging to all races of people bark, it wouldn't matter. Even if the owners start barking at him along with their dogs, it wouldn't matter. You may look miserable, but once you taste the love of God nothing can stop you. You hardly even recognize that the dogs are barking because you are intoxicated in God's love.
One person may travel to his destination and be greeted with applause and acclaim at every stop. Another may be greeted with ridicule and persecution instead, but who will be greeted with more sympathy when he arrives? If their father is waiting at the destination, he will listen most closely to the son who suffered on the way, for that person has earned his father's sympathy. That formula works not only in our society, but in God's way of life also.
I know how God acts, so in loving God and humanity I am not asking for an easy way. I ask for the worst tribulation, for a path which no one has ever walked before. I want to go where no one has been before. Did I choose this way because I was dumb? I see the destination ahead in the future and I know what will happen. Knowing that glory is waiting ahead, I volunteered for suffering that no one else could bear so that in the end I could be the victor.
I wear an invisible record of how much persecution I have received. The first line says I received the worst possible suffering from Korea; the next line says I received 100% persecution from Japan, the third line 100% from America, and the fourth line 100% from the communist world. The final line says I received 100% from Satan. Ultimately even God must acknowledge that I received the worst possible suffering. Is the person who received the worst suffering a miserable person in the end?
If under even those circumstances I do not give in, but move all the way to the end, then I will see God surrender to me. Behind Him Satan will be surrendering, then the communists and every nation on earth. Is it conceivable that any man could go that far? Maybe there is someone among you who regrets that he wasn't born fifty years ago so he could outdo me, but he is too late and now has lost his chance. Does anyone have the guts to challenge me that way?
If any religious person emerges with that unbending, persevering spirit, eventually the entire world has to come under him. Are you interested in knowing a man with that kind of boldness and conviction? Would you like to meet him when his fight is over and he is in glory, or would you want to fight with him on that same path? Would you women like to marry him? The wise woman would want to meet him at the end when he is being honored, wouldn't she? Would you want to suffer together with him? It's easy to say, but would you last long traveling with that man? It would be easier to cut your own nose or leg off and meet him at the other end.
Some of you were excited to see me for the first time, but now after one hour don't you feel uncomfortable? Or are you excited? Does your answer mean you are volunteering for incredible suffering? When you remember that you would have to sacrifice the only youth you will ever have, would your answer still be yes?
In Korean and in the original Jewish language "Jesus" is pronounced Ye-su, so when you say yes it sounds like you are saying "Jesus." Jesus was a man who died to fulfill his mission. He taught that whoever would gain his life would lose it, but he who would lose his life for Jesus' sake would live. What I am saying is very logical and you are inspired to say you will do it, but in reality it is very hard to live up to.
If you go to a famous doctor to cure your fatal disease, his treatment will usually not be easy to endure. But the patient who wants to swallow it has a chance to recover. He would be so willing to take it that he would even lick up any medicine that spilled on the floor. If you want to study under a man of great reputation, he will give you a hard time as his student and disciple. These situations are nothing in comparison with gaining the love of God. It is unique in the universe, so how can you expect to obtain it easily?
We are gathered to celebrate Children's Day, but what has that to do with my sermon this morning? It is not good enough just to listen to what I say. You have to live it. America is bigger than Korea, so is the white race superior to the yellow race? Did you ever think that you would follow a Korean leader someday? Are you following me or are you going to follow me? You see me here, but do you really know what direction my path is going? You are like children who have just started school, while I have graduated with experience that is like a Ph.D. Who should follow whom? You are the ones who should make the effort to understand this life and tradition.
Someone may have regrets and think that he should leave and come back in ten years because it will be easier then. If you are hearing me for the first time, do you feel shocked in your heart? If just listening gives you a shock, when I put you into action would you be knocked out or just go forward? Would you keep going? When you know what 1 have done, you know that the path we follow is truly a difficult one. Even I felt it was impossibly difficult to persevere at times, but the persecutions and accusations just spurred me on and I couldn't stop.
Am I a thief? I am the worst liar under the sun, am I not? Am I trying to exploit American young people? Many people portray me as a hypnotist who manipulates young people. I have an expensive suit on this morning, and a tie pin with a little diamond in the center. The tie is hand made. What about you? Maybe your underwear hasn't been washed for a week. You should know that I have had that experience also. I have graduated from that path myself.
Have you ever experienced being so dirty that lice infested your whole body? They hide in the seams of your clothing and suck your blood. It's very dramatic to rip open the seam of your trousers and see fifty lice hiding there. Looking back on those days I could write beautiful poetry about that. My life has been one of suffering and incredible action. Even when I see movies with dramatic action, I don't get excited because it is dull compared to what I have experienced. Sometimes Mother and I go to see a movie which someone has told us was very exciting, but in a few minutes I fall asleep. Mother might be getting excited, but I just snore through it.
I have graduated from everything you are doing now-I created fund raising, home church, and I have done dock labor, mining, farming and fishing. I worked in a prison camp. There is nothing about life that we must conform to, such as sleeping at a certain time or place. I can sleep very well sitting up, or in a plane or car.
I have barely finished the introduction to my sermon this morning! To get back to the mainstream, goal is a public-minded way of life. Our way of life has to be one of sacrifice. Jesus died once and was resurrected, but have you ever wondered what would have happened if Jesus died twice or three times? Have you ever asked Jesus in prayer why he settled for only one crucifixion and resurrection instead of dying many times until the Kingdom of Heaven was finished on earth?
Why didn't God give Jesus one hundred chances to die so the will of God could be done? That pattern would be too difficult for anyone else to follow. In planning how to restore mankind, God is always thinking how the path can be made easier so everyone can follow it. Normally God will pick one person to make extraordinary sacrifices, and then through him everyone can benefit. Why then have many people been willing to die for God? It is because they know God is willing to die for His own children. But no one wants to die for Satan.
If Adam and Eve had loved God enough to be willing to die for Him, would they ever have fallen? Our goal today is to prove to the world that we are better than Adam and Eve were before their fall. In order to meet God you must go beyond the cross, being willing to give your life for God. Then you will truly meet God. When Jesus was crucified did he say he was dying so he could go to heaven? No, he died for the sake of humanity and God.
Jesus died for the liberation of God and mankind, not his own salvation. If today's Christians are thinking people, should they believe in Jesus and God for their own salvation, or for mankind and the liberation of Jesus and God? Many prayers offered today by Christians are self-centered, full of requests for money and health and comfort. Compared to Jesus' tradition, these people have the mind of a thief or robber; they don't think at all about giving but only about taking.
There is no way for such people to avoid declining. If Jesus, knowing he had to die on the cross, had tried to get out of it, would he have been a messiah? Would he have been fulfilling his part of the mission courageously? He have been a betrayer of God, and when he eventually died it would have been a dishonorable death. If that had ever happened it would have been the greatest tragedy, for mankind would have had to pay the indemnity for it. There would have been no Christianity then.
The road of dispensation always involves going beyond death. Jesus truly proved he was a son of God because he willingly accepted the role of death honorably. He died in such a way that Satan had to surrender to him. Satan could make no accusation that Jesus did not deserve to be called a son of God. Satan had to bow down and say that Jesus loved God more than Satan could ever do. Jesus became a sacrifice on the altar like a lamb so that others could live.
Each culture has its own fables, and there is always at least one in which someone dies honorably so that others may live. Unless you give yourself for others you are not worthy in the sight of God; that is a fundamental heavenly principle. What should Unification Church life be like then? Jesus died, but a portion of his mission was left undone. In that case we must not only be willing to die for God, but we must fulfill the total mission.
The Unification Church started out humbly in Korea and now is a worldwide movement, but I never think I will be a world leader who will receive acclamation from people of many lands. I am already completely choked with the mission at hand. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. I have no room to think about how I will live in the future. The only one who can guarantee my life tomorrow is God-not me, nor you, nor America nor Korea. Honestly speaking, I do not rely too much on you. Every day is a full one for me, and it takes a desperate effort to meet the requirements of that one day. Where does the path lead after that? You will live in the Unification Church the same way I do today.
When I look at a world map I see Korea, where the movement started, and then looking at the rest of the globe I wonder where I might possibly make a mistake or fail. I feel there is no piece of land where I have stood that I have failed. I cannot permit that ever to happen. If there is possibly such a place, I would rather go there and overcome that potentiality before it ever happens.
Even though I am only one small man, I will fight any unjust actions by America, and fight against communism, the enemy of God. Would that be such an easy task that I could enjoy sleep and good food? It is a life-or-death struggle every moment of the day. This task involves pain in heart and body and it all comes together in one person.
I cannot pray to God without tears. I tell God, "My Father, there is no one in the world who is more alone and misunderstood than You and me. I know Your pain." God is even more pained because He cannot give me comfort. Instead, God must add more to my task, making my road more and more difficult. I know God has to do it because He needs some person who can bear the burden willingly and be triumphant. Knowing that I will always go, God is adding more pressure. I never thought that if I could just go on for several more years that one day I could enjoy married life and happiness.
I knew that for the dispensation I would marry, and I asked to be given any woman who could understand my mission and would support me. God answered by giving me our wonderful Mother. When she was pregnant, I never prayed for wonderful children. I always said that if I had done anything wrong in God's sight that I deserved a child who would bring me pain and tribulation. Then in one child after another I see how God responded to me. And amazingly enough, each child is better than the ones before him. Because each one is more brilliant, I want to have more and more children.
We now have eleven children, plus fourteen staff members living at East Garden, so the main house is not big enough. We are planning a new building to be a garage plus more living space. The township gave approval to our blueprints and now construction is under way.
I know very well what kind of suffering you have gone through and how much struggle I am bringing you. Why do I let you go that path? Remember how a parent sees his children. If there is one child who volunteers to suffer to serve the parents, they will want to give most of what they have to that one child. If each child has his own savings but one in particular has carefully saved the most, the parents will select that child to manage the household later on.
The Unification Church is working in the same fashion. Each of you has a savings account of suffering and service and sacrificial duty. In the end, whoever has accumulated the most will be instructed by me to manage the entire kingdom. God works precisely the same way. I made it a rule that I would never spend money for myself. Whatever nice clothes I have always came from someone as a gift. If members ask me to come to a men's store to be measured for a suit, I refuse. But then they buy me one anyway! That has happened in Japan, Korea, Europe and America. There are many clothes prepared for me in each country.
Why do people think that way? Because they know I am absolutely pursuing the public-minded way of life and they want to do something for me, making a gift to the higher goal. Is that right or wrong? Even ordinary people who are not members would say that is correct. Each person should pursue that public, sacrificial life. The ultimate goal is the love of God.
When most of the people cannot love God, I want to love Him, and the best place to love God is the place of incredible suffering. Usually people in difficulty will curse God, but it is in suffering that you can best demonstrate your love for God. When you look around and see whom you should surpass, it is not enough to want to beat the American youth or even Korean youth. You should want to be better than Christians and any people of faith.
What is God's will all about? His concern is the salvation of the world and salvation of the spirit world, and by doing it we can liberate God. What a dramatic and noble goal that is. Is this task easy or difficult? How difficult? Proof of how difficult it is can be seen in the fact that Almighty God has been laboring for thousands of years and still it has not been accomplished.
Why has God not been able to fulfill it? Because in all history He has not found His champion who could carry the challenge through to the end. Many people were willing to take up the task, but no one was able to finish it through the incredible difficulties they faced. God has been looking all over the world, all through history for that champion. Finally God has found one candidate-Reverend Moon and the Unification Church.
The most important characteristic God needs to find in a champion is trustworthiness. Anyone likes to be welcomed and applauded, but as soon as persecution and difficult times come most people fold up. If a champion takes up God's cause and fights hard with Satan, and then comes to God asking for comfort but God kicks him out with chastising words, what would happen to that champion? If a child is hit by a bigger child and he runs home crying to his mother, he is looking for comfort from her. Initially the mother might spank the child instead of comforting him, but if the child persists, tagging after her in tears, eventually she will embrace him. No matter how he is chastised, the child will never give up his mother. Ultimately he will win her heart.
Do you love me? You say you love me, and then I tell you to go out and work hard, and in doing so you receive persecution. When you are tired and weary you come to me looking for comfort and warmth, but then I push you out again. When you go back out you are hit again. Maybe you are gotten up at four in the morning and sent out without breakfast or a bath. Even if you say you love me, inside you feel a certain antagonism and wonder what kind of parental love this is! Your lip will be sticking out and your eyes will glare. Then you are making a showdown with me instead of with the satanic world. Then I am your problem instead of Satan.
When you are hit by the world you come to me to receive love and comfort, not to give me love. I know you are hit by the world, but actually I am bearing a much greater burden than you are and am persecuted many times more than you are. On the MFT you start out with a team cheer in the morning and go out fresh, but by evening you are tired and limping, and you hope your leader will give you comforting words and say you have done well. But if no one does that, how will you feel? Maybe your captain will say, "Is that all you did? Why couldn't you make your goal?" Instead of smiling, you complain inside about what kind of leader this is.
This is a very deep point to understand. You must win two battles with Satan-one is the external battle with the world, and the other is inside, with your leaders and me. You should come back with added vitality, in a situation to comfort your leader or your Parents. You should demonstrate more energy and vitality than your leader or me. That's the way you can inherit the Kingdom.
Doris Orme is sitting here in the front row. She is a very strong, stubborn woman who doesn't tolerate anything which she disagrees with. There are many in the English family who have a grudge against her, even though they won't say anything against her. There is one way for her to survive, however; if she loves God and True Parents more than anyone and suffers more and works harder than anyone else, then no one can complain. If she is not doing so, but some follower is shedding more tears and working harder yet saying nothing, this person will gradually take her blessing and authority away. Then the English family will be drawn more and more to that person and the blessing will be shifted to him.
Whether you are a newcomer or oldtimer in the Unification Church doesn't make any difference. Everyone is your competitor and can potentially take your position and God's blessing from you unless you keep it intact. If anyone received unwarranted mistreatment yet perseveres and does even better, within three years new responsibility and leadership will be shifted to that person. Parents are not people who command their children, but people who will demonstrate a good example. Good leaders will set an example, not just give commands to their followers.
Suppose you think you have a tough, coldhearted Abel, but feel that even under him you can persevere and demonstrate your fidelity and love for him. You will be the winner eventually. The tougher the leaders you have, the higher the grade you can get. That is your best chance to gain. Your pattern of growth should be one of needing every ounce of energy to get over one hurdle, then taking care of an easier task, then having to gather all your will and energy again to cross another obstacle, then reaching another plateau, then crossing over an even higher barrier.
How great is the racial problem in this country? It is very big. When I see the profile of some black people, their mouths stick out as though they were always angry. I think that they must have had so few good days that it is now second nature for them to have that kind of appearance. Black people can find heaven in the Unification Church through a new way of life in which we love white people instead of hating them. The law of indemnity says that you must love them three times as much as you have hated them. What kind of path is that? If you are a beauty queen among blacks, you can demonstrate love of white people by marrying a feeble, miserable white husband and serving him like a king.
If you, as a white person, have hated blacks, you must love them three times as much. Unlike blacks, a white woman may have a mouth that pulls in. Your nose and chin may stick out, but your mouth is pulled in. That kind of white woman can demonstrate her love by marrying an incredibly ugly black man and loving him three times as much as she had neglected black people in the past. How would you women like that? Your faces are showing a very funny reaction!
In the end, God will call all His sons and daughters to Him and there will be a ceremony of confirmation for you to go through. In that final situation how can you prove you are God's sons and daughters? You have to do the opposite of what Adam did in the garden of Eden. First, he distrusted God. Second, he gave his physical body away. Third, Adam gave his love away.
How can you prove you have absolute faith? You will heed the good words coming from God's mouth and ignore Satan's words. When God tells you not to commit a particular act, you must trust Him and obey absolutely. That means you could go beyond your life if necessary. Adam gave his physical body, character and personality to Satan. You have to change your personality, being God-centered where Adam was Satan-centered. Because Adam could not love God most, you cannot love anyone else more than God. These are the three criteria to meet to prove we love God: absolute faith and obedience, absolute action, and absolute sacrificial love.
In the Old Testament era these tests were met symbolically, through faith. In the New Testament era they were passed through physical action, which included martyrdom. In the Completed Testament era they must be passed through love and heart. In the last days the Unification Church should be able to demonstrate three absolute criteria: First, absolute faith. Second, demonstrating the way of life of God by confronting the satanic world in action. Ultimately we demonstrate love of the universe and mankind.
If you want to be a child of God you have to have absolute faith, so the Divine Principle talks about making a foundation of faith. Nothing else should be able to shake your faith. In the Old Testament, offerings were made to show faith, while in the New Testament era Christians gave their own bodies as sacrifices. In the Completed Testament era we give wholehearted love. You must become a person who is immersed in these three powerful characteristics. Unification Church members should possess absolute faith, plus a plan of action for subjugating Satan, and you must have complete love of mankind as your motivation. God Himself is the subject of such a man. Where can we find an example of this? God has been an example of all three things. God possesses infinite faith, and He is always there in action to subjugate Satan. God always loves mankind more than they love Him.
Dennis and Doris Orme are here together. They are the leaders of the British church, and they are in a position to sacrifice for the sake of Great Britain. In order to show their love of England and be a sacrifice on the altar of God, they must sacrifice themselves before asking the British members to do so. If they are willing to do that then the members will become one with them.
I recently sent Reverend Won Pil Kim to lead the European crusade, and his quality of leadership is entirely different from the Ormes'. Reverend Kim used the correct method, which is that of serving, coming underneath and supporting the members. When I assigned Reverend Kim to England I instructed him to study how he could be the most serving Abel to the British and European families. l told him to live in their circumstances, sleep with them, eat with them, and shed tears and sweat together.
The Ormes cannot change leaders at random. You have to pray, discuss, plan and recommend to me, and then when I give the blessing, go ahead. Not only in England, but all the European leaders are leading in a way that is not really heavenly. That's why I sent Reverend Kim to set the tradition in Europe.
Young members are like new babies. A baby is helpless, so how can you burden him? You have to love the new members, care for them, give them milk, change their diapers and bring them up to become parents themselves. When they ask for responsibility, then slowly give it to them. The process of leadership is always one of education. First you educate members and then give them responsibility. This is my pattern. From this time on, when new members come in they must have seventy days of workshop within six months: 2-day, 7-day, 21-day, and 40-day. That is the education process any new member is entitled to. That kind of training will help form strong people who can walk and work like God's champions. If workshops are not available then leaders should bring new members around with them and give them on-the job training. I have walked that very same path.
I always demonstrate the three major characteristics: absolute faith, absolute action in subjugating Satan, and absolute love for mankind. I have loved the members in the Cain position more than my own children and wife. You must become crazy about Cain, and in the process sacrifice your own family. That is proper. After doing that then you can come back to love your own children and wife. Even now at East Garden it is rare for Mother and me to eat together with all the children because most of the time I am meeting with the Church leaders at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Even now I still live that way of life.
At East Garden I seldom give direction to the individual staff members, but they still know I am in charge. Even though I don't deal with them personally, they feel a certain respect and humility when they see me. In a way they are afraid of me because I don't speak to them! They sense something of authority and dignity in me.
To be a leader is certainly not easy. Even in the satanic world it is difficult to be a leader; how much more so it is in the heavenly world. I am still in the process of educating Mother, telling her what she and what she should accomplish. Even though we have a loving relationship as husband and wife, still we discuss heavenly principle and law with seriousness.
As my children mature and think about my past and my mission, they will truly come to love and understand me. Even after I go to spirit world, the remaining leaders and 36 couples will love them as much as I loved those people, or even more. That is the best inheritance I could leave them. That is how I am opening the door for all mankind and all history to love them.
You must remember the three qualities: absolute faith, absolute responsible action in subjugating Satan, and absolute love of humanity. This is the way of Principle life in the Unification Church. Recently in New York I said that we are creating a new race-the love race-in which all five colors of skin come together as brothers and sisters. The tradition is centered upon this teaching.
Wherever you go, in whichever center you joined, there is always a Cain and Abel struggle. There is no place without it. When someone is loving and caring about you, you don't have to worry about them, but there will always be someone trying to disturb and hate you. That person is your target, but instead of fighting back you must melt him with love and win him. That's your duty. If you are successful in subjugating your own Cain with love then you are already reaching the pinnacle of the mountain. Sometimes you may find that your own leader is the worst Cain. He may despise you and give you a hard time, but still there is a way to melt his heart; there is nothing impossible or hopeless. You will not win with your fists or confrontation, but by love.
Encircle your opponent-in this case your Cain-with a net of love and then wrap him up. Once a bug is caught in the spider's web, the spider dashes over and wraps him up completely. When you are wrapped up in a net of love you don't resist it; you love it! Because the chains that bind you are of love, you enjoy being a prisoner. Once you resolve a difficult relationship, that person will come to you for help whenever he has difficulty. Your worst enemy can become your best friend.
I have practiced all these qualities. No one has ever had faith as firm as mine. and I have loved mankind more than anyone else. That is the highest standard, so that example can be applied anywhere in the universe. All humanity have to hear and live this standard and teaching. The spirit world is already on my side. Sometimes you are weak and have doubts and are on the verge of leaving, but then your ancestors will be mobilized to warn you to stay.
I am just one individual, but I am universal. At the same time I am the world's greatest riddle. Many people think I have millions of dollars, and I do supervise much money, but my pocket is always empty. What kind of rich man is that? My pockets are always empty and my checks are overdrawn. As our movement gets bigger, my burdens get heavier and I worry 24 hours a day. All the problems of the Church come to me for solution, while the leaders enjoy the good situations. I forgive them because they do not know, but it shouldn't be that way. They should solve the difficulty and bring the glory to the True Parents.
There is so much restitution to be made- individual, family, tribe, nation, world, universe- that if you tried to pay it all back step by step you would never make it because you wouldn't live long enough. But I have paid it all. I am a triumphant victor, and now I am ready to give you that inheritance. This is my position. I worked my whole life to win that historical battle, but now you can win it in seven years. It took me sixty years to pay the debt of history, but now you can get it free after making seven years' condition.
What is Children's Day? It centers around God's own children. In order to be God's true child you must be superior to all the qualities demonstrated by people throughout history-better than Adam and Eve, better than any saint or historical person, better than Jesus. Are you better than Jesus? How can you become so? We are better in the sense that Jesus was all alone, and even his own family would not cooperate with him. But you have brothers and sisters on all six continents of the world, of all colors of skin. You are never alone.
We have our own family wherever we go on earth, and we have a church and organization that Jesus did not have. We are given the opportunity to fulfill completely God's mission within our lifetime, which Jesus left undone at his death. Are you like Judas, in a position to betray me? Every day you prove you are not like Judas. When Judas became greedy he sold his own master for thirty pieces of silver. But every day you receive many dollars which you give entirely to the Church without hesitation, leaving yourself with hardly a penny. Could such men and women sell me for money? No matter how difficult it may be to do what I say, even when you are not given any explanation you keep trying to the end.
Jesus' followers remained celibate. Also, at that time they were concerned mostly with the nation of Israel. Today we don't talk about Korea or even America, but about the world and even the universe. Furthermore, you have the possibility of marrying someone from any of five races. Not only that, you can marry someone who is in spirit world. There is a grandmother here who is blessed with a spirit man. Have you ever heard of that?
You don't eat only Western food, but rice, kimchi and hot sauce. We don't worry about housing because we can build a house overnight, anywhere. In other words, we have no limitations to bind us. We can find a home anywhere, and go seven days without food. Each member learns the discipline of a seven-day fast. Furthermore, in your area you have 360 homes to live in. That is your home, clan and tribe. When you move into your home church area, God moves in with you, and Jesus dwells there with you, as well as the spirit world. The 360 homes represent all races, 360 nations, and 360 of your closest ancestors. Thus, you have the entire world and spirit world open to you without any boundaries.
Did Jesus have a master or teacher to guide him? Do you? You have a teacher who can instruct you precisely in God's ideology. You are learning exactly what Jesus was unable to do, precisely how God has been leading the dispensation. Is your ideology bigger than Jesus? Your goal is the liberation of God, and the liberation of the physical and spiritual worlds. Furthermore, though you come from the sinful world, you have hope to bear sinless children. How could any man harbor the hope you have? Are you like Mary then, who gave birth to a sinless child?
Did Jesus have married life? But you marry in the name of God and flue Parents. Did Jesus have True Parents? He was to become the True Parent himself. When you think of your position compared to 2,000 years ago, how much more potential you have today. Our goal is to work to make all mankind happy. How can we do that? By multiplying Unification Church members. If one person becomes two, then four, and multiplies more and more then ultimately he can free the entire world.
If God had a treasure chest, wouldn't He want to open it now? This is the right time. Wherever I go, a treasure chest is waiting to be opened. God will bless me abundantly with material things because He knows that building His kingdom requires money. If I have money, who would follow me most closely? I think that the people who like money the most are the politicians. Knowing that I have money they would pay attention to me. Businessmen will follow me to profit from me.
I can do everything well. I have built a top-class factory. I can see into the future twenty years and I prepare for that time now. I can see where the world will be in twenty years so I am planning for that time. Other people may work very hard, but without knowing the future they end up nowhere. I will be at the goal already. Don't you want to inherit that capability?
Some day I will go to spirit world, but I will not take any of what the Unification Church has and you will inherit it. Who wants to inherit the kingdom? Do you want to smile and receive it, or cry and receive it? If you receive it in an easy way without being qualified then the people who shed tears will accuse you. If the people who only shed tears receive it, the people who had to die will accuse you. There are many Unification Church members already in spirit world. This is why Jesus said, "He who would gain his life will lose it, but he who would lose his life will find it." In order to receive that inheritance we have to dare to go the path of death without fear.
To receive such an inheritance you must become a man of absolute faith. Can you do it? Would you believe me if I told you not to trust any man? If I told you not to date, would you do it? If you were told not to keep associating with your old lovers, what would you say? To attain citizenship in the heavenly kingdom you must be able to follow an incredible path, even if it means giving up your nationality to attain the heavenly one.
The very moment you have absolute faith, everything that belongs to you belongs to God. You must be ready to take positive action to subjugate Satan. In that case, if I told you to go to Africa you could do it immediately. You are ready for action. Even if you have to give up your own wife and children to follow, your answer must be yes. I myself obeyed that very commandment from God.
In order to deserve to celebrate Children's Day today you have to be restored to the stage of Adam and Eve before the fall. To do that you must have absolute faith, absolute action and absolute love.
When you have that kind of absolute attitude toward the satanic world and Satan sees your absolute faith, absolute action and absolute love, he will have to confess that indeed you are a son of God. When Satan can endorse you as a child of God, at that moment God will say, "Indeed you are my child. Amen." Can you do it?
Some people have been on the MFT three years, and perhaps they are groaning that they can't take Unification Church life any more. People may be concerned about taking care of their own education or their family. Everyone has excuses to make if they are inclined to, but if they do then no one can truly come to that position. To celebrate Children's Day you have to become fulfilled sons and daughters of God, not fallen or imperfect children, but perfected children. Then you can truly celebrate.
You must follow the tradition of Jesus, who gave his life willingly out of love for humanity and God. My tradition is to give everything for God's sake; I have nothing to spare for the sake of the dispensation. That has to be our tradition. You must feel that I am your competitor, that you will believe more, work harder and love more than I do. Will I resent you for challenging me? Not at all. Any parent wants his children to be better than himself, and then that family will prosper.
After the Washington Monument Rally I declared that our next target is Moscow. We are moving seriously toward that target now. If that day does not come in my lifetime, then through you and my children that day should come. To have that victorious day come you should be able to bear burdens even more difficult than the free world can give, such as trials and hardships imposed by communism. If the Unification Church shies away from this responsibility for the communist world, it will decline. If I had declared victory and glory in Korea, then it would only be a Korean victory, not a worldwide one. I am not contented by a victory in Korea, but told the leaders that our goal is not just Korea but all of Asia. As much as they love their country they should love Asia and give their lives for the mission.
If only Asia came to be influenced by this teaching then it would only be an Asiatic religion, not a worldwide one. Then I would say that the goal is world salvation and we must give our lives to bring world salvation. In that case who shall suffer most? The Koreans who started first and suffered most still must suffer more in the wider dispensation. Victory in the free world would not be enough either. I must go on to the communist world, so that the Moscow rally shall become reality, no matter how difficult.
When I see how much more work remains before us and I see how some European leaders want to settle down and have their own homes, I think they must be out of their minds. I look at the American leaders the same way. If they could be called the true leaders of the Unification Church, then there is no hope for the future of the Unification Church. As soon as the free world welcomes our movement they may want to settle down and relax, but that will be the end of the Unification Church. Instead we have a further goal to meet and must give even more vitality to accomplish it.
If we have a victory over communism in Red Square in Moscow then would you say, "Hallelujah. Our job is over"? Not at all. Then we will move on to liberate the spirit world. Ultimately we must go even further and liberate hell. When the job is done on earth then we must communicate with spirit world to do the job there. Finally we must liberate God Himself.
I see how far I have come, and I see there is much farther to go, yet I never feel tired or as though I have finished. Recently I returned to Korea, and the leaders were afraid of what I would ask them to do. They have their families and occupations and they didn't want to be disturbed. I asked some of them to become worldwide itinerant workers to visit members around the world and give them encouragement and vitality. They didn't volunteer at all, but tried to say they were too old. Some of them wanted to be assigned to factory administration, with a nice salary to take care of their family.
There is much further to go. God wants you to live the tradition of Children's Day. It started in Korea, spread through Asia, now America and all of the free world. Then it will go to the communist world, then liberate the spirit world and liberate God Himself. That work has not been completed yet. If we are not willing to do this task then who will take it up? Would you want to leave this task to your children and grandchildren?
Your great privilege today is to live at the same time 1 do, breathing the same air and hearing the word of God from me directly. This is the most incredible blessing because you can be recharged immediately with power. This time in history will never be repeated again in all eternity. When you know this, how can you get tired and feel old? Does the spirit world get tired, or does God get tired? Who shall be responsible for this task? I asked God to let me take up the responsibility. That's how I feel right now and how I act right now.
Lots of money is needed right now, plus many people to do the job. Therefore, I am commanding the CARP movement throughout the country. In tears you must go that path. Look at American youth today, how corrupted by drugs and immorality they are. They are the living dead and we must resurrect them. Many of you were like that but God resurrected you, not for your own sake but so you could resurrect others. It is your responsibility to save your contemporaries and your families. I know God and His anguished situation, His tears and sweat, so I cannot go a mediocre way. I must go all the way, without compromise. It is only justice that we proclaim a war and fight with all our heart and soul and might.
World War 11 ended thirty-five years ago. The years just after that war were the best years for America because it had spirit, vitality, patriotism and courage. Christianity was still alive in those days. The 25-year-olds of those years are now in their sixties, but in the next five to eight years those people who won the war will vanish. Now is their best time; they are mature enough to exercise financial power and influence over the country. There are many among them who are willing to sacrifice what they have for America's salvation.
are crucial ones, and we must create a movement that will turn the nation and awaken it to realize this great era. I am not an American; what does this Korean have to do with the American people? If it weren't for God I would have no reason to come here. Why should I work hard and spend money and endure criticism here? It is only because of God. I cannot let this nation go. God told me clearly that without this ideology and movement there is no way America can survive. Therefore, to rescue this nation I have to give everything possible.
How many of you are seeing me for the first time? Why did you become Moonies? You are not here to make your cubbyhole in heaven. If you are truly a Unification Church member you have learned today that even if you must become a sacrifice you should want to let America live. When you see injustice and corruption outside, you must feel you are responsible, and though you cannot change it at this moment, some day you will come back to fix it. You think, "Father, give me time and I will change it around."
Look at me. I was born in a humble village in the Korean mountains. No one recognized me, but living this conviction has thrust me onto the world stage, and thousands of people of all races now want to invest their lives for this cause. There is no such thing as saving face for me; I would do anything to save this country. You should think more about America's dignity than your own. America is losing heart and its dignity around the world has been shattered. Look at the situation in Iran and what the Carter Administration is doing.
We must be bold and strong and burning with justice and fire. There is no such thing as waiting two more years to be ready; you must be ready now and go. That's the kind of spirit I am planting in the CARP movement in this country. They are action people, showing up everywhere in the nation, working, fighting, crying and praying together.
The task before you is this: you have met me, who brought this ideology and challenge. You can go one of two ways-you can be a betrayer or a coworker. An answer is easy, but action is difficult. Unto our lives we must go on with this task.
When I came to America I was utterly serious about putting my life on the front line. That is the only way my conscience can be clear before God. If you have met me for the first time, God bless you. Wherever you go and tackle the mission, do not forget this message. Inherit my tradition by taking up the task with life-giving seriousness like mine. Feel anguished because I was mistreated. But more than you and I have been mistreated, God has been mistreated. You have been angry at many things, but you should be so angry that you will never let this world go on mistreating God and the True Parents any more.
CARP members know how corrupted American campuses are, and how vulnerable they are to the communists. I am now touching the American campuses. In Japan I touched the campuses and chased out the communist forces. Corruption is our worst enemy and we will clean it up.
Those who feel today, "Father, I understand my mission, and in order to tackle it I will give my life in your tradition and fight to the last to win the victory," raise your hands.
Thank you. God bless you.
