Belvedere
Translator - Sang Kil Han
The ordinary secular person has only a vague idea of where he is going in his life. Religious people, on the other hand, have an understanding that eventually they will return to God. They know that since God exists, surely Satan must also exist in conflict with God; they know that mankind is caught in between. Even vaguely, religious people know that those who believe in God come under the control and influence of Him and those who don't come under the control of Satan.
Because of the fall of man, people have not had a clear understanding of their situation. Without knowing clearly where they were going, mankind has been constantly searching for the better, the truer direction, always under the satanic dominion. The first ancestors-that small number of people-made an error and then all their descendants have had to go the inevitable course.
The ultimate wish of mankind has been to get out of the satanic domain. Throughout this desperate struggle, the number of human beings has been increasing; all these people have been searching for a way to get out of the satanic dominion and return to God. On the other hand, Satan has tried his best to keep these multitudes on his side and prevent them from returning to God's side.
When people speak different languages, their culture and customs are also different. Mankind has been divided into different races, languages and dialects. What is the cause of the division of language which has always prevented people from uniting? Because of different languages, misunderstandings occur and breakdown in communication is common.
Perhaps it started like this: the elder brother said something like, "gohan,' then the younger brother said, "food," in order to rebel and be different. Perhaps the elder brother wore a certain type of clothing and the younger brother wanted to wear something that looked different. Perhaps he just cut off the sleeves so that his shirt had a different shape.
The elder brother may have been following the parents in the right way, while the younger brother wanted to go a different way in order to disagree and show his antagonism. As their circumstances and environment changed, their way of life changed and their languages changed even more. However, God's goal and His desire has always been for unity, harmony and peace. Therefore, God certainly would not have wanted to see people speaking different languages and becoming divided.
We can imagine the family of Adam and Eve, the father and mother, and Cain and Abel, the two brothers. These four became enemies of one another; they were in serious disharmony and disagreement. From the very beginning there were two streams forming the future of the world culture: One was on God's side and the other was that of the satanic side. Now we know the terms from Principle and say that the first stream represents the Abel trend and the other the Cain way. These two trends began because of disharmony and fighting between Cain and Abel.
We can also see the division between the internal aspect of man, the mind, and the external aspect, the body. The internal life has been aligned more closely with God's way, while the external life has been closer to Satan. We can clearly see that if the ancestors of mankind had not fallen, then people would not be divided. Wherever a man's mind went, his body would have followed that direction, without conflict.
But because of the fall, division between mind and body came about, just as division between the brothers came about. Where the mind went, the body refused to follow; where one brother went, the other refused to follow. In this manner, the rift has grown as the years have gone by. As the years passed and more people multiplied, much more division came about. Now the world has come to the point of division between two major sides, one being the democratic side, which is basically theistic, representing God, and the other being the materialistic, atheistic side, representing Satan.
People of the world can see this great division, even though they do not realize how this division came about- from where, the cause and process of this divided world. All they know is that we are living in a very divided world. We can see clearly that, because of this division on the world level-one advocating theism and the other atheism-we are getting near the end of history, the time when the fruit of what was sown is about to appear.
American civilization is based on man, not on God; it is a humanistic culture. When this country was begun two hundred years ago, it was founded on belief in God. But, as the years went by, this country became more and more humanistic, rather than God-centered, more and more secular, rather than religious. Americans have come to worship material wealth more and more. Now the American family has been breaking up so much that all meaningful unity in society has been broken. Everything in this society has become corrupted, particularly the young people. Nobody has been able to resolve this problem. The power of the American government and the military cannot solve the problem; neither can economic power or technology. None of these can liberate this country.
Even though this country was started with a clear direction, it went the other way. There were the two streams- one was that of God, and America clearly stood within that stream and was meant to remain within it. But today we find that it has not followed God. Now confusion has arisen in all areas; every structure is on the verge of collapse. There is no mending now. The great culture of this country has been constantly chased around by Satan. It has become so vulnerable now that it is under constant threat of communism. If America had adhered to God's direction, it certainly would have been in good shape and strong, never having to worry so much about communism.
Now many American people have even come to the point where they believe that God is dead. As a result, they have found themselves living like a person without a mind. Only their body is important so they think only in materialistic, humanistic terms. The idea of God has very little meaning in their lives.
God really had to face an emergency situation in this country. Thus He sent the Unification Church for the purpose of redirecting not only the religiously-oriented people, but also to re-channel the external way of life back into that of God's stream. This is the mission given to the unification Church.
In this society there are all kinds of disharmony and conflict on every level. There are different social groups, different churches, even, and they come against each other. There is conflict and fighting in the family, the churches, society; it is everywhere. How do we resolve this problem? Society is powerless because of the division in all areas. Where once there may have been potential, now America finds no resources, no way to resolve this.
The question and problem is how to get away from satanic fetters and eliminate the satanic elements in man's life. This is today's problem. Who can eliminate the satanic elements? In every age, God is the one to resolve this, but He cannot do it by Himself Because human beings fell, they must also recover. God waited many, many years until man did the proper things to be restored. God extended the dispensation over and over to get to this point now.
Because of the fall, man is living in the hell which he himself caused. It is hell because it is not the world which God can dominate. Since the whole universe is governed by universal law, likewise the life of man is governed by Principle, Divine Principle. Since man does not live according to the Principle, there is a deep discrepancy between the standard God sets and where human beings are. The only way to get out of that discrepancy is for God to find some condition, however small, by which He can move fallen man, the people in hell, into a better place.
How can we bring ourselves out of hell on earth and move to where God's dominion is? Obviously, the first thing we must do in tackling this problem is to find the very cause- how man came to be this way.
In any jail, you can find two types of people. One type of inmate is rather conscientious; he will be remorseful and reflective, constantly trying to understand his situation: "Why am I here? When I met that person, what made me listen to him? That was the first step in the wrong direction and it eventually led me to this point" Such a person honestly tries to understand why he is in prison. The other type of inmate, by contrast, is the one who thinks, "If I just hadn't made any mistakes, it would have been the perfect crime. When I get out, I will do it better, but I won't get caught again" All he wants is to get away with what he does Those are the two basic types of people.
We find ourselves in the same situation as those jail inmates. In the fallen world today, we live in a son of extended jail. We are not really free because of our satanic fetters-although we want to do good things, we often cannot. Satan is constantly compelling us to commit actions we don't want to do. Man is in agony, saying, "How can I get out of this hell? Why did I come here in the first place?" Some people think, "I have done something which was wrong,' and in this way they constantly try to find the solution. Some people, on the other hand, never give a thought to such things and just go on, day after day, committing more and more sin, more and more crime. That is why the comparison between the people in jail and others in the fallen world is accurate.
The idea never occurs to most people unless they are very religious that they have committed any crime or sin. They do not see either themselves or their ancestors as having any guilt. They are content to pursue illegal pleasures and happiness. Members of the Unification Church are constantly aware of the reason we are living in hell o' earth; that cause is the fall of our human ancestors. We know that each of us is also a descendant of the fallen generations, so we repent and we want to constantly get away from that. At least we are aware that our ancestors have sinned and therefore we have to make it good. Is that what we do? We are probably the only group who thinks this way in the world.
Man's prison began on the individual level; then it became the family prison and then the tribal prison and so on, until now we are living in the world-level prison. Wherever you go, you find the same condition, even on the cosmic level; spirit world is no exception. People there are in hell because they lived hellishly on earth. Then how do we get out of here? Of course, we want to simply jump out of this condition but there is no way to do that.
We cannot just get out of here, even though it may seem simple. We are a part of the great, big world. So what we must do now is go back to the individual level where the' human ancestors fell, be restored and then go out again tot the world and restore it. Then we will be free. We cannot simply jump out; rather, we must go back to the origin and go through the other way.
Now we find ourselves with the burden of sin, not only ° the individual level, but all the way up to the cosmic level, just as if we committed it ourselves, because we are taking all the responsibility. Ever since man fell, people have kept on committing crime and sin; not one time have they paid back, or indemnified, that sin.
The responsibility for all sorts of crime and sin is being borne by everyone on earth and they do not even know it. For instance, the early settlers who came here from Europe and other parts of the world three or four hundred years ago killed many Indians. In fact, they nearly annihilated the Indians in the process of founding this country. Now the country is very prosperous, at least materially. Who should be responsible for those past killings? Clearly, those who are living on the land of America-every one of them- have to bear that responsibility.
Furthermore, who should take the responsibility for that great wrongdoing after World War II, when America had the mission of bringing the whole world to God's side but failed to do it? Many countries were lost, instead, to communism. Now America itself is going the direction which is contrary to God. This is today's situation, and it is something we have to think seriously about.
Somebody has to take that responsibility now and we are the ones-we must pay the indemnity and make good. That is what we are doing now. Americans may say, "Maybe those people in the past did wrong, but I am not responsible for that. Somebody else should be responsible" But God does not agree with that. We know that all things work very clearly according to the law of cause and effect. Through that we can see why American youth are becoming victims to the plague of drugs. Drugs are really the most miserable and evil things. Why, of all the advanced countries, must America suffer from that?
We can look back to the time when the white, AngloSaxon people dumped so much opium into China in order to weaken their people and eventually take over that country. The white people are suffering the effects now. They must pay for what they have done to others. This is the negative reward-the punishment-that they have to take for what they did earlier.
We can see clearly that if we commit some mistake or sin, the only way to get back to the original state is to pay back or indemnify that crime. What we have done is done and there is no way to erase that, but there is a way to restore or pay back that debt. The earlier we do that, the better. For instance, the way for America to be forgiven for what the Anglo-Saxons did to Orientals in the past, including the Indians, is for the Asians to come to America and say, "We forgive you" It is they who have to say that, not the ones who committed the crimes themselves. Those who have been the victims must come and say, "You are forgiven."
Reverend Moon has come from the Orient and has worked so hard here in America to find a valid way to plead to God, "Because of what I have done and these conditions, please forgive this country" Reverend Moon is working hard to discover the means through which this country can be forgiven. You cannot just say, "Oh, God, please forgive" We have to have all the conditions and contents of valid indemnity.
One has to take all things into consideration. Someone who is not related directly to the sin can indemnify it, so the credit of that can go to the person who made the mistake and has sinned. This enormous task has to be worked out very faithfully.
This is the benefactor of all benefactors-someone through whom we can have hope. Only through him can we come to the light and live. In English, you have the word "Savior" but the word "benefactor" has the same significance. I am saved by someone else doing a lot of good things for me-and then delivering me out of these fetters. That is the benefactor. Reverend Moon came to this country and worked to save it from its historical crimes and wrongdoings. Those who themselves made the mistakes are not even thinking about them, so for America and American history, Reverend Moon is really their only hope. But not knowing that, they threw him into Danbury prison.
Maybe they have done wrong without knowing, but if you break a law without realizing it, does it dismiss you from being punished? No. I came out of Danbury and I did the same work, but with even more fervor and greater effort. I have been teaching you, pushing you to work so hard and pay indemnity. No one likes that, including me. Why do I do that? It is for your sake, as individuals. It is not for my own sake. I am doing what I am doing now for all the members of the Unification Church.
I am working hard, even now, to make the Unification Church members realize the truth-what we have done wrong, how we can pay back the debt for having committed those crimes, and how we can go back to the original place. We must know how we can do the work for America and the world, because we are standing on the front line. It bothers many white people that this Oriental man- Reverend Moon-has come here and said things they haven't even thought about, things which they don't want to hear. But I have spoken clearly about this nation and this government. Is it true?
Now we have come to the point where the only way America can be saved is for the people to realize their responsibility and bravely bear that responsibility, no matter how heavy, and pledge, "We will pay back our debt and also we will pay back the debts of the world. Therefore, God, please forgive us" The only way for America to be forgiven is for it to take the burdens of the world, including that of the countries whose people were oppressed and massacred by communism. That problem occurred because America did not fulfill its responsibility to bring them to God's side, in the first place. So America must realize that responsibility, too, and fight against communism, liberate those people and restore them to God's side. That is the responsibility of America to the world. America must fulfill that world-level responsibility before it can even expect or consider being forgiven by God.
But American people do not know that. There is so much corruption and moral degradation in this country, as well as racial problems which this society has not been able to solve. So how can they liberate the communist world? They absolutely cannot do it. From what source can they receive that kind of power? Only from God. Can they receive it from you? From President Reagan? From the president of Harvard? What about religious leaders, such as Billy Graham? No matter how high a place those people may be standing in, they do not know God's will fully.
The American people must return to God. In Jesus' time John the Baptist, standing in the wilderness, proclaimed, "Repent, and return to God!" First of all, you have to repent! What kind of sins do you have? Individual sin, family sin, tribal sin, all the way up to the world and universal sin. We are all that heavily laden. America has no hope now, so someone is standing out in the wilderness, just as at the time of the Israelites, proclaiming loudly, "Repent!" Reverend Moon is that person. I am telling you Moonies first of all to repent. You have to repent!
Somebody has to dedicate and sacrifice himself Who becomes the sacrifice? The Orientals? The undeveloped countries? No. You Americans are smart, right? You know that whoever is standing in the key position has to make the sacrifice. What if Reverend Moon disappears from here? What will everybody do? There will be no way out. You know that. Your eyes can see that. You can look at American youth and see human trash! Who can make them whole?
You have to know that clearly. You know that New York City has become like Sodom and Gomorrah. Who came up with the idea of free sex? Did God? What about homosexuality? Did God create that? People are becoming Satan's sacrifice. American Moonies, how can we save the whole world? Can you give everything on God's altar? You American young women, can you do that? Otherwise, this big country will decline.
I think about that. No matter how much Americans hate me now, I know the terrible result coming for America. You don't know. From now, you have to make your determination. This is a serious position for American Moonies. Do you understand? It is a serious time!
I will not be staying here very long. You must repent for the government, for Reagan's administration. How can you carry this heavy burden? In Jesus time, the Israelites were in the same position but they didn't know it. From God's viewpoint, their situation was most serious, but they didn't know it. The only one who knew was Jesus Christ, so he took his cross, saying, "This is God's will, I will follow. No matter how heavy a burden, I will carry it" That was Jesus' attitude.
Reverend Moon has done the same thing. While I was in Danbury, I founded a new magazine. Why? This is like the enemy country to me. Why don't I seek revenge against this country? America represents the world. Therefore, I came here and made a strong foundation. This is my work and Danbury's purpose. Do you follow me?
Now the situation is more serious than ever in this country. Why doesn't Reverend Moon leave? Outside American people say, "Why don't you just go home?" But I continue to tell this nation it must fulfill its responsibility. I must stay here and do this. You know that. It is a most serious situation all over the world.
The world didn't believe in Jesus Christ at that time and God had to hit the world. You must take this responsibility now and fulfill it, always helping God's purpose. You know that very clearly. How can you solve the problems of this country? American churches are now working together with the Unification Church because they are now understanding better. American leaders know that they must follow the way of survival. Thus they have to learn the CAUSA theory in order to be protected from the communist world, as well as from moral degradation. By learning the CAUSA theory, they can do that. We can state this confidently. Now it is your responsibility to set a new direction for America.
I am urging you Japanese members to realize that, since this is America, American members must take the primary responsibility. Japanese members came to help them, but it is not your primary responsibility. Nevertheless, you must help.
This is a grave task which we must accomplish by 1988. It is a truly historical undertaking we are engaged in now. During these three years, we must do even more than in the years of 1945-1948. Forty years have passed since then and we have come once again to the historical parallel of that time. The Israelites had to work in Canaan; in the same way, we must fight and win the victory. There can be no substitute for that victory. Since God really saw the crucial nature of this time, He let me go to Danbury. During that time, God worked to take the giant land of China and turn it around from the enemy side toward the Godly side.
Some of you may have heard the extensive report of the media fact-finding tour. At this time, many important media people are taking a tour through China. The Premier and other high-level government officials have talked to them. From the bottom of their hearts, they seriously asked them to convey the message that China wishes to modernize their industry with the assistance of the Unification movement. They said that clearly. That is none other than an act of God. God will never lose in any event. If we go through difficulty, that is indemnity, but God will bring back more benefit than that difficulty. God never loses. You might say that He never loses money in doing business.
I made so many significant decisions while I was in Danbury and many of those you already know about because I have spoken of them. But some of them I have never spoken about. There were many important decisions made in Danbury.
We know that John the Baptist was standing alone in the wilderness and bellowing out, "Repent! The Kingdom of God is near!" We Moonies must do that same thing now. Now and during the next three years we must really do exactly the same thing as John did and exactly the same thing that I have been doing during the past fourteen years. You Japanese members, as well as the American members, must do this on the front line just as John did in the wilderness.
Now, fortunately, many conscientious people here in America have heard the things I have proclaimed, and they are responding better than before-much better, in fact, in some areas. Thus if we make an all-out effort to reach them and preach to them, pleading with them, warning them of the imminent dangers that are coming, there will be new hope born.
I am now clearly directing you to do that. I do this for a reason, because of this serious meaning. If you do not do what I have told you to, and because of that I leave this country, you will really be in a helpless state, like the prisoner in my example who has to sit and reflect upon the past years, asking himself, "Why didn't I do this and that? Why did I do that?" You will find yourself in the same misery.
Also, when the rest of the people realize later what happened during 1986 and 1987, and that they had to suffer the consequences because you didn't fulfill, they will hold you responsible. Even when you go to spirit world, you cannot escape that responsibility. It is that serious and therefore you must obey my directions now. If you don't fulfill the responsibility which I am giving you now, even in the spirit world you will not be able to come to me, as you do now at Belvedere. It will not be possible to do that because of the way spirit world is made.
Why do you think Jesus had to go to the cross? What is the difference in the situation we are facing now and during the next three years? We should never forget Jesus' position. We are chosen, as were many people before in history, to be responsible for our country. For example, when the president of a country does his job well, many will benefit and he will be praised. But if he fails his mission, the whole responsibility comes upon him. We members of the Unification Church are also chosen. We know that. Whether we are worthy or not, still we are chosen. We must take pride in that, but when we don't fulfill our responsibility, then we must be ready to suffer the consequences. We cannot just get away with it.
Knowing that future fate and the responsibility of the religious person, I worked very hard in Korea during the past six months. I worked to prepare Korea to play the central role for all the Christian activity of the world. Even though many people opposed and misunderstood me, I continued to work to open that way for the sake of all religious people on earth. It took me six serious months, and that was achieved. I have done all that to ease the responsibility of all religious people, including the members of the Unification Church, in the near future. I have done that work in Korea.
I have made that foundation as an alternative. We must have a back-up plan that is as good as the original one. So even though America may not fully complete its responsibility toward the world, Korea, with the help of China and Japan-all three countries working together-can make God's providential world foundation. I have made an alternate plan on that foundation. Making this kind of foundation is the most effective way of saving the world.
How can God's providential way survive? Reverend Moon is one man who is fulfilling that way. If North America falls down, I will work with the South American providence. If the Protestant Christian world doesn't fulfill, God will extend His plan to Latin countries with the Roman Catholic foundation. That is the oldest Christian church. At that time, you will have to follow South America. That will be a miserable situation for you, without question.
When I first came to America, I visited all fifty states within 43 days. There is no American person who has done such a thing. Only this foreigner, one Oriental man- Reverend Moon-did that. Why? For God's will. God wanted to see this entire continent truly united. Now there are many separate states, but in the future they will be completely combined into one. Communism has infiltrated this nation and worked to separate it. In the southern part of the country, many Spanish people who came there have been influenced by communists who are trying to make problems. The communist world knows that to win they have to divide the Anglo-Saxon part of America from the Spanish part.
This is reality, not just my words. This is not a threat, either, but if America fails, it will be in a really miserable situation. North America will have to follow South America. American people have not been able to save this country; they do not know what is at stake. Only the Unification Church members understand that. This is the way of truth, not the way of just talking. The way of truth means you go through that way, making the result: God's one world.
You have to make this a reality. This is a problem. I look at you American young people and wonder, "How can I make you strong so you can stand in the position to save this country?" I myself cannot be free; I cannot escape. I chose this course myself. You are in the same situation. You have to persevere, like soldiers. Can you do that for the country and the world? Otherwise, God can't have hope in these Moonies.
What kind of duty do you have? One is for America and one is for the world and cosmos. You have to have the strong determination to digest that duty. When the Israelites were about to enter into Canaan, what did God tell them? Be bold and strong! You Americans are God's new Israelites. You must also get into Canaan.
You are in a painful circumstance. As Moonies, you think, "We are in a miserable situation. How can we fulfill this life, this incredible mission? How can we do it?" But I give you the same words. Be bold and strong! No matter how lovely things might appear in the secular world-such as gold jewelry, beautiful women or handsome men-you must not pursue these things. This is Satan's bait. It looks good, tastes good, smells good; but when you swallow it, you are finished. That's all. Do you understand? Our situation is exactly the same as that of the Israelites.
God cannot have hope in American young people, or American families, or the rest of society. You have the purpose of making this situation good again by offering yourself on God's altar. We have to make a new reformation, a new revolution. After that, this country will survive. Otherwise, there is no way. I know this clearly. When this happens, you may say, "Where is Father?" but I will not be in this country, no matter how good a result you may be making. I said this clearly the other day to the State Leaders.
This is the first of September. Four more months to go in this year- 9, 10, 11, 12. During these four months we have to fight. We don't have a whip like Satan's world. God's whip or weapon is action. Father only talks to you after making the result. First you should accomplish, then talk about it. I have been working in America for the past fourteen years. I have said continuously that you have to save this country. I have made the foundation, a strong foundation, so there can be no excuses.
In the next four months, you members, both Japanese and American. must take a really bold and courageous stand to fulfill your mission. We must never forget that the fate of the religious person is to do his mission. There is no alternative. We must remember that since we are at the forefront of all religious persons, we must do our mission or we must forfeit everything. There is no third alternative. We can see the negative example in America, in which the people have failed to fulfill the Christian mission. They are now on the verge of perishing.
You have to fulfill your religious purpose, no matter how difficult. We have to do our mission; we cannot run away from God. This is the fate of the religious man or woman. Once I received my mission as a religious man, I had to achieve results. You have to have accomplishments in order to stand in front of God. Otherwise, God will say, "I don't know you. I don't need that; I need people who accomplish their mission" I know this very well.
I am teaching you this clearly. God is looking at you. If you do not accomplish this mission, God will ask, "Why didn't you do that?" Can you say, "I didn't have the power. I didn't know better"? No, you cannot say that. If you cannot accomplish the mission, why did you receive that mission? Why stand in front of God and receive it? You are attending this place, this holy place. You have to know clearly about fulfilling God's mission. The important thing is not your own purposes, but God's mission.
No matter how much difficulty I faced in America, I held fast to this purpose. Since World War II, during these past forty years, I have always put God's mission first.
Whenever I meet one of the Unification Church members, I ask him his name and what his mission is. That is all I want to know. You cannot come to me and say, "Father,' unless you can show me that you have fulfilled your mission. Before you come before me, I will say what God will say, "Go out and do your job" After you do it, then you can come back. This is the providential course. These are not Reverend Moon's words but God's words. I educate you with that kind of standard.
You are the soldiers who have to save America. Do you follow me? You have to do this mission or America cannot survive. Now you understand clearly, right? All Americans are smart, so you are smart people here.
Let us pray.
