Belvedere
Translator - Sang Kil Han
I have written the title of today's speech on the blackboard. How does this writing compare with English? English is written horizontally, from left to right, and Korean is written vertically, from top to bottom. Oriental script can be written horizontally as well, but from right to left.
There are many other differences between Eastern and Western cultures. When Orientals beckon a person to come, they gesture with the fingers pointing downward, whereas Westerners extend their hand with the fingers pointing up. Another thing which seems very odd to Orientals is for an American to write with his left hand. A left-handed person seems very unusual and strange to a Korean; he is hardly considered to be a whole person. Also, Americans often sleep on their stomach while Orientals sleep on their back, ready to receive blessings from heaven. I suppose Americans have enough blessings so they sleep with their stomach down!
Our goal is to unite the two cultures. In order for the two to come together, one side will have to give in and reverse its habits. This isn't easy for either culture to do. For West and East to meet is very difficult, but they must become one. In what fashion? We must give this subject much thought.
In the case of a subject-object pair, the subject should be bigger than the object. Men are generally taller than women, for example, so women must look up to men. Thus men represent heaven and women represent earth. Similar examples are very common in the world.
In comparison with Occidental culture, Oriental culture is more spiritually based. All the major religions were born in the Orient. Civilization has moved around the globe, and each area has had its time of peak development. Korea, for example, has achieved brilliant things in its 5,000-year history. Today is the end time and Western civilization is attracted to the East, preparing to meet it. We can clearly observe this tendency. The values of Western civilization have reached their limits. No longer can the West push forward and increase its influence as it did in the past. Western civilization is being prepared to join with the Orient.
It seems more reasonable for a person's spirit to control his body than the other way around. Eastern civilization has always placed more value on things of a spiritual nature, while Western civilization has sought material values and wealth. This has been a consistent pattern. You may wonder why cultures don't pursue both spiritual and material values, but it doesn't happen that way.
Western civilization has always sought for more of everything. If people had two of something, they wanted three; the more they had, the more they wanted. Their goal has been to influence and control the whole world. This is what Western civilization has been seeking.
To lead a religious life, people have had to stay away from materialistic thinking and pursue spiritual things. That is the way to achieve spiritual depth. The more you deny one side, the more the other side increases. That is exactly what happens.
Both the spiritual and the material spheres have the goal of influencing the world. Why isn't there a balance between the spiritual and material ways of life so that human life might be enhanced? It is because our world is not the original, ideal world. The fall resulted in a separation between the spirit and body. In these last days, we must bear the fruit of what was sown in the beginning. Therefore, one side of the world has been mainly vertical and the other mainly horizontal. As the end approaches, each culture is reaching out to the other, trying to supplement what it lacks.
This diagram illustrates upper and lower, left and right. Satan unjustly took the right side, which was supposed to represent Heaven. Thus the heavenly forces have had to occupy the left side. To be reinstated in our original position-the right side-we have to go around and settle on the left side. This means we must first deny our proper place before we can settle there.
Today's title is "The Glory of the Victor." What is the role of the Unification Church supposed to be? We know that we are at the summit of religious development. Religion must be able to embrace and encompass all things, not only spiritual things but also the material world. It must encompass both spirit and body. A religion which fulfills that qualification is the highest religion. The spiritual side is the higher position, but the material side must be included as well. This is what the Unification Church is doing. We have not only a spiritual goal and standard but also a material standard-we must reach out to the whole world, as well as the spiritual realm and God.
How will East and West unite, since they are so different? Should the spiritual Orient go over to the materialistic West and dominate it, or should the West go over to the East and make unity there? Which way is best? The mind, not the body, is the center of a person. The center should not move around; when the center moves, it creates confusion. The mind should maintain a consistent position, while the body may move around anywhere. So it is reasonable for the body to come to the mind, which is the center, and unite with it. Do you think I say this because I am an Oriental and want a convenient philosophy to suit myself? No.
There has been a dramatic pattern of change in the two world cultures. Just a few years ago, Korea was very poor and had little interest in material values. But for some strange reason, it has recently been achieving staggering material progress. The same is true for Japan; in a short period of time, it has made enormous material progress. The internal cause has been operating, and now the external results are evident. This is the right time for such advancements.
At the same time, many in the West who had been pursuing material values all along started denying that tradition, rejecting it for the pursuit of spiritual values. As each side searches for something new, eventually they will meet. "Oh, the Orient!" Westerners exclaim; "this is such a spiritual place." As the Orientals started searching, they realized, "Oh, the Western world! This is where such excellent material things are." But this is not the time to choose one over the other; now we need both. The material side definitely needs the spiritual side, and vice versa. Without each other we cannot go forward.
At this climactic time, we are reaching for the original world in which both sides are meant to exist in balance. The world is arriving at this point, but out of ignorance many Westerners continue to pursue material values over spiritual ones, and many Orientals consider only spiritual things worthy of emphasis, since that is the way it has always been. Such mistaken attitudes are out of step with the times; they can produce catastrophic results.
How can global unity be achieved? The process should conform to the law of the universe, the law of God. How easy is it for a representative of the spiritual side to go over to the materialistic side and achieve unity? How easy was it for me, a solitary person, to come to the West and influence 240 million people? In a democratic system, one person is nothing; he must follow the majority. How can a huge majority follow one individual? That is the difficulty.
Somewhere along the line, a historical revolution must take place. When Eastern and Western civilizations approach each other, their purpose should be to create one world. However, as unity becomes more attainable, two worlds are forming, rather than one; it's easier to develop two worlds. People think that two are better than one!
Unification Church members are very religious, and they have been achieving unity with American society. American people have criticized our members, saying that they surrendered everything in joining the Church and have lost their identity. You tell them, "Not at all! I have true identity in the Unification Church."
I have had to give up my own country and take a difficult course in order to achieve what I have to do. It was not my personal choice but a cosmic responsibility. My position as a teacher, pushing people to achieve this goal, is very difficult. Those who are expected to come over to this spiritual side also have a difficult course. We cannot just assume that because the other side should come, we can stand and do nothing. If anything, our task is more difficult.
We do not create unity by power, or force or muscle. If muscle power were the criterion, giants would always be rulers, and this is not so. If neither force nor power, what' do we use? Love. So the person with the greatest level should always sacrifice and give to the weaker one.
Whenever Mother sits down at home, all the children want to go to her. It doesn't matter to the children if she is tired or wants to be alone; they just want to be close to her and be embraced by her. Mother always responds to them when they come to her; then, instead of feeling drained, she experiences more power. Because of the give and take of love, she feels more energy. That's what produces happiness.
When the object of love comes, even though the subject is very tired, greater power will flow through him. We have experienced this many times. When love approaches, it always strengthens us. Some people do not know this; they have been pursuing a different direction with no intention of changing.
Our critics say, "That church is a religious church; why don't the members just pray and do good deeds for others and forget about material things?" They say this because they themselves have never pursued material and spiritual values together. They don't understand that this is a different age. People wonder why we are so interested in political matters. Actually, our concern is not political; we care about the quality of the people who take office, and we are merely concerned about enabling the best people to do that. But people wonder why we don't mind our own business-spiritual business-and leave material affairs alone.
Knowledge is one source of power, but love is also power, a greater power. However, for love to become powerful, one must be in the right position and have an object. Without an object of love, a circuit cannot form and power cannot be generated. But once the power of love is produced, it has tremendous energy, far greater than that of anything material. We know that.
We want to begin a revolutionary new pattern: for the material side to search for the spiritual side and vice versa, and without the self-centered purposes that have prevailed in the past. We are living for the sake of the world, not for ourselves. This is very different from past ( ways of living. It is unique in human history for people to act so unselfishly. In the past, if someone achieved great things it was almost always for a self-centered purpose.
In contrast, we do things for the universe-for everyone and everything other than ourselves. The globe cannot belong to one person. It cannot even belong to America or any one country. Until now people have generally focused on themselves or their country. But the United States must exist for the sake of the world, not the world for the sake of the United States. This is a revolutionary idea. In order to achieve unity, we must discard what we, clung to in the past. If the Orient has been good at spiritual things, it must give them up to make them more available to the other side. Likewise, the West must give up material things so the other side can obtain them more easily. But ultimately, nobody has to give anything up; they will have both.
Practically speaking, one side must go to the other in order to achieve unity. But which should go to the other? Should I go to you, or should you come to me? It is easy to say that you should come to me, but for some of you it involves everything. Even your understanding of the fall has to make a 180 degree turn, which is not easy. However, since you know why you should make changes and what good things will come as a result, such challenges seem less difficult.
To express it differently, what this amounts to is a reversal of order. In the past you pursued one direction, living for the sake of yourself, your family and your nation, in that order. But suddenly you discover you should turn around in a different direction. When you find yourself doing things first for the sake of the world, then the country, and last for yourself, you know you are heading in the right direction.
Think about it this way: someone in the spiritual position always thinks about the whole, while someone in the material position always focuses on himself. Spiritual things are always central, and the central figure thinks about the whole; otherwise, he would not be the center. There are 360 degrees surrounding the center, and one individual occupies less than one degree; that means the individual accounts for only a very small fraction of significance in comparison to the whole.
If you travel around the 360 degrees of a circle, you come back to the starting point. The world is wondering where it can go and rest; sometimes things become very tense. But eventually people will reach 360 degrees. One degree and 360 degrees are so close, but they come from totally opposite directions. That is the difference between them.
Mankind's situation is really chaotic; people cannot see where to go. They cannot distinguish between the right direction and the wrong one; they cannot tell east from west. There is confusion and uncertainty everywhere; people talk about the "spiritual vacuum" of our times. These are the characteristics of our day. Isn't it true?
The positions of 360 degrees and one degree are so close, but they are completely different. Let's make an analogy: The United States has achieved a lot and has become great; it seems to lack nothing. It is in the 360 degree position, about to move on to the position of one degree and connect with it. But it isn't easy to make that link. To do that, the United States must give up the whole 360 degrees before it can jump to one and connect with it.
The same analogy applies to yourself. You can't possess an overflow of everything at the 360 degree position and expect to hop over into the one degree position. It cannot be done. That is why you experience so much difficulty. You may be able to see clearly where you are and where your goal is; but without giving up everything you cannot reach the goal which seems so deceptively close. Your task is how to give yourself up. You need to understand why you should give things up, so you can reach the goal more easily.
I came to the United States, a country totally different from my origin. With all the tremendous tasks I was compelled to take up, it was very difficult to learn the English language. Yet, with much pain I studied English. Likewise, you have to learn Korean. The United States has had a decisive influence over the world, but that will be diminishing; America must prepare to be influenced.
Until now the power of money, the power of knowledge, and the power of force have been almighty. But now power should be unselfishly motivated and directed where it will be beneficial to everyone. Our goal is love, not power; love-power will be the result. Love-power can never belong to an individual; it belongs to the universe.
This morning I have been speaking about where we should go and why. Of course, history began with the fall, and now the fruits are being reaped. We must quickly realize that, and then turn 180 degrees to the completely opposite side. Why? So we can become one. After becoming one, we begin to enter the realm of the ideal world.
The ideal world will result in many things, one of which is Heaven on earth. The essence of the ideal world is the unity between subject and object and the balance between them. The ideal is never a solitary existence.
In the past, the United States has insisted upon standing alone, but such an attitude is aggressive; it is never the attitude of a harmonious peacemaker. Only when you form a subject/object pair can you start to realize peace. Then you can embrace the universe. When man embraces his object, the universe is embraced. America is standing in the subject position; the object side is its people. The subject side-the country-and the object side-the people-must become one. This is the way the world will become the ideal.
Now the democratic free world centers around "me-ism," while the communist world centers around "partyism." One side says, "I am the leader. I am in the central position." Then the other side says, "No, you are not. I am the leader. My position is central, so you follow me." Who resolves this fight? This is the problem. This world needs a center of peace. Who is that central being? The Bible calls this person the Messiah. The Messiah is the one who brings unity and stands in the center position forever.
This world will become one after the spiritual world unites with it. The spiritual world is subject; this world is object. This is the order of the process of creation. Man cannot change this order. Every type of being, every part of creation, follows this order. If they do not follow that order, they will face problems; they will perish. The Western world is making trouble by spreading its low moral standard all over the world. America is making such problems. It's true.
Reverend Moon has a plan for unification, but not everyone knows what he is thinking. People just say he makes too much noise, that he is a Korean man who doesn't understand the American way: "We don't want that. The free world doesn't want that. Who is this Moon guy? He is of a different race." It's true, race is a problem. Our movement is composed of people who are black, white, yellow, red, every color combined. The outside world sees this and thinks how strange we are-they think we are living strangely, eating strangely, working strangely, acting strangely, laughing strangely! They think everything is strange about us.
The outside world and the world inside our movement are not the same. The difference between us is that we understand their society precisely, but the outside world cannot fathom us.
The righteous one sacrifices in every kind of situation; he always dedicates himself to serving others. But the unrighteous person-"the bad guy"-is the one who centers everything around himself. Americans who think only of America are wrong. God wants the person who thinks on universal and worldwide levels, not just the national level. Who can control every situation? It is the righteous person, because he has a bigger concept than himself.
People like me to speak in English, but I don't like English. Translators don't always work. One day, we will have a unified language. So you must learn Korean. We are in different positions: Father's position is the subject position; your position is object. You cannot deny it. Step by step, you must follow, no matter how much you may dislike it! You know that I am standing in the central position, and you must follow.
You have parents, fallen parents from the old world with the fallen lineage. Thus you have Satan's fallen blood. This is the problem. One man is speaking out in this world and that is Reverend Moon. Reverend Moon is' saying, "You are going the wrong way. Follow me." Not matter how much authority or fame a person may have, he must follow.
There will be victors on many different levels and in many different degrees. There will be individual victors, family-level victors, tribal and national victors, worldwide and universal victors, and victors on the levels of the spirit world and the cosmos. Which level of victor would you like to be?
There are some women whose goal is to meet the most handsome, worldly man and be fiercely in love with him. There are also men looking for such a woman. But if such people achieve their goal, will they be victorious or defeated? Will they be winners or losers, in the ultimate sense?
There are champions in all the different sports. If you were a champion for a few days and then lost the championship, would you feel good? A champion always challenges the record; that's the significance of being a champion: to break the record. As long as you hold the world's record, everyone looks up to you, but once someone else breaks that record, will the world remember you in the same way? The world forgets very easily.
Perhaps someone wishes to be wealthier than the Rockefellers. He challenges that standard, and when he exceeds Rockefeller's wealth he feels like a victor and a glorious person. But eventually someone else will probably make even more money.
Do modern people, especially in the United States, live better or worse than the people of a few centuries ago? Every one of them lives better; most live better than even the kings of the past. What did kings have to ride on? They had horses and carriages or some kind of horsedrawn vehicle. What does the poorest person in the United States ride in today? An automobile, which can travel hundreds of miles at a stretch without breathing!
Many people feel challenged to become champions and victors in various arenas. Even when victories are very difficult to achieve, are they eternal? Is anything guaranteed? Who is the wealthiest person in the entire world? Is it Mr. Rockefeller? Perhaps that is true within the United States, but what about the world? Does anyone know? Is it a man or is it God? It is actually God.
How can you so easily answer God? How do you know that God exists? If people could see God, He would be mobbed by billions of people, especially the greedy ones; they would clutter up the walkways and all the surroundings. If God were visible like us, everyone could follow Him and He would create the world's greatest hazard because wherever He went there would be crowds of people. Lots of accidents would surround God! Since God knows everything. He realized the consequences of being visible, so He decided to make Himself invisible. God declared that as a matter of principle, no one could see Him.
What field would you like to be victorious in? Would you seek to find God and remain with Him? Or would you prefer to acquire all the wealth in the world? How about winning the Olympic horseback riding contest? In what field would you like to become a victor? You want to be a champion just in finding God? You want to love God, too. How can you love God, since He is invisible? You can't kiss Him.
There are well-known champions in many fields, but there is one-the champion in finding God-that few people have heard about. That is the supreme champion. Do you agree? Do you women also agree? God is very strong, and women are so fragile. To find God is not that simple. The God that a woman finds may not be the same God found by a man! God is only one, but in a sense He is two. He can fulfill both a man and a woman.
After a person becomes a victor, what are his privileges? What does he possess? Someone may suppose that since God is the wealthiest being in the universe, by finding God he will attain great riches. In fact, many people throughout history devoted their entire life to searching for God. But now, after thousands of years, many people have given up the quest. Twentieth century philosophers have said that there is no such thing as God, or that God is dead. "Forget it," they have said, "We're not going to make it." That's pretty much where many thinkers are.
What about me? Do you think I tried as hard as all of those philosophers? Have I given up? Have I found Him? Are you as convinced as I am that God exists? When a person becomes very spiritual, he can see God. Who is God to you? We have a Father/son or Father/daughter relationship with God. Only a small handful of people know it, however. Why do some people realize it and others not? What makes it so difficult? It is because of the fall.
We must clearly understand the fall. Who are the ancestors of the fall? It was Satan and Adam and Eve, and all their descendants along the way. It stands to reason that no one born from such an origin can be perfect or even see the ideal. All those born of such parents are fallen offspring who cannot see God. If we trace our ancestors back to the root, that root is satanic blood. Fallen people are inevitably self-centered. That is the most distinct characteristic of the fall.
The United States started out with a spiritual base, but it has become more and more self-centered. Extreme individualists have no respect for their country, society or even family. They don't think much about their father and mother or brothers and sisters. God is much larger than an individual or family, a nation or even the whole world, so if a person cannot see even the nation, how can he see or find God? A woman may be very beautiful but if her mind is selfish and narrow, how could God fit into her? How can God fit into a narrow person? God is greater than parents, higher than presidents. You have to open your mind to Him. How much must our minds be open to receive Him? 360 degrees, completely open.
Do you want to meet God? How broad is your mind? If you met Him, what would you talk about? Probably you would ask Him to give you something! And not just one day, but every day you would ask Him for things. God knows everything about you, so when you are about to meet Him and speak with Him, do you think He would stay where He is, or would He run away from you?
There is no greater champion than the one who finds God. After finding God, what if you could not live with Him for ever and ever? There are many ways of living with Him: maybe you could cook for Him; maybe you could do the laundry or other chores!
North pole, south pole, east and west-God created all things and said, "It is good." God's eye is every place: small places as well as big. He sees birds, butterflies, insects, ants, grasshoppers. All these things are here for us to enjoy.
Do you think that God has some area, too, where He would like to be a champion? Like us, God has many fields of interest: He could choose sports or literature, for example. But in which area do you think God would like to be a champion? You readily said love, and that happens to be the right answer; but you said it so easily that I don't feel very confident about it! Are you really sure? Do you really believe that of all the things He could choose from, God would be the champion of love? You are right.
Would God want to take just one individual and embrace him, saying, "You and I will live together forever and ever; we don't need anyone else"? That person would be happy, of course, but do you think God would do that? Don't you think God would want to find an exemplary man and an exemplary woman? Is there such a man and woman who can proudly and confidently declare that they are the ones whom God has been seeking?
There are many, many tribes on earth; there are also many different countries and cultures. Wouldn't God want to be able to love the best tribe in the world? Don't you think He wants to be the champion in expressing the best love? Doesn't God have ambitions and aspirations? Isn't He greedy in the good sense? Is He greedier than you? Americans do not have a word for greedy in the good sense.
Would you like to be ruled by God? Are you sure? Let's be realistic. We have come under the domain of God, but look at our lifestyle: we get up early in the morning, with no time to relax or do whatever we please. We are overworked; we don't eat rich food-and yet you say you are happy? Normally people don't want anything to do with a dictator. The only exception is a dictator of love. Since God loves us far more than anyone else ever could, we accept it.
You married women, would you like your husband to give you a strong embrace, or just a little hug? You probably wouldn't even mind being squeezed into a little ball and revolving around your husband for eternity! You would never want to leave him. You may not experience that in reality, but doesn't that appeal to your imagination?
A true man has the strong urge to love a true woman. Also, a true woman wants to come under the dominion of such a man, as long as he truly loves her. Do you think love is based on the principle of democracy? If true love resembled a democracy, would that be wonderful or miserable? I want to hear what you women answer. A dictatorship is actually closer to your ideal of love than a democracy! Those women who want to be loved in a democratic way, raise your hands.
Everything belongs to God and wants to comes into the bosom of His love. God rules like a good king, like a good parent. No one is happier than those who live under such a ruler. When someone who loves you tells you, "Let's do this," you will join him, even if it is the most difficult job.
When a family decides to unite with God's direction, God becomes very interested in them. He will always watch over them to see how they are doing and what they will achieve; He will always be behind them, helping and supporting them. A couple may find the going very difficult and wonder if they can continue; but the next day they find that they can rise and go on. Of course they can do it! They were the only ones who worried that they couldn't.
God's mind is interested in everything; He wants to do everything and be everywhere. But where would He like to remain the longest? Under what name would He like to live eternally? You say love, of course, but love has many different levels. There is the love of a couple, of children, of friends, of brothers and sisters. What kind of love would God like most to experience? Of all relationships, what is the primary one God longs for? The love of His children. But are children supposed to remain small? No. Children grow up and then form a couple-husband and wife. The husband/wife relationship is very important, but it is horizontal and can never be vertical. Where in this wide world is the one point where God can meet man?
Since men are tall, they want to come down, to the feet' of a woman; women, since they are small, want to go up, near a man's head and be like him. As they do that, they start revolving. Everything must move around; without` movement, no unity can take place. What is up goes down and what is down rises; the front goes to the back and the back becomes the front; left and right will constantly change position. As long as you stand still, you can never make progress. You must have motion.
What makes motion? Only love. Love moves people. What does God actually need: man and woman, or love? Which does He long for most? God created man and woman-not just one being but two-as His objects of true love. Within Himself, God contains both plus and minus natures. Once man and woman achieve unity, they revolve and become like God Himself; they become the perfect image of God. Once they completely unite as a couple, the next stage is to achieve vertical oneness with God. When this happens, where will God dwell: above them, between them, or in their center? He will be right at their center.
We know that God separated Himself into His creation of man and woman, but why? It was to fulfill His love in relationship with them. Centering on God, all kinds of pluses and minuses can combine. He can become the junction to unite the internal and external relationships within the individual, between mind and body, and among people. Then mind and body can become one under true love. When this is achieved, God and man are literally one.
God created mankind to become the true center of the whole universe through this relationship. True children can finally make the ideal world a reality on earth. This indicates that God wants to reside forever and ever in the position of True Parents.
Just as you can divide mind and body, you can divide True Parents into an inner position and an outer position. Of all the places on earth, where would God like to rest? He would like to stay at the center of all things. What is that center? The internal position of True Parents, together with the external position of True Parents, is the origin or true center of the universe. That is where spirit world begins, where spirit world takes effect. Spirit world must have a center too; its center is the center of the earth as well. All things in the universe are encompassed within these 360 degrees.
Who is the victor I have been speaking about this morning? We all search for God because of love, so there is no greater victor than those who become true children of True Parents and God. The person who attains the perfect position of true children to True Parents has found God. Not only that, he will live with God forever and ever, because he is the child of God. That point is the only place where God and mankind can meet. Can you suggest any other place where mankind can meet God? Never. The very order of the universe leads us to this conclusion.
We can assume that God wants this position very badly, because this is the whole purpose of creation which was ruined by the human fall. God wants to return to this point. But how? Even if God had to forsake all the spirit world in the process, He must find this position. Even if we have to give up all the comfort and material goods of the world in our quest, we must find this position.
What privilege would that victor have? First, it is life; we can come into contact with God's life. We can also come into contact with God's love and dwell in it. Once we have God's life and love eternally, our third privilege is to live together with Him eternally. We can live together without ever leaving Him or Him leaving us. That means we can become equal in love. Have you ever heard that God and man can become equal? Not only man and woman become equal, but God and mankind become equal. However, this can happen only upon the condition of true love. Without this process, there is no such thing as equality of man and woman. People may speak of equality, but they don't know what they are talking about.
What will be the result of this victory? The universe will belong to us. God owns it, but we can own it as well. Centering on God, everything in the universe belongs to us because God is our Father.
Think of these privileges. We want to own everything, don't we? Even fallen people want to own the universe, but they cannot. The only way to possess the universe is to become one with God through love. Is that clear enough? Imagine a young woman who never attended college; nobody would think of her as a political leader. But if she became the wife of the president of a country such as the United States, she would be his equal, regardless of her education or other qualifications. Isn't that right?
We may be poor, we may be shabby, we may have almost nothing, yet we can be like God. Is this a dream? How can we do it? By becoming like God in love. Love bestows equality and the right to inherit everything. If we encounter God and live with Him in love, as parent and child, we will have life and eternal love. We will live with God forever, becoming absolutely equal and owning everything. What victor on earth could surpass someone with these privileges?
What, then, is the Unification Church trying to do? Everyone in the Unification Church is heading directly toward the goal of becoming such a historical victor. To become like that, our mind needs to be stretched. We must open up our mind 360 degrees and become as broad as God Himself.
Sometimes the wife's mind may be broader than her husband's. Should the man object to that? No, because it just means that he must stretch his own mind. Will true love expand a mind or constrict it? Isn't a broad mind born out of true love? Such a mind can be stretched vertically like a balloon, and neither the husband nor the wife will complain! They won't object if it is stretched horizontally either. No matter how far you pull a mind, even from one extreme of the universe to the other, it will not break or give way. Even if it is stretched vertically from the top of heaven to the bottom of the earth, a loving mind will not break. This is how love expands. Literally, it has no end.
Unification Church members learn to have very broad minds and become very open and embracing people. You are learning to open yourself to endless love and to explore things completely. In God's mind there are five colors of skin, and He loves them equally. Skin color is no hindrance to you, either.
You should never forget that you are striving to become victorious persons; that is why you are sitting here. The privileges you gain in that struggle are not temporary; they will last eternally. Other people work so hard and dedicate their entire life for temporary benefits, but the privileges you are working for are eternal.
Spirit world takes great pride in True Parents. Mankind should take pride in becoming true children to those True Parents. God's desire is for the eternal True Parents and the eternal true children to live in love and happiness and to exercise dominion over the entire universe. This is how God wants you to live with Him throughout eternity.
Therefore, you should uphold the precious position of True Parents, even though it means sacrifice. Even in your sleep you should keep in mind the position of True Parents and the position you are striving to achieve. You should concentrate on achieving your position and gaining the victory as a true child. You should never lose this focus.
If you live in such a fashion, God will automatically draw nearer to you and pay more and more attention to you. He will love you and dwell with you more frequently and for longer periods of time. More and more, you will resemble God until you reach complete oneness with Him.
Like True Parents, true children should live first for the sake of God. When you ask yourself, "What am I doing this for?" you should reply: "First, for the sake of God; second, for the sake of True Parents: and third, for the sake of mankind." Through love, God and True Parents are the same. Then God, True Parents and all mankind are like your own image. You Unification Church members should keep this image with you every second of your life. This is how all mankind can attain true life and true love and become the rightful rulers of the universe.
Every day you should examine how closely your life has conformed to the standard God expects of you. Is it very close, or very distant? When you approach God's standard, you will truly be able to represent mankind; you will think and speak on behalf of mankind. Also, you will represent True Parents, because you are part of them. In addition, you will represent God because you are the only ones in all of mankind who know what God wants. That is privilege enough.
You are entitled to this not because you are great but simply because many, many generations before you have suffered, and you have inherited their benefit during these last days. You should feel a deep responsibility for what they have accomplished for you and the base they have laid for you. You should never forget your historical position as a member of the Unification Church. It is no ordinary position. Since you are living for God, True Parents and mankind, and since you are dedicated to upholding their position, you will have life and love. The whole world will belong to you, and you will become like God Himself.
What really binds these elements together? It is not reason or skill, but only true love. With love, all things will be united and you will become a true person. If you live like this throughout your whole life, there will be no limitations on your travels in the spirit world. That means you will be able to go anywhere and no one will stop you.
In addition, if you would like to give a banquet for a righteous friend of yours, everything will be prepared. All you will have to do is wish it, and instantly it will be fulfilled. This is the nature of the spirit world. If your desire is to bestow love and blessings upon millions of people, all you have to do is wish it and it will be given.
Only through the privilege of equal position with God can you do such things; only through love is it possible. God has all privileges, and like Him, you too will have all privileges in the spirit world, combined with true love here on earth.
This is our ideal and our ambition; this is the ultimate wish of every individual. No matter how much you may excel in a given field, unless you attain true love, nothing you achieve will be eternal. For God, true love is the reality. For mankind, however, it is still a dream; we have to make it a reality.
Regardless of how extensive your family tree may be or how many complicated relationships it contains, from God's position in the spirit world it is simple to understand; everything is instantly clear. You have to straighten out all f the complexities and restore them. How? Only through intense, strong, true love. Through love all things be come orderly. Only by being linked with God through true love can you carry it out.
If a truly loving person touches you or even strikes you, it would only increase your joy and happiness, both on earth and in the spirit world. In the spirit world especially, such joy is very intense. Here on earth, you are being trained in such a loving life so you can adapt to life in the spirit world very naturally. Do you understand? This cannot be done quickly; it must be worked on.
So you know why I want you to suffer and work hard like you do. I want you to learn the rhythm of spirit world here; without learning it, you can never go to Heaven. If a self-centered person somehow sneaked into Heaven, he could not stay there because his rhythm would not match.
Since this has been my way of life, Satan wants nothing to do with me. Satan cannot enter into a relationship of true love, and he knows it very well.
I am reiterating this because it is so important. Your mind should be focused on loving mankind, even when you are tired. You should concentrate on God, True Parents and mankind all the time. You can learn this by observing the visible True Parents. You know how much. True Parents love God; as you observe that love and learn from it, you can come to love God also.
In the very beginning God had no enemy. Today, even though we may have enemies, we pay no attention to them. From our point of view, we have no enemies. As we continue our task, all people will eventually become our friends and brothers. You should learn from my example. Although I have encountered opposition, I have always ignored it and pushed myself forward with love. I have endured tremendous persecution, which you can't fully understand because you have never experienced it to such a degree. You should be willing to receive more and more persecution so you can understand what I have gone through.
You have friends, but I could never speak deeply with other people because they were so different from me. You feel lonely, but I have experienced deep loneliness; so has God. The only person I could speak with was Heavenly Father, but since He was already suffering greatly It couldn't even speak with Him when I had a problem. You are in a much better position. You can speak with True Parents in a serious way-or at least you can talk among yourselves. Many good answers emerge when you share, your heart with good friends.
As a result of so much suffering, persecution, and living a Principled life, I have gained much ground. But I don't want to keep those accomplishments for myself - I want to pass them on to you, as soon as you become worthy. Even though it is hard-won territory, I want to give it away! That is my heart, my attitude. One hundred percent of the foundation that I have achieved will be given to those who have loved and are loving mankind, True Parents and God. We will all go to spirit world separately, one at a time. We can't go together. When you enter the spirit world, the first thing you will look for is True Parents. Even in the spirit world, I will never keep everything for myself. Just as I inherited all things from God Himself through true love, you will inherit all things from me. One hundred percent. What a glorious place it is!
God doesn't want money or knowledge. God has everything. He only wants His lost children, mankind, to become centered on True Parents as true children. This is God's agony: the restoration of humanity throughout history. How should we relate to God? By taking the true child's position centering on True Parents. That's all. That's all! We are to do this both in the physical world and in the spirit world. The center of the universe and the cosmos is true love.
Through our work, we are creating the central point through which God can achieve the restoration of history through mankind. You are becoming a victorious person in a glorious place. Every person must work to attain that position. How can we achieve that highest and happiest place? No matter how difficult it may be to get there, we want to reach that point. Centering on the way of true love, on True Parents, we must love all of God's children. This is the course of restoration. Do you understand?
Success has no meaning, except this kind of success. Today is the last day of August, which has been a very important month. The rest of the year is also very important. Now we are about to wage the final war against evil. We will continue to work hard, pay indemnity and sacrifice. At this point, I am asking you to renew yourself and never forget that you are living for the sake of God, True Parents and mankind. Please make a resolution to continue doing your mission for the rest of the year.
I have already attained the victorious standard of the individual, family, tribe, nation and world. Now you must live faithfully and inherit it. Only through loving the True Parents and God can you truly achieve that. We must always think about how much Father has gone through, always persecuted. How lonely! You just don't know.
The problem is how to become one with Father. You need an open mind. Father has that sort of mind. When I pray to God, I am serious. I cannot report, cannot pray without tears. You don't know Father's situation or how serious I am. The whole American and world situation is so serious. You cannot understand my situation, but I understand your situation very well. All through my lifetime, I have suffered to lay this foundation.
Now I have become famous all over the world. I really have everything now-I don't need authority; I don't need money. I have enough power and knowledge of the universe. I know the secrets of the world. I don't need anything. I only need to know how to spread true love throughout the whole world.
The springtime is coming. God is waiting. You have to inherit my position, as my children. "Children" means of the same flesh and bone as the parents; ultimately, they are of the same mind. This is what it means to be true children: "I resemble Father in everything. If Father did something like that, I will do it just the same. If Father holds something this way, I will hold it just like that. This is my faith. No one can change this. Totally, I follow."
My focus and purpose are different from others. I hope this world has an open door so that a different situation can develop. The world can no longer come against Reverend Moon. People are now beginning to understand everything. Five years ago, Reverend Moon was universally perceived as a bad guy. And now? This "bad guy" has become famous.
I must always make preparation to move in every area. I am now approaching 70 years of age, so I am not far from the spiritual world. What shall I do in my remaining time? Who can inherit this position? That person has to have a wide open mind like Father's. Otherwise it is too difficult. Do you understand what I mean?
We will continue our struggle-for God, True Parents, and lastly, for ourselves. The fallen world always puts "me" first, and then family, and then nation. But we put God first, then True Parents, and then mankind. "Me" comes last.
Reverend Moon has received so much persecution. Now the Unification Church has a glorious, rich foundation. We are out of Satan's grip. How wonderful this is! It is truly our glory. Let us pray.
