Father’s speech at the Leaders’ conference on July 20, 1985
During this year that I spent in prison, mother and I have set the example and built the highway of true love. You should be connected to that true love, running on the true love highway. Where was that highway begun? Not in East Garden. It started a long, long time ago on a mountainside back in Korea. Through an incredible course of persecution and paying indemnity, every level of the highway has been laid, and now the final international highway has been created by Father in Danbury.
This was the sixth time I have been imprisoned. We are going to add one more to make it seven, and make it into a gigantic package to give to God, as a sign of His love. Who creates the seventh jail? Satan cannot create this jail. The seventh jail is going to be created by Father. Every member of the Unification movement will go through this jail term. We will prevail over it successfully, following the pattern set by Father and Mother.
By doing this, the entire world will be won over. We shall bear the cross of the individual, the cross of the family, society, nation, world, and universe, and become invincible men and women. God will be ready to bestow upon these men and women the entire world. You will be the true Abels to the world. There will indeed be a time when the Unification Church is no longer persecuted. Instead, people will follow your example and your guidance, and there will be unity between Cain and Abel; this will truly be the beginning of the Kingdom of God on earth.
At the time of Jesus’ crucifixion, many scribes, priests, and rabbis were relieved to be rid of a man they considered a bad influence. Today, world Christianity is represented by Christianity in the United States. When I was in Danbury, representatives of American Christianity repented and began to unite with me. On the day of my release, Christian representatives came and embraced me. This is an incredible turnaround.
Today the United States of America is comparable to the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. After Jesus’ crucifixion, Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, and through four hundred years of persecution Christianity was accepted and became the backbone of future European culture. Similarly, many members and leaders from around the world, including the 36 Couples, have come to the United States, because it represents the Roman Empire. All the strength of our movement is focused upon turning this upside-down nation right side up, to make it God-centered. I feel that the four hundred years of Christian persecution can be indemnified by us within the four years of 1985 to 1988. The year 1988 is a magic year. In that year, the United States will probably hold the most important presidential election in its history. Korea will have a new government, as will Japan and Germany. So 1988, externally and internally, will be a gigantic crossroads; the great juncture of human history. In 1988, we are to see the restoration of the nation. Not just individuals any more, nor families, nor churches-but the nation.
I was released from Danbury on July 4. Originally I was supposed to have been released four days later, on July 8. From July 8 to August 20, there are 43 days. From now on, the Unification Church will work more with the number four than the number three. Satan can still invade a three-day period, as he often has in the past. But now, because of True Parent’s foundation of victory, Satan cannot invade a four-day period, or a period based on the number four. The number four represents the family foundation.
After his crucifixion, the resurrected Jesus worked for forty days to restore his disciples and solidify his foundation here on earth before he ascended into heaven. Similarly, during the 43 days that I am in the halfway house, I am tying up all the loose ends and laying a cornerstone, so I can be welcomed on a national level, particularly by the countries of Korea and Japan. This 43-day period is profoundly significant. Through the public’s coming to understand the truth about my case and coming to support me in unity, rebirth can come. The whole nation of America, especially Christianity, is in a position to welcome me. Indeed, the world will be in a position to respect and welcome me wherever I go. The foundation for that must be laid in 43 days.
GOD PREPARED TWO MEN TO MEET ME
The spiritual world is fully active to support this. Amazing things always happen wherever I go. In Danbury two inmates were converted soon after I came, without even listening to the Principle. This is equivalent to the two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus. One of these inmates was of Italian descent, and he represented the legacy of the Roman Empire.
Some months ago, the leaders of the Unification Church, including Mother, recommended that for security reasons I not go to the halfway house, but stay in Danbury prison until I complete my sentence. Initially I agreed. But when I made that decision my heart felt uneasy. I thought about it, and then I called Mother and told her that I had decided to go to the halfway house in spite of the risk. After that my heart was at rest. I knew God had some plan.
At Phoenix House there were two men that God had prepared, waiting for me. One is a well-educated, Latinized Oriental man. He speaks five languages: Korean, Japanese, English, Spanish, and Portuguese. He is a scholar, but most importantly, he represents the Asian and Latin cultures together-serving as the right-hand thief this time. The other man is a thirty-year-old black man from Nigeria. He wants to protect me, so when I sleep in the halfway house, he puts his chair outside my door and maintains an all-night vigil there. This man is analogous to the black man, Simon of Cyrene, who bore Jesus’ cross on the way to Calvary.
The Oriental man has a very spiritual Cuban wife. He is very intellectual, and doesn’t receive many spiritual messages, but he has always admired people who do, particularly his wife. One day he and his wife were driving back to the halfway house. His wife had her eyes closed and was meditating. Suddenly she opened her eyes and said, “Something wonderful will happen to you in seven days. You will meet a holy man. From that point on, your life will totally change.” On the seventh day after that, he met me. Nobody introduced me; I just walked into the room where he was, and the man knew I was the one his wife had spoken about. This illustrates how spirit world always prepares things in advance.
In 1974, when our movement was still quite poor, I urged that we buy the land at Barrytown, New York. We did, and there we instituted the Unification Theological Seminary. Quite a few leaders of our movement complained of the financial burden this imposed upon us, but I knew that we needed this seminary to train people to one day unite with other ministers. In 1975, leaders of the church went out to be missionaries in 120 countries. This greatly drained our pool of leadership, particularly in the United States, and for the most part inexperienced leaders had to direct the Yankee Stadium and Washington Monument rallies. Again, some church leaders thought I had made a strategic blunder by sending out so many leaders at such a crucial time. But I knew that, even though this brought about temporary adversity, these things had to be done at that time, for the sake of the future. If I had not sent out the missionaries, we would not have a bridge to link our activities worldwide, nation to nation, today. My vision penetrates through five, ten, even a hundred years into the future.
Furthermore, I am not in a position to operate things in a democratic fashion-to take a vote and then do what the majority advises. I am in the position of Adam in the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve were growing and making decisions in Eden, there were no children to listen to. At that time, Adam and Eve should not even have listened to the words of the archangel. The fall came about because they did. Today, I am not in a position to listen to the archangel or the children.
In God’s dispensation things often must be acted upon spontaneously, without question, even though the reason for them may not be clear at the time. You don’t know how to read the times, but I do. I have a special watch that shows God’s timetable.
A PROMISING YOUTH PROGRAM
Here in America, exciting developments with young people are taking place. There is a young American-35 years old-who is very influential in conservative circles in the United States. He has a powerful organization which is exposing liberal and left-wing congressman and senators, and is promoting God-loving, ethical, conservative politicians.
This young man came to the CAUSA convention in San Francisco, and in his speech at the closing banquet he declared that, although he has met many world leaders-presidents and prime ministers-the leader he most emulates is Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
When he came to Danbury and met me he said, “Rev. Moon, do you have any instructions for me?” I told him that I wanted him to be a symbol of young patriotic Americans; to become a hero for young people. I wanted him to organize a conservative youth foundation and invite young people to an internship in Washington DC where they can receive CA USA training. The children of today are often undisciplined and confused, rebelling against their parents. I want them to have this training so that they will turn to God-centered values and understand the threat of communism. These young people will become the future politicians of this country.
In June this young man selected about fifty university students to come to Washington DC for a three-month training. They worked from Monday through Thursday and on the weekends they went on special tours and heard CAUSA and other lectures.
The parents of these participants visited their children in Washington and saw how they had changed. Now many parents want to give money to sponsor other students to come to the program. Congressmen and senators are calling up, asking if they can send promising young people from their constituencies. Because the program featured such prominent speakers-Henry Kissinger, senators and congressmen, and noted experts-some universities have recognized that this is a unique educational program, and are now willing to give credits to students attending the program. So now, it can operate year-round.
I want you to understand that God is constantly at work. There has been so much spiritual preparation, and now people have only to be touched to connect with the central point of God’s providence. It’s not just you alone who are doing the work. You are the instruments, the tools. Behind you, God and spirit world are working day and night.
An example of how spirit world is secretly active is the story of an Indian professor who lives in Zambia (see page 46). He was in a terrible traffic accident, and while unconscious he had a vision that an Oriental man saved him from death. But when he woke up, he saw that his doctor was a black man. He still felt, however, that it was the Asian man who had saved him. Later when he met our missionary to Zambia and she showed him a photo of Father, he immediately recognized in the photo the man who had saved his life. When he heard that Father was soon to be released from Danbury, he came to America to see Father in person.
Behind the scenes, beyond our knowledge, the entire world is moving towards one direction. How can we sit idly and do nothing, just waiting for something to happen? There are people out there who are ready to be touched: maybe a prime minister, a cabinet member, a congressman, or a general. They only need to be touched by us. If we just sit and do nothing it is a crime.
I WANT TO BRING SEVEN THOUSAND PEOPLE TO KOREA
Korea is in the position of Abel to all the countries of the world. I would like to mobilize 7,000 people to go to Korea. How many of the ministers we have brought to CA USA seminars will come to Korea? If 7,000 ministers were to join IOWC in Korea, it would have worldwide impact. The Koreans are planning a big welcome for me when I go there. Many university presidents and professors in Korea and Japan have already attended CAUSA seminars, and universities in Korea and Japan have been united together in sister-city programs. That the intellectuals would be planning a great welcome for me is restoration of the time of Jesus, when scribes, priests, and rabbis scorned and plotted against him.
Those who want to be among the 7,000 raise your hands. Well, you have to take care of the United States first! If I said that anybody who wanted to come could just come, maybe no one would remain in the United States. What about the blessed couples? Perhaps between the husband and wife, at least one should come. And some of the blessed children should come, anchoring their family’s foundation in the homeland of Korea. Even though everybody doesn’t have to come, it would be best if at least one representative of each blessed family comes. If Father picked just any 7,000 men and women, Satan could follow them. But if representatives of 7,000 blessed families come, Satan can have no power over them.
In South Korea there are about seventy thousand villages. If 7,000 representatives go to Korea, each person would take care of ten villages, doing home church work there, serving them. Father served his term in a hellish place like Danbury prison for one year. If all the members serve Korea with the same spirit, when 1988 comes, what will happen? Quite possibly the peaceable reunification of North and South Korea will come about.
Kim II Sung has never relinquished his ambition of invading South Korea. But if he hears that Rev. Moon is bringing 7,000 people of all walks of life to Korea representing all the world’s continents, he’ll have to think twice before he does anything. If North Korea invaded the South, a volunteer army would spring up from all parts of the world. It’s interesting how the satanic side and the heavenly side work parallel to one another. Kim II Sung, who calls himself “Father” to all North Koreans, has been training his son, Kim Young II, to be his successor. Similarly, while I was in Danbury I was training my son, Hyo Jin Nim, for leadership.
Unless we lay the national foundation in America by 1988, the wrong kind of president of the United States could be elected in 1988. Then the future of this country would truly be dismal. We have to lay a foundation so that no president-in the United States, Japan, or Korea-can be elected without the full approval of God. This is absolutely necessary for the survival of our world.
None of you here has fulfilled the responsibility assigned to you: as an individual, as a blessed couple, as a church, or as a nation. So actually you are not entitled to the blessing from God. Only because True Parents have set the condition and paid the indemnity for all of you do you have hope of forgiveness. I am asking you to fulfill your final five percent responsibility, particularly during this 43-day period, and thereafter in Korea.
If you fulfill your small portion of responsibility during this time and totally unite with the True Parents, you will not only be forgiven, but you will inherit the same foundation that Father and Mother have won during this past year. In order to make your salvation perfect and permanent and eternal, your roots must be connected to the homeland of Korea; you should be anchored there.
When you go to Korea, you should contact your country’s embassy. You will work as the Abel ambassadors of your countries and unite with the Cain ambassadors. When the official ambassador of your country and you-the Abel ambassador-unite, this represents the unity of your particular country. Through all of you, Korea will have a link to every nation in the world. Providentially, you are coming to serve the Korean people. This is why you will be assigned to ten villages. The villages assigned to you will be your territory. With that kind of foundation the Korean government will support you, and you will be able to move the ambassadors from your different countries.
Homeland is the key word. God does not have a homeland, and we certainly do not. When God owns a homeland, it will become our homeland. Then God will make His dwelling place there and we will also, centering upon His love. The love from that central country will reach out to every corner of the world. Then we will have established the family level foundation for true love and will be able to go to the tribal level, to the national level, and ultimately to the world.
YOU WILL BECOME CITIZENS OF HEAVEN
You’ve got to be recognized by the homeland, by the homeland’s families and tribes, and by the nation itself. Then the homeland will be linked through you to your own country. But it’s important to realize that you are going to be working now not as citizens of your own country, but as citizens of Heaven, citizens of the Kingdom of God. In that capacity, you will enter into family life, tribal life, and national life. Recognition must come from the homeland. These are not Rev. Moon’s words-it is the Principle.
Korea and Japan have been coming together in our IFVOC programs, linking village to village, city to city, in sister-city pro-grams. Father would like to create that same sister-city link-up from Korea to all the countries of the world. The day will come
when your statue will be erected in your own country and in Korea as well. There, your country and Korea will meet, and they will be engrafted together in oneness, sharing one blood. Your descendants will come before your statue in tears. Does this all sound like a dream? It’s a realistic possibility.
Be bold and strong. The time has come to push away all opposition. We cannot tolerate any more innuendos, presuppositions, or slander. We can confront people: “Did you see the ads? Did you see Rev. Moon’s videotapes? Do you know what the story is all about?” If the person says he doesn’t know, but still says bad things about us, we can protest: “You don’t even know. You don’t know Rev. Moon. You don’t know the Unification Church. Don’t you have the decency to even come and listen to one Principle lecture?” The sonship has been reversed; heretofore the second-born have been Abel in the sight of God, but we are now winning the elder son’s position, regaining the birthright.
We are marching forward to the final confrontation, to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, with the first son’s sinless birthright. We are about to enter the true homeland. Long ago we departed from it, when we lost our true parents in the Garden of Eden. Now, after many thousands of years, we are coming to offer to God our restored homeland.
WE CAN WARD OFF SATAN
Our eternal aspiration is to attend Heavenly Father and True Parents on earth, create true families, and spread true brother hood throughout the world. The day for this has come. Before this, no matter how hard you tried to attain that kind of true family, nation and world, it wasn’t possible. But the time has come when we can ward off Satan; his influence can be blocked off so that he can have no power over us.
Probably, however, Satan will have a few opportunities to test you. The first test may come out of your own family: “My wife has always been a good member of the Unification Church, but all of a sudden, she has changed. What happened to her? My children have been good children, but now they are coming against me. They no longer listen to me.” That might be one area of testing that still remains for you.
The best protection from this type of invasion by Satan would be to just take off for a few days! Go where your husband or wife cannot reach you. Go off and wrestle with the angel like Jacob, win, and come back home as the victorious champion. Then your wife will be quiet and sweet as a lamb! She will say, “Oh, my darling, I missed you very much, and I want you to do God’s will. Do what True Parents ask. Don’t worry about me and the children. I’ll take care of them. Everything here will be all right.”
Separation is a blessing sometimes-even the True Family has discovered this. Mother really discovered during this past year how precious a husband she has! She really missed her husband. She made a resolution to be a new kind of mother, a new kind of wife, when Father came out. Separation-reunion, separation-reunion: This is a cleansing process, in a way. Otherwise we just keep going on the same way, wired to the bottom of hell. Sometimes you have to cut the wires off, separate yourself in a new environment, and come back as a victorious person and move forward.
I have worked for forty years. You don’t have to go on for forty years. In four years time, the whole thing can be completed. Once you commit your life, nothing will bother you.
Before 1990, Unificationist men and women up to the age of forty have to learn the Korean language. I want to spare you embarrassment in Korea. When you enter the fatherland, how would you feel if you could not even speak the fatherland’s language? Actually, going to Korea is the best way to learn the language. You don’t learn the real, spoken Korean in a university classroom; you have to go down to the working place and learn the slang of the laborers, even the prostitutes’ language! Then when you go to a movie house to see a Korean movie, when everybody laughs, you can laugh too. Otherwise, you won’t have the faintest idea what’s going on. In four years you can do it.
DO NOT BE SHAMED BY YOUR OWN CHILDREN
In the future all your posterity, throngs of people, will come to your tomb and pay their respects and literally weep. You will be the great ancestor. Your greatness will be that your true love will have overcome all problems. But your children will be your judge, judging you even more severely than Satan, because they are judging from inside, from the heavenly point of view. Therefore, you should be acceptable in the eyes of your children; then you can be considered a great person. The wives who have married foreign husbands have given up their own culture, food habits, and traditions, and have tried to submerge into their husband’s society-what incredible torture that is. Therefore, in a way, we are a special category of people; we are living extraordinary lifestyles. We are planting that tradition in our children.
When you look at your child, I want you to look at him or her as a living, walking God, a small God. You are going to be a bridge to connect the true love from heaven to these children. Without you as a bridge, they cannot get true love from anybody. Unless you can fulfill the true love mission, there is no way you can pass true love on to your lineage. If you don’t have this kind of principle and tradition, and total commitment and determination, you will just bear children. Conceiving children is the easy part. I want you to understand: To be shamed by your own children, or other blessed children, because of a lack of standard and discipline, is the worst shame that members of the Unification Church can suffer.
True Parents are very aware of this. They earnestly try to do nothing that will earn their children’s shame. Sometimes Mother and I may be talking with each other about something serious, but if one of our children comes into the room, I totally change my tone and appearance. The children never perceive or even conceive that Father and Mother have disagreements. The children have grown up only with a loving father and mother-that’s all they know. So then they think, “I want to be like my dad, I want to be like my mom.” That’s the best possible education a child can get.
Some of you had experiences with people of the opposite sex before you joined the church. If some memories of those relationships linger in your memory, and you find yourself comparing your spouse to one of these former lovers, you are always at a danger point. Satan can constantly speak to you. And, worst of all, your children can tell. Children can see when one of their parents doesn’t love the other. You will receive retribution within your lifetime-you don’t have to wait to get to spirit world.
At school the True Children are often ridiculed as children of Rev. Moon. Many times they come back home hurt and frustrated, and they sometimes lose interest in school. When Hyo Jin Nim was passing through those difficult times, Mother was concerned. But I always came up with the same conclusion:
“Mother, they are reflections of us. If we conduct our lives fairly and properly in the sight of God, our children will come out all right. If anything goes wrong with our children, that is not the children’s fault, but ours. We will take responsibility. The seed we sow, we reap.” Then Mother agreed with me. That was always the conclusion we reached.
Since Hyo Jin Nim went through that period of suffering, he is now coming back ten times stronger. His understanding of Father and Mother is really becoming his central concern: How can I be a filial son? Now he understands his father more than any of the other children. So we should start praying not only for our own children, but for our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and for all our posterity for thousands of years.
Love does not just belong to the individual, or to the family, but it belongs to the world. It connects the world. For that reason, you have to set the proper conditions for true love to be imparted to all the generations to come, for eternity.
[Then Father spoke for a few minutes in English Unfortunately the microphones picked up little of it. We give here a summation of what was audible.]
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT PRICE HAS BEEN PAID
You don’t know how much agony there has been in the providence. You don’t realize how serious Father was in jail. I didn’t play there. You have to know that. Even the Korean leaders don’t really know me. Why? They haven’t understood the providence, the way we must go. This is the most providential time to be alive, and also the most serious. Whenever I opened my mouth to pray, I couldn’t stop crying. How long it all has taken! You don’t know that; even Mother doesn’t know. I had a miserable past, but compared with God’s, it was nothing. The restoration course is an absolutely miserable one. One time I didn’t think deeply enough about a word I was using and I used it wrongly. I repented for six months afterwards for using that word. I have that kind of seriousness. Sometimes spiritualists prayed to find out what kind of man Rev. Moon was. They asked and asked, but God did not answer. Instead there came a flood of tears. You could not survive the miserable situations that I have been in.
The leaders in the church often criticize. But God doesn’t want to hear it. Why? Because you don’t pay the price. I know your situation is now a miserable one. I want to help, but you have your portion of responsibility. If you pay the price and take the indemnity course, the providential way, everything will work out. Do you follow me? Many Japanese members are working hard; some of their members have died. Every time individuals go off the heavenly way it brings indemnity; some kind of price has to be paid. Some members had accidents, or miserable situations, and some have died. The course of restoration entails much suffering; we have no choice but to go the way of restoration if we are to reach God’s original ideal. This is the Principle: Anybody who doesn’t pay indemnity cannot reach the ideal. Father is going the one hundred percent indemnity course. But you members have to take up your five percent responsibility. That is the teaching of the Principle. That responsibility is holy love, unity. Because you have five percent responsibility, you can inherit the same victory as Father. But often you have thought, “The Unification Church has to help me.” How come you don’t know the formula?
Not even one member has been able to really stand beside me, unite into one with me and follow what’s going on. I’ve pleaded many times, all over the world, “Follow me!” but you don’t follow my truth. You say, “Father is too much! He asks for heaven, but it’s much different on earth.” But some “crazy” people who are open to True Parents’ situation can realize it, and can follow step by step. You have to make your foundation on the family level first of all.
[Translation from Korean resumes.]
So now you’ve heard the message. The family is the foundation. We have been given the mission. How shall we really show Father that we listened to his message? Go forth and put it into action.
[Here Father ended his first speech. After a lunch break, he spoke eight hours more.]
This humble-looking, unassuming Korean man has come to this different culture and you Americans feel a desire to be close to him. You cannot explain it, but you want to see my face at least once in a while. And then when you see me, you feel warmed and happy; you receive energy and a joyful feeling of challenge. Many people, on seeing me, weep. Today when I came in many sisters had wet eyes. Why? You cannot explain it very well, but at least you can give one reason: I brought you into a vibrant, loving relationship with God. Everything you have you owe to God, including your life.
None of you may feel confident that you can live 95 percent for the sake of others, but as long as you feel that spirit of living 95 percent for the sake of True Father, that indemnifies and cleanses everything, because the True Father represents others. This is a deep secret of the Unification Church.
Anybody who comes to me and tries to proclaim his own greatness will eventually come to suffering. The amazing thing is that people normally feel utterly humbled when they come before the True Father, thinking, “Compared to what he is doing, what I am doing is so small’.’ Even though that person may be well regarded by others, he feels that way. In front of me you feel more like a child than a dignified, accomplished person. This is very important. By serving the True Father you will automatically come to the standard of living 95 percent for the sake of others.
Sometimes it may seem cruel but this is why I send you out, to do things for the sake of the world. Since you are already determined to give your life for the sake of True Parents, when I encourage you strongly to do certain things, you do it willingly. I do not say harsh things to you or push you out because I hate you. I utilize your love for me for the sake of the world, for your own well-being. By following my direction, you are securing for yourself a higher level of spirituality.
IMITATE MY CHARACTER
Many of you have been Moonies for a long time but so far you have been immature. I am the real Moonie. You know you have to imitate your Father and that is what the Unification Church is all about. Through imitating me you can assume my character and my way of life and become a true Moonie as well. Conserve your energy, your money, and your time, all for the sake of others; always think of serving more for the sake of your country and the world. This is the Moonies’ way of life.
I spent one year at Danbury prison and my daily schedule was very regulated. My breakfast, lunch, and dinner were always at the same time. I never missed breakfast, since I was always up early. The only day I missed breakfast was when I was reading one morning and misjudged the time. I felt that whatever the institution served, it was enough for me. Most of the other inmates were lazy and slept late, so they often missed breakfast. They would be hungry later in the morning and would try to take things from the kitchen. I knew that people tried to steal from the food storage area. The kitchen manager worried about me because I didn’t try to steal food like the other men. He would even tell me, “Rev. Moon, why don’t you take one of these food baskets? No one will miss if’ But I would just say, “No, thank you. I don’t need it.”
Many of the inmates were aware that I knew certain secrets about them but they also trusted that I would never tell anyone what I knew. Just like God Himself-He knows everything about us, but He never talks to anyone else about it. Eventually these men would become guilt-ridden and self-conscious and they would come to me, saying, “Rev. Moon, many times you have seen me taking food from the kitchen. You don’t like that, do you?” This is how the conscience works. The kitchen manager knew that I would never eat anything other than the regular meals, so he worried about my missing a meal. He would come and get me at mealtime, if necessary, so that I would be sure to get enough food. Even though this place was a prison, it was gradually turning into something resembling heaven, because people were becoming friends and learning how to trust each other and become a human community.
Once you follow the heavenly principle of living 95 percent for the sake of others and 5 percent for your own sake, universal law will protect you. If someone tries to attack a person living like this, the attacker will be harmed instead.
We are trying to build the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. What kind of society is that? It is a society that consists of people who are willing to live 95 percent for the sake of others. You must practice this principle first of all in your own family. Therefore, your spouse comes before you, your children come before you, and your parents come before you. When we view American families from this standpoint, we can see that family life in this country is often ungodly and full of satanic influence. Many American homes are ridden with tragedy. Even one day spent in such a selfish, individualistic atmosphere is hell. One year is almost unendurable torture.
You cannot look upon your own person as private property. It belongs to God; it is His own temple. Thus when you are cutting your nails, for example, you can love yourself. And you can say to your hands, “How hard you worked today!” You can say to your eyes, “Aren’t you tired from reading so much today?” You can comfort and sympathize with yourself as long as you consider yourself public property. Your body is the instrument by which you can live 95 percent for the sake of others.
When you think of yourself as public property, other people will be drawn to you with deep loyalty. My prison term in North Korea was much longer than this one; even there I found disciples who were willing to die to protect me. They wanted to work side by side with me every day.
By repeating this way of life, day in and day out for so many years, a certain weight and dignity has come to me; this way of life bestows holiness upon a person automatically. It is as natural as a tree growing in a garden. The tree never has to assert its position as the boss of the garden. But if it stays there long enough, it will come to dominate the area. It is the same with our way of life.
NOW YOU HAVE A CODE WORD
The key phrase of my speech today is 95 percent and 5 percent. So far you have only thought of this ratio in relation to God’s 95 percent responsibility and mankind’s 5 percent. But now you have a new formula. Do you feel confident that you have been true Moonies all this time based upon this new formula? You now have a code word for your husband or wife. You can just look at each other and say, “95 percent;’ and be humbled. When you are going out to your mission work and your wife says,
“Where are you going? The children and I need you here!” all you have to reply is, “Darling, I am going to fulfill my 95 percent:’ Then she will have to agree. Then you will be in the bosom of Heavenly Father, and you will be protected as you go out to help this dying humanity.
Sometimes the wife might complain to the husband, “Darling, why don’t you give me a morning kiss?” and the husband might say, “No, dear, 95 percent! I’m going to give my morning energy to somebody else! I have come and spent the night with you and given you my love but now I have to give my 95 percent for the sake of others. Please let me go’.’ The wife has to say, “Amen, go, my husband’.’ This is a dramatic way of life and far greater than 100 kisses. It’s true!
When a squabble arises in the future among Moonies, and harsh disagreements verge on fighting, one person only has to start to say “Nine … ‘.’ You don’t even have to say the whole number. Moonies should know what that means. That will be enough to finish the argument.
Hyo Jin spoke a few days ago in Japan to 10,000 people at a CARP convention and addressed them in English in a very powerful manner. Then yesterday the top church leadership of Japan, over 500 people, gathered and heard a sermon from Hyo Jin, who spoke without a prepared text. People were brought to tears because he poured out his heart so completely. That is a trait he inherited from me. I was born with the signs of nobility-in the Orient a person with small hands and feet is considered to be destined for goodness. I was also born with a mind and heart of goodness, but I still had to go through the greatest suffering and be persecuted to an unbearable degree. Why was that? It was because my principle of living 95 percent for the sake of others is a crime in the satanic world.
I WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE BY THIS PRINCIPLE
However, because I lived my life according to this formula, my suffering could never destroy me. Many people predicted my destruction, but they were proved to be wrong, because I am protected by the universe and its law. Why don’t you test out what I am saying and see if it works? Do you think men and women who do this will end up in heaven or hell? My portion of suffering had already been fulfilled; I did not really have to suffer any more, but for the sake of the world and this country, as well as for God, I went through this past year of tribulation. I never refuse such suffering. Now I have endured enough for the sake of this nation, and the turning point has come.
The spirit world keeps saying to me, “Rev. Moon, you have done enough! Now please live for yourself for a while. For a change, why don’t you live 95 percent for yourself and 5 percent for others? It’s all right!” Do you agree? Even though you may say, “Yes, Father, you can do that;’ still it is human nature not to like that. Deep down you feel that it is better that your Father continues living by this principle all the way to the end. You feel I will then be at the highest place in heaven.
My life is simple. It can be described in three sentences: I was born for the sake of others. I live for the sake of others. I will die for the sake of others. If that is the way you die, you will go right into the bosom of Heavenly Father in spirit world. If you practice my philosophy of living 95 percent for the sake of others and 5 percent for yourself, you will create a certain affinity with me, and the universe will bring us together. You won’t have to ask for an appointment with me; we will inevitably meet.
YOUR CENTERS WILL FLOURISH BY THIS FORMULA
I invited all the regional directors, regional coordinators, and state and city leaders here today. I know some cities are flourishing and others are not. On what does that depend? On the leadership. God has special eyeglasses through which He is only able to see the people who are altruistic and living for others. When God looks through those glasses He doesn’t see all 250 locations; that means spirit world isn’t helping all of these cities.
You leaders always know how to make demands of others, but you don’t know how to serve members. This is the crux of the problem. If you are truly giving 95 percent for the sake of others and still your church area doesn’t flourish, then I will take the responsibility. It would mean that what I am teaching you today is wrong. But first do it, and then find out what the results are and report them to me. If you have three members in one center who are living 95 percent for the sake of others, that center will flourish; it will burgeon forth in all directions.
On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus tied back his hair and knelt down and washed the feet of his disciples. He said, “I did not come to be served. I came to serve’.’ Peter, his most passionate disciple, objected. “Oh no, Master, you cannot wash my feet. How can I let you do that?” But Jesus was rather stern and said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me’.’ And Peter surrendered. Jesus practiced living 95 percent for the sake of others. Do you follow my message very clearly? If you are living 95 percent for others and 5 percent for yourself, everything good will flourish. It is up to you.
When you go back to your mission field this time, practice this principle and try to reach out to 300,000 ministers out there. If you approach them in this spirit, then within the foreseeable future we will turn American Christianity around, and it will unite with us completely. Your objects are the ministers and your members. Practice the 95 percent principle-praying more, eating less, working harder, sleeping less, going out more, serving them, and taking them wherever they need to go. Take them by the hand; take them to the hospital if they need to go. If you just give 95 percent with your whole heart and soul, you will be victorious. That kind of action will cause you to be recognized as a pious son, a loyal subject of the country, a patriot, and a saint. Your actions will directly engender such qualities.
YOU WILL HAVE A PERMANENT FOLLOWING
If you falter and even die while living and practicing this principle, you will lose nothing. You will win everything, and will be esteemed as a martyr. You will not only go to the highest place in heaven but here on earth you will have a permanent following. You will become the proud ancestor of your children, and your countrymen will memorialize you as a patriot. The whole spirit world will call you their beloved saint, and God will consider you His true child. It is not easy to achieve this. It requires much labor, tears, sweat, and sometimes even blood.
Your presence in a certain village, city, or community cannot afford to be unnoticed. If you are ignored, you are failing. People must be influenced by you, one way or another. You must uplift them, spiritually and physically. When you practice this principle I am teaching you today, you will be able to do that.
Even though you may leave your city to come to a conference like this in New York, you ought to feel tears of longing for your mission place. When you really pour out your heart to a city, you cannot forget it; it becomes almost like an extension of your physical body. I can vividly remember my prison life in North Korea, in Seoul, in Japan, and in Danbury. All six of my prison terms are vivid in my memory and I will never forget them. Tears come when I think about it-not because of self-pity, but because I poured my life energy into every place. In Danbury I never prayed, “Father, won’t you please alleviate my misery here?”
The people in Danbury prison probably have four different images of me in their memory. First, they will remember how I did my work without words, fulfilling my mission and taking on other people’s work as well. Second, they will recall the image of me reading. Whenever I found the time, I would read. Third, they will remember me meditating or praying. Fourth, they will remember how I played pool so often. Prisoners all around the country heard through their grapevine that Rev. Moon liked to play pool. Even some prisoner in Maxwell, Alabama, told somebody that. They knew these things about me, but they do not know the spirit behind what I do, which you have heard about today.
I HAVE ONLY ONE DETERMINATION
You too have images of me within your memory. What kinds of images do you have? Some of you remember me as a marathon speaker. “At one conference Father spoke for 17 hours!” Someone might say, “Well, Father never really praised anybody; he always just pushed us. Even though I brought a good result to him, he still scolded me’.’ There is only one central theme to all the different images you have of me, and that is that I have only one determination, one desire: to shorten the length of God’s dispensation. I want to fulfill God’s will in the shortest possible time. For that reason, during this forty-year period of the final dispensation, I have always been thinking how I can shorten forty years into twenty, twenty years into ten, ten years into five. Therefore, there is always risk, adventure, and danger. I knew that.
As a result of my determination to shorten the dispensation, all sorts of suffering had to come. Last year I willingly accepted my term at Danbury, knowing that it would help shorten the dispensation. I went there with great expectation, knowing the amount of indemnity that would be paid through which I could accomplish God’s will in a shorter time.
Today people are suffering because of the failure of Adam and Eve, the failure of the first parents. Thus, in the parental position, True Father and Mother must take the responsibility to suffer in place of the fallen parents and lessen the suffering of the children. When Jesus was crucified, the physical foundation was lost-the nation, the church, his family, his disciples, the chosen people. But by Rev. Moon going to his Mount of Calvary, everything that was lost has been restored, on the worldwide level.
When you look back on your life, how many times can you say that you really suffered willingly for the sake of other people? You can see clearly what kind of man or woman you are when you examine yourself. Have you been selfish or have you helped others? Have you been genuine and pure or have you lied and tried to take advantage of others? You know how you have been living, much better than anyone else knows. God’s philosophy is always this: Live 95 percent for the sake of others and 5 percent for your own well-being.
God does not want you to completely collapse; you can’t give 100 percent to others. You need 5 percent for self-preservation. This is my formula. I made my determination a long time ago to live 95 percent for the sake of God and the world and 5 percent for myself. What kind of things are for myself? Exercising; keeping in good health; good hygiene and cleanliness; reading in order to have up-to-date knowledge; things like that.
I AM AL WAYS SENSITIVE TO OTHERS
Habit is an amazing thing. I make a habit of serving and helping others. One simple example I will take from my daily life at East Garden. I used to play pool with some of the elder Korean members. I knew exactly where each of them liked to place his cue ball. When I finished my shot, I would automatically take the cue ball over to that spot for the other player, so he wouldn’t have to bother moving it. During the whole time, I was always putting the cue ball on the spot that particular player liked, but none of them would ever do the same thing for me. They were so numb, unobservant. This is not to say that they did something evil; it is just that they were not sensitive. You have to be sensitive to the needs of other people.
East Garden is an interesting place. There are a lot of people on the staff there-the kitchen crew, the security team, the household team, and other members. They see me a lot and they attend me every day. But in all these years, I have never scolded one person, even though all kinds of mischief sometimes goes on. There may be fights in the kitchen or shouting and cursing among the people outside; sometimes the guards speak very bad language among themselves. I know all these things are going on. In a way, I may appear to be uninterested in people’s affairs at East Garden, because I never bother them. But they never want to leave me. On occasion Mother has told a staff member, “You have been at East Garden long enough now; I want to give you another mission and let you go someplace else’.’ Often these people cry and beg to stay at East Garden, to be near Father and Mother. Why is that? Why should this seemingly uninterested grandpa be so desirable to be near? It doesn’t matter whether I speak to them or not; there is a gigantic vibration going out, waves of love they can feel emanating from this source.
Why did the inmates in the prison like me? It is because I lived for their sake, and saw them as God’s children. Early in the morning I would get up and clean, something which everybody else hated to do. I had dining room and kitchen duty. When the young inmates had that duty, they would always complain, “I just hate this!” They would try to get out of it as quickly as possible so they could run away and do something else. But when I finished my work there, I wouldn’t leave right away. I would wait, thinking, “Maybe somebody will need me. Maybe somebody will need a mop or another waste basket’.’ Since I was only concerned with tending to other people’s needs, how could they dislike me?
This is why the members of the Unification Church feel they can come to me with all their secrets. They can trust me and they know I am there to help them. For that reason, they want to unload their most agonizing troubles onto me, such as problems with their spouses or their children. They may not be able to talk to their spouse, but they feel I can understand. The person who lives his entire life giving 95 percent for the sake of others and 5 percent for himself will find that when he goes to spirit world, it is wide open to him. All twelve gates will be open to receive him, and he will have total freedom there. Nothing in the spirit world will hinder a person who lived 95 percent of his entire life for the sake of others. I know that spirit world is there. When you live this unselfish kind of life here on earth you are earning an express passport to that other world. Your passport will have a special stamp marked “Total Freedom’.