July 20, 1984
On the Occasion of Departing for Danbury Prison
The following was written after the founder of the Unification Church was imprisioned for tax evasion of 7,000 total.
He had been imprisoned about six times, including North Korea for his religious teachings which was against the law in that country. Here he states his conviction that nothing will stop him from continuing to believe in his Godly cause and to spread the message of God's love and sorrowful heart.
“My faith will not change, wherever I go! To say that your faith will never change means that your mind will never change. By the same token, the world that I am pursuing will not change, either. Wherever I go, whether it is a high place or a low one, my life will be the same life.”
With the short time we have today, I would like to give a short and simple lecture.
The work of God is to make unity.
If humanity chose to believe and follow God's word, each man and woman would have experienced unity. This means that when man and woman marry, the ideal would have automatically been achieved.
However, we come to know that the world we live in has yet become one. When we think of the world, it seems too large to place into a simple context. But theoretically, the world is just an extension of an individual man or woman.
Can even the Pope claim that his mind and flesh is hundred percent united? Therefore, since there is not any fallen man or woman who can proclaim this individual unity centered on God, the world became a world which God did not want.
If we have not seen a perfect man or woman united completely with God, then there are no families which are perfect – no societies, nations or world which are perfect. This was God's ideal world which He wanted to come into being. When a person becomes united in mind and body centered on God, He can relate with that person as one completed individual.
God becomes the subject or center of that couple consisting of such united men and women.
If a tribe or community was to become totally united, then God becomes the center or subject of that group. Therefore, it does not make a difference, how large the population becomes, because God wants to be the center and subject to everybody based on true love -not a dictatorship.
When God becomes the subject and center of every individual, the unified world comes into being.
A unified world includes a unified nation, communities, tribes, families and so on.
God wants to travel through such a unified world.
“What is the path I am walking? My ultimate mission as a son of God is to bring about the unity of the entire world. If there had been no fall, God would never have had any problem in visiting this world. All people would have become perfected and would have automatically welcomed God into this world. It would not have mattered how many billions of people were born; they would all have been incorporated into the unified world.”
God has not abandoned human society after they had left their original Godly position. He has worked hard for thousands of years to bring about unity through the family, tribe, community, nation and world.
Think about this: if Adam and had chosen God's path, then the unified family and world would automatically come about centered on their Godly marriage centered on God.
God would have joyfully been free to travel anywhere experiencing unity. Wherever God would go on earth, He would be one with His people.
But instead, because of the fall, barriers, division and war came into the world on every level beginning with the individual.
God was not the center of this compartmentalized, divided world. Incredible conflict invades every human relationship beginning with each individual's own mind and body in conflict with itself. The good and evil mind battle every moment to win over each individual's actions.
Throughout history, there has been no one who could eliminate completely the roots of such conflict that has risen in this world.
Conflict exists between men and women, families, tribes, nations and even East and West.
Satan is the champion of division and understands how to divide this world on every level.
Therefore, a godly man had to appear who can bring unity and overcome the power of division that has held humanity captive since the Fall.
How much joy that would unity throughout the world bring to God!
God has worked through many saints throughout history who were always unifiers.
When they faced any opposition or adversity, they never allowed themselves to become divided. Jesus Christ was the greatest of all of these people because he was the true Son of God who carried God's pure blood lineage.
He came to unite the world with the greatest power of unity that humanity has ever seen. He was able to ultimately bring unity among the different races and cultures. He was even able to bring unity among his enemies and the forces of Satan who tried to stop and destroy him.
“I want you to understand that Jesus prayed on the cross for his enemies because his deepest purpose and mission was to bring unity to everyone.”
Only, Jesus was a solitary being who bore the cross. His disciples did not support him in the end, the chosen nation did not support him and the Roman Empire was not supporting him. Jesus was absolutely alone.
But today in the time of the Second Coming, Reverend Moon was sent at this age to bring about unity and to finish Jesus' mission of Heaven on Earth. Reverend moon is casting fire, the word, to bring about unity.
Thus, no matter what we face, we will succeed.
In our time, the forces of Satan are trying to divide the people of the Unification Church and Christianity, but this cannot be done.
The entire world is watching the Unification Church. They wonder about Mrs. Moon how she is taking the latest turn of events.
They wonder how the church can survive this latest opposition and wonder if it will be shattered in the final hour and be destroyed.
We see that this is on the contrary. Under this difficult circumstances, the Church has found itself most powerful at this time.
“If my wife sheds tears, they are not the tears of tragedy or defeat; they are the tears of unity, tears for bringing hope to the future. God's method has always been that of being hit and then restoring it, over and over again throughout history.”
Knowing God's true heart, then when we weep in this way, we know that our tears will bring greater determination and hope which will allow us to continue to march forward to a greater victory for God.
On the other hand, if we allow ourselves to become defeatists, we will never become the people who can receive the ultimate blessing from God.
Ultimate blessing can only come after being hit and enduring and never faltering and moving forward.
“Even though Reverend Moon is opposed by the entire United States, I will never be defeated. I am ready to receive the blessing that goes far beyond any blessing of this country. If God provides a way for me to bring about the unity of the 7 billion people of this world, I will not hesitate an instant to take that path.
When the Supreme Court rejected our review on May 14, 1 never wavered in asking God, 'What way do You want to lead us now?' Since then, in the past two months great numbers of Christians have become united.
Today, I am going the road of incarceration and I am asking God, 'What is Your next chapter for me? Let Your will be done and bring the unity of all humankind, centering upon the True Parents.' I know that no matter where I go, I will find people who will follow; strangers will follow me, even beyond the Unification Church.
When I walk over the hill, the unified world will be waiting there to welcome me. The billions of people will become united into one.
There is a way for God to come and dwell with humankind. For the first time, the unity between God and ourselves will be achieved.
Therefore I walk the road of the cross with hope and a totally victorious mind. We are here together, people from all different cultures and the five different colors of skin. You must be united as you follow me.
You parents with children must follow me with your entire family united. All the members throughout the world must follow in unity; that is the only way you can follow me.
Because of this momentous day, there is great hope for unity starting from the membership of the Unification Church and spreading out to the rest of humanity. Because of this day, unity shall become a reality. It will continue to grow, greater and greater.
This is a glorious, victorious and historical day. For that reason, I don't want you to send me off in tears.
If you have tears automatically streaming down your face, they must not be tears of tragedy. They must be tears of determination, telling me, "Trust us. We are going to bring 100 times greater victory in the days to come.
On the day that I return, you must be able to share with me about all the thousands of people who became united while I was gone. That is the only way you can be worthy of your tears.
I am going the road of confinement for the purpose of unity.
Inside the prison I will work even harder to bring about greater unity within the Unification movement and the Christian community.
Also, I am working to bring unity between the Unification movement, the Christian community, and other religions. That is the purpose of my going to prison today.
Therefore, I want all of you to unite.
Unless you have that internal unity, you are inviting hell to come in. When you are united, every door in the world will be opened to you. When Jesus was crucified, he went into hell first and opened the doors there.
Today, I am bearing my cross, but I will not die; I will open the doors of hell as a living person. From that point on, resurrection and Pentecost will come. That is the way I understand the meaning of this day.”
Reverend Sun Myung Moon
The living God never dies.
Reverend Moon continued to speak that his cross will only bring unification and victory.
From this day forward, the doors to 120 nations will be opened depending on how much you act.
This day, as a champion Reverend Moon will bring about unity of all humanity as well as unity of heaven and earth.
You must inherit True Father's spirit and tradition. This means we each must become unifiers in our right becoming united among ourselves and helping others to unite. Even the mass weddings that are conducted in the church bring thousands of couples as a symbolic example of the Returned Messiah's work to bring unity between people from the seven continents that have different languages, culture and skin colors.
The Unification Church members are one in heart.
God's Will is to bring unity of all people. We are marching forward toward this goal!
“The road of suffering and bearing our cross shall have no power over me. I confront all difficulties and shatter them with my determination. I am opening the highway to the horizon of hope and beyond, all the way to the victory.
Even if the time comes to give up my life, it will be given up for the unity of humankind. Then God will erect a monument to me as the champion of unity. Certainly, anyone who died under such circumstances would be launched like a rocket directly into God's heart. Therefore, do not worry.”
When Jesus was bearing the cross for the world, he told the people not to weep for him. He told them to weep for their children, their own people, nation and world. This is because he could see the coming misery in order to lay a foundation to bring about Heaven on Earth.
There are only a few people listening today, but there are even greater numbers around the world shedding tears, offering prayer, and pouring out their hearts for the sake of God's Will.
“Have I been waging a futile battle? No, as I struggled for this seemingly impossible dream, I knew that the entire world would eventually rally around me.
From now on, you can go out and shout to the world and everyone's heart shall be melted. Their consciences will be awakened and you will be able to unite them with your heart.
As we work for greater levels of unification, we will have greater levels of success; we will not decline. At this time, I am going away and you must stay here. This is your moment of commitment to become the catalyst for the unity of the world. The Unification Church is not alone; there are many other people and groups who are siding with us now.
The time has come that people will stop mocking and scorning you for being a Moonie. Now, you will be admired and you will be recognized as having a great spiritual leader.
This is our own time of unification. We must stand up now and move forward to achieve our goals.”
When the morning comes, the beautiful sunrise can be seen across the eastern sky. You must understand that we are now living in the time that the sunrise is coming into the world. Now, the sunbeams are becoming stronger and stronger and we continue to march forward forevermore.
This is how we will grow: First, we must ignite the sunshine of the individual; then, the individual ignites the sunshine of the family, and then the sunshine of the nation and ultimately the world and universe will shine.
Therefore, there is no time for rest or any time to weep and hang our head in despair. This is only one road to go – the road of determination and march forward.
Why? Because we are the chosen champions who must liberate God through the basis of unification. Starting from this point of liberation, then we will be able to fulfill the blessing and take true dominion over the creation.
From this point forward, the Kingdom of God on earth shall become a reality.
“I know that to my bones. That is the goal toward which I am marching today.
So far, we have prepared a container; now we are preparing something to put into that container -- the victory of God.
I am at the forefront of the marching lines, carrying that container. I merely am marching in the front of that line, but everybody behind me is going in the same direction with the same purpose. You and I have the same mission of world unity -- that is the job we must do.
I am going to open the doors of hell so while I am doing that, you must take care of this world. Unification is your sublime duty and your goal.
I want you to understand that I am going to prison on the worldwide level at this time. I have already gone to prison on the individual level, the family and the national level.
This is my destiny. Jesus told his people, if you want to follow me, follow me with your cross.
Therefore, if you want to follow Reverend Moon, you must bear the worldwide cross. Once you are victorious with the worldwide cross, you can come to visit me. After you have been victorious in carrying your own cross, then I will be able to come out of prison. I want you to understand that.
When I was in the North Korean prison, my mother came to visit me. She had walked many hundreds of miles, all the way across the peninsula, and the moment she saw me, she began to cry very strongly.
At that point, I shouted out to my own mother, calling her by her given name, not the title of mother, 'I am not just your son. I have only come to this world through you. I am a son of God -- you gave birth to me, so you should be as great as your son. You cannot be cowardly or weak. You must walk forward courageously and encourage me.'
Today, I am saying the same thing to you: do not ever behave in a weak or cowardly fashion. You must be proud and courageous. Even without your encouragement, I will follow the highest possible road of a son of God.
Thus, instead of trying to come and visit me, go out to the battlefield. Go out and bring unity to the world. Do not waste your time visiting me at the prison but bring the victory for God in the world.”
Now
show me your determination by standing and giving three cheers of
mansei!
Return for Tomorrow's Post: The Value of Religion
This
message was partially rewritten from the book, God's Warning to the
World - message from prison
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