1977: Who Am I?

[Damian J. Anderson]

http://www.unification.net/1977/770123.html

ORDER NUMBER
77-01-23

REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON
SPEAKS ON

WHO AM I?

January 23, 1977
Belvedere, New York
Translator - Bo Hi Pak

For each one of us our "self" is very important. From the Moment we
come into existence our self becomes the central point of everything
in our lives. Therefore we want the society, the nation, and the world
to all center upon our individual selves. This is not only true for
our individual lives but for all other levels too, for families,
societies, nations, and even for God. We could say, "Who Am I?" And
God could say the same thing. Therefore, the starting point for each
one of us in this universal existence is "I'll and we must be able to
understand that "I."

In order to understand that "I" we must understand "I" in the context
of history. History is presently approaching its consummation, the
period of the end of the world. These are the Last Days. When people
say "Last Days" they think of two opposite things. Some think the
"Last Days" are the time when everything will be consummated in a
fruitful harvest, and some consider the "Last Days" to be the time
when everything will dissolve into nothing. These two conclusions are
absolutely exclusive of each other; one implies hope and the other
implies despair. Many people today are thinking that the Last Days are
the end of the world when everything will be destroyed and there will
only be despair.

If we are living in the Last Days then we must ask, "Who Am I?" Each
of us is encircled by the world around us. When we make the circle a
little smaller we find we are living within the boundary of the United
States. We are also members of the society, of the Unification Church,
and also of our own families. When we lift all these circles away we
are standing at the central point.

Many people look upon the central position as a position of despair;
they look upon tomorrow as having no hope and wonder where they will
go then. People standing in the central position certainly should not
go down, or to the left or the right. They should be able to go up.
However, they do not have the energy, hope, or vision to go up. If we
find ourselves in that central position in a world where hope is lost,
then it is very serious for us all.

We may ask the nation, "Please, America help us! Give us a direction
for our lives and all the things that surround us!" But the nation
cannot answer the fundamental problems of human life. When we shout
out to the world, "World, come help us; save us," the world does not
respond. Our societies, our schools, our own families do not have the
power to save our individual selves. Religion has been one hope;
however, the religions existing today have also lost all vision. Then
what shall we do? Where shall we go?

We must discover this true "I" or true self, and try to save
ourselves. However, no individual is capable of saving himself. In
this situation of world despair, if someone can say, "I have the
solution; I have someone who can lead me into eternal hope," that
person is indeed a fortunate person. At least that person can surround
himself with happy circumstances. If someone in a family can lead the
way to the ultimate hope, then any person within that family is
fortunate and has found the solution also. If that circle can be
extended and someone can bring the solutions to the problems on the
level of society, the level of the nation and the world, then all the
people in the world surrounding that person are fortunate.

His solution for the world must correspond to the national solution,
which must correspond to the societal solution and the family
solution. If someone can do that, then that person will have unified
the world through their solution. But history has never found a person
who could bring hope by bringing a solution which could apply from the
worldwide level all the way down to the individual level. This is why
the world remains in despair. In the Last Days every individual is
still searching; we are still on the road, searching for a solution.

Through our experience we conclude that a per son living within our
own environment could not bring the solution. Many philosophies have
been born in history, with each thinker trying to solve human problems
through different fields: for example, through science, through
literature, medicine, or philosophy. But the one field that
fundamentally deals with the value of human life is religion. Religion
is one field where we can concentrate our search for the ultimate
solution of human problems. However, the current religions are losing
their vision so we have to search in a new, more elevated religious
sphere to find new spiritual power.

The important thing is that God is already involved in these events.
He has His own schedule, His own master plan. He knows of the
circumstances in which we live in the world of despair; He knows of
our searching. Therefore, God's plan will emerge through a new
religion and a new leader to let us reach the ultimate conclusion of
our search. 'Ibis particular solution has been manifested in the
concept of the Messiah.

Let us concentrate our thought on the Messiah. Why does the Messiah
come? What is the content of his work? First of all, the Messiah
tackles the problems of all humanity, not just one group. The Messiah
brings to this world the fundamental solution for the problems of all
mankind. The Messiah comes not only with the key to solve human
problems, but also the key to solve heavenly problems, God's problems.

Since the source of every problem has been the separation between God
and man, the Messiah comes for one single purpose: to bring God and
man into unity. This will solve both man's and God's problems. Where
will this unity between God and man begin? What is the starting point?
An American President might say that this unity must start in the
White House here in this country because, after all, America is the
greatest nation. Maybe communists would want to possess God
themselves, and their unity would probably begin in the Kremlin. But
even if there is tranquillity in the White House, if the people of
America are suffering and desperately unhappy, then this has not truly
solved the problems of the nation. And even if the people in the
Kremlin can enjoy a rich life, as long as the people of that nation
are suffering, that certainly does not represent happiness.

Unity between God and man does not begin in high places, in the office
of the sovereign or bead of state. It begins with the individual at
the very bottom of human life. Even within the family a father and
mother may have reason to be jubilant, but at the same time their
happiness may not be shared by their children; the children may be
desperately unhappy.

Happiness must begin at the starting point of "I." Then where is this
"I" standing? Maybe "I" is at the pinnacle of the entire world, the
central point of the world situation. That person might be happy in
his position relating to the world, or that person might desire to
have nothing to do with his surroundings. These are two manifestations
of "I." Which kind of "I" would you want to be?

Everybody has the desire and ambition to become identified with the
rest of the world. You do not want t, just be isolated; you want to be
someone special, recognized by the world. Why does everyone have that
ambition? When you are standing on the pinnacle of the world, the
earliest rays of the morning sun will touch you first. You will be the
first recipient of the heavenly blessing. Human nature has the innate
desire to be standing on high ground. That position is closer to God,
and when the Messiah comes with ultimate hope, the person in that
position can identify him first.

Jesus came to Israel 2,000 years ago. Do you think he came to Israel
just as the leader of that particular nation, or did he come with a
dream and desire for the entire world? No doubt he came with an ideal
for the world. Tragically, the chosen people refused to accept this
universal leader as the Messiah; they were not ready. But innate human
desire has not changed. Everybody is still looking for the pinnacle of
the world because they know it is the place closest to the Messiah,
closest to God.

How about you? Are you looking for this position? It is a common human
desire, regardless of your level of education. You may have just gone
through elementary school or you may be a Harvard Ph.D. It does not
make any difference. Human nature is always trying to be on higher
ground, to be where the ray of hope hits first.

Who am I? You should answer that question, "I am the one striving
toward the high point of the world, trying to be on the pinnacle of
the world; that is who I am." That one central point is the position
where the entire world is concentrated. The person who has arrived at
this pinnacle is in a position to say, "Without me this world is empty
and in despair. I am the one who relays the blessing from the top.
Without me the rest of the world has no point to rally around."

The person who can say, "I am the center of the world," can certainly
say, "I am the center of the nation. I am indispensable for the
nation; I am indispensable for the society and the family, and
finally, I am indispensable for myself. Without me there is no 'I'."

That is the ultimate hope of "I." "I" wants to be the center of the
entire world. That is the relationship in which "I" wants to exist.
That "I" cannot isolate itself from the rest of the world. When that
"I" moves forward then the rest of the world moves too, because that
"I" is the center of the entire world and of society. That kind of "I"
could not exist without being surrounded by the rest of the world. "I"
cannot be the center of the world without a world, but today people
are trying to exclude God and the whole world. They want to exist only
for themselves. This cannot work. They disregard everything in
existence around them, trying to be "I" by themselves; however, one
cannot exist by oneself.

When you say "center," your meaning implies the existence of the rest
of the world. A center does not come first; the world comes first. If
you want to stand on the pinnacle of the world, the important thing is
whether you want to become the center of the world. Each one of you
must realize and say, "I am responsible for the world." That awakening
will bring you to the center.

It is logical that blessing and responsibility come together. Most
people say, "I want the honor of being the center of the world, but I
do not desire to be responsible for the world." Is that how you are
thinking, or do you think, "I am going to be the center of the world
because I want to take up the responsibility of the world"? Which one?
Instead of putting themselves in the center of the world, most people
are trying to move the world to their center. They stand fast and do
not want to budge. They say, "Let the world come to me and make me the
center." Is that possible?

In relation to the rest of the world the center is always an equal
distance from any edge. You travel the same distance in any direction
to reach the edge of the circle. A person might say, "I'm American so
I'm close to America, but I'm a little distant from Asians, Europeans
and Africans." Then that person is not exactly at the center. That
person is somewhat distorted, somewhat off center. The person at the
exact center of the circle has an attitude and personality that is
completely accommodating and embracing. If a person says, "I'm a white
man so I don't care about blacks or yellows or any other race," then
he is not perfectly in the center. That person could perhaps become
the center of the white race, but certainly not of all the races of
the world.

Then what kind of person must the Messiah be? The Messiah is the first
person to put himself on the pinnacle of the world, to perfectly
position himself at the center. Who can have rapport with the Messiah
when he comes to this world? In America some people think only of
themselves and are very individualistic. Could these people possibly
establish rapport with the coming Messiah? They have an entirely
different outlook on life. Is the philosophy of that kind of
individualistic and egoistic person parallel with the philosophy of
the Messiah?

Because the Messiah is coming with a universal concept and, therefore,
universal equality, anyone who pursues individualism is the enemy of
the Messiah. When someone says he wants to become the pinnacle of the
world, the center of the world, what he means is that he wants to
inherit the Messiah's concept, the messianic ideal. The Messiah is
looking for people of that philosophy and conviction. Ultimately
speaking, such people are striving to become messiahs themselves.
Simply said, people just want to follow the Messiah and imitate him,
and finally they want to make themselves actual messiahs.

The central position of the Messiah is the position of God. The
Messiah and God hold one concept. Anyone who is following the mandate
or teachings of the Messiah is initially a follower and disciple. But
later that disciple will not even need instruction. He will
automatically think the same as the Messiah; he will act and work and
live by the same concept as the Messiah, elevating himself to the
position of Messiah.

When the Messiah comes he is looking for such ready people. Why is
that? There are people who are ready to be positioned in the center of
the world in the Messiah's position. God and the Messiah are seeking
such people because it is easier. Such people do not need much
training; they are already disciplined and educated to take the
position of the Messiah. When the Messiah comes and actually mobilizes
such people, he can make that family a messiah's family; he can make
that society a messiah's society and that nation a messiah's nation.

Think of yourself, what kind of person are you? Do you need lots of
training to become a messiah or are you disciplined and ready, just
waiting to be touched and you will become a messiah? What kind of
person are you? When the Messiah comes as the center of the universe
and summons you to come to the center, are you a person who will say,
"Yes, sir, I will be with you in a second," or will you say, "No, sir,
I don't want to move. You come and stay with me"?

If your original position is in one place but you are summoned to the
center, should you take all your surroundings with you, and slowly but
surely get there? Or should you be revolutionary, taking off the
shackles of your old surroundings and dashing like a bullet? Will you
keep all the old wires and ropes fastened to you so you can always be
pulled back to your old position, or will you chop them all off. The
important thing to realize is that you have to get rid of your old
position and shackles to move to the position of the Messiah. You can
plan to go back to your old surroundings some day, or you can
completely get rid of them and stay in your new position for eternity.
As a member of the Unification Church it is very important to
establish the second attitude.

You are not moving anywhere else but to a higher central position.
When you consummate your mission there you will not have to go back to
influence your old place because you will already be the center of the
world, and you can lift up your old surroundings. As you elevate
yourself in the center of the world your direction is a one way
street, and there is no reason for you to go back to the past
position. This is history. When saints and holy men undertake a cause
of righteousness and justice, there is no way to retreat.

When you begin your march toward the higher central position then you
must not go back. This is very important. For "ample, when you become
a true patriot to save America, you need to sacrifice your individual
surroundings. By the same token, when your cause is for the sake of
the world, then an even greater sacrifice of your individual
surroundings is needed.

Even your closest loved ones, your wife or husband, could be an
obstacle when you undertake this holy mission. But if you sacrifice
them, even disregarding them at times and closing your eyes to all
your individual circumstances, you can raise yourself up to fulfill
the highest possible mission. By doing that you are inflicting
sacrifice on your surroundings. Should this be regarded as sin?

When a person is moving toward the center it might look like he is
cruelly leaving his wife and children and all his circumstances to go
to the higher position. However, by doing so, he is doing the most
good for his own family. By reaching his destination he has a chance
to bring them into that center, too.

The view that the road of a saint is a one-way street upward and
forward is part of Eastern philosophy. The loyal subject of a nation
or king walks a one-way street of loyalty, never looking back. But
this corresponds to your own understanding; it makes sense in Western
philosophy, doesn't it?

Let's look at my life from this standpoint. In spite of going through
hardships for 30 years I still forged ahead toward the higher goal and
came to America. Here too, I am receiving tremendous persecution and
am being mistreated. But from this principle, should I go back to my
comfortable place in Korea? Is that what the righteous person should
do? Or should I follow the one-way street upward?

Is your advice to go straight forward? When you say, "That is my
advice, Father," that means you are actually saying, "Father, we are
willing to back you up. We are willing to follow you, or even beat you
and go ahead of you." Are you saying that? So far I am a lonely
runner, running only by myself with nobody beside me or in front of
me. After 30 years of running I would like to see someone running
faster than I am, saying, "Father, just hold my hand, I will pull
you." Are you going to be that kind of person?

There are many ways you can go. You can go slowly, taking all the time
you want for relaxation, food, sleep and worldly enjoyment. But it
might take you a millennium to get there. Would you go that way? Or
would you forget everything else and go like a dashing bullet? That
"dashing bullet" is a very important phrase this morning. Do you think
this world needs a movement to push people and fire them up so they
rush toward the center?

Logically you can say yes, but are you reluctant to accept it? There
are many ambitious people outside wanting to be recognized and to
excel in the world. But when I ask what they would do to become
famous, they do not have an answer. They do not even have a clear
vision of their reason for wanting to become famous.

In the world many scholars strive day in and day out to become famous.
While they are working so hard they sacrifice many things and become
old and pale, but then once they become famous they wonder, "What was
my purpose? Why did I push myself so hard to become famous?" Even once
they are recognized they feel such emptiness, even despair. Many
people strive toward very ambitious goals in the political and the
academic worlds, but once they attain them they realize that actually
their dream was not fulfilled through those ambitions.

Only when your dream is parallel to the dream of God and the dream of
the Messiah will you be fulfilled. When you reach your pinnacle you
have such a completely consummated feeling in your life that you feel
utterly rich and full of hope and blessing.

The person who truly recognizes God and recognizes the Messiah's
ideal, the ultimate purpose of this world, will never end up in
despair. However, without that ideal, even though you go higher and
higher, your despair will grow deeper and your life darker.

America has another new President, Jimmy Carter. He has become an
American hero, but what will history say about him? He must still
prove himself. Is he living for his own ego and accomplishment, or can
he be a hero for America and the world? More important, can he be a
hero in history, a hero in the sight of God? I wonder what he thinks
about his own mission. Is he thinking in terms of the heavenly
dispensation for all of humanity, in terms of the entire world? What
kind of president will he be? He is facing a very severe test. What
kind of American president would God want? He wants a God-centered
one, right?

Communists have no hope because they deny the vertical, central
position of God. When the communist world sinks down to the bottom of
despair it has no hope to recover. But no matter how desperate the
free world becomes, as long as it accepts God and keeps connected to
the one vertical line to God, the spirit of God can come down and give
revival and restoration. That has been the history of God. Humanity
has fallen down to the dungeon of hell so many times throughout
history, but with God there is always one vertical line of life and
hope to bring mankind back. Why is there so much despair outside
today? Simply because the people do not know God. The moment we know
the existence of God, His purpose, His will and His love, then our
despair turns into hope. Is that true? I am sure this concept is clear
to you.

Let us expound for a moment on who am I in the Unification Church?
First of all, what is the Unification Church? This nation has been
mistreating the Unification Church because the people do not
understand our purpose. They wonder who I am, what kind of person I
am. Am I someone who wants to become the 40th president of the United
States, or who wants to become a billionaire and live with a thousand
servants? What kind of person am I? The answer is very simple: I am
the person who brought hope to this world of despair. What kind of
hope? I am bringing the reality of God to man's life, letting mankind
see God.

This world is in despair because it has no central figure and no
center. Without a center this world has to be in confusion. Certainly
none of you knows what your center is or America's center, or the
world's center. Therefore, you cannot relate yourself to anything
stable or of value, and there is confusion. There must be some central
vertical line from heaven, plus a horizontal line at a 90 degree
angle. There should be clear-cut vertical and horizontal lines, but
instead people draw their own lines at many different angles. All over
the world everyone is drawing his own lines. There are not many people
who are confident that they can intersect with the vertical line and
become one with the center. For the proper relationship there must be
a 90 degree angle between God and the horizontal line.

We are searching for the position where we can have this 90 degree
angle. There is one central vertical line, and in relation to it there
is only one horizontal line at a 90 degree angle. Your line may not
have the same length as the worldwide or universal line; it may be
very short. However, it is very important that your line on the family
scale or societal scale be at a 90 degree angle to the vertical line.

This world has not yet seen this central vertical line, and because
the world has no model to align itself with, people continue to make
all kinds of lines at random, thinking they are parallel with the
horizontal line. They can think this only because they do not have a
central point. Some philosophies have a person standing upside down
and backwards, and still present him as the center of the world.

Did you know we need such a clear-cut vertical line? In the
Unification Church we are striving to know that vertical line. At the
family level your line is not too high, but you are going to be
absolutely straight and parallel to the central example. Then you have
a guarantee of heaven. In English you say a person has a "clear"
conscience, but in Korean we say his conscience is very "straight."

As we progress from the family level to the societal level, to the
national level, and so forth, we make constant progress along the
vertical line. Now most of you are pursuing your own individual course
horizontally. This is the direction of achievement. As you progress
more you will rise along the vertical line, moving toward higher
development. This is the way of life of the Unification Church.

Shall we stand still or go on? What men badly need today is an
example, so they can see with their own eyes what is righteous. God is
revealing that right direction or vertical line in the form of a new
religion. Through it people can come to clearly see God with their own
eyes. Even if I do not speak to you, are you still bubbling with
enthusiasm every day to develop more? Has this been your goal?

Where are we? Let us each determine what our true position is as an
individual. How much territory have you covered? Where am I standing?
How much am I ahead of you, or how much behind? Have I covered the
entire territory, or am I somewhere along the way? Does the
Unification Church have its own sovereignty, its own nation? Do we
have our own heavenly world?

We have not yet broken through the national boundaries, nor are we
universally united yet. If I had a worldwide foundation large enough
that I could really push upward beyond the national level, then do you
think any more persecution would come? What I am saying is very
important: we still have a higher goal to achieve. America has not
been saved yet; the world is lying there, waiting for salvation. I
have accomplished all the conditions that are needed for the spiritual
victory. Therefore, even if I died today, this movement would still
succeed; the day of glorious victory would come. However, our job is
still ahead of us.

Do not think that I am the one who will be the champion and leader.
You must be the champions of this world and of God; you must lead this
nation and this world into salvation. That work remains to be done.
Shall we go? We must determine to go. Will you say, "Oh, Father, the
weather is so cold, could you give us just a little bit of time to
relax?" Or will you go regardless of the weather, regardless of the
temperature, regardless of the time of day or night? When you are
shivering in cold, will you go backward or forward? You have a
tendency to stand still. Do you want to have me come push you forward,
or say, " You just stand there and rest" ? Actually I do not like
pushing!

There are three choices: to go forward, to stand still, or to retreat.
Which is your choice? I want you to know one important thing: It is
your destiny to go forward. Whether you like it or not, whether at
your own will or someone else's will, regardless, you must get there.
As you go forward your achievement is greater, you are entitled to
higher heaven.

God is so willing to push you because this is your only opportunity.
In His love God is ready to push you, even club you. If a person will
accept it and persevere through such pushing, even crying but still
striving to go forward, God will push. There is no mercy in this
situation. The problem is that God hesitates to do it because if He
pushes you too much, you might just collapse, and that would
disappoint Him so much! He is inspired by the kind of person who can
take a beating, saying, "Father, come after me; push me all of the
way. "You men and women are dynamos; you must always have energy for
thrusting yourself forward, for running within yourself.

What is today's topic? It is: "Who Am I?" The answer to that question
should be, "I am going to be the one who can achieve heaven, the one
who consummates the ultimate heaven." Can you say that? You must know
that you cannot go alone. You are the center of the world; you must
bring your family with you, your society with you, your nation and
world with you. That is your burden.

In accordance with the Principle formula, if there is a person
prepared to take this responsibility when the Messiah comes, then the
Messiah cannot go anywhere else but to that person; there is no other
way that God and the Messiah can fulfill the mission. The Unification
Church is a religion needed by the Messiah, needed by God. The
Unification Church is showing the world how we can become parallel to
the central line, how we can make our own vertical line on the family
level, societal level, national level, worldwide level, and cosmic
level. The Unification Church has a blueprint so that each individual
can achieve the ultimate destination.

What the world will say about me does not matter. The important thing
is whether we are on the right track. As long as we have the right
principle, whether we have connected with the Messiah or God yet does
not make any difference. We do not have to worry; the Messiah and God
will come to us. If this is not the truth, then you do not have to
worry further because that would mean there is no God, and if there is
no God, we do not need to worry about anything. As long as God exists
this must be the truth, and as long as this is the truth, it will be
our way of life.

The Unification Church is the new religion which is to achieve this
ultimate goal. We have a highway of truth laid all the way to the top
of the world. By achieving that pinnacle we are going to liberate
humanity, and most important, liberate God. On that day I too will be
liberated. A few moments ago I said this is your destiny, but this is
also the destiny of the world, the destiny of humanity. But what a
blessing! God has shown that destiny to us first! He has made us
pioneers of the eternal heaven. We have been hand-picked by God as
pioneers of that heaven.

You are living as historic persons; you have an historic
responsibility, an historical mission calling you. Shall we go? This
is a war; it is a battle and regardless of the sacrifice we must go
on. Some might falter and some casualties might be suffered, but we
still must go. There is no other choice. Actually you have a very easy
path simply because you have me as a pathfinder in front of you.
Without my being in America it would be ten times, a hundred times
more difficult; this is really your golden era.

The important thing I want you to know is that I will not be here
forever. If America fails to become the center of the world, if
America fails to respond to the worldwide mission, then I must go
somewhere to people who will rise to the worldwide mission.
Historically we have never seen such a pattern. If the young people of
America unite with me, if you and I become one, we can make a new
history.

Nowhere in the history of America, in the Western world, have there
been young people calling an Oriental man "Father." The word "Father"
is abused. In the Catholic church they call priests "Father," but in
our Unification ideology "Father" has a different meaning. It is an
historical event. Why should the brilliant young people of America try
to follow me, giving up everything to take up a sacrificial way of
life? It is because they see the truth; they see that there is no
greater hope, no greater future than this one. You are these young
people of vision; your vision conceives of the greatest hope and
future, and you know you cannot find it anywhere else. The future of
America, the future of the world lies only in the youth of this
nation. The world shall bless you.

"Who Am I?" That is my subject this morning. The answer is, "I am the
one who conquers the despair of the world; I am the one who conquers
the concept of the Last Days, which is not a time of despair but of
the greatest hope. I am the one who can go over the hill. I am the one
to meet the Messiah on prepared flat ground instead of on a rugged
mountain. I am the one who is going to be the pathfinder, the pioneer,
the one who will have the groundwork ready to welcome the Messiah."

Where would you like to meet him? On a small foothill, on the second
hill or third hill, or beyond the hill of the universe? Where would
you like to meet him? Where would you like to meet God, here or high
above? Since God is staying over there if you say, "God, wait for me
there," it means you are going to go this way without God's help. You
are promising that to God, saying, "God, don't worry about me; stay
there. I'll get there." Are you confident of that? Do you desperately
need the help of God, or are you going to desperately help God?

This is not the time for long prayers but only short, terse prayers.
That is all we need. What we need is action in faith. In our case, our
search is over because we know the center of the family, the center of
society, and the center of the world. All we have to do is get there
and be with him and just live out our destiny.

You already know the truth. Now if you do not act according to the
truth and live the truth then the rest of the world will accuse you.
You cannot excuse yourself saying that you did not know the truth. You
knew the center, but still you lazed around and were idle. The entire
world, all of humanity, even the spirit world, and your surroundings
will accuse you. You will become the target of accusation.

The destiny of the entire spirit world and humanity rests on your
shoulders. If you become idle or weak, the consequences will affect
not only you but the rest of the world and the entire spirit world.
They will definitely look upon you as an enemy. You knew the truth and
you did not act upon it. You will make yourself God's and my
adversary,

The person who does not know the truth has one excuse, "God, I did not
know." But in the Unification Church no excuse will work. Those who
say, "No, I still don't know anything," raise your hand. If you know,
then you must go and act. Since I know the truth, I cannot just stand
still; I have to be on the move. Regardless of what the world will
say, I will still go. My responsibility is to let the world know in
the shortest possible time. This proclamation came to a climax in the
year 1976. It does not make any difference if they took it positively
or negatively; in 1976 1 let the world know my declaration.

Now the people of the world have no excuse in the sight of God. They
will say to God, "Oh, I heard about Reverend Moon but I heard only bad
things about him." That excuse will not work in the sight of God. God
will say, "Why didn't you investigate? In history all the righteous
men have been persecuted and misunderstood. Even though you heard
negative things about Reverend Moon, why didn't you go and find out
who he was?" The people have no excuse.

In 1975 1 sent out missionaries to 120 nations of the world. I knew
that incredible suffering, tribulation and persecution would come to
them. Why did I do it? I had to let the world know so that in the dark
day of judgment the world would be without excuse. For the first time
in mission history in the world of religion, missionaries from
formerly enemy nations were sent out together: one Japanese, one
American, and one German. Has history ever recorded that kind of
mission work?

Because of that our missionaries make even greater controversy and
upheaval in those nations. My aim is for the representatives of these
nations-Germany, Japan, and the United States-to be eye-catching.
Because they are so very different from any other representatives in
all of mission history, a nation has more reason to investigate why
they came; therefore that nation will be without excuse later on.

I have fulfilled my responsibility and am now free from accusation. I
have done the work in goodness for the purpose of salvation. Only pure
desire, sacrificial work, and genuine labor of blood and sweat are
here. If people in the world respond only negatively, it is not our
responsibility but their responsibility. I will have reason to accuse
them.

I sent missionaries to each nation to create a base to elevate the
spirit world. Now people in the spirit world cannot say to me, "Why
didn't you send your missionary to my country?" No one can say that.
They cannot accuse me that I did not do something for each nation.

If I were elevated to the spirit world without having sent
missionaries to Africa, the African people there would say, "You
talked about world brotherhood under the fatherhood of God, but
actually you didn't accomplish that. Why didn't you send missionaries
to the African continent?" But now they can no longer say that.

In spirit world no person, including the heads of state of the 120
nations of the world, can say, "Reverend Moon, you have such a
wonderful truth; why didn't you come and tell our people?" Could the
American young people say, "Why did you pay attention only to the
Unification Church young people and not share with us outside?" I
visited all 50 states of America, not leaving even one state out. Ten
years ago, even before anybody knew of me, I established 120 holy
grounds in different parts of the world, but more than 60 of them were
here in America alone. I gave so much to this country. Nobody can
accuse me of neglecting my responsibility.

Since 19601 have had the responsibility of going out to the world to
proclaim the truth of God. Particularly in recent years I have been
accomplishing a special dispensation to inform the world. Now at least
they know about us-whether they have a good impression or bad. The
Yankee Stadium and Washington Monument Rallies were not just national
but worldwide events. Certainly the American people are left without
the excuse that they did not hear about Reverend Moon. If someone has
not heard about Reverend Moon by now, he is not American! Whether
negatively or positively the people have heard about me. Therefore, I
have accomplished my responsibility. I have done the work necessary to
free myself from any accusation from the contemporary world and the
spirit world.

Indeed, the year of 1976 is the year of Reverend Moon in history, the
year of the Unification Church. In the January issues of some of the
major magazines like Newsweek and People there were summaries of 1976
events and I was included, not because they liked me, but because they
had to list me as an event of 1976. 1 have been personally proclaiming
the truth for the sake of the American people, for the sake of the
world and for the entire spirit world. There was much negativity
directed at our movement, but the Washington Monument victory was one
positive note. Because of that event people had to recognize me as a
man of strength, a man of organization, a man of action, and a man of
my word.

I am sure you vividly recall Yankee Stadium. I addressed the American
people, but actually I was speaking to the world. I said I came to
America as a doctor to heal this wounded land. I came as a fire
fighter because this house is on fire. Nobody else can make such
statements; I do not think the American President can, nor can
American youth or Norman Vincent Peale or Billy Graham. I also knew I
was addressing history, not just contemporary America. History will
establish this as truth.

At Washington Monument I proclaimed that I came to guide the young
people into becoming the leaders of tomorrow's America, tomorrow's
world. Can eminent professors or the religious leaders of America make
such a statement? Even the Presidents have never claimed to guide the
American young people into becoming the leaders of tomorrow. Perhaps
some people are scornful of me. Never mind. History will tell the
truth. Under opposition I have had the courage and dynamic strength
and conviction to proclaim that I came to save the young people of
America.

In the Washington Post and New York Times we were recorded in history.
Nobody can say, "Well, I didn't know about Reverend Moon; I didn't
hear about him." The year 1976 was a year of history making events.
Because of the victory I won in 1976 here in America, the entire
spirit world has been liberated and united. They are in jubilant
celebration. All the barriers and divisions of the different
denominations and religions have been broken down. Spirit world is
enthusiastic in welcoming my work. This is why I could proclaim the
day of the victory of heaven on October 4, 1976.

Because there have been great divisions in spirit world, and because
it is the world of cause, my strategy focused on it. In spirit world
there are Buddhists, Moslems, Christians, and people of every other
religion, all in their own separate communities. Since my victory here
on earth all these barriers have been broken down. This is why I can
proclaim the victory of heaven. There are no more boundaries in spirit
world, the subject world of cause. Therefore, sooner or later that
will be reflected in the object world of the flesh. Then national and
religious boundaries here on earth will be broken down. A wave of
spiritual assault is now crashing onto the physical world. The entire
spirit world is descending not only to the free world, but to the
communist world as well.

Spirit world is 100% with us. Therefore spirit world cannot leave
anyone alone who comes to oppose my cause unrighteously, but will
chastise them. You will see. I have a plan and God has a plan to fill
the entire environment with spiritual power. Spirits will come in a
first wave, second wave, and third wave. I have prepared wave after
wave to assault the earth. This means that you are in Adam and Eve's
position, with the entire spirit world in the archangelic position.
Are you, Adam, and you, Eve, going to fall behind the spirit world?
Are you going to be led by the archangel? Are you fallen Adam and
fallen Eve? Are you the one who brought sin to the world, binding God
and bringing tragedy to the world, or are you the one to restore all
things to God, bringing liberation to God and to me? Which one?

Do you stand below the fallen level or above? Do you still have the
possibility of falling, or did you get rid of the possibility? Will
you mind if you have no chance to get married? To fulfill the will of
God you must first become perfected Eve before you can be blessed and
have a family. After you are perfected, will you bring great sorrow to
God or only joy? In order to bring a life of joy to God you have to
bring the entire world to Him. Then you can say, "Father, I want to be
blessed." Then God will say, "Certainly, you deserve it." But you
cannot be blessed even one inch before that. That is the Principle.
Which one should come first, your marriage or the fulfillment of the
will of God?

How about you, Adam? Dumb Adam, you were caught by cunning Eve. You
lost your subject position. That is why the entire world has become
like this. Dumb Adam! What will you do? Will you say, "Father, we
don't need that sly and cunning Eve. We will just do the will of God
first"? When temptation comes from Eve, then will you just completely
black out the will of God as your eyes go in her direction? No? If I
say, "I want to bless this group of people here," would you just sit
there or would you move over here? What is your honest opinion?

Once again we come back to the subject of the morning: "Who Am I?" You
should answer, "I am not fallen Adam or fallen Eve. I am Adam or Eve
who will restore God's wishes and bring liberation to God and
humanity. That is who I am." When Adam is perfected as an individual
he will automatically become the center of the family, the center of
society, the center of the nation and of the world. That was God's
original plan and we must restore that tradition. We want to become
Adam and Eve as the center of the universe. Then the entire universe
will rest upon our shoulders. When you are perfected and fulfill your
mission as Adam and Eve together, all heaven and earth will be united.
We will indeed be the fulfillment of the will of God, the fulfillment
of His joy, and the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Restored, fulfilled Adam is full of joy. He will be so jubilant that
all heaven and earth will envy and respect him. Are you ready to
become that kind of Adam and Eve?

There are two ways to go in Unification Church. One way is to just go
along passively and reluctantly, without any stamina or enthusiasm.
The person going that way will never make it to the end. The other way
is to go ahead of everybody with bubbling enthusiasm, burning with
zeal and ambition, possessing a perfect understanding of the will of
God. Would you go this way?

It is a cold day and working outside witnessing and fund raising is
not that easy. Even though your whole body is shivering and going
backward, will you remember that I said you have to go willingly and
with jubilance and bubbling enthusiasm? Is that attitude truly in your
heart, or are you just trying to be that way? We are involved in
serious business.

Who are you? Who am I? We are the perfected, restored Adam and Eve.
When we look outside the window we see a world dying, trembling in
despair. Satan is holding the people, binding them and making them his
prisoners. They are victims of Satan. Would you just look on as a
bystander or spectator, or would you feel indignation and go out and
do something about it? Do you feel that indignation and wrath of God?
Do you feel like saying, "Satan, you brought misery to the garden of
Eden; you brought misery to the heart of God. As God's child I will
not let you alone. I will not let you go. I will liquidate you; I will
fight and win." Do you feel that burning wrath of God toward Satan?

You can be one of two kinds of people. One is the kind that Satan sees
and says, "Yow! That is a giant coming; I must take over!" And Satan
will run. The other kind of person Satan sees and says, "Oh, that
Adam, what is he? I have nothing to fear from him." What kind of Adam
and Eve are you? The person who Satan laughs at or runs away from?
Once again we come back to the subject, "Who Am I?" Can you answer, "I
am the exterminator of Satan; that is who I am"? Are you? When you go
down a street in New York and you see certain ungodly, immoral things
going on, don't you feel the indignation and wrath of God toward this,
or are you apathetic, just passing by? Looking at the American youth
corrupted by drugs, free sex, and immoral acts, dying every day, being
victimized by Satan every day. Do you feel apathy towards them, or do
you feel the responsibility and wrath of God to do something about it?

We will create an America which God can love, from the common people
all the way up to the President of the United States. Today, if you
have pledged yourselves to such a responsibility shall we just go
home, or shall we show in some public place that we will truly take up
the responsibility?

Then are you going to be Adam and Eve who will liberate God and
liquidate Satan and bring America to be the God-favored nation of the
world? America is dying and the world is dying. New York must be like
a spiritual volcano, exploding with spiritual power and achievement. I
am expecting it from you. Go out from today on; get down to work and
bring the result. Everybody is in the same situation; you must get
down to work.

I set the rule: everybody must earn three meals a day. If you do not
go out to witness that meal will accuse you. Are you doing that? Do
you feel good when I scold you? Even if you do not want to hear this,
you must accept it fully. If you try to reject it you will be accused
permanently. You cannot say, "Oh, I don't want to hear that; it makes
me very sad and uncomfortable."

America is going into an era of turmoil. Carter is the 39th President
and next is the 40th President, The number 40 is very significant in
the history of the dispensation. Therefore this period of time in
American history is going to be marked by great upheaval and
difficulty. America is heading toward an unprecedented crisis. America
is coming into an age of realization and awakening, and Americans must
analyze the present government and the people involved in and
surrounding it. Maybe President Carter has a brilliant mind and good
heart, but perhaps the people surrounding him are deeply corrupted. So
many communists are behind the scenes to take advantage of him.

In my prayer I am deeply concerned for American much more so than at
any previous time. The Carter administration has indicated that it
will seek to withdraw armed forces from Korea. Carter already spoke
about this shortly before his inauguration. This shows that America's
traditional foreign policy of standing up for freedom in the world is
in danger. Americans have been willing to sacrifice for the sake of
brothers who were the victims of communist aggression in other lands.
That was the tradition since the time of Roosevelt and Truman, but it
seems that America's foreign policy is turning into a mockery and is
retreating into a weak position.

Already America has lost so much credibility in the opinions of most
nations. Many nations no longer expect America to be a world leader;
they have already given up hope in America. For America to safeguard
even its own safety, Asia, more than Europe, is in a critical, pivotal
position. Withdrawal from Asia will bring danger to the very shores of
America. Russia is seeking to move into the Pacific Ocean, and Soviet
Russia is much bolder than the United States. Alaska is situated side
by side with Russia. Any turmoil in Asia will rapidly bring about an
emergency situation there, and then within five years America will be
fighting another formidable world war.

In World War II Japan was hostile to America. But once the communists
take it over, the Japan of the past will look like a peanut compared
to the new, formidable enemy America will have to face. Look at
Canada. Canada's internal problem is severe; the French and British
people of Canada are divided almost to the point of civil war. Canada
is not just some far away land; if civil war breaks out in Canada,
America's adversaries will dedicate themselves to bringing about the
same situation in this country, too.

Underground communists are ultimately dedicated to breaking down this
nation. My conviction is that America must be strong and again take up
the responsibility of the world. America must be aggressive in its
Asian policy, taking initiative in positive, strong, determined
action. This alone can save Asia.

In order to stir up that kind of spirit here in America, a revival of
Christianity is important. It has to come. This is why here in America
I am starting a revolution to awaken a new spirit of sacrifice, love
and service. From its leadership down to its grass roots, America must
rearm itself with a new spiritual force. That alone can turn the tide
in America but God cannot trust the established churches to do this.

Recently I received a very secret letter from two young people who
were planted as underground communist agents. They had a certain
motivation to write me and expose their tactics. They are distributing
money to communists who are sent out to churches on Sunday. They
appear to be absolutely devout Christians and give lots of money to
the church and through this they control the pastor, the church
administration and sometimes actually infiltrate as pastors
themselves. These young people revealed that many communist priests,
pastors and ministers have already infiltrated into various church
hierarchies.

Communists are promoting Christianity because one day they want to
utilize Christianity to set up a revolution. The churches have the
kind of atmosphere that allows them to become instruments for an
ultimate communist takeover. This is what is happening today. In Korea
there are many Christians who oppose Korea, and maintain a hardline,
pro-Communist policy. In the name of Christianity and human rights,
they are trying to tear down the anti-Communist posture and discredit
such leadership.

We must deeply understand that another line is trying to infiltrate
behind the Christian churches. One day they will use the Christian
churches as their bases of operation. This is the reality happening
right now in America. What can we do under these circumstances? A
principal communist tactic is division. They set up division
everywhere; when they infiltrate Christianity they will make division
between Judaism and Christianity. Communists now are uniting Judaism
and Christianity, both Protestant and Catholic, to oppose the
Unification Church. This is their goal and cherished plan. When this
plan has succeeded they will move to the next step, and after dividing
Judaism and Christianity they will pit them against each other.

Although we embrace all religions of the world they are trying to
accuse us of being anti-Semitic. This is far from the truth, but they
are using it as an instrument to bring about a confrontation between
Judaism and the Unification Church. Under those circumstances the
Unification Church must make , firm foundation in the next two years,
1977 and 1978. Unless we do that America is without hope and its
future will be very, very dismal. This is our goal. With that
understanding you must go and reach out.

Do you think this handful of people is large enough and good enough to
influence and move America? Realistically speaking, what we need in
New York alone is 5,000 members. That is why I prepared a center with
a 5,000 member capacity. You have that center in the New Yorker, but
most of the rooms are empty. If the New Yorker is filled with
enthusiastic members then I can clean up New York. Those who do not
contribute to witnessing and evangelizing do not deserve to remain in
New York.

Mr. Kamiyama has been assigned as the head of an IOWC team, but I am
now giving him an emergency mission. He must leave the IOWC mission in
Boston under Aidan Barry or some other leader and together with Dr.
Bergman come up with a most sound and exciting plan to evangelize New
York. I want you to have a most spectacular achievement in the next
few weeks and months. Dr. Bergman, you must become a complete object
to Mr. Kamiyama; become completely one and come up with an aggressive
evangelistic movement in New York.

I want to give a special mandate to the Japanese members. You did not
come here to America to be idle. Unless each of you fulfills the one
person per month ratio in America, all of you must return to your own
country. I will not stay in New York all of the time but will go
around the entire nation from one place to the next each day. In the
last couple of weeks I went to several places, and I felt so deeply
touched by the members who were waiting, begging me to stay a little
longer. They were waiting for my visit for so long that I almost felt
guilty in front of them.

American members, even though I gave a special mandate to the Japanese
members, you are not going to be defeated by them, are you? The
Japanese members are working with many handicaps in language and
cultural background. After all, you are the hosts and hostesses in
this city and nation. The Japanese are going out and trying to witness
to the American people with such tremendous difficulty. I want you to
know that. American brothers and sisters, you are the ones to really
move ahead in the forefront and set the example.

Now in wintertime is the best time for witnessing, not spring or
summer when there are too many other attractions. I trust that you are
going to fulfill and deliver the results as you pledged already before
heaven and earth
--
Damian J. Anderson <dam...@unification.net> http://www.unification.net