The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know (Book Format)
Transcript of The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know (Book Format)
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The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know
Young Oon Kim
Contents
Part 1: My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon
Part 2: My Encounter with Reverend Moon His Teaching and
Person
Part 3: Reverend Moon the man
Part 4: Dr Young Oon Kim
Part One
My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon
My parents had no affiliation with organized religion. In the
middle of my teen years I began to wonder about the purpose
of life: Why am I here? What direction should I go? What
happens after death? Such questions didn't go away but became
more intense.
At age 14 I went to a relative's house to live. This very wealthy
family lived near a mountain. In the midst of this luxury. Icame to observe the inner emptiness of material wealth. Living
with my aged grandmother I came to realize that long life is not
necessarily a blessing. Dwelling continually on the past, she
had no future and indeed no real present.
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Observing the college students returning from Japan on
vacation, I saw how puffed up they were. I wondered if
education really forms good character! Finally I noted that allmarried couples around me did not appear happy but seemed to
be just surviving. Already, as a young girl, I had lost all reams
of happiness common to youth. Life seemed purposeless.
During this time perplexity, I used to wander on the hillside.
Then I said to myself, "If there is a God, He will have the
answers. And if there is no God, then Life is meaningless and
not worth living." Sometimes I cried out, "If there is a God,
please appear to me." But nothing happened, at least not
immediately.
Then one midsummer day, while I was standing alone under a
wisteria arbor in our yard. I suddenly heard a voice on my right
side, saying, "He loves you, He loves you. The Bible says so."
The voice was audible but not a human voice. It was strange
but my hart was uplifted. Within a week the voice came back
inwardly a second time. The voice urged me to go to a church.
So I went to a Japanese Methodist church which was nearby
and attended its Wednesday night prayer meeting. Only five
people were present. The minister began the service with a
hymn about the shepherd looking for a sheep. I followed the
singing with a subdued voice. All of a sudden, from above, I
heard a strong voice saying. "It was not you who have been
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seeking Me. It was I who have been seeking you." Had God
been with me all the times I had wandered around the hills,
calling out for Him? Tears gushed from my eyes. Even when Iknew nothing about God, He had known me and had longed for
me. From that night my heart was filled by God, filled wholly
with thought of God. At dawn I again went to the hillside and
prayed Every morning I went up there to talk to Heavenly
Father.
One day on the way to work, I passed a large sign that spoke of
a revival with Reverend Yong Do Rhee to be conducted
through the current week. That evening I went to the large
Korean Methodist church to hear Reverend Rhee. Though
arriving on time, I had to squeeze in because already many
hundreds were in attendance. Reverend Rhee was a youngMethodist minister who was quite intellectual and also very
rich in feeling. He had studied in a liberal Methodist seminary.
As he preached I could feel the Holy Spirit through his fiery
words. Yes, there was a judgment in his preaching urging
everyone to repent. The hearts of everyone present were melted
because his stern words were supported by an ardent love ofGod. Ministers, elders, deacons, doctors, lawyers, business
men, teachers -- men and women alike -- cried in repentance
with deep humility.
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Reverend Rhee was a humble. meek, reticent man. But once he
stood in the pulpit, he became a most eloquent, dynamic, fiery
preacher. But there was nothing fanatic in him. Even after themeetings many people stayed and continued praying. During
the night some would speak in tongues; some would prophesy;
some would go into a trance. Such spiritual phenomena
occurred night after night through the whole week of revival.
Reverend Rhee was a man of deep prayer, passionate love for
Jesus, and compassion for hungry souls. He would give all his
pocket money to beggars on the street and then, without bus
fare walk home.
After Reverend Rhee left, the congregation which had tasted of
the Holy Spirit craved more. But there was no one who could
maintain the high spiritual atmosphere. Gradually Methodistand Presbyterian ministers, not only in my home town but
throughout the country, came to charge Reverend Rhee with
dividing their churches. Eventually he was condemned as a
heretic and forbidden to preach anymore. Thus was he forced
permanently from the pulpit. A year later he passed away at age
33. But today, 50 years after his death, Reverend Yong Do Rheeis highly respected throughout Korean Christendom as an
authentic messenger of God. He gave me a lasting image of a
true disciple of Christ.
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Deeply stirred by Reverend Rhee, I began a nightly prayer vigil
at the church where he spoke. There one night at Christmas
time I saw a vision of Jesus being crucified, such anoverwhelming expression of his love for me. At the foot of his
cross I saw myself repenting for my ignorance of his love. As I
left the church before dawn, a bright light shed radiance over
everything. A voice came saying, "I created everything for
you". After this experience I became a totally different person,
as even others noticed.
Then Easter came. On Easter eve I was back in the church
wanting to meet the risen Christ and be resurrected with him.
Again right after midnight the triumphant joy of the
resurrection poured into me. I could not stay bowed down any
more but had to sit up and sing, "Jesus Is Risen". The rest ofthe morning I kept singing. With this experience I resolved to
dedicate my life to witnessing to the risen Lord.
A couple of years later I learned from a devout minister
Reverend K. S. Rhee that he had, on the same night, had a
vision of the risen Christ telling Mary Magdalene not to touch
him but to go and tell the disciples that he would see them in
Galilee. The Reverend Rhee then saw that vision being poured
into me. "Let us watch Young Oon Kim from now", he told
someone.
At this time I was working in a bank.
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One day a voice came, "Do not work with dead numbers but
with lives". I thought I should become a teacher. After taking
government training and passing the examination, I went to thecountryside to teach second grade -- a class of some 70 boys
and 10 girls. In my teaching I just poured out my energy and
love on them.
During this time, I began to read the works of Emanuel
Swedenborg. He was a notable Swedish scientist, a
philosopher, and a lifelong member of the Swedish parliament.
At age 55, his spiritual senses had been opened, and he freely
communicated with the spirit world. He repeatedly emphasized
that we must understand divine truth and live by it, serving
others not with power, position, money, or any reward, but for
the sake of love and truth, and for the sake of God alone.Swedenborg's message is a most precious truth which became
the foundation of my theology.
Again a clear voice came to me, saying, "Do something of
eternal value". The work I was doing could be done by
anybody. I felt my 1ife mission must be something else. Having
learned from Swedenborg that the Word of God has eternal
value, I decided I must study the Bible.
The way was opened for me to attend Kwansei Gakuin
University in Japan and to study in its theological seminary for
five years. This was a liberal Methodist seminary teaching the
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Bible and other subjects historically and critically. After two or
three years of study I began to wonder about the value of
academic theology and prayed about this. God's answer was,"Know the weapon of your enemy". This seemed to mean that
Christianity, on one hand has been preserving and transmitting
divine truth which has been revealed through Jesus Christ. On
the other hand, Christianity also contains human errors based
on wrong interpretations of the truth. I need to discern and
distinguish the errors. and rectify them. To do that I need to
understand fully conventional Christian Theology. Therefore I
continued to study hard without further questioning, believing
my future was in God's hands. Upon returning to Korea, I
began teaching at a woman's Bible College in Pyongyang.
Japan's control of Korea was becoming tighter and tighter; in
time I was forbidden to teach the Bible. I decided to go to the
Diamond Mountains to pray.
After the war the Japanese went home, but the Russians
arrived. Soon the Communists approached me and asked that I
give a speech. I saw the need to escape immediately, and, with
a few church members, fled to Seoul. There I took a job first ata Catholic high school and then at a newly opened theological
seminary. During this time, Dr. Helen Kim, President of Ewha
Woman's University invited me to meet with her. She asked me
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to teach religion courses in the newly formed Department of
Christian Social Work.
While at Ewha, I met some Canadian missionaries. They were
seeking two qualified Koreans -- a man and a woman -- to send
to study in Canada. In 1948 I received this scholarship and went
to the University of Toronto where, at Emmanuel College, I
continued my study for three years. during which time the
Korean war broke out.
Soon after the Canadian missionaries invited me to go to
Europe. I asked them why. They responded that they wished
me to see how Germany was reconstructing itself after the
war's devastation, and that I should attend various ecumenical
study groups throughout Europe and hear the lectures of
prominent theologians.
As they arranged, I attended various ecumenical study groups
in Germany, Switzerland, and England, as well as World
Council of Churches' youth projects, and visited universities.
After six months of stimulating experiences, I took a Danish
freighter heading for the Orient and my home. The voyage took
two months. When I landed at Pusan it was early February
1952. The truce between North and South Korea had not been
signed, but the guns of war were silent in the southern part of
the country.
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Europe has been the heartland of Christianity for many
centuries, and Germany has been the brains of modern
theology since the Enlightenment. In fact, the theology ofNorth America has been led by the Germans for over a century.
While I was in Europe I began to wonder where Western
Christendom was headed and what vision it possessed. I could
sense the grave agony modern Christianity was suffering and
which continues today. First of all, churches were losing young
people who could no longer find any spiritual satisfaction in
the established religions. Second, Christianity lacked united
determination to combat the global monster of Communism,
even though Christians have constantly felt its threat and
suffered its malice throughout the world. Third, if even a
completely unified Christendom would not be strong enough
then how could the divided and divisive denominational
Christianity be of any help? The World Council of Churches
had been established in 1948 with open.minded and progressive
denominations and began an ecumenical movement, but the
achievement of a unified Christianity is not in sight, and looks
almost impossible.
Observing the postwar European churches, I lost my naive
inspiration in Western Christianity and came back to Asia with
a heavy heart.
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After arriving in Korea, I had become quite ill from the water
and living conditions in Pusan, flooded as it was with war
refugees. A year later Ewha University returned to its oldcampus in Seoul and I moved along with it. I remained ill and
worsened to the point where I thought I was to die. During this
time I heard a voice that said, "This is a spiritual crisis". After a
few days, a woman came and told me that the Lord of the
Second Advent had appeared in Korea and that I should study
the new truth that he brought. I laughed. This was so shocking!
But I felt curious and wanted to investigate, knowing that if it
were false I could quickly dismiss it, but that if it were true, it
was a matter of life and death! Soon I became terribly ill, and
Dr. Helen Kim sent for an ambulance, which took me to the
university hospital.
After returning home I visited the house where Reverend Moon
was teaching and heard lectures on Divine Principle. On the
third day I was completely healed of my lingering illness. The
night before my healing, the inner voice of God had spoken
again: "It was I who led you to Jesus., it was I who led you to
Swedenborg; it was I who led you here". During the last fourdays of my weeklong visit to the center, I heard the testimonies
of some members and most significantly, the life story of
Reverend Moon. I had been moved by the Principle of
Creation, because it was close to Swedenborg in its concepts of
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polarity, the stages of growth, and the unity of the physical and
spiritual dimensions. I was, however, stymied by the fall of the
archangel, how could this be? The Divine Principle'sChristology was also unsettling, as I then agreed with
Swedenborg that Jesus and God were one and the same. I was,
nevertheless, deeply touched by the astonishing conclusion that
God had chosen a Korean who was my contemporary.
Two women teachers from Ewha University had studied Divine
Principle, and one of them introduced it to me. Then she began
attracting many students to it as well. Since I, their teacher, had
already accepted Divine Principle, they felt it must be true.
Having no predetermined theology of their own, they were
quite open to new teachings. They spread the message among
their fellow students and brought them to our lectures. Most ofthem lived in dormitories, and rumors of our work spread
quickly. School authorities began to wonder if this were an
unhealthy, fanatical movement. Worse, if it continued to spread
quickly it would be impossible to control. So they began to put
pressure on the faculty and students. Ewha's President, Helen
Kim, said to me: "Do you really have to throw yourself into thismovement? Can't you just study it in a detached and objective
way, like other movements?" My answer was, "For me religion
is not a means of living but a matter of life! Therefore, I cannot
be uninvolved ... " A week later she called me to her office and
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asked that I refrain from mentioning Divine Principle teachings
in my classes or on campus. If I kept my faith to myself,
everything would be okay, she said. To this I replied: "PresidentKim, the whole world is my parish to teach in, so I can easily
leave out this campus." (In fact until then I had spoken to no
one in the University and had violated no law or regulation of
the institution.)
About a week later she sent me an ultimatum: "Please choose
one of these: Either you completely cut off your ties with the
Unification Church or you give up your teaching work here."
Similar notes were sent out to Ewha students, some with only
one semester before graduation.
But they were determined to follow this new truth. Their
parents intervened, protesting to the University. The media also
showed sympathy for the students, criticizing the University for
denying religious freedom. At Yonsei University the same
repressive policy was applied to one professor and two
students. A few at Ewha comprised with the administration, but
thirteen students and five faculty members refused to give up
their new faith. The two universities took action.
The students may have felt sorry to give up their studies, but
they felt no sad depression and no sense of defeat, because they
had discovered clearly interpreted divine truth for this new age
with its promise of a glorious future. As for me. since my
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mission would take all my time, I felt it was God who freed me
from the University. I felt no animosity toward those who
condemned and expelled me as a heretic. However, the decisionof Ewha University in this matter was a grave mistake which
obstructed the work of God and blocked the way to eternal life
for many.
Part TwoMy Encounter with Reverend Moon: His Teaching and
Person
I found several elements in the teachings of Reverend Moon
striking. Let me start with his Divine Principle.
Men of great faith have found God and described Him as a
Creator and Sovereign, infinite Spirit, Cosmic Intelligence,
Omnipotent and Omniscient Lord, Absolute and Final Judge,
Cosmic Law and the Heavenly Way, the Wholly Other who is
totally transcendent, Being and Ground of being Loving Father
and Merciful Redeemer.
Though we agree with those definitions I found the DivinePrinciple's concept of God more illuminating and dynamic.,
very personal, yet not anthropomorphic. For Reverend Moon,
God is a Being of infinite love, longing for passionate human
response and absolute loyalty. Instead of seeing God as purely
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masculine, he believes God is our Father/Mother Creator,
uniting the male and female essences in perfect balance.
God is transcendent Being, infinite Spirit of cosmic energy, a
radiant glow beyond description. He nevertheless finds His
temple in the human soul. While the Father/Mother God hears
every sound, knows our every move, He remains all powerful.
God has an enduring, Passionate love for everything He
created. Consequently, He is pleased and rejoices when His
children wholeheartedly respond to His love and carry out His
will. This Almighty God possesses the most sensitive of
parental hearts.
From the perfect love and immense wisdom of God, we are
born as humans to evolve into His perfect children. Thus
Divine Principle was eye.opening, showing me a very advanced
concept of God, illuminating His reality and providential
activity in our present age.
2. Divine Principle reveals clearly the reality and nature of
Satan. In this materialistic age, many do not recognize the
existence of Satan. However, Reverend Moon has specific
knowledge about him, his origin, nature purpose, tricks, and
scheming, as well as his final destiny. Knowing this he is able
to subjugate Satan. Thus the cause of cosmic tragedy for God
and man is revealed and its resolution made possible. This I
realized, was crucial information.
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3. Divine Principle harmonizes the age.old controversies of
Christology. Christology revolves around some perplexing
problems.. Jesus' incarnation, his divine/human nature, thevirgin birth, the Trinity, the resurrection, the atonement, and
the redemptive work of Christ.
The incarnation, the divinity of Jesus, and the virgin birth have
always been theological mysteries which no one could explain
clearly. According to Reverend Moon, the first human couple
violated God's commandment, causing historical disaster. In
order to remedy the situation, another human being must take
up the task of restoration. As the Jews taught, the Messiah will
be a man chosen by God, one born like any other human being.
There is no need for a virgin birth.
It is clear Jesus was born as the second Adam. As he increased
in spiritual and physical stature, he divested himself of human
self-centeredness and gradually took upon himself the divine
heart and nature. Thus by the time he started his ministry, he
had become the embodiment of divine truth and love, though
he was still a human being with a physical body. His
incarnation of the highest level was a gradual process.
While in his physical body Jesus had both human and divine
natures. When he entered the spirit world he discarded his
physical nature and became more fully divine. However, God
alone is eternally infinite; Jesus is finite and dependent on God.
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Reverend Moon's explanation of Jesus' crucifixion is equally
illuminating. Most Christians interpret the cross as an
atonement for the sins of mankind, which God decreed andChrist carried out. But this was not the view of the earliest
Christians.
According to Reverend Moon, Jesus' original mission was to
establish the kingdom of God. His opponents had him killed
before his work was finished. It was not Jesus' wish to drink the
cup of martyrdom. On the contrary, he wanted to fulfill his
God.given mission. The crucifixion was neither his choice nor
God's will.
His resurrection was not physical but spiritual. His spirit body
was manifested to his disciples and was quite different from his
physical body. Such phenomena are well known to people
spiritually open, and psychic research has supported their
validity. Spirits can manifest visibly and audibly, enabling us to
see and converse with them.
4. The Holy Spirit refers to the various manifestations of the
divine energy of love. Many saints and countless good spirits of
human ancestors and angels serve as mediums of divine
messages and energy of God's love. Therefore, the Holy Spirit
is not a third person of the Godhead but God's redemptive
activity in diverse forms. We must worship one true, living
God, the source of life and all existence, who is essentially love
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itself and wisdom itself. Jesus served as God's supreme
representative, never claiming to be equal with God. He and the
Holy Spirit in multiple forms assist God by carrying out God'swill. The Trinity may refer to their three functions, but there
are not three Gods.
5. Jesus is not coming on the clouds in a Second Advent. The
Second Advent will be realized through another incarnation of
divine truth. As Jesus was a human being, the Lord of the
Second Advent must be another human being, proclaiming and
establishing the kingdom of God on earth. He will fulfill the
task Jesus had initiated and left incomplete. Therefore, he and
Jesus will accomplish a single mission, glorifying God
together.
6. The concept of salvation varies greatly from religion to
religion. To narrow our discussion to the Judeo-Christian
heritage, orthodox Jews believe in salvation through obedience
to the Mosaic Law. Roman Catholics believe that membership
in the Catholic Church, with belief in its doctrines and loyalty
to its hierarchy, is the only way to attain salvation. Eastern
Orthodox believers find salvation in mystical unity with God
and Christ through liturgical worship and sacraments.
Lutherans insist on salvation by faith alone. Calvinists maintain
that God has chosen who is to be saved and who will be
damned before the creation of the world. Liberal Protestants
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hold that faith is not as important as practice, and that we are
saved by our love for others. Quakers attain salvation through
listening to and abiding by the inner voice which comes fromGod. Evangelical Protestants emphasize the need for correct
belief.. belief in the Bible, the deity of Jesus, the blood
atonement on Calvary, the physical resurrection, and the total
damnation of all unbelievers. Pentecostals stress the baptism of
the Holy Spirit.
But all this is the theological overlay of centuries. Jesus Christ
required his hearers only to listen to his words and join him in
building the kingdom of God. Reverend Moon's requirements
are the same: to study his teachings and join him in forming the
kingdom of heaven on earth.
7. With what authority can Reverend Moon ask us to listen to
his words and follow him? He has paid historical indemnity for
the sins of Adam and Eve and their successors. Reverend Moon
teaches that the historical failures of central figures during the
course of divine providence have to be remedied by God's
appointed liberator. He discovered where and how the central
figures in the Old Testament history failed in their missions and
reversed these failures by applying the law of indemnity. Thus
has he restored each stage of God's providence in the Old an
New Testament Age. He is also fulfilling the restoration on the
cosmic levels, from the individual and family levels all the way
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to the universal level. For his accomplishments, he has secured
the absolute approval of God Himself, together with Satan's
confession and acknowledgment.
Therefore, studying his Divine Principle and cooperating with
a grateful heart in his work will qualify us to be accepted in the
New World which is now at hand.
8. As I have stated, God is a God of heart and love, the intrinsic
desire of heart and love is to feel joy. To be, as a couple, Hismost intimate, object for His eternal love. The Almighty
Creator needs a tangible human companion. God wanted to
direct His vital and infinite love toward man and woman and
receive in return their most grateful response. Our universe was
created for God to experience ultimate joy by loving give and
take with true man and woman, without whom He must remain
lonely and unfulfilled. The joy of loving and being loved is one
of the primary purposes of creation.
God also wanted to express Himself in a physical way. In the
New Testament man is called a vessel of divine love and a
temple of God's presence. God who is infinite Spirit created
finite humans in His image as a means of His own incarnation.
God wanted to participate fully in human life, to feel the full
range of our experiences. Hence God created man to be His
body.
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The explanation of the purpose of creation is so rational yet
most beautiful. It us unusually persuasive and touching by
comparison with other views. It also relates God and man inthe most personal, intimate, and interdependent ways, which
makes Divine Principle most exceptional.
9. For the conservative Christians, the goal of life and purpose
of salvation is to be forgiven of their sins and be accepted into
heaven. For liberal Christians and Jews the goal of life is a
better society here on earth, including economic security. social
stability, better education, satisfactory living conditions,
interracial harmony, and global peace. However, Christians
seldom think about the ultimate goal of human history. For
Reverend Moon, the realization of the purpose of creation is
the goal of history -- which must be absolutely fulfilled by theestablishment of the kingdom of God on earth, as Jesus
proclaimed. Individual salvation and happiness here and
hereafter are inextricably related to this larger providence. This
view of the the world immediately magnifies one's view of life.
10. Those of us who follow Reverend Moon cal him Father
because he has fulfilled the role of the Third Adam, becoming
the embodiment of God, the Infinite Spirit. An American lady
asked God, "What is Mr. Moon's mission?" The immediate
answer was, "He is the Third Adam." If the first Adam had not
fallen he would have received God's blessing in marriage with
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Eve. They would have become the True Parents of humanity.
Then the coming of Jesus would have been unnecessary. If
Jesus, the Second Adam, had married a bride and establishedGod's kingdom on earth, they would have become the True
Parents of Humanity. Then the Second Advent would have been
unnecessary. Because that did not come about, a Third Adam
had to appear, marry with God's blessed bride, and together
become the True Parents, God's embodiment. Revelation 19:9
has thus been fulfilled.
11. Also Reverend Moon knows the spirit world and afterlife
very well. I knew that the eighteenth century spiritual seer,
Emanuel Swedenborg, had given detailed information about
such things. Reverend Moon is even more accurate, reflecting
the current situation. Naturally he corrects some points inSwedenborg's writings. I recognize the difference between
Reverend Moon and Swedenborg. Their missions were
different. Swedenborg explored and wrote on the spirit world
about 230 years ago. Important things have happened on earth
and in the spirit world in the interim. Understandably then
some of Swedenborg's teachings need revision. I feel greatlyprivileged to know two outstanding religious geniuses.
12. Time and again Reverend Moon emphasizes the heart of
God: "You must approach God with an open heart and listen
with your heart when God speaks." Other religions and
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theologies greatly value the devotional life, the loving heart and
feeling of utter dependence, spiritual ecstasy, joyful affection
for God, enthusiastic witnessing, and sympathetic identificationwith Jesus' suffering, with all of which Reverend Moon
completely agrees. But he goes much beyond.
ln his deeper spiritual exploration, he discovered Heavenly
Father's profound 'hahn' (age old hidden grief and anguish and
restrained indignation) and what caused it. He determined to
uproot its cause and heal God's 'hahn' the cosmic tragedy, and
make that his lifelong mission.
What is the cause of cosmic tragedy? The loss of Adam and
Eve, due to their union with the treacherous Lucifer, was a
grave betrayal of God by all three. The cunning, rebellious
Archangel deprived God of Adam and Eve who were to have
been the most intimate, direct object of His eternal love. God
had lost his foothold on earth. Now Reverend Moon, through
his humble services to all his adversaries, has won Satan's
voluntary surrender. Through acts of indemnity he has been
restoring to God all that Satan had taken from Him.
Once anyone truly grasps the Heavenly Father's 'hahn' he
cannot remain still. With a feeling f terrible urgency and
determination, he must awaken and enlighten other people to
join the cosmic battle. The purpose of salvation is not merely to
obtain divine forgiveness of personal sins and go to heaven. For
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Reverend Moon the true purpose is to relieve God's Grief,
liberate His power, and restore His cosmic sovereignty, which
will bring about peace on earth and love and joy to all people.
Part Three
Reverend Moon, the man
Now I would like to speak about the man, Reverend Moon.
Indeed his faith and personality are gigantic. To undertake the
task of cosmic restoration and fulfill it victoriously truly
requires a spiritual giant. This Reverend Moon is. Furthermore,
no one can deny that Almighty God is the source of Reverend
Moon's power and wisdom.
As is evident in the profundity of his teachings, ReverendMoon's own spirituality is unique. He has had a long, intense
spiritual battle and search which are reflected in his teachings.
Since early childhood he was led to a deep prayer life and asked
God questions that even spiritually advanced adults seldom
asked. Though his parents attended a Presbyterian church, his
spiritual search from his youth transcended any denominationalfaith.
As a spiritually sensitive youth, he searched for solutions to one
great religious problem after another until he had unlocked
hidden secrets in human history. After fierce battles with spirit
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beings, he was able boldly to point out Satan's hidden motives
and rebellious actions. Through these struggles Reverend Moon
was deeply touched by the depth of God's heart, his age oldgrief and anguish. He came to understand the ultimate divine
ideal and historical goal for humanity.
Ever since meeting Reverend Yong Do Rhee, I longed to meet
someone who possessed his powerful spirituality. When I
shook hands with Reverend Moon for the first time, he was
wearing ordinary overalls. But I soon perceived that here was a
man of deep prayer. After greeting, the first thing he said to me
was this: "You have been praying a lot, haven't you? I am not
sure whether you have a special ancestor or you yourself are
special, but you are a very special person."
In the early days it was quite a usual experience for all of us.
Many followers while they were at home they would have
doubts and negative thoughts about Reverend Moon and his
work. But as soon as they were back in the church and saw him
again, all their doubts quickly vanished, as thick fog evaporates
when the sun rises. I believe he is such a bright spiritual light,
that in his presence, confusion is dispelled and truth illumined.
Reverend Moon would stay up until 2:00 am - even 3:00 am. If
urged to go to bed, he would say, "You must remember that
even at this hour there are people praying to God." Soon I
realized that his concern, his prayer, and his goal of life were
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very high and broad, transcending those of ordinary Christian
leaders.
Even when the group of followers was so small, Reverent
Moon was very optimistic. He was absolutely convinced that a
multitude would join us and he would soon be known
throughout the world. When speaking to less than a hundred
people on Sundays, he would speak very loudly. Later I
understood that he was envisioning speaking to a huge crowd.
From the very beginning I noted how absolutely serious he was
about God. Once he felt something had to be done for God, he
never hesitated. He did it and inspired us to do it. He felt that
he was always standing face to face with God, but he could also
sense how Satan was just waiting for the slightest chance to
overpower him and frustrate his work. Repeatedly he would tell
us, "We are in the midst of the battle between God and Satan."
So he was always alert and would never be caught off guard.
But this seriousness never made him too stern or stone.faced.
He loved to sing and loved to hear singing. He was ready to
laugh. He used to tell me that we must experience the whole
wide range of human emotions from sorrow to joy, from
indignation to tenderheartedness, from unyielding resolve to
open-mindedness. I should like to share a few episodes.
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First, in the early days, there was a preschool boy staying at the
center. He was the only son of a widow and was half deaf and
half dumb. His name was Samuel. In the evening wheneverReverend Moon came back from outside activities, he would sit
cross-legged on the floor and call Samuel to join him. Then he
would dance and sing cheerfully with Samuel. The boy would
be all smiles, arms moving and feet dancing. Most of the time
he was quiet, silent, alone, unnoticed. But here he was
experiencing joy. By being with him, Reverend Moon was
helping a deaf, dumb little boy feel important and happy.
Another incident: Once two elderly sisters came to see
Reverend Moon. They had come from far south and were
strangers to all of us. After asking him some questions and
listening to his answers, one of the women broke into song toexpress her joyous feelings. Reverend Moon promptly
responded in the same manner. It was like an opera, with
everything important being expressed in song. Yet in another
way it was like a sudden encounter of lovers -- very personal,
very deep, and very intimate: the spontaneous meeting of heart
and heart. These two had come a long way to meet ReverendMoon, and their meeting became a moment of totally innocent
pleasure.
Let me give you one more story. Reverend Moon once told me
that when he was a young student in Japan he had pulled a junk
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cart through the fashionable Ginza street in Tokyo. He did this
in order to experience the feeling of the menial laborer or the
underprivileged. In this way he expanded the scope of his lifeexperience in order to know and feel with people of every walk
of life, so that he could feel God's love in every situation.
I never heard from him meaningless, silly ,jokes, wit, or humor.
He seemed to believe that every word he utters is recorded
somewhere, either by angels or Satan. And he is responsible for
every word he speaks. Nowadays he makes his audience laugh
and feel relaxed when he speaks. But in the early days, the
atmosphere was always serious and even tense. He always
possessed great dignity and authority. Often we felt awe struck
and almost overpowered by his spiritual greatness. But always
Reverend Moon evoked our deep trust and great respect.Coming into his presence, we found our hearts uplifted and our
will power magnified. Even physically, we felt deeply refreshed
and infused with great energy.
I have been with him in every mood. I have seen him crying. I
have seen him joyful. I have been with him in his lonely hours.
And I have seen him angry. On every occasion, he always
appeared free from personal feelings. Reverend Moon has
always possessed a strong sense of urgency. There is so much
to be done and it had to be done fast and effectively. It is a
matter of life and death. So he doesn't let anyone slow down.
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Never have I found such qualities in other Christian leaders in
the same intensity and combination. Reverend Rhee urged
Korean Christians to repent. Therefore, he was constantlyseeking, waiting for something to come from God. His mission
was cleansing the Korean Church to prepare for Reverend
Moon's coming with a new dispensation. By contrast Reverend
Moon has found what he wants. He is sure of his destination
and goal. His messianic call was clear from the beginning.
Thus he led us with complete confidence.
In the early days even though he must have had deep
apprehension, he remained cheerful, full of hope and eagerly
awaiting dedicated and capable workers to join him. In those
days, he just longed for people.
With his immense vision and superhuman task he was the
loneliest man in the world. In public prayers he often broke
down in tears. Back then -- even over thirty years ago -- I could
see plenty of hardship ahead of him. Yet, when such trials came
one after another, I saw how he triumphed. This has happened
time and again for three decades.
It is the greatest privilege for me to be Reverend Moon's
contemporary and an eyewitness to such a storm-filled life.
How did I have the fortune to be born in such a crucial time in
God's providential history, and walk on the same ground with
such a great person?
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Reverend Moon once disclosed that when he discovered God's
anguished 'hahn', he wept for three days. He then vowed to
uproot its cause and heal God's 'hahn'. From then on, hechallenged Satan and began his fierce battle with God's enemy.
How could one expect his road to be commonplace, or smooth
and easy?
He was imprisoned six times, first for five months by the
Japanese occupation authorities in Korea who tortured him
most severely. He was imprisoned three and a half months by
North Korean Communists and almost died from their brutal
beatings. He was again arrested in North Korea, imprisoned for
three months, and sent to the Hung-nam forced labor camp for
two years and five months. He saw many of his fellow
prisoners die from the inhuman work conditions. But hesurvived because of his strong faith and willpower combined
with God's special protection. In Seoul, South Korea, he was
imprisoned for three months, under Sing Man Rhee's regime
and finally in the USA he was held for thirteen months in
Danbury, Connecticut. Thus more than five years of his life
were passed in prison.
He literally poured out his blood, sweat, and tears, enduring for
nearly 70 years of continual persecution and sacrifice. He has
served friends and adversaries alike. Despite so many
calamities he is still well, because God has chosen him and is
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with him. I know that from this year, 1988, God's providence
centered on Reverend Moon will be increasingly manifested to
the world, and I only pray that the people of this earth will beawakened quickly.
About the Author, Dr. Young Oon Kim
Dr. Young Oon Kim was born in 1915 on Hwang-Hae Island in
Korea. After she graduated in Theology from KanzaiUniversity in Japan she became professor of Christology at
Ewha Woman's University in Seoul. In 1948 she received a
Master's degree in Theology from Emanuel College, Toronto
University and in December of the same year an Honorary
Doctor's degree in Humanism from Richard College.
From 1975 on she taught Systematic Theology at the Graduate
School of the Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown,
New York. Some of her most important publications are..
Unification Theology and Christian Thought, Divine Principle
and its Application, World Religions Volume I, II, and III,
Unification Theology, An Introduction to Theology, and TheTypes of Modern Theology. Presently she is teaching
Systematic Theology at the Sung Hwa Theological Seminary in
Korea.
Copyright 1988, Young Oon Kim
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http://www.tparents.org/library/unification/talks/yokim/moonkn
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