Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 167

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 6: The World Tours and the Global Mission
Chapter 2: True Parents’ Settlement in the United States and Their Public Speeches
Section 6: The Watergate Statement, Address on Capitol Hill
Section 6: The Watergate Statement, Paragraph 11

Section 6. The Watergate Statement

Addresses on Capitol Hill

True Father was invited to speak by members of the US Congress on two occasions. As interest in True Parents rose in the early 1970s, members of the Senate and House of Representatives invited Father to speak. On October 8, 1974, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, True Father delivered an address entitled "America in God's Providence" to 185 members of Congress, including senators and congressmen, who listened attentively. All of this was arranged on the basis of an invitation letter to True Father dated September 13 and signed jointly by 12 members of the House of Representatives and the Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. An official invitational memo was sent to all senators and congressmen. True Father spoke a second time on December 18, 1975, in response to an invitation from members of Congress, to an audience of 200 at the Caucus Room in the US Capitol, on "God's Plan for America."

1  I have been visiting the US Congress in preparation for my upcoming speech. For six months, we have focused our attention for the sake of this goal. I am going to speak to Congress on October 8, 1974. Now people in American society are saying that Reverend Moon is a mysterious person. We have to come to a point where if a congressman or senator who never heard any of my speeches goes somewhere and talk of Reverend Moon comes up, they end up embarrassed because they do not have anything to say. Interest in my work is increasing as a result of the Madison Square Garden rally. If a senator is not able to come, their office will send an assistant. I heard a report that they are sending people because they need to know what I am saying. That is why I am certain that when I say, "Senators, please support Reverend Moon!" they will surely approve the Washington Monument rally.

2  What will happen on the day the White House, the Congress and the citizens of America are all empowered with Unification Thought? This will become the driving force to revive Christianity, revive broken families, revive the youth, lift up morality and restore all things. Christianity was at the center when this nation was built, but now it is declining. As an individual, if you become a person empowered with Unification Thought, you will represent the world. If your family does so, your family will represent the world. If American citizens do so, they will be citizens like none other in history, because they will represent many nations. And if America does so, the world will have no choice but to become one within America's sphere of influence.

You congressmen and senators should not even think in your dreams that this is Reverend Moon's thought. It is not Reverend Moon's thought. You must know that it is God's Will, the revealed truth that should be declared to humankind and applied by the Congress. Surely on the day you adopt this thought as the nation's principles before the citizens of your nation, America will become "One Nation under God," not just in name but in reality, a nation in the subject partner position to the world. America will inevitably become the kingdom of heaven on earth. In this nation, there will be true ideals, true love, true happiness and ultimate truth.

3  For the sake of the future of America and of Korea, it is important to build a foundation that the American government and its citizens can understand and respect. For this reason, I commenced activities not just in the UN but in Congress, which invited me to give a speech. However, I knew that a media foundation was also needed in order to exert a real influence on public opinion. As a result of making that foundation, now I have become famous in America.

When I first met American leaders and asked them, "Would you believe me if I told you I will become a sensation in two years' time?" they laughed. They are prominent figures now in the Senate, after working hard for 20 years to get there, so they laughed and thought, "How can this rookie named Reverend Moon, from another country, do anything in America in the space of two years?" However, now I have become someone whom they believe, and they are no longer skeptical. I had not done much before that time, and I knew I would never develop by just expecting to receive their sympathy. I had to help them. That is why I did many things to help them, using the means I had available.

Forgive, love, unite

In June 1972 it was discovered that a clandestine team commissioned to support President Richard Nixon's re-election had attempted to wiretap the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C.. Due to this scandal, President Nixon was in a difficult predicament, and he resigned in August 1974.

True Parents saw that America's spirit, faith and values were being tested by this grave crisis. On November 30, 1973, they published "The Watergate Statement" in The New York Times, The Washington Post and all throughout America, calling on Americans to "Forgive, Love and Unite." True Parents were concerned that this scandal would trigger an economic and spiritual crisis in America, weakening its global leadership. They warned that international communism would use it as an opportunity to expand its influence. True Father held an important meeting on February 1, 1974, with President Nixon in the Oval Office at the White House.

4  In 1972 and 1973 the US president was brought to his knees. I conveyed the Watergate Statement to President Nixon, telling him there would be a way for him to survive if he listened to what I had to say. I also sent similar letters to every US senator and congressman. Watergate was not just a coincidence, but a chance for me to connect to the White House. It is a historical fact that we have been able to maintain ties with the White House for two consecutive years. When people study the Watergate incident, without fail they will see that my name is historically recorded there supporting America and the presidency. Although people may want to deny this, it cannot be denied.

5  When America was in turmoil over the Watergate scandal, I cried out for the people to return to God. In order to return to God we need forgiveness, and I told the American people that in order to receive forgiveness they have to forgive. In the Watergate Statement I was declaring that we should forgive. If we cannot forgive the sins of others, we cannot be forgiven. Using one person, President Nixon, as their representative, I was telling the people that individually, as churches, and as a nation, "You are also sinners. You should first repent and forgive President Nixon." I was the one in America who introduced the idea of pardoning President Nixon.

The democratic world is collapsing because Christianity is collapsing. Christianity is collapsing because while the problems in each nation and the whole world multiply, leaders and peoples are not conferring with God but doing things on their own. It is the same as at the time of the Human Fall in the Garden of Eden.

6  When I first came to America, I was but one individual who had received the command of heaven, and I had only three years to convey my ideas to all 240 million citizens. Irrespective of whether they listened or not, I had to make an impression and let them know. How would I do this? I had no foundation, no cooperation, and there was even opposition. How could I overcome this situation? I had to go straight forward and reach their hearts. That is why early on I met with prominent senators. I also met with congressional representatives and then I met many prominent and distinguished people. I then considered how to reach the White House, and that's when the Watergate incident exploded. Because of this incident, it became possible for me to meet President Nixon. Americans were in a state of opposition, hopelessness and disappointment. At that point I thought that I should show them a way forward based on Christian love.

7  For a long time, I researched various religions and religious people. I met with many congressmen and other prominent figures. I also met the prominent people of the nation. I met them, but they had no desire in their hearts to save the world. During the Watergate incident, I saw that America can slip and fall to the bottom of the pit with just a minor mistake, and that the religious leaders, including world-renowned people like Billy Graham, should stand at the front line and lead a citizens' movement to protect America. However, these people were not thinking this way at all.

That is why this person called Moon, who was born in Asia, took responsibility. However, this is not something that is done easily. I had to risk my life and consult with God to find out what He wanted. The person standing here in front of you is not a politician. I am someone who acts according to God's Word. Someone should protect the nation and the world, and show humankind the way to go. I knew this and that is why I resolved to tread this risky path. The Unification Church made this final resolution.

8  In 1972, I proclaimed the Word in seven cities throughout America. Based on that foundation, I evangelized 21 cities in 1973. During this time, centered on the Watergate incident, which had come out months before, I concluded the 21-city tour on January 28, nearing the end of the second seven years of the 21-year course. After that, I came here to Washington and met President Nixon.

I did not ask to meet him, but President Nixon himself set a date and offered to meet me. We did not meet by coincidence. If a head of state wants to meet the president, they customarily have to make an appointment one and a half years in advance, so this encounter with him was an historic event. He had cleared his schedule and did not meet with anyone during the two weeks leading up to January 30, when he was to give his State of the Union address to Congress. On February 1, after his address, I was the first person he met. He had turned down all meetings with state representatives and ambassadors in order to meet with me.

When I met him, I said, "Let us pray." President Nixon bowed his head in prayer. It was an historic precedent that we could pray as we began such a meeting. We had an exceptional meeting. He thanked me, saying that Reverend Moon showed more concern about him than anyone else in the nation. I could feel that he was overwhelmed and happy. I cannot deny that it was a historic moment, comparable to that of a Roman emperor meeting Jesus.

9  As a result of the Watergate incident, America's future had become uncertain. I opened a way for Christianity and helped stabilize this country. We also established a way for the democratic world and America to go forward. This is possible because I met with President Nixon according to God's Will. That is why I prayed when I met him. It was not coincidence. People may not know, but it was already determined that we would overcome a major obstacle at that point in the providential era.

10  My support for President Nixon was not for him as an individual, but for his position as president. American citizens should know this in the future. The leader of the nation should have authority when he establishes new policies and decides the fate of the nation. That is why I supported him. If President Nixon had remained in office, the Vietnam war would not have ended as it did and Cambodia would not have been left in the state it was. I predicted that President Nixon's departure would lead to the current outcome. It is a national shame to have left behind billions of dollars' worth of weapons for the communist world. It should be considered a major defeat for this leading country in the democratic world.

11  I supported President Nixon so that America could end the Vietnam War quickly and with victory. I thought that with this victory, Asia ’s defense zone would be expanded. I concluded that the Nixon Doctrine had to be revised. If the Nixon Doctrine had stood, the security threat surrounding Korea would immediately have subsided. God desires to see America and her president unite and join in solidarity with Asia. However, the American people separated from their president. Seeing this, I insisted that they should forgive, love and unite. Then Christianity would have become one with President Nixon and with all American citizens. If that had occurred as a result of what I advocated, people eventually would have united with me. I came here as a benefactor to save and unite America. That is why President Nixon needed my counsel. The Watergate incident could have been resolved very quickly.