Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 192

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 7: True Parents’ Course of Suffering and Victory
Chapter 3: Suffering In Danbury Prison And True Parents' Victory
Section 1: The Tax Evasion Trial, The course of the trail
Section 1: The Tax Evasion Trial, Paragraph 16

The course of the trial

In 1982, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York completed the selection of a 12-member jury for True Fathers trial on charges of tax evasion. His lawyer had asked for a trial by judge instead of by jury, because that way an impartial verdict would have been more likely. But the judge denied this motion, and his trial in the federal district court began. As the US government desired, on May 18, 1982, the jury handed down a guilty verdict.

On July 16 the court sentenced True Father to 18 months' imprisonment and a $25,000 fine. 

True Father was sentenced for filing false tax returns and conspiracy to file false tax returns. At issue were his tax returns for the three-year period from 1973 to 1975. The government alleged that he should have declared as his personal income $112,000 in accrued interest on members' donations of $1.6 million and the receipt of $50,000 in stock. However, all of those funds were used for church purposes; they were not his personal income. If they are reckoned as his personal income, the amount of tax that he was said to owe was only $7,300.

On November 3 the defense counsel appealed to the United States Court of Appeals. Religious leaders in America, together with many non-governmental organizations, submitted numerous written petitions to the appellate court. As soon as the jurors pronounced the guilty verdict, members of the clergy held religious freedom rallies to protest the outcome. These were supported by the leaders of every major Christian denomination, as well as many conscientious people who regarded Fathers conviction as religious persecution. As a result, protests and demonstrations began to spread.

The defense counsel appealed, but on September 13, 1983 the verdict was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals. On May 12, 1984, when his final appeal to the US Supreme Court was denied, the sentence held firm. From the time of his indictment on October 15, 1981 until his incarceration began on July 20, 1984, True Father's trial had lasted two years and nine months.

9  At school when two students are fighting, if you listen to them, they argue over who is right and who is wrong. Then their school teacher makes a judgment based on which of the two is more public-minded. It is simple to come up with the right judgment; the student who stands in the right is the one who upholds a greater public purpose. 

Today, when I enter the courtroom to face my trial, you church members must not be sad about it. The US government is thinking only of its own benefit, but I am going a more public path that is on a higher level. Therefore, although America may judge me and give me whatever sentence, I will remain the victor based on heaven's law. This is the plain truth. Therefore, in the past whenever I stood in court, I never had any fear whatsoever. The Unification Church centers on God alone and continues walking the path according to God's heart.

10  Right now in America, everyone is making a fuss, saying that I evaded taxes. Yet these people have no idea how much money I brought to America and spent for this nation. I brought money to America because it is the central nation of the free world. My intention is to make a foundation here, and protect it for the greater purpose of the world, even if some other part of the free world may have to sacrifice. When I save America, the world's central nation, the rest of the world can also be saved. 

Whom does history follow? American citizens will not even follow their own government, but I believe that they will end up following me regardless of this court battle. Even the American government will follow the path that I am going. When Americans emerge who think more publicly than most present-day Americans, they will all follow me. That is why I say that we are going the path to victory.

11  You should realize that just as I stand before a United States Court in New York today, someday you will stand before the Court of the Universe. Even if I am found guilty at the first trial, the second trial and the third trial, if the Court of the Heavenly Kingdom finds me innocent, all the guilty verdicts on earth will be reversed.

The Court of the Heavenly Kingdom is the supreme court of history. American citizens can appeal only to the Court of Appeals and to the United States Supreme Court, but I can still appeal to the final court, the court of history, the Supreme Court of Heaven. You too will stand before that court someday.

Yet what an honor it is to stand before this historical court while I am alive on earth. How wonderful it would be if I were to receive the verdict of innocent. It would be such an honor to be vindicated during this trial now, and not after death. 

Would you like to be in that position after you die, or would you rather be in that position while you are still alive? The path of righteousness is only for the strong and bold. My way of thinking is to take a path that is great and awesome, even though it can be intimidating. The rest of the world is afraid of the American government, but because I have this kind of thinking I have been fighting the government all by myself.

12  Once news that I committed tax evasion was publicized, even some of the American church members were concerned, thinking "Where there's smoke, there's fire." The US prosecution has no evidence of serious wrongdoing. No matter how much they looked, they could find no crime. Yet still the American people believe the accusations are true. They are thinking of me as a person who lies and commits fraud. They are making a huge commotion, pouring millions of dollars into investigating a case that involves less than $10,000 in taxes. How foolish and shameless they are! 

If a third party asked you to investigate such a case and gave you a million dollars for that purpose, would you do it? If I were guilty, I could understand such an action. Yet they created a great commotion just to convict an innocent person. I realize that I am in a place where I must love my enemies totally, with the heart of Jesus on the cross. Yet whatever the outcome of the trial, at least I am not in danger of being put to death, as Jesus was.

America and Korea stand in exactly the same positions as Rome and Israel at the time of Jesus. If Jesus had been able to go to the Senate in Rome, and had fought, won his case, and raised the flag of victory, more than likely Christianity would not have shed blood. Therefore, if we are victorious here, then Unification Church missionaries around the world will most likely never have to shed blood. This is where we are beginning a new history. When you consider this, we have arrived on the battlefield where we can fight, the place where we can work to begin this new history. So with the spirit of a righteous person, and with the spirit of a saint, you should charge forward with all your might.

13  I told the court that I did not want a jury trial, as I could not have full faith in its fairness. But the American court compelled me to accept trial by jury. When the jury handed down the guilty verdict, all Unification Church members around the world united with me. I have made this a condition to bind all people in history together as one. By making them as one, we can go over another hill.

White people cried; black people cried; yellow people cried. People of all races shed tears during my trial for tax evasion. That this happened is an amazing thing. They did not cry for their own country. They cried for me, for God and for the world. Because of one person, True Father, all people shed tears for the sake of God.

This is truly a historic bond of heart. As a result, everything in providential history became connected. This trial became an opportunity for God, me, and all humanity to stand together in heart. That is why I tell you, this trial is an important turning point in history. It is the moment when, one in heart, all people occupied and surmounted the high ground.

14  At the same time as I am waging this legal battle, I am preparing to found The Washington Times. It will cost tens of millions of dollars, but it is an investment for the sake of America and the world. It is an investment to stop communism and save America. I also invested more than $50 million in the movie Incheon. Was this for my benefit? I did it for America and the free world. Given this, would I conspire not to pay income taxes that did not amount to even $10,000? That is beyond ridiculous.

In the future, where will America go to hide from this historic disgrace? This is a serious problem for America. Americans will not be able to lift their heads. All of the records remain. America will always be reviled for bringing this court case against me. Therefore, in order to protect America from this national disgrace in the future, all members in America must unite and offer special conditions of devotion until the day of my sentencing on July 14.

You must all take responsibility for the future. In order to protect America from this disgrace, you need to cry out for justice throughout the land. You need to take this opportunity to turn American citizens around to the right direction. You must press on and on, making your best efforts, even to the point where you can no longer move your lips, open your eyes or move your bodies.

15  The American government sentenced me, but they cannot push me around as they like. I will continue to guide America to the right direction, teaching the American people, and even the American government. My life is only daytime; there is no nighttime. I jump over the nighttime and work 24 hours a day. What matters to me is: What will I restore in my life? What will I fulfill here? What will I leave behind?

When God was sad for my sake because I stood before a court, charged with tax evasion, I sought to comfort God. I told God not to worry about me. I comforted Him each day, saying, "I am going through this time for the sake of the future." I thought about how I could unite heaven and earth. I thought about how I could unite God and humanity. If I am evil, I am bound to decline. If the American government is good, it is bound to rise. If it rises, then I will follow America and not oppose it. 

If, however, I am the one who is good, I will continue along my path even if I have to leave America behind. A saint is someone who loves humanity and comforts heaven day and night even during the most difficult times. My path is the same path that the saints of history have walked.

16  I intend to continue this court battle. I am determined not to leave anything bad behind in America. I am determined to leave something good behind. I need to instill a new spirit in the American people. Do you think anyone who has studied about me will stop following me simply because I was brought before a court? Or will they keep moving forward? This is a serious question I'm asking you.

We must have hope. America must follow heaven's law, which is the way of public righteousness, not of private self-interest. Those who follow the way of public righteousness will rise, but those who go the opposite way will decline. Who will remove those who are going the opposite way? The universe will remove them. The public law, public righteousness, will remove them. 

I have faced opposition throughout my life. I am working to save this nation and its youth; I am striving to create people who can save the free world; yet I had to stand trial.