Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 201

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 7: True Parents’ Course of Suffering and Victory
Chapter 3: Suffering In Danbury Prison And True Parents' Victory
Section 5: Resurrection from Prison, Paragraph 11
Section 6: Learning from Suffering, Paragraph 01

11  After Jesus' death on the cross, he was resurrected on the third day. He then worked spiritually on earth for 40 days, which makes 43 days in total.

Originally I was scheduled to be released from Danbury Prison to the halfway house on July 8, 1985, but instead I was released on July 4. From July 8 until today, August 20, marks a period of 43 days. Just as Jesus passed through a 43-day period to be resurrected and erect the realm of resurrection in order to recover his disciples and establish the Christian cultural sphere substantially, now that I have passed through this time period all of you should be able to stand as perfect Unification Church believers. Now all American people also must be turned around. I was resurrected during this period for this purpose. 

In Jesus' time, only his disciples experienced the glory of his resurrection, but now we must establish the substantial foundation where all Americans can be part of that glory. American Christians thought, "That Reverend Moon is Satan!" but now they recognize that he is a man of God who should not be opposed. Accordingly, in America we see a movement of Christians stepping forward in repentance. 

The number 13 is for the 13 months I was in Danbury, and the number 13 signifies Jesus and his 12 disciples. It is the number of restoration through indemnity. In the West, 13 is an unlucky number. However, with my sentence completed today, we have now completely restored it through indemnity.

12  When I went to prison, I was prepared for the worst. In prison it is not that difficult to do away with an inmate. However, since it would have been a very serious problem for God if I had been killed there, as soon as I arrived heaven set some people in place to watch over me. Actually, many mysterious things like that happened. 

Whenever I slept, there was always someone on guard. That person would protect me from midnight until 4:00 a.m. without sleeping. This was not due to human intervention. After leaving Danbury, I was sent to a halfway house, a facility to help inmates return to society. Even before I arrived there, the spirit world communications network was already preparing protection for me. Two prisoners, one African-American and one Chinese, were waiting for me. As I slept from midnight until 5:00 a.m., they would protect me, taking turns while watching TV through the night. They stood guard. But who really was protecting me? It was none other than God Himself.

13  After I was released from prison, 12 respected American ministers came and embraced me with deep emotion. We had never met before, never even greeted each other. Why would they do that, overjoyed with tears for me? It is because they felt shame over what America, their country, had done to me and because they recognized the value of my substantial work as a man of faith and my fight for the way of goodness. When they compared their own lives to mine, they bowed their heads before me. I saw big teardrops well up and fall from their eyes. They rejoiced more seeing me being released from prison than they would have if they themselves had been released from prison. Seeing them, I thought, "The bond of heart that links us in the world of goodness is expanding in this place." 

I have created a new rope for America, a nation that is heading toward ruin. I have made a new chain to anchor the ship that is on the verge of being swept away and wrecked. It is an anchor chain that no one can cut or remove. By binding America to it, America will live. The way I see it, because I love America and made this chain of justice that cannot be severed, America is being resurrected and its life can continue.

14  By willingly going to Danbury, I made a condition of total indemnity on the world level. Going to Danbury was equivalent to bearing the cross on behalf of the entire earthly world that opposed me. My purpose for bearing this cross was for the sake of unity in the spirit world and the liberation of the earthly world. Unity was my purpose. 

Many groups around the world had mobilized to put me in Danbury Prison. They had mobilized from Judaism, Christianity and the other religions in America and many other nations of the world. After all, the CIA investigated us in 25 countries. They were looking for anything, any wrongdoing on our side, and whatever they discovered they intended to charge me with in order to throw me into prison. In this way the whole world invested all its power to oppose me.

Our purpose is to bring the spirit world in Satan's realm back to God. Knowing this intention, Satan tried to strike our Unificationist foundation and knock it down in order to destroy us. This was when the US government and I fought face to face, with the United States of America as the plaintiff and myself as the defendant. In the end I reversed this situation, and now it is clear that the United States was in the wrong. This means that the spirit world has now entered the united realm. Because of this, beginning with the three years after 1985, the spirit world must work together with the earthly world, moving at the same pace. Now that the united realm has emerged in the spirit world, heaven and earth must advance in step with each other.

15  I am in the position of Abel to all the religious leaders throughout the ages. I am the one who went through the model course, receiving the most persecution. It was the religious leaders in the latter half of the 20th century who saw me walk this course. When I was thrown into Danbury Prison, they hoped I would perish. They hoped I would die. Yet with God's protection, I did not die. In time they saw I was a righteous man who was sent to save all humanity. This is why they all bowed their heads before me.

16  Why is it that God could not make Satan surrender up to this point? And why is it that all people could not make Satan surrender until now? Satan insists on only one thing, "Even though I am fallen, God, You still have to love me. And, Son of God, you too have to love me. That is the Principle, and that is the standard of parental heart. Isn't it a fundamental rule of the Principle that you two must love me and gain my natural surrender in order to realize the kingdom of heaven?" When he argues like this, God cannot refute his logic. We are caught by his words. 

Satan further asserts, "If anyone is going to rise to the status of a perfected person and become qualified to enter the kingdom of heaven, that person must make the condition of loving me. If not, there is no way he or she can reach the status of perfection." This is why Jesus loved his enemies on the cross and taught us to love our enemies. This is why I made a condition to pray for all the American people and set the standard of loving all America in Danbury Prison. This condition of heart set up an axis of love that connects the numerous peoples of the world to me. America is linked to me. All people in the position of Abel are linked to me. If this standard of connection is maintained, Satan has no authority to invade.

17  You are going on the path of restoration, so do not think that you will live a comfortable life for yourself. Inevitably you will face and have to endure suffering. If on that path your husband is sent to prison, you must set your heart to invest your sincerest devotion for his sake. If necessary, you must be willing to sacrifice even your family. Only from a place where you pledge such determination can heaven work and connect to you.

At this time, I am most grateful to Mother. I am sure that while I was imprisoned in Danbury, True Mother's heart suffered through the deepest valleys numerous times. Because her life has been like that, her standard is gradually rising. Through the events of Danbury she has come to understand my value even more.

18  True Mother suffered a lot because of me. Could she be assured of my safety in prison? Hostile communists worldwide had their eyes on me. In prison I was completely vulnerable, like lying naked in a field. Mother visited me every day in Danbury, shedding many tears. And when she was back at East Garden, don't you think she cried there too? Every Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m. she shed tears as she bowed before God and prayed for my safety. Our children shed tears alongside her. Why did they have to endure this situation, crying like that? I have money, authority and knowledge. I can also lead people. But why did I come to America? Why did I throw myself into this fight? It is only because of God's Will. 

Section 6. Learning from Suffering

The path of indemnity

Because Christianity and its representatives whom God had prepared failed to fulfill their responsibility, True Father walked the path of indemnity, enduring the suffering of prison six times. He walked a thorny path, leaving a trail of blood, sweat and tears, even as he comforted God in His bitter sorrow. In the end, True Parents surmounted a course of eight vertical and eight horizontal stages and were victorious in completing the providence of restoration through indemnity.

1  The path of restoration is paved with suffering. It is the way of indemnity. On this path, you should not think centered on yourself, or insist that you must live this way or that way. You cannot hold onto any particular expectation about how your life should go. Rather, you must maintain a public perspective. On the arduous path that heaven has mandated for you, you should feel that you are ever falling short and must redouble your efforts. You need to press forward one step at a time, always striving to overcome the challenges on your path, and to go as quickly as you can. If you start complaining that your path is too difficult, you will not be able to overcome it. To overcome the suffering, you must walk the path with gratitude. 

There is a gap between us and heaven. God is high above, and we are far below. Therefore, we must always contemplate how we can reach the position that God wants us to reach. Yet the gap between individuals and heaven is so huge. How can we bridge the gap and meet together? God must descend to find us, and we must ascend to find Him. Yet, because it is difficult to reach Him, we need to pay indemnity in the process.