Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 309

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 11: Ecumenical Initiatives
Chapter 1: Ecumenical and Interfaith Initiatives
Section 3: The Movement to Transcend Religion, Why we should transcend religions
Section 3: The Movement to Transcend Religion, Paragraph 16

Why we should transcend religions

True Parents intended to establish the Republic of Korea as the Abel-type nation, which would attend God, by bringing oneness between the Abel-realm Unification Church and the Cain-realm Christian denominations. With this purpose, the ecumenical movement was developed in the mid1960s. Securing its place as a model of harmony and consensus among denominations, the movement was like a breath of fresh air in the Korean religious world.

6  Abel must establish the foundation of substance by winning Cain's heart and bringing Cain to natural surrender. Abel must make the condition to restore children at the same time as restoring parents. Abel should not do this alone, but rather should first become one with Cain. From this viewpoint, Christianity, which is the Cain-type religious group, must become one with the Unification Church, which is the Abel-type religious group. We are developing an ecumenical movement in order to set up the condition of Cain and Abel becoming one.

7  Our need to advance the ecumenical movement is becoming increasingly urgent. The Unification Church has reached the standard of Abel, but our position is that of Jacob when he had to flee from Esau, and Joseph when he was sold by his brothers. Gradually we are rising from this position of being cast out. When Jacob returned to his hometown, everything was restored to the state it was in before he left. When Joseph's brothers came to Egypt seeking aid, Joseph took care of them using his own belongings and whatever was under his jurisdiction. Because of Joseph’s love, he was able to liberate his brothers from all those difficult circumstances.

After giving an offering like this, Joseph intended to receive the inheritance of heaven from his father, just as Jacob intended to receive the blessing from his father. That was the purpose. Once older brothers rejoice over their younger brother receiving such an inheritance, worldly material is no longer a problem. If the younger brothers win over their older brothers, all the material of Satan's world can come to them. It is included. This is how everything is restored through indemnity.

8  The time has come when we can meet Cain, our older brother. Because we can now meet Christianity, we must advance the ecumenical movement. Just as Jacob worked to save his older brother by making material sacrifices, we must render material service in this country to save the Republic of Korea. If we do not emphasize principled conditions and paying indemnity, we will be driven out. This is why we are conducting the ecumenical movement. We are treating Christianity as our older brother. When Jacob, who had taken refuge in Haran, returned to his hometown, he offered Esau all the property and servants he had acquired through his 21 years of arduous work. Thus Esau came to possess material things and God's blessing. Even if I go into debt, I will do the same as Jacob.

9  Now, even religious groups must connect globally; philosophers too must connect to the world's philosophical standard, and politicians must connect with global governance. We should establish and solidify this standard nationally. If we do not do that, heaven will attack us instead of defending us. In order to do that, the Unification Church must gather together many religions, including Christianity. To accomplish this, we engaged with the ecumenical movement in 1966. By coming to know our movement, others should come to acknowledge that our position has much in common with theirs, and that the Unification Church doctrine encompasses and embraces all the doctrines of religions in Korea.

10  While bearing my historic and cosmic responsibility, I have agonized over how we can become one with the people of this nation, and with Christianity. We must become one. In the providence of restoration, when God sent people to shoulder the mission of the age, the problem was always how to establish a starting point for dominion through oneness with the nation and its established religions. We should find one direction that established religions can welcome. We must become one.

11  This ecumenical movement is for the sake of saving all churches. We must restore the Cain of ancient times, who killed his younger brother Abel. If Abel strikes Cain, Abel will perish. We must embrace with love. This is the movement of the Unification Church. Thus, I am carrying this out even while incurring debt.

Our task is to gather religions together. It involves a level of emotional suffering that you do not understand. If money is required, I must prepare the foundation even if I go into debt. Even before loving my children, I must pour myself out until my enemies surrender. Putting my beloved children behind, I must love my enemies first. I must be in the position where I have loved my enemies more than I have loved my children. When I do that, the gates of liberation will open. The Unification Church has been trying to do this to this day.

12  Originally, the Messiah is to complete the foundation of substance with the church and with the realm of the people. Accordingly, if Judaism and the people of Israel had been able to receive Jesus, the providence would have reached the perfection level of the growth stage. It follows that the Unification Church must give new impetus both to the nation and to Christianity. By doing so, we will achieve the standard of Jesus and Judaism becoming one, and of Jesus and the people of Israel becoming one. Historically, Judaism and the people of Israel took the position of striking Jesus, but that should not happen now. We must complete the position of Jesus gaining influence over Judaism and the nation of Israel. Our ecumenical engagement and the association of religions activities serve this mission.

13  We must persuade Christians while saying, "Don't we all believe in God as our Father? There is a small difference between us, like that between cultivated grapevines and wild grapevines. Other than that, aren't we the same?" If we do that, our ecumenical movement and the association of religions movement will develop. After becoming one with Christians, we must bring non-believers come to believe in God. Once we take the leadership role, we must witness to non-believers. For that purpose, when Christians hold revivals, Unificationists must witness with them. Indeed, we must do activities that build friendship with them.

14  The people who are involved in the ecumenical movement originally were my enemies. We could only afford to eat boiled barley, but how great it is that we were able to feel compassion for them. How great the people are who are concerned to comfort and pray for their enemies. If religious people do not do this, who will?

Accordingly when God is able to say about me, "For the first time in history, I have found a person I am able to love," I will respond, "Those are overwhelming words. Please let me withdraw into the background; please love this Unification Church group first." This is my perspective, "Even if I do not receive your love, it is all right." This is also God's philosophy and Jesus Christ's philosophy.

15  We are standing at the dividing point of good and evil. We must always think about this. I am returning. Therefore, what is the fastest path? Loving one's enemies can change them 180 degrees. Jesus deeply understood this kind of heart. Since I explored everything in the spirit world, and investigated and brought to light everything about human life from top to bottom, I understand the truth, the deep inner connections of the true world. Accordingly, I am incurring more expenses for the sake of Christianity, for the sake of ecumenical work, than for the sake of the Unification Church. Even while our members are hungry and suffering, I am doing this. Why would I do this? By loving the established churches and the enemies of the nation, our common base is growing wider.

16  From the perspective of Christianity, Judaism is in the position of the older brother; from the perspective of the Unification Church, Christianity is in the position of the older brother. If Christianity and Judaism could have become one, today's world would not be so miserable.

Centering on the will of Jesus, after paying the price by means of much historical sacrifice, the concept of the Second Coming is entering into public thinking. The Unification Church is seen as a new religion in this age and has become a concern for Christianity and the world, but no one should ever think that it started based on the thought of one individual. Without a doubt, God was working in the background. Every time I have experienced difficulties wherein I could not achieve my goal, I passed through the critical moments by adapting and following solutions provided directly from heaven. In this way, the Unification Church has endured. Judaism, Christianity and the Unification Church are going that path in order to accomplish the Will of God.