Pyeong Hwa Gyeong: Episode 232

Pyeong Hwa Gyeong: A Selection of True Parents’ Speeches
Book 5: Absolute Values and New World Order
Speech 24: The Mission of the Media in the Twenty-first Century, pg 839-843

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The spread of humanism

The societies of the free world today are exhibiting a phenomenon that is every bit as evil as communism: the spread of materialistic humanism and the extreme individualism and selfishness that are the offshoots of this philosophy. We find that money and material possessions have become the “gods” of our culture.

I do not condemn humanism altogether, but the humanism we see today is based on a thoroughly atheistic outlook. When we deny the existence of God and the significance of His creative acts, we reduce human beings to just a handful of dust. From such a perspective, human beings are considered no better than mere complex machines. This is precisely the fallacy at the basis of Marxism-Leninism. If we say there is no God and that human beings are no better than machines or animals, then there is no basis for morality. Without a belief in the spirit and eternal life, people take no responsibility for each other and can commit terrible atrocities.

In this context, let’s look at the situation of the advanced free countries of the world, which we would expect to be feeling a sense of victory over the recent downfall of communism. Extreme selfishness and individualism have given rise to hedonism. Corruption has pervaded all aspects of social life, and marriages and families are breaking up. The problem of political corruption is becoming worse, and economies are struggling.

Many young people, whom we normally expect to become future leaders, are losing touch with their conscience, swept away in a flood of immorality, drugs and crime, to such an extent that it is difficult for us to have hope in them as leaders of the twenty-first century.

I have said in the past that the next century is to be an era of spiritual civilization. The era of material civilization is nearing a dead end. If we are to turn back the darkness that is closing in upon our world and begin to live again, then we must first fill the void in the former communist countries that has resulted from the demise of Marxist-Leninist ideology.

Furthermore, we must bring about a revival of a spiritual culture that will rescue the free countries, which now seem to be heading for the day when they will either destroy themselves or receive the judgment of God. Thus, we need to produce a new thought system capable of bringing about a spiritual revolution in human society.

God is the Father of humankind

Ladies and gentlemen, during past World Media Conferences, I mentioned the providential mission that I have been called to fulfill. I have been called to be a pioneer of a new spiritual civilization for the twenty-first century. I have already declared to the world a system of thought for the new age that God has revealed to me. That system of thought is Godism, which is neither left-wing nor right-wing, but rather is a philosophy that could more accurately be called head-wing thought.

As scientists delve deeper into their areas of research, they find themselves increasingly unable to deny the truth of God’s existence. I proclaim His existence and teach a view of life in which we attend God and experience His reality in our daily lives.

God is not an abstract God. He is alive in each of our lives, and we can feel His touch. I am constantly hearing the beat of God’s pulse. I breathe as He breathes. I can feel the warmth of His body against my own. I have come to know the heart of God, and have shed rivers of tears from the knowledge that His heart is bursting with the sorrow of having lost humankind through the Fall. I also know clearly what God desires of His children in our era.

Most important, the almighty God is my Father. He is your Father as well. He is the Father of all people. The heart of God, as He looks down upon humankind, is the heart of the Parent. Even in human society, the love of the parent is the most passionate, the most ardent and the most unconditional.

The essence of God is true love. God’s desire is for all people to follow the example of His true love. He wants to practice true love and view the world with the love of a giving Parent. We can achieve eternal life only by practicing such selfless true love, a love that gives and then expects nothing in return. God invested himself one hundred percent when He created the heavens and the earth and then created humankind. He has never expected anything from us in return. The same is true of human parents. Because of our love, we want our spouses and children to become something greater than ourselves. That is why we can invest everything of ourselves in them and never expect anything in return.

Until now, human history has unfolded in the “era of brothers,” during which it was expected that brothers fight. Human history began with a fight between brothers, and ever since, it has been an era of struggle and war. Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, the first human ancestors, fought each other until finally the older brother killed the younger. This was the beginning of sinful human history.

Up through the First World War, the Second World War and the ideological battle of the Third World War or Cold War, history has been a succession of fights among brother nations. Today, now that we have lived through these three world wars, human history is entering a new dimension. Now, the era of brothers has ended, and we have entered the “era of parents.” The era of parents is the era of true love. As God looks upon us and loves us with the heart of a Parent, so each of us needs to look upon every other person and love all people with the heart of a parent. There may be tears in such a love, but never a fight to the death. The concept of struggle does not exist in the context of true love. I am declaring Godism as the philosophy of True Parentism and the philosophy of true love.

New mission of the media

On November 30, 1991, I visited North Korea, a staunch communist country that considered me an enemy. The world was shocked that I, a person who has devoted his entire life to overcoming communism, had entered North Korea. I received a warm welcome from President Kim Il Sung. We embraced each other heartily. Kim Il Sung had always looked on me as an enemy. He had once imprisoned me for nearly three years and later even attempted to kill me.

This was the enemy that I embraced. I could never have done this, however, if I had held even the slightest thought that he was my enemy. I went to North Korea and embraced President Kim with the heart of a parent. I went to North Korea in an act of true love. In true love, there is no concept of struggle, only the heart of compassion. In true love, there is only the heart of the parent who gives continuously and then wants to give even more.

Godism and True Parentism, which I have declared here today, is the source of true peace that will lead the way into the twenty-first century. We can build a harmonious world in the twenty-first century by practicing Godism and head-wing thought. The core of this philosophy is the heart of the parent and true love. The twenty-first century will be the era of True Parents, the era when people will mature spiritually through the development of heart, to the point that everyone will become true parents.

I have always emphasized that we need a responsible mass communication media. I founded the World Media Conference to foster press freedom in places where this freedom has not existed, and to bring about a responsible press in places where freedom already exists.

Recently, I have identified still another mission for the media: The media needs to be a moral voice. I have given The Washington Times the task for its next ten years to contribute to bringing about a moral society. By fulfilling that task the Times will impact the world. The Times ought to cultivate family values, because a peaceful world is only possible based on harmonious families.

The media’s mission is to realize a world of peace

The media wields such power and influence that it is often described as the Fourth Estate, alongside the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. This power of the media must be exercised for the purpose of good. Through its influence, the media needs to contribute to bringing about greater understanding between cultures and nations.

You journalists are specialists in your field, but before that, you are all God’s children. You are all champions of peace, specially called by God to help bring a new ethical standard into the world.

The World Media Conference provides a forum for free discussions by members of the media with the ultimate purpose of bringing about a principled media. At this time, when all of humanity is advancing toward the ultimate, true world of peace, please understand that God is calling the media to fulfill an important mission in helping to realize this world. The media needs to add its efforts to all those who are working for peace, and it needs to exert its tremendous influence for bringing about the ideal of a humanity united as one family. The media needs to boldly lead the way in realizing an ethical world.

I hope that through your discussions and research over the next few days, you will have the opportunity to think more deeply than ever about the media’s mission.

In closing, let me assure you it is my constant prayer that God’s abundant blessings will be upon your work and your families.

Thank you.

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