The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know (Book Format)

7/31/2019 The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know (Book Format)

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The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know

Young Oon Kim

Contents

Part 1: My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon

Part 2: My Encounter with Reverend Moon His Teaching and

Person

Part 3: Reverend Moon the man

Part 4: Dr Young Oon Kim

Part One

My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon

My parents had no affiliation with organized religion. In the

middle of my teen years I began to wonder about the purpose

of life: Why am I here? What direction should I go? What

happens after death? Such questions didn't go away but became

more intense.

At age 14 I went to a relative's house to live. This very wealthy

family lived near a mountain. In the midst of this luxury. Icame to observe the inner emptiness of material wealth. Living

with my aged grandmother I came to realize that long life is not

necessarily a blessing. Dwelling continually on the past, she

had no future and indeed no real present.

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Observing the college students returning from Japan on

vacation, I saw how puffed up they were. I wondered if

education really forms good character! Finally I noted that allmarried couples around me did not appear happy but seemed to

be just surviving. Already, as a young girl, I had lost all reams

of happiness common to youth. Life seemed purposeless.

During this time perplexity, I used to wander on the hillside.

Then I said to myself, "If there is a God, He will have the

answers. And if there is no God, then Life is meaningless and

not worth living." Sometimes I cried out, "If there is a God,

please appear to me." But nothing happened, at least not

immediately.

Then one midsummer day, while I was standing alone under a

wisteria arbor in our yard. I suddenly heard a voice on my right

side, saying, "He loves you, He loves you. The Bible says so."

The voice was audible but not a human voice. It was strange

but my hart was uplifted. Within a week the voice came back

inwardly a second time. The voice urged me to go to a church.

So I went to a Japanese Methodist church which was nearby

and attended its Wednesday night prayer meeting. Only five

people were present. The minister began the service with a

hymn about the shepherd looking for a sheep. I followed the

singing with a subdued voice. All of a sudden, from above, I

heard a strong voice saying. "It was not you who have been

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seeking Me. It was I who have been seeking you." Had God

been with me all the times I had wandered around the hills,

calling out for Him? Tears gushed from my eyes. Even when Iknew nothing about God, He had known me and had longed for

me. From that night my heart was filled by God, filled wholly

with thought of God. At dawn I again went to the hillside and

prayed Every morning I went up there to talk to Heavenly

Father.

One day on the way to work, I passed a large sign that spoke of

a revival with Reverend Yong Do Rhee to be conducted

through the current week. That evening I went to the large

Korean Methodist church to hear Reverend Rhee. Though

arriving on time, I had to squeeze in because already many

hundreds were in attendance. Reverend Rhee was a youngMethodist minister who was quite intellectual and also very

rich in feeling. He had studied in a liberal Methodist seminary.

As he preached I could feel the Holy Spirit through his fiery

words. Yes, there was a judgment in his preaching urging

everyone to repent. The hearts of everyone present were melted

because his stern words were supported by an ardent love ofGod. Ministers, elders, deacons, doctors, lawyers, business

men, teachers -- men and women alike -- cried in repentance

with deep humility.

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Reverend Rhee was a humble. meek, reticent man. But once he

stood in the pulpit, he became a most eloquent, dynamic, fiery

preacher. But there was nothing fanatic in him. Even after themeetings many people stayed and continued praying. During

the night some would speak in tongues; some would prophesy;

some would go into a trance. Such spiritual phenomena

occurred night after night through the whole week of revival.

Reverend Rhee was a man of deep prayer, passionate love for

Jesus, and compassion for hungry souls. He would give all his

pocket money to beggars on the street and then, without bus

fare walk home.

After Reverend Rhee left, the congregation which had tasted of

the Holy Spirit craved more. But there was no one who could

maintain the high spiritual atmosphere. Gradually Methodistand Presbyterian ministers, not only in my home town but

throughout the country, came to charge Reverend Rhee with

dividing their churches. Eventually he was condemned as a

heretic and forbidden to preach anymore. Thus was he forced

permanently from the pulpit. A year later he passed away at age

33. But today, 50 years after his death, Reverend Yong Do Rheeis highly respected throughout Korean Christendom as an

authentic messenger of God. He gave me a lasting image of a

true disciple of Christ.

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Deeply stirred by Reverend Rhee, I began a nightly prayer vigil

at the church where he spoke. There one night at Christmas

time I saw a vision of Jesus being crucified, such anoverwhelming expression of his love for me. At the foot of his

cross I saw myself repenting for my ignorance of his love. As I

left the church before dawn, a bright light shed radiance over

everything. A voice came saying, "I created everything for

you". After this experience I became a totally different person,

as even others noticed.

Then Easter came. On Easter eve I was back in the church

wanting to meet the risen Christ and be resurrected with him.

Again right after midnight the triumphant joy of the

resurrection poured into me. I could not stay bowed down any

more but had to sit up and sing, "Jesus Is Risen". The rest ofthe morning I kept singing. With this experience I resolved to

dedicate my life to witnessing to the risen Lord.

A couple of years later I learned from a devout minister

Reverend K. S. Rhee that he had, on the same night, had a

vision of the risen Christ telling Mary Magdalene not to touch

him but to go and tell the disciples that he would see them in

Galilee. The Reverend Rhee then saw that vision being poured

into me. "Let us watch Young Oon Kim from now", he told

someone.

At this time I was working in a bank.

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One day a voice came, "Do not work with dead numbers but

with lives". I thought I should become a teacher. After taking

government training and passing the examination, I went to thecountryside to teach second grade -- a class of some 70 boys

and 10 girls. In my teaching I just poured out my energy and

love on them.

During this time, I began to read the works of Emanuel

Swedenborg. He was a notable Swedish scientist, a

philosopher, and a lifelong member of the Swedish parliament.

At age 55, his spiritual senses had been opened, and he freely

communicated with the spirit world. He repeatedly emphasized

that we must understand divine truth and live by it, serving

others not with power, position, money, or any reward, but for

the sake of love and truth, and for the sake of God alone.Swedenborg's message is a most precious truth which became

the foundation of my theology.

Again a clear voice came to me, saying, "Do something of

eternal value". The work I was doing could be done by

anybody. I felt my 1ife mission must be something else. Having

learned from Swedenborg that the Word of God has eternal

value, I decided I must study the Bible.

The way was opened for me to attend Kwansei Gakuin

University in Japan and to study in its theological seminary for

five years. This was a liberal Methodist seminary teaching the

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Bible and other subjects historically and critically. After two or

three years of study I began to wonder about the value of

academic theology and prayed about this. God's answer was,"Know the weapon of your enemy". This seemed to mean that

Christianity, on one hand has been preserving and transmitting

divine truth which has been revealed through Jesus Christ. On

the other hand, Christianity also contains human errors based

on wrong interpretations of the truth. I need to discern and

distinguish the errors. and rectify them. To do that I need to

understand fully conventional Christian Theology. Therefore I

continued to study hard without further questioning, believing

my future was in God's hands. Upon returning to Korea, I

began teaching at a woman's Bible College in Pyongyang.

Japan's control of Korea was becoming tighter and tighter; in

time I was forbidden to teach the Bible. I decided to go to the

Diamond Mountains to pray.

After the war the Japanese went home, but the Russians

arrived. Soon the Communists approached me and asked that I

give a speech. I saw the need to escape immediately, and, with

a few church members, fled to Seoul. There I took a job first ata Catholic high school and then at a newly opened theological

seminary. During this time, Dr. Helen Kim, President of Ewha

Woman's University invited me to meet with her. She asked me

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to teach religion courses in the newly formed Department of

Christian Social Work.

While at Ewha, I met some Canadian missionaries. They were

seeking two qualified Koreans -- a man and a woman -- to send

to study in Canada. In 1948 I received this scholarship and went

to the University of Toronto where, at Emmanuel College, I

continued my study for three years. during which time the

Korean war broke out.

Soon after the Canadian missionaries invited me to go to

Europe. I asked them why. They responded that they wished

me to see how Germany was reconstructing itself after the

war's devastation, and that I should attend various ecumenical

study groups throughout Europe and hear the lectures of

prominent theologians.

As they arranged, I attended various ecumenical study groups

in Germany, Switzerland, and England, as well as World

Council of Churches' youth projects, and visited universities.

After six months of stimulating experiences, I took a Danish

freighter heading for the Orient and my home. The voyage took

two months. When I landed at Pusan it was early February

1952. The truce between North and South Korea had not been

signed, but the guns of war were silent in the southern part of

the country.

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Europe has been the heartland of Christianity for many

centuries, and Germany has been the brains of modern

theology since the Enlightenment. In fact, the theology ofNorth America has been led by the Germans for over a century.

While I was in Europe I began to wonder where Western

Christendom was headed and what vision it possessed. I could

sense the grave agony modern Christianity was suffering and

which continues today. First of all, churches were losing young

people who could no longer find any spiritual satisfaction in

the established religions. Second, Christianity lacked united

determination to combat the global monster of Communism,

even though Christians have constantly felt its threat and

suffered its malice throughout the world. Third, if even a

completely unified Christendom would not be strong enough

then how could the divided and divisive denominational

Christianity be of any help? The World Council of Churches

had been established in 1948 with open.minded and progressive

denominations and began an ecumenical movement, but the

achievement of a unified Christianity is not in sight, and looks

almost impossible.

Observing the postwar European churches, I lost my naive

inspiration in Western Christianity and came back to Asia with

a heavy heart.

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After arriving in Korea, I had become quite ill from the water

and living conditions in Pusan, flooded as it was with war

refugees. A year later Ewha University returned to its oldcampus in Seoul and I moved along with it. I remained ill and

worsened to the point where I thought I was to die. During this

time I heard a voice that said, "This is a spiritual crisis". After a

few days, a woman came and told me that the Lord of the

Second Advent had appeared in Korea and that I should study

the new truth that he brought. I laughed. This was so shocking!

But I felt curious and wanted to investigate, knowing that if it

were false I could quickly dismiss it, but that if it were true, it

was a matter of life and death! Soon I became terribly ill, and

Dr. Helen Kim sent for an ambulance, which took me to the

university hospital.

After returning home I visited the house where Reverend Moon

was teaching and heard lectures on Divine Principle. On the

third day I was completely healed of my lingering illness. The

night before my healing, the inner voice of God had spoken

again: "It was I who led you to Jesus., it was I who led you to

Swedenborg; it was I who led you here". During the last fourdays of my weeklong visit to the center, I heard the testimonies

of some members and most significantly, the life story of

Reverend Moon. I had been moved by the Principle of

Creation, because it was close to Swedenborg in its concepts of

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polarity, the stages of growth, and the unity of the physical and

spiritual dimensions. I was, however, stymied by the fall of the

archangel, how could this be? The Divine Principle'sChristology was also unsettling, as I then agreed with

Swedenborg that Jesus and God were one and the same. I was,

nevertheless, deeply touched by the astonishing conclusion that

God had chosen a Korean who was my contemporary.

Two women teachers from Ewha University had studied Divine

Principle, and one of them introduced it to me. Then she began

attracting many students to it as well. Since I, their teacher, had

already accepted Divine Principle, they felt it must be true.

Having no predetermined theology of their own, they were

quite open to new teachings. They spread the message among

their fellow students and brought them to our lectures. Most ofthem lived in dormitories, and rumors of our work spread

quickly. School authorities began to wonder if this were an

unhealthy, fanatical movement. Worse, if it continued to spread

quickly it would be impossible to control. So they began to put

pressure on the faculty and students. Ewha's President, Helen

Kim, said to me: "Do you really have to throw yourself into thismovement? Can't you just study it in a detached and objective

way, like other movements?" My answer was, "For me religion

is not a means of living but a matter of life! Therefore, I cannot

be uninvolved ... " A week later she called me to her office and

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asked that I refrain from mentioning Divine Principle teachings

in my classes or on campus. If I kept my faith to myself,

everything would be okay, she said. To this I replied: "PresidentKim, the whole world is my parish to teach in, so I can easily

leave out this campus." (In fact until then I had spoken to no

one in the University and had violated no law or regulation of

the institution.)

About a week later she sent me an ultimatum: "Please choose

one of these: Either you completely cut off your ties with the

Unification Church or you give up your teaching work here."

Similar notes were sent out to Ewha students, some with only

one semester before graduation.

But they were determined to follow this new truth. Their

parents intervened, protesting to the University. The media also

showed sympathy for the students, criticizing the University for

denying religious freedom. At Yonsei University the same

repressive policy was applied to one professor and two

students. A few at Ewha comprised with the administration, but

thirteen students and five faculty members refused to give up

their new faith. The two universities took action.

The students may have felt sorry to give up their studies, but

they felt no sad depression and no sense of defeat, because they

had discovered clearly interpreted divine truth for this new age

with its promise of a glorious future. As for me. since my

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mission would take all my time, I felt it was God who freed me

from the University. I felt no animosity toward those who

condemned and expelled me as a heretic. However, the decisionof Ewha University in this matter was a grave mistake which

obstructed the work of God and blocked the way to eternal life

for many.

Part TwoMy Encounter with Reverend Moon: His Teaching and

Person

I found several elements in the teachings of Reverend Moon

striking. Let me start with his Divine Principle.

Men of great faith have found God and described Him as a

Creator and Sovereign, infinite Spirit, Cosmic Intelligence,

Omnipotent and Omniscient Lord, Absolute and Final Judge,

Cosmic Law and the Heavenly Way, the Wholly Other who is

totally transcendent, Being and Ground of being Loving Father

and Merciful Redeemer.

Though we agree with those definitions I found the DivinePrinciple's concept of God more illuminating and dynamic.,

very personal, yet not anthropomorphic. For Reverend Moon,

God is a Being of infinite love, longing for passionate human

response and absolute loyalty. Instead of seeing God as purely

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masculine, he believes God is our Father/Mother Creator,

uniting the male and female essences in perfect balance.

God is transcendent Being, infinite Spirit of cosmic energy, a

radiant glow beyond description. He nevertheless finds His

temple in the human soul. While the Father/Mother God hears

every sound, knows our every move, He remains all powerful.

God has an enduring, Passionate love for everything He

created. Consequently, He is pleased and rejoices when His

children wholeheartedly respond to His love and carry out His

will. This Almighty God possesses the most sensitive of

parental hearts.

From the perfect love and immense wisdom of God, we are

born as humans to evolve into His perfect children. Thus

Divine Principle was eye.opening, showing me a very advanced

concept of God, illuminating His reality and providential

activity in our present age.

2. Divine Principle reveals clearly the reality and nature of

Satan. In this materialistic age, many do not recognize the

existence of Satan. However, Reverend Moon has specific

knowledge about him, his origin, nature purpose, tricks, and

scheming, as well as his final destiny. Knowing this he is able

to subjugate Satan. Thus the cause of cosmic tragedy for God

and man is revealed and its resolution made possible. This I

realized, was crucial information.

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3. Divine Principle harmonizes the age.old controversies of

Christology. Christology revolves around some perplexing

problems.. Jesus' incarnation, his divine/human nature, thevirgin birth, the Trinity, the resurrection, the atonement, and

the redemptive work of Christ.

The incarnation, the divinity of Jesus, and the virgin birth have

always been theological mysteries which no one could explain

clearly. According to Reverend Moon, the first human couple

violated God's commandment, causing historical disaster. In

order to remedy the situation, another human being must take

up the task of restoration. As the Jews taught, the Messiah will

be a man chosen by God, one born like any other human being.

There is no need for a virgin birth.

It is clear Jesus was born as the second Adam. As he increased

in spiritual and physical stature, he divested himself of human

self-centeredness and gradually took upon himself the divine

heart and nature. Thus by the time he started his ministry, he

had become the embodiment of divine truth and love, though

he was still a human being with a physical body. His

incarnation of the highest level was a gradual process.

While in his physical body Jesus had both human and divine

natures. When he entered the spirit world he discarded his

physical nature and became more fully divine. However, God

alone is eternally infinite; Jesus is finite and dependent on God.

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Reverend Moon's explanation of Jesus' crucifixion is equally

illuminating. Most Christians interpret the cross as an

atonement for the sins of mankind, which God decreed andChrist carried out. But this was not the view of the earliest

Christians.

According to Reverend Moon, Jesus' original mission was to

establish the kingdom of God. His opponents had him killed

before his work was finished. It was not Jesus' wish to drink the

cup of martyrdom. On the contrary, he wanted to fulfill his

God.given mission. The crucifixion was neither his choice nor

God's will.

His resurrection was not physical but spiritual. His spirit body

was manifested to his disciples and was quite different from his

physical body. Such phenomena are well known to people

spiritually open, and psychic research has supported their

validity. Spirits can manifest visibly and audibly, enabling us to

see and converse with them.

4. The Holy Spirit refers to the various manifestations of the

divine energy of love. Many saints and countless good spirits of

human ancestors and angels serve as mediums of divine

messages and energy of God's love. Therefore, the Holy Spirit

is not a third person of the Godhead but God's redemptive

activity in diverse forms. We must worship one true, living

God, the source of life and all existence, who is essentially love

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itself and wisdom itself. Jesus served as God's supreme

representative, never claiming to be equal with God. He and the

Holy Spirit in multiple forms assist God by carrying out God'swill. The Trinity may refer to their three functions, but there

are not three Gods.

5. Jesus is not coming on the clouds in a Second Advent. The

Second Advent will be realized through another incarnation of

divine truth. As Jesus was a human being, the Lord of the

Second Advent must be another human being, proclaiming and

establishing the kingdom of God on earth. He will fulfill the

task Jesus had initiated and left incomplete. Therefore, he and

Jesus will accomplish a single mission, glorifying God

together.

6. The concept of salvation varies greatly from religion to

religion. To narrow our discussion to the Judeo-Christian

heritage, orthodox Jews believe in salvation through obedience

to the Mosaic Law. Roman Catholics believe that membership

in the Catholic Church, with belief in its doctrines and loyalty

to its hierarchy, is the only way to attain salvation. Eastern

Orthodox believers find salvation in mystical unity with God

and Christ through liturgical worship and sacraments.

Lutherans insist on salvation by faith alone. Calvinists maintain

that God has chosen who is to be saved and who will be

damned before the creation of the world. Liberal Protestants

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hold that faith is not as important as practice, and that we are

saved by our love for others. Quakers attain salvation through

listening to and abiding by the inner voice which comes fromGod. Evangelical Protestants emphasize the need for correct

belief.. belief in the Bible, the deity of Jesus, the blood

atonement on Calvary, the physical resurrection, and the total

damnation of all unbelievers. Pentecostals stress the baptism of

the Holy Spirit.

But all this is the theological overlay of centuries. Jesus Christ

required his hearers only to listen to his words and join him in

building the kingdom of God. Reverend Moon's requirements

are the same: to study his teachings and join him in forming the

kingdom of heaven on earth.

7. With what authority can Reverend Moon ask us to listen to

his words and follow him? He has paid historical indemnity for

the sins of Adam and Eve and their successors. Reverend Moon

teaches that the historical failures of central figures during the

course of divine providence have to be remedied by God's

appointed liberator. He discovered where and how the central

figures in the Old Testament history failed in their missions and

reversed these failures by applying the law of indemnity. Thus

has he restored each stage of God's providence in the Old an

New Testament Age. He is also fulfilling the restoration on the

cosmic levels, from the individual and family levels all the way

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to the universal level. For his accomplishments, he has secured

the absolute approval of God Himself, together with Satan's

confession and acknowledgment.

Therefore, studying his Divine Principle and cooperating with

a grateful heart in his work will qualify us to be accepted in the

New World which is now at hand.

8. As I have stated, God is a God of heart and love, the intrinsic

desire of heart and love is to feel joy. To be, as a couple, Hismost intimate, object for His eternal love. The Almighty

Creator needs a tangible human companion. God wanted to

direct His vital and infinite love toward man and woman and

receive in return their most grateful response. Our universe was

created for God to experience ultimate joy by loving give and

take with true man and woman, without whom He must remain

lonely and unfulfilled. The joy of loving and being loved is one

of the primary purposes of creation.

God also wanted to express Himself in a physical way. In the

New Testament man is called a vessel of divine love and a

temple of God's presence. God who is infinite Spirit created

finite humans in His image as a means of His own incarnation.

God wanted to participate fully in human life, to feel the full

range of our experiences. Hence God created man to be His

body.

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The explanation of the purpose of creation is so rational yet

most beautiful. It us unusually persuasive and touching by

comparison with other views. It also relates God and man inthe most personal, intimate, and interdependent ways, which

makes Divine Principle most exceptional.

9. For the conservative Christians, the goal of life and purpose

of salvation is to be forgiven of their sins and be accepted into

heaven. For liberal Christians and Jews the goal of life is a

better society here on earth, including economic security. social

stability, better education, satisfactory living conditions,

interracial harmony, and global peace. However, Christians

seldom think about the ultimate goal of human history. For

Reverend Moon, the realization of the purpose of creation is

the goal of history -- which must be absolutely fulfilled by theestablishment of the kingdom of God on earth, as Jesus

proclaimed. Individual salvation and happiness here and

hereafter are inextricably related to this larger providence. This

view of the the world immediately magnifies one's view of life.

10. Those of us who follow Reverend Moon cal him Father

because he has fulfilled the role of the Third Adam, becoming

the embodiment of God, the Infinite Spirit. An American lady

asked God, "What is Mr. Moon's mission?" The immediate

answer was, "He is the Third Adam." If the first Adam had not

fallen he would have received God's blessing in marriage with

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Eve. They would have become the True Parents of humanity.

Then the coming of Jesus would have been unnecessary. If

Jesus, the Second Adam, had married a bride and establishedGod's kingdom on earth, they would have become the True

Parents of Humanity. Then the Second Advent would have been

unnecessary. Because that did not come about, a Third Adam

had to appear, marry with God's blessed bride, and together

become the True Parents, God's embodiment. Revelation 19:9

has thus been fulfilled.

11. Also Reverend Moon knows the spirit world and afterlife

very well. I knew that the eighteenth century spiritual seer,

Emanuel Swedenborg, had given detailed information about

such things. Reverend Moon is even more accurate, reflecting

the current situation. Naturally he corrects some points inSwedenborg's writings. I recognize the difference between

Reverend Moon and Swedenborg. Their missions were

different. Swedenborg explored and wrote on the spirit world

about 230 years ago. Important things have happened on earth

and in the spirit world in the interim. Understandably then

some of Swedenborg's teachings need revision. I feel greatlyprivileged to know two outstanding religious geniuses.

12. Time and again Reverend Moon emphasizes the heart of

God: "You must approach God with an open heart and listen

with your heart when God speaks." Other religions and

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theologies greatly value the devotional life, the loving heart and

feeling of utter dependence, spiritual ecstasy, joyful affection

for God, enthusiastic witnessing, and sympathetic identificationwith Jesus' suffering, with all of which Reverend Moon

completely agrees. But he goes much beyond.

ln his deeper spiritual exploration, he discovered Heavenly

Father's profound 'hahn' (age old hidden grief and anguish and

restrained indignation) and what caused it. He determined to

uproot its cause and heal God's 'hahn' the cosmic tragedy, and

make that his lifelong mission.

What is the cause of cosmic tragedy? The loss of Adam and

Eve, due to their union with the treacherous Lucifer, was a

grave betrayal of God by all three. The cunning, rebellious

Archangel deprived God of Adam and Eve who were to have

been the most intimate, direct object of His eternal love. God

had lost his foothold on earth. Now Reverend Moon, through

his humble services to all his adversaries, has won Satan's

voluntary surrender. Through acts of indemnity he has been

restoring to God all that Satan had taken from Him.

Once anyone truly grasps the Heavenly Father's 'hahn' he

cannot remain still. With a feeling f terrible urgency and

determination, he must awaken and enlighten other people to

join the cosmic battle. The purpose of salvation is not merely to

obtain divine forgiveness of personal sins and go to heaven. For

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Reverend Moon the true purpose is to relieve God's Grief,

liberate His power, and restore His cosmic sovereignty, which

will bring about peace on earth and love and joy to all people.

Part Three

Reverend Moon, the man

Now I would like to speak about the man, Reverend Moon.

Indeed his faith and personality are gigantic. To undertake the

task of cosmic restoration and fulfill it victoriously truly

requires a spiritual giant. This Reverend Moon is. Furthermore,

no one can deny that Almighty God is the source of Reverend

Moon's power and wisdom.

As is evident in the profundity of his teachings, ReverendMoon's own spirituality is unique. He has had a long, intense

spiritual battle and search which are reflected in his teachings.

Since early childhood he was led to a deep prayer life and asked

God questions that even spiritually advanced adults seldom

asked. Though his parents attended a Presbyterian church, his

spiritual search from his youth transcended any denominationalfaith.

As a spiritually sensitive youth, he searched for solutions to one

great religious problem after another until he had unlocked

hidden secrets in human history. After fierce battles with spirit

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beings, he was able boldly to point out Satan's hidden motives

and rebellious actions. Through these struggles Reverend Moon

was deeply touched by the depth of God's heart, his age oldgrief and anguish. He came to understand the ultimate divine

ideal and historical goal for humanity.

Ever since meeting Reverend Yong Do Rhee, I longed to meet

someone who possessed his powerful spirituality. When I

shook hands with Reverend Moon for the first time, he was

wearing ordinary overalls. But I soon perceived that here was a

man of deep prayer. After greeting, the first thing he said to me

was this: "You have been praying a lot, haven't you? I am not

sure whether you have a special ancestor or you yourself are

special, but you are a very special person."

In the early days it was quite a usual experience for all of us.

Many followers while they were at home they would have

doubts and negative thoughts about Reverend Moon and his

work. But as soon as they were back in the church and saw him

again, all their doubts quickly vanished, as thick fog evaporates

when the sun rises. I believe he is such a bright spiritual light,

that in his presence, confusion is dispelled and truth illumined.

Reverend Moon would stay up until 2:00 am - even 3:00 am. If

urged to go to bed, he would say, "You must remember that

even at this hour there are people praying to God." Soon I

realized that his concern, his prayer, and his goal of life were

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very high and broad, transcending those of ordinary Christian

leaders.

Even when the group of followers was so small, Reverent

Moon was very optimistic. He was absolutely convinced that a

multitude would join us and he would soon be known

throughout the world. When speaking to less than a hundred

people on Sundays, he would speak very loudly. Later I

understood that he was envisioning speaking to a huge crowd.

From the very beginning I noted how absolutely serious he was

about God. Once he felt something had to be done for God, he

never hesitated. He did it and inspired us to do it. He felt that

he was always standing face to face with God, but he could also

sense how Satan was just waiting for the slightest chance to

overpower him and frustrate his work. Repeatedly he would tell

us, "We are in the midst of the battle between God and Satan."

So he was always alert and would never be caught off guard.

But this seriousness never made him too stern or stone.faced.

He loved to sing and loved to hear singing. He was ready to

laugh. He used to tell me that we must experience the whole

wide range of human emotions from sorrow to joy, from

indignation to tenderheartedness, from unyielding resolve to

open-mindedness. I should like to share a few episodes.

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First, in the early days, there was a preschool boy staying at the

center. He was the only son of a widow and was half deaf and

half dumb. His name was Samuel. In the evening wheneverReverend Moon came back from outside activities, he would sit

cross-legged on the floor and call Samuel to join him. Then he

would dance and sing cheerfully with Samuel. The boy would

be all smiles, arms moving and feet dancing. Most of the time

he was quiet, silent, alone, unnoticed. But here he was

experiencing joy. By being with him, Reverend Moon was

helping a deaf, dumb little boy feel important and happy.

Another incident: Once two elderly sisters came to see

Reverend Moon. They had come from far south and were

strangers to all of us. After asking him some questions and

listening to his answers, one of the women broke into song toexpress her joyous feelings. Reverend Moon promptly

responded in the same manner. It was like an opera, with

everything important being expressed in song. Yet in another

way it was like a sudden encounter of lovers -- very personal,

very deep, and very intimate: the spontaneous meeting of heart

and heart. These two had come a long way to meet ReverendMoon, and their meeting became a moment of totally innocent

pleasure.

Let me give you one more story. Reverend Moon once told me

that when he was a young student in Japan he had pulled a junk

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cart through the fashionable Ginza street in Tokyo. He did this

in order to experience the feeling of the menial laborer or the

underprivileged. In this way he expanded the scope of his lifeexperience in order to know and feel with people of every walk

of life, so that he could feel God's love in every situation.

I never heard from him meaningless, silly ,jokes, wit, or humor.

He seemed to believe that every word he utters is recorded

somewhere, either by angels or Satan. And he is responsible for

every word he speaks. Nowadays he makes his audience laugh

and feel relaxed when he speaks. But in the early days, the

atmosphere was always serious and even tense. He always

possessed great dignity and authority. Often we felt awe struck

and almost overpowered by his spiritual greatness. But always

Reverend Moon evoked our deep trust and great respect.Coming into his presence, we found our hearts uplifted and our

will power magnified. Even physically, we felt deeply refreshed

and infused with great energy.

I have been with him in every mood. I have seen him crying. I

have seen him joyful. I have been with him in his lonely hours.

And I have seen him angry. On every occasion, he always

appeared free from personal feelings. Reverend Moon has

always possessed a strong sense of urgency. There is so much

to be done and it had to be done fast and effectively. It is a

matter of life and death. So he doesn't let anyone slow down.

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Never have I found such qualities in other Christian leaders in

the same intensity and combination. Reverend Rhee urged

Korean Christians to repent. Therefore, he was constantlyseeking, waiting for something to come from God. His mission

was cleansing the Korean Church to prepare for Reverend

Moon's coming with a new dispensation. By contrast Reverend

Moon has found what he wants. He is sure of his destination

and goal. His messianic call was clear from the beginning.

Thus he led us with complete confidence.

In the early days even though he must have had deep

apprehension, he remained cheerful, full of hope and eagerly

awaiting dedicated and capable workers to join him. In those

days, he just longed for people.

With his immense vision and superhuman task he was the

loneliest man in the world. In public prayers he often broke

down in tears. Back then -- even over thirty years ago -- I could

see plenty of hardship ahead of him. Yet, when such trials came

one after another, I saw how he triumphed. This has happened

time and again for three decades.

It is the greatest privilege for me to be Reverend Moon's

contemporary and an eyewitness to such a storm-filled life.

How did I have the fortune to be born in such a crucial time in

God's providential history, and walk on the same ground with

such a great person?

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Reverend Moon once disclosed that when he discovered God's

anguished 'hahn', he wept for three days. He then vowed to

uproot its cause and heal God's 'hahn'. From then on, hechallenged Satan and began his fierce battle with God's enemy.

How could one expect his road to be commonplace, or smooth

and easy?

He was imprisoned six times, first for five months by the

Japanese occupation authorities in Korea who tortured him

most severely. He was imprisoned three and a half months by

North Korean Communists and almost died from their brutal

beatings. He was again arrested in North Korea, imprisoned for

three months, and sent to the Hung-nam forced labor camp for

two years and five months. He saw many of his fellow

prisoners die from the inhuman work conditions. But hesurvived because of his strong faith and willpower combined

with God's special protection. In Seoul, South Korea, he was

imprisoned for three months, under Sing Man Rhee's regime

and finally in the USA he was held for thirteen months in

Danbury, Connecticut. Thus more than five years of his life

were passed in prison.

He literally poured out his blood, sweat, and tears, enduring for

nearly 70 years of continual persecution and sacrifice. He has

served friends and adversaries alike. Despite so many

calamities he is still well, because God has chosen him and is

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with him. I know that from this year, 1988, God's providence

centered on Reverend Moon will be increasingly manifested to

the world, and I only pray that the people of this earth will beawakened quickly.

About the Author, Dr. Young Oon Kim

Dr. Young Oon Kim was born in 1915 on Hwang-Hae Island in

Korea. After she graduated in Theology from KanzaiUniversity in Japan she became professor of Christology at

Ewha Woman's University in Seoul. In 1948 she received a

Master's degree in Theology from Emanuel College, Toronto

University and in December of the same year an Honorary

Doctor's degree in Humanism from Richard College.

From 1975 on she taught Systematic Theology at the Graduate

School of the Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown,

New York. Some of her most important publications are..

Unification Theology and Christian Thought, Divine Principle

and its Application, World Religions Volume I, II, and III,

Unification Theology, An Introduction to Theology, and TheTypes of Modern Theology. Presently she is teaching

Systematic Theology at the Sung Hwa Theological Seminary in

Korea.

Copyright 1988, Young Oon Kim

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ow.htm

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The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know (Book Format)

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