Pyeong Hwa Gyeong (056) - Blessed Families and the Ideal World
1. Importance of a true family
Through the past eighty years of my life I have devoted myself heart and soul to constructing the one world of peace under the one God, going beyond the religious order I founded. Now, on this meaningful occasion in which my efforts have been brought to fruition, I would like to speak to you, the leaders of different religious orders, under the title “Blessed Families and the Ideal World.” A great number of people are living in this world, and they all belong to their families. However, without true families, true children cannot be raised and the formation of true societies is also impossible. As can be seen, it is an obvious fact that true families are the basis on which true societies, true nations and a true world can be established. These true families refer to the families that have been formed centered on the true love of God.
Until now there never has been a clear definition of a true family. Not only that, the goals that true people need to pursue and their limitations also have been unclear. Human beings are in a state of ignorance in which they do not know where people come from, how they ought to live and where they go after death. Human beings have lived throughout history without defining their purpose, the standard for moral cultivation and the uppermost limit of human maturity that they are to achieve.
Since human beings as individuals have not been able to stand in the position of perfection, there is no way for them to reach the ultimate standard of the family, although they are seeking it.
When seen from this perspective, the fact that numerous people are struggling along the path of their lives is certainly a problem. However, what is more serious, is that we have to remember that we should set the standard of a true family based on the foundation of being true individuals. This ideal still remains as a task to be fulfilled during the course of our life and the developing course of human history.
Then what is the purpose to be pursued by religion, which has been eradicating the spiritual ignorance of humankind? Individual salvation is significant. However, religion has to go one step further and save the family, that is, it needs to focus on restoring the family and liberating all humankind from sinfulness.
Religion must recover the family that can represent, in a true sense, history, the present new age, and the future. Furthermore, it needs to firmly establish the basis for the family in which all human beings can rejoice, and the standard that must be followed by all families. It has to determine where this family system begins and where it is heading. Unless this comes to pass, the world of peace cannot be built on this earth. We need to understand that, no matter how well the external system of the world has been structured, if families are not spiritually healthy, the world can break down in an instant.
|