The Words of Sun Myung Moon from 1971
The Factor And Means Of Unification
Sun Myung Moon
September 12, 1971
All the Korean people have been longing for the territorial unification of North and South Korea. Though seemingly the division might have been brought about by the June 25th conflict, it surely stems from a deeper cause.
Looking at the providential history, there has neither been a person, society, or world that has been free from disruption in history, because there have been quite substantial differences in desire, direction, and beliefs between them. Because of these differences the world has developed discordant or relative phenomena. Therefore reunification can never come about based upon one particular faction. This is why no attempt at conquest of the world centering around a particular race or nation ever succeeded.
Then from where can we find unification? We must start from the cause rather than the consequence. The world is the consequence and man is its cause, and nobody can deny the fact that there is a severe conflict between the flesh and spirit of man. Though the motive for unification can start from something outside of oneself, there can be no expectation of accomplishing its aim without a subject which enables the discordant mind to unite around that factor.
Seeing the severe contradiction between discordant purposes and the concept of an Absolute Being with only one unique purpose, people come to ask whether there really is a God. Then what could be the relationship between God and man? Nothing can exist alone; even for God, unless He has His object, He cannot experience any feelings. Then what can be the one object to please God? It cannot be matter, or plants, or animals, nor anything other than Mankind. Needless to say, man should be God's absolute object to share joy and sorrows with for ever and ever.
What is God's ultimate desire? It is neither wealth nor power nor profound knowledge, but only the stimulating joy and fullness of life. Therefore, if one v. as to be n sage, prominent world leader, or great statesman, could it be possible to please God by means of wealth, power, or knowledge? No, all of these can't be anything more than extensions of the people who own them. Is there an: way to assure joint ownership under God of what comes from Him? It can be none other than love. The way to love is what man is seeking.
What comes after love? Happiness does. And what is happiness for? For the ideal family; and what follows happiness? Living well; and what does that mean? Living well can be accomplished only in the family, race, nation, world, and universe -- not alone. Likewise, so long as God remains alone, He can hardly enjoy happiness, and this is the very reason God also has been seeking for His Absolute Object to join with. Thus neither wealth nor power nor any knowledge, but life and love only can be the unique standard and starting point of happiness. What you are longing to have is not changeable and relative, but absolute, unique and everlasting life and love. Since love only determines life, even though God is the subject of life and love, He, the absolute standard of life, can only have power as He is stimulated by love.
Then where can we find the unchangeable, unified means for unification in this variable and changeable world? That is the question. What can make the entire world One? Power? Knowledge? No, love only. What kind of love -- conjugal love or parents' love? Of course the latter, because the former is horizontal and changeable whereas the latter is vertical and unchangeable. But then that means that the Parents' love must be absolute. How can parent's love, coming from conjugal and changeable love between man and wife, become unchangeable?
It must come from something other than conjugal love. Then who is the subject of vertical love? He is God. As God, the subject is unchangeable and absolute, therefore the love derived from Him is absolute, unchangeable and everlasting.
To return to our subject, what is the factor of unification? It is love. And from where does love start? Beyond loving your race or nation, so as to be a patriot or good citizen, you must become a devoted son of God. If one is loved by God, the entire world of humanity will naturally be unified.
So world unification should be preceded by unification of the individual, that is, oneself, between the flesh and the spirit. It is the eternal desire of man to be united between the body and the spirit.
Then what is the standard with which the self can unite: humanity or divinity? Let us take an example. What is a sage? A sage is a man based on divinity in showing the way to humanity.
It has been said that there are four great sages: Jesus, Confucius, Buddha, and Socrates. But Socrates is not a sage, because he was just a philosopher and not entitled to take dominion over life. In brief, sages are basically founders of religions. They have been our moral standard throughout history.
What are their ideas? Their thoughts are based on a world-wide view rather than on racism or nationalism. Divinity directs man to save the world. There are about 1.7 billion religious believers in the world; therefore, for one to be a world statesman, he must be able to solve the problems of religions.