Authors
Yankee Stadium
True Parents held two events to celebrate America's bicentennial. The first was the Yankee Stadium Rally on June 1, 1976, in New York City. This rally was held in front of an audience of 50,000 amid stormy weather and the occasional shouts of protesters.
True Father conveyed his message “God's Hope for America” and proclaimed that God sent him to America in the role of a doctor and firefighter. This was a bold, historic declaration in America as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” During the third seven-year course, a completion-stage course, True
Father took the decisive battle to the heart of America, which represented the center of the world.
At this global and historic Junction of good and evil, True Parents established a standard for all indemnity conditions. For their June 14 issue, Newsweek International interviewed True Father and made that interview their cover story.
1. Jesus died on the cross after a three-year battle to unite the people of Israel, who were of the Jewish faith, which was the center of Judaism. The Unification Church will, therefore, connect its national standard in Korea, which is victorious both spiritually and physically, to America, the central nation in the spiritual Christian world.
The spiritual standard reflects the world, while the physical standard reflects the nation. Jesus' three-year public life was on the national level, and he meant to expand it substantially to the worldwide level.
1976 is equivalent to the second year of Jesus' three-year public course. Jesus' crucifixion was decided not during the first but the second year of his public ministry. 1976 corresponds to the second year of Jesus' public life, in which it was decided whether Jesus would be crucified.
This is in the third seven-year course, the second year of its first three years. In this year, the decisive battle will be fought after the formation stage comes the growth stage. The growth stage is the middle.
Counting one-two-three, it is the middle number, and it is the midpoint between top and bottom, front and back, and left and right. The providence of restoration always meets its fate at a point based on the number two. Either it is dealt a final blow, or it is set on a path to victory.
In the second year of Jesus' three-year course, which would decide whether Jesus would be victorious on a national level, it was determined that he should go to the cross. Jesus had to bear the cross, and the physical foundation was lost. I am engaged in a similar battle in America.
American citizens and the government are furious. America's 200-year history corresponds to the last 2,000 years of indemnity. The number 2 in 200 years and the 2nd year of this seven-year course are precisely matched. The 2nd year inherited only a spiritual foundation.
Today, the 200 years are being claimed as indemnity, and this final battle will determine victory or defeat in both spirit and body on the global level. The front line of that battle is the 1976 Yankee Stadium Rally. This rally will be a war unprecedented in history. (084-150, 1976/02/22)
2. My success or failure at the Yankee Stadium Rally will have universal and historical significance. That is why God, Jesus Christ, Christianity, all humanity, the Unification Church, and Reverend Moon of the Unification Church each placed their lives on the line in this fight.
Satan knows this, which is why he is attacking through the American media and public opposition. I have yearned and prepared for this moment, June 1, 1976, since my youth. It will be a time of joy if we are successful but a time of misery if we fail. It is a time of joy but also a fearful time.
My concern is whether, on that stage, I raise the flag of victory or the flag of defeat. If I raise the flag of defeat, the way of the Unification Church and humanity will become sorrowful, and I will not be able to show my face before God.
Then all of you, along with God, those in the spirit world, and all world religions, will fall under the attack of communism. Eventually, this world will become a spiritual wasteland, and all religions that existed until now will decline.
The Communist Party will destroy America; this could come even before 1980. We who know this reality have taken historical responsibility on the front line through the Yankee Stadium Rally. (082-079, 1975/12/30)
3. In the Unification Church, we have the three stages of formation, growth, and completion. The formation stage is the family level centered on True Parents, the growth stage is focused on the nation of Korea, and the completion stage is on the world level.
We are fighting a decisive battle in America, which represents the world. The third seven-year course corresponds to the era of completion. This is the significance of the rally on June 1, 1976, at Yankee Stadium.
June I signifies the indemnification of the number 6, representing Satan's world. We will then progress to the number 7. (084-113, 1976/02/22)
4. The second seven-year course will end in 1974, and the years 1975 to 1977 are the first three-year course within the third seven-year course. That period marks the 200th anniversary of America's independence.
Victory at Yankee Stadium will restore through indemnity the failures at the time of Cain, Noah, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Since America represents the world, all the failures of the Christian age can be cleared up.
When we bring an extraordinary victory, it will become an issue for religious circles in America and Americans from all walks of life. Then, rather than opposing me, they will have to study about me.
They will have to study about you as well. Whether in the religious field or any other field, when they know what I have been doing, we will all be elevated to the top. (082-153, 1976/01/04)
5. Starting today, April 1, 1976, we will initiate a national witnessing revival for 60 days to support the Yankee Stadium Rally. How do you take part in this? Live as if you represent 6,000 years of history; live to restore Adam and Eve, who fell.
We are going to indemnify the 6,000 years of vertical history horizontally through these 60 days.
Work even harder than Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; work harder than Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus; work harder than True Parents and the Korean members.
When you do that, you will overcome it. If we just leave America as it is, the nation will perish. In these 60 days, we can save America and resurrect the perishing democratic world. We can erect a shield to block the infiltration of communist ideology.
This is when we can deter the moral breakdown of young people, prevent the decline of Christianity, and resurrect it. If we only pass through this period, a universal and historical era will come in which God, for the first time, transforms the providential Will into a new age of Jacob. (086-248, 1976/04/01)
6. I know you have been entrenched in a national witnessing revival for 60 days to support the Yankee Stadium Rally, but destiny will be determined by how you carry out the task during these last three days that start today, May 30.
The destiny of the Unification Church will inevitably be decided during these three days. The three days after Jesus' crucifixion was the time during which he was to bring about a three-day victory rather than three days of death. This is parallel to Jesus' time.
As a result, this time is a spiritual turning point in the history of world Christianity.
In terms of the three-year course in the Unification Church's history in America, this three-day period centered on Yankee Stadium can determine the future on the worldwide level.
This is why, by heaven and you being victorious in these three days, you are preparing a new beginning where New York can overcome the opposition, hold the flag of victory, and move onto the worldwide level. (087-162, 1976/05/30)
7. There were torrential rains and strong winds when the Yankee Stadium Rally began. We were desperate; everyone sang “You Are My Sunshine” in the pouring rain, and the band joined in. Our voices were singing, yet tears were flowing and mixing with the rain.
You probably wanted to shout, “I would be so grateful if the rain stopped! Rain, stop now!” That is a natural reaction, and we all share the same heart. God is the only one who has the power to teach us like that for 20 minutes, so I offered a prayer of gratitude, saying, “O! My beloved God!”
I wanted to teach the young people of America about God's heart, and this is what occurred during the rally. That is why I was grateful for the rain. We pleaded with the same heart, “Rain, please stop!” while loving the world. This yearning is the realm of God's heart.
You received a great gift to experience this heart along with thousands of others. When you feel the heart you treasured at that moment, there is nothing at which you will not succeed in life, and God cannot help but cooperate with you.
When you think that, even though He wanted to give this gift to all New Yorkers, and especially to those who opposed us, God gave such an occasion for the sake of His beloved Unification Church members, you should feel grateful. That is why I think it is appropriate to say that yesterday was a great and victorious blessing. (087-198, 1976/06/02)
8. Three days before the Yankee Stadium Rally, I said, “This three-day period corresponds to the three days after Jesus died on the cross when he went to hell to witness.” I thought, “Oh my! It rained for three days, just as I said.”
Jesus dying on the cross caused the separation of spirit and flesh; half of God's Will was realized, and half was not. For the Unification Church to accomplish the physical resurrection, we have to get physically hit, so I was expecting it; I knew something would happen.
In the same way that Jesus held on to heaven and prayed, “Abba, Father, why have you forsaken me?” we also have to hold on to God and allow things to run their course.
When the rain came on the day of the rally, everything could have been ruined, but we stood in unity and called out to God. This was a priceless opportunity to feel oneness with God's heart. (087-199, 1976/06/02)
9. During the Yankee Stadium Rally, people could have said, “God is so terrible. Why did it have to rain?” I turned to heaven, and instead of saying, “God! What is going on?” I prayed, “Thank you.” A Japanese member's father had a vision of the spirit world and said that the raindrops were spirits.
The same thing occurred when the curtain of the Tabernacle was torn in half, and the spirits descended to earth and were resurrected.
Now, the spirit world will cooperate and move us toward Washington, DC. We have entered the era when the spirit world can cooperate with Earth, following the era when it could not.
The time is coming when Jesus spiritually will return to earth and gather the Christian spirits. He will gather the fortune of Christianity and combine it with that of the Unification Church. (088-119, 1976/08/08)
10. Nearly 700 of your parents and siblings, as well as Koreans from overseas, came to the Yankee Stadium Rally. From a biblical perspective, this is the same as Cain and Abel coming together.
Until now, many have watched us with criticism and complaints, but now they have united with us. This is a wonderful occurrence. History is a record of the struggle between Cain and Abel. That led to their separation, but here, Cain and Abel were able to embrace each other internally and externally.
Considering this, I represent the position of becoming one with Korea, and you represent the position of becoming one with your families.
If we just become one, this will be the starting point of a movement that can influence the world. Through this, we can make a new beginning worldwide.
(087-200, 1976/06/02)
11. From 1976, communists will work to eliminate the Unification Church or will deploy agents to create factions within our movement. I expect many such people to infiltrate our movement.
Not long ago, a reporter from The Daily News attended a three-day workshop to spy on us. More things like this may happen. There is no way to prevent this because we are open to the public. Here in America, it is the first time in my entire life, and hopefully, the last time that I fight a battle while facing assassination threats.
The battles we fight during the Yankee Stadium Rally and Washington Monument Rally on American soil are in alignment with God's desire, Jesus' desire, and the desire of all humanity.
They are also the desire of all our ancestors, the people of today's world, and our descendants. The critical point for all these desires is here. To reach a final decision, I must carry this out.
When I say, “Let's go beyond this critical point of hope and overcome this critical point of desire,” that critical point refers to the Yankee Stadium Rally. The Madison Square Garden Rally was the formation stage, and the Yankee Stadium Rally corresponds to the growth stage, the second stage.
It is, therefore, the most difficult. I believe we will pass through the third stage without any problems. (082-083, 1975/12/30)
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument Rally to commemorate America's bicentennial was held successfully on September 18, 1976. It drew more than 300,000 people.
This rally gained much attention because it took place at a time when the American government, religious circles, and media were carrying out a full-scale offensive against the Unification Church.
On this day, True Father delivered a message entitled “America and God's Will” and declared that God had summoned him to this country to proclaim a new revelation to lead the young people of America, the leaders of tomorrow, out of decadence and back to Him. The Washington Monument Rally attracted an enormous crowd in a short time.
12. The Washington Monument Rally is the moment when the 6,000 providential years will reach a crossing point when indemnity will be paid for heaven and earth with the world on the line. An urgent time that makes you catch your breath is upon us. This is why we are going to Washington, DC.
The people of the world will not understand. I am risking my life to do this. This is not for my sake but for the sake of bringing a victory for God.
Even if the entire world opposes me, and even if God does not help me, I will go this way to restore completely and put everything back in order, through indemnity, the things that humanity opposed. I will move beyond this time when it is difficult to breathe. I will think, “I'm the only one left.” In that, I am a pitiable man, a lonely man, and God cannot help me.
You are being compelled to participate through my influence. But you know that if you do not, your nation, ancestors, and sons and daughters will perish. In that sense, you do not have a choice.
That is why when Jesus was on his path to the cross, he asked the people not to weep for him but for their nation and children. You are not doing this for my sake but for the sake of your nation and descendants. Do not do it for me; you do not owe me anything.
I know that if I do not do this, not only will your nation, ancestors, and descendants go to ruin, but so will the world. If I do not go on, the world and even God's hope will come to ruin.
That is why I have to continue, even risking my life. The Washington Monument Rally is the final obstacle to overcome as I realize the dream of completing the worldwide course of indemnity, which I must achieve before I turn 61. This is going over the hill of Golgotha during my lifetime.
(088-081, 1976/07/18)
13. Everyone, including the US State Department and Justice Department, opposed me because of the Washington Monument Rally. The entire world rose in opposition, and the movement to deport me developed. At that time, I sent missionaries to the world, and they stood up to and confronted the worldwide persecution.
We were unjustifiably attacked, but we were resurrected through the victory of the Washington Monument Rally. Indemnity was paid on the levels of the individual, family, tribe, people, nation, and world; all accounts from the past were settled.
From the day that the Unification Church was established, the entire world and Satan pushed back against us; this was the final war. (099-183, 1978/09/18)
14. We did not hold the Washington Monument Rally for my sake or the Unification Church. The Unification Church has suffered a great deal of loss. The church is a sacrifice of human resources and economic resources; it is a sacrifice in all respects. Nevertheless, at the risk of my life, I remain determined.
I heard that at the time of the Yankee Stadium Rally, 12 organizations plotted my death. There will be many more at the time of the Washington Monument Rally.
The opposition also knows that Reverend Moon will exert himself fully because this rally is the last obstacle to overcome. That is why they are also gathering all their strength; they have allied and are meeting to plan their opposition.
They will start a riot or do whatever it takes, even inviting communist collaborators to sabotage this rally. They are trying in every way, up to the level of the State Department and upper echelons of government, to stop me from speaking. (088-123, 1976/08/08)
15. The Unification Church was globally persecuted in 1976. Even so, we sent missionaries to 37 locations. During the most intense period of persecution, we held the Yankee Stadium Rally in New York.
We also held a rally of 300,000 at the Washington Monument. After the Yankee Stadium Rally, we received the permit to hold the Washington Monument Rally. The US government had no way to get out of giving us the permit. We were going to hold a historic rally in just 40 days.
The US government was in a real bind. Even they could not deal with this situation, and we could not retreat. God created the democratic system to uphold the freedom of religion globally. It was created to protect God's Will in the era of the Second Advent of Christ. (183-070, 1988/10/29)
16. I rewrote my speech four times for the Washington Monument Rally. Even though I prayed fervently and offered much sincere devotion, I could not settle on a final version.
The question is: Why does God work like this? The day was approaching closer and closer. Yet, I could not decide on the content of my speech, and my heart was now in a state troubled beyond words. That is why, with one week left, I had the feeling I would have to just drag myself there.
It is not that God does not know me. He does, and so I firmly believed that heaven would guide me during my speech. I thought the more I believed this to be the case, the more my speech would be the kind to draw people in and melt their hearts.
I think that is why, at the time of the rally, people were caught up by the spiritual atmosphere and shouted without even being aware of it. (088-273, 1976/09/20)
17. At the Washington Monument Rally on September 18, 1976, I had the same seriousness as someone with a death sentence walking to the gallows. In preparation, there were many mornings I mistook for nights and many nights I mistook for mornings.
Only God and I know this. This was the turning point in history for me to offer the highest sincere devotion to God, a day of sacrifice for the sake of all people.
God was waiting for this moment, and I took the responsibility to be the officiator. I knew that the world would perish if, in place of the world and its many religions, I did not reach God's heart and pull His love down to this earth.
We give gratitude to God, not to me that on that day, so many people gathered, and everything proceeded smoothly without any incidents. (092-278, 1977/04/18)
18. You probably do not know that after having established the indemnity conditions in America on the levels of the individual, family, tribe, people, nation, and world, I was raised to a new level. Although I say this, you do not truly understand what it means.
This is the reason I am pushing you to set the worldwide indemnity condition. The Washington Monument Rally holds this significance; it was the most serious time in my life.
My heart in front of heaven and all humanity was like that of a person who was going to his execution. I felt as if I were going to the scaffold. The atmosphere in the spirit world and on earth was that serious. (097-182, 1978/03/15)
19. The Yankee Stadium Rally in New York and the Washington Monument Rally that we held in 1976 were global events. For better or worse, the American people all came to know about me. I fulfilled my portion of responsibility.
The spirits of people, whether they lived in the West or Africa, cannot accuse me. People on earth also cannot accuse me. We can say that 1976 was the year of Reverend Moon and the Unification Church.
Newsweek magazine featured an article about me being one of the world's most influential people in 1976.
These people did not write this article because they liked me but because this is the truth. I have completely fulfilled my responsibility in front of all the people in the spirit world and on earth. I have fulfilled all my responsibilities in front of the American citizens.
Through the Washington Monument Rally, I completed everything. Even those who oppose me cannot help but compliment me and say that Reverend Moon is an outstanding person. (091-063, 1977/01/23)
20. I proclaim that all the conflict that has been going on since I came to America has been settled through the Washington Monument Rally. When I arrived in Washington, DC, on December 18, 1971, I thought, “Jesus could not fight in Rome, but I will fight in America, the nation that represents the democratic world, and I will bring victory.”
My thoughts back then are still fresh in my mind today. The American media and the people opposed me and the Unification Church, but we overcame that opposition. I believe that holding a rally of this magnitude clearly showed that God is alive. (088-214, 1976/09/20)
The Moscow Rally declaration
True Parents held three large rallies at Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium in New York and at the Washington Monument in the nation's capital.
These events represented victory in the three stages of formation, growth, and completion. They also have the significance of reversing all failures of providential history because America represents the global nation.
On September 19, 1976, a day after the Washington Monument Rally, True Father publicly announced that the next rally would take place in Moscow to liberate the communist world.
True Father emphasized that the liberation of God and humankind can only begin after we go to the Kremlin. He said to all members, “Let us ring the bell of freedom with true love in every corner of the world.”
21. America today is a microcosm of the world. What happens in America will shape the destiny of the world and God's providence. God is working through a clear plan that He wants to unfold in this nation.
At the Yankee Stadium Rally, I asked, “Don't you need a doctor if someone in your family falls ill? Don't you need a firefighter if your house catches fire? God sent me to America with the responsibilities of a doctor and firefighter.”
At the September 18, 1976, Washington Monument rally, I announced that “God sent me to this nation to convey a new revelation.” He called me especially to guide young people back to God, young people who will be the future leaders of America. (091-138, 1977/02/03)
22. On June 7, 1975, the World Rally for Korean Freedom was held in Korea, with an audience of 1.2 million people that included representatives from 60 nations. That rally raised the banner of victory in this nation.
Once we connect its success to the three-year course in America, America can advance as a new nation of hope spiritually and physically. This is the providential viewpoint.
We are holding rallies on the national level on three different occasions in America – at Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, and Washington Monument. Thereby, in America, we will substantially manifest the victorious results that have been achieved in Korea.
Based upon this, we can open up a new path on the world level.
(080-156, 1975/10/21)
23. A fierce battle took place before the Washington Monument Rally. After the success of the rally in Madison Square Garden, the citizens of America were surprised, saying, “So this is who Reverend Moon is!” During the banquet the day before that rally, an associate director from CBS asked me, “Reverend Moon, are you confident?” and I replied, “Yes, I am confident.”
It feels like only yesterday when The Washington Post and The New York Times viewed me with skepticism, wondering how I could fill the auditorium. Media surveys predicted that it would not happen, but I nonetheless said that I was confident.
Despite the polls, I was positive that the God I know had the power to bring about results.
After bringing an unexpected and unprecedented victory beyond their imagination, we became the main focus of the media. It was puzzling and very new to them. The media sprang at us, saying, “Reverend Moon is a troublemaker, and his organization is compelling.”
From 1972, for three years, rumors spread throughout the world. During those three years, I had the responsibility to let all Americans and the free world know who I was. (088-215, 1976/09/20)
24. When I first traveled around America, meeting the members and mobilizing an international team, I spoke of holding the Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, and Washington Monument Rallies, and no one believed me. If even Unification Church members could not accept it, expecting the public to understand was out of the question. Media organizations and thoughtful people dismissed, me saying,
“This person from Asia does not know America; he will soon go away.” However, they were looking from a superficial perspective, which is nothing compared to my solid three-dimensional perspective. Only I had the certainty that the power of the whole scene vertically is always stronger than when it is seen horizontally.
(088-215, 1976/09/20)
25. During these three years, from 1975 to 1977, the Unification Church is following a path of tribulations all around the world. That is why we are going to rally at Yankee Stadium, not only with people from America but also with people from around the world.
If we can be victorious in the Yankee Stadium Rally in New York in 1976, the second year of this three-year global path of suffering, and move on to gain victory at the Washington Monument Rally, we will have overcome the critical point in these three years.
Once we gain victory through the Yankee Stadium Rally and Washington Monument Rally and continue until 1981, the communist sphere will be brought within our gates. If we can do that, I believe we can reach Moscow within seven years.
This is the viewpoint of the Principle. If we fail here, this providence will be prolonged for 20 years. If we are unable to push back the communist forces, many Christians will be slaughtered. Blood will be spilled. A fearful era in history lies before us. I am not talking in vague terms.
From our present position, history will develop based on a perspective of the Principle. (087-069, 1976/05/01)
26. All the families who have received the Blessing in the Unification Church should mobilize and work to move the hearts of their people. Their efforts will enable them to move to the world level.
There is no doubt about it. A united free world will be able to guide the Soviet Union and the rest of the communist world. With this goal in mind, I announced the Washington Monument Rally and the Moscow Rally.
We are now preparing tirelessly for the Moscow Rally. You may not be aware that, currently, a life-and-death struggle is going on for the sake of God's Will underground in the Soviet satellite nations. (109-052, 1980/10/26)
27. Immediately after the Washington Monument Rally, I declared that the Moscow Rally was next. This movement focuses on liberating the world from communist ideology. To be victorious over communism, you must be superior to the communists. During the pioneer period of my life, I never resorted to physical force. My weapon has always been silent endurance.
Today, I declare the end of the first 21-year course. This is a momentous day. Another 21-year course has begun, and during this time, our movement will grow and be strengthened physically as well as spiritually.
To deter the advance of communism, we need the power to liberate their people. I stand as a father, even to the communists, but it is your responsibility to win them over.
This is the movement that will liberate the world based on the true love of God. We will fight with love.
You can do this with a God-centered character and with knowledge, experience, and good organization.
The communists are determined to destroy the free world and take over, but we will save both the democratic world and the communist world.
(107-126, 1980/04/15)
Victory of Heaven and Victory of Earth
On October 4, 1976, True Parents celebrated at the Belvedere International Training Center in New York to commemorate the victory of the Washington Monument Rally and declared that day the Day of Victory of Heaven (Cheon Seung Il).
They declared that the Washington Monument Rally established a historic, victorious spiritual and physical foundation on a global scale.
On February 21, 1977, at the World Mission Center in New York, True Parents presided over the marriage Blessing ceremony of 74 Couples from 11 nations. Then, on True Parents' birthday, February 23, they proclaimed a new era and proclaimed the Day of Victory of the Earth (Ji Seung Il).
28. I came to America to proclaim a new era and a new truth. My God-given duty is to proclaim these things regardless of whether people accept me or not.
God appeared before me and told me to go to America and convey the truth. I fulfilled my duty to make these proclamations through my speaking tours in America. I visited all 50 states during the Day of Hope tours.
These were not just another evangelical mission; they carried great spiritual significance in God's providence. I do not know how much of the spirit world you see or understand, but in the Unification movement, the spirit world is very much alive.
The Unification movement is not simply horizontal; it is a vertical movement connected to God. All the things done in the Unification Church are reflected in the spirit world, while all the things in the spirit world are reflected through us.
The interaction of these two worlds is one of the features of our movement. From a horizontal perspective, our activities may seem to have no significance; in some respects, they may seem to be a waste of time, money, and energy.
However, often, what we do on earth is helping the spirit world. We are engaged in activities to make conditions so the Holy Spirit can pour down her spirit to earth.
Christianity and other religious organizations in America have a secular way of thinking. Secular culture taints them. They are on the path of decline. The Unification Church, however, is different.
In the Unification movement, we are pioneers exploding with spiritual energy like an active volcano. In the many speeches I gave after the Washington Monument Rally, I'm sure you heard me say that now is the time for the entire spirit world to cooperate with us. The spirit world is ready to help the Unification movement.
I proclaimed the Day of Victory of Heaven on October 4, 1976, after the Washington Monument Rally.
With this as a turning point, a new age has dawned, and the walls between religions in the spirit world have virtually collapsed. The spirit world is helping the earthly world. These phenomena are occurring as we speak in many forms.
(091-106, 1977/02/03)
29. Until now, the spirit world has been divided up by walls. People who followed Buddha have been in the Buddhist realm; those who believed in Confucius have entered the Confucian realm; those who believed in Jesus have been in the Christian realm; and those who believed in Islam have entered the Islamic realm.
Individuals in the spirit world have lived in distinctly separate realms and have never harmonized. They were enclosed by walls as they prepared and waited for the day when the Messiah would come and bring liberation.
However, this day could not come until God's bitter sorrow caused by the Fall, Jesus' bitter sorrow, and my bitter sorrow were completely dissolved in both the spiritual world and the physical world.
Through the victory of the Washington Monument Rally, all this bitter sorrow was alleviated. Now, the spirit world can be united into one organized entity, and this will manifest on earth. (089-101, 1976/10/04)
30. October 4, 1976, is an unforgettable day of liberation for me. It combines October 4, the day when I came out of Seodaemun Prison in Korea, with the victorious Washington Monument Rally in the year 1976. The significance of this day is that it commemorates liberation; I am truly grateful to celebrate two liberations on this day.
First, I am grateful to God, and next, I am grateful to you. Today is a day on which we celebrate the victory of the Washington Monument Rally.
Being a day with great meaning and heavenly significance, it is a Memorial Day we must observe throughout the history of the Unification Church. I established it as the Day of Victory of Heaven, celebrating the momentous victory of heaven.
(089-090, 1976/10/04)
31. At the Yankee Stadium Rally in New York, I declared that I came as a doctor to treat an ailing America and as a firefighter to put out the fire in America. At the Washington Monument Rally, I proclaimed boldly that “I can save the young people of a decadent America and guide them into becoming the hope of tomorrow.”
This was published in The New York Times and The Washington Post. People cannot say, “I did not know about Reverend Moon.” I have fulfilled all my responsibilities.
1976 was a historical year of transition because of these unprecedented rallies. Then, all the spirits from the spirit world came to welcome me. Those spirits, who had previously been divided, came together and created a welcoming environment.
On October 4, 1976, I was able to establish the Day of Victory of Heaven. There have been many boundaries in the spirit world due to the divisions among religious groups. Now Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, and Islam are united. I declared that day as the Day of Victory of Heaven, a day of victory for God. (091-064, 1977/01/23)
32. 1976 was critical in the history of God's providence. God protected and supported the Unification Church and won a great victory through the Washington Monument Rally. I come from a rolling hill country in Korea.
Like David, who stood before Goliath, I fought a spiritual battle in America, the central nation of the free world and the envy of the entire world. Even you did not believe it would happen.
But this is a fact: we were able to win this battle because heaven intervened, history intervened, humanity intervened, and the future intervened. The Day of Victory of Heaven is the day on which we can proclaim this victory.
(105-141, 1979/10/04)
33. The Day of Victory of Heaven is the universal turning point when Satan's lineage can be changed to God's lineage. It is the day when I established the worldwide standard so that those doomed to death and hell could be rescued and have eternal life.
Those who were lost in the misery of death can now feel joy in the realm of liberation with God's love at the center.
What standard and way of life did the Day of Victory of Heaven establish? Heaven's side is now leading the way. We are entering a time when Satan's forces on the level of the family, tribe, nation, and world will not be able to oppose the True Parent but will fall backward into hell. (169-041, 1987/10/04)
34. We were liberated from the world of Satan's blood ties and Satan's realm of life and love. The nation, ethnic group, and tradition were on Satan's side, but now we who have inherited a new cultural tradition will expand God's love, starting with ourselves and moving to the families, nation, and ethnic peoples.
The world's five races are gathering and moving into an era of liberation of the nations and ethnic peoples. Liberation will be accomplished without fighting.
The Day of Victory of Heaven is the day we say proudly, “We will march to the world of liberation!” We are the members of the Unification Church, and it is our tradition to affirm, “We will live as brave soldiers who create the one cultural sphere of Adam and the one cultural sphere of the True Parents and True God. Amen!” (169-043, 1987/10/04)
35. Beginning in 1977, we will see opposition against the Unification Church in America decrease. Over the last three years, we endured investigation from the Internal Revenue Service, inflammatory reports from the Associated Press, and antagonism from Congress.
Rising above the persecution, we made the necessary conditions to bring victory at the Washington Monument Rally and were not destroyed.
Without this success, I would have died by now, promising my return. In its course, Christianity paid a high price through countless sacrifices. In line with that, communist power has led the Unification Church to suffer and pay a price. With the success of the Washington Monument Rally, that day is over.
On February 23, 1977, my birthday, I will proclaim the Day of Victory of the Earth and the beginning of a new era. Until now, there has been a barrier between the spiritual world and the physical world.
The spiritual world could not connect to the physical world. Spirit individuals found it difficult to stay with and to consistently help the physical world. They needed to go back and forth between the two worlds.
Those walls have been broken down through the success of the Washington Monument Rally. A path has been paved whereby countless good spirits can easily visit individuals and families among their descendants.
Now, we can make conditions and successfully restore the individual, family, and tribe. What will the good spirits do when they come down? We are entering an era where Christianity, communism, the family, and everything will be cut in two by a spiritual boundary between God and Satan.
Until 1976, the evil side, Cain's side, was superior and always won the fight at the barrier between the spiritual world and the physical world. Because the spiritual path is now open, and the spiritual world can cooperate without any restrictions, the more we fight against evil, the more Abel's side will be victorious.
(090-317, 1977/01/15)
Sun Myung Moon