Authors
God-centered religious coalition
True Parents made clear that the central being in whom each religion believes is one divinity, God. By this, True Parents founded a movement for religious dialogue and alliance based on God.
To accomplish its purpose of achieving world peace, they said we must stop focusing on doctrines by which denominations separate, and correctly understand God, who has been working behind all religions.
1. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Confucianism are today's great worldwide religions. The characteristics of peoples in different geographical regions are determined by their unique cultures, so these religious traditions had to emerge to form paths that can connect these cultures as one world.
After developing within their cultural realms, these faiths must advance to create one, world of peace. Accordingly, centering on the providence of the absolute God, as the Last Days draw near, believers will venture out and connect using a movement for religious coalition. (149-083, 1986/11/17)
2. Today, idealists are emerging who are pursuing a unified, peaceful world. Nevertheless, religious believers still have not cast off their divisive denominational doctrines.
When observed from the perspective of God's Will, their position is backward and senseless. God, after all, does not need various religions.
After religions unite based on His Will, God expects them to go forward in harmony to liberate the world, abolish evil on earth, and create a world of goodness. He does not want denominations to argue with each other over doctrine.
When seen from this perspective, more inclusive cultures incorporate narrower ones this does not happen by force but takes place naturally. Because we want to better ourselves and the world, this is inevitable. (093-200, 1977/06/01)
3. As God is absolute, there cannot be two worlds that God wants to see exist. There can be only one.
Therefore, all historical directions that have proceeded according to His plan from the creation until now should have aligned as one, but that has not been the case. Why is this? It is because of the Fall, which has caused us to move in scattered directions with contradictory purposes.
When one asks what can unify humanity in a cooperative direction toward a single goal, one finds that it is the providence of God, who is trying to save us from our tragic confusion and suffering.
God is called by different names in different religious traditions. But the central being in whom everyone believes is the same one God.
The direction and purpose that religions always teach are one. Religions set that one direction and purpose as the standard. Eventually, therefore, all religions will welcome a great age of reformation after putting their houses in order.
(140-010, 1986/02/01)
4. There are many religions in the world. Humanity is divided, so it is natural for religions to differ by ethnic group. Because different peoples' histories, environments, cultural backgrounds, customs, and practices are all so divergent, there must be many denominations. They exist to draw people together and focus them on a single purpose.
We can compare this to a river. Religions are like tributaries of a river. As the river flows downstream, the number of tributaries decreases and all eventually combine into one river.
Likewise, the world's numerous religions are combining into one mainstream that, in the end, comes to remain in the place where all attend God in their heart and occupy the love of God. (023-127, 1969/05/18)
5. The purpose of religion is nothing apart from the completion of God's Will. Religion must contribute to accomplishing that.
Many faiths talk about goodness and talk about love, but they must not confine goodness and love to their ethnic, national,l or religious particularity. After transcending these, each faith must connect to the place where we are considering the goodness and love of all humankind.
There have been many people who have pursued the interior world of religion itself, but there have not been many who have thought that they must free themselves from their cultural doctrines, take responsibility to unite the faiths into one, and save the world.
Religions must go beyond the limitations of their national character, but despite this being God's Will and desire, they have remained stuck in their culture and nationality. Having been unable to free themselves from the constraints of their doctrines, religions reduce their final goal to achieving their believers' salvation.
Because of this, God cannot but join the world externally and the religions internally, and lead the development of history in the direction of one world. (093-199, 1977/06/01)
6. When we look at Mt. Everest, we see a dominant mountain that is part of a range of smaller, connected peaks. In the same way, all religions of the world are like mountain peaks standing in their position in a mountain range, having contributed to the ages of history and looking up to a central point.
If there is no main peak in the mountain range, particular peaks might try to assert themselves, but none can become the central point.
A new faith needs to lead the providential age, binding all religious realms together as one. It will not espouse a vague and conceptual God, such as we have often seen throughout history.
It will be a faith with a religious background to lead and govern daily life utilizing setting people's internal motivation in order. It will exercise a leadership role among the teachers of all world religions.
The new faith will achieve the liberation of religion. Even the term “religion” will disappear. We must raise our standard to imagine how religion can bear its ideal fruit. The kingdom of heaven on earth will be realized when the world moves in one direction toward God. (205-277, 1990/10/01)
7. God has established the global standard of conscience, and this can be the foundation for all people in the world to gather at a single destination. To achieve this, someone must build a movement to set up a world forum to discuss religious ideas, a movement for religious synthesis.
But Protestants are saying everyone should unite with Protestantism as the center, while Roman Catholics are saying that everyone should become one with Catholicism as the center. We observe that they completely overlook the principle that we all must become one with God as the center. (164-026, 1987/05/03)
8. God is inspiring a movement to gather the whole world together in unity. The biggest nightmare for Satan is a united world. If we realize one world, all people will be pulled away from Satan's grasp. To prevent this, Satan advocates atheism, which denies God's existence.
Next, he plans religious wars, with the destruction of religion as his goal. Currently, he is polluting the world with the communist ideological system. Communism covertly encourages religious division and promotes religious wars.
In addition, because the world is dominated by white people, who are at the core of the mainstream Christian cultural realm, Satan exacerbates the racial divide between blacks and whites. Now the danger is global in scale.
God understands the historical age and the forces driving humankind in this era, so He is raising a movement to unite all religions. He cannot help but strive for Christian unity and racial reconciliation, as a way to defend against communism and racial and religious hatemongers.
God has no choice but to carry out a movement for unity that will bring this world into oneness. A movement beyond denomination, one that transcends all Christian sects and all other faiths and defends against global communism, must emerge in these Last Days. Otherwise, there will be no way for heaven to prevail.
(161-238, 1987/02/22)
Korea and America
On April 15, 1970, the Unification Church joined the Association of Religions in Korea, linking hands with Korea's established religious denominations. True Parents formed the International Religious Foundation (IRF) to create a united internal foundation with the interdenominational movement.
By connecting this internal foundation to the united external foundation through the Victory Over Communism movement, True Parents began to prepare a united national and global foundation.
True Parents realized that if Christian denominations in America, the Second Israel, do not become one, the unification of religions worldwide will be impossible.
Therefore, they devoted enormous effort to bring together American Christian clergymen and established the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) in May 2000. This is an ecumenical organization that creates a realm through which American Christianity can take the lead to realize world peace.
9. The Unification Church joined the Association of Religions in Korea on April 15, 1970. The seven leading religions of the world are members. At first, three Christian denominations opposed us strongly and pulled out from the council, motivated by their dogmatism. But eventually, they all returned.
We formed relationships with these seven great religions, and the Unification Church ended up joining the council as the eighth great faith tradition. We must participate in whatever social activities the council carries out.
(031-082, 1970/04/19)
10. We are conducting activities through the Association of Religions in Korea and the International Federation for Victory Over Communism because the most time-sensitive issue in the religious world is the need for all world religious groups to unite, and the most urgent issue in the nation is the need for anti-communist work.
The Unification Church does anti-communist work not only for the sake of Korea but for the world. All people should acknowledge that the Unification Church is working both in religion and society in this way.
We will encounter many difficulties, including material loss and human suffering, but we are prepared for that. Our efforts are not just for the Unification Church but for the nation and the world. (032-306, 1970/07/26)
11. We are setting three objectives for the Association of Religions in Korea in the 1970s, making national salvation the central theme. What is the essence of national salvation? It is empowering ourselves with Victory Over Communism thought.
We must stand up to the Communist Party, fight against it, and win. If we do this, the internal foundation, which we prepared based on the Association of Religions in Korea, will complete an external foundation with members from every religious group.
Ultimately, if the internal standard of the church, centered on the Association of Religions, and the external national standard, centered on the International Federation for Victory Over Communism, become one with each other, the internal, and external will be in perfect alignment.
Next, as we train more people, our numbers will increase. Over time, we will develop globally in cooperation with the Association of Religions in Korea. Our growth will be far greater than the revival of Christianity currently taking place. At this time, I am engaged in the external activities of the International Federation for Victory Over Communism, while internally, I am teaching national salvation from the perspective of the Association of Religions in Korea.
We must achieve the reunification of North and South Korea, which is our national hope and the people's long-cherished desire. Religious leaders must stand up for the reunification of Korea. (033-198, 1970/08/12)
12. The 1960s were a time to pay indemnity individually, but the 1970s were the time we would pay indemnity as families. It means that this is the time when we must establish a family-level Abel. Thereafter, once we establish the tribal-level Abel realm centering on the family-level Abel, we must love Christianity, which exists in the family-level Cain realm.
Most people do not know, but because of this, I am spending a lot of money for the sake of Christianity.
Even if I cannot feed my wife and children, and even if I cause the Unification Church members to suffer and cannot feed them, I must love Christianity.
Restoration will not take place unless there are conditions of giving up that which I love the most. I am doing this work because restoration will not happen unless I am ready to give even my life.
We joined many religions and are leading the activities of the Association of Religions in Korea. If we are going to gather numerous religious groups into one, we must stand in the position where we love each of them more than anyone else loves them.
We must love them from a position of giving our most precious things as offerings. If we love to that degree, we will become one based on God's Will.
People will be drawn to us and will join in our work. (034-280, 1970/09/13)
13. Since we must advance for the sake of the Will, we cannot halt or retreat. A temporary pause is possible for the sake of pushing ahead later, but we cannot halt permanently.
The Unification Church has to advance. Christians are saying that we are impeding their work. But this is not to say we must back down before them. Because of the Unification Church, all Christians are being stimulated to advance. In this sense, I am confident that I am contributing to Christianity and God's Will.
Of course, some people are saying that because the Association of Religions in Korea allowed the Unification Church to join, social problems have developed.
However, because the Unification Church and I provide a stimulus to Christianity, it can advance more as a new religion than as a traditional faith. In this sense, although there was a cost to us economically, I think we are doing good work. (036-131, 1970/11/22)
14. The Unification Church is engaged in activities to bring the highest religious leaders into unity through the Association of Religions in Korea and the periodical, Weekly Religion. In creating a climate for this unity to develop, we must make an ideological foundation on which all the religious groups, from an ecumenical position, take responsibility for protecting Korea from the threat of the communist powers, which are the enemy of religion.
Therefore, there is nothing more urgent than establishing an anti-communist stance from an ecumenical position that transcends the denomination. Of course, our missions are important, but we are taking responsibility for the whole.
Thus, we have to solve the most difficult problems associated with this ecumenical work. Therefore, we are pulling even the Association of Religions in Korea along with us, and have created the Weekly Religion periodical. (046-127, 1971/08/13)
15. Weekly Religion was not established as a weekly magazine only about the Unification Church. It was created as a periodical about religion in general. I have many plans for it.
Religious groups today are being self-righteous, saying there is no way to heaven except through their denomination. If they keep doing that, nothing can be accomplished.
When we look from our current position, standing face to face with communist North Korea across the Demilitarized Zone, we need interreligious unity more than ever. We see in the North the communism that both God and all people deplore.
Religious people need to cooperate agreeing each other and deal with this larger enemy, the giant enemy that remains.
North Korean communism is an enemy much bigger than any other faced by our nation. Therefore, religious people must work in a focused, concerted manner, and someone must create the climate in which this can happen. (045-275, 1971/07/04)
16. In Seoul, there are many places used for missionary work by groups belonging to the Association of Religions in Korea. I am thinking of creating a system to make practical use of those places.
I proposed these lines at the 22nd-anniversary meeting of the founding of the Association of Religions in Korea. Because I asked for the organization's support, the chairman of the Association generously promoted it. They are going to develop exchange activities where Christians will assemble at Buddhist sites to do Buddhist missionary work.
Furthermore, Buddhist teachers will do Christian missionary work at Christian sites. After all religions coalesce, they must defend against communism and provide leadership and direction for atheists. (198-049, 1990/01/20)
17. Down through history until recent times, there was no sense within any nation that its people are world citizens. However, after the Second World War, worldwide blocs of nations formed as the East and West squared off against each other in the Cold War.
We entered the contemporary era through an intense worldwide contest. In past eras, it was sufficient to live with only a national or even local consciousness, but now is the age when one must go beyond the nation and live as a citizen of the world.
Nonetheless, tribalism has become a problem today, not only for political leaders but also for religious leaders. The same problem plagued religions that were blessed to expand to the world level due to the pioneering work of the four great saints.
The time has come when we must not advance while holding a regional, cultural consciousness or a narrow, denominational consciousness. Because I realized that we must bring about reconciliation between the religions, I have been conducting activities with the Association of Religions in Korea as an interfaith movement for many years. Now we must expand the Association globally. (212-148, 1991/01/06)
18. Even as Jesus died on the cross, he said we must love our enemies. Rome was the great enemy of Israel in his day, but Jesus said you must love the Romans anyway. He knew that no one could enter the kingdom of heaven without loving their enemies. By doing so, he escaped Satan's trap.
America has declared itself to be my enemy. However, instead of seeking vengeance, I love America.
When God allows Himself to be struck, He is then in a position to take back what is His. The Unification Church lives according to this principle, absorbing persecution and then developing and progressing. I came to America to save the country from perishing.
Therefore, Satan has no condition to slander me. I created the American Freedom Coalition (AFC), the Interdenominational Conferences for Clergy (ICC), and the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in the United States. I created them because I love America. (243-281, 1993/01/28)
19. We are carrying out a campaign in America that encourages Christian ministers to take down the cross in their churches. If we do that in the name of the American Clergy Leadership Conference, a path will open through which Jesus will be able to enter Israel as its Savior.
We will be able to proceed as the ACLC. I am asking the Christian denominations to take down the cross. If we do that and hoist the banner of the American Clergy Leadership Conference, America will revive. (399-336, 2002/12/26)
20. To work toward creating the American Clergy Leadership Conference, 120 high-ranking leaders from 44 religious groups in America went to Cheongpyeong Training Center. We are creating one united body of Christ. If we make one body, we will be able to revive America.
If we let the churches stay divided, we are not loving the nation. Fighting does not lead to oneness. We must become one, and so we are establishing this church association. By doing this, we will form a Cain-type body about the Unification Church. We have initiated a strategy to create this association of 144,000.
(322-190, 2000/05/11)
21. How will we redeem the 50 states of America? To achieve this, after the 120 religious leaders go to Korea, I must come and declare that I will create the American Clergy Leadership Conference of 144,000. If this is not done, denominational fighting will lead to the complete loss of the family, our sons and daughters, and all of society.
Our sons and daughters will perish because religions are fighting. If America perishes, we will see that it did so because the Christian denominations were warring with each other.
The conflict among Christian denominations and religions has hindered the providence of God and repeated the Fall in front of Satan. We must end this disunity. (323-108, 2000/05/31)
22. If we establish an association consisting of 12 Christian denominations centering on the pastors who visited Korea with the American Clergy Leadership Conference and then create an ecumenical assembly of 144,000 around those pastors, the politicians will be able to stand up for God-centered values and save America.
If America prepares such a foundation, it will take a position of leadership transcending denomination and religion. If it accomplishes that, America will be able to save the world. (323-324, 2000/06/03)
Sun Myung Moon