Authors
The Fraser Committee
When True Parents began their activities in America, including the Washington Monument Rally, a backlash arose that developed into organized opposition.
The primary incident that incited this backlash was a public hearing led by Congressman Donald M. Fraser, chair of the Subcommittee on International Organizations of the Committee on International Relations of the United States House of Representatives.
At that hearing, which began on March 22, 1978, Reverend Moon's special assistant Bo Hi Pak testified four times. The purpose of the hearing was to stop the activities of the Unification Church by connecting it to what had come to be known as Korea-gate.
Korea-gate had arisen out of allegations that the Korean government provided a lobbyist with large sums of money to influence American politicians. The entire matter was politically motivated.
It was in this atmosphere of hostile accusations that True Father was indicted on charges of filing false tax returns at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on October 15, 1981.
He was compelled to appear at the court many times. In a public statement that he made outside the courthouse after his arraignment, True Father refuted the charges, saying that he loved America more than anyone else did and that the real cause of his trial was racial bias and religious prejudice.
He declared that he had done nothing wrong and that his conscience was clear because his life was one of self-sacrifice to serve America and all humanity.
1. In Japan, the Unification Church played a key role in defeating the Communist Party. We had advanced beyond the national level, and with this foundation, we could go beyond the level of Asia. It was time to take the fight to America, representing the world stage.
Communist forces throughout the world have begun to attack me. They have stirred up great winds of opposition from the entire world to blow against me. Where are these winds blowing? In the free world, in America, and Christianity worldwide. They are launching an all-out attack on me.
Even though the free world should be defending and protecting me against Satan's side they are doing the opposite, going against me and God's side. Even though Korea supports me internally because it is under the influence of America, it is in a situation where it is unable to support me openly.
This has left me completely isolated. Notably, the Carter administration used Congressman Fraser and the Korea-gate political scandal to try to bring down the Unification Church. (104-257, 1979/05/27)
2. When I was preparing to speak at the Washington Monument Rally, I felt as forlorn as a death row inmate walking toward the execution chamber. But thank God, it turned out to be a miraculous event. It was like a dream.
I was resurrected from hell. At that point, even the authorities in Washington, DC could not interfere. They wondered how I was able to make such a great foundation among the American people and its minority groups in such a short time.
Thereupon, they changed their strategy from a short-term one to a long-term one. Mustering every ally they could find, they tried to tighten their grip gradually on me, bring me down, and get rid of me.
Representing them, Congressman Fraser did the work. Communist forces, Jewish and Christian organizations, and the United States government all gathered to attack me.
Abel's position is always defensive while Cain takes the offensive. But these positions were reversed here.
From that point on, it was, “Remove Congressman Fraser!” I can go on the attack. Because they attacked us, we reversed the offensive and defensive roles. (099-184, 1978/09/18)
3. When we engaged in the fight with Congressman Fraser in America, if I had been hesitant to fight, if I had feared like a small-minded man and said to my followers, “It is time to retreat. I do not dare confront this nation that rules the world,” then we could not have advanced God's Will and I would have been swept away.
However, I was not afraid to fight. Instead, like David when he confronted Goliath, I went into the battle with the determination that my arrows would pierce his heart and my cannonballs would knock him down. I resolved, “It is not I, but you who will be pierced.”
Because I fought with that kind of determination, we could make a breakthrough in America. Now we can say that from every viewpoint we were victorious.
(100-285, 1978/10/22)
4. Every time I do something, Congress, and the State Department make a fuss. Congressman Fraser, with the backing of the US State Department, became the flag bearer of the combined efforts of the government, communists, and some Jewish and Christian leaders in their efforts to bring down the Unification Church. Yet, his efforts ended up working against him.
The Fraser Committee's allegations against me were made known to the whole world. Remarkably, some members of Congress came to our side. They became like our public relations team.
When we won, they called to congratulate us. Furthermore, the members celebrated with shouts of “Mansei!” However, I asked them not to get too excited and stay calm.
I explained that one who is defeated is weak, and heaven does not permit us to strike the weak. God's way is to protect the weak. We should not be overjoyed with the fact that the Unification Church defeated the Fraser Committee.
Our victory was only for the sake of goodness. I told the members, “Do not go out dancing in the streets and boasting about our victory.” Forbearance is the way we can win over not only Fraser but also his descendants. (099-154, 1978/09/17)
5. The world knows that Congressman Fraser was defeated in his primary bid for the US Senate because he had fought me and lost. One day, major newspapers carried a four-page article about the Fraser Committee's efforts to destroy us, which might be a historical world record. However, that was the media's last attack on us.
In a single moment, the communists who had so confidently expected Fraser to win were completely defeated. They were defeated in the final fight.
When Jacob fought with the angel, at the very last moment Jacob clung to the angel and would not let him go. When the angel knew he could not win, he broke Jacobs's hipbone. Even then, Jacob still held tight.
Jacob won in this way, and the angel had to bless him. I fought Congressman Fraser like that. However much he and his people opposed me, I would not be defeated. I am sure that God was helping me, but I'm no fool either. So people say, “There is nothing to gain by fighting Reverend Moon. He is a fearsome man.” (099-185, 1978/09/18)
6. In all times and places, people who live for righteousness and devote themselves to God must inevitably travel a rocky and thorny path and endure great suffering in their lifetime.
Jesus Christ was a great example of this truth. In addition to him, history is filled with saints devoted to God whose lives were filled with suffering.
Ever since I resolved to dedicate my life to God and the world, I have endured great suffering. So far, I have endured 60 years of it. But I know the lessons of history, so how can I refuse the thorny and suffering path?
I do not feel wronged, angry, or hurt that the American government brought charges against me. Rather, I take it as an opportunity to share the suffering of God.
God is the one who has been wronged more than anyone, has felt indignant more than anyone, and has endured loneliness more than anyone. Hence, I consider this upcoming trial to be a trial of glory.
I have a clear conscience. When I look back on the life I have lived, I am confident that I lived for the sake of God and in sacrificial service for all people and the world.
Therefore, I have no fear about the outcome. I have loved America, investing my heart and soul in that land for the last ten years. Ever since I went to America, I poured out my blood and sweat to revive the spirit and morality of that nation. History will testify to this. (115-061, 1981/11/01)
7. From the perspective of God's providence, if America cannot maintain its spirit and become truly a nation of God, there will be no way to save the world from the evil forces of communism.
I have not taken anything from America. Nevertheless, I came devoting all the manpower and resources of the Unification Church worldwide to America.
America is known as a rich nation that gives aid to many throughout the world. However, the Unification Church receives no support from America; on the contrary, America is the recipient nation that receives spiritual and material support from the Unification Church.
If, nevertheless, they call it a sin or a crime that I love America and support it in this way, and give everything that I have for America, then I will not hesitate to accept whatever judgment is imposed upon me. I will not retreat from suffering, even suffering on the cross. (115-062, 1981/11/01)
8. Today we recognize two major shadows on the righteousness of America, which is otherwise a great and beautiful nation; they are religious prejudice and racial discrimination.
As for the problem of racial discrimination, President Lincoln paid the price for it with his blood. Even so, much about that problem remained unresolved. More recently while fighting this injustice, the great American, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., also offered his life on that holy altar.
Now this fight has become the fight of the Unification Church. The Unification movement, which originally came from the East, has become the spokesperson and champion of all the minorities that are ostracized in today's America. One of the reasons I came to America was to establish organizations to defend minority rights.
I put aside funds for this purpose before I returned to Korea. The movement to defend minority rights, which is spreading like wildfire in America, became a righteous movement and a driving force in the 1980s. If God is truly alive, which He is, and if His truth exists, and it does, then history will flow in this direction. (115-062, 1981/11/01)
The course of the trial
In 1982, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York completed the selection of a 12-member jury for the True Fathers trial on charges of tax evasion.
His lawyer had asked for a trial by judge instead of by jury because that way an impartial verdict would have been more likely. But the judge denied this motion, and his trial in the federal district court began. As the US government desired, on May 18, 1982, the jury handed down a guilty verdict.
On July 16, the court sentenced True Father to 18 months' imprisonment and a $25,000 fine.
True Father was sentenced for filing false tax returns and conspiracy to file false tax returns. At issue were his tax returns for the three years from 1973 to 1975. The government alleged that he should have declared as his income $112,000 in accrued interest on members' donations of $1.6 million and the receipt of $50,000 in stock.
However, all of those funds were used for church purposes; they were not his income. If they are reckoned as his income, the amount of tax that he was said to owe was only $7,300.
On November 3, the defense counsel appealed to the United States Court of Appeals. Religious leaders in America, together with many non-governmental organizations, submitted numerous written petitions to the appellate court.
As soon as the jurors pronounced the guilty verdict, members of the clergy held religious freedom rallies to protest the outcome. These were supported by the leaders of every major Christian denomination, as well as many conscientious people who regarded Father's conviction as religious persecution. As a result, protests and demonstrations began to spread.
The defense counsel appealed, but on September 13, 198,3 the verdict was affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals. On May 12, 1984, when his final appeal to the US Supreme Court was denied, the sentence held firm.
From the time of his indictment on October 15, 19,81 until his incarceration began on July 20, 1984, True Father's trial had lasted two years and nine months.
9. At school when two students are fighting, if you listen to them, they argue over who is right and who is wrong. Then their schoolteacher makes a judgment based on which of the two is more public-minded. It is simple to come up with the right judgment; the student who stands in the right is the one who upholds a greater public purpose.
Today, when I enter the courtroom to face my trial, you church members must not be sad about it. The US government is thinking only of its benefit, but I am going on a more public path that is on a higher level.
Therefore, although America may judge me and give me whatever sentence, I will remain the victor based on heaven's law. This is the plain truth. Therefore, in the past whenever I stood in court, I never had any fear whatsoever.
The Unification Church centers on God alone and continues walking the path according to God's heart. (117-270, 1982/04/01)
10. Right now in America, everyone is making a fuss, saying that I evaded taxes. Yet, these people have no idea how much money I brought to America and spent for this nation. I brought money to America because it is the central nation of the free world.
I intend to make a foundation here and protect it for the greater purpose of the world, even if some other part of the free world may have to sacrifice. When I save America, the world's central nation, the rest of the world can also be saved.
Whom does history follow? American citizens will not even follow their government, but I believe that they will follow me regardless of this court battle.
Even the American government will follow the path that I am going. When Americans emerge who think more publicly than most present-day Americans, they will all follow me. That is why I say that we are going on the path to victory. (117-277, 1982/04/01)
11. You should realize that just as I stand before a United States Court in New York today, someday you will stand before the Court of the Universe. Even if I am found guilty at the first trial, the second trial, and the third trial, if the Court of the Heavenly Kingdom finds me innocent, all the guilty verdicts on earth will be reversed.
The Court of the Heavenly Kingdom is the supreme court of history. American citizens can appeal only to the Court of Appeals and to the United States Supreme Court, but I can still appeal to the final court, the court of history, the Supreme Court of Heaven. You, too, will stand before that court someday.
Yet what an honor it is to stand before this historical court while I am alive on earth. How wonderful it would be if I were to receive the verdict of innocent. It would be such an honor to be vindicated during this trial now, and not after death.
Would you like to be in that position after you die, or would you rather be in that position while you are still alive? The path of righteousness is only for the strong and bold. My way of thinking is to take a path that is great and awesome, even though it can be intimidating.
The rest of the world is afraid of the American government, but because I have this kind of thinking I have been fighting the government all by myself. (117-280, 1982/04/01)
12. Once news that I committed tax evasion was publicized, even some American church members were concerned, thinking “Where there's smoke, there's fire.”
The US prosecution has no evidence of serious wrongdoing. No matter how much they looked, they could find no crime. Yet still, the American people believe the accusations are true. They are thinking of me as a person who lies and commits fraud.
They are making a giant commotion, pouring millions of dollars into investigating a case that involves less than $10,000 in taxes. How foolish and shameless they are!
If a third party asked you to investigate such a case and gave you a million dollars for that purpose, would you do it? If I were guilty, I could understand such an action.
Yet, they created a great commotion just to convict an innocent person. I realize that I am in a place where I must love my enemies totally, with the heart of Jesus on the cross. Yet whatever the outcome of the trial, at least I am not in danger of being put to death, as Jesus was.
America and Korea stood in the same positions as Rome and Israel at the time of Jesus. If Jesus had been able to go to the Senate in Rome and had fought, won his case, and raised the flag of victory, more than likely Christianity would not have shed blood.
Therefore, if we are victorious here, then Unification Church missionaries around the world will most likely never have to shed blood. This is where we are beginning a new history.
When you consider this, we have arrived on the battlefield where we can fight, the place where we can work to begin this new history. So with the spirit of a righteous person, and with the spirit of a saint, you should charge forward with all your might. (118-057, 1982/05/02)
13. I told the court that I did not want a jury trial, as I could not have full faith in its fairness. But the American court compelled me to accept trial by jury. When the jury handed down the guilty verdict, all Unification Church members around the world united with me.
I have made this a condition to bind all people in history together as one. By making them as one, we can go over another hill.
White people cried; black people cried; yellow people cried. People of all races shed tears during my trial for tax evasion. That this happened is a wonderful thing. They did not cry for their country. They cried for me, for God, and for the world. Because of one person, the True Father, all people shed tears for the sake of God.
This is truly a historic bond of heart. As a result, everything in providential history became connected.
This trial became an opportunity for God, me, and all humanity to stand together in heart. That is why I tell you, this trial is an important turning point in history. It is the moment when, one in heart, all people occupied and surmounted the high ground. (118-137, 1982/05/23)
14. At the same time as I am waging this legal battle, I am preparing to found The Washington Times. It will cost tens of millions of dollars, but it is an investment for the sake of America and the world. It is an investment to stop communism and save America.
I also invested more than $50 million in the movie Incheon. Was this for my benefit? I did it for America and the free world. Given this, would I conspire not to pay income taxes that did not amount to even $10,000? That is beyond ridiculous.
In the future, where will America go to hide from this historic disgrace? This is a serious problem for America. Americans will not be able to lift their heads. All the records remain.
America will always be reviled for bringing this court case against me. Therefore, to protect America from this national disgrace in the future, all members of America must unite and offer special conditions of devotion until the day of my sentencing on July 14.
You must all take responsibility for the future. To protect America from this disgrace, you need to cry out for justice throughout the land. You need to take this opportunity to turn American citizens around in the right direction.
You must press on and on, making your best efforts, even to the point where you can no longer move your lips, open your eyes, or move your body.
(118-139, 1982/05/23)
15. The American government sentenced me, but they cannot push me around as they like. I will continue to guide America in the right direction, teaching the American people, and even the American government. My life is only daytime; there is no nighttime.
I jump over the nighttime and work 24 hours a day. What matters to me is: What will I restore in my life? What will I fulfill here? What will I leave behind?
When God was sad for my sake because I stood before a court, charged with tax evasion, I sought to comfort God. I told God not to worry about me. I comforted Him each day, saying, “I am going through this time for the sake of the future.” I thought about how I could unite heaven and earth. I thought about how I could unite God and humanity.
If I am evil, I am bound to decline. If the American government is good, it is bound to rise. If it rises, then I will follow America and not oppose it. If, however, I am the good one, I will continue along my path even if I have to leave America behind.
A saint is someone who loves humanity and comforts heaven day and night even during the most difficult times. My path is the same path that the saints of history have walked. (119-176, 1982/07/18)
16. I intend to continue this court battle. I am determined not to leave anything bad behind in America. I am determined to leave something good behind. I need to instill a new spirit in the American people.
Do you think anyone who has studied about me will stop following me simply because I was brought before a court? Or will they keep moving forward? This is a serious question I'm asking you.
We must have hope. America must follow heaven's law, which is the way of public righteousness, not of private self-interest. Those who follow the way of public righteousness will rise, but those who go the opposite way will decline.
Who will remove those who are going the opposite way? The universe will remove them. The public law, public righteousness, will remove them.
I have faced opposition throughout my life. I am working to save this nation and its youth; I am striving to create people who can save the free world; yet I had to stand trial. (119-178, 1982/07/18)
17. There remains a road ahead of me, the road for the sake of the world. This road will take me beyond the United States. But once I leave, what will become of America?
Unless you American members pledge to work harder than me, unless you are determined even to stand before a court and sacrifice yourself more than I did to lead your nation on the path that it must go, America will face a bleak future.
After your nation has treated me like this, how can it hope to stand with honor before the nations of the world? America has already been damaged.
I have been teaching you about heaven's law of public righteousness. I am not saying that I have no responsibility; I do have responsibility. I am speaking this way because I am taking responsibility.
Yet, because I realize that you also must shoulder this responsibility, I am even more serious about you. A parent's heart desires to ensure his children have a bright future.
The path of heaven's law of public righteousness must become your path. You must travel this path and live by this law. (119-180, 1982/07/18)
18. You must inherit heaven's law of public righteousness and resolve that you will follow this path until the world welcomes us until all the people of the world have the heart that they would share a prison cell with me.
I was earnest while I fought the allegation of tax evasion in the American court. I decided flatly, “I am going to do this,” and flew back there.
Nevertheless, I never cursed America. I did not curse the prosecutors or the judge. I know that if I go in front of God, I am justified. In front of America's good ancestors, I am justified. They are on my side.
Your future descendants will be on my side. In the future, when your descendants find out what their ancestors did against me, what will they say about what you did?
That is why I am saying that the path of righteous men and women, of good men and women, lies before you. However, there is no path for the evil person to go. Evil people are bound to perish. (119-181, 1982/07/18)
19. I intend to conclude in 40 years the 4,000-year indemnity course of Judeo-Christianity that has unfolded from Jacob's time until today. Further, in these same 40 years, I am trying to restore the 400-year indemnity course that early Christianity suffered under the Roman Empire.
The period of all-out attack that occurred in these three years of legal battles corresponds to the three years of Jesus' course. I am indemnifying this in reverse. The course of indemnity goes in reverse.
At this time, Christianity can indemnify the age of Judaism by attending True Parents. This three-year period in which I have been fighting in the US courts is precisely the three years when, as the Messiah today, I have been preparing the foundation for saving the free, democratic world.
It is the same foundation that Jesus should have been able to prepare by fighting and bringing victory on the worldwide stage in Rome. During this period, I was being crucified in America, just as Jesus was crucified. The legal battle has been like the crucifixion.
Passing through the first stage at the New York District Court and continuing to the second stage at the United States Court of Appeals was equivalent to Jesus who had died being brought back to life.
The presiding judge in that court was on my side and the two other judges were against me. This corresponds to the age of the growth stage.
During the third stage of the fight, at the US Supreme Court, public opinion was boiling, and the people shouted, “Reverend Moon must be released!” The entire free world and all of Christianity came together.
As I carried the cross, Christianity, the free world, and the American people united to support me, similar to the thief on Jesus' right side who supported the crucified Jesus. (131-137, 1984/04/29)
20. America prosecuted me, but I am going beyond America; I am advancing beyond just America's hope.
Tomorrow our achievement will be greater than it is now, and after one more year, it will be greater still.
We need to prepare the path along which all humanity will become one, which is the hope of God, and my vision is to choose the most direct path that can lead us there.
When the judgment of the Supreme Court was rendered, I said, “God! What are you going to give me next?” Then Christianity turned around and supported the Unification Church.
The result of the court battle is that I am going to prison. What great blessing will we inherit thereby? All people worldwide will come back to my side. Families will become unified families and follow me on the path that I am going.
Ethnic groups will become unified peoples, nations will become unified nations, the world will become a unified world, and all of them will follow me. Accordingly, when I am released from prison, a group of people representing the unified world will be waiting for me.
That is why I consider the path I am on to be a path of hope. That is why I intend to go the path of the cross, knowing that it is the path of joy and hope.
I know that because of today, the Unification tradition will connect everyone in a single line, from the True Parents to the True Children to blessed families, Christianity, America, and the world. It will grow and grow.
On such a great day as today, when we are about to take that first step, I do not want you to send me off with tears. If you are going to shed tears, shed tears for the sake of this nation and the world.
Your tears for the nation and the world should be tens and hundreds of times more than the tears I shed for them. If your hearts are hurting and feel sorrow, then become Unificationist laborers who, by the time I am released from prison, will have united 1,000 people, 10,000 people for the Will. (133-263, 1984/07/20)
21. While going the way of the Will, I spent a lot of time in prison. However, I was always grateful for the fact that my life did not come to an end. I welcomed my path with joy and entrusted the result to heaven.
I thought about the miserable circumstances of God, who had to fulfill the Will, even though it required putting me on the verge of death. I thought about God's miserable situation, having to see me go through that kind of suffering surmount those obstacles and advance the providence.
Even now, it is the same. At this time, as I stand in this central position with this world and the spirit world interacting in oneness, I must resolve to make myself a sacrifice.
This is how I can harvest beautiful fruit for God in these Last Days. You should know that this path – this tradition-will remain, and that you too must follow it. (131-319, 1984/05/19)
Sun Myung Moon