"The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:4)
The Divine Principle happens to be another source for the belief that humankind is one family under God. Unlike Marx or American secularism, Divine Principle clearly sees and presents itself as legate of Judaism and Christianity, the Old and New Testaments, representing the Word of the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Jesus Christ. It claims for itself all of the essential beliefs of this tradition, and thus inherits the best of the Christian perception of the world. Most importantly, the world is seen as one family with God as our Parents.
Of course, there are distinctions between the Unification belief and traditional Christian beliefs. Broadly speaking, the difference is that Unificationism brings into substance what Christianity left to the realm of mystery and mystical reality. Christians had to leave many matters " spiritual", because they had no foundation to connect them to physical reality while at the same time maintaining their purity-which for all intents and purposes meant separation from the world. For Christians, physical reality-"the world"-is full of sin. Hence, for instance, Christians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin; that there was no act of physical love involved with Jesus' conception. Catholics even do a lovely dance around the conception of Jesus' mother, concluding that it, too, was abnormal, was "immaculate". Unificationism is clearing the sin away from the physical realm. Divine Principle uses the terminology "separation from Satan" and "subjugation of Satan". On this hard-fought foundation, then, God can work in a decisive way through the act of physical love.
Observers would do well not to write off this development as an off- handed or unconsidered claim. We fully respect the birth of Christ as free from original sin. We explain it differently, however; we explain it through a detailed interpretation of Jesus' lineage, which leads us on a carefully structured narrative through the lives of the major figures-men and women-involved in the founding of Israel, dealing with their marriages and families and relationships. Reverend Moon explains very carefully how God worked through that to make the foundation to bring about the birth of the sinless Messiah. Thus we do not require reference to magic or mystery.
This same Unificationist move appears in relationship to many Christian spiritual doctrines: the fall, the relationship of men and angels, the resurrection, the judgment of the human race, the Trinity, and, most importantly, the second coming and the kingdom of God on earth. (Interestingly, our doctrine of the atonement is fairly conventional.) In this last instance, it is well known that we teach that the second coming is as a physical man, as it was at the first coming, a physical man who marries and has a true family, and that Reverend Moon is veritably this man. The process of "engrafting" of which Jesus and Paul spoke is also not only spiritual, as it is in Christianity: it refers to marriage as the process by which the barriers of race, religion, nation, class and culture are broken down. And, truly, is not marriage a process of engrafting?
Thus the world view of humankind as one family is a forceful reality for Unificationists. We have not only the "idea" that we are one family, but we have the substantial living True Parents of this family, who are calling this family home, and who are paying the price for us to live as one family. Further, we have the substantial means of engrafting-the Blessing of marriage, the next one of which will take place on August 25, worldwide. This opens a tremendous new world of perception for those who believe. Let me mention three recent examples of what can come about through people who believe this and see the world in this way.
One, the Women's Federation for World Peace, based upon this vision, is gathering thousands of women from Japan and America to engraft together (not in the deep relationship of marriage, but in the deep relationship of sisterhood-a relationship which indeed was sanctified by the early Christian church). This is for the purpose of building peace between the two countries, in the belief that if the women are bonded together, the men will learn how to cooperate. One among many of the poignant events in this series of sisterhood ceremonies occurred when a Japanese woman who had lost both her parents in the bombing of Hiroshima entered into the sisterhood relationship with an American woman whose father was killed by the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. In the arms of their embrace, who cannot believe that world peace is at hand?
Now, if such women just remain people of peaceful sentiment living thousands of miles apart, who never meet each other-well, what will that plant for the future? How will their deep seatest resentment be resolved, better than through physical embrace and committed sisterhood, together with thousands of others?
Two, I read recently of efforts of Unificationist missionaries and educators in Armenia and Aberdajain. These nations have been at war for centuries, and the religious people cannot help because one side is Christian and the other Muslim, and there is no one who can bridge that gap (other than by force as the imperial communist rulers did)- until Unificationists arrived! Now bridges are being built, because both sides can recognize the truth of the Divine Principle and the parental heart of our church. (See the article in this month's UNews.)
Three, Unificationism has broken through the hostility of North and South Korea, by bringing together the young generation, the students, in large conferences outside of the peninsula. It can happen only because Divine Principle transcends communism, democracy and Christianity. Divine Principle answers the unanswered questions; it fulfills the hoped-for expectations. And what are those? For true love, for physical, substantial brother and sisterhood. It was not until substantial parents arrived that we could become members of one substantial family.
Thus, belief in the Divine Principle opens one up to a future of brightness and hope. Where is one led by denial and rejection of Divine Principle? For most, denial leads to consumerist materialism, to the pinning of all one's hopes on money and position. For some, denial leads back to traditional religious moorings, centering on the family. This is the fate of many if not most who were pulled out of the church by kidnappers and persuaded if not coerced into renunciation of their faith, often by physical means (deprogramming).
But the traditional religious moorings are declining in their power to present a hopeful future for this world. Many religions, including many evangelical Christians, renounce the world, awaiting its destruction at the time of the second coming. At best we have men and women of conscience and common sense, who hope against hope and keep pushing on trying to live lives of goodness. But they have no clear direction; they have no plan, no structure, no strategy. They fight battles here and there, with no overall comprehension of the enemy or the nature of the war which they are fighting. This overall vision, and clear step-by-step strategy, is presented by Reverend Moon based completely upon the Divine Principle analysis of the providence of God.
Thus, belief in Divine Principle is that upon which we can have the greatest hope to build a peaceful and happy world. The 18th century French philosopher Pascal argued that one should believe in God simply on the basis of probability. If God does not exist, then there is no meaning to anything and you haven't lost anything. If God does exist, then you have gained a great deal by believing, and you would stand to lose a great deal by disbelief. I would apply the same argument to persuade the reader not to reject the Divine Principle. If it is true, you will gain eternal blessing. If it's not true, the wonderful thing is, Divine Principle does not deny any faith. Living a "principled life"-a life of true love-will gain one an A+ according to any religious guideline. If, finally, no religion is true, we all end up lost as cosmic dust anyway.
So why would one not believe? Well, I suppose that everyone comes upon Divine Principle as an uncommitted soul. One chooses to believe or disbelieve. Based upon that belief or disbelief, our world takes shape from that moment on. Paul's words were harsh, but should be heeded: "The god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2 Corinthians 4:4)