by David Burton-New Haven, CT
This is from a sermon given at the Connecticut Church, 2/1/98.
When we look at the physical universe we can see there is a vertical and horizontal order. The vertical order begins with the smallest particles, the quarks, electrons and neutrinos, and ends with the whole physical universe. Unification Thought calls this the "macrocosm". We do have to be careful how we use the terms vertical and horizontal; they can mean different things depending on the context. Vertical can mean internal, or spiritual, and horizontal can mean external or physical. Vertical can be lineage and horizontal a single generation, or history vertical and the present horizontal. Here I am defining the vertical direction as an increase in complexity and/or scale, and horizontal as similarity of complexity or scale.
The vertical thus begins with the smallest least complex things, the elementary particles, and continues vertically through a series of stages that I will represent by atoms, molecules, materials, planets (and sun), solar system, galaxy, and macrocosm. At each vertical stage there is also a horizontal order among things of a similar quality, i.e. at the level of the heavenly bodies, centering on the sun, the planets have a very clear horizontal order that together gives rise to the solar system. There is similar horizontal order at each vertical stage.
From Principle we understand that the universe can be seen as a single entity, a single individual truth body, that exists as a unified whole. The question then arises as to how that unity is achieved? Of course the answer is that unity is achieved through give and take action, and the four-position foundation. When we read Unification Thought we see that several different kinds of four position foundation, or quadruple base are recognized. The two that are of significance for today are the identity maintaining and developing quadruple bases.
In the identity maintaining quadruple base subject and object centering on some purpose enter into give and take action that results in a unified body. Where that unified body contains both subject and object and has a higher degree of complexity. It exists on a larger scale. In the developing quadruple base, however, the give and take action results in a multiplied body. Where that multiplied body is of the same degree of complexity as the subject and object. In other words the identity maintaining quadruple base represents the vertical order in the physical universe, and the developing quadruple base thus represents the horizontal order. We can therefore begin to see how this whole vertical and horizontal structure holds together.
Universal Force
Now I would like to look briefly at the forces holding all of this together. In Principle universal prime force (UPF) is recognized as a fundamental force acting within the four position foundation. Unification Thought expands on this a little. Here, UPF is seen as acting within a subject and object to create an attractive force between them that initiates, and maintains, the give and take relationship. This force is multiplied from the relationship as the force of give and take action, which then serves as the UPF acting within the unified or multiplied bodies initiating the next level of relationship.
UPF is therefore the unifying force both horizontally and vertically. Through the action of UPF the smallest particles right here at the bottom are connected through this unbroken vertical line to the largest scale the macrocosm. That the smallest particles are intimately connected to the largest levels of physical existence as part of this largest existence is actually quite amazing.
Additionally, in Unification Thought, UPF has both an internal, emotional component, that contains or conveys God's purpose for the physical universe, and an external energetic element.
Now modern science recognizes four forces that hold the physical universe together. These four forces operate at different scales along this vertical line. The strong and weak forces operate at the level of the fundamental particles. The electromagnetic force operates at intermediate scales up to the level of heavenly body, and gravity operates at very large scales. I believe that these four forces represent the external energetic aspect of UPF in the physical universe, because they literally hold it all together.
Additionally, scientists have discovered something of the way these forces operate. Specifically they have found that these forces operate through the subject and object exchanging other types of particles. To show an example of how this works let us take a common example of give and take action given in Principle lectures, that of the proton and electron. The proton has a positive charge, the electron a negative charge. There is therefore an attraction between the two that results from the action of the electromagnetic force. This force acts because the proton and electron exchange another type of particle, the photon. This exchange of photons initiates and maintains the relationship between the proton and electron.
In other words my contention is that the external manifestation of UPF in the physical world is the exchange of particles between subject and object. This holds together both the vertical and horizontal order I have been describing.
Society
Now let us move on to human society. If we use the same definition of vertical order as I applied to the physical universe, namely an order defined by increasing complexity and size, then we can also see a corresponding vertical and horizontal order in human society. The essential vertical order is simply the eight stages that Father talks about. (Note: - the eight stages can be viewed as either horizontal or vertical depending on the context. Here I am viewing them vertically.)
I had trouble determining exactly what all eight stages were. Eventually I went to Damian Anderson's web page and used the search page to search all the on-line speeches for "eight stages". Even then it was not so easy, because where Father talks about the eight stages he rarely mentions all eight. Finally I was able to get an idea of each stage. It begins with individual of course, then expands through family, tribe (or clan), race (or people), nation, world, cosmos, and God. I have the hardest time clearly understanding the stage of race (or people). Also, Father often misses this stage in his speeches. Still, where it is mentioned, there is a clear understanding that passing from race to nation involves an expansion of size or scale.
Again, as in the physical universe this vertical and horizontal order is all held together by give and take action and UPF. The relationship between vertical and horizontal, identity maintaining and developing quadruple bases can most clearly be seen within the family. Here husband and wife engage in give and take action that has more than one result. On the one hand the relationship multiplies children. This is our traditional explanation of the second blessing (which I had a hard time with for quite a while). On the other hand the same relationship causes the family to come into existence at the next stage. I was not able to reconcile these until I read some Unification Thought and understood that a single give and take relationship can have both identity maintaining (creation of family), and developing (multiplication of children) aspects, i.e. the vertical and horizontal are completely united within a single give and take action.
The question then becomes "how is UPF represented in this vertical and horizontal structure?"
Now we are dealing with human beings of course things have become a bit more complicated. Not the least of which is that we now have to deal with the spiritual world, because we all have a spirit. Love, or True Love is one possible way to view the action of UPF, but I believe that this is more a force related to the spiritual world. Here, I am primarily dealing with the physical world.
We can begin to answer the question by looking at existing human society. If we look at the level of the intermediate stages in the vertical line we can see entities that in a sense have independent existence somewhere along this line. Such things as businesses, colleges, charities, local governments, etc.. For these entities one of the biggest factors holding them together, allowing them to exist and develop, is the exchange of money and goods What I am trying to get at is that the exchange of money is one expression of the action of UPF in human society. Remember our proton and electron exchanging photons? Here our dollar bills (fifties, or hundreds if you are rich) are the particles exchanged between subject and object, that initiate and maintain give and take action. This then is the major conclusion of this part of the sermon; namely that money represents the external aspect of UPF acting within human society. Maybe this will not be true in the ideal world, but now it is. Money is a unifying force both vertically and horizontally at certain levels.
Viewing money as UPF has many interesting ramifications, the first of which I would like to look at is the internal purpose element. In the physical universe God’s purpose is automatically conveyed to all things. There is no action of free will on the part of atoms. In human society however, until we perfect ourselves we are not automatically connected to God’s purpose. So that as UPF is multiplied through us it depends on us to connect it to God’s purpose. Only if we connect ourselves to that purpose can the UPF (money) flow along both vertical and horizontal axes without break and we can begin to see the emergence of God’s world and plan.
Additionally, it is essential that we, as individuals, be connected all the way along this vertical line. Just as in the physical world we can see that the smallest particles are completely connected to the largest scales by the unbroken vertical line, and the action of UPF. One part of that connection is allowing the unbroken flow of UPF (money) in both horizontal, and vertical directions. We can see this at the level of the family.
Say I have a family, I take care of the kids, paint the house, do the washing up (occasionally), but use my money only for myself what happens to my family. If I earn money, put it in my bank account, and only spend it to buy myself food and clothes, what happens to my family? In this situation I am stopping the vertical flow of UPF and the family cannot exist, it dies. Of course this is not the only thing that makes a family, but what I am getting at is that this is an essential part. Breaking this vertical line means that the larger levels cannot come into existence.
Break the law
We can see this clearly by looking at the physical universe again. Say we were able to break this vertical line so that the solar system does not form (we do something to gravity on this scale), then the galaxy cannot form, and the macrocosm does not form. The larger levels are all lost. Additionally, however, the planets loose all their horizontal order too, so the horizontal level is thrown into chaos. Breaking the vertical line not only prevents the larger levels from coming into existence, but also creates chaos on the horizontal level. This is also true in the structure of human society too, and of our place in God’s plan. If we do not maintain the vertical line God cannot claim the horizontal either, and God’s will is frustrated.
The same is also true for the family too, if at the family level we do not continue the vertical flow of UPF then the next levels cannot come into existence, and God cannot claim our family. We all know that we are supposed to organize our own tribe, but for many of us that is only at a formation stage. In a very real and practical sense, however, our local church community is our tribe. Look around, this is our tribe here in this room. This is our Connecticut tribe, and we have our tribal leaders, elders and councils. That tribe has an existence that we should all feel connected to. We are part of something larger than just a family, and just as the family cannot exist if the vertical flow of UPF (money) is blocked at the individual level, the tribe cannot exist if the vertical line is blocked at the family level. The tribe needs the participation of each family, but if the UPF is blocked at the family level the tribe dies. Since I’ve been in CT it’s seemed like our tribe has been three-quarters in the grave. At times the outlook seemed terminal. Now things have improved somewhat, but we’ve still got at least one foot in the grave.
A couple of weeks ago we started to publish in the bulletin the names of the families who had contributed the week before. Afterwards I heard a comment to the effect that this was wrong and would only cause division. That tithing was a private matter between the individual and God. Based on what I have been trying to explain, I disagree with that position. Tithing is a matter between the individual and God, but it is also between the family and God, and the tribe and God. If we really feel part of a larger whole, our tribe or community, it is not wrong for that community to know who is contributing to its life.
Of course we cannot stop at the tribal level any more than we can stop at the individual or family level if God’s will is to be realized. Thus we can begin to see how we can be connected to world level events. To be connected to the larger levels there must be an uninterrupted axis of UPF acting vertically. One aspect of that therefore is to donate money at these different levels, representing the vertical flow of UPF. Remember a few years ago when Father announced that the goal for tithing was thirty percent, and we had tithing cards where our donation was divided into three? The division of three was for local, national and world. Ten percent for tribal, ten percent for national, and ten percent for the world level, and then we can be connected at each level of the vertical line. We must be wise in our donations. To be connected at each level we need to donate at that level. Each horizontal stage must be taken care of too. If we gave all our money at say the national level then our connection along the vertical line is not complete.
Today, what are we being asked for? I think each family is being asked for $2000 for the Blessing in June. This incredible Blessing of millions of couples, largest ever, is clearly at the world level. Also Father is asking us to donate substantially to Korea, based on the number twelve. For a couple the suggestion works out at $2400. This I would place at the national level. Finally in our local community we are asking that families donate $40 a week, and students $5 a week, at the tribal level. This is quite a lot of money, but the purpose is to connect us along the vertical line at each level.
Connecting it all together
It is relatively easy to see the significance of the Blessing, but what about the donation to Korea? I believe we can begin to understand that in the context of the structure I have been describing. Lets look briefly at the process of restoration. Father, we know has passed through all eight stages, but that is like an arrow shooting vertically without any horizontal expansion. For the structure to stand there has to be a horizontal expansion at each level. Father began working with individuals, then was able to give and receive the Blessing. Here we begin to see horizontal expansion of people trying to fulfill these first two levels. Then a few years ago Father created tribal messiahs, and we can begin to see (however rudimentary) the horizontal expansion of tribes centering on Fathers tribe. Now Father has created national messiahs, representing horizontal expansion on the national level, but we do not as yet have a nation. God’s nation was lost 2000 years ago in Israel when Jesus was crucified, and from that day till now there has been no nation that God could claim. For the realization of God’s will it is essential that we break through to the national level and gain a nation. Father sees the current financial situation in Asia and particularly in Korea as an opportunity, why?
We can begin to understand that if we realize that Satan has already established his own vertical line. Even at the time of Jacob and Esau, God’s first substantial victory on the family level, Satan had already established nations. Satan’s structures are also held together by the action of UPF, the flow of money, where the purpose element has become corrupted because people have become corrupted. Money, in the fallen world, therefore represents Satan’s power. The financial difficulties in Korea can then be seen as a weakening of Satan’s power at the national level. If Father can inject a big enough dose of God centered UPF, i.e. sufficient money from brothers and sisters around the world representing God’s individuals, families and tribes, then maybe the whole situation can just flip over and the breakthrough to a God centered nation may occur. The unity of north and south Korea could be achieved.
Again, when we look at our goals for each level, the total is a lot of money. The purpose of these external goals is of course to connect us at each level along the vertical line. However, as with all our use of money (in fact for all that we do), it is our internal quality of heart that is of central importance. I haven’t talked about heart, yet it is the quality of our heart that determines if we are acting in accordance with God’s will or not. It is the quality of heart behind our offering that determines if it really is connected with God’s purpose and can multiply God centered UPF vertically. That also allows God to claim our horizontal level too. We should try to meet these goals, but in reality we may not actually be able to meet them. Even if we cannot meet them it is still important to offer something at each level, with the heart and desire to offer more. With the correct heart I believe God can accept the offering, and we can be connected at each level.
This is the reason I choose the Bible reading today. In Israel at the time of Jesus the widows’ lot was particularly miserable. With no income or property, they often lived in poverty. So even though the amount of money the widow offered was extremely small, (much less than the offering of the rich people) two of the smallest coins, because the heart of the offering was completely pure. She was offering money out of what she really needed for her own existence; not just giving from what she had left over. God could accept it and use it more than the larger external offering of the rich people. Because the purpose element of UPF offered by the widow was connected to God, God could use it more than an offering where the purpose element was not connected.
Traditionally of course in the Judeo Christian tradition it is ten percent of our income offered vertically that is the condition for God to accept the rest horizontally. Maybe you cannot even offer ten percent. It is however, extremely important to offer something. We must make some kind of conditional offering vertically. Your heart in the offering is what is important. Additionally when you do offer something, offer something at each level. I believe it is a mistake to offer all at one level because then we are not connected to an unbroken vertical line. There is no connection top to bottom. So yes, we do need to make an offering at the world and nationals levels, but do not forget the tribal community. Without its existence we loose our connection vertically.