Hak Ja Han
March 1, 2015
Read by Sun Jin Moon
The Universal Peace Federation International Leadership Conference
Seoul, Korea 1.11 Heavenly Calendar
It is wintertime in Korea. I know many of you have come from warmer climates in Africa, the Middle East, South America, Southeast Asia and South Asia. I hope our weather is not too cold for you.
Please dress warmly. In any case, I hope the material presented at this International Leadership Conference, which is being convened at a very special time, warms your hearts.
My husband and I made a pledge in front of God, our Heavenly Parent, to build a new nation, as one family under God. We call this ideal nation, Cheon Il Guk. The essence of this Korean phrase is "two become one." In other words, it indicates unity, harmonization, reconciliation, cooperation, and oneness in heart and mind.
Cheon Il Guk is a nation of peace that transcends geographical boundaries, as well as boundaries of nationality, ethnicity, race and religion.
For Cheon Il Guk, we celebrate Foundation Day on the thirteenth day of the first lunar calendar month. This year, that day falls on March 3 by the Gregorian calendar. On this day, we pay tribute to our Heavenly Parent's ideal of building a universal nation among people of all races, religions, nationalities and cultures, as one family under God. At the center of Cheon Il Guk is a vision of marriage and family. For if we are to transform the society, nation and world as one family under God, we must begin with the family as the cornerstone.
God's viewpoint
A true parent is one who connects deeply to God's heart and understands God's viewpoint toward all people and all things. The essence of God's viewpoint comes from God having the heart of a parent that loves his children wholeheartedly. God as our Heavenly Parent does not love simply one tribe, one ethnic group, one nationality or one race. Our Heavenly Parent is the invisible true parent who loves all seven billion people on earth.
Just as each of you love your own children or grandchildren and want the very best for them -- the best home, the best education, the best career and a life of happiness and prosperity -- God wants this for each and every human being on earth, as well as in the spiritual world. Just as you would sacrifice for the sake of the well-being of your children, God is no different. In fact, the parental nature that we find in human beings has its origin in God, our Heavenly Parent.
As we each develop a parental point of view toward all people and all things, the world begins to change. We see others in a new light, as brothers and sisters, as family members. We cannot think of abusing or taking advantage of members of our own family. The closer we come to the heart of God, the more we come to understand the heart of a true parent.
A true teacher
Understanding only the heart of God is insufficient. We must also understand the substance of God's will and the direction, principles, purpose, and goal of providential history. Moreover, knowing is insufficient; in addition to knowing we must share what we know. In this respect, we must become a true teacher, centered on God's word and the Principle.
So much of what is communicated, promoted and popularized in the world is antithetical to God's word and the Principle. We can say that there are many false teachings in the world. These are teachings that uplift self-centered behavior, untrue love, conflict, and injustice and which stand in opposition to God's ideal. Popular culture, the media and academia promote many of these ungodly teachings.
We identify such traits as reflective of the "Cain-type" world that obstructs God's providence, just as the biblical Cain killed his younger brother Abel.
That voices of truth and goodness are not silent is very important. If we are to transform our world, we must teach truth and practice truth, not only in schools and classrooms but in our families, our communities and the wider society. Whatever our professional field or vocation, we are called to set the example and in this way to teach others. As we become true teachers we will multiply goodness, and we will transform the world around us. A person who has cultivated a true parent's heart and a true teacher's heart is a true peacemaker.
True owner
The world created by God is characterized by harmony, balance, cooperation and sustainability. The world we live in, however, has been widely abused and mismanaged. Many fear that the declining quality of air and water, coupled with climate change, may lead to catastrophic disasters.
Such degradation of the environment is a prime example of humanity's separation from God. Some individual, corporate entity or government owns virtually every square inch of the earth. However, are they "true owners" that are dedicated to proper care of the natural environment?
Of particular importance is the ocean. If he ocean, which people tend to take for granted, becomes overly acidic, and coral reefs deteriorate from being used as garbage dumps for seven billion people, our world will be irreversibly damaged.
Not only the natural environment suffers due to a dearth of true owners; true owners are needed on every level of society, in all sectors. True owners are needed in the fields of business, government, religion, academia, health care, civil society, and so on.
The mark of a true owner is the responsibility one takes and the degree to which one lives for others' sake, including for future generations.
My husband and I dedicated ourselves throughout our lives to fulfill these three ideals -- to become a true parent, a true teacher and a true owner. The citizens of Cheon Il Guk are each called to strive each day to become a true parent, a true teacher and a true owner.
Citizens of Cheon Il Guk are also called to uphold three basic moral principles: First, to uphold the ideals of true love and the family, by practicing purity before marriage and fidelity in marriage. Second, to respect and never violate the sacred value and God-given rights of any human being, each a son or daughter of God, our Heavenly Parent. Third, to take responsibility for public assets and to never misuse these. I think you can agree that these are universal principles. If we affirm and abide by these principles, we can transform our societies, nations and the world.
There are many exciting developments to report about the work of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, as it reaches out to young people around the world, raising young men and women who will lead a global, spiritual, moral and social awakening. Together with UPF, a movement is forming that is truly transformative.
I hope each of you can work to recreate your own nations and build an "Abel-type nation," a nation like Cheon Il Guk. As this movement spreads, we will see miracles happen.
Ambassadors for peace have a great responsibility. Increasingly, God's providence will overcome all obstacles, and a new world will be born.
You are blessed to be alive at this time.