The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know, By Young Oon Kim

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The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know, by Young Oon Kim

By UTS Alumni Association Published: July 13, 2012

http://www.utsalumni.org/news/the-reverend-sun-myung-moon-i-know-by-young-oon-kim-4525/

Young Oon Kim(1914-1989) was a theologian teaching at UTS, and the

first missionary of the Unification Church to the USA. Kim was a professor of religion

at Ewha Universityin Seoul, South Korea. After she joined the Unification Church,

church founder Sun Myung Moon sent her to the United States as a missionary in

January 1959. In the 1960s, while a missionary in Oregon and California, she worked

to promote Unification Church theology to mainstream Christian churches. She was

also the first person to translate the Divine Principle, the basic textbook of

Unification Church teaching, from Korean to English. From 1975 to 1988 she was a

Professor of Systematic Theology at the Unification Theological SeminaryinBarrytown, New York and the first Unification Church member on the faculty.

Contents

Part One: My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon

Part Two: My Encounter with Reverend Moon: His Teaching and Person

Part Three: Reverend Moon, the Man

#About the Author Dr Young Oon Kim

Part One

My Spiritual Pilgrimage Until Meeting Reverend Moon

My parents had no affiliation with organized religion. In the middle of my teenyears I began to wonder about the purpose of life: Why am I here? Whatdirection should I go? What happens after death? Such questions didnt go awaybut became more intense.

At age 14 I went to a relatives house to live. This very wealthy family lived near

a mountain. In the midst of this luxury. I came to observe the inner emptinessof material wealth. Living with my aged grandmother I came to realize that longlife is not necessarily a blessing. Dwelling continually on the past, she had nofuture and indeed no real present.

Observing the college students returning from Japan on vacation, I saw howpuffed up they were. I wondered if education really forms good character! FinallyI noted that all married couples around me did not appear happy but seemed tobe just surviving. Already, as a young girl, I had lost all reams of happinesscommon to youth. Life seemed purposeless.

During this time perplexity, I used to wander on the hillside. Then I said tomyself, If there is a God, He will have the answers. And if there is no God, then
http://www.utsalumni.org/author/admin/http://www.utsalumni.org/news/the-reverend-sun-myung-moon-i-know-by-young-oon-kim-4525/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewha_Universityhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sun_Myung_Moonhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Divine_Principlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_Theological_Seminaryhttp://www.utsalumni.org/news/the-reverend-sun-myung-moon-i-know-by-young-oon-kim-4525/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewha_Universityhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Sun_Myung_Moonhttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Divine_Principlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_Theological_Seminaryhttp://www.utsalumni.org/author/admin/


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Life is meaningless and not worth living. Sometimes I cried out, If there is aGod, please appear to me. But nothing happened, at least not immediately.

Then one midsummer day, while I was standing alone under a wisteria arbor inour yard. I suddenly heard a voice on my right side, saying, He loves you, Heloves you. The Bible says so. The voice was audible but not a human voice. It

was strange but my hart was uplifted. Within a week the voice came backinwardly a second time. The voice urged me to go to a church.

So I went to a Japanese Methodist church which was nearby and attended itsWednesday night prayer meeting. Only five people were present. The ministerbegan the service with a hymn about the shepherd looking for a sheep. Ifollowed the singing with a subdued voice. All of a sudden, from above, I heard astrong voice saying. It was not you who have been seeking Me. It was I whohave been seeking you. Had God been with me all the times I had wanderedaround the hills, calling out for Him? Tears gushed from my eyes. Even when I

knew nothing about God, He had known me and had longed for me. From thatnight my heart was filled by God, filled wholly with thought of God. At dawn Iagain went to the hillside and prayed Every morning I went up there to talk toHeavenly Father.

One day on the way to work, I passed a large sign that spoke of a revival withReverend Yong Do Rhee to be conducted through the current week. Thatevening I went to the large Korean Methodist church to hear Reverend Rhee.Though arriving on time, I had to squeeze in because already many hundredswere in attendance. Reverend Rhee was a young Methodist minister who was

quite intellectual and also very rich in feeling. He had studied in a liberalMethodist seminary. As he preached I could feel the Holy Spirit through his fierywords. Yes, there was a judgment in his preaching urging everyone to repent.The hearts of everyone present were melted because his stern words weresupported by an ardent love of God. Ministers, elders, deacons, doctors, lawyers,business men, teachers men and women alike cried in repentance withdeep humility.

Reverend Rhee was a humble. meek, reticent man. But once he stood in thepulpit, he became a most eloquent, dynamic, fiery preacher. But there wasnothing fanatic in him. Even after the meetings many people stayed andcontinued praying. During the night some would speak in tongues; some wouldprophesy; some would go into a trance. Such spiritual phenomena occurrednight after night through the whole week of revival. Reverend Rhee was a manof deep prayer, passionate love for Jesus, and compassion for hungry souls. Hewould give all his pocket money to beggars on the street and then, without busfare walk home.

After Reverend Rhee left, the congregation which had tasted of the Holy Spiritcraved more. But there was no one who could maintain the high spiritualatmosphere. Gradually Methodist and Presbyterian ministers, not only in my

home town but throughout the country, came to charge Reverend Rhee withdividing their churches. Eventually he was condemned as a heretic and forbiddento preach anymore. Thus was he forced permanently from the pulpit. A year


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later he passed away at age 33. But today, 50 years after his death, ReverendYong Do Rhee is highly respected throughout Korean Christendom as anauthentic messenger of God. He gave me a lasting image of a true disciple ofChrist.

Deeply stirred by Reverend Rhee, I began a nightly prayer vigil at the church

where he spoke. There one night at Christmas time I saw a vision of Jesus beingcrucified, such an overwhelming expression of his love for me. At the foot of hiscross I saw myself repenting for my ignorance of his love. As I left the churchbefore dawn, a bright light shed radiance over everything. A voice came saying,I created everything for you. After this experience I became a totally differentperson, as even others noticed.

Then Easter came. On Easter eve I was back in the church wanting to meet therisen Christ and be resurrected with him. Again right after midnight thetriumphant joy of the resurrection poured into me. I could not stay bowed down

any more but had to sit up and sing, Jesus Is Risen. The rest of the morning Ikept singing. With this experience I resolved to dedicate my life to witnessing tothe risen Lord.

A couple of years later I learned from a devout minister Reverend K. S. Rheethat he had, on the same night, had a vision of the risen Christ telling MaryMagdalene not to touch him but to go and tell the disciples that he would seethem in Galilee. The Reverend Rhee then saw that vision being poured into me.Let us watch Young Oon Kim from now, he told someone.

At this time I was working in a bank.

One day a voice came, Do not work with dead numbers but with lives. Ithought I should become a teacher. After taking government training andpassing the examination, I went to the countryside to teach second grade aclass of some 70 boys and 10 girls. In my teaching I just poured out my energyand love on them.

During this time, I began to read the works of Emanuel Swedenborg. He was anotable Swedish scientist, a philosopher, and a lifelong member of the Swedishparliament. At age 55, his spiritual senses had been opened, and he freely

communicated with the spirit world. He repeatedly emphasized that we mustunderstand divine truth and live by it, serving others not with power, position,money, or any reward, but for the sake of love and truth, and for the sake ofGod alone. Swedenborgs message is a most precious truth which became thefoundation of my theology.

Again a clear voice came to me, saying, Do something of eternal value. Thework I was doing could be done by anybody. I felt my 1ife mission must besomething else. Having learned from Swedenborg that the Word of God haseternal value, I decided I must study the Bible.

The way was opened for me to attend Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan and tostudy in its theological seminary for five years. This was a liberal Methodist


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seminary teaching the Bible and other subjects historically and critically. Aftertwo or three years of study I began to wonder about the value of academictheology and prayed about this. Gods answer was, Know the weapon of yourenemy. This seemed to mean that Christianity, on one hand has beenpreserving and transmitting divine truth which has been revealed through JesusChrist. On the other hand, Christianity also contains human errors based on

wrong interpretations of the truth. I need to discern and distinguish the errors.and rectify them. To do that I need to understand fully conventional ChristianTheology. Therefore I continued to study hard without further questioning,believing my future was in Gods hands. Upon returning to Korea, I beganteaching at a womans Bible College in Pyongyang. Japans control of Korea wasbecoming tighter and tighter; in time I was forbidden to teach the Bible. Idecided to go to the Diamond Mountains to pray.

After the war the Japanese went home, but the Russians arrived. Soon theCommunists approached me and asked that I give a speech. I saw the need to

escape immediately, and, with a few church members, fled to Seoul. There Itook a job first at a Catholic high school and then at a newly opened theologicalseminary. During this time, Dr. Helen Kim, President of Ewha Womans Universityinvited me to meet with her. She asked me to teach religion courses in the newlyformed Department of Christian Social Work.

While at Ewha, I met some Canadian missionaries. They were seeking twoqualified Koreans a man and a woman to send to study in Canada. In 1948I received this scholarship and went to the University of Toronto where, atEmmanuel College, I continued my study for three years. during which time the

Korean war broke out.

Soon after the Canadian missionaries invited me to go to Europe. I asked themwhy. They responded that they wished me to see how Germany wasreconstructing itself after the wars devastation, and that I should attend variousecumenical study groups throughout Europe and hear the lectures of prominenttheologians.

As they arranged, I attended various ecumenical study groups in Germany,Switzerland, and England, as well as World Council of Churches youth projects,and visited universities. After six months of stimulating experiences, I took aDanish freighter heading for the Orient and my home. The voyage took twomonths. When I landed at Pusan it was early February 1952. The truce betweenNorth and South Korea had not been signed, but the guns of war were silent inthe southern part of the country.

Europe has been the heartland of Christianity for many centuries, and Germanyhas been the brains of modern theology since the Enlightenment. In fact, thetheology of North America has been led by the Germans for over a century.While I was in Europe I began to wonder where Western Christendom washeaded and what vision it possessed. I could sense the grave agony modern

Christianity was suffering and which continues today. First of all, churches werelosing young people who could no longer find any spiritual satisfaction in theestablished religions. Second, Christianity lacked united determination to combat


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the global monster of Communism, even though Christians have constantly feltits threat and suffered its malice throughout the world. Third, if even acompletely unified Christendom would not be strong enough then how could thedivided and divisive denominational Christianity be of any help? The WorldCouncil of Churches had been established in 1948 with open.minded andprogressive denominations and began an ecumenical movement, but the

achievement of a unified Christianity is not in sight, and looks almost impossible.

Observing the postwar European churches, I lost my naive inspiration in WesternChristianity and came back to Asia with a heavy heart.

After arriving in Korea, I had become quite ill from the water and livingconditions in Pusan, flooded as it was with war refugees. A year later EwhaUniversity returned to its old campus in Seoul and I moved along with it. Iremained ill and worsened to the point where I thought I was to die. During thistime I heard a voice that said, This is a spiritual crisis. After a few days, a

woman came and told me that the Lord of the Second Advent had appeared inKorea and that I should study the new truth that he brought. I laughed. This wasso shocking! But I felt curious and wanted to investigate, knowing that if it werefalse I could quickly dismiss it, but that if it were true, it was a matter of life anddeath! Soon I became terribly ill, and Dr. Helen Kim sent for an ambulance,which took me to the university hospital.

After returning home I visited the house where Reverend Moon was teaching andheard lectures on Divine Principle. On the third day I was completely healed ofmy lingering illness. The night before my healing, the inner voice of God had

spoken again: It was I who led you to Jesus., it was I who led you toSwedenborg; it was I who led you here. During the last four days of myweeklong visit to the center, I heard the testimonies of some members and mostsignificantly, the life story of Reverend Moon. I had been moved by the Principleof Creation, because it was close to Swedenborg in its concepts of polarity, thestages of growth, and the unity of the physical and spiritual dimensions. I was,however, stymied by the fall of the archangel, how could this be? The DivinePrinciples Christology was also unsettling, as I then agreed with Swedenborgthat Jesus and God were one and the same. I was, nevertheless, deeply touchedby the astonishing conclusion that God had chosen a Korean who was mycontemporary.

Two women teachers from Ewha University had studied Divine Principle, and oneof them introduced it to me. Then she began attracting many students to it aswell. Since I, their teacher, had already accepted Divine Principle, they felt itmust be true. Having no predetermined theology of their own, they were quiteopen to new teachings. They spread the message among their fellow studentsand brought them to our lectures. Most of them lived in dormitories, and rumorsof our work spread quickly. School authorities began to wonder if this were anunhealthy, fanatical movement. Worse, if it continued to spread quickly it wouldbe impossible to control. So they began to put pressure on the faculty and

students. Ewhas President, Helen Kim, said to me: Do you really have to throwyourself into this movement? Cant you just study it in a detached and objectiveway, like other movements? My answer was, For me religion is not a means of


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living but a matter of life! Therefore, I cannot be uninvolved A week latershe called me to her office and asked that I refrain from mentioning DivinePrinciple teachings in my classes or on campus. If I kept my faith to myself,everything would be okay, she said. To this I replied: President Kim, the wholeworld is my parish to teach in, so I can easily leave out this campus. (In factuntil then I had spoken to no one in the University and had violated no law or

regulation of the institution.)

About a week later she sent me an ultimatum: Please choose one of these:Either you completely cut off your ties with the Unification Church or you give upyour teaching work here. Similar notes were sent out to Ewha students, somewith only one semester before graduation.

But they were determined to follow this new truth. Their parents intervened,protesting to the University. The media also showed sympathy for the students,criticizing the University for denying religious freedom. At Yonsei University the

same repressive policy was applied to one professor and two students. A few atEwha comprised with the administration, but thirteen students and five facultymembers refused to give up their new faith. The two universities took action.

The students may have felt sorry to give up their studies, but they felt no saddepression and no sense of defeat, because they had discovered clearlyinterpreted divine truth for this new age with its promise of a glorious future. Asfor me. since my mission would take all my time, I felt it was God who freed mefrom the University. I felt no animosity toward those who condemned andexpelled me as a heretic. However, the decision of Ewha University in this matter

was a grave mistake which obstructed the work of God and blocked the way toeternal life for many.

Contents

Part Two

My Encounter with Reverend Moon: His Teaching and Person

I found several elements in the teachings of Reverend Moon striking. Let me

start with his Divine Principle.

Men of great faith have found God and described Him as a Creator andSovereign, infinite Spirit, Cosmic Intelligence, Omnipotent and Omniscient Lord,Absolute and Final Judge, Cosmic Law and the Heavenly Way, the Wholly Otherwho is totally transcendent, Being and Ground of being Loving Father andMerciful Redeemer.

Though we agree with those definitions I found the Divine Principles concept ofGod more illuminating and dynamic., very personal, yet not anthropomorphic.

For Reverend Moon, God is a Being of infinite love, longing for passionate humanresponse and absolute loyalty. Instead of seeing God as purely masculine, he


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believes God is our Father/Mother Creator, uniting the male and female essencesin perfect balance.

God is transcendent Being, infinite Spirit of cosmic energy, a radiant glowbeyond description. He nevertheless finds His temple in the human soul. Whilethe Father/Mother God hears every sound, knows our every move, He remains

all powerful. God has an enduring, Passionate love for everything He created.Consequently, He is pleased and rejoices when His children wholeheartedlyrespond to His love and carry out His will. This Almighty God possesses the mostsensitive of parental hearts.

From the perfect love and immense wisdom of God, we are born as humans toevolve into His perfect children. Thus Divine Principle was eye.opening, showingme a very advanced concept of God, illuminating His reality and providentialactivity in our present age.

2. Divine Principle reveals clearly the reality and nature of Satan. In thismaterialistic age, many do not recognize the existence of Satan. However,Reverend Moon has specific knowledge about him, his origin, nature purpose,tricks, and scheming, as well as his final destiny. Knowing this he is able tosubjugate Satan. Thus the cause of cosmic tragedy for God and man is revealedand its resolution made possible. This I realized, was crucial information.

3. Divine Principle harmonizes the age.old controversies of Christology.Christology revolves around some perplexing problems.. Jesus incarnation, hisdivine/human nature, the virgin birth, the Trinity, the resurrection, the

atonement, and the redemptive work of Christ.

The incarnation, the divinity of Jesus, and the virgin birth have always beentheological mysteries which no one could explain clearly. According to ReverendMoon, the first human couple violated Gods commandment, causing historicaldisaster. In order to remedy the situation, another human being must take upthe task of restoration. As the Jews taught, the Messiah will be a man chosen byGod, one born like any other human being. There is no need for a virgin birth.

It is clear Jesus was born as the second Adam. As he increased in spiritual andphysical stature, he divested himself of human self-centeredness and gradually

took upon himself the divine heart and nature. Thus by the time he started hisministry, he had become the embodiment of divine truth and love, though hewas still a human being with a physical body. His incarnation of the highest levelwas a gradual process.

While in his physical body Jesus had both human and divine natures. When heentered the spirit world he discarded his physical nature and became more fullydivine. However, God alone is eternally infinite; Jesus is finite and dependent onGod.

Reverend Moons explanation of Jesus crucifixion is equally illuminating. MostChristians interpret the cross as an atonement for the sins of mankind, which


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God decreed and Christ carried out. But this was not the view of the earliestChristians.

According to Reverend Moon, Jesus original mission was to establish thekingdom of God. His opponents had him killed before his work was finished. Itwas not Jesus wish to drink the cup of martyrdom. On the contrary, he wanted

to fulfill his God.given mission. The crucifixion was neither his choice nor Godswill.

His resurrection was not physical but spiritual. His spirit body was manifested tohis disciples and was quite different from his physical body. Such phenomena arewell known to people spiritually open, and psychic research has supported theirvalidity. Spirits can manifest visibly and audibly, enabling us to see and conversewith them.

4. The Holy Spirit refers to the various manifestations of the divine energy of

love. Many saints and countless good spirits of human ancestors and angelsserve as mediums of divine messages and energy of Gods love. Therefore, theHoly Spirit is not a third person of the Godhead but Gods redemptive activity indiverse forms. We must worship one true, living God, the source of life and allexistence, who is essentially love itself and wisdom itself. Jesus served as Godssupreme representative, never claiming to be equal with God. He and the HolySpirit in multiple forms assist God by carrying out Gods will. The Trinity mayrefer to their three functions, but there are not three Gods.

5. Jesus is not coming on the clouds in a Second Advent. The Second Advent will

be realized through another incarnation of divine truth. As Jesus was a humanbeing, the Lord of the Second Advent must be another human being, proclaimingand establishing the kingdom of God on earth. He will fulfill the task Jesus hadinitiated and left incomplete. Therefore, he and Jesus will accomplish a singlemission, glorifying God together.

6. The concept of salvation varies greatly from religion to religion. To narrow ourdiscussion to the Judeo-Christian heritage, orthodox Jews believe in salvationthrough obedience to the Mosaic Law. Roman Catholics believe that membershipin the Catholic Church, with belief in its doctrines and loyalty to its hierarchy, isthe only way to attain salvation. Eastern Orthodox believers find salvation inmystical unity with God and Christ through liturgical worship and sacraments.Lutherans insist on salvation by faith alone. Calvinists maintain that God haschosen who is to be saved and who will be damned before the creation of theworld. Liberal Protestants hold that faith is not as important as practice, and thatwe are saved by our love for others. Quakers attain salvation through listeningto and abiding by the inner voice which comes from God. Evangelical Protestantsemphasize the need for correct belief.. belief in the Bible, the deity of Jesus, theblood atonement on Calvary, the physical resurrection, and the total damnationof all unbelievers. Pentecostals stress the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

But all this is the theological overlay of centuries. Jesus Christ required hishearers only to listen to his words and join him in building the kingdom of God.


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Reverend Moons requirements are the same: to study his teachings and joinhim in forming the kingdom of heaven on earth.

7. With what authority can Reverend Moon ask us to listen to his words andfollow him? He has paid historical indemnity for the sins of Adam and Eve andtheir successors. Reverend Moon teaches that the historical failures of central

figures during the course of divine providence have to be remedied by Godsappointed liberator. He discovered where and how the central figures in the OldTestament history failed in their missions and reversed these failures by applyingthe law of indemnity. Thus has he restored each stage of Gods providence in theOld an New Testament Age. He is also fulfilling the restoration on the cosmiclevels, from the individual and family levels all the way to the universal level. Forhis accomplishments, he has secured the absolute approval of God Himself,together with Satans confession and acknowledgment.

Therefore, studying his Divine Principle and cooperating with a grateful heart in

his work will qualify us to be accepted in the New World which is now at hand.

8. As I have stated, God is a God of heart and love, the intrinsic desire of heartand love is to feel joy. To be, as a couple, His most intimate, object for Hiseternal love. The Almighty Creator needs a tangible human companion. Godwanted to direct His vital and infinite love toward man and woman and receive inreturn their most grateful response. Our universe was created for God toexperience ultimate joy by loving give and take with true man and woman,without whom He must remain lonely and unfulfilled. The joy of loving and beingloved is one of the primary purposes of creation.

God also wanted to express Himself in a physical way. In the New Testamentman is called a vessel of divine love and a temple of Gods presence. God who isinfinite Spirit created finite humans in His image as a means of His ownincarnation. God wanted to participate fully in human life, to feel the full rangeof our experiences. Hence God created man to be His body.

The explanation of the purpose of creation is so rational yet most beautiful. It usunusually persuasive and touching by comparison with other views. It alsorelates God and man in the most personal, intimate, and interdependent ways,which makes Divine Principle most exceptional.

9. For the conservative Christians, the goal of life and purpose of salvation is tobe forgiven of their sins and be accepted into heaven. For liberal Christians andJews the goal of life is a better society here on earth, including economicsecurity. social stability, better education, satisfactory living conditions,interracial harmony, and global peace. However, Christians seldom think aboutthe ultimate goal of human history. For Reverend Moon, the realization of thepurpose of creation is the goal of history which must be absolutely fulfilled bythe establishment of the kingdom of God on earth, as Jesus proclaimed.Individual salvation and happiness here and hereafter are inextricably related to

this larger providence. This view of the the world immediately magnifies onesview of life.


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10. Those of us who follow Reverend Moon cal him Father because he hasfulfilled the role of the Third Adam, becoming the embodiment of God, theInfinite Spirit. An American lady asked God, What is Mr. Moons mission? Theimmediate answer was, He is the Third Adam. If the first Adam had not fallenhe would have received Gods blessing in marriage with Eve. They would havebecome the True Parents of humanity. Then the coming of Jesus would have

been unnecessary. If Jesus, the Second Adam, had married a bride andestablished Gods kingdom on earth, they would have become the True Parentsof Humanity. Then the Second Advent would have been unnecessary. Becausethat did not come about, a Third Adam had to appear, marry with Gods blessedbride, and together become the True Parents, Gods embodiment. Revelation19:9 has thus been fulfilled.

11. Also Reverend Moon knows the spirit world and afterlife very well. I knewthat the eighteenth century spiritual seer, Emanuel Swedenborg, had givendetailed information about such things. Reverend Moon is even more accurate,

reflecting the current situation. Naturally he corrects some points inSwedenborgs writings. I recognize the difference between Reverend Moon andSwedenborg. Their missions were different. Swedenborg explored and wrote onthe spirit world about 230 years ago. Important things have happened on earthand in the spirit world in the interim. Understandably then some ofSwedenborgs teachings need revision. I feel greatly privileged to know twooutstanding religious geniuses.

12. Time and again Reverend Moon emphasizes the heart of God: You mustapproach God with an open heart and listen with your heart when God speaks.

Other religions and theologies greatly value the devotional life, the loving heartand feeling of utter dependence, spiritual ecstasy, joyful affection for God,enthusiastic witnessing, and sympathetic identification with Jesus suffering, withall of which Reverend Moon completely agrees. But he goes much beyond.

ln his deeper spiritual exploration, he discovered Heavenly Fathers profoundhan (age old hidden grief and anguish and restrained indignation) and whatcaused it. He determined to uproot its cause and heal Gods hahn the cosmictragedy, and make that his lifelong mission.

What is the cause of cosmic tragedy? The loss of Adam and Eve, due to theirunion with the treacherous Lucifer, was a grave betrayal of God by all three. Thecunning, rebellious Archangel deprived God of Adam and Eve who were to havebeen the most intimate, direct object of His eternal love. God had lost hisfoothold on earth. Now Reverend Moon, through his humble services to all hisadversaries, has won Satans voluntary surrender. Through acts of indemnity hehas been restoring to God all that Satan had taken from Him.

Once anyone truly grasps the Heavenly Fathers hahn he cannot remain still.With a feeling f terrible urgency and determination, he must awaken andenlighten other people to join the cosmic battle. The purpose of salvation is not

merely to obtain divine forgiveness of personal sins and go to heaven. ForReverend Moon the true purpose is to relieve Gods Grief, liberate His power, and


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restore His cosmic sovereignty, which will bring about peace on earth and loveand joy to all people.

Contents

Part Three

Reverend Moon, the man

Now I would like to speak about the man, Reverend Moon.

Indeed his faith and personality are gigantic. To undertake the task of cosmicrestoration and fulfill it victoriously truly requires a spiritual giant. This ReverendMoon is. Furthermore, no one can deny that Almighty God is the source ofReverend Moons power and wisdom.

As is evident in the profundity of his teachings, Reverend Moons own spirituality

is unique. He has had a long, intense spiritual battle and search which arereflected in his teachings. Since early childhood he was led to a deep prayer lifeand asked God questions that even spiritually advanced adults seldom asked.Though his parents attended a Presbyterian church, his spiritual search from hisyouth transcended any denominational faith.

As a spiritually sensitive youth, he searched for solutions to one great religiousproblem after another until he had unlocked hidden secrets in human history.After fierce battles with spirit beings, he was able boldly to point out Satanshidden motives and rebellious actions. Through these struggles Reverend Moonwas deeply touched by the depth of Gods heart, his age old grief and anguish.He came to understand the ultimate divine ideal and historical goal for humanity.

Ever since meeting Reverend Yong Do Rhee, I longed to meet someone whopossessed his powerful spirituality. When I shook hands with Reverend Moon forthe first time, he was wearing ordinary overalls. But I soon perceived that herewas a man of deep prayer. After greeting, the first thing he said to me was this:You have been praying a lot, havent you? I am not sure whether you have aspecial ancestor or you yourself are special, but you are a very special person.

In the early days it was quite a usual experience for all of us. Many followers

while they were at home they would have doubts and negative thoughts aboutReverend Moon and his work. But as soon as they were back in the church andsaw him again, all their doubts quickly vanished, as thick fog evaporates whenthe sun rises. I believe he is such a bright spiritual light, that in his presence,confusion is dispelled and truth illumined.

Reverend Moon would stay up until 2:00 am even 3:00 am. If urged to go tobed, he would say, You must remember that even at this hour there are peoplepraying to God. Soon I realized that his concern, his prayer, and his goal of lifewere very high and broad, transcending those of ordinary Christian leaders.

Even when the group of followers was so small, Reverent Moon was veryoptimistic. He was absolutely convinced that a multitude would join us and he


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would soon be known throughout the world. When speaking to less than ahundred people on Sundays, he would speak very loudly. Later I understood thathe was envisioning speaking to a huge crowd.

From the very beginning I noted how absolutely serious he was about God. Oncehe felt something had to be done for God, he never hesitated. He did it and

inspired us to do it. He felt that he was always standing face to face with God,but he could also sense how Satan was just waiting for the slightest chance tooverpower him and frustrate his work. Repeatedly he would tell us, We are inthe midst of the battle between God and Satan. So he was always alert andwould never be caught off guard.

But this seriousness never made him too stern or stone.faced. He loved to singand loved to hear singing. He was ready to laugh. He used to tell me that wemust experience the whole wide range of human emotions from sorrow to joy,from indignation to tenderheartedness, from unyielding resolve to open-

mindedness. I should like to share a few episodes.

First, in the early days, there was a preschool boy staying at the center. He wasthe only son of a widow and was half deaf and half dumb. His name was Samuel.In the evening whenever Reverend Moon came back from outside activities, hewould sit cross-legged on the floor and call Samuel to join him. Then he woulddance and sing cheerfully with Samuel. The boy would be all smiles, armsmoving and feet dancing. Most of the time he was quiet, silent, alone, unnoticed.But here he was experiencing joy. By being with him, Reverend Moon washelping a deaf, dumb little boy feel important and happy.

Another incident: Once two elderly sisters came to see Reverend Moon. Theyhad come from far south and were strangers to all of us. After asking him somequestions and listening to his answers, one of the women broke into song toexpress her joyous feelings. Reverend Moon promptly responded in the samemanner. It was like an opera, with everything important being expressed insong. Yet in another way it was like a sudden encounter of lovers verypersonal, very deep, and very intimate: the spontaneous meeting of heart andheart. These two had come a long way to meet Reverend Moon, and theirmeeting became a moment of totally innocent pleasure.

Let me give you one more story. Reverend Moon once told me that when he wasa young student in Japan he had pulled a junk cart through the fashionableGinza street in Tokyo. He did this in order to experience the feeling of the meniallaborer or the underprivileged. In this way he expanded the scope of his lifeexperience in order to know and feel with people of every walk of life, so that hecould feel Gods love in every situation.

I never heard from him meaningless, silly ,jokes, wit, or humor. He seemed tobelieve that every word he utters is recorded somewhere, either by angels orSatan. And he is responsible for every word he speaks. Nowadays he makes his

audience laugh and feel relaxed when he speaks. But in the early days, theatmosphere was always serious and even tense. He always possessed greatdignity and authority. Often we felt awe struck and almost overpowered by his


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spiritual greatness. But always Reverend Moon evoked our deep trust and greatrespect. Coming into his presence, we found our hearts uplifted and our willpower magnified. Even physically, we felt deeply refreshed and infused withgreat energy.

I have been with him in every mood. I have seen him crying. I have seen him

joyful. I have been with him in his lonely hours. And I have seen him angry. Onevery occasion, he always appeared free from personal feelings. Reverend Moonhas always possessed a strong sense of urgency. There is so much to be doneand it had to be done fast and effectively. It is a matter of life and death. So hedoesnt let anyone slow down.

Never have I found such qualities in other Christian leaders in the same intensityand combination. Reverend Rhee urged Korean Christians to repent. Therefore,he was constantly seeking, waiting for something to come from God. His missionwas cleansing the Korean Church to prepare for Reverend Moons coming with a

new dispensation. By contrast Reverend Moon has found what he wants. He issure of his destination and goal. His messianic call was clear from the beginning.Thus he led us with complete confidence.

In the early days even though he must have had deep apprehension, heremained cheerful, full of hope and eagerly awaiting dedicated and capableworkers to join him. In those days, he just longed for people.

With his immense vision and superhuman task he was the loneliest man in theworld. In public prayers he often broke down in tears. Back then even over

thirty years ago I could see plenty of hardship ahead of him. Yet, when suchtrials came one after another, I saw how he triumphed. This has happened timeand again for three decades.

It is the greatest privilege for me to be Reverend Moons contemporary and aneyewitness to such a storm-filled life. How did I have the fortune to be born insuch a crucial time in Gods providential history, and walk on the same groundwith such a great person?

Reverend Moon once disclosed that when he discovered Gods anguished hahn,he wept for three days. He then vowed to uproot its cause and heal Gods hahn.

From then on, he challenged Satan and began his fierce battle with Godsenemy. How could one expect his road to be commonplace, or smooth and easy?

He was imprisoned six times, first for five months by the Japanese occupationauthorities in Korea who tortured him most severely. He was imprisoned threeand a half months by North Korean Communists and almost died from theirbrutal beatings. He was again arrested in North Korea, imprisoned for threemonths, and sent to the Hung-nam forced labor camp for two years and fivemonths. He saw many of his fellow prisoners die from the inhuman workconditions. But he survived because of his strong faith and willpower combined

with Gods special protection. In Seoul, South Korea, he was imprisoned forthree months, under Sing Man Rhees regime and finally in the USA he was held


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for thirteen months in Danbury, Connecticut. Thus more than five years of hislife were passed in prison.

He literally poured out his blood, sweat, and tears, enduring for nearly 70 yearsof continual persecution and sacrifice. He has served friends and adversariesalike. Despite so many calamities he is still well, because God has chosen him

and is with him. I know that from this year, 1988, Gods providence centered onReverend Moon will be increasingly manifested to the world, and I only pray thatthe people of this earth will be awakened quickly.

About the Author: Dr. Young Oon Kim

Dr. Young Oon Kim was born in 1915 on Hwang-Hae Island in Korea. After shegraduated in Theology from Kanzai University in Japan she became professor of

Christology at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. In 1948 she received aMasters degree in Theology from Emanuel College, Toronto University and inDecember of the same year an Honorary Doctors degree in Humanism fromRichard College.

From 1975 on she taught Systematic Theology at the Graduate School of theUnification Theological Seminary in Barrytown, New York. Some of her mostimportant publications are.. Unification Theology and Christian Thought, DivinePrinciple and its Application, World Religions Volume I, II, and III, UnificationTheology, An Introduction to Theology, and The Types of Modern Theology.

Presently she is teaching Systematic Theology at the Sung Hwa TheologicalSeminary in Korea.

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The Reverend Sun Myung Moon I Know, By Young Oon Kim

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