Celebration of the First Birthday of Shin Pal Nim

[After Shin Pal Nim's first birthday celebration, True Father announced the second part of the meeting, to begin with Hoon Dok Hae. (By the way, in Korea it is deemed to be very significant what item the baby picks up on their first birthday, choosing from among an array including a book, pencils, paint brushes, money, food - I'm not sure what else. In any case, Shin Pal Nim chose a pencil and a paintbrush.) Won Ju McDevitt read the second set of messages from Dr. Sang Hun Lee. True Father prefaced her reading with an exhortation as to the veracity of these messages. Finally, he asked us how we can understand them if we cannot speak Korean. The reading continued into messages received less than three weeks ago.]

I want all of you, especially the senior blessed couples, to understand clearly about the reality of life in the spirit world. First, make sure you conduct Hoon Dok Hae in the family, especially between husband and wife. Doing Hoon Dok Hae with children is vital as well, but I stress the importance of husband and wife doing Hoon Dok Hae everyday. As a couple, through Hoon Dok Hae you can recognize the sins you have committed compared with the standard, and together you can set up a goal for the level of Spirit World into which you would pass on that day. Between husband and wife there should be no secret and you should clearly know based on the truth where you will go. If you judge yourselves to be bound for the mid-range spirit world, then you can set a goal to build up toward a higher level of spirit world. Build up your Hoon Dok life everyday, then you will have the chance to be promoted to the higher level of spirit world.

To do that, we have to absolutely accept this message from Sang Hun Lee, because he did not make it up, but it is based upon his real experience in spirit world. In that regard, on the next True Children's Day, we have called all the senior blessed couples from the 36 to the 430, and Father may rearrange the order of senior couples, on that day, or later when sovereignty is established. Father will fill in the vacancies created by betrayals and mistakes. Then juniors will be presented and Father will pick some of them to fill in the blanks in, say, the 72 couples. This will take place in the near future. We don't know exactly when, but in any case he has called all the senior couples to this holy day. So, take Hoon Dok Hae very seriously, especially regarding life in the spirit world.

I also strongly urge you to make sure that your life is aligned with the contents of Dr. Lee's messages and Father's Hoon Dok Hae books. By studying this, we will know the providential declarations I have made through setting prayer conditions. Recently I have proclaimed many special providential days and so forth, and you have to know the meaning and significance of these. By knowing these things, we will be able to move forward, because they are like planks in the building of a bridge. These proclamations are planks or concrete slabs connecting together, on which you have to step over one by one to cross the river. And you have to understand why I made these proclamations, because as we begin the fourth Adam's era, to enter the Kingdom of God we have to be sure our life is pure and clean before God.

I strongly emphasize the importance of daily Hoon Dok Hae. To do it is our choice, but you must understand that the Hoon Dok Hae material shows you how to follow the course of indemnity. I have set all the indemnity conditions necessary to continue the history of restoration, and Hoon Dok Hae is the record of this victory enabling the history to continue. So for you to carry it on, you have to study this history. Then you can continue to drive on this super highway with God. The goal is to live with God forever, and the condition to do that is to be one with True Parents in the physical world.

As a blessed couple, you love to produce your children and grandchildren. But these children will become much brighter and wiser than their parents. So, unless you set up a heavenly example in your family life, your children will not follow you, because they have a sense more keen than yours about the quality of your life of attendance. You cannot fool them. To convince them, you have to really enjoy doing Hoon Dok Hae, more than secular people enjoy dancing, drinking, having parties and so forth. That is the attitude we should have, and if we do, we will secure our relationship with our children. Four years ago, I spoke about the hobby life and hobby world. What is the standard or paradigm of hobby life? It is the reality of the spirit world. Our focus should be the Spirit World, the kind of life expected there. Based on that, cultivate your life in the Physical World to match your future life in the spirit world. By experiencing and practicing this in the Physical World, we will have the same joy and happiness in the spirit world. So cultivate your hobby life. Eventually, your eternal hobby life will be in the Spirit World. Once we know the goal of the hobby life, we can develop our plan for the Physical World, and thus we will pay more attention to the areas of practicing hobby life properly in the Physical World. Therefore, from now on, if anyone in the movement is doing an excellent job in his hobby life, witnessing, or fundraising, if you are interested in what he is doing, you should go there and join him and gain his experience. Then you will be in the same realm as he is in the spirit world.

If we set up any insect or animal in the physical world as our standard or source of lessons, which would you choose? Probably the ant. The ant continues to work until it dies. It never relaxes and enjoys its life. Among the insects, the best on the earth is the ant. Among those that fly, it would be the honeybee, working hard. Thousands of bees team up to serve and attend the queen bee, and follow her for many miles. There is such a contrast between the world of the ant and that of the honeybee. The bee represents the Spirit World and the ant symbolizes the Physical World. The ant crawls on the ground and takes care of the rotten, decayed things, cleaning up. The bee flies around and harvests the sweet things. If there are any dead birds or worms, once one ant discovers it, immediately thousands of ants gather there and take care of it. There are stages. If we want to go to the top, we have to start at the first stage, that of the ant, and then we will reach the top, the world of the honeybee. We should overcome the world of death, Satan's world. Only when we overcome this world of death, the satanic world, and use it as the fertilizer to help the flowers bloom, can we become honey bees to collect honey from the flowers, which is our potential life in the Spirit World.

So, do Hoon Dok Hae. We have to long and miss it as a hobby, more than we desire three meals a day. Once we study the Hoon Dok Hae books thoroughly, we will understand our responsibilities, even our official donations, such as the indemnity fund and family fund. The Hoon Dok Hae books explain these things. Up to now, we neglected or even just forgot our obligations. If we do not fulfill them, we cannot even pray. In whose name are we praying these days? The name of ourselves as blessed couples. But without fulfilling our responsibilities, you cannot open your mouths and say empty words in prayer. Before your relatives and family members come to know what you have failed to fulfill, you'd better fulfill it. In the secular world, the government punishes those who do not pay their taxes. So before that point, you'd better pay. Even in the secular world in which laws can be changed, these restrictions apply to those who do not meet their responsibilities. But in eternal life there is no way to change the conditions of responsibility, so we have to take this very seriously. If the National Messiahs do not have the ability to translate the 12 volumes of Hoon Dok Hae and educate the people for whom they are responsible, they will be disqualified. Since you know this, do you still think we need me coming into public gatherings to give you more teachings? I have taught you everything. I myself have a responsibility to look after my own family, just as you look after your family. Because of this, the True Family has been affected a lot. Just make sure of one thing: do Hoon Dok Hae more than True Mother and I do.

To prove that the Hoon Dok Hae material is the only truth humanity needs, even to prove it to you, I brought all these international and interreligious leaders to Washington, DC, to go through the Hoon Dok seminars. We saw that they really obey and align with the Hoon Dok Hae teachings. Since the non Unification Church members are taking Hoon Dok Hae so seriously, you have no excuse. You have to read it and practice it everyday. It is the super highway going to the Kingdom of God. For children, there should be no freedom in the method of education. The American educational system has to change. There should be no selfish individualism in it. This is the restoration of the authority of the elder son, parent and king to bequeath the tradition and wisdom of God. That power should be exercised on every level. Parents are responsible to control their children. This is the kings' power in the family.

So please, learn by heart what I have taught you this morning. I will leave to Korea soon, because next week will be the last True Children's Day celebration in this millennium. So I am preparing internally to take care of this celebration.

This morning, the fourth IIFWP Hoon Dok Hae conference is over. Rev. Kwak, give a report about it. Imagine, if we had this much of a foundation fifty years ago, what kind of world would we be living in today? This means it was our failure and mistake that this time did not come early enough, not until I am approaching 80. So in repentance we should bring the leaders of our communities to Hoon Dok meetings. This is the heavenly level of education.

Good morning everyone. [Father: GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY! You have to make a big sound!] Father founded the Hoon Dok seminar. All guests came from mission countries around the world, mainly focusing on 40 counties chosen for dispensational development, but we added a few more, totaling 53 countries, with 179 non-member VIP guests, total of 200 including our lecturers and core staff.

The first three conferences were the basis to develop the program, so that this time we added and adjusted, but after we finished four, still in my mind I am in a certain sense ashamed before True Parents and God because there is still room for improvement. >From the fifth conference we expect better result. This time, as before, we invited one third to be government leaders, one third religious leaders, one third academics and media leaders. The politicians included the former prime minister of Mongolia, and some ministers and parliament members of some countries. Their response is generally that they are interested in new educational content for youth. Everywhere the moral standard of youth has declined due to family breakdown. So all the political leaders are deeply concerned about this. After listening to Father's words, and seeing how our institutions have dedicated to achieve his words, such as the RYS and PLA, the reports of which we present, most of them are intoxicated with what we are doing. According to their response papers, many of them want to invite the PLA to their own country, as well as the RYS.

We presented a comprehensive report of Father's worldwide activities. The first night they see a video of the FFWPU inauguration, 1996 in Washington, DC. We present the vision of the FFWPU and also they see the level of participation in that inauguration, including two former presidents of the United States, Bush and Ford, and other well known worldwide leaders. All participants recognize the importance of our organization and the power of Father's linkage with worldwide leadership to achieve the FFWPU goals. And we introduce so many of Father's activities. So from the get go they are curious about Father.

For them, this kind of seminar is unusual; they always speak and guide, they never sit and listen. But our seminar is just having them sit and listen. For them it is not easy. But I am thankful that they willingly follow our schedule. It is because God and Spirit World are working, and every day, every moment, Father is focused on the conference, even if he is not there physically. I felt Father's power. Because of this kind of spiritual environment surrounding them, their attitude is really good. Many guests at the end of the second day ask us how we make such a high spiritual atmosphere. Then we can introduce many things about True Father. In last night's closing session, Father sent Hyun Jin Nim. Because Father's words are the content of the seminar, on the family and spirit world and true love, automatically they are curious, from the outset, with great interest in True Parents and True Family. So, in this atmosphere, the appearance of a member of the True Family is very meaningful.

When Hyun Jin Nim is on stage, they are 100% focused on him. Hyun Jin Nim is so natural on stage, speaking without a text. Many staff members mentioned last night that Hyun Jin Nim's testimony to True Father, after his general greeting, he mentioned first that you studied Father's truth, and don't think it is just a spiritual message. Father's nature and teachings are not just spiritual, but are practical. Second, you learn my Father is the True Parent, but what are the True Parents? He is the first appearance of such, and since history began, the essence of all families and parents' and all human beings' content is on True Father's shoulders. So centering on him we have to solve all of history and the content of the fallen world, the entire reality of the fallen history, lay indemnity and solve. Hyun Jin Nim's undergraduate study was history. He recognized many issues and events of history are exactly extended into one family's events. So Father's vision core issues are centering on the True Family. So fifty years in the dispensation has been unwavering to focus on the True Family. I realized why family is so important. Among the family relations, these extend to the world. Fundamentally Father built the true family and expanded it to have many follow the true family tradition, then all human problems will be solved. Because he is so young, no one expected such deep content, but just a general greeting. They were so interested in his speech.

Neil Salonen introduced Hyun Jin Nim's educational background, as well his experience in sports and business. So many respect the True Children through him. One person said, "He is an inspiring and explosive speaker. Did he get that from Harvard or from his father?" Other testimonies: From Zambia came a famous bishop. He said "Before this seminar, I never was close to a Muslim. But now I have a Muslim friend. Through the concept of true love, I will never be the same again." And an American Mormon, a public relations spokesman, spoke at the closing session. He was so shy on stage, saying he was shocked that his roommate was a very big black man. The audience laughed as he explained his three day experience centering on true love, and concluded that to live with a black leader is no problem. The audience was so diverse in color, background, area of expertise, religion, and so forth. Many people commented on Father's broad vision and interreligious scope. The meaning is that through Hoon Dok Hae Father will teach the world leadership that in the coming millennium all humankind must come together in oneness. Father's vision for one world and cosmos under God. Especially American leaders do not recognize this, but now do through Father.

From Liberia came the Secretary General of their Council of Churches, "I came to this seminar with one idea of Rev. Moon but I am leaving with a different one altogether. I had been led to believe that he is a cultist, but I see the work he is doing and see that it will benefit all mankind. It is a very good movement." Many leaders were like this.

The term True Father is not a problem for Muslim, but it is for Christians. In the group discussions, the issue of Father's Messiahship, his status as True Parents, becomes an issue. The first three seminars were our friends who accept True Parents, but these are newer and newer people. So they are shocked with Father's claims and the issue is hot in group discussions. Do you believe Father is the Messiah? There were many questions about this. We answer clearly. We received so much persecution over this claim, but now that is almost overcome.

A parliament member from Oceania area: "We must push our government to adopt policies to support the family and improve society. We will take these ideas back to our country. I am the third parliament member to attend from my country. We will make an impact." It is not such a big country. So each member of Parliament has much power. He is confident to make changes with the other alumni, to improve government policies.

From Russia, a vice-president of an academy: "Rev. Moon's teachings address the need for greater tolerance among religions. They have the ability to harmonize religions. He never speaks badly of any religion. And he addresses the young people and all the problems we have today."

From Moldova, a president of an administration: "We rejected the old system and its values but we do not have a new one. We have no framework to establish a new age, and wonder how to do it. The philosophy of a religion is presented to us in this seminar." They are so anxious to obtain our teachings. He said he found hope through our Hoon Dok conference. In the discussion he asked deep questions about how to help the young generation. Their background is atheist, so his thinking does not work and does not harmonize with religion. We answered: we never push the former communist youth about God or heavenly kingdom. We use logic, and we appeal to their spiritual nature, so that they recognize spirit world. Then they need no religious terminology. Father's truth works better than religion to reach the former communist world. The Spirit World is very important to teach them. Father has always emphasized this, so the first session completely focuses on spirit world. Most guests are not too interested in this topic, unfortunately. So the politicians and academics are laid back, but the religious leaders are interested. Then in the Q & A, the disinterested people just sit back. So, I realized this is very good, because the Q & A dialogue is instructive to them.

Even today, Father taught amazing content about spirit world. Think of the small number of human beings interested in Spirit World, even religious believers. In this condition, the Hoon Dok Hae books are revolutionary, affecting all people's concepts. Many participants are transformed by the conference in this way.

From Taiwan, the director of government planning: "It is a marvelous experience. The True Family is a good concept as a basis to promote understanding between parents and children as well as between ideologies, religions and nations. The idea of true love is most inspiring." He is not a religious believer, but is a VIP and is influenced nonetheless. "So the Hoon Dok conference is doing the most important, fundamental thing."

Three powerful religious leaders same. One "Jesus Miracle Crusade" leader. It is less than thirty years old. But the founder has amazing spiritual power. When we approached him, he received a revelation to attend, and his assistants set his time schedule, but his visa expired. So he sent his assistant. He has more than 5 million followers, and has audiences of tens of thousands, the standard is 50,000 at a time. He is recognized throughout his country. Since the late 80s, he has been on national television. God sent them the message that they must attend Hoon Dok Hae and work together with us. Because of Father's grace, the founder did not expect to meet Father, but to meet me. He wanted to discuss with me and follow my ideas.

Another one, "His Holiness." His mother and himself work together; he is a unique Catholic denomination, "Apostolic." Their revelation was to become free of the Vatican. His followers number 4 million. He attended and his face is always joyful and bright, so his mind was so comfortable and joyful the entire time. He said he will support Father's activities there.

Another one, from Africa, is a Muslim leader. That country has 15 million, but among them 8 million are Muslim. Of these 8 million, 3 million belong to his denomination, and he is the president of the association of all Muslims. He listened and promised to come to the next blessing with 50 young candidates. It is expensive for Africans to come to Korea, but he promised. The fifty will represent thousands.

Father directed us to present the "interreligious blessing ceremony," called the World Summit of Families," in which God will bless the young people of all faiths. During one luncheon we introduced the idea of the Blessing as beyond any particular religion and invited them to attend the world summit of families. The Blessing is not a simple marriage ritual, but is the next millennium's most important issue, the family, so all religious leaders have to cooperate to take care of this, so let's meet and discuss it at the World Summit of Families, and we asked them to sign up. Father directed that at the coming Blessing, 11 to 13 major religious traditions, each of which must send at least 100 blessing candidates.

Now, among the seven seminars we have completed four. Already two countries started national level Hoon Dok Hae conferences, and more are preparing. Without my being there, they started anyway. So truly I have confidence in this Hoon Dok Hae seminar being able to access people directly to the True Parents' truth. No one can be negative about true love and our true family vision. From the world level it should develop on the national level.

Please pray.

[Rev. Kwak closed with prayer and Manses.]