Book Seven - Etiquette And Ceremonies
Chapter Three - Worship Service and Etiquette in Church Life
Section 10. Social Relationships

10.1. People should not be treated lightly

You should not treat people lightly. That is why until 1970, whenever someone who was hungry passed by the headquarters, I let them have a meal before they went on their way. It is our duty as human beings to give food to the hungry. Even when you are getting a meal for free, it would be right to share it with others. If someone with a plentiful supply of rice were to strike a hungry person who, passing by had asked for something to eat, that household would not last for long. (56-57, 1972.5.10)

There were times when I saw a person who was so pitiable that I wanted to help by offering him everything had. If you are generous with wanting to give and to help someone, God will praise you. It is good to be generous for the greater good rather than your own well-being, and for improving people's lives in the future, even though life is miserable at present. (42-168, 1971.3.9)

You should not just give a lot of free food. You should invest public-mindedness at the same time. That will bring blessings. No one dislikes the person who gives free food and displays a public mind at the same time. (16-37, 1972.5.10)

You should not ignore people. Don't people say that a worm will wiggle if you step on it? That is how it is for sure. When a person dies and harbors resentment and bitter feelings toward another, the person who incurred that resentment will not last long. (56-38, 1972.5.10)

When dealing with people, you must not do it unsatisfactorily. The work of resurrection does not occur in a course that is mandatory. It has to be exciting. You must stay up at night without even realizing it is night. You discover the value of heaven only when you get to the point at which you can say, "The place where I am now is heaven." Isn't that right? Even with trees, unless they are completely bonded, they don't engraft. (75-177, 1975.1.2)

I try to warmly treat those who come, even if we were to starve. If they have reached a certain level of spirituality, say one hundred, we will be struck and judged if we treat them any less. In those situations, you should treat such people two, three, five, even ten times greater than their level. You will not go to ruin by doing so. God will be deeply impressed saying, "This fellow is better than Heaven!" (56-38, 1972.5.10)

A dog will enter the yard of even the best of houses to relieve itself. If the homeowner complains, "Oh! You dirty little dog! Why are you coming round to our house to defecate in our yard?" then he is chasing away his blessings. Instead, he should say, "Come on in and relieve yourself." (60-158, 1971.8.19)

I am not saying we should not fight or argue. If both sides are going to benefit, then we should fight. We should not fight it one side would perish. We fight to educate and bring them to our side, not to make enemies. (104-31 1979.3.25)

You have to give with a parental heart. You must not give centering on your own ambitions and wishes. Since the True Father has been doing it in this way, you must also do likewise. (11-268, 1961.12.14)

When you show love to people, you should not be stingy. You should not remember what you have invested. I want to give more... Therefore, when you have something good to eat, if you are eating it hiding out somewhere alone, then you are a leader who is to going to decline immediately. If you have something to eat, then you should not eat it but save it. You should wish to give it to someone even if you cannot eat it yourself, and be thinking about the members because you cannot eat it alone. This is the type of person you should become. You have to become leaders who have nurtured this type of parental heart. (70-166, 1974.2.9)

When you give, how should you give? You should not give leftovers. If you give what is left over from your meal, then even after eating it, people will feel disgusted and spit. When you are giving rice cakes, for example, if you take a long time to select one out of the five, picking one up and then putting it down and then picking another, it is worse than not giving at all. When you give to others, if there are five, then you should have no hesitation in picking up half of them and handing them over. Then, people will thank you. Yet, if you are so hesitant and picky, then people will judge you even after they become indebted to you. For this reason, when you give, you should do so together with God and with a parental heart. (60-170, 1972.8.17)

10.2. Social relationships

Today, people do not pay enough attention to each other. In horizontal relationships, it is rare that people pay respect to each other centering on the horizontal connection. Regardless of sex or age, everyone has the attitude that dealing with people is annoying. If you view people as a nuisance, then you can never walk the heavenly way. (25-291, 1969.10.5)

I believe that the life of religious people should be one where they become united with God, stand as the representatives of God's love before creation and this world, and expand and connect the horizontal relationships to the whole environment, based on a standard of love. This should be connected and established in your lives. To do so, you should establish relationships with other people with the heart of God. (82-275, 1976.2.1)

When people meet, it is just like the balls that collide with each other on a billiard table, isn't it? This is interesting. Our encounters with people take on a similar action. You get the feeling that when you face each other, you are drawn together as one and then pushed away again. When you kick a soccer ball, don't you feel good if it goes up and down and changes direction in every way? It is the same with human relationships. (91-81, 1977.1.30)

The question of how much value we have as a human being is determined by the level of investment by all our five senses into our life and love. Therefore, we cannot help asking ourselves whether we have established relationships and led a social life with vitality and a heart of deepest love. You should know that if you do not stand in such a position, you are in a state of suspension or retreat. (32-19, 1970.6.14)

For God's providence of restoration, the Republic of Korea is not the only place that God needs. He needs all of the people in the world. For this reason, God is deeply concerned about people. So far, this has been the most important goal in God's providence. Since we are a group of people who are gathered for the sake of achieving this goal, we must stand in the same position as God and have the same degree of concern toward all people. (25-291, 1969.10.5)

You should not be greedy when relating to others. (33-143, 1970.8.11)

In order to become good, you should not think that you have nothing to do with the evils of others. You should suffer for them, and pray throughout the night with tears for them, and live with the determination to offer a sacrifice of atonement for their sins. Such a person will surely become their central figure. (34-130, 1970.8.30)

A good person should know how to love children, young people, and the elderly. If human beings are in the position of stewards in relation to nature, people should love spring, summer, autumn, and winter. (72-100, 1974.5.26)

You should love and respect the elderly more than you do the young people. It would be alright just to meet young people, but you should especially love and have sympathy for older people who cannot work and who are weak and need care. But I cannot see such a trend in society today. (25-289, 1969.10.51

When you love others, you should not only love young people; you should love the young, elderly, and all human beings. When I look at youth today, I see that they avoid dealing with the elderly, but they should not do so. They should love the elderly and also the young. (25-289, 1969.10.5)

We should love people. We have to love people, and our yearning for them should be greater than that of anyone else. We are gathered together centering on God's will rather than human will. Therefore, we will surely remain as the fruit of love throughout the entire world.

When the trees densely cover the hills, it is difficult to distinguish a pine tree from a spindle tree. However, this will be revealed when it turns to autumn and winter. If you find a green tree in the winter, amid the trees with only trunks and branches, it stirs up hope inside you. This is symbolic of a new relationship being established. (25-287, 1967.10.5)

The first commandment is, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The first commandment says you should love God, and the second one says you should love your neighbor, meaning all humankind. You should love all humankind; they are your brothers and neighbors. (136-139, 1935.12.22)

Arrogance is your enemy. Arrogance and stubbornness are the natures and elements of Satan. Instead of being arrogant and stubborn, you should be modest and harmonious. You should be a person who can create harmony and friendship; someone who can harmonize with everyone. Everything starts to flow from here. Something greater cannot arise if people or things do not unite. This is what happens when there is no harmony. Jealousy and envy are other natures of Satan, but for us, arrogance and stubbornness are unforgivable. (37-132, 1970.12.23)