ORDER NUMBER
80-01-27
REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON
SPEAKS ON
LINE OF LIMITATION
January 27, 1980
Belvedere
Translator - Bo Hi Pak
Copyright © 1980 by Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity
In our world we have many systems and regulations to live by. In
the same way there are many limits to cope with, so when you go beyond
a certain line you are always in a different environment or
atmosphere. We can appreciate that the fallen world has some
limitation lines; heaven also has boundaries because it is bordered by
hell. Sometimes we have to go beyond those lines, and sometimes stay
within them.
If we are isolated by the enemy in a war zone, we have to think how
to break out of enemy lines. In order to survive you have to break
through all the obstacles in front of you. A line of limitation is a
boundary between two aspects, and to make a breakthrough you have to
deal with this boundary.
Divine Principle is not a random ideology, but is precise enough to
guide you in a certain direction, and according to Divine Principle
there are certain limitations which we have to be bound by. When man
becomes one in mind and body, for instance, then he can make a
breakthrough and move over to another area. But if mind and body are
going in different directions, it cannot happen. You must have mind and
body in unity in order to go beyond individual perfection. The
principle that mind and body should be united is already there; it is
not created by you. You do not create any new rules. These are given by
the Creator of the universe, who has certain immovable principles that
guide unity between mind and body. In going the Principle way there are
formulas that you are bound by.
According to Divine Principle, when subject and object are united
into one then unity is always formed along a central line. It is not
only a line of guidance and direction, but extends to eternity. When
two objects or individuals are united, the central line of unity can be
extended to eternity.
We are confined by the fallen world, so in order to get out of that
circumstance we have to break through many lines of limitation, step by
step, before we are liberated. Those lines of limitation are trying to
contain us. In order to break through those lines, two objects have to
be united. What is the factor that can unite them? It is a common goal
and purpose which brings two together.
That common goal does not start from the two individuals, but is
greater than either of them. The Creator who made both already set up
the purpose; that higher purpose which joins the two requires that they
be united. Suppose plus and minus are united into one. When they are
united they correspond to some higher purpose. When they come closer
and closer to unity, their purpose is being elevated and the Creator's
idea is coming down, moving toward the central position. Those four
components then meet in a central place.
This principle applies as well in your work or mission. You have a
goal to reach, and while you are working toward it the purpose and high
ideal which corresponds to the purpose are being achieved. This is why
we say that the presence of God is found wherever subject and object
are united into one. Then the two united beings have give and take with
God and His presence becomes obvious.
There is an ancient tradition in the Orient that you use both hands
when you give or receive some precious thing from someone. A gift
rests on your two palms, which are subject and object, upon which the
gift or the purpose is given to a higher personage. Then the joy of
God stays with it.
When two entities are united they don't usually stand still but
make some circular motion. Where will this movement go? How do you know
that the movement is upward? When subject and object turn, the object
is pulled toward the center. The give and take of centrifugal and
centripetal forces will bring an object toward the center. There are
two opposing strengths having give and take, and when the central
pulling power is strong the object has to be moving around it and
coming closer to the center.
When the pulling strength gets stronger, the object will move
toward the center; when the pushing power gets stronger, the center
will move outward. Altogether it is a relationship of the two forces
that sets the direction. When the subject power is stronger, the object
should be pulled into it. God is the center, so do you think He is
moved by the pulling strength of any other creature, or does He pull
the creatures toward Him?
In our society we make conscientious effort to be united into one.
In school students try to unite with teachers, and at work employees
try to unite with employers. Why? Because through unity they want to be
closer to the common purpose which comes from the Creator; in other
words, they want to be closer to goodness. What is that goodness and
who determines it? Goodness always has the quality of making you closer
to the Creator and origin of the universe. It enables you to resemble
more and be more sensitive to the original quality-that quality is
goodness. What kind of quality makes you resemble God? The
characteristic of the Creator, the origin of goodness, is a quality of
public-mindedness.
Within yourself you will find two components- subject and object, a
personage of mind and a personage of body. These two are always sharing
or coexisting within you. Which of these should be subject? You might
say that your body is the most visible so it should be subject. No?
Then you are saying that the mind should be subject, right?
Why should the mind be subject? Suppose the mind tells the body to
help all the white people around the world, and then to relax and enjoy
itself. Once the body finishes, the mind discovers that it is not
content and decides to tell the body to help all the other races before
it relaxes. You will find that the mind is very greedy. When you help
the people of the world you might think the mind would be content, but
instead it wants the body to go help the things of the creation next.
It slave drives the body. The more you do, the greedier it gets
because it can expand without end.
The mind has no line of limit, but your body always wants to worry
first about itself. The body is uninterested in the country or the rest
of mankind and only worries about itself. It is always self-centered.
Therefore, you find a war going on in yourself, with the mind and body
each trying to pull the other in its direction. Sometimes the body
rebels and goes its own direction, trying to be happy. Then all of a
sudden the mind appears and chastises it. If the body enjoys some
carnal desire then afterward it wants to hide from the mind, but it is
to no avail.
If the body is pulled by the mind instead of going in its own
direction then it is completely worn out, but the mind will come and
praise the body and sleep together in peace with it. The mind is always
delighted when the body lives up to the mind's expectations, even if
the body gets totally worn out. Then the mind always gives it comfort
and peace. On the other hand, if the body gets very ambitious and
succeeds in conquering the world, the mind will always be there to
shake its finger and scold the body.
Suppose the body decides it doesn't need the mind and wants to cut
loose; the body will never succeed. The body can never completely
escape the mind. Can the body fully conquer the mind? No, never in a
million years. But the mind is always capable of conquering the body
completely. Which is the subject then? Is it the being which has the
ability to conquer and control, or that which has the ability to be
conquered?
Then why would the mind and body try to unite? When mind and body
are united, they make a perfected object which can have give and take
with a higher subject. If students try to comply with the wishes of the
teacher, the end result will be a good one; the students will be moving
up the ladder of accomplishment. It doesn't matter what area of life
this principle is applied to, whether government, business, or
education-where the object tries to live up to the wishes of the
subject the outcome is always good.
What would the mind like best? The mind likes good things. What are
good things? What is the central purpose of God's existence? Does He
want to fulfill power or knowledge? What is the central essence for
which God must exist? What is the central strength for which purpose
even God exists and everything can be created? There must be some
essence of desire; that is true love.
If true love pulls the subject then there must be an object for
true love. If true love is the subject, then false or illicit love
could not be an object because they could not unite. Do we need true
love? Why do you want to become closer to God? Because God is the
subject of true love; He is the reservoir or source of true love.
Everyone is seeking their ultimate resting place of tranquility and
peace. God is seeking it; man is seeking it and the creation is seeking
it. What should that resting place have? Would you like to live
permanently in the place which generates power and electricity?
A place of trueness has a certain unchanging and unique quality.
The way of true love is like a shortcut because it is a straight line.
Even electricity always travels through the shortest circuit when it
has the option of going along several circuits. Even if the shortcut is
tough and rugged, it will always go that way. There must be some
circuit of give and take between God and man, and the shortest route is
the way of true love. When you say you like true love you are saying
you like the way of life or direction of true love. What are you
trying to achieve in the end? You are expecting to capture God. Instead
of taking God's position yourself, you want God to take your position.
Instead of God possessing you, you want to possess God. That's the
ultimate privilege we men are seeking.
Why did God make two separate entities which could potentially come
into conflict? Why not make one entity? The mind should be able to
bring the entire world with it, not just be one with God by itself,
because then there would be much more variety for enjoyment. You don't
want to wear the same color all the time; you want variety. In your
home you want to have pets, to have a garden. When you were young you
had a variety of toys. You may think you need nothing except your
loving husband, but when you really want to enrich that love you need a
variety of surroundings that create a rich atmosphere for give and take
of love.
When the master gives love, all the creation responds, whether it
is animal or plant. Nature also inspires the master; the singing of two
birds in love, for instance, gives you an idea for loving your own
husband or wife. Nature offers that kind of stimulation. Why do you
like to wear ornaments like earrings, and even nose rings? Because you
want to relate to nature in some way, and nature wants to be part of
you by being worn by you. That's all part of the world of art.
Imagine a playground that is absolutely flat, with no other objects
there at all. No one would think of it as artistic or functional.
Suppose it was completely flat but you put an ugly rock in the center.
Now there is something to hold on to. Even the ugly rock will break up
the monotony, and make the playground much more attractive. Man is not
just a material creature, but an artistic one.
We are living in a world which imposes all kinds of limits. When
you think of all the limits that impose on you, sometimes you feel
choked. Young people hate lines of limitation and they rebel against
them by living any way they want to. The hippies don't want to be
bothered by anyone else's standards, yet even with that attitude they
still think of love; it may not be true love, but they want love. They
think they can have love with anyone they choose. What's the difference
between this love and true love? There is no purposeful direction in
that love, so there is no truth there.
What is the difference between truth and falsehood? Truth has
permanent direction and purpose, while false things have no direction
or goal except momentary fun or satisfaction. People who pursue false
love reject the bonds and commitment of marriage, and feel free to have
affairs with married people. Even hippies who disregard regulations
cannot disregard love, but their love has no direction. Is such love
pulled by the desire of the body or of the mind? This is an
irresponsible exploitation of love, turning the supreme thing into the
dirtiest thing under the sun. When this misuse of love is rampant, a
nation becomes the most immoral in the world.
We are igniting a revolution in America. We talk about love, but it
is love with truth. We want to perfect love with truth and be governed
by the mind, which is connected to the ultimate purpose and goal. When
you pursue illicit, aimless love, destruction and sadness always
result. But when you go in the opposite direction and pursue love
governed by the mind, there is harmony, productivity and joy in the
end.
Do you think God, in His perfection, would have created mind and
body to be in opposition all the time? Or did He provide some other
way? If God could not provide a way for them to be in harmony, He could
not really be God. Your two eyes coordinate to produce one image; they
focus instead of going in two different directions. If even one side
of your nose becomes stuffed up, you suffer. If your two ears can't
coordinate, you suffer. How much more would you suffer over the
separation of mind and body? The greatest pain results when mind and
body are moving without harmony.
If a part of one hand is missing, you feel embarrassed and want to
hide it. If you feel such shame with a crippled hand, why don't people
feel shame when their mind and body are crippled by separation? If
some cripple swaggers about, boasting how great and handsome he is,
people look at him as though he were crazy. It is the same with people
today; they feel they are wonderful and handsome, but God and spirit
world see them as cripples who don't realize their true situation. They
can only pity such people.
The most important thing is to realize what shape we are in as a
result of the fall. Would you blame God for your misfortune? It was
not God's original intention to create cripples, but to have perfect
sons and daughters. What brought such great pain and disfigurement to
mankind? Love itself. Originally love should have been governed by a
God-centered mind, but first mind and body should be united. Because of
the work of Satan the mind has been enslaved by the body and love has
been abused and distorted.
The mind should be plus and the body minus, but Satan made the body
a plus; in physics two plusses repel each other. The misuse of love
caused the mind and body to push themselves miles apart, so what is the
cure? Illicit love was the cause, so the cure should be true love,
which is completely the opposite. The body should become minus by
denying its desires. Denial, therefore, is the beginning point.
What has been the central teaching of God? It has been the denial
of body-centered desire, of self-centeredness. Complete denial brings
complete love. A house must be cleaned in order to receive the new
master. This is what religion has always taught, emphasizing
sacrificial service. Sometimes the body cannot be still or patient, but
the mind insists that the body take a beating. In the Unification
Church we intensify this process so that we can welcome true love.
Today two worlds are in conflict, the communist world and the free
world, because both want to be subject. The communists say that God
does not exist because He cannot be seen, and say that material, or the
body, is the only reality. By doing so they are trying to create a
permanent base for Satan. But the free world rejects that, saying that
God, and thus the mind, is the center of the world. The communists
insist that there is only physical love, but the free world proclaims
that God-centered, purposeful love is central. Love is one, uniting one
man with one woman. That is a basic principle of the universe. The
direction of love must be straight, not zigzag. A zigzag is not the
shortest route. American society today has become the victim of Satan,
so this nation is bound to decline because there is no room for God
here.
Originally the mind was subject, but the problem is that the body
wants to be subject as well, not object. We have to push the body back
to its object position. There are many layers of obstacles blocking you
before you can conquer your body. There are two ways to go about
this-go through each layer one by one, or all at one stroke. Jesus
taught the method of doing it all at once-nail your body down on the
cross. That's why Jesus taught that the person who wants to gain his
life would lose it, but he who would lose his life for Jesus' sake
would gain it.
Even in spirit world at this time there are many limitations and
compartments. What is the method of transcending all these
limitations? The only way is to become a center of true love, the
personification of true love. Then you will be welcome everywhere in
spirit world and on earth.
Love is governed by the Principle; there is love of brothers and
sisters, of friends, of parents, of children, all of which are governed
by heavenly principle. But when roles in love are ,mixed up, it is not
true love. True love is a ladder by which you can come closer to God,
but false, illicit love takes you away from God. Each form of love
results in a different movement. When you become men and women of true
love, you will be welcomed by the entire universe because you will be a
harmonizing factor. This will be true on earth and in spirit world, so
everyone will welcome you.
Wherever true love moves all barriers are shattered and there is no
limitation. Within the guidance of your mind, which has no limit, you
have absolute freedom. As long as your mind is subject, you can enjoy
true freedom. How big is your mind? It is so big that you can embrace
God and then go to sleep.
The religion which teaches true love is the true religion; it will
also be a logical religion because it starts with truth. Do you love
me? If you say yes then would Mother feel jealous? She won't be
jealous if she has true love. Wherever love goes there is harmony and a
certain standard of discipline. There are specific distinctions in
love-love of father and daughter, of father and son, of husband and
wife, for instance. Here I look at you as sons and daughters, in the
straight way.
I have a special privilege because I am welcome wherever I go.
Even the heart of someone who has lived alone all his life is warmed.
Even if I don't give you gifts or money, you feel warm inside when I
come. It is because I am bringing you something- true love. Therefore,
I live life without limitation. I can go through the boundaries of
white people, black people, yellow people, and cultural boundaries make
no difference. I bring the same warmth and fullness everywhere. When
Satan sees me moving so freely around the world he anxiously looks for
a way to lock me up somewhere. Satan puts up walls, but I just move
through them.
You are not bothered by stone walls because with true love you can
crawl under or go over, or seep through. Love is so powerful that
people will give up their life even for satanic love, but how much more
would you do if you had true love? Then no power would block you. True
love is like a rubber band that can stretch over miles and miles, no
matter how far away you go. There is a lifeline connecting your spirit
and body, but it is so elastic that even when your body is asleep your
spirit man can travel all over spirit world, many millions of miles
away, and it never rips or gets tangled up. Love is that kind of line.
Young people are very excited about freedom, but what freedom do
they want? Do they want money any way they can get it? The freedom I am
talking about is freedom to have true love. True love will give you
total liberation. With true love alone can you enjoy true freedom.
Wherever you go with true love you always have dignity and pride. If
you do fund raising with true love there is no greediness; true love
always wants to add to your accomplishment, not take away, so what you
do shines in an eternal sense.
When you release an arrow of true love, it will penetrate the
entire earth and hit the bull's eye- which is God's heart. You don't
even have to aim it. This is not just talk, and when you go to spirit
world it will be completely obvious in daily life. True love is
omnipotent, regardless of what shape or direction you have. It always
goes in the right direction, whether you are walking, jumping or
flying.
If you have only 50 per cent true love then 50 per cent of your
limitations are still there. Do you believe this is true, or know it as
a fact? When you get straight A's at Harvard that record remains with
you the rest of your life. The same thing can be said in the realm of
religion. What kind of teaching are you getting here? This is the
university of true love. Harvard is a big name in American colleges,
yet there are many ungodly activities there and secular love is
rampant. If Harvard represents one extreme, this university of true
love represents the other extreme. We are looking at love through a
telescope, which means we have a direction and discipline in love. It
is so disciplined that men and women even sit separately.
In the everyday world it is the accepted thing for men and women to
have fun together. But in our world even men having fun with men and
women with women is not normal! What is our purpose then ? We don't
want to deviate even one iota from true love. For what purpose? Because
true love represents total freedom. If you are climbing up on God's
shoulders in true love then He is happy, and even if you kidnap God He
will be laughing and happy. That's the way spirit world works.
When you get to spirit world with true love, you won't even have to
go to God's throne-He will bring His throne and entire palace to you.
All spirit world will want to bring heaven to you. I have struck the
best deal in the cosmos. It is so fantastic that many people think I am
crazy. They can't believe anything that good could be true. True love
is the outcome and gain, so I am not satisfied with the idea of just
brainwashing-I would want a bodywash, footwash, handwash-total wash.
Would there be anyone who wouldn't want it? The point is that no one
can get this true love unless they are correctly guided and go to the
right university. People say Moonies are brainwashed, but I say we are
true-love-washed. True love is like a fireball, and when you are
touched by it then it is no problem for mind and body to become one;
true love will melt them into one.
With this realization, Jesus' teaching becomes clear; he said you
can even love your enemy. With true love there are no enemies. True
love is so powerful that it can melt hell into heaven. That is the
proclamation and gift we can give to the world. This is a gift that
will last forever and never be bound by lines of limitation. We can
give it to the world this year, next year, next century and forever
thereafter. People oppose the Unification Church only because they do
not know what it is. Once they know, there is no way they could oppose
it.
Sometimes our members get agitated and ask God why He leaves our
detractors and the deprogrammers alone, complaining that He should
strike them down. But that is a bad attitude. These people are only
opposing us out of ignorance. It is our privilege to liberate them from
ignorance. Unless you have given them the truth. how can you condemn
them? Furthermore, we have true love that is good enough to melt their
animosity. Even in the secular world you have to examine all the
evidence and test the competency of a defendant before he can be
sentenced to prison. We cannot just judge people before we make sure
they know what we are standing for. We have a responsibility to teach
everyone so that they can know.
Whenever you meet people who oppose you, you should repent,
thinking that you are responsible for that because you have not yet
given them the truth. When our enemies truly know what we are doing,
don't you think those enemies will repent? I know precisely how we can
eliminate the lines of limitation and enjoy true freedom; it will
happen through true love.
Your worst enemy is actually your own body. If you can dominate
your own body then unity with the rest of the universe will come
easily. My lifetime slogan since I began pioneering this path has been,
"Before you long for dominion of the universe, you must have
control over yourself." That is the first battle to be won, and if
you fail here then you will get nowhere. When you get control over your
own body you are on your way.
True freedom can only be enjoyed in the Kingdom of Heaven. In
today's crazy world people are running after physical, carnal desires
and comforts, but those things don't give them true comfort and peace
because their consciences are always saying, "You are wrong."
Shall we begin this journey? Raise your hands if you can say Yes. God
bless you.
I want you to know that from now on there will be a special system
for attendance at Belvedere on Sundays; this will be a place mainly for
leaders to come on Sunday morning, who then will tell the rest of the
membership what my message was.
I consider no one my enemy, but many people consider me their enemy
to the degree that they want to harm me. They think that if they
eliminate me from America or from the world that the Unification Church
will come to an end. As long as there is God there will always be a
Unification Church and millions of Reverend Moons, but the problem is
that those who consider me their enemy don't think so.
There are many things going on behind the scenes which you do not
need to know. I have become a giant threat to the communist world, so
the next five or six years will be critical and those who hate me will
do everything they can to kill me. That's the reason we have to take
such precautions as are humanly possible. We have to have a certain
organization and discipline to do important things for the sake of
posterity.
I will be traveling a lot and you will not know where I am. You
should just go ahead with your mission regardless, knowing that always
I will be working harder than you are for the work of God.
No one is more expert on communism than I am. You are novices and
simply have no idea what the communists are like. I even have
information from other governments warning that certain precautions are
needed. Also spiritually I know there are groups who are trying to
curtail our movement. It makes sense that these things are happening
because you know what I represent and what we are trying to do.
The communists are experts on dirty tricks, and you may not even
know who the person sitting next to you really is. There was even a
bomb discovered in this room. The ignition wires had been lit, but
mysteriously went out before the bomb exploded. I am not bothered by
these things because my life is in God's hands. I have lived my life
under constant threat, but it still is our duty to take maximum
precautions.
Once the third seven-year course is over I won't have to risk my
life, but until then I have to go on, and no matter what I will always
be at the front line. While I am living on earth I must set certain
rules and traditions which will guide the Unification Church for
thousands of years, and much work remains to be done.
This does not mean I will not meet you, or that I will avoid the
mission, but I will do it according to a certain standard and
criterion. Great safety precautions are taken even for one head of
state. There is a great deal of potential danger when my family
travels, or goes to school. The time has definitely come when we need
our own country, where we can have our way of life.
For the time being I will speak to 70-150 members, mostly leaders
who will be coming from all different parts of the world. They will be
taking my message to the members. Of course, new members and home
church members will always be coming to service at the World Mission
Center. It is not for my private reason but for the public purpose and
the well-being of our movement that we do this.
I may not speak every Sunday, even to the leaders. When I pray on
Sunday mornings at East Garden I receive direction from God about
whether I should speak, so even I will not know until the last minute
whether I am coming. I know you will appreciate how precious this
concrete floor is. I think you fully understand the reason for this,
right?
Many indications over the past weeks have prompted this action.
Sometimes even our members are attacked, so how much more could I be a
victim? I want each of you to be ready to defend yourself by learning
martial arts. The communists are often brutal and vicious, and they
don't care what method they use as long as they accomplish their end.
This is the reason everyone is afraid to deal with them, but I am not
afraid. I will confront them face to face. That is how our movement
works in Japan, how CARP is working here in America, and that is my
policy everywhere.
Over the last sixty years the communists have thought that their
goal of world conquest was becoming a reality. It is their unmistakable
goal to conquer the free world, but recently they have seen some rough
resistance coming from Reverend Moon. I am the one who educated all
South Korea about anticommunism, and put the Japanese communists on the
defensive for the first time. Kim 11 Sung is outraged at what I am
doing. Ironically it is the communists who know best what I am doing.
The charge that I brainwash people originates with the communists
because they know how powerful the Divine Principle is. They fabricated
many lies about me and fed them to the media, who ate them up. This
character assassination is how they want to discredit me.
Communist infiltration has become complete in the Christian
churches. Recently I have received a heartrending letter from some
young Korean residents here. One said he was employed by an
organization headed by certain prominent people who promised him good
pay. It has turned out to be a communist front and they want him to
pretend to become a devout Christian, give large donations to his
church, and become a leader of the youth groups there. He is asking me
to help him get away safely from these people. That is how communists
work. There is tremendous infiltration in the State and Defense
Departments.
The attacks against me intensified at the time of the Fraser
investigation, and in Fraser's own words, they tried to crucify me.
But they failed. They have tried every possible peaceful means to
eliminate me, such as legal action to deport me from America, criminal
investigations and IRS investigation, but there is nothing there. I am
completely clear, so their last resort will be violence.
Look at what happened to John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I
know very clearly what happened behind the scenes of those
assassinations. There are many conspiracies between the CIA, KGB, and
the Chinese and North Korean equivalents of the KGB, as well as their
powerful underground organizations. I have witnessed first hand the
inside of the free world and the communist world. Even Christianity and
Judaism are not that friendly to us, but are our formidable enemies.
This shows how strong we are. Otherwise they would never waste their
time.
You love me unconditionally, and they hate me unconditionally. I
can never be in the middle ground- either I am extremely good or
extremely bad. Would you want to protect me more than these enemies of
ours are loyal to their own cause?
I am so well-known that wherever I travel I am recognized.
Therefore, the best place for me to stay is East Garden. The Shah of
Iran is a very unfortunate man now because in the entire world there is
no sanctuary for him. That is my situation too, but I have hope and I
know the Kingdom is coming. But while the way is still being fought
certain precautions must be taken and I don't have much freedom of
movement.
The next few years will see a heated showdown and will determine
the outcome of the struggle. If I do not see you too frequently, don't
be disappointed, but understand.