Loving God Starts From Below Your Own Feet

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(Video): God in the Public Square
Podcast: God in the Public Square

John 8

45 Everything I have told you is true, and you still refuse to have faith in me. 46 Can any of you accuse me of sin? If you cannot, why won’t you have faith in me? After all, I am telling you the truth. 47 Anyone who belongs to God will listen to his message. But you refuse to listen, because you don’t belong to God.

Richard: Rev. Moon brought the message of world peace through ideal families. This is the essential message for this age. The opposite is being enacted in the streets now because we did not heed this message.

Psalm 50

From east to west,
    the powerful Lord God
    has been calling together
    everyone on earth.
God shines brightly from Zion,
    the most beautiful city.

Our God approaches,
    but not silently;
    a flaming fire comes first,
    and a storm surrounds him.
God comes to judge his people.
    He shouts to the heavens
    and to the earth,
“Call my followers together!
They offered me a sacrifice,
    and we made an agreement.”

The heavens announce,
“God is the judge,
    and he is always honest.”

My people, I am God!
    Israel, I am your God.
    Listen to my charges
    against you.
Although you offer sacrifices
    and always bring gifts,
    I won’t accept your offerings
    of bulls and goats.

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 4

God’s Creation and Human Creativity

Stewardship

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Loving God starts from below your own feet. It means to love the things you possess and the natural environment. You absorb the things that you love as your life elements. Love all things equally. The entire universe exists in love, and you are part of it. Therefore, if you live for the universe, it will return to your bosom. (290:129, February 15, 1998)

There are languages in the animal world. If you sing to your plants, they will grow better and their flowers will generate more fragrance. Even flowers appreciate music and art. (262:127, July 23, 1994)

In the old days when people drove oxen to till the soil, they might whip the animal’s butt, hollering, “You rotten beast! Why are you so lazy? I raised you for this time of the year, you good-for-nothing!” Instead, you would do well to speak gently to the ox, “I am very sorry that I have to use you like this after a long winter of inactivity and poor feeding.” Have a heart more tolerant and patient than the animal, and God will draw near to you. (127:89, May 5, 1983)

Human beings, the center of the creation, want love. Animals also want love; so do plants. Animals want human love. Plants want love from animals. Humans, as the masters of creation, should love animals; those animals should love plants and other creatures. True love thus links everything in a hierarchical order, with God on the top, then human beings, then animals, then plants and finally minerals. (166:51-52, May 28, 1987)

When I go fishing, I release the first fish I catch. When I release it, however, I ask it a question based on the Principle: “You were born through love, so you should die for love; that is the way. Wouldn’t you like to live and die for the sake of human beings who love you?” (93:189, May 29, 1977)

Animals, male and female, should be liberated. Even fish should be liberated. We should build a world where people prepare food for the animals as their owners rather than kill them and eat them. (388:270, August 2, 2002)

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