Join us for this important National School Board Leadership Council Summit on July 30th, 2022.
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1880
You do not realize how much philosophy can be found in the ocean. People who have only lived on land will face a considerable amount of obstacles when they try to engage in ideal activities in the other world. In the spirit world, you can ride on whales and swim with the fish. But if you do not like the ocean, you cannot do that. (119-252, 1982.9.13)
Cheon Seong Gyeong 1985
The Korean peninsula was divided into north and south, not because our people wanted it, but because of the influence of the surrounding powerful nations, including the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and Japan. Consequently, the reunification of North and South Korea does not come to us just because we sit there on the Korean peninsula and wish for unification. We have to transform the existing situation, where the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and Japan play a leading role in the international order as they keep our nation divided. In other words, we should develop the proactive influence of our people and of Korea so the neighboring superpowers can cooperate in the reunification of the Korean peninsula instead of obstructing it. (231-8, 1992.5.11)
Repentance
3. Genuine Repentance Requires Changing Behavior
And whosoever repents and does good, he verily repents towards God with true repentance.
Qur’an 25.71 (Islam)
If a man finds that he has made a mistake, then he must not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending his ways.
Analects 1.8.4 (Confucianism) Whosoever looks upon his wrongdoing as wrongdoing, makes amends by confessing it as such, and abstains from it in the future, will progress according to the Law.
Digha Nikaya 1.85 (Buddhism)
How is one proved a repentant sinner? Rab Judah said, “If the object which caused his original transgression comes before him on two occasions, and he keeps away from it.”
Rabbi Jose ben Judah said, “If a man commits a transgression, the first, second, and third time he is forgiven; the fourth time he is not forgiven.”
Talmud, Yoma 86b (Judaism)
He who has committed a sin and has repented, is freed from that sin, but he is purified only by resolving to cease: “I will do so no more.”…
He who, having either unintentionally or intentionally committed a reprehensible deed, desires to be freed from it, must not commit it a second time.
If his mind be uneasy with respect to any deed, let him repeat the penances prescribed for it until they fully satisfy his conscience.
Laws of Manu 11.231-34 (Hinduism)
Expiation and repentance, to a man who continues to commit sinful acts, knowing them to be harmful, are of no avail. Futile is it to bathe an elephant if he is straightway to roll again in the mud.
Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1 (Hinduism)
Say, O My slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt! Despair not of the mercy of God, who forgives all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Turn to Him repentant, and surrender unto Him, before there can come upon you the doom, when you cannot be helped. And follow the better of that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord, before the doom comes on you suddenly when you know not. Lest any soul should say, “Alas, my grief that I was unmindful of God, and I was indeed among the scoffers!” Or should say, “If God had but guided me, I should have been among the dutiful!” Or should say, when it sees the doom, “Oh, that I had but a second chance, that I might be among the righteous!”
Qur’an 39.53-58
Do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then comes the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. You cannot say, when you are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, you cannot say this; for that same spirit which possesses your bodies at the time that you go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world. For behold, if you have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, you have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he has sealed you his.
Book of Mormon, Alma 34.33-35 (Latter-day Saints)