Cheon Seong Gyeong 2392
The reason God cannot live together with people on earth is that a unified view has not been established in the families. Once a unified view is established, God can come back and live together with them. When you say “true love,” there should be one integrated concept of the oneness of minds and bodies, of husbands and wives, and of sons and daughters. If these three can create unity, the family of true love will become the starting point of God’s Kingdom on earth and in heaven. When you unite into one centering on God and True Parents, you can build God’s Kingdom on earth and in heaven. Where does God’s Kingdom on earth start? It starts from you and your family, and from your children. (260-185, 1994.5.8)
Cheon Seong Gyeon 1549
It would have been fine to have five races, all of different complexions, living together in that world. Skin color is merely a reflection of one’s environment, and so having numerous peoples with different skin colors is a natural and fine thing. Then how did these peoples come to have different languages? Due to the Fall of the first ancestors, God separated them. (156-202, 1966.5.25)
Society
Law and Punishments
- The Law’s Noble Purpose
Teachings of True Father Sun Myung Moon
What are laws? Laws exist to prevent the destruction of things that are worthy of protection. There is a natural law that protects the universe from destruction. Likewise, nations have laws to protect society from destruction. Once we understand the purpose of laws, we can appreciate the importance of obeying them. (118:198, June 1, 1982)
Every country has its laws, whose purpose is to maintain goodness. After all, a nation’s constitution and the laws enacted by its legislature function to protect the general welfare, not destroy it. What about people who violate the law? All countries have prisons to punish them. Yet the standards of what is allowed and what is prohibited differ from one country to another according to the system of government and the views of its leaders. (216:306, April 15, 1991)
A nation enacts laws to enhance the public way of life. It places restrictions on people who live only to satisfy selfish desires and the desires of the body. The law sets limits on such self-centered activities; the more self-centered they are, the narrower are the limits the law sets. (105:15-16, July 8, 1979)
Human laws today are based on Roman laws, and Roman laws are the foundation of world culture. However, human morals are based on the conscience. Conscience precedes law… Society needs laws, because its members seek a social order that is in agreement with the untainted conscience. In the end, where do human laws have their basis? Their basis is in heavenly law. (33:44, August 2, 1970)
The law should set up a bright line distinguishing right from wrong. Doesn’t American law based on its Constitution set up a standard of right and wrong? The law does not punish people for serving the public. You can do infinite amounts of public service, and it is always welcomed. But many kinds of self-centered activities are prohibited. Whenever your self-centered actions damage the public, the law gets in the way. Hence, using violence to harm people or destroy property is illegal. Vandalizing public buildings is illegal. From this perspective, when someone speaks harsh, vituperative words that hurt others, He also violates the [heavenly] law. (111:239, February 22, 1981)
Why should you obey the laws of your nation? You may think, “That’s a bad law. I know that some crooked congressman introduced the bill and got it passed, so I’m not going to obey that law. I will follow my own laws.” Nevertheless, laws are made to preserve the freedom of the nation as a whole, and the nation’s freedom is a higher good than the preferences of particular individuals or groups. From this perspective, it is right to obey the law. By the same token, God’s law protects the freedom and integrity of the entire universe, above and beyond the desires of any of its creatures. (May 1, 1982)
At the Human Fall evil started first, ahead of goodness. Hence we must make effort to suppress evil and elevate goodness. What strategy shall we use? First, we must take control over our arrogance. The Fall occurred when human beings exalted themselves and pushed God aside. That was the beginning of Satan’s nature. Arrogance is the desire to elevate oneself without regard to law and discipline or to how it may affect the surrounding environment or the social order. An arrogant person has no regard for duty or law.
How do we describe a person who lives in accordance with the law? Do we say He is arrogant? No, we say he or she is as an honest person. The Korean word for honesty (jeongjik) is composed of two Chinese characters, 正 meaning “right” and 直 meaning “straight.” The law establishes what is straight. With the law we separate good from evil and distinguish between right and wrong.
An arrogant person ignores the law. We must put a stop to behavior that ignores the law and violates the norms expected according to one’s position and circumstances. (37:112, December 23, 1970)
What will be the constitution of the Kingdom of Heaven? It will establish the power of love and foster the life force of love. All laws in the Kingdom of Heaven will be for protecting love. (111:171, February 15, 1981)