Author: Richard Urban

There is No God Save Him

Cheon Seong Gyeong 2296

The Completed Testament Age signifies that the entire world can receive grace from the True Parents equally. For that to happen, cause, lineage, right of ownership and realm of heart need to be converted. That is the responsibility of the tribal messiahs. Indeed, this has been made possible because we have entered the era of women. (251-286, 1993.11.1)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 861

Who is God? He is your friend! He is your best friend. He is your elder brother, Father, King and Creator. So when you enter the vast world of heaven in the spirit world, even if you ask God for something greater than anything there, He will make it for you. That will not be a problem. How proud you will be! That is the position representing God. Do you think God would dislike people who reach that position? No! He will welcome them saying, “My son, my number one son!” This is the greatest wish of a parent. (293-161, 1998.5.26)

Islam

2. A Rival Religion, Correcting the Religions that Preceded It

Surely the true religion with God is Islam. And those who were (formerly) given the Book differed only after knowledge had come to them, out of envy among themselves. Whoever disbelieves the messages of God, God is Quick at the reckoning.
    Qur’an 3.19
 
And the Jews say the Christians follow nothing true, and the Christians say the Jews follow nothing true; yet both are readers of the same Scripture. Even thus speak those who know not. God will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differ.
    Qur’an 2.113
 
[The children of Israel] alter the words from their contexts and neglect a portion of that whereof they were reminded. And you will always discover treachery in them excepting a few of them—so pardon them and forgive.  Surely Allah loves those who do good to others. 
    And with those who say, “We are Christians,” We made a covenant, but they neglected a portion of that whereof they were reminded, so We stirred up enmity and hatred among them to the Day of Resurrection. And Allah will soon inform them of what they did.
    O People of the Book, indeed Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you much of what you concealed of the Book and passing over much. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a Light and a clear Book.
    Qur’an 5.13-15
 
And when Allah says, “O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to mankind, ‘Take me and my mother for two gods beside Allah?’” He says, “Be glorified! It was not mine to utter that to which I had no right. If I used to say it, then Thou wouldst know it. Thou knowest what is in my mind, and I know not what is in Thy mind. Surely Thou art the Knower of Things Hidden.
    Qur’an 5.116
 
Fight those who believe not in God nor in the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by God and His Apostle, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, even if they are of the People of the Book, until they pay the tribute39 with willing submission and acknowledge their subjection.
    The Jews say, “Ezra is the son of God,” and the Christians say, “Christ is the Son of God.” That is a saying from their mouth; they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. God’s curse be upon them: how they are deluded away from the truth!
    They have taken as lords besides God their rabbis and their monks and Christ the son of Mary, when they were bid to worship only one God. There is no God save Him…
    It is He who hath sent His Messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may cause it to prevail over all religion, however much the idolaters may be averse.
    Qur’an 9.29-33
 
 
 
 

True Believers Are Filled with Awe at the Mention of God

Numbers 9

23 They obeyed the Lord’s commands and went wherever he directed Moses.

Psalm 104

8 The Lord is merciful!
He is kind and patient,
    and his love never fails.
9 The Lord won’t always be angry
    and point out our sins;
10     he doesn’t punish us
    as our sins deserve.

Islam

Today Islam is playing a major role in God’s unfolding providence. Father Moon finds in Muslims a firm faith and moral clarity that is sorely needed in this relativistic age, when Christianity has grown feeble. He totally rejects the “clash of civilizations” scenario that would see the Muslim world as an enemy of the West. Because Islam is a higher religion, it has the spiritual blessing to be one of the pillars of the Kingdom of God.
Islam is a righteous religion, and holds itself above Judaism and Christianity, which it regards as filled with errors and hypocrisy. Nevertheless, what is required in this age is reconciliation between these three religions as the spiritual mainstays of humanity. Father Moon identifies the source of their conflict neither in doctrine nor in the events surrounding Muhammad’s ministry, but rather in the crucifixion of Jesus, which sowed the seeds that have borne their inevitable fruit in the contemporary world. Resolving the mistakes of that time will require the concerted efforts of all—Christians, Jews and Muslims—the descendants of the actors in that drama.

1. A Religion of Faith and Righteousness

You are the best community that has been raised up for mankind. You enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and you believe in God.
    Qur’an 3.110

God has endeared the Faith to you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you unbelief, wickedness, and rebellion: such indeed are those who walk in righteousness—a grace and favor from God.
    Qur’an 49.7

We believe in God, and in that which has been sent down on us and sent down on Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and the Prophets; of their Lord; we make no division between any of them, and to Him we surrender.
    Qur’an 2.136

This [Qur’an] is the Book which We have revealed as a blessing; so follow it and be righteous, that you may receive mercy; lest you should say, “The Book was send down to two peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with what they learned by studying it”; or lest you should say, “If only the Book had been sent down to us, we should have followed its guidance better than they.” Now then has come to you a clear proof from your Lord, and a guide and a mercy; then who could do more wrong than one who rejects Allah’s revelations and turns away from them?
    Qur’an 6.155-157

The true believers are those whose hearts are filled with awe at the mention of God, and whose faith grows stronger as they listen to His revelations. They put their trust in their Lord, pray steadfastly, and give in alms of that which We have given them. Such are the true believers. They shall be exalted and forgiven by their Lord, and a generous provision shall be made for them.
    Qur’an 8.2-4

O you who believe, be upright for Allah, bearers of witness with justice; and let not hatred of a people incite you not to act equitably. Be just; that is nearer to observance of duty. And keep your duty to Allah. Surely Allah is aware of what you do.
    Qur’an 5.8

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Islam is a comprehensive religion. It adopted the teachings of the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible, but with God alone as its center. It was founded with contents appropriate to Arab culture. (39:316, January 16, 1971)

Today Islam will become a prophetic religion to ignite this deviating world. (39:42, January 9, 1971)

The Grand Mufti of Syria is a leader of accomplished self-discipline who has highly cultivated his spirit. After World War II he received a revelation from Heaven that dreadful punishment would come unless Islam united with Judaism and Christianity. Because he kept this revelation for forty years, he was persecuted and imprisoned several times. Still, he could not fulfill Heaven’s commission.
    After learning of my interreligious activities, he was moved to think, “I should go and visit Father Moon.” (212:324, January 11, 1991)

 

You Shall Remember All the Ways that the Lord Your God Has Led You

Urban Life Training Newsletter-April-2021

New Richard Urban Show: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda-One Year Later
The original eight part series: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda
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Cheon Seong Gyeong 185

The Unification Church is now speaking of True Parents after having uncovered these facts that remained hidden throughout the ages. In accordance with the original view of the ideal of creation, the horizontal seat of the True Parents is the seat of God’s son and daughter. In other words, it is the seat of Adam and Eve. Then, what about God? If those who are like the body are Adam and Eve, the one who is in the seat of the father, who is like the vertical mind, is God.

Cheong Seong Gyeong 1204

As America represents the democratic world and the whole of humanity then, if it is to attain the heavenly standard of restoration through indemnity centered on the historical Christian cultural realm, what way of thinking should America have? It should be based on being determined to liberate God. It must have a conscientious heart in seeking the liberation of God. The True Parents who are to come, come as the incarnation of God, so America must attend the True Parents and love humankind more than its own people. Americans must love humankind more than their own people and nation. That is why, within America, there are numerous nationalities, peoples, tribes and families. (148-166, 1986.10.8)

Judaism

As the first great religion in God’s Providence, Judaism holds a unique place among the world’s religions. In ancient times, in an age darkened by idolatry, God called the Israelites and made with them an eternal covenant. Many Jews today are zealous to keep the laws of the covenant out of an intense faith and awe at God’s favor and their special destiny as the chosen people. Yet this uniqueness has always been balanced by a conviction that Judaism has a universal mission. The prophets declared that the Jews were not chosen for their own sake, but to bear the light of God’s truth to all nations. Amidst this tension between universalism and ethnocentrism that runs throughout Jewish history, Father Moon consistently calls on Judaism to take a global perspective.
The Jews have also suffered more than any other people. For two thousand years they wandered without a nation, oppressed and persecuted, culminating in the holocaust of six million. how could they continue to cling to God in the midst of their suffering? What meaning could it have in the context of God’s saving history? Father Moon addresses this question in several ways: it is God’s course of training to make them strong; it is to unify the Jewish people and draw them closer to God; it is to make them fit to lead the world to God.
Christians have always had difficulty coming to terms with Judaism, on account of its rejection of Jesus as the Messiah. Nevertheless, there is no excuse for Christian anti-Semitism, particularly since Jesus and the disciples were themselves Jews. Still, the genuine anguish of Saint Paul, who never ceased to care for his Jewish brethren even though in his view they lost their way by not receiving Christ, is echoed in Father Moon’s teaching. however, unlike Paul, Father Moon does not emphasize the conversion of the Jews. he teaches that Jews can fulfill God’s contemporary Will through interfaith solidarity, whereby Judaism, Christianity and Islam each retain their identity even as they forgive each other, love each other, and unite for world peace.
Father Moon is supportive of the modern state of Israel as a particular homeland for the Jewish people, but not at other people’s expense. He teaches that Israel’s survival and prosperity is possible only in the context of genuine peace and reconciliation with its Arab neighbors—thereby resolving a conflict with deep historical roots extending back to Israel’s biblical origin. Consistent with his restorations approach, he calls for Jews and Arabs to extend themselves to each other in love, going beyond self-interest

  1. The Chosen People
All Israel shall have a part in the world to come, as it is said, “And they people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” (Isa. 60:21)
    Mishnah, Sanhedrin 10.1
 
If you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
    Exodus 19.5-6
O Children of Israel! Remember My favor with which I favored you, and fulfill your covenant, and I shall fulfill My covenant; and fear Me.
    Qur’an 2.40
 
The Holy One desired to make Israel worthy, so He gave them many laws and commandments.
    Mishnah, Makkot 3.16
 
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the lord set his love upon you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples; but it is because the Lordl oves you, and is keeping the oath which he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know, therefore, that the lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments…
    And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the lord. Your clothing did not wear out upon you, and your foot did not swell, these forty years. Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him.
    Deuteronomy 7.6-9, 8.2-6
 
The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my
name,
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.
“It is too light a thing that you should be my
servant
only to reestablish the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the
earth.”
    Isaiah 49.1-3, 6
 
 

Love is the Basis for “Heaven”

Urban Life Training Newsletter-April-2021

New Richard Urban Show: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda-One Year Later
The original eight part series: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda
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Mark 5

25 In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had gone to many doctors, and they had not done anything except cause her a lot of pain. She had paid them all the money she had. But instead of getting better, she only got worse.

27 The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes. 28 She had said to herself, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well.” 29 As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was well.

Richard I believe that Home Church is healing physically and spiritually. Blessed couples who have a Home Church ministry will reap the benefits of physical and spiritual health. I know that that is the case for me and Stacey.

Zechariah 10

10 I, the Lord, am the one
    who sends storm clouds
and showers of rain
    to make fields produce.
So when the crops need rain,
    you should pray to me.

2 You can’t believe idols
    and fortunetellers,
or depend on the hope
you receive from witchcraft
    and interpreters of dreams.
But you have tried all of these,
and now you are like sheep
    without a shepherd.

3 I, the Lord All-Powerful,
    am fiercely angry
with you leaders,
    and I will punish you.
I care for my people,
    the nation of Judah,
and I will change
this flock of sheep
    into charging war horses.

Confucianism

2. The Confucian Concept of Heaven

Heaven helps the man who is devoted; men help the man who is true. He who walks in truth and is devoted in his thinking, and furthermore reveres the worthy, is blessed by Heaven.
I Ching, Great Commentary 1.12.1

Yüeh-cheng Tzu saw Mencius. “I mentioned you to the prince,” said he, “and he was to have come to see you. Amongst his favorites is one Tsang who dissuaded him. That is why he failed to come.”
“When a man goes forward,” said Mencius, “there is something which urges him on; when he halts, there is something which holds him back. It is not in his power either to go forward or to halt. It is due to Heaven that I failed to meet the Marquis of Lu. How can this fellow Tsang be responsible for my failure?”
Mencius I.B.16
All a gentleman can do in starting an enterprise is to leave behind a tradition which can be carried on. Heaven alone can grant success. Mencius I.B.14
When under siege in K’uang, Confucius said, “With King Wen dead, is not culture (wen) invested here in me? If Heaven intends culture to be destroyed, those who come after me will not be able to have any part of it. If Heaven does not intend this culture to be destroyed, then what can the men of K’uang do to me?”
Analects 9.5R

Revere the anger of Heaven,
And presume not to make sport or be idle.
Revere the changing moods of Heaven,
And presume not to drive about at your
pleasure.
Great Heaven is intelligent,
And is with you in all your goings.
Great Heaven is clear-seeing,
And is with you in your wanderings and
indulgences. 25
Book of Songs, Ode 254

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Confucius, through his teachings, taught about many aspects of human morals and ethics… Confucius knew about God’s aspect of principled laws, but not about a personal God, a God having intellect, emotion and will. This makes Confucianism an archangel-type religion. It has influenced the world in morals and ethics, especially in East Asia. (295:174-75, August 28, 1998)

Confucianism’s teaching about God is symbolic. It does not contain any concrete contents about God’s character or attributes. Its teachings are focused on morals and ethics. For example, one of its main teachings is: “If you do good deeds, you will be blessed; if you do not, you will be punished.” (53:231, February 28, 1972)

Confucius said, “Those who live for the sake of goodness will be blessed by Heaven, but to those who do not live for the sake of goodness, Heaven will bring misfortune.” What does he mean by “Heaven”? It is ambiguous. That is why his teaching sometimes appears to be a religion and other times not. (38:260, January 8, 1971)

In Korean custom, a person receiving a gift from someone his senior must take it with both hands. This symbolizes that a person can only receive when he becomes a ‘level’ base for the older person’s love. He receives by setting himself at a ninety-degree angle to the giver. We have a saying in Korea, “the heart of the people is the heart of Heaven.” Our rules and customs were formed by the logic of the [vertical] conscience, to be employed in fulfillment of the horizontal. (171:237, January 1, 1988)

This means that there must be a meeting of Heaven and earth. Heaven must connect with the [horizontal virtues of] benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom. Yet, in Confucianism, they were not successfully connected. Hence, its concept of Heaven is vague, the Four Virtues are vague, and people have not known how to link them. Due to this ignorance, the substantial standards of these two forms could not be manifested in history; therefore they were washed away.
How, according to the Unification Principle, do we manifest the dual characteristics [vertical and horizontal]? How can we then establish a realm of substance, and what form will it take in society? I am talking about the substantial realm of re-creation. What human beings desire most is not knowledge, not power and not money. We desire accomplishments of love: Love between teacher and disciple, love between parent and child, love between king and subject—does not love enter into all these relationships? By the same token, Heaven also needs loving sons and daughters. Hence the Principle speaks of love between Heaven and the sons and daughters of Heaven. (185:272, January 17, 1989)


Traditional Confucian Values Make Sense

Urban Life Training Newsletter-April-2021

New Richard Urban Show: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda-One Year Later
The original eight part series: The Great Fraud-The COVID 19 Agenda
Enjoy on video or podcast, and please share!

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1023

If you love the members who have just joined, then they can quickly set the condition for indemnity. The reason the church is not able to make progress is because this is not being done. This is the reason why God said to love each other and live in harmony. (18-40, 1967.5.15)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1241

God’s Blessing is absolutely public in nature. It is not just for an individual, family, nation, or even the world. God’s Blessing is for the whole universe. (15-67, 1965. 2.13

Confucianism

1. Confucian Ethics

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Many of Confucius’ teachings are close to the laws of Heaven. (31:292, June 4, 1970)
 
Confucianism teaches the principled way of human life. What is its central theme? “As all things proceed according to the way of Heaven through the stages of sprout, growth, harvest and [winter] storage, a person’s character develops by the principles of benevolence (jen), righteousness (i), propriety (li), and wisdom (chih).”23 People should cultivate their character by these principles and so accord with the Way of Heaven. Confucianism thus places character as the standard for the human being, but not necessarily love.
    People practice and cultivate benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom in the context of the Three Bonds—[loyalty] between a king and his subjects, [filial piety] between parents and children, and [fidelity] between husband and wife—and the Five Moral Disciplines—closeness between parents and children, righteousness between a king and his subjects, distinction between husband and wife, order between elder an younger brothers, and trust between friends. (296:272, November 10, 1998)
 
According to Eastern thought, when two people are walking along a road, the older person should go first. Why? Because he came into the world first. There is an attempt to arrange human relationships according to the orderliness of nature. He who comes later walks behind; that which is higher is placed higher; and that which is lower is placed lower… By clearly establishing all relative positions, there is a sense of unchanging order. (168:252, September 27, 1987)
 
Confucianism teaches the Three Bonds and Five Moral Disciplines.24 The Five Moral Disciplines consist of: closeness between parent and child; righteousness between the king and his subjects; distinction between [husband and wife, order] between elder and younger; trust among friends. The Three Bonds refer to loyalty, filial piety and fidelity. All people should fulfill these essential values. 
 
Providentially, Confucius’ teaching was like the proclamation of the heavenly archangel. Through the elements of Confucian morality, Heaven sought to establish social conditions that would protect against Satan and set up a society resembling the external form of Heaven. (205:179, August 28, 1998)
 
Who is a son of filial piety? According to Confucianism, he attends his parents with his life out of his deep love for them. What is a loyal subject? He offers himself for the king’s service and even sacrifices his life for his king, who represents Heaven. (143:153, March 17, 1986)
 
Throughout Korean history, Confucianism taught the duty of filial piety. When the parents passed away, according to custom their children would mourn for three years while living in seclusion on a mountain. They truly had a heart to do so.
    What can the Korean people be proud of before the world? Regardless of their position and worldly success, when their parents passed away they abandoned everything to fulfill the duty of filial piety. Confucianism established this good tradition. It was in fact God’s preliminary education for the Korean people to go his way. There can be no objection to it. (181:217, October 3, 1988)
 
Our relationship with God should be a parent-child relationship. What is the nature of this relationship? It is a vertical relationship. The teachings of Confucianism provide a correct understanding.
    Our relationship with God our Father is as undeniable and indisputable as the relationship with our parents. We are our parents’ children: could either physical force or theoretical arguments persuade us otherwise? Likewise, the knowledge that we are born as sons and daughters of God our Heavenly Father cannot be contested by anyone. (198:298, February 5, 1990)
 
In our individual lives, shouldn’t we relate to Heavenly Father as filial children? As regards the national-level providence, shouldn’t we relate to Him as loyal subjects? The traditional Confucian values—the Three Bonds and the Five Moral Disciplines—make sense. Filial piety and loyalty towards Heavenly Father are based on these traditional values. We cannot be filial children to Heavenly Father if we are not first filial to our parents. We cannot be loyal subjects of Heavenly Father if we do not first demonstrate loyalty to our nation. (7:66, July 12, 1959)