Author: Richard Urban

Whatever You Wish that Men Would Do to You, Do So to Them

WV Elections 2020
We have added an interview for Tom Hansen-Republican for Sheriff-Jefferson County WV:

Cheon Seong Gyeong 289

Through the triumph of True Par-
ents, there will come a time – the era
when the Old Testament, the New Tes-
tament and the Completed Testament
have all been fulfilled – when even non-
believers can enter the mainstream
of religion. Then, all of the ancestors
in the spirit world will be able to visit
their earthly descendants and work with
them. This is what the spirit world is like.
For this reason, from now on, if some-
one refuses to believe in the Unification
Church, his ancestors will come to him
and give him nightmares, sickness, and
bitter medicine.
Until now, the earthly world has been
divided, and occupied by Satan. Howev-
er, as the good spirits in the realm of the
good archangel and those in the religious
realm as a whole enter the realm of evil
on earth and fully expel it, everyone who
has served in the shadow cast by the devil
so far, whether Kim Il-sung or any other,
will be washed away. Thus, as one, two,
three, and four nations become connect-
ed to the Unification Church, the whole
world will see the age of complete libera-
tion. From 1988 to 2000, that is, until I
turn eighty is the era of the mission to
accomplish this task. This is why the role
of tribal messiah has been set up.

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1470

God is the first Cause of the uni-
verse and the Creator of everything
under the sun. He is also our beloved
Father. He made all the things of cre-
ation in order to fulfill His unique will.
His purpose lies in the manifestation
of love. Though He may be the Origin
of true love and omnipotent, He can-
not feel the joy of love by Himself. He
needs an object for His love, and desires
to receive voluntary love in return. The
culmination of all the creation, created
to be in the highest position, is man and
woman. Consequently, we have a pur-
pose in our life. That purpose requires
our becoming mature and realizing a
relationship of eternal true love with
Him. This is the fundamental prin-
ciple through which harmony can be
achieved between Him and us. (166-131,
1987.6.1)

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2

Truth and Universal Law

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule is found in the scriptures of nearly every religion. It is often regarded as the most concise and general principle of ethics. Though sometimes called “reciprocity,” the Golden Rule is proactive, not reactive. It teaches us to initiate acts of kindness and consideration for the other, not to react to an insult by returning the same. Hence, this is a challenging ethic, requiring considerable moral integrity to practice.
There are three levels of this ethic: First, the negative expression, “do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you,” teaches us to refrain from harming others, as we would not wish to be harmed. Next, the positive form, “whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them” or “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” requires us to consider the other person’s needs and feelings and to act towards him or her in a loving manner. Finally, Father Moon’s teaching elevates the Golden Rule to his statement of the fundamental principle to live for the sake of others. This ethic calls us to continual acts of service and sacrifice. It requires a selfless orientation of character, which ultimately stems from our vertical connection to God and His endless love.

Whatever you wish that men would do to you,
do so to them.
Matthew 7.12

Tsekung asked, “Is there one word that can serve
as a principle of conduct for life?” Confucius
replied, “It is the word shu—reciprocity: Do not
do to others what you do not want them to do
to you.”
Analects 15.23 (Confucianism)

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 6
Leviticus 19.18

Not one of you is a believer until he loves for his
brother what he loves for himself.
Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi 13 (Islam)

Try your best to treat others as you would wish
to be treated yourself, and you will find that this
is the shortest way to benevolence.
Mencius VII.A.4 (Confucianism)

One should not behave towards others in a
way which is disagreeable to oneself. This is the
essence of morality. All other activities are due
to selfish desire.
Mahabharata, Anusasana Parva 113.8 (Hinduism)

In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief,
regard all creatures as you regard your own self,
and do not injure others with that which you
would injure yourself.
Yogashastra 2.20 (Jainism)

Comparing oneself to others in such terms as
“Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I,”
he should neither kill nor cause others to kill.
Sutta Nipata 705 (Buddhism)

One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a
baby bird should first try it on himself to feel
how it hurts.
Yoruba Proverb (African Traditional Religions)

Act only on that maxim through which you can
at the same time will that it should become a
universal law.
Immanuel Kant, Groundwork for the
Metaphysics of Morals

A certain heathen came to Shammai and said to
him, “Make me a proselyte, on condition that you
teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one
foot.” Thereupon he repulsed him with the rod
which was in his hand. When he went to Hillel,
he said to him, “What is hateful to you, do not do
to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah; all the
rest of it is commentary; go and learn.”
Talmud, Shabbat 31a (Judaism)

Here am I, fond of my life, not wanting to die,
fond of pleasure and averse from pain. Suppose
someone should rob me of my life… it would
not be a thing pleasing and delightful to me. If I,
in my turn, should rob of his life one fond of his
life, not wanting to die, one fond of pleasure and
averse from pain, it would not be a thing pleas-
ing or delightful to him. For a state that is not
pleasant or delightful to me must also be to him;
and a state that is not pleasing or delightful to
me, how could I inflict that upon another?
Samyutta Nikaya 5.353 (Buddhism)

The Origin of Human Morals is Conscience

WV Elections 2020

We have added interviews for:

Michael Folk-Republican for Governor
Barbara Fuller for Board of Education-Jefferson County WV
Tricia Jackson-Republican for County Commissioner-Harpers Ferry District
Steve Harris-Republican for Sheriff-Jefferson County WV
See all Candidate Interviews

1 Chronicles 21

5 So David paid Araunah six hundred gold coins for his threshing place. 26 David built an altar and offered sacrifices to please the Lord[d] and sacrifices to ask his blessing.[e] David prayed, and the Lord answered him by sending fire down on the altar. 27 Then the Lord commanded the angel to put the sword away.[f]

Isaiah 60

18 Violence, destruction, and ruin
will never again
be heard of
    within your borders.
“Victory” will be the name
    you give to your walls;
“Praise” will be the name
    you give to your gates.

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2

Truth and Universal Law

Moral Law

2. Natural Law

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

Like it or not, human beings live within a cyclical existence: people grow old and return to their original elements, and new people are born. Through this cycle, humanity develops and increases. All things that exist move and function within their limited realm in accordance with the laws of nature that establish nature’s cycles.
The nine planets of the solar system revolve about the sun. Can a planet say, “I will go where I please”? No, it cannot leave its orbit. When spring comes, can any animal or plant say, “I refuse to grow”? No. Spring is the time to grow. Summer is the time for plants to become thick with foliage and their flowers to bloom. Then in autumn, they must bear fruit. (207:61, November 1, 1990)

The solar system turns in a great, cosmic circle. What is its center? It is love—true love. Therefore, at home, we are taught to love and honor our parents, an expression of love called filial piety. We are taught to love our nation; that love is called patriotism. We are taught to love humankind; that is to love as a saint. In other words, in the various orbits of our life, love should be at the center. When true love takes the center seat, everything else falls into its proper place. The right order is created around that eternal and unchanging axis. (146:166, June 15, 1986)

Just as the laws by which the sun, moon and stars were created—the way of heaven—set up a system of vertical order, so also in the family there is a vertical order extending from grandparents to parents and children, and likewise a horizontal order formed by the siblings. The laws of heaven and the values or norms of [family life] correspond. (122:304, November 25, 1982)

In springtime the flowers bloom, in summer the plants grow, and in autumn they bear fruit. Likewise, when you live according to the laws of nature, it is a shortcut to the Kingdom of Heaven. (393:215, February 20, 2004)

What is the heavenly law? Have you ever heard of this religious term? You know what human morals are, but have you ever heard of heavenly morals? What is the origin of the human morals? Is it the Korean constitution? No, the origin of human morals is the conscience. Human laws today are based on Roman law, and Roman law is the foundation of world culture. However, human morals are based on the conscience. Conscience precedes law. Goodness is the foundation of conscience. When we deviate from goodness and go astray, our conscience tries to correct us. Our concept of goodness sets the standard for our conscience. Hence, a universal society needs the moral law, because its members seek a social order that is in accord with the untainted conscience. Ultimately, the root of human morals is the heavenly law. (33:44, August 2, 1970)

Human morals are rooted in the heart. Relationships in the family, norms of behavior, social systems, the social order and such should be rooted in the heart. Human morals begin from parents loving their children. Then, by children loving their parents, they establish a true human relationship. A second true human relationship is established by a husband loving his wife and a wife loving her husband. Love is like the leaven for morality in all its aspects.5 (64:124-25, October 29, 1972)

Formulas rooted in laws have made possible the development of our technological civilization. Whether a scientific idea can be accepted as law depends on how widely it can be applied in its field. Likewise, in our religious lives, we should not go by blind faith. God always carries out His Providence through formulaic laws, so we must understand these formulas. There is a clear formula running through the history of the Providence of Restoration from the past up to the present. This is one of the most important teachings of the Unification Principle. (16:119, October 22, 1978)

The Life of a Moral Man is the Exemplification of the Universal Moral Order

Today is the 44th anniversary of Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s landmark speech at Yankee Stadium (June 1, 1976): https://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/sunmyungmoon76/760601.htm
Video: (Speech starts at 14:00 minutes): https://youtu.be/ckK4CBBAb2E
Very relevant today; Rev. Moon refers to race nine times in the speech.

WV Elections 2020

We have added interviews for:

Michael Folk-Republican for Governor
Barbara Fuller for Board of Education-Jefferson County WV
Tricia Jackson-Republican for County Commissioner-Harpers Ferry District
Steve Harris-Republican for Sheriff-Jefferson County WV
See all Candidate Interviews

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1951

Queen Elizabeth I was a supporter of
Protestantism. Through the thirty-three
articles in the Statutes of Westminster,
Queen Elizabeth laid the foundation to
absorb Calvinism and established a pol-
icy of dominating the seas, in order to
prevent Spain from intruding into her
oceanic domain. This was all part of
God’s will. (81-238, 1975.12.28)

In a family there needs to be a foun-
dation on which the son can respond
enthusiastically to the father’s call. Yet,
even if you have children, what good is
it without a nation? It is of no use to be
in first place or in any other position as
a family if we cannot build a nation. (29-
73, 1970.2.24)

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2

Truth and Universal Law

Moral Law

2. Natural Law

The moral law is to be found everywhere, and
yet it is a secret.
The simple intelligence of ordinary men and
women of the people may understand something
of the moral law; but in its utmost reaches there
is something which even the wisest and holiest
men cannot understand. The ignoble natures of
ordinary men and women of the people may be
able to carry out the moral law; but in its utmost
reaches even the wisest and holiest of men
cannot live up to it.
Great as the Universe is, man is yet not
always satisfied with it. For there is nothing so
great but the mind of the moral man can conceive
of something still greater which nothing in the
world can hold. There is nothing so small but
the mind of the moral man can conceive of
something still smaller which nothing in the
world can split.
The Book of Songs says,
The hawk soars to the heavens above
Fishes dive to the depths below.
That is to say, there is no place in the highest
heavens above nor in the deepest waters below
where the moral law is not to be found. The
moral man finds the moral law beginning in the
relation between man and woman; but ending
in the vast reaches of the universe.
Doctrine of the Mean 12 (Confucianism)

Law is twofold—natural and written. The natu-
ral law is in the heart, the written law on tables.
Therefore all are under the law, the natural
law, but it does not belong to all men that each
should be a law unto himself. However, that
man is a law unto himself who does the com-
mandments of the law of his own accord and
manifests the work of the law written in his own
heart…
Nature herself is the teacher of good
conduct. You know that one must not steal, and
if your servant has stolen from you, you beat
him, while if someone has lusted after your wife,
you think he should be punished. Now, what you
condemn in others you perpetrate yourself…
Saint Ambrose of Milan (Christianity)

The life of the moral man is an exemplification
of the universal moral order. The life of the vul-
gar person, on the other hand, is a contradiction
of the universal moral order.
The moral man’s life is an exemplification of
the universal order, because he is a moral person
who unceasingly cultivates his true self or moral
being. The vulgar person’s life is a contradiction
of the universal order, because he is a vulgar
person who in his heart has no regard for, or fear
of, the moral law.
Doctrine of the Mean 2 (Confucianism)

The principle of Tao is just as close as what is
right in front of our eyes, in our everyday lives,
in eating and drinking, and in the maintaining
of normal social relationships—between ruler
and subject, and father and son, and between
brothers, and spouses, and friends.
Chu Hsi (Confucianism)

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love, Forbearance, Self-Control

WV Elections 2020

We have added interviews for:

Michael Folk-Republican for Governor
Barbara Fuller for Board of Education-Jefferson County WV
Tricia Jackson-Republican for County Commissioner-Harpers Ferry District
Steve Harris-Republican for Sheriff-Jefferson County WV
See all Candidate Interviews

Galatians 5

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Ezekiel 33

13 Suppose I promise good people that they will live, then later they start sinning and believe they will be saved by the good they did in the past. These people will certainly be put to death because of their sins. Their good deeds will be forgotten.

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2

Truth and Universal Law

Moral Law

Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon

The way of prosperity is to follow God’s law. The reason is simple: God protects and helps anyone who follows God’s law because He wants to see His purpose of creation fulfilled. Hence, if we observe God’s law we will prosper. If we oppose God’s law and follows Satan’s law instead, we will perish, for God will strike us. (103:275, March 11, 1979)

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. (37:112, December 23, 1970)

This is a meter ruler. You cannot arbitrarily make your own meter different from the standard length. You have to measure distance according to the standard of the original meter. In other words, you should measure your words and deeds according to the original standard. (51:80, November 11, 1971)

The law of the universe, which upholds the welfare of the whole, is a proper standard of judgment. All human beings come before its court, and at the trial each is judged according to its statutes. What sort of people will be justified before the law of the universe? They are men and women who willingly sacrifice themselves for the benefit of the whole. On the other hand, those who dislike sacrifice, who pursue their individual interests and even take advantage of others, will be found guilty. Do you understand? So what kind of people are good people? They are people who work for the sake of others. What kind of acts are good acts? Surely, they are acts of self-sacrifice and service to benefit others. From this point of view, are today’s young people who live lives of self-indulgence good people or bad people? They are bad people, without a doubt. The law of the universe applies not only to human beings, but to the all beings in the material world. For instance, the cells of the eye cannot act as though everything in the body exists only for the eye. If the eye were to say to its owner, “Submit to me. If you as a human being, employ me for your sake, I, your eye, will rebel against you!” that kind of attitude would lead to its destruction. Rather, the cells of the eye exist for the benefit of the entire body. The eye should think, “Although my cells are precious, serving my owner is the public purpose, so I will follow the law of the universe.”
That which is public has greater value. This can be affirmed in every instance. Since we know this principle, we cannot complain. (105:93, September 30, 1979)

Those Who Live In Accordance With Divine Laws Are Released from Karma

WV Elections 2020
We have added interview with Donna Joy-Candidate for Jefferson County WV Board of Education and Bill Wooten-Candidate for Supreme Court of Appeals-Division 2:
https://www.visionroot.org/wv-elections-2020-candidate-interviews/ .

Cheon Seong Gyeong 231

The family is the heavenly base. You
must firmly settle in a family. You should
firmly settle in a family and decide the
direction in which you will go. Center-
ing on True Parents and God, all fam-
ilies should put up True Parents’ pic-
ture, and your four-position foundation
should bow there together. Three gener-
ations must offer a bow. The four posi-
tion foundation involves three genera-
tions. Three generations – grandfather
and grandmother, mother and father,
and children – should offer a bow. After
establishing a four position founda-
tion, when you bow down in the name
of True Parents this is not within the
fallen domain. You will be in the realm
of liberation because God has direct
dominion over you. All the spirits in
the heavenly world will come to earth
and protect you just as the archangel
was meant to protect Adam’s family. We
have entered such an age. In the past, the
Cain domain was the spirit world and
the Abel domain was the earth. Abel was
being used because it was the time when
Abel had to sacrifice to rescue Cain. But
now, since the right of the eldest son
has been restored, the spirit world is the
angelic world and today’s Unification
Church families constitute the Adam
domain; so the spirit world is meant to
support the Adam domain and not use
it for its own advantage. Through this,
the land wherein Satan can interfere
and operate is disappearing. There is no
room for him. Satan is being expelled.
When we march forward strongly and
boldly, without sacrificing our stan-
dards of being the forefront even by one
step and keep a progressive attitude and
unwavering standard, the devil’s forces
will fall off a cliff. Let’s light a fire under
each family. (211-349, 1991.1.1)

Cheon Seong Gyeong 1700

Why was woman created? She was
created for the sake of love, for man. She
is meant to exist for the sake of man.
Why was man born? Man was born for
the sake of woman. That is the essence
of the original ideal of the universe. That
is the law of the universe and the truth.
There is nothing that can change it. This
simple truth was unknown until now.
(278-203, 1996.5.24)

World Scripture and the Teachings of
Sun Myung Moon

Chapter 2

Truth and Universal Law

Moral Law

Divine law, the immutable law of nature, is inherently moral. It embraces in one principle the cosmological, ethical, social and legal spheres. Religion, therefore, cannot accept the modern distinction between fact and value; rather the moral law governing human life is as absolute as the law of gravity.
Since the order of the universe and the order of life cohere; establishing right order in our lives is the way to prosperity and longevity. Following the moral law leads to life and heaven; ignoring the law leads to decline, suffering and death.
The moral norms of human life are revealed in sacred Scriptures are variously called the Law or Torah (Judaism), Dhamma (Theravada Buddhism), Tao (Taoism), Dharma (Hinduism), and Moral Order (Confucianism). Yet these are but expressions of a natural law, inherent to our being and written on the heart, which transcends religion or social circumstance. In fact, as Father Moon teaches and Confucian texts confirm, it finds its foremost expression in the family. The fundamental principle is to establish harmonious relationships, and this is achieved by practicing unselfishness and living for the sake of others.

  1. Living by the Law

The Lord commanded us to do all these stat-
utes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good
always, that he might preserve us alive, as at
this day.
Deuteronomy 6:24

Easily known is the progressive one, easily known
the one who declines. He who loves Dhamma
progresses, he who hates it declines.
Sutta Nipata 92 (Buddhism)

God has revealed the fairest of statements, a
Scripture consistent, [with reward] paired [with
punishment], at which creeps the flesh of those
who fear their Lord, so that their flesh and their
hearts soften to God’s reminder. Such is God’s
guidance, with which He guides whom He will.
Qur’an 39.23

The night passes; it is never to return again.
The night passes in vain
for one who acts not according to the law.
Uttaradhyayana Sutra 14.24 (Jainism)

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
The precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring for ever;
The ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Psalm 19.7-10

Those who live in accordance with the divine
laws without complaining, firmly established in
faith, are released from karma. Those who violate
these laws, criticizing and complaining, are utterly
deluded, and are the cause of their own suffering.
Bhagavad-Gita 3.31-32 (Hinduism)

Every one then who hears these words of mine
and does them will be like a wise man who built
his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the
floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon
that house, but it did not fall, because it had been
founded on the rock. And every one who hears
these words of mine and does not do them will be
like a foolish man who built his house upon the
sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and
the winds blew and beat against that house, and
it fell; and great was the fall of it.
Matthew 7.24-27

The blessed Buddhas, of virtues endless and
limitless, are born of the Law of Righteousness;
they dwell in the Law, are fashioned by the Law;
they have the Law as their master, the Law as
their light, the Law as their field of action, the
Law as their refuge…
The Law is equal, equal for all beings. For low or
middle or high the Law cares nothing. So I must
make my thought like the Law.
The Law has no regard for the pleasant. Impartial
is the Law. So I must make my thought like the
Law….
The Law does not seek refuge. The refuge of all
the world is the Law. So I must make my thought
like the Law.
The Law has none who can resist it. Irresistible
is the Law. So I must make my thought like the
Law.
The Law has no preferences. Without preference
is the Law. So I must make my thought like the
Law.
The Law has no fear of the terrors of birth-and-
death, nor is it lured by Nirvana. Ever without
misgiving is the Law. So I must make my thought
like the Law.
Dharmasangiti Sutra (Buddhism)

What Tao plants cannot be plucked,
What Tao clasps cannot slip.
By its virtue alone can one generation after
another carry on the ancestral sacrifice.
Apply it to yourself and by its power you will be
freed from dross.
Apply it to your household and your household
shall thereby have abundance.
Apply it to the village, and the village will be
made secure.
Apply it to the kingdom, and the kingdom shall
thereby be made to flourish.
Apply it to an empire, and the empire shall
thereby be extended.
Tao Te Ching 54 (Taoism)