The Homecoming of True Parents

ome forty years ago, Father and Mother left has been able to achieve in this one visit both extremes

S their hometowns in the North and separately journeyed to the South-each with their own remarkable story. This was years before they would of his providential goals, ranging from the tribe or clan level to the unified nation, world and cosmic levels. meet for the Holy Wedding in 1960. A second distinctive factor about this visit is that On November 30,1991, our True Parents traveled True Parents were invited specifically as the founders together as they returned to their hometowns in the and spiritual leaders of the Unification Church. As North at the invitation of the North Korean govern- the church was Father’s beginning point, as well as ment. Nothing is ever coincidental when it comes to his central focus throughout his life’s work, this was True Parents’ schedule, although things are never ac- the way the North Koreans identified and honored tually planned to correspond with other matters of his presence. It is almost ironic that this particular significance. As it turns out, the date of their arrival government, unlike many in the West, recognized in Pyongyang corresponds to the lunar date October him not as a businessman or political leader, but rath- 25-Father’s and Mother’s birthday. er as a genuine religious leader. The depths of significance of this historic event It is impossible for any of us to fully grasp what may never fully be realized for many years to come. has gone on in Father’s mind and heart prior to and For instance, it is impor- during this historic vis- tant to note that it was it to the North, or what Kim Jong It son of Kim Father has been able to achieve in he was feeling when he II Sung, who was the saw his sisters and oth- main actor behind the this one visit both extremes of his er relatives after forty invitation of our True Parents to the North. providential goals, ranging from years of separation and

Father has said for the tribe or clan level to the unified great sacrifice on his part for millions of peo- many years, especially nation, world and cosmic levels. ple worldwide. Or to recently, that it would fathom his liberation at be the second genera- the prospects of break- tion who would welcome him to their countries. ing through at the highest levels of North Korean so- Unlike Jacob who was never invited by his brother ciety and setting the stage for national unification. to return home, Father was invited by the son of the Or to experience his joy at the vindication of his entire leader of North Korea. life’s work, coming full circle to the place of his birth, It is important to note several distinctive factors his upbringing and the revelation which sparked the about this visit. First of alt True Parents were invited beginning of a course which would change history for the primary purpose of visiting his hometown and forever. holding a family reunion for his relatives. This dream As I reflect on these and other matters, I cannot has been in the depths of Father’s heart ever since he help but weep to think that I along with all other left Pyongyang on his dangerous trek south with Mr. members of our church worldwide have been wit- Pak and Rev. Won Pil Kim. It is no coincidence that nesses to the most spectacular events of history. It is the invitation from the North corresponded with the only because Father hand-picked us, trained us and deepest spiritual purpose intended by Father. As we endured our lack of heart and faith that we have know from what he has been telling us for many years, been able to participate in this history from such a Father had to resolve the ha n of his own family, and special vantage point. more importantly fulfill a dimension of his mission In realizing this we cannot help but repent for our that Jesus was unfortunately unable to accomplish. greatest historical shame of consistent disbelief in our The second purpose of Father’s visit, as understood True Parents from the first days of his mission to to- clearly by the North Korean government, was to dis- day. How often in the early days did members lack cuss the future of the two Koreas, especially in terms faith in Father’s vision and word? How often have of bringing reconciliation and unification promoted we followed suit today, even with the record of the by economic and humanitarian projects between our miracles which surrounded the fulfillment of every movement and the North. This is in keeping with the vision and word given to us? How quick we are still largest of Father’s providential goals-to serve Esau to despair and be confused; to feel bitter and beaten; and unite the two brothers on a cosmic level. Father CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

2 TODAY’SWORLD

TRUE PAN~~~~~3;~~e~e’~e~R7:~ KOREA I

Statement Issued by f Beijing, China, December 7, 1991

M rs. Moon and I have just returned from visiting North Korea at the official invitation of the gov- ernment of North Korea. This was for me an historic opportunity to return to North Korea for the first time in more than forty years. “ No one can claim more justification than I for harboring feelings of ill will against North Korea. I received severe per- secution from the current government of North Korea because eo\3~):\ of my position as a religious leader and my unswerving anti- communist principles. I was tortured harshly and then im- . ~O”\\f.~. :, <P: prisoned for nearly three years in a labor camp. There I wit- nessed the deaths of many who also had been imprisoned without cause. The fact that I am alive today can only be de- scribed as a miracle and as the result of God’s special bless- ing and protection. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Now, I have visited North Korea in my position as the founder of the Unification Church and in the spirit of True The Homecoming of True Parents Love. True Love is that love which loves even that which cannot be loved. It is the love that Jesus spoke of when he to subsequently condemn others and seek to merely told us to love our enemies. maintain our own personal and family survival dur- As I set foot in Pyongyang, my heart was as clear as the ing times of crisis, turmoil and difficulty in our church. autumn sky. I did not feel that I was entering the house of I think our shame is greatest when we realize how we my enemy, but rather that I was returning to my hometown have fallen short of the faith necessary to get through to visit the house of my brother. I carried with me to North the present difficulties facing our movement. Korea the principle that I have always lived by, that is, to What we have failed to do historically as well as in forgive, love and unite. the present is to notice and practice the manner and It is widely known that during the four-decades- long attitude with which Father approaches such challeng- Cold War between the Western and Communist blocs I was es. In his seemingly darkest hours Father never re- among the world’s strongest anticommunists. As the founder trenched or retreated, only to think of his own surviv- of the International Federation for Victory Over Communism, al. Instead, he gave more, loved more, reached out to I devoted my life to the struggle against Communism. others more-all at the greater sacrifice of himself. If My ideology for victory over communism, however, was indeed our movement is facing a critical phase in its never intended to bring death to those who espouse com- history-as is evidenced in its global economic crises, munism. My desire has always been to bring life. The goal the questioning of some of its members’ faith, and the shake-up of its leadership-then it is no wonder that Father responds by putting the entire movement on the altar of sacrifice in order to give even more to those who would see themselves as his enemies. This is the greatest moment in the history of our True Parents. I believe that the greatest way in which we can behave as responsible and filial sons and daughters is to imitate their pattern of sacrifice and true love for the sake of God and the world, even if it means to forsake our personal and often petty con- cerns. In this sense, I reinforce Father’s request that we read his speech ‘The Way Blessed Families Should Go” given in 1971 in Korea. Long live the glo- ry of the two greatest people ever to live who have touched the depths of our souls and saved our lives so unselfishly! III

Dr. James Baughman is the President of Unification Church of America.

18 TODAY’SWORLD

~v.Sun Myung Moon of my ideology has been to bring salvation to all humanity. As communist regimes have fallen in country after coun- try following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, I have moved quickly to educate the people of these countries with a new value system. I have devoted my full energies to giving life to these countries. Thousands of politicians, academicians and university students from the Soviet Union and the newly democratized countries of Eastern and Central Europe have visited the ! ‘” z 0 United States and Japan at my invitation. There I have been teaching my ideas of Godism, and Headwing philosophy, ~z :g which I believe should underpin real and lasting democra cy. These people have returned to their countries and many are dedicating themselves to regenerate their shattered home- lands. Father reads aloud a statement to the press, in Korean, at the VIP lounge immediately after disembarking following his trip to In order to ensure that the world does not miss the oppor- North Korea. He proclaims, “The time has come to beat our tunity for peace in the post Cold War era, I founded the In- swords into plowshares.” ternational Federation for World Peace. Through this organ- ization, I am taking the lead in the effort for world peace. Love. Efforts to improve relations between the two sides in During my visit to North Korea, I was reunited with mem- political, economic or military fields will lead successfully to bers of my family. At the moment that we met, my heart was unification only if they are motivated by True Love. filled with joy, but also a sense of deep pain. The pain was I have always believed that even a small act of sharing a for my numerous fellow citizens who are still separated spoonful of rice with my brothers represented a positive step from their loved ones across the 38th parallel and are denied that would someday lead to unification. I have confirmed the opportunity to meet their families. this conviction through the trip I have just completed. For those whose loved ones have already died, the pain It is in this spirit that I have stated my willingness to es- of separation cannot be relieved for all eternity. For their sake, tablish a wider relationship of economic cooperation and ex- we must redouble our effort to erase the tragedy of national change with North Korea and to participate actively in their division and family separation as quickly as possible. economic development projects. In my meeting with President Kim II Sung, I requested that I entered Pyongyang this time as an apostle of peace. My he work to bring about exchanges of visits between North firm conviction is that under no circumstances can we have and South by members of separated families. another war on the Korean Peninsula that puts the people of I believe that a resolution to the issue of communism and Korea against each other. the accomplishment of world peace is not merely a matter of I find the recent discussion in the United States both in ideological confrontation and education. Economic assistance and out of government about air attacks against North Ko- is also an important component in the effort to bring life to rean nuclear facilities to be extremely dangerous. North Ko- those people who have been ruled by communism. rea is not Iraq. An attack against North Korea would trigger Thus, in China, for example, we are building the an all-out war that would result in tragic consequences that Panda Motors Industrial City with an investment no one can begin to imagine. of $250 million. I ask the United States to be extremely careful about mak- This is also my outlook on North Korea. There ing threats against the right of a given people to maintain is a difference, though, in that North Korea is not their exis,tence. The nuclear issues involving North Korea a foreign country to me. It is the country of my can be resolved peacefully. This can be done if the issues are brothers and sisters and of my people. Blood is addressed in the context of genuine dialogue conducted in thicker than water. I love the twenty million cit- the spirit of mutual respect. It was to open the path for such izens of North Korea as my own brothers and sis- dialogue that I traveled to Pyongyang. I have returned from ters. I love them intensely. North Korea after having opened wide that path. The unification of the fatherland, a goal shared . It is my hope that the seventy million people of North and by all of our people, cannot be accomplished South Korea will put aside their relationship of confrontation. through political, economic or military means. The time has come for us to arrive together in a spirit of rec- None of these will succeed unless they are pre- onciliation and love so that we may begin to resurrect the ceded by another element. That element is True common heritage of our people. The time has come, as the Bible says, to beat our swords Father’s childhood home, unseen by him in more into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. We than forty years. “I remembered it as being bigger. II must work quickly to prepare for the future of our unified It is near the northwestern town of Jeongju. country in the coming twenty-first century. III

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