Thoughts on Unification Theology and Democracy - The Republic of Heaven on Earth?

Thoughts on Unification Theology And Delnocracy The R ep ublic of Heaven on Earth?

BRUCE J. CASINO True Ocmocracy is the way to win over dictator- tio n theology would bring vitality o r restoration to ship and personality cults. We find in Abraham democracy by building the holy communi ty a nd combat- Lincoln’sspcech theetemal truth “a government of ing immorality, racism, materialism and the atomistic the IX’Ople. by the people, and for the people shall approach to life which are eating at the foundations of nol perish from the earth.” The democratization of democracy. ou r nati on is, therefore, the topmost priority.1 With the exception of liberatio n theology, Christians scldomcxamine the political implications of the eschata- logical hope, since fundamemtalists believe the

T here is a need within the Unification mo vement to articulate the political ramifications of Unification Kingdom will come miraculously and liberals doubt the theology so that the movement’s eHorts in the Kingdom …ill come in any but a spiritual sense. political realm arc securely tooted in its theology. Unification theology, however, believes that the TIle articulation of tNS political vision is also required Kingdom of Heaven referred to by J(‘Sus is not merely a in order to respond effectively to attacks on the move- spiritual kingdom in the heart s of the piOUS. Nor does it ment asserting that it intends to establish a global politi- refer ONY to the abode of the righteous alter death. Jesus cal dictatorship. An article in U.S . NroJS and World’ Report, labored to establish God’s realm on earth. Hence the fo r instance, asserts that “Moon’s bid for political power escha tological hope has social, political, economic and is disquieting because the church’s theology runs natural as weU as personal dimensions. counter to America’s democratic tradition.,,2 Michael While Unification theology asserts that it has political Warder, a former member, is quoted in the same article implications, theologians and sociologists who have as stating: “’Within the Moon movement, there is no studied the Unification movement have indicated that it foundation fo r the ideas of freedom, the rule of law and may be too early to speak of a Unification position o n the dignHy of the individual as they are understood in political issues_ This is because there is at prescnt an N the West. The article also contains an allegation that the u nfolding of the encounter of a general Unification Unification Church is attempting to create “a centralized utopian vision with the realities of the political and social world thoocracy.H The movement is regularly accused of world in which the movement finds itself. Until recently using certain of its activities and organiza tions as stalk- many member’s conception of the ideal world has con- ing horses to involve conservatives and liberals in its sisted la rgely of fuzzy generalizations about a place alle>gedly totalitarian plans. where no passports are required, everyone is happy, and 1l\e thoughts on Unificationism and democracy of- the sun always shines. fered here are made in hopes of furthering dialogue on Aside from its opposition 10 communism, the Unifica- this critical issue. The comments that follow are not in- tion focus has not been upon national o r international tended as a commentary on the question of whereon the politics. Theologians have noted that for Unificalionists congregational/hierarchical axis the polity of the Unifi- the coming Kingdom centers in and emerges from the cation o,urch itself should lie. Rather, it is a comment godly individual and the godly family. Neither church o n the UllificatioNS! perspective of d emocracy in the nor state as such are perceived as mediating the coming larger political society. The scope of the article does not lc.ingdom. It is dedicated indi viduals living in intimate allow for a discussion of the form of relations between communities of faith and love who will fulfiU this role. church and state in the Unification ideal. Nor does it This focus has meant that little attention has been paid allow for discussion of the crucial issue of how Unifica- to the issue of the political dynamics of the Unificatio n ideal world in general and democracy in partirular. 1. Sun M. Moon, “Citizen’s Federation for the Unifiataon of While most members willaclcnowledge that they have the Fatherland: Founder’s Address,” Tod4y’$ World, July 1981, p. 8 (reprint of May 15, 1981, speech). not thought deeply about the issue, conversation with 2_ J. Bradis, “Rev. Moon’s Rising Politicallnfiuenct=,” U.S. members reveals four impressions of democracy held by News arul World Rzport, March 21, 1989, p. 21. Unificationisls. The re are those w ho believe that a

Thought. on UnificRtion TMology Rnd DemOCTtlCY 3

republican democratic fonn of government is required in Human freedom in Unification Theology is seen as God’s ideal. There are members who believe that God mankind’s most precious gift. It must always be alone knows what the fonn of the ultimate political ideal respected . The basic (although very preliminary) text on system is, but that democracy is the best way to get there Unification theology, the Divine Principlt, states: “The ’ and is certainly the political system God wants at the Principle of creation tells us that man was created to present. There are also those who assert that a democratic, become perfect by carrying out by his free will his own constitutionally.limited monarchy after the British model portion of responsibility, in which process even God is the ideal. Finally, there are those who believe that the could not intervene. Therefore, it is man’soriginal nature ultimate goal is a non-democ:ratic monarchic feudalism to pursue freedom.~ patterned after the movement’s present internal One aspect of individual maturity is freedom of the polity-the ‘’Korean kingdom” approach. Most members mind, which includes freedom to believe and speak. holding this view, however, believe that democracy is Religion cannot be true if it denies man’s freedom and what God desires at this moment in history, and that the ends up with a Khomeini·like system of oppression. ideal system must freely be chosen by the people. Thus, Because of its respect for human freedom, Unification· essentially all Unificationists believe that democracy is the ism necessarily rejects a theocratic political system. Any best system of political government at this time. changes in society must be undertaken by democratic This article will argue that close examination of fun- means according to Unification theology. ‘When the damental Unification concepts leads inescapably to the Messiah comes again into the SOciety under the conclusion that democracy is mandated by the religious dtmOCrtltic government well matured by the Christian doc trine of the Unification movement. More specifically, spirit, he will be able to set up God’s sovereignty on the those religious tenets support a republican, democratic earth by the will of t~le, thus restoring the kingdom system modeled after the American constitutional sys· of Heaven on earth: tern, with elected representatives and a separation of Rev. Moon has decried. the fact that: powers between legiSlative, executive and judiciary. It is in focusing the political system on higher ideals, All too frequently governments will persecute developing greater spirituality among the electorate, in people simply because they express different beliefs than the state professes. Unfortunately, creating a greater sense of community, and in combating immorality, materialism, and racism, that Unification- anarchists and terrorists recently try to break down ism sees the need for change. In arguing this position the democracy through terrible acts of violence … . [l]t article will attempt to provide a basis for rebu tting media is important to remember some of the political and criticism and will attempt to demonstrate that the goal social realities of our times that gravely threaten the of monarchic feudalism is not supported by Unification creative advance of mankind in resP..CCt of values, theology or Rev. Moon’s pronouncement on the subject. such as justice, freedom and dignity.s The natural tights theories embodied in the writing of The Divi~ Principle. text specifically rejects total· seventeenth-century figures such as Thomas Hobbes itarianism: and John Locke, which provided the philosophical foun- da tion for modem democracy, can be detected in certain Totalitarianism is a political ideology which denies fundamental tenants of Unification theology. Two fun· the dignity of man’s individuality and the freedom damental theological concepts embraced by of speech, publication, meeting and association, Unificationists which support a democratic approach in together with the basic human rights regarding the political society are, 1) the free will given to each in- state and the parliamentary system-which are the dividual by God in order that the individual might bases of the democratic political ideology of the achieve maturity and 2) the unique value of each in- modem nations and it insists that any individual or dividual as God’s son or daughter. group should exist for the be~efit and development . of the whole nation or state. Human Freedom Rev. Moon states, ‘1 believe that God’s hope is for freedom on the Earth, and the greatest threat to freedom According to Unification theology, God loves today is totalitarianism, particularly in the fonn of com· freedom. Indeed God has had to endure the tremendous sufferi ng of Her children because She refused to com- 3. Dit1i~ Principle (New York: Holy Spirit Association for the promise freedom. God. has never intervened to violate Unification of World Christianity, 1973), p. 455. human freedom even though, like the father of the 4. Ibid., p. 422 (emphasis added). prodigal son, He has been more pained by our straying S. Sun Myung Moon, ‘1””he Search for Absolute Values in a from our relationship with Him than we have ourselves. Changing World,H November 25, 1m (Founder’saddress delivered. to the Sixth International Conference’ on the Unification theology asserts that because love must be Unity of the Sciences). given freely, there is no true love without freedom. 6. Dit1i~ Princip~, p. 484.

4 CURRENTS mun ism, which syste mat ically o ppo ses freed om of tion of all me mbers of a society in the governme ntal relig io n.’” process the fullness of God’s presence and personality The ba s ic le xt se tting (o rth a (preliminary) will no t be secn in that go vcrnment. ph ilosophical a ppl icatio n of Uni fi catio nist theology, Rev. Moon himself empha siU’s this point. Explaining Uni{icl1hon Thlmght, critIcizes Hitler. Mussolini, and Japanese militarism along with communi sm and The d e m ocratic w o rld . o r free world , has concludes that : ‘1-ii story shows that those who have based devel oped out o f the religi ous tradition . The thei r philosophiC”S o n fo rce have fa iled to solve rcal human modem concept of de mocracy is sct forth in the problems.”s Rev . Moon states that the Unificatio n words of the Bible itself: “and God made man in movement sccks changc “through a process or roucation” His own image.” That is, the democratic world and rc;ccts “military takc-<)vcr or violence.,,9 Unification places value upon the individua l person . Because theology thus rejects, and Unificalionists should figh t he is a child of God. the greatest care must be taken

~ gainst, the evil of dictatorship and totalitarianism. As to assure his liberty and freed om of choin’, for noted above, Unificatio n thought also affirms freedom of without liberty. his actions have no value.12

,1 r* · speech, publication, meeting and association, human rights and representative democracy. Unificationists are As Rev. Moon has noted, “[tJhere are as many dif· obliged to support and fight for these rights. ferent ways of bein~one with God as there are individ ua I Rev. Moon’ s vision is of “a great new surge of revolu· faces of mankind .” He believes. “Man is created in the tion coming to America-not by fire, not by bullets .. .. likeness ofCed .ln other words God made himself incar- The answer does not lie there, but in the hearts of men, nate in man. Man is the mirror of the living God, a nd His in the ~uiet revolution from selfishness to unselfish· everyvirtue, cha racteri stic, and quality is reneetcd in this ness. H10 Rev. Moo n has criticized those who use force as mirror.” u a method of change. In discu ssing European unity. fo r Unification Theology clarifies that the ideal system of instance. Rev. Moon stated: “Napoleon wanted to bring governmen t must recognize the needs of the individual about European unity. but he tried to do it by force and not m erely the needs of the whole SOciety as in a bloodshed. Hitler attempted the same thing. But these totalitarian or communist state. ‘There cannot be any two failed because they used force and did not hesitate purpose of the individual apart from the purpose of the to shed blood . But by love and centered on Jove, Europe whole. nor any purpose of the whole that does not in· should come into unity . . . .,,11 Rev. Moon has likewise dude the purpose of the individual. . . .” IS criticized Mohammed for pennitting the use of violence Unification Theology affinns the value and natural to spr ead his faith. This rejection of force calls right to dignity and equality of each individual. Since Unificationists to reject, as they do, anyuse of violence in only democracy, as a political system, affords equal seeking change in a free SOCiety, whether in demonstra· politica l value (voting power) to each person, all other lions on political issues or in seeking to bring others systems must be rejected. closer to God. Unification ism asserts that any attempt to establish the ideal not rooted in freedom contains the Each and every Individual bears the most august, seeds of its own destruction because it violates God’s macrocosmic value. Men lost their origina l value principle of freedom.. because of the fall. In the present age. however, the d emocratic ideology has reached its culmination. TI,e Unique Value of tire Individual and men have come to pursue theoriginal va lue of individuality endowed at the creation. Th.is may be A second major theological basis in Unificationism fo r seen in the liberation of slaves, liberation of a democratic society is the belief that each individual has mino r ity groups and liberation of the min or unique value in God’ s sight. Without ~he full participa- powers, together with the demand for human dig. nity, equality between the sexes and equality among all people. This is proof that the Last Days 7. Testimonyof Rev.Sun Myung Moon befor~Subcommittee on the Constitution, SenateJudkiary Committee. June 26. have come and that fallen men arenowentering the 1984, p. 151. 8. S. Lee, Explttining UnifiCAtion Thcught (New York: Unlfica· 12. Sun Myung Moon. “Challenges and Opp’rtunities for lion Thought Institute, 1981), p. «. World Peace,’” TodDy’s WOTld. July 1987, p. 10 (reprint of 9. Sun M. Moon, quoted in F. Sontag, Sim Myu”g Moon and Founder’s Add ress to Summit Council fo r World Peace, t~ Uni~tio” Churdt <Nashville: Abingdon. 19m, p. 141. June 1. 1987). 10. Sun Myung Moon. Christinity irs Crisis: Ntw Hope 13. Sun M. Moon, A Pruphd Speaks TodJry (New York: Holy (Washington, D.C. : Holy Spirit Association forthe Uninca· Spirit Association for the Unification of World Chris- tlon of World Christianity, 1974). p. 23. tianity. 1975), p. 6 11. Sun Myung Moon, “Address to the French Fam ily,’” 14. Cltristumity in Crisis, p. 10-11. Tohy’l World, August 1981, p. 4. lS. Diri~ Pn’”dp~, p. 42.

Thoughts 011 UI1I,/ica tion Theology and Democracy 5

new age, in Whl~ch they will restore Goo’s first providence to annih ilate the dictat orship on Satan ’ ~ side blessing to men . and to restore, accord ing to the … ilI of the people, the sovereignll o f God centering on the Lord of the Second Or. DavidS.C. Kim, President ofth eU nifi catio nThro· Ad vent.” Indcro the fa ct that d cmocracy has come to logical $emina ry, and one 01 the ear liest members 01 the be preeminent is one “ proof that the La st Oays ha v(’ Unificat io n Church, accepts the idea of d emocracy as a come and that fall cn men arc no w entcring the new ·ven. He argues, (or instance: “of cou rse, the idea that age.,,23 ~uman (undamental rights arc equal and inalienable is Explaining Uni{icah’oM Th ought also asser ts that the the very pnnclp ~- . . Ie 0 f lJ\.·moc:racy. ,, 17 0 r. K·1m, ho wever, pro vidence of God has evo lved po liti cally toward asserts that while Unificationists affirm d emocracy, a d emocracy through four stages, “clan society, feudal deeper philosophical explanation of the rea son human s oc iety, m o narchic so ciety, and democrati c· type beings ha ve inalienablt’ and equal rights is necessary . society.’,24 Essentially this more fundamental understand ing is that While criticizing America ‘s materiali sm, immorality “’since the human being is created by God, his charac ter and racism, Rev. Moon has slated that the United States mu st be respected absolutelYi his rights and his liberty His already a model of the unified world .,,2§ Indeed , must be assured absolutely.” 8 This princi ple is so (un· America seems, despite all of its problems, to most close-- damenta! that Dr. Kim states that “even if someone does Iy approx imate the ideal. “ It is the bes t nati on upon the not recognizc God consdously, as long as he respec ts the (ace of the earth,” acco rd ing to Rev. Moon?’ . spi rit of true Oemocracy and thinks and acts to defend ’ Dr. Be Hi Pak, one of Rev . Moon’s chief diSCiples, has human rights, he wil l be standing in the cam p of written : “A serious reading o f Divine Prindple reveals theism. ,,19 that Un ifi cation Theology sees the American democratic system as the most evolved political form, with its con- stitutional separation o f powers as the structure of the Democracy as a Providential Necessity ideal SOCiety designed by the heavenly side .. .. God’s will can be done through the will ofthtpeople and America alld America as tlte Model of tlze Ideal can fulfill her historic responsibility as the leading natio n In discussing the hist ory of the evolution of of the free and democratic world . Changing the political humankind toward a mature political SOCiety, the Divint o r legal system is unnecessary.H2?’ Principle text builds on the fundamental Unification con· Indeed, Unification theology seems to agree to a cer- ceptsof freedom and equali ty bcforeGod and repea tedly tain extent with Francis Fukuyama, who has recently indicates that democracy is the ideal fonn of govern· created a stir among intellectuals with his thesis that the ment-that it is, in fact, di vinely ordained. period of “post-history” has arrived . He argues that, According to the Divine Principlt, “Originally this seJ>- with the decline of fa scism and communism, Western aration o f the three powers (executive, legislative, judi· liberal democracy has triumphed and mankind has reach dal1 was the structure 01 the ideal society d esigned· by its ultimate political form. iNs will lead to a universal the Heavenly side.,,20 The text emphasizes this point: “’By homogenou s state with a liberal democratic govemmen· establishing th e constitutional political system in ta1 form. democracy, they could at least realize the pattern 01 the system 0 f an 1·d ea I socIety.” . 21 These and other pa ssages indica te that the consti tutiona l, republican, democratic 11,. Republic Of Hea ven all Eartll? s tructure with the separation of executive, legisl ative, and judidal is thesystemadvocatoo by Unification theol· This article ha s argued that the republica n and con. J ogy as the ideal political system lor SOCiety. stitutional fonn of d emocratic government is the form of ~ k, The DivilU Principle text indicates that this democratic the Unification idea1 . Perhaps the kingdom of Heaven I poll.tical structure is not merely an ;ntermediate ex· could also be called the Republic of Heaven on Earth. l.Ur pecient but is, rather, Cod’s ultimate goall “Democracy According to the Divint Principlt, “Democracy came . . fNs, wltimJJttly the political principle of God’s final

22. Ibid ., p. 422 (emphasis added). 16. Ibid ., p. 12l. 23. Ibid ., p. 121. 17. David S.c. Kim, Victory 0tJeT Communism tmd till Rol~ 0/ 24. Explaining UnifictJ.tiDn Thought, p. 315. &ligian (New York: Vantage Press, 19n), p. 125. 18. Ibid ., p. 128. 25. Sun Myung Moon. “Ameria and Cod’s Will,” September 18, 1976 (speech delivered to approximately 2OO,<XXl per_ 19. Ibid., p. 129. sons at the WaShington Monument grounds). 20. Dil1iM Principle, p. 470. 26. Christi/mity in Crisis, p. 56 (emphasis added). 21. l!rid. 27. 80 Hi Pale. et aJ ., Ow, kspoPlSlt,lanuary IS, 1979, pp. 42-43.

6 CURRENTS , t II about in order to replace the political dictato rship of The strongest of these is the foll o wing: ‘The reason that mo narchism and to win the sovereignty ba ck to the the age of mo narchism came was to erC”Ct the Kingdo m hands of the prople.’,2S capable of r(‘(‘(>iving the Messiah as King. Ho we ver, this Some Un ificationist s have co mmented that a constitu- age ha ving f<tiled to accomplish such a mission, God tional monarchy such as the prescnt day Briti sh or destroyed this society in order to work a new providence Japanesc monarchies is the best way to balance the need for the rC”Co ns truction of the Messianic Kingdom.”ll {or democracy and the need for an ideal ‘’Kingd om.’’ The This ‘’}..1essianic Kingdom” is defined, however, in Kingdom on c.1 fth, however, need. not be a political only the vaguest of generalities: “ there will come a politi- monarchy even if democratically limited. The Kingdom cal society in which all mankind, having been unifioo in the heart of each believer and in the spiritual world, into the heart and bosom of God through the religion reOected fully in God’s ideal in political sodety does not based o n the truth, w111 realize the ideal of creatio n on require an official institutionalized system to cement the the economic foundation centered on God’s ideal. This role of a prC’emincnt spiritual or moral leader. A “first is the true Messianic Kingdom based on the princiBles of family,” a privalefamily, with guiding or advisory power co-cxistence, ccrprosperity and commo n-cause.” 2 Fur- would SC<’m to be the most natural forma t for the in- thermore, there simply were no democrades in the nuence o f the spiritual leader of the society. Ghandi, medieval period referred 10 in this passage. If the mes- Martin Luther King Jr., and Lcch Walesa, for instance, siah came as the King he could have led the SOciety of were not gi ven official institutional positions in their that period into a democratic form. Unification theology governments, yet their moral power was enough to make docs embrace progresSive revelation and God would no them the central figures in their nations. doubt have revealed the need for the evolution of the Unificationism rejects the cult of personality, includ- political system into a democratic form. As Explaining ing ‘’Moonism’’ by emphasizing the JTl(‘ssiahship of all Unification Thought states, God’s providence requires a believers. The spiritua l, symbolic and modeling functio n political evolution beyond “mo narchic society” to of Rev. Moon’s family would not seem to require that “democratic-type society .”l) they be the official political head of a government. Rev. Rev. Moon regularly rejects the need for democracy in Moon has, in fact, rejected a political poSition for himself. the Unification Church, arguing that there is a need for ‘1 do no t thi nk in terms of taking over the power o r God’s revelation to guide the Church. He occaSionally government of a nation. I am not ambitious to become a critiques democracy in American society o n a number of senator or the head of state of this or any other country. groundS including its inadequacy withou t God’s spirit But as a messenger of God my responsibility is to relay and a higher purpose. He also has indicated that while the message of God to the people who actually run the America has a democratic form it actually has certain country and society … .,,29 tendencies toward. Oligarchy . Rev . Moon’s critid sm of In speaking of the possibility of God’s Kingdom rorn- American democracy is in the spirit of H . L. Mencken’s ing to earth at the time of Jesus life on earth, Rev. Moon reference to democracy as the “dictatorship of the talks of a constitutional system ‘1esusChrist would have booboisie.’” Indeed, as Spinoza noted, men may become set up a heavenly sovereignty centered upon the nation enslaved by their ignorance. Rev. Moon’s critical com- of Israel. The constitution of the Kin~om of God would ments concerning democracy generally center on the have been promulgated in his time.” In his speeches to lack of an informed electorate. They focus o n the content members, Rev . Moon repeatedly refers to the ideal world of democracies not on the de mocratic form. as having a constitution. The view that democratic government is providential- A d emocratic, republican, constitutional form of ly necessary in the ideal society has been critidzed by government would seem the best vehicle for the ideals some members as lacking balance and as being barely articulated by Unification theology and seems to have supportable in the Diaim Pn·nciple. 11le passages quoted mo re support in the basic theological .writings of the above, however, make it clear that the argument is not movement. ’ only supportable in the Divine Principle but is its Those arguing (or monarchial feudalism dte a few d ominant the me. passages in the Divine Principle text which seem to indi- Those members who criticize this view believe that cate that d emocracy is merely a transitory development. the success of the Unification movement will lead to a type of monarchic feudalism. Fo r the reasons outlined above, it seems that the view that the eschatological hope 28. Divinl: Prindpk, p. 445. is for a “Korean kingdom” is a misreading of Unification 29. Sun Myung Moon. quoted in Sun MpJng Moon II.Ni tilt Unifiation Church, p. 141 . 31 . Diflinl:Principlt,p.441. 30. Sun Myung Moo n, Tht: Nt:w Futu rt: of Christill.nitr. (Washington, D.C.: Unification Church Intemationa , 32. Ibid., p. 446. 1974). p. 107. 33. Explaining Uni/iaztion Thought , p. 315.

theology. Si nce the re is li ttle in either the basic tex ts of correspond ing to the political pa rties … lot Sain tly the churc h o r in Rev. Moon’s ta lks to support their vie w, polit ici ans (thi s is trul y a thrology of hope) w ill serve a those who ho ld to thi s vicw apparently find thei r main functional , a s opposed to a va lue laden, purposc as the support in thei r pcrccpl ion that Re v. Moon runs the legisla tive representatives of the peo ple. They will be the church like the Kings of the Vi d ynas ty ran Ko rea (but people’s servan ts. or cou rse, since, in the idea l, all per- w ith a heallhy dose of Chri stian love). The “Ko rea n sons arc fu lly ma tured a nd therefo re, as Uni fica tion kingd om” vicw confuses the prescnt inte rnal d yna m ics thrology sees it, sain tly, a ny jX’rson cou ld theo retica lly of the Uni fi ca tion Church with the ideal of a politica l fulfill these functional ro les. soc iety. l1\ere will be se veral political part ies in the ideal Those members hold ing the “Korean kingdo m” vicw acco rd ing to the Divine Principle. ‘’Toda y’s d emocra tic perhaps ha ve such an intense spiritua l rela tionsh ip wi th governm ent is d ivided into three powers and produces Rev. Moon that they project this internal rela tio nship and ma ny po liti cal parties, thus maki ng it self fi nally the centrality of their rela tio nship w ith Rev, Moo n into resemble the structure o f the idcal.”lS the poli tical realm witho ut exa mining the issue in terms If a sepa rate politica l party was to emerge from the of Uru fication theology. Perha ps members sharing this Unifica tio n moveme nt such a party would ho no r tradi- vicw should li sten mo re ca refully to Rev. Moon’s teach· tional de mocra tic sta nd a rd s. In this sense such a party ings a nd repea ted public stateme nts .in support of might resemble the Chri stia n De mocra ts o r Germany’s d emocracy, rather than to their hearts alone. The asserted Green Party which seek to integra te a religious o r qua si- need for no n-democratic monarchic fe udalism to w ithe rs religious perspective with poli tical administration . when held up to the light o f Uru fica tion theology. Since the begi nning of this century it has been clear The fa ct that a church hasa hie rarchical stru cture d ocs that there simply are no lo nger princi pled o pponent s to no t mean that ch u rch is ant i-democratic in the polih cal democracy. To reject democratic govem ment as a fu n- realm. The hie ra rchical nature of the Roman Catho lic, damental politi cal princi ple is to be excluded fro m pa t· Epi scopal, or Mo rmon churches, d oes not mean, fo r in· tici patio n in the mains tream of those socie ties that do. stance, that they and their members do not support Even if the Unificatio n movement was no t as philosophi· democracy in the larger political society. call y committed to democracy as it is, it wo uld ha ve li ttle The fear of HRo manism “ that was rampant in choice but to suppo rt democracy if the movement is to nine trenth-<entury America, a fear that the papacy participate in the polit ical life of de mocratic societies. sought to establish a d ic tato rship in Ame rica, was only It is inte resting to nole that Unificati oni sls often ana- put to rest with the election of John Kennedy. (It is logize the hanno ny of the ideal socie ty to a harmon io us interesting to note that this fear was fu eled by stat ements family or body. As Rev. Moon puts it : “Since no o ne at the time fro m Catho lic Church leaders in the Vatican person is all-powerful or all-capable, Cod calls upon us who believed that the pope should rule America .) all to act as one supreme person, in true unity … ,, )6 Ame ricans no w understand that Roman Catho lics are Unification theory isbased on the belief tha t (amilyethics able to fully participate in democratic society and may can be brought to bear at the national and international run for political office even though they are members of level. No nation operates in accordance with e thical prin- a hierarchical church. The present paranoia about the ciples based on viewing one’s fellow citizen’s or fellow I Unification Church will, like that affecting the Roman natio nsas membcrsofthcsame family. Indeed , that ideal Catholic church a century ago, likewise prove un- has been rejected as an imposSibility by most politicians founded. and by theologians such as Rheinhold Neibur, author of Membership in the political commuruty, unlike the Moral Man , lmmoral Society. church community, is not voluntary and therefo re, the Unification theory boldly asserts that bureaucracy, respect for human freed o m espoused by Unification that supreme feature of mod e rn soci e ties, can be theology requires a democratic political system even familiarized in an unoppressive way, thatan e thic ofl ove though it does not require a democratic polity within the can functi on at a societal level. Of course, the human r:hurch itself where membership is voluntary. body or the family possess both democratic and non. d e mocratic characteristics . The anal ogy here being stressed it seems is to the ideal state of hanno ny of the Final TIlOugllts cells of a body or members of a family. The need in a democracy for a system of checks and balancE’S can According to the Divine Principle, “Legislative, execu- tive and judiciary of the ideal SOCiety . . .must be able to have a relationship of give and take acti on in the Prin- 34. Diuinl Principit, p. 469-70. dpleaccording to the commands of God which are trans- 35. Ibid ., p. 471. mitted through the saints centering on Christ, 36. A Prophet SpeDb, p. 12.

Thoughts on Unification Theology and Democracy 9

Uk.cwisc bcanalogized to the system of checks and balan- in this world . Likewise anti-Communism must not be ces in the human body. confuSC’d with support for democracy. It is this false Another analogy Rev. Moon ha s used fo r the govern· conservative dualism which has of len fa cto red in the nd one that perhaps should be uscd and em- rejection of America and democracy in the third wo rld . men,a t ,m.. I (h hasiz,cd more, is that of the servant : 1 11(’ JX’Op e a I e Because o f the movement’s suppo rt of democracy and ~untry arc first of all Ihechildre n o f Cad . These children recognitio n of its pro videntia l necessity, the m o vement f God choose and elcct the govc mment to SC’rve them. musl bccar£’fultoalign itself with pro-democracy forces, ~t is the government is the servant of the prople.,,)7 wheth£’r in China, the Soviet Union, in Ccnlral and South Fin;lly, in rccol?”izing the pro\’id~n.tial.sig.nificanceof America, in South Africa, o r wherever men and women democracy it is Im portant for Un lflcatiomsts to also seck the freedom which is their heritage as children o f a recognize that Communism, while the most significant, laving and liberating God . is not the oruy anti-<icmocratic force o r political sys tem

37. Sun Myung Moon, Testimony before Subcommittee on the Bruce J. Casino is fonner Executive Vice-Presi- Constitution, Senate Judiciary Committee,. June 26, 1984, dent of the National Coundl for the Church and p.154. Social Action.