Interfaith as God's Work: True Parents' Gifts of Peace to the Religious World - Paper and Slides — Frank Kaufmann

This paper introduces and lays the groundwork for a live PowerPoint presentation in which the author recounts a small sampling of stories from the interfaith work of “True Parents,” Father and Mother Moon (Sun Myung Moon and Han Hak Ja (Moon). The “Gifts of Peace” are illustrated in the live, PowerPoint presentation. This paper introduces the origins and raison d’etre for “True Parents” interfaith work.

The ideal of creation envisioned a single human culture bursting with infinite diversity because every human soul is unique at birth, and then matures in endless arrays of distinct environments, initially on planet earth, and eventually elsewhere in the universe. One culture encompassing infinite diversity, every soul and each society a unique expressions harmonized in an ever- expanding sphere of love.

Central to this dance is the omnipresence of God. God is perfectly and wholly in all, yet magically simultaneously “with” all. (The “with” element is the ingredient that makes this entire affair one of love.)

Every religion without exception explains a “Fall” of some sort or another, a “doctrine” needed to account for why the world is not as described above, but rather as we feel and see it throughout the course of our lives, filled with alienation, injustice, and suffering.

The point of religion is to bring about the realization of divinity (in each person and society), and the discovery of God as “with” everywhere and all the time. In the end, religion is about God, but not the God of His1 original ideal (in all and with all), but the God who still strives to realize His original, tender dream and purpose.

1 I call God Him. Please substitute Him and His as you read with whatever you like best. Options range

from non-person to Her, to They, I pray we can suspend being distracted briefly, and if needed we can join in a loving quest and conversation on that matter some other time.

Religions differ in their respective affirmations as to whether God needs anything from us to complete His work. But since human beings are the ones practicing (or failing to practice) religion, at least it is sure to say that religion has some-thing to do with us.

Father Moon, and eventually True Parents2, like all true “religious founders” are properly about God (less about religion or “establishing a religion”). Religion is only an unfortunate necessity because of the Fall. As True Parents carry out what God requests of them, they have two matters about religion to deal with. 1. They have their own religious path they teach, a path they believe is good and helpful for people to follow. 2. They carry out their work in a world filled with religions different from their own.

Every religious leader faces this same situation. Some religions (very few) arise because an enlightened master tries to harmonize extant religions. Guru Nanak3 is one such person who attempted to harmonize Islam and Vedic traditions so as to decrease conflict and lessen the suffering of believers.

Some other religious visionaries from the mid-19th century on also attempted to harmonize extant religions, Gandhi was one such person,.4 and recent Popes (beginning with HH John Paul II in Assisi in 1986) also have become interested in interfaith.5

But the interfaith work of True Parents is unique, wholly different from all other interfaith leaders or practitioners, whether ancient or contemporary. A shorthand way of noting the perfect

2 A religious term coined to describe Father and Mother Moon as a married couple with the capacity to offer “rebirth” that also redeems conception and lineage) 3 https://www.thequint.com/lifestyle/books/guru-nanak-the-sikhs-book-excerpt-khushwant-singh-sikhism-

hindu-muslim-unity#read-more, 4 https://theshillongtimes.com/2021/01/30/mahatma-gandhi-and-christianity/,

https://www.mkgandhi.org/articles/gandhi_christ.html, 5 https://www.catholicregister.org/home/international/item/23124-legacy-of-1986-peace-gathering-lingers-

difference between True Parents’ interfaith and that of others is to say “this is not something they also do.”6 I will explain this momentarily

True Parents’ interfaith work began at least 15 years before Father Moon ever met Mother Moon. It began even prior even to the completion of Father Moon’s own spiritual preparation, and production of his teachings, the Divine Principle!

Religious separation and conflict became a problem that Father Moon had to challenge even before he had confirmation about his teachings. This is why I entitled this presentation, “Interfaith as God’s Work.” God would have had to solve the problem of religious discord even if Father and Mother Moon had never been born.

Read here what Father Moon says he had to deal with before he could begin his ministry which he promised Jesus to fulfill. Father Moon explains:

What must someone do in order to become the Lord at the Second Advent? You need to go to the spirit world, reveal the principles concerning the relationships of all religions centering on Jesus, clarify everything about heaven and earth and their laws, and receive the approval of the spirit world. You have to proclaim these things on earth. This is something that has not been known even in the spirit world. Only God and Satan knew of this. (1992.11.9)

In order to unite this world, you have to enter the spirit world and make unity there first. How are you going to bring unification? You would not be welcomed. If you go to the spirit world and say, “The way of the heavenly principle should be revealed in this way,” Satan and God would understand but they would not give an answer.

6 I fear this might come as news to huge numbers of Unification leaders and believers. Even many who are involved in Unification interfaith.

It was the first time for all the leaders of religion to hear these things. They asked the meaning of the transition of the lineage, the transition of the rights of ownership and the transition of the realm of love. (1995.10.20)

From this we can see that the interfaith work of True Parents and the Unification efforts they led, are not something True Parents “also do” … “Oh how nice and special we are. We believe everyone should get along. This is because we are such kind and lovely people. We love everyone.” These claims might be true. Maybe Unification members are nice and lovely people who love everybody. But this is not the reason why True Parents’ gave everything for the sake of interfaith. It is not because True Parents and Unification people are nice and loving, True Parents’ invest in interfaith work to make possible the realization of God’s original ideal of creation.

There’s nothing wrong with doing interfaith work because you’re nice. But this is not why True Father risked madness and personal decimation for its sake, nor why Mother Moon bound herself in perfect self-sacrifice to this.

The realization, direct experience, and life and death confrontation of the catastrophic reality of religious separation and discord that is calcified in the spiritual world is why True Father translates this work into a laser-clear summation of True Parents’ mission. It relates to what he describes as “the three headaches of God.”

True Parents’ interfaith work is related wholly and entirely to “the three headaches of God,” (more specifically headache number two.)

The Unification path is unique in religious history in that it is directed toward the liberation of God. No other religion has ever had this as its purpose.

With this foundational orientation, True Parents and their followers live to alleviate God’s suffering. Practically and strategically removing “God’s three headaches” is the first step.

If these can be solved, the path can open for God (and us) to dance in eternal, never-ending joy sharing our love together. Remove the obstacles and we can start on our way. Still, much hard work to do, but at least the obstacles are removed.

What then are the “three great headaches of God?” Father Moon explained this in response to a Newsweek reporter in 19767:

(Newsweek) Q. Why did God speak to you?

(Father Moon) A. In accordance with God’s timetable, God has ordained or handpicked me. But why? We must ask God that question. I know just one thing: that mission came to me. God has three major headaches. First, moral corruption is rampant. Second, the Christian churches are divided and declining and their spiritual power must be restored. And third, Communism, an evil force in the sight of God, is rising — this is the foremost obstacle to the creation of the Kingdom of God on earth. When those revelations were completed and organized into the Divine Principle, I began to organize a movement and that is the Unification Church.

The headaches?

1. Moral corruption (the breakdown of good families in which members are conscientious and respectful of one another, especially in areas of fidelity and moral purity) 2. Disunity in Christianity resulting in declining spiritual power. Religious discord renders religions impotent. 3. Militant Atheism (“Communism”) Philosophical, social, and political hatred of God and religion. Intellectually advanced, and politically and culturally enforced prevention of communal (even private) religious life.

As long as any of these (three headaches) remain, humans cannot be free and released to challenge the thrilling path to realizing our divinity and living with God. While these persist, there is no Heaven for anyone, including none for God.

True Parents’ interfaith work deals with headache number two, at first disunity in Christianity, and then naturally healing and removing all religious discord.

7 http://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/sunmyungmoon76/SunMyungMoon-760614.htm

Until this is solved, there is no peace for God, no peace or hope for God’s children, no Heaven after death, no peace for the tender environment of our beloved Mother Earth, and no sure walk of joyful building happy societies together

True Parents’ interfaith work began when raging conflict in the spiritual world was stilled by the decision of God,

Since great chaos would come to the spirit world after this, God had to make a decision as the Judge. But even He stood against me. God said, “Rev. Moon is a heretic, as you all say.”

Why? Since Adam had betrayed God, in accordance with the laws of restoration through indemnity, the person representing perfected Adam had to face a situation of betrayal, even by God Himself. Only then could the walls that were raised in God’s heart be brought down. In this way, everyone was against me, and even God was standing on the other side, leaving me totally alone.

Still, the spirit world could not be left as it was, in a whirlpool of chaos. God had to make the final decision. He proclaimed. “The transition of the lineage, transition of the rights of ownership, and transition of the realm of heart that Rev. Moon speaks of are true.” I then had to return here, to this world, after receiving God’s seal as a victorious champion. (264-50, 1994.10.9)

While I happen to believe this, I am not saying anyone else has to. That is just Father Moon’s account of what happened. Everyone needs to make up their own mind if they think this happened or not. I am simply explaining why True Parents’ created the most massive interfaith movement in human history. That part is verifiable fact, The data on this is easily and readily available.

True Parents’ degree of sacrifice and investment in trying to create enduring, loving oneness among the world’s religions is simply light years in excess of any next competitor (despite how wonderful and truly sacrificial the world’s great interfaith champions might be).

But the point of this presentation is not to “compete,” or to say “how great” True Parents’ are. Anyone can research the data, and see in simple (shocking) numbers the reality of True Parents’ immense investment in interfaith.

The point of this paper rather is to explain why True Parents invest in interfaith, and to set the stage and accompany a brief presentation showing how True Parents’ interfaith designs and outcomes are unique.

Frank Kaufmann

August 7, 2022

Interfaith as God’s Work: True Parents’ Gifts of Peace to the Religious World

HJAF International Academic Conference Saturday, August 13, 2022

Frank Kaufmann

Why True Parents do Interreligious Work

This presentation is augmented by a formal paper dedicated to this question

Please read the paper to understanding this most important of all considerations when pondering the interfaith work of True Parents

Why True Parents Do Interreligious Work WHY

In sum The Paper introduces

1. True Father’s visit to the spiritual world and his encounter with discord among Religious Leaders in the Spiritual World at that time 2. Mission to Liberate God 3. Solving the Three Headaches of God (religious discord is headache # 2)

Why True Parents Do Interreligious Work

In this paper I also point out TWO MATTERS OF RELIGION that all religious leaders must manage:

1. Religious leaders have THEIR OWN religious path they believe is true and want people to follow 2. They carry out their work in a world filled with religions DIFFERENT FROM THEIR OWN

How True Parents Do Interreligious Work

From this point this presentation moves away from The Written Paper content to introduce new material:

Two Types Religious Difference

1. Simple Difference 2. Discord

Three Options: 1. Are both a problem? 2. Is one OK but not the other 3. Can I say “I teach what I teach. None of this is my problem.”

Two Types Religious Difference - 1. Simple Difference

1. Is simple difference a problem? a. There is only one true God - Why are there different religions? Does this reflect badly on God? b. OR is it like One Mom, many sons, some tall some short, some dumb, some smart?

A true religious leader must have an overt position on this (AND if they choose 1B - they have to explain why there are different religions)

A true religious leader cannot say, “this is not my problem?”

Two Types Religious Difference - Simple Difference 1. Simple Difference - True Parents’ Answer

1. Is simple difference a problem? True Parents and the Divine Principle pick

1B Not a problem. It does not reflect badly on God. It is like: One Mom, many sons, some tall some short, some dumb, some smart?

Two Types Religious Difference - Simple Difference 1. Simple Difference - True Parents’ Answer 1B Not a problem. Like: One Mom, many sons

All Religions are all God’s Children. They are different because of where and when they were born The problem is solved simply by History and Geography.

This powerful basis defined True Parents’ interfaith work, The key point:

All Religions are God’s Children

Two Types Religious Difference - 2. Discord Everyone agrees that Discord is a problem. Key Questions:

Can Discord be fixed or not? (This is a religious question) 1. If it can be fixed a. Why does it still exist? b. If it can be fixed, exactly how is that done? 2. If it can’t be fixed a. You are doing interfaith why?

Two Types Religious Difference - Discord

Everyone agrees that Discord is a problem. Can Discord be fixed or not? (This is a religious question)

True Parents and Divine Principle answer? 1A - Discord CAN be fixed

Note - this is an extremely unusual religious teaching. This is a big reason why True Parents’ Interfaith was so unique and so successful

Two Types Religious Difference 1A - Discord CAN be fixed How can discord be fixed

The first question: How did discord start?

What is the precise cause of conflict (any conflict). The solution is to follow the precise reverse path.

True Parents’ Interfaith is not (shouldn’t be) flying people around the world to tell them “Empathize,” “Engage,” “Be vulnerable” “Listen better”

Two Types Religious Difference 1A - Discord CAN be fixed How can discord be fixed The first question: How did discord start?

True Parents’ and Divine Principle end of discord relates to the origin of discord available through a Divine Principle explanation of Biblical Scripture -

All Unification Interfaith should be the explicit application of the Principles of Restoration.

If There’s Time Some Tales that Tell of True Parents and Interfaith