Parents and Family Members

In our Unification Church, we call our church members family members. Until today, no one has helped us understand this term “family member.” Family members do not exist separately from a family. Having family members means there must be a family the existence of a family means there must be brothers and sisters, and the existence of brothers and sisters means there must be parents.

In Christianity, religious people use words such as “church members” and “believers,” but they have not been able to use the term “family member.” Today, people are proclaiming the idea of one great global family, but building a great family requires the presence of parents who can be the father and mother of that great family. The one who comes as such a parent is none other than the Messiah.

Among the family members of the Unification Church today, there are members who are true members and those who are the opposite. There are also family members standing in the midway position. What kind of person is a true family member, one with the name of “family member” in the sense of the heavenly family established by God? This is the question. To be a family member, one first needs to have parents. Also, to be brothers and sisters one needs to have parents. The principle is that although there may be many brothers and sisters, there can be only one set of parents. In other words, although there are many family members, there is only one head of the family. Then, who is the center of those parents? Who is the head of the family?

They cannot be people who are self-centered heads of families or self-centered parents. They are parents who focus on the brothers and sisters, on the family members. Can they connect with evil in the evil world? They must have nothing to do with evil. If they are parents and a family head living in the way of true goodness, will they mainly serve their family or the Korean people? No. They should be the parents of all humankind and the central point for the one great family. Then, who can stand in the position of the owner, parents, and center? God, who has created heaven and earth, should stand there. Who should stand there next? The Savior, the representative of God who can bring order to the evil world, should stand there. Thus, a true family can be realized only when we have the Savior, who has become one with God, as our parents on earth. Only those who truly attend the Savior can become true children and true brothers and sisters. (15-294, 1965.12.7)

You should only walk the path that conforms to God’s will. You should become brothers and sisters with people who are not actually your brothers and sisters, and follow parents who are not actually your parents. The Unification Church is making a movement that goes beyond the affections of flesh and blood. This movement focuses on God and is formed of brothers and sisters who are not actual brothers and sisters attending parents who are not their actual parents. A new culture will be created as we transcend races and the world. How are we able to do this? Through what aspect of God can we do this? Through God’s power of life? Through His creative ability? Through His wisdom? Through His knowledge? No. It is possible only through God’s love. (83-177, 1976.2.8)