Chambumo-ron Lectures & Discussion 1st March 2025 - Part 4/4

One of the things that True Mother did is she said that we should call God Heavenly Parent instead of calling Him Heavenly Father. Please change what you say when you pray to God from now on to Heavenly Parent. The name Heavenly Parent is smooth in English and meaningful. The first words you say when you pray should be Heavenly Parent and then loving True Parents of Heaven, Earth, and humankind. If we don't sort this out as we welcome Foundation Day, we will not be able to do that. Not even my children can do that. This is something I've asked my original mind about, and it's something True Mother prayed about, leading to these conclusions. So, look at this: God is Heavenly Parent. There are a few fragments of the Divine Principle in this. It says God is both the ultimate cause and the ultimate root of all creation. God is the Creator, and the original internal nature and original external form of God is the ultimate cause of all creation, manifest in both internal and external aspects similar to those of the human mind and body.

The idea here is the dual characteristics of Sang-hung Sang: internal form and external nature. Everything in the natural world has dual characteristics of inner and outer. The essential character and essential form of the Heavenly Parent are the ultimate source of all creation, consisting of both masculine and feminine aspects, similar to human male and human female. Again, God is not only dual characteristics of internal character and external form but also of masculinity and femininity. The dual characteristics of masculinity and femininity are fairly standard. It says the Yang and Yin of God were manifested as masculinity and femininity. If you actually read what it says in the Divine Principle book, it's a little bit more developed and complicated than that. Yang and Yin thus have the following mutual relationships: internal and external, cause and result, subject partner and object partner, vertical and horizontal. That's interesting and needs to be expounded on how all that works.

For this reason, it is written in Genesis that God took a rib from Adam and created a woman, Eve, to be his helper. In this case, the Yang and Yin of God were manifested as masculinity and femininity. In the Divine Principle itself, it says only in this particular case were they manifested in this way. The Hebrew in English says 'to be his helper,' but in Hebrew, it is much more nuanced than that; it is to be his saviour, not just the one who washes the dishes but actually someone without whom he cannot be happy. It's interesting that it also comes from the rib, the same flesh, but from the rib that side which is where the heart is. It's not from one of his toes, which can be stepped on and used as a footrest, nor from his head for intellectual conversations. It's from this part closest to the heart. Again, it's not literally true; it's a metaphor for the relationship between them, well worth looking into.

The Divine Principle says every entity possesses dual characteristics of Yang (masculinity) and Yin (femininity) and comes into existence only when these characteristics have reciprocal relationships both within the entity and between it and other entities. This is really important. The earlier bit talks about Yang and Yin being manifested as masculinity and femininity, but the principle states every entity contains dual characteristics of Yang and Yin. That's a really important distinction. I came across a revised version of the Divine Principle which says that every entity is either Yin or Yang. That's wrong because every entity has dual characteristics. True men are either men or women, and animals are either male or female, but what about an amoeba? Is an amoeba masculine or feminine? It's asexual; it just divides itself. It's not Yang or Yin; it contains dual characteristics of Yin and Yang because every living being, everything that's alive, has DNA. DNA is a double helix made of pairs.

Individual embodiments of truth are discrete manifestations of the dual characteristics of God. Therefore, they can be distinguished broadly into two classes: those of Yang qualities, which resemble the original internal nature and masculinity of God, and those of Yin qualities, which resemble the original external form and femininity of God. Though individual embodiments of truth belong to either of these two classes, they are all substantial object partners to God, resembling His original internal nature and original external form. They each possess within themselves both internal nature and external form, and likewise both Yang and Yin. A man may be a man or a woman, but at the end of the day, a man has feminine aspects and a woman has masculine aspects. I find this interesting and have never really thought about it very much before. It says here two classes: those of Yang qualities, which resemble the original internal nature and masculinity of God, and those Yin qualities, which resemble the original external form and femininity of God. The male is masculine and internal, and the female is feminine and external. Is this true? It says it in the book, but how does this correspond to reality? I don't know; I haven't thought about it before. Has anyone thought about this or got any ideas?

I thought I would like to think about it. You don't like it? Okay, let's vote on that. Should we delete the sentence or not? Francis, well, I mean, actually, what I've been thinking about is that the world is not dual. Of course, we say it is male and female, but it's not dual; it's uni. We are in a universe, not a dual verse. It is just the other side of creation which we say is like the hand. The hand is the same, but this side is different from the other. It's not necessarily that it is a duality. If we look at the universe in this way, then we can understand that even human beings, male and female, are just the other side of this entity called human being. The idea of the rib coming out clearly stipulates that it's the same, just the other side. That's pretty much a Hebrew understanding; it's the two sides of the same coin. Yes, they are like mirror images in that sense.

For me, it's interesting, you know, internal and masculinity, external and femininity. Those are just words. They try their best to explain it, but in a way, it's just words. The female aspect, as described as external, wouldn't resonate with my heart. But what I just said when Francis was speaking is that if true love flows through a man in the marriage, for example, I think, please forgive me when I say that the woman you are married to would follow you to the end of the world. Is that true, Jillian? Haven't got to the end of the world yet? Okay, anyway, it's interesting trying to understand this. Whenever I read a sentence in the Divine Principle, I always ask what it means and whether it is true. Sometimes I say, okay, I'll put that on the shelf for now, and sometimes 30 years later, I take it off the shelf and understand it.

For example, who is more in touch with their physical body, men or women? I was going to say women should object to that because they would say they are more internal. Just a second, I come to that. Who are more connected to their physical health and physical body, men or women? Yeah, women. They go through the whole menstrual cycle, and what goes on with their body has a huge impact on what's going on inside. Men can become really abstract and intellectual in that sense. I'm just trying to think about these things. In some ways, it's the opposite in nature than it is with humans. With humans, of course, it's the woman who wears the makeup and looks nice and seductive, but if you look at nature, it's the male peacock that has the beautiful feathers and wants to win the female. The reasons for that are that the males want to have sex with the females, but they have to persuade the females that they can do that. That's why they have all these displays and fights; the stag that wins is the one that can reproduce with the females. They want to have good offspring, which are physically well. They don't want to have a relationship with a stag that is weak.

Some religions and churches explain that if it weren't for the fall of man, it would be like that among humans. Sometimes, if you want to marry a woman, you have to win her heart so that when you propose, she says yes, as it is supposed to be. I think we could improve our own practices. Let's move on. God's substance and attributes include both Yin and Yang, representing masculinity and femininity. The universe created by God's dual characteristics is composed of a pair system. God's dual characteristics of masculinity and femininity are the root that differentiates the sexes of all things. Men and women were created in the dual characteristics of God's male and female sexualities. When you actually read the book, it says that even though atoms become positive or negative ions after ionization, each still consists of a positive nucleus and negative electrons in stable unity. Similarly, each animal, whether male or female, maintains its life through the reciprocal relationships of Yang and Yin elements within itself. The same holds true for every plant and people. A feminine nature is found latent in men, and a masculine nature is found latent in women.

For whatever reason, the Chong Bon doesn't say that; it says either you're male or you're female. But the principle, which is the more accurate description of the nature of reality, is this. That's also what Carl Jung talked about. I don't know why these important truths, which are in the Divine Principle, have been left out of this new version. To fully understand Heavenly Parent, why do we marry? This is the Father's speaking here. It resembles the image of God. God embodies both masculine and feminine characteristics as an invisible being. God, who has both male and female attributes, exists as a unified and integrated being. Harmonised masculinity and femininity are not this and this. The divine nature, while being one, is expressed in the differentiated forms of the individual characteristics of this differentiated nature. Male and female characteristics are distinct. If male and female characteristics were the same, they would be identical. They are different, so male and female must unite and become one, like seeds, to return to the original nature of God. We must marry to resemble the image of God. This is actually the teaching of the Orthodox Christian Church. John Chrysostom said that when people get married, this is the image of God: male and female together. Returning to God's original nature involves forming a united body through the union of male and female. Masculinity and femininity determine the overall nature and form of a single existence. For this, we can fully understand Heavenly Parent. God is described as a subject of masculine characteristics, correct? Yes. However, this means that while God has appeared as a masculine subject, God also possesses feminine characteristics. It's not a new revelation; it's page one in the Bible: God created man in His image and likeness; male and female He created them. This comes from Abraham. Externally, God is expressed as masculine, but internally, God has feminine attributes. We'll look at that a bit later. The framework of creation, which allows for divisions into internal, external, and various dimensions, is realised in the existence of both men and women. Personally, I think it's often better to just put the Divine Principle in there; it's more precise and accurate than just giving a speech. It tends to get a bit repetitive. If it's a Divine Principle, someone's crystallised it to be accurate. When you trace the fundamental origins of the universe, you'll find that it ultimately leads to God, who possesses both masculinity and feminine characteristics. I don't know why he's got a slide with all this sort of thing on, which is so obvious and well-known. God's masculine and feminine dual characteristics are aspects of divine nature as well as personal characteristics. It's all a bit repetitive. Again, God exists as a being in whom the dual characteristics of the masculinity and femininity of man and woman are unified. I don't know why these lectures are so repetitive, saying the same thing over and over again. It would be nice to actually make it bigger, put in a lot more of what's in the Divine Principle book itself, or better yet, take the insights from here and add them to the Divine Principle.

Humans resemble only one characteristic of God, becoming either the masculine or the feminine characteristic. The jealous characteristics of masculinity and femininity in God are both personal characteristics. According to the Divine Principle, every human being is either male or female. If you have XX chromosomes, you are female; if you have XY, you are male. A tiny proportion of the population is born with a mixture of XXY or something similar, which can lead to sterility. Personally, I think this is desperately unfair. Why is it unfair? Because women have more DNA than men, and it's the DNA that counts. I believe in equality; there should be equal amounts of DNA, the most precious molecule in the entire universe. When I go into a department store, the ground floor is full of women's clothes, while men have to search in the basement or the top of the shop for a few shirts and trousers. This isn't fair. I believe there should be as many clothes for men as there are for women, and as many pairs of shoes for men as there are for women.

Men and women have different psychological tendencies. Men tend to go in, get what they want, and leave, while women often enjoy browsing. I remember hating shopping with my mother; she could spend hours looking at women's clothes, while I found it incredibly boring. This difference in shopping behaviour reflects deeper differences in male and female psychology. The basic structure of male and female brains is different, which affects how we perceive the world. For instance, men often have tunnel vision, focusing straight ahead, while women take in a broader view. This difference can be seen in how we react to bright headlights when driving at night. Men may not be bothered by them, while women find them disturbing. I realised this difference in perception when I was young, observing how my parents discussed their experiences at a party. My father focused on the conversation, while my mother noticed details like wallpaper and shoes.

Research shows that male and female babies exhibit different preferences; female babies prefer faces, while male babies prefer moving objects. Mothers and fathers interact with their children differently, with fathers often engaging in more physical play. Females tend to express their emotions verbally better than males, while men are often attracted to youth and beauty, and women to status. Historically, men tend to fall in love at first sight and initiate relationships, while women respond. These characteristics are not strictly divided; rather, they exist on a spectrum. The Divine Principle suggests that every man has a latent femininity that grows as they age, and every woman has a masculine femininity that also becomes more prominent over time. This reflects the nature of reality as described in the Principle.

Understanding God from the perspective of humans, who are God's children, reveals that God is the one original substance that appears as the totality of divine nature, embodying both the characteristics of a Heavenly Father and a Heavenly Mother. This does not imply that God exists as two beings; rather, we use the singular form 'Heavenly Parent' because God is one being. The language we use is important; for instance, 'Heavenly Father' and 'Heavenly Mother' are nouns, while 'Heavenly' is an adjective. This can lead to misunderstandings about the nature of God, suggesting duality rather than unity. It is more accurate and biblical to refer to God as our Father and our Mother or as Fatherly God and Motherly God. This reflects the biblical language more precisely.

Julian of Norwich, an anchorite in the church, received extraordinary revelations from Jesus, which she documented over several decades. She articulated that the high might of the Trinity is our Father, the wisdom of the Trinity is our Mother, and the great love of the Trinity is our Lord. She emphasised that as truly as God is our Father, so too is God our Mother. This perspective attempts to reconcile the masculinity and femininity of God within traditional Christian theology. Julian's writings are significant as they represent some of the earliest works in the English language by a woman. Her insights were profound, and she counselled many who sought her guidance.

In the Bible, God created man in His image, male and female. The personal name of God is Yahweh, which was given to Moses. In Hebrew, there are no vowels, so when translated into English, it becomes Yahweh. A rabbi suggested that Yahweh is a cryptogram that can be interpreted as 'He' and 'She', reflecting the masculine and feminine aspects of God. This duality is inherent in the language, and it highlights the need for precision in how we discuss God's nature. I propose that we could refer to God as 'MAA', which fits well with the Hebrew and offers a more personal touch than 'Heavenly Parent'. There are many names for God in the Bible, each with its own meaning, but the name Yahweh is particularly relevant to our discussion of the Heavenly Parent.

The substance of God, in its original internal nature and form, is one, not two. The dual characteristics of male and female are not substances themselves but attributes belonging to the original substance of God. The confusion surrounding this topic often arises from the sloppy use of language. The dual characteristics are not separate entities but rather aspects of the same divine essence. Understanding this unity is crucial for grasping the nature of God and the relationship between masculinity and femininity within the Divine Principle.

The characteristics of male and female do not represent the original substance of nature; rather, they belong to the original substance itself. The dual characteristics of male and female apply to the whole divine nature and form, evoking distinctions similar to those found in humans and conferring divine attributes akin to human personhood. However, since male and female are not the original substances themselves, the existence of two sexes does not imply two original substances. In other words, it does not fall into dualism. This confusion arises from the poor use of language, which complicates the discussion. The dual characteristics of internal nature and external formal embodiment are attributes of the substance itself, while Yin and Yang are modifications of that substance, not the substance itself. As human beings, we possess both internal and external aspects, and whether these are more Yin or more Yang represents a modification rather than the essence of our being.

The dual characteristics of Yang and Yin cannot exist independently; they can only manifest through substantial being, which is either more masculine or more feminine. One cannot have masculinity without a substantial context. Therefore, since the attributes of masculinity and femininity in the Heavenly Parent are not substances in themselves, the existence of these two characteristics within the original substance does not indicate that there are two substances. This linguistic confusion has led to significant misunderstandings. The relationship between the dual characteristics of internal nature and external form parallels that of male and female. Just as one cannot have masculinity without a masculine something, one cannot have femininity without a feminine something. For example, beauty cannot be shown as an abstract concept; it must be embodied in a beautiful flower, person, or painting. Thus, beauty is an attribute of a substance.

To fully understand the Heavenly Parent, the concept of true parents is absolutely necessary. Genesis 1 provides insight into this relationship. Humans have limitations in fully recognising the attributes of the Heavenly Parent because men and women exist as separate individual entities. When a man and woman marry and have children, they create a family and become united in love, resembling the paternal and maternal qualities of the Heavenly Parent. True human ancestors who have achieved the ideal of unity between God and humanity are referred to as the true parents of humankind. Couples, as embodiments of the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, represent all men and women of humanity. By becoming one, they come to resemble the Heavenly Parent. Therefore, it is crucial to be precise in our language; referring to the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother can imply two gods, which is misleading.

Abraham and Sarah, as the ancestors of humanity, are significant figures in this discussion. In Isaiah, it is written, 'Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and seek the Lord; look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who gave you birth.' This highlights their importance, as more than half of the world's population, including Jews, Christians, and Muslims, are physically or spiritually descended from them. Within Judaism, Abraham is considered the father of faith, while Sarah is regarded as the mother of faith. God spoke to both Abraham and Sarah, making promises to them, and also spoke to Hagar regarding her son Ishmael. This connection is reflected in daily prayers, which acknowledge the faithfulness of our ancestors and the divine promises made to them.

Next, we will explore why God is referred to as 'Father' in the Bible. There are clear reasons for this depiction that we need to understand. Unfortunately, we will have to postpone this discussion for another time. It is essential to grasp why God is presented as the Heavenly Father in biblical texts. As we conclude, I encourage everyone to reflect on the teachings we have discussed today. We have explored the complexities of language and the significance of understanding the divine attributes of the Heavenly Parent. As we continue our studies, let us strive to connect with the heart of the Heavenly Parent and embody the love and understanding exemplified by our true parents.