Dear readers,
I have had quite a few inquiries about the articles I have posted relating to Josette Sheeran Shiner, a one time Unificationist who was blessed in marriage by True Parents, and has subsequently separated from the Unification Church. She worked at the News World in New York, and later, the Washington Times from 1982, serving as a journalist, the features editor, later managing editor. Then she went to Empower America where she served as President and CEO. Then she was appointed by President Bush to serve as Deputy United States Trade Representative in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Then she served at the US State Department as Under Secretary, Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs.
She was recommended by President Bush and appointed to the position of Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme.
Here is my point. Josette Sheeran was educated by True Parents and loved True Parents and the work we do. Whether she overtly maintains a connection to them is irrelevant. Do you think anyone who openly professes a connection to Rev. Moon could be appointed to such positions of responsibility and power to get things done? I do not blame her for denying the connection. What I do know is that when your heart and conscience are moved by God to understand that God's plan is to build His Kingdom, and put an end to the suffering and misery in the world, and you do everything in your power to make that happen, it does not matter what label you have on your lapel badge.
I applaud the work she is doing, and I wish her well. We met on a few occasions, and we know one another, though not well. I am saddened by all the communications I have received that suggest I am glorifying someone who left our movement. I don't think I have ever heard Josette say a derogatory thing about the church. All I have read is that she is no longer associated with us. She asked me at one point to take her writings off my web site, and I complied. In fact, many people have asked me just the same thing, as they find that their open association with our church has affected their career possibilities, given the climate of prejudice against us. I do not hold that against them, if they want to keep their associations with the Unification movement, present or former, a private matter.
What do we do with people who are doing great work for the world? We typically nominate them and appoint them as Ambassadors for Peace. I think that Josette Sheeran Shiner deserves that title, and whether she accepts it or not, she is doing the work of True Parents and the work of an Ambassador for Peace. If you are doing anywhere close to as much as she is, do not tell me yourself, I will hear about it from the people you are serving.
What are the steps in the process of salvation in Unification Theology? First, we make a foundation of faith, connecting to God internally in faith, love and obedience, and learn to discipline our mind and body to live a religious life, gaining the qualification to stand as Abel, or spiritual leader. Secondly, we make the foundation of substance, where we love others to the point where they come to trust us, listen to us, and emulate our example, in the position of our Cains, or disciples. On this foundation, we are qualified to meet the Messiah, and receive God's blessing.
We must be wary of making the religion OF True Parents the religion ABOUT True Parents. Christianity is not about Jesus, it is about living as Jesus lived. The same can be said of Unificationism. We must we wary of becoming the "dim, sputtering wicks glimmering in the falling darkness" and a "dead body of clergy trailing empty slogans." Father is not teaching the Principle about himself, but is teaching a universal divine principle that he discovered, which, if we live by it, will save this world, and make God's eternal kingdom a reality here on Earth and in the eternal spiritual world.
Sincerely,
Damian Anderson
Damian.Anderson@gmail.com
Apostle of the Lord