Responses to Questions on
Unificationism on the Internet - Volume 30
June 20, 1996
From damian@unification.netThu Jun 20 00:50:52 1996
Date: Thu, 20 Jun 1996 00:48:05 -0400
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
Reply to: damian@cais.cais.com
To: Unification Texts
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification, talk.religion.misc,
alt.religion.christian, alt.christnet.theology
Subject: Re: DP: Predestination
Hi DN,
First of all, I must apologize for taking so long to answer you.
On Tue, 4 Jun 1996, DN wrote:
> Dear Damian,
>
> The problem of predestination is intimately bound up with the
> question of who is or will be saved by God and how God deternines
> the choice or selection of those bound for heaven.
Indeed it is. My understanding is that God desires that all may
eventually attain heaven, and this is supported by II Peter 3:9.
> The whole problem, IMO, can be resolved and solved by simply
> facing the the key of all religion (enlightened ones at least) - God
> exists and, not only is he all-powerful and all-knowing, He is also
> all-loving.
Agreed.
> Apart from the reality of his existence (?) the main consideration
> is the inevitable triumph of God's love. This means ALL will be
> saved.
I agree, as I said above. It may take time, however.
> And on this point I don't care what the Bible, especially Paul
> or the writer of Matthew, say. In fact, though I am a Christian,
> the Bible understood in a literalist way, is actually more prone
> to error than truth.
It would appear that many evils have been justified by a literalist
interpretation of scripture, such as slavery.
> And as you said in your article above often supports both sides of
> the issue. And this is true of faith vs. works, the spiritual
> vs the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, infant baptism,
> etc.
Many truths are expressed in paradox. In the case of faith and
works, Jesus said that we could recognize his disciples by how they
loved one another. On other occasions, he said that judgement would
be according to how we loved, how we fed the hungry, clothed the
naked, visited the prisoners. Yet, without a relationship with God,
we cannot attain the highest level of the human being, oneness with
God, as Jesus attained.
> It seems there is a great deal of truth in the existential position
> (and now being suspected by scientists re even physical reality)
> that we create our own reality (world and worldview) by our decisions
> and imagination. Even though we do it as Christians live in
> fellowship with Absolute Reality.
While we can affect our mental state by our thinking, I believe
still that there is an objective reality outside of ourselves.
Nevertheless, what is real is less important than what we desire
to attain, which becomes the vision of what we want to become the
reality. And that is certainly a product of our minds and imagination
and the longings of our hearts. The concept of the Kingdom of God
is, I believe, a consequence of God's longings, articulated by
Jesus.
> What I am trying to say is that as re propositional theological
> truth our relationship to Absolute Reality does not guarantee our
> possion of Absolute Truth. For example, in the final critical
> analysis God exists is not true. Even as Genesis long ago knew God
> IS. Period.
Ha. But the very systems by which men seek to arrive at these truths
are themselves flawed and one-dimensional. It is like the poor
wretches in Plato's myth of the cave. They were unable to conceive
of the reality outside of the cave. They needed witnesses from
outside the cave to tell them what life was like outside and to
draw them out to look. Otherwise, what they saw were just shadows
of illusions of reality. So, logic is not so much used to create
a vision of what is out there as a means of justifying what one has
intuited by other means. Hey, I'm a mathematician!
> Anyway, since all are being saved, sooner or later (God has lots
> of time and space in which to effect his purposes) the question of
> predestination is great mental gymnastics but futile beyond that.
The interest in predestination in the Divine Principle is to say
that God's PURPOSE is predestined, which I venture to say you would
agree with. The premise "ALL MEN WILL ONE DAY BE SAVED AND LIVE
WITH GOD" is predestined to be fulfilled, because, as God says "I
have spoken and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I
will do it." Isaiah 46:11.
However, WHO is destined to accomplish the plan of salvation, and
when, depends on each person fulfilling their role in the divine
plan.
Those who believe and follow first become the first fruits. That
does not give them the right to lord it over the unbelievers and
tell them that they are all going to hell. For such as this, Cain
killed Abel. Instead, in the true tradition of faith, those who
have the deepest faith in God are called to sacrifice their own
interests and even their very lives in the cause of bringing their
errant brothers and sisters to a knowledge of and a love relationship
with God.
> Actually, I guess I'm not denying predestination. I'm simply
> saying all are predestined to heaven. And thus Hell, at least
> the eternal type, is empty. So I affirm God and Heaven and deny,
> like the Jehovah's Witnesses, eternal Hell fire and damnation.
There you go, we agree! :-) I believe that hell exists, but WE
CREATED IT. When people live lives separated from God, they have
created their own private hell in which to dwell. Multiplied by
all the billions of residents of this planet, we have created a
monumental hell for ourselves and our offspring. The hard part is
turning hell into heaven. That is the process of restoration or
salvation that the Divine Principle speaks of. The vehicle for this
to occur is the process of indemnity, or restitution. That is a
topic for another discussion.
> Anyway, when I talked to Yahweh the other day., he communicated
> to me his concern over the energy thing. To burn even one
> hapless soul for all eternity is such a waste of energy even when
> you've got infinine resources to command and can create the whole
> shebang out of nothing and could keep slamming Hitler, the mother
> in law, etc into some Black Hole till the end of time and way
> beyond.
Even an accursed man such as Hitler was born as God's child, and
could call out to God in his misery and say: "You created me. If
I had known your love from my childhood, I would not have been such
a wicked man. You have to help me." And God would have to say that
he was right, and provide a way for even this most evil of souls
to have a way to be saved from his own evil deeds.
> You could say Hell is just the inescapable reality entailed in
> God's Justice with even a litttle of his infinite love thrown
> in. However, once again you have to plop down on one side or the
> other and I choose to plop on the side of love.
Yes, I agree that since God is all loving, He cannot punish anyone
forever, even the devil himself.
> file:
>
> I recommend that you read a couple of these theologians who
> take the Bible very seriously but not literally. (The same thing
> re Christian Doctrine)
I don't read much theology, believe it or not. :-)
> Check out Bishop John S. Spong (Episcop.) - Rescuing the
> Bible from Fundamentalism. Also This Hebrew Lord. Scholarly and
> readable material.
>
> Also, the works of Catholic theologian Uta Ranke-Heinemann -
> Eunuchs for the Kingdom of God. And, Putting Away Childish
> Things.
May I do it when I am old and grey? For now I am young and busy
and want to communicate a message of great importance. I'll have
to think about that. :-)
> Uta's critique of historical Christianity (including the boys who
> wrote the gospels) is devastating. Seems,often, Matthew, Luke
> Mark were more interested in aquiring power and control over
> their audience than in propounding the truth re Jesus Christ.
> Not to mention the limitations of their 1st Century world-view.
Yes, there are definite flaws in the gospels with contradictory
information and the like. Nevertheless, the reality of the man
Jesus stands out despite their flaws, and one can read between the
lines, just as the readers of Pravda and Izvestia in Soviet Russian
learned to do.
> In Canada we have a articulate proponent of 21st Century
> Christianity in the person of Tom Harpur (Episcop. priest)
> who writes a weekly religion column for the Toronto
> Star.(daily newspaper from captial of Ontario, Canada). I
> recommend that you read one of his many books. One is FOR
> CHRIST'S SAKE.
Maybe I sould do some more reading. Hmmm :-)
> Thanks for your time.
Thank you. I enjoyed this.
> DN
Sincerely,
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
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June 20, 1996
On Tue, 4 Jun 1996, DZO wrote:
> Greetings! I forwarded your very interesting list to a couple
> of Baha'i lists. Hopefully we can supply you with some quotes
> from Baha'i Scriptures to complement your worthy effort!
>
> BTW, the following web site allows anyone to search Baha'i
> Writings for passages of interest (key word search):
> http://sunsite.unc.edu/Bahai/TrueSeeker/
>
> DZO
Thank you for your interest. In fact, the World Scripture was written by
a team of 40 scholars over a period of 5 years, so I am in no position to
add to the work. This did include some Bahá'i scholars.
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
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June 20, 1996
Re: SUN MYUNG MOON WAS: [Questions about God's Existence]
jay ott (jpott@primenet.com) wrote:
: "Damian J. Anderson" wrote:
: >Instead of trying to prove God's existence, Unification teachings
: >take the approach of the scientific method. Assume that God exists
: >as an hypothesis. Then develop the ideas based on that assumption
: >and see whether they agree with reality. This is the same way in
: >which the basic assumptions and postulates of physics are verified.
: >Physics has not *proved* the special theory of relativity, but the
: >results agree so well with experiment that it is generally agreed
: >that its postulates are valid.
: Traditional Protestant Christianity goes one step further on the
: scientific method.
: 1 On the basis of accepted principals of textual and historical
: analysis, the Gospel records are found to be trustworthy historical
: documents--primary evidence for the life of Christ.
Well, they have their problems and discrepancies, such as how Judas died,
but on the whole, I accept their authority.
: 2. In these records, Jesus exercises divine prerogatives and claims to
: be God in human flesh (John 8:58); and rests His claims to His forth-
: coming resurrection.
I would not interpret John 8:58 to mean that. He did however say
that he was one with the Father and I accept that. He also commanded
us to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect (Matt 5:48).
: 3. In all four Gospels, Christ's bodily resurrection is described in
: minute detail; Christ's resurrection evidences His deity.
I disagree. Even if Jesus appeared to people after his death, that
does not mean he was divine. Moses and Elijah appeared after their
deaths at the Mount of Transfiguration to Jesus, Peter, James and
John. The prophet Samuel appeared to King Saul after his death.
That does not in and of of itself prove divinity.
: 4. The fact of the resurrection cannot be discounted on _a prior_,
: philosophical grounds; miracles are impossible only if one so defines
: them--but such definition rules out proper historical investigation.
A miracle would appear to be a misunderstanding of the nature of
reality. Heck, people think that what I do with computers is a
miracle. If it CAN and DID happen, then it must be within the scope
of God's natural laws, by the very nature of the fact that it
occurred. Jesus appeared, I believe that. He was in the eternal
body that we acquire after our physical death, the kind that St.
Paul speaks of in I Cor 15. He was in the same kind of body as
Moses and Elijah appeared with at the Transfiguration.
: 5. If Christ is God, then He speaks the truth concerning the absolute
: divine authority of the Old Testament; concerning His death for the
: sins of the world; and concerning the nature of man and of history.
If Christ is God, that is a big if. I do not believe that Jesus
was God Himself, but a man in whom God's spirit dwelled fully. He
had perfected love and was showing us how to be like him. I also
believe that what he said was authoritative. If Jesus was God
Himself, to whom did Jesus pray, Himself?
: 6. It follows from the preceding that all Biblical assertions bearing on
: philosophy of history are to be regarded as revealed truth, and that
: human attempts at historical interpretation are to be judged for
: truth-value on the basis of harmony with Scriptural revelation.
: (The Shape of the Past, by John Warwick Montgomery)
One must be cautious with scripture, and use sound wisdom based on
prayer so that one does not make ludicrous interpretations of
apocalyptic or poetic expressions that are not intended to be
literal. There is truth on the philosophy of history to be found
in scripture, but it is not obvious to the casual observer.
: >No, our approach is fundamentally different from Protestant
: >Christianity. It does not depend on blind faith in the founder.
: This is a straw argument. Historic, traditional Christianity does not
: rely on blind faith in the founder. All throughout the New Testament we
: find people that were offered "many convincing proofs" to the validity of
: the Gospel. Although, many Christians _do_ follow Christ blindly,
: nevertheless it is not a requirement and is often a perception by those
: looking at Christianity from without.
I do not think that Jesus required blind faith, but many of his
followers have thought it necesary and asked it of others, becoming
demagogues in the process. Ultimately, proof cannot be offered to
the unbeliever. The heart must be touched. The best proof of the
validity of the Christian message is the faithful application of
the teachings of Jesus in the lives of the believers. When people
see that, that is all the proof they need. Those who believe in
Jesus must OBEY Jesus. Then the unbeliever will believe.
: >God is the Ultimate Reality. His Being can be perceived by those
: >who purify their lives through repentance, prayer and service to
: >others. As Jesus said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall
: >see God."
: Jesus also said, "He that has the Son, has life, but he that does not have
: the Son, the judgement of God abides on him."
Yes, I believe that.
: The teachings of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon are not in accordance with New
: Testament revelation.
I disagree. However, I fully expect that they are not in accordance
with your understanding of the New Testament revelation.
: In 1945, Rev. Moon allegedly recieved a revelation that began the
: Unification Church and was declared to be the one through whom the world
: would be saved:
: After nine years of search and struggle, the truth of God was sealed
: into his [Moon's] hands. At that moment, he became the absolute
: victor of heaven and earth. The whole spirit world bowed down to him
: on that day of victory, for not only had he freed himself completely
: from the accusation of Satan, but he was now able to accuse Satan
: before God. Satan totally surrendered to him on that day, for he had
: elevated himself to the position of God's true son. The weapon to
: subjugate Satan then became available to all mankind. (Message to the
: World Unification Family, Wash.D.C.:1964, p.4)
I don't know the origin of the publication you quote. However,
Jesus appeared to Rev. Moon on Easter Day 1935 when he was 15 (or
16 by the Korean way of counting age) to ask him to carry on the
work that he, Jesus, had left unfulfilled. Furthermore, I believe
that Rev. Moon attained a level of personal victory over sin in
order to stand in the messianic position that Jesus asked of him.
: What does Unification teach about Jesus Christ? According to _Divine
: Principle_ p.209:
: The Priniciple does not deny the attitude of faith held by many
: Christians that Jesus is God, since it is true that a (any) perfected
: man is on body with God.
Yes.
: Christianity teaches that while on earth Christ was both God and man
: simultaneously, Mark 2:5; John 11, Mark 5:7-13.
No, this is an interpration of what scripture says.
: Therefore, "if anyone comes to and preaches another Jesus, a different
: Spirit, and another gospel let him be eternally judged." Gal 1:6-9
This is not another gospel, this is THE GOSPEL.
: j.
: http://www.primenet.com/~jpott
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
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June 21, 1996
Did Jesus finish what he came to do?
On Fri, 21 Jun 1996, TB wrote:
> "Damian J. Anderson" wrote:
>
> >In the Unificationist perspective, Jesus embodied God's nature, and
> >commanded each of us to do the same. So he said that the day will come
> >when he will be in the Father, and we in Him and Him in us. So, God's
> >intent is that ALL of us should be like Jesus and embody God's nature.
>
> >Then, we shall all be one with God, and in so doing, we will become one
> >with one another, one human family, without conflict. That is what we call
> >the Kingdom of God on Earth. For this to happen, Christ must return with a
> >flesh body as he came the first time. How can this be? It will be another
> >man with the same mission. He will marry and leave a lineage, and be the
> >eternal Father, Prince of Peace, King of Kings. That man has already come.
> >His name is Sun Myung Moon.
>
> It is an interesting and different view that you have, one that I have
> never heard tell of. But have you ever read 1 Peter 3:18 which says
> that Jesus Christ (or "annointed one"), son of God, "died once FOR ALL
> TIME concerning our sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones,
> that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh but
> being made alive in the spirit". It no more makes sense that God is a
> Trinity, made up of three parts, than it does that God could die and
> then raise himself up again. Furthermore, since Jesus Christ is alive
> in the spirit why would he have to become a fleshly person again?
>
> I'd like your thoughts on this.
Jesus died that we might have life in the spirit, yet humanity is still
born into sin. So, for the birth of human beings and their sexual
relationships to be reconciled with God, it is necessary that Christ must
come again in the flesh and offer "the salvation which has been prepared
is revealed in the end of time." (1 Peter 1:6). The Christian message
gives several references to indicate that our salvation through Jesus
alone is not complete. In Romans, Paul says: "not only the creation, but
all of us who possess the first-fruits of the spirit, we too groan
inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free." (Rom 8:23). The
creation of the Kingdom of God must also take place on the Earth, then in
Heaven. What is sown here is reaped there (Gal 6:7), what is bound on
earth will be bound in Heaven (Matt 18:18).
Moreover, Zech 4:14 speaks of the TWO anointed ones, Rev 11:4 speaks of the
two olive trees, both messianic symbols, but in a couple. The coming of
Christ at the second coming will not be just a man but a couple, a man and
a woman, who will bear a lineage, and bring about the eternal reign of God
on Earth.
If Jesus' death was sufficient, then how does one explain all the
suffering and evil in the world? It exists because Jesus did not do all
that he came to do, and that is the reason for the second coming, to
fulfill what was left incomplete, namely, the establishment of God's
original plan of creation, the Kingdom of God on Earth.
> TB
Respectfully and with love,
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
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June 22, 1996
From damian@unification.netSat Jun 22 22:37:17 1996
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1996 22:32:36 -0400
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
Reply to: damian@cais.cais.com
To: Unification Texts
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification, talk.religion.misc,
alt.religion.christian, alt.christnet.theology
Subject: Re: World Scripture - Hell
Hello DCK,
On Sat, 22 Jun 1996, DCK wrote:
> Hello Damian,
>
> On Thu, 20 Jun 1996 03:07:12 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >HELL
>
> Why do you bother posting this trip on alt.religion.Christian? It
> really has nothing to do with Christianity at all. Sun Moon had no
> understanding of Jesus Christ or Christianity when he wrote his
> "Divine Principle." He still doesn't.
You think that the idea of Hell has nothing to do with Christianity?
Perhaps it is not Rev. Moon who knows nothing.
> Why not post this to alt.eastern.religions, or some such newsgroup.
> You waste our bandwidth and nobody seems to respond to you.
>
> in Christ Jesus,
> DCK
People do respond to me, mostly by private e-mail, and I post my
responses to them with their names removed, if I receive them in that
way. If you have any comment about the content, please make it. If not,
ad hominems are a waste of breath.
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 22, 1996
Subject: Re: Allegations against Rev. Sun Myung Moon
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.christian,alt.christnet.theology,talk.politics.misc
References: <4oqkkt$ka6@nexus.polaris.net> <31B51B04.542A@unitel.co.kr> <31B6680B.D08@Access.Digex.Com> <31B7D6BB.431D@unitel.co.kr> <31BCF713.623D@Access.Digex.Com> <31BE3ED3.1E03@ix.netcom.com> <31BE61D1.53CD@Access.Digex.Com> <31BFB823.52F7@ix.netcom.com> <31C0ED67.8E7@Access.Digex.Com> <4pr8oc$fh@news2.cais.com> <31CB83FF.7753@Access.Digex.Com>
Organization: Capital Area Internet Service info@cais.com 703-448-4470
Distribution:
Dennis Smith (dsmith@Access.Digex.Com) wrote:
: Yes he is a traitor. He did business with the government of Vietnam
: before the embargo was lifted. It is a disgrace to the brave men and
: women who gave their lives in Vietnam. We apply U.S. law to U.S. citizens
: and permanent resident aliens where ever they reside.
Hey, we do business with Germany and Japan and Italy, and we were
at war with all three a long time ago. So what? The Vietnam War
ended more than 20 years ago. We were in a nuclear standoff with
the Soviet Union until about 1990 and now we trade with and aid
them. If a Korean business wants to do business with Vietnam, what
right does the US government have to stop it? And what business is
it of yours?
: > Whose law is it against to visit North Korea? And if it is against
: > the law, is it a good law? Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Ghandi
: > frequently challenged man-made laws that were unjust. I don't see
: > any problem with violating an unjust law. Rev. Moon's intention in
: > going to North Korea was to bring about the reunification of his
: > homeland. If it is against South Korea law, so be it.
: Ok, so be it. The fact of the matter is he broke Korean law by going
: to North Korea. He is a criminal.
Yes, and I break American law every time I drive at over 55 mph.
Big deal. Is everyone who breaks even the smallest law a criminal?
We have so many laws in America, many of them asinine laws, that
we make everyone a criminal according to the legalists. For example,
the EPA can rule a puddle on a farm to be a wetland, and then forbid
the owner to fill it in with earth or face federal sanctions. You
cannot govern a country by laws alone. You have to have a nation
of just men, and America is not that. It is in decline for that
reason, because you cannot make men moral by making a law for every
piddling little thing. And if you want to indict someone, and you
look hard enough, you can indict even a saint in America.
The President of the United States has consistently abused his
power to help his cronies, gain sexual favors, defame his opponents,
and enrich himself and his wife. The stench of corruption in American
politics, and especially the Clinton White House, reeks to high
heaven, yet you rail against an innocent man who has been working
to help others for decades.
America was once great, as de Tocqueville said, because it was
good, and when it ceases to be good, it will cease to be great. If
America does not change its ways of immorality, it will decline, as
the Roman Empire did, and become a ruin fit for study by archaelogists.
: > Whatever Carlton Sherwood's motives, he gave a very thorough
: > treatment of the allegations against the Unification Church with
: > copious footnotes from documents in the public record. That speaks
: > for itself. I have no interest in whether he wanted to make any
: > money on it. Considering the mine of information about the
: > Unification Church in the book, the silence of the anti-cult people
: > about the book is deafening.
: If Carlton Sherwood was objective and thorough in his research he would
: have written a different book.
Ha ha! Despite all the extensive documentation, if the result does
not please you and the conclusions are not the same as yours, then
you say he is not objective. How preposterous! :-)
: > : D.Smith
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
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June 22, 1996
Re: World Scripture - Hell
Hello again DCK,
On Sat, 22 Jun 1996, DCK wrote:
> > You think that the idea of Hell has nothing to do with Christianity?
> > Perhaps it is not Rev. Moon who knows nothing.
>
> Christianity teaches about Hell, it's true. But Rev. Moon doesn't
> understand the person, work, or words of Jesus Christ. That is
> evident by his writings.
Well, just because you don't happen to agree with him does not mean
that he is wrong, just that you don't agree.
> Christianity is NOT based upon "World (Sun M. Moon's words)
> Scripture," but upon the God of the Bible, a foreign concept to Mr.
> Moon.
Actually, the World Scripture is not Rev. Moon's words, although
it does quote him on occasion. Most of the contents of the book
are quotations from the major world religions, such as Christianity,
Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and some of the minor ones too.
The book was written in an attempt to bring people of different
faiths together to show how much they had in common. I believe it
does admirably well on that score. It was written by 40 scholars
over 5 years representing many religious traditions. Rev. Moon
commissioned the work, but was not involved in its production as
far as I know. The editor was Dr. Andrew Wilson (awilson@pipeline.com).
> Moon's Jesus failed in His mission on this earth (according to Sun,
> that mission was to "unify" earth).
You grossly oversimplify what he teaches. Jesus came to abolish
sin (1 John 3:5). Is sin gone from the world?
> The True Jesus of the Bible succeeded in His mission; He paid the
> price for our sins, providing us with direct access to God through
> Him, and a place in heaven.
He did indeed pay a price, but sin persists on the earth, so
something is missing.
> Sorry about that. If you refuse to listen to Truth, then you will
> have to answer to God for it.
I am listening to you, but I would venture to say that what you
say is not Truth with a capital "T". Such humility.
> Sorry.
Don't be sorry. I stand before my Lord and my conscience knows what
I have done right and what I have done wrong, and the same applies
to you and to all men and women. We will all be judged by the same
standard. I am doing my part to be ready for that day.
> in Christ Jesus (the REAL one),
> DCK
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 22, 1996
Subject: Re: Guk == Land
Newsgroups: soc.culture.brazil,soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.korean
References: <4p6dp0$k53@louie.udel.edu> <9606072032591.DLITE.dfready@delphi.com> <4pf3u1$cpk@louie.udel.edu> <14408@raven.ukc.ac.uk> <4ps1if$7ag@news2.cais.com> <4qc27v$b1a@news2.cais.com> <1996Jun21.225832.1226@atl.com>
Organization: Capital Area Internet Service info@cais.com 703-448-4470
Distribution:
Casey Lee (guess@who.com) wrote:
: damian@cais.cais.com (Damian J. Anderson) wrote:
: >Vivian Lee (vivian.lee@utoronto.ca) wrote:
: >: How funny that 'Hankuk' should mean 'one country'.
: >
: >It will again be one country of the Korean people, Tongil Hanguk,
: >unified Korea.
: What the fuck are these Moonies doing here? Go somewhere else for your
: brain-washing sessions. You guys are even worse than the Hari Karishnas.
: Now get out of here!! You blood suckers!!
Such a charming fellow, this Casey Lee. I wonder where he learned
his manners? But you know, ranting will not shut me up on the
Internet, no matter how apoplectic you get. So go ahead, but don't
expect me to pay any heed.
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 23, 1996
Questions from a Baha'i
Hi DS,
On Sun, 23 Jun 1996 DS wrote:
> I'm a Baha'i who is interested in learning more about the
> Unification Church (the only info I have been able to find
> has been "anti" and is only propoganda). I do know that
> the HSA-UWC has suffered from many false allegations.
Thank you for your interest. You are right that we have a great deal more
persecution than praise. :-)
> I want to know the belief system of the Unification Church.
> As Baha'is we are taught to leave no stone unturned in our
> search for truth.
You can find much information on the Unification Church on my web page at:
http://www.unification.net
and the 1973 translation of the Divine Principle is at:
http://www.unification.net/dp73
In fact, a new translation from the Korean has just been released in
1996. It is called "Exposition of the Divine Principle."
> Anyways I wanted to ask your permission to e-mail you
> the questions that I have. I would also like to know where
> I can get a hard copy of the Divine Principle and a copy in
> ASCII. All I have been able to find are html copies.
You can e-mail me questions and I will do my best to answer them. You may
in turn post my answers, if you wish, to news groups or mailing lists
where Baha'is congregate. I will also, if you don't mind, post my
response with your name removed to various places. This is my usual
method of operating, so that my effort of explanation can be heard by
many rather than a few.
You can order books from:
HSA Publications
4 W 43rd Street
New York, NY 10036
212-997-0050 Ext 250
212-768-0791 FAX
> Thanks.
>
> DS
You're most welcome.
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 24, 1996
Subject: Re: Cult Awareness Network ceases operations, enters chapter 7 bankruptcy
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.christian,alt.support.ex-cult,alt.religion.scientology
References: <4qli3v$f78@unlisys.unlisys.net>
Organization: Capital Area Internet Service info@cais.com 703-448-4470
Distribution:
Ron Newman (rnewman@shell1.cybercom.net) wrote:
: I just received the following press release:
: Contact: Cynthia S. Kisser
: 815-728-1990
: Date: June 21, 1996
: For Immediate Release
: Cult Awareness Network Files Chapter Seven Bankruptcy/Ceases Operations
Another dinosaur bites the dust! :-) So it was with Nero, Hitler,
Stalin, the devil cannot last forever. I can't say that I am sad
about it. There is cosmic justice after all. What goes around comes around.
"As sweet as honey is an evil deed, so thinks the fool so long as
it ripens not; but when it ripens, then he comes to grief.
Verily, an evil deed committed does not immediately bear fruit,
just as milk does not curdle at once; but like a smoldering fire
covered with ashes, it remains with the fool until the moment it
ignites and burns him."
Buddhism. Dhammapada 69, 71
For more thoughts in this matter, see:
http://www.unification.net/ws/theme017.htm
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 25, 1996
On Tue, 25 Jun 1996, JT in Belarus wrote:
> Date: Tuesday, June 25, 1996
>
> Dear dear Damian
>
> Thank you for your hard work.
You are most welcome. I met some of your friends from Belarus
recently at the YFWP conference in Washington DC.
> 1. I suggest you send the Divine Principle sections out in longer
> documents. As it is they are very short and it means that the
> download procedure must be done collectively thousands of more
> times by your subscribers. Maybe with that time we could witness
> to somebody.
This is true, but my experience has shown that people tend to ignore the
longer posts. When I post short sections, people read them and comment on
them. When I post longer ones, I get no feedback at all, or people
complain about the length. I want to send out an amount that someone can
comfortably read in a day. If you do not want to receive the DP sections,
you can selectively unsubscribe from those posts. In any case, the whole
DP is available from the Web.
By the way, for those who are interested, you can now subscribe to
my mailing lists on the web at:
http://www.unification.net/forms/subscribe.html
I will have to add to that the ability to set options for which
Unification Texts one wants to receive.
Also, I now have a copy of the 1996 translation of the Divine
Principle. As soon as I get it in electronic format, I hope to put
it on the Web. I will also serialize it for the worldwide readership.
> 2. I appreciate receiving EVERYTHING, but I am in doubt of your
> wisdom to send all the words Father utters as speeches. I give you
> the cautions of
> pearls before swine
> wise as serpents and innocent as doves
> Jesus mistake of flogging in the temple
Well, Father continually gives the words of truth to people, whether
they are ready for it or not. The metaphor I frequently hear from
Father is that he is content with people to eat whatever they want
from the plate and to leave the rest uneaten. So, let people digest
what they can and want to. He has also said that the reason we have
failed to expand the membership of the church and the movement as
a whole is that we have failed to present his ideas faithfully.
His emphasis is on reading his speeches and writings verbatim and
then commenting on them, rather than paraphrasing them in our own
words. That would not suggest leaving anything out.
Jesus said those things when he was in a precarious situation with
the public and his life was in danger. Now, Father is recognized
all over the world as a great philanthropist, teacher and religious
leader. He has met with heads of state, he has a great network of
contacts in almost every profession. What he says, he does, what
he asks to get done, happens. Now is the time of bringing in the
harvest, not worrying about the excessive spring rains. They are
long behind us. Let the critics bitch, whine and moan. Father has
a message to proclaim and I am attempting to the best of my ability
to follow the spirit of his requests with regard to teaching his
words. We have an extraordinarily poewrful medium raised up by God
to proclaim the message of the coming of the Kingdom of God in the
Last Days.
Father said to a member of his family one time, and I paraphrase,
from memory "You need to proclaim God's message wherever you go,
even in the grocery line. What would happen if you go to the spirit
world and meet a person that stood next to you on earth, and you
knew the truth and did not tell them. How could you hold up your
head before such a person? Take every possible opportunity to
witness to people."
So, I am sending Father's words out as faithfully as I can to the
original content, based on the translations that I have, and then
commenting on them as people ask questions. That is keeping a fairly
healthy give and take going, about as much as I can handle for now.
If too many poeple ask questions, I will just have to select the
best ones, by whatever criteria I decide. I tend to favor queestions
asked in a sincere tone of interest rather than the sneering tone
of the critic. Even then, I do also sometimes answer those people.
> I believe that if you err on this, you are erring on the right side.
> Such actions, potentially erring on the right side, take much more
> introspection then erring in clear wrongness. It seems right what
> you are doing, but timing is everything. True Father has a time
> table. Why not consult True Father about what you are sending
> out?
I don't have that kind of access to True Father. I have frequent
communication with two of Father's sons in law, so I figure that
they would set me straight if I am way off base. I am not in any
way a leader of the church, I am a simple member taking the mission
of tribal messiahship seriously and witnessing to a worldwide
audience on the message of True Parents. They have thanked me for
my work, so I don't suppose they have a problem with it. But you
are right, I can ask. The trouble is, if I ask, then I may have to
do what they say, and that would limit my freedom! :-) I'll think
and pray about it.
When the need arises, I get calls from the President of the
Unification Church in the USA, Rev. Dr. Tyler Hendricks, so the
hierarchy recognizes that I have a large worldwide audience. I had
several such calls at various times requesting that I do one thing
or another, so they know where to find me. I have always respected
their wishes thus far. Also, I have heard tell that Rev. Chung Hwan
Kwak, the worldwide president of the Unification Church who is soon
to set up offices in Washington DC in preparation for Blessing
97, he favors putting ALL of Father's words on the Internet, in
Korean. Then, people can have the definitive words in the original
language, if they care to read them. I may soon get a CD-ROM
containing many years of Rev. Moon's speeches, and I will put them
online as soon as I am able.
> One more problem might occur. The transcribers of True Father"s
> words might keep something back from the Core Members for
> whom the words are intended just because they are worried that
> Damian will make them so available that Cynthia Kisser might read
> them first.
That already happens. What Father says is already passed by the
lawyers to make sure that what is said does not cause trouble. I
only publish speeches already filtered by the lawyers. I don't want
to filter it any further. That happens in America, but does not,
to my knowledge, happen in Korea. I am not altogether happy with
this, but this is how it is now. I have heard Father say with my
own ears that he wants the church members to hear his words unedited
and unfiltered, preferably by video and audio tape, and prefereably
understanding the native Korean as so much is lost or garbled by
spontaneous translation. Maybe I should go live in Korea for 5
years and learn fluent Korean so that I can be a better representative
of the authentic message of True Parents.
> In Their Precious Love
> JT in Belarus
Thank you for your sincere comments and suggestions. I wish you
the very best of success in proclaiming the message of the True
Parents, the availability of God's Blessing and the coming of God's
Kingdom to the people of Belarus and the former Soviet Union.
In True Parents' Names,
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
Web pages on Unificationist ideas and activities in 13 languages and growing.
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June 25, 1996
Check out Java-powered scrolling bar on Unification Home Page
Hi guys,
Check out my new Java powered scrolling announcement on the
Unification Home Page. My thanks are due to Macromedia for the Java
power applets and to Dionisio Rodriguez (drx@deltanet.com) who
helped me get it working. His web page uses similar features:
Nicaragua Online
http://users.deltanet.com/~drx
Thanks everyone.
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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June 26, 1996
Subject: Slanderous allegations against the Unification Church
Newsgroups: alt.religion.christian.calvary-chapel,alt.religion.unification,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.christian,alt.christnet.theology
Organization: Capital Area Internet Service info@cais.com 703-448-4470
Summary:
Keywords:
jarrod@breeze.seas.ucla.edu (Jarrod J. Williamson) wrote:
> The pursuit of this mystical imperative supersedes all considerations
> of decency of immediate human welfare. The end justifies the means.
> You can lie, deceive or whatever to those outside the organization.
> Association with the "outside" is only to benefit their own cause
> in some way. Some cults like Moonies and Hare Krishna's call
> their deception "heavenly deception" or "transcendental trickery".
> Members believe in the ideology to such a degree that they
> rationalize these deceptions. Members are kept in a frenzy of cult
> related activities. There is little time or energy to think about
> their lifestyle.
This is a myth and a slander that the Unification Church promotes
deception. The critics call this deception "heavenly deception"
yet it is a fiction of their own making. It is not a part of the
teachings or the practices of the Unification Church.
This is a distortion on a par with the Nazi stereotypes of Jews.
The trouble is that ignorant people hear these slanderous things,
believe them, and then attempt to punish the members of the targeted
group for the alleged and fictional wrongdoing which has been
invented by the blackshirts who oppose them. The blame belongs
with the rabble rousers who foment trouble against these innocent people.
--
Damian Anderson +1-301-921-0082 Home damian@unification.net DamianAndr@aol.com
Unification Home Page http://www.unification.net
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