Responses to Questions on
Unificationism on the Internet - Volume 48
From damian@unification.net Tue Apr 21 17:33:40 1998
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 17:33:15 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
To: CS
Subject: Re: Marriage
On Tue, 21 Apr 1998, CS wrote:
> Hello there.
>
> I have read the Unification Church homepage. I set aside about 5 hours
> or so to read as much as I could of it.
>
> I must say that the idea of mass-marriage is an excellent idea and will
> bring peace and unity to the world. Marriage and family values are the
> most important things in life besides worshipping God.
> The family is a unit that must not be broken up. Marriage must be taken
> seriously. Unfortunately, America is in decline to immorality and
> liberalism.
>
> I was amazed to see that 360,000 (or is it 360 million?) couples will be
> married this year. This is good. This will protect people from
> immorality and bring forth a new generation for world peace and
> intercultural understanding.
>
> If more people of different races and cultures married with each other,
> then the problem of war would almost vanish...especially the evil
> spectre of racism.
>
> Please write back. I would like to hear from you.
> Even though I am not a member of your Church, I am open-minded and
> always interested in meeting people who are pro-family and pro-family
> values. We need more morality in this country.
>
> Sincerely,
> CS
Dear CS
Thank you for a most encouraging letter. There were 70 million couples
who participated in Blessing 97, and we expect 360 million couples to
participate in Blessing 98. As you rightly point out, we believe that
international, interracial and intercultural marriage and a commitment
to eternal love, absolute faith and obedience to the will of God are
the values which will bring eternal peace and goodwill to be the norm
of human culture in the coming millennium.
If you want to support this effort, please encourage other people to
become involved in this worldwide true family movement, and receive the
Blessing of True Parents yourself, and continue to read more of what
Rev. Sun Myung Moon is teaching. Please read those teachings with your
family and with your friends, daily. Such words have the ability to
give life to a world in critical need of revival.
Truly, the age of God's dwelling on the Earth is at hand.
Sincerely,
In the name of True Parents,
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@unification.net Tue Apr 21 17:38:24 1998
Date: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 17:38:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
To: KE
Subject: Re: Father's speeches
On Wed, 22 Apr 1998, KE wrote:
> Dear Damian;
>
> Do you have copies of the speeches that Father is asking all members to
> read at the moment? I'm not even sure which ones they are. Would it be
> possible to post them on your site?
>
> Thanks ITPN
>
> KE
Dear KE,
Please look on my web page in the box which says:
Rev. Sun Myung Moon has recommended that those who want to know his
essential teachings read the following:
Family Pledge
True Parents and the Completed Testament Age
True Family and I
View of the Principle of the Providential History of Salvation
In Search of the Origin of the Universe
True Family and True Universe Centering on True Love
Etc.
This is the material Father has asked us to read. It is all there.
ITPN,
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 00:27:40 -0600
Subject: Questions on Blessing 97
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification,talk.religion.misc,alt.religion.christian,alt.christnet.theology
In article ,
Bill@innocent.com (Bill Taylor) wrote:
> Am I reading you correctly, that signing an application and knowing that
> Rev. Moon was behind this was sufficient to qualify for partipation in the
> blessing event?
The significant thing is that the couple received the Holy Wine and pledged to
uphold the ideal of the Blessing. For more on that, refer to:
http://www.unification.net/bif/bif-4-4.html#2
The Process of Being Reborn through the Holy Wine Ceremony
> >> Of these multi-millions, which countries had the most participants? Do
> >> concrete numbers exist?
> >
> >I think the Phillipines was the largest, with the Ukraine as one of the
> >next largest.
I don't have current numbers, but there were large numbers in Taiwan,
Philippines, Nigeria, Ukraine, Korea, mostly developing countries. On the
evening of November 29, 1997, the day of the Blessing, Rev. Moon reported
that the total number of participants in Blessing 97 was 70 million couples.
The goal for Blessing 98 is 360 million couples, taking place in three stages
of 120 million each during the year.
> Why was the UC invisible during the year I lived in Ukraine--1986? There
> were miniscule religious groups that received lots of attention. Just
> curious.
The Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Rev. Moon visited Mikhail Gorbachev in
1991, and then the missionary work in Russia and the former Soviet republics
began. Our work in all these countries is very recent. Until a few years ago,
the Unification Church was outlawed in Taiwan. Now the government is
sponsoring the Blessing.
> >Concrete numbers exist. Why don't you e-mail Damian for details.
>
> He doesn't answer.
You spoke to me disrespectfully, and I am free to respond or not respond as I
see fit.
> >I don't know what percentage went through (or will undergo) the
> >chastening ceremony; possibly it is no longer necessary. As for
> >the rest, I don't know. Ask Damian.
>
> He doesn't answer.
I don't know how many participated in the Chastening Ceremony. In the Ukraine,
I believe that there was a high percentage of people who participated, based
on reports I read from the Korean missionary.
> >For non-members receiving the Blessing, there perhaps is simply
> >the usual 40-day period.
>
> O.K. Now we have some inadvertent clarity. How many blessed couples are
> *not* members. (Give me a ballpark estimate.)
There is no requirement to be a member of any church to participate in the
Blessing. Based on the advancement of Rev. Moon's mission, the conditions for
participation are becoming easier.
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@unification.net Mon Apr 27 12:03:03 1998
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 00:32:25 -0600
Subject: Re: Millions of Followers
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification
In article ,
Bill@innocent.com (Bill Taylor) wrote:
> edpoor@mailexcite.com wrote:
>
> >You all might be surprised, if you did some research and found the
> >numbers to be higher than you thought. I just hope you won't panic
> >when you realize you're soon going to be out-numbered .
>
> Not a problem. But what would father do if he had to support majority
> "democratic" approval? Think about it really, he would lose control of
> the membership.
When God destroyed Sodom, did He take an opinion poll first?
When God sent the flood, did He ask for a vote?
When God sent Jesus, did God ask for a vote on who the Messiah was?
Democratic approval is useful in God's providence, but not essential. In the
last days, eventually the whole world will have to approve the sovereignty of
God democratically, but that can only take place after evil has been
vanquished.
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@unification.net Mon Apr 27 15:39:42 1998
Date: Mon, 27 Apr 1998 14:37:40 -0600
Subject: Re: Questions on Blessing 97
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification,alt.religion.christian,alt.support.marriage,alt.support.divorce
In article #1/1,
Bill@innocent.com (Bill Taylor) wrote:
> On a personal note, I have received some current information about you
> from a friend. I hope that nothing I said seemed like a personal attack
> on you. My previous knowledge of you was from a number of years ago only.
I don't recall ever having met you. Perhaps you could remind me.
> >> O.K. Now we have some inadvertent clarity. How many blessed couples are
> >> *not* members. (Give me a ballpark estimate.)
>
> >There is no requirement to be a member of any church to participate in the
> >Blessing. Based on the advancement of Rev. Moon's mission, the conditions
for
> >participation are becoming easier.
>
> In what way are these participants now called members?
The Unification Church or HSA-UWC has not ceased to exist. The HSA-UWC as a
corporation must continue to exist since property is in its name. However, the
significant thing is that the mission of Rev. Moon has gone beyond the domain
of the church, and is reaching out to the world through the Family Federation
for World Peace and Unification. The model for the Kingdom of God on Earth is
not the church but the family.
Whether people sign up for membership to the FFWPU is not significant to the
success of our mission.
> Will the 360 million participants include all people from past blessings;
> what percentage will be repeats?
None of these are repeats. Nobody from previous Blessings is included. When we
began work on the 360 million couples Blessing, the counters were reset to
zero. Each couple counted is a new couple, allowing for the fact that some
people may be remarried as a result of one partner or the other reneging on
the marriage vow. If a person is reblessed, the one who remained faithful
remains part of their original Blessing group and is not counted in the
new Blessing group. Though we aim to eliminate divorce, we are not there yet,
though the numbers compare favorably to the societal averages.
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
Date: Tue, 28 Apr 1998 11:40:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
To: RJ
Subject: Re: a readers asks
On Tue, 28 Apr 1998 RJ wrote:
>> "Damian J. Anderson" wrote:
>> Holy Salt
>>
>> This salt has been blessed by the Messiah and has the property that it can
>> purify all that it touches, including your body. Every day when you shower,
>> put some holy salt in a container of water, drink some of it, and wash your
>> body in the rest. This will help to purify you from the evil spiritual
>> influences that are around you which cause you to have unnatural sexual
>> desires. Especially wash you head, your heart and your sexual areas. Also
>> bless your home on the first and fifteenth of every month with Holy Salt.
>> Bless all that you possess and all that you buy with Holy Salt.
> Hello Damian,
> I have a few questions. Your above proposal is quite interesting. Did
> True Parents speak about this or is that your personal suggestion?
This suggestion is based on the testimony of Daemo Nim, reported to me
by our Korean acting regional leader, who said that one Japanese sister
came to Chung Pyung with no evil spirits at all. Daemo Nim was curious
as to why this was the case, and asked the sister in a private meeting.
The sister told her that for three years, she had daily washed herself
with water containing Holy Salt. I do this daily now also.
Father has recently said that we should bless our home with Holy Salt
twice a month.
> Thank you
>
> ITN
> RJ
You are most welcome.
ITPN,
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@UNIFICATION.NET Sun May 3 08:20:24 1998
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 02:59:37 -0400
From: "Damian J. Anderson"
To: UNIFICATION-TEXTS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM
Subject: Re: New Religious Movements and the Internet
I will answer the questions below.
Lorne Dawson - RA wrote:
Dear Sir/ Ms. :
>
I am a graduate student in the Department of Sociology at the
University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) conducting
research with Professor Lorne L. Dawson on the use of the
internet by new religious movements. Dr. Dawson is an Associate
Professor, with a Ph.D. in Religious Studies, who has been doing
research into the nature of new religious movements and the
controversy surrounding them. In this research he has striven to
be as objective as possible, dispelling many of the popular
misconceptions and prejudices about so-called "cult" activities.
He has published articles about who joins new religions and why,
the cultural significance of new religious movements, and other
related topics in Studies in Religion, Sociology of Religion, The
Journal of Contemporary Religion, and elsewhere. He is the editor
of Cults in Context: Readings in the Study of New Religious
Movements (Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press, 1996) and the author
of Comprehending Cults: The Sociology of New Religious Movements
(Toronto and New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
>
We would appreciate if you would be willing to complete a brief
questionnaire on the nature, development, and use of your web
page. Reports in the media have raised fears about the presence
of "cults" on the internet, but no reliable information exists
about how the world wide web is being used by new religious
movements. We are seeking some basic information in order to
clarify the issue. This information will be analyzed in the light
of what is already reliably known about the recruitment practices
of most new religious movements. The questions are quite
straightforward, but you may omit any question you prefer not to
answer. Completion of the questionnaire is expected to take about
30 minutes of your time. Participation in the project is
voluntary and all the information you provide will be considered
confidential. No one will be identified by name in any reports,
papers, or publications resulting from this study. A summary of
the results will be provided to you upon completion of the
project. This project has been reviewed by, and received ethics
approval through, the Office of Human Research and Animal Care at
the University of Waterloo.
If you are willing to assist us, please reply to this e-mail after
filling in the questionnaire below. Or, if you prefer, the
questionnaire could be mailed to you (please provide the appropriate
address), and returned in an enclosed self-addressed and stamped
envelope. We would appreciate your response via email by May 4, 1998.
If you have any questions or concerns about this study, or would like
additional information before reaching a decision about participation,
please contact the Office of Human Research and Animal Care at
519 888-4567, ext. 6005. Email: ssykes@mc1adm.uwaterloo.ca
Thank you in advance for your interest in and support of this
project.
Yours sincerely
Jenna Hennebry
Student Researcher
> =====================================================================
> New Religious Movements and the Internet
>
> Questionnaire
>
> Please be as specific as possible in answering these questions. In answering
> each question, please insert as many lines of text as you think you need.
> Please fill out and return by replying via email.
>
> Note* When brackets are provided please select appropriate answer
> by entering: [ x ]
>
> Part A.
>
> 1. Are you male or female?
>
> [ x] M
> [ ] F
>
> 2. What is your age?
41
> 3. What is your current religious affiliation?
>
Unification Church
> 4. When did you join, or begin to practice, this religion?
>
August 15, 1977 (Yes, 21 years ago).
> 5. Were you familiar with the operation of computers and the
> internet before you joined this group?
>
> [ x] Very familiar
> [ ] Familiar
> [ ] Somewhat familiar
> [ ] Not at all
>
> Part B.
>
> 1. When did you or your organization first create this web page?
>
> [3 /1 /1995 ]
> D M Y
>
> 2. How did this come about?
I decided to create a web page, and I did so, financing the project myself.
> 3. When was this web page last updated and what kind of changes
> were made?
>
> Date Updated:
>
> [ 4/ 25/1998 ]
> D M Y
>
> Changes Made:
Updated statistics:
http://www.unification.net/stats/
Updated main Russian web page:
http://www.unification.net/russian/
Updated speech of Rev. Moon from 2/2/1969 translated into Russian:
http://www.unification.net/russian/speeches/690202.html
> 4. Who designed the original web page?
Damian Anderson, President, Third Millennium Software, Inc.
> 5. Was the original web page professionally designed and
> implemented? If yes, who did the work?
>
> [ x] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> Name/ Organization:
Damian Anderson, President, Third Millennium Software, Inc.
http://www.unification.net/people/damian.html
> 6. Has professional help been used in either updating,
> maintaining, and changing the web page?
>
> [ x] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> 7. What would you say is the strongest or most appealing feature
> of your web page?
>
The vast amount of original material on the teachings and activities of the Unification
Church.
> 8. Does this web page represent the official views of your group
> or organization?
>
> [x ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> (a) If yes, how was it approved?
It was granted approval by "Rev. Dr. Tyler Hendricks"
and by Rev. Sun Myung Moon himself during a
conversation I had with him and Mrs. Moon during a flight in September
1996 from Kodiak, Alaska to Anchorage, Alaska after a fishing trip.
> (b) If no, then, whose views does it represent?
>
> 9. What are the primary purposes of your web page?
>
> List them from most to least important.
The primary purpose is to disseminate the information on the teachings of Rev. Sun Myung
Moon and the activities of the Unification Church and affiliated organizations.
> 10. Has your web page achieved your objectives?
>
> [ x] Satisfied
> [ ] Somewhat Satisfied
> [ ] Unsatisfied
>
> (a) How do you gauge its success?
(1) The number of hits on the web site. There are about 3000 hits per day on the
Unification Home Page: http://www.unification.net/stats/
(2) Hits from all over the world 24 hours per day on the web site. There are requests
from 94 countries on the latest list:
http://www.unification.net/stats/#Domain
(3) Large number of inquiries from the public.
(4) Reviews in web reviews, such as Top 5 % of the Web, Magellan 4 Star Award, and so
on.
http://www.unification.net/reviews.html
(5) Wherever the Unification Church is mentioned on the Internet, there is usually a
mention of my web site, even on the critics' pages.
(6) Newspaper articles on the church have frequently listed the web address of the
Unification Home Page.
(7) Whenever I travel around the country or overseas, people have recognized my name and
thanked me for the work that I do on the Internet.
(8) Even the critics acknowledge that the best place for information on the Unification
Church teachings is the Unification Home Page.
(9) The Unification Home Page is listed in many directories of the Internet.
(10) There are 1992 URLs from the Unification Home Page listed in Infoseek.
http://www.infoseek.com/Titles?qt=site%3Awww%2Eunification%2Enet&col=WW&sv=I2&svx=NSQuickseek
> (b) How has it fallen short of your expectations?
It has exceeded my expectations.
> 11. What other sites are hot-linked to your page? Why?
There are 36 sites that I count that are linked to my web site:
http://www.infoseek.com/Titles?qt=-site%3Awww.unification.net&cat=RES&rf=11&oq=link%3Awww.unification.net&sv=I2&lk=noframes&st=10
They make references to the Unification Church teachings usually, whether they agree or
disagree.
> 12. Does your web page invite feedback?
>
> [x ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> (a) How does your web page invite feedback?
(1) E-mail the web master links.
(2) A form to allow users to sign up for three mailing lists:
http://www.unification.net/forms/subscribe.html
> (a) How often do you receive feedback and by what means?
I receive about 100 messages per day currently, other than the junk mail messages that I
filter out automatically for discarding.
> 13. Once someone contacts your group, through its web page, how
> does the organization respond?
It depends on the nature of the contact.
If someone asks questions on church teachings, I usually answer their mail and post the
answer online:
http://www.unification.net/faq
If the person is asking about mailing lists, I generally take care of their request.
If the person is looking to join the church, I put them in touch with the local church
by referring them to the list of churches worldwide at:
http://www.unification.net/misc/uc_directory.html
If the person is thanking me for a job well done, I usually give them a polite
acknowledgment.
If the person is offering me a job, I tell them thanks but no thanks. I have more than
enough work to do.
If the person is doing research on the church, I do my best to answer their questions.
If the person sends hate mail, harassing mail or spam, I generally set up my account to
bounce future mail from that person automatically back to the sender.
In addition, I get a lot of requests for help to set up web pages and networks in other
parts of the church, all over the world. I help with those requests. I just got a
request yesterday to help in training people in the use of computers in Uganda.
> 14. Has anyone chosen to join your group as a result of contacting
> your organization through the web page?
>
> [x ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> (a) If yes, how many?
A couple of dozen, I believe.
> (b) Can you give some examples (without identifying any
> individuals)?
Yes, there is an AIDS counselor from Hawaii, a computer professional and a student in
Australia, a professor in the Czech Republic, a student in the United Arab Emirates.
Many people who had lost contact with the church came to be involved once more through
their contact with my work on the Internet.
> 15. Has the web page resulted in negative responses from the
> public? If yes, give examples.
>
> [x ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> Examples:
Take a look at the news group alt.religion.unification which I created. Although I post
there daily, there are more critics than supporters posting there. (URL:
news:alt.religion.unification ). In addition, I have received death threats, calls to my
home in the middle of the night, abusive e-mail, daily ridicule on the newsgroups on
Usenet. The Unification Church is unpopular because it is challenging evil in the world.
In particular, we stand strongly for sexual purity before marriage, and fidelity within
marriage, requesting people to pledge never to divorce or commit adultery. These are not
the most popular of themes.
> 16. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
> "The world wide web should be regulated".
>
> [ ] Strongly Agree
> [ ] Agree
> [ ] Disagree
> [ x ] Strongly Disagree
>
> (a)Please explain your response.
I believe in freedom of speech, and freedom of religion as guaranteed by the US
Constitution. Besides, it would be very difficult to regulate the medium without making
it ineffective.
> (b)If you think regulation is in order, please explain
> how you think it might be acheived?
>
> 17. Do you plan to change your web page in the near future?
>
> [ x ] Yes
> [ ] No
>
> If so, how?
I am constantly adding new material. There is a set of 15 books of Rev. Moon's teachings
which I expect to receive soon on CD-ROM which I shall be adding in their entirety. I
may also begin adding his speeches in Korean since they are not online anywhere yet.
> 18. Can you recommend any other people in your organization (or
> otherwise) with whom we might speak about the use of the world
> wide web by religious groups?
>
Yes, "Rev. Dr. Tyler Hendricks"
> Thank you for taking the time to respond to this questionnaire. You effort and
> input are appreciated.
You are welcome.
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@UNIFICATION.NET Sun May 3 08:20:44 1998
Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1998 18:38:08 -0400
Subject: Rev. Moon Casts Wide Net in Uganda - 1.5 Million Families Register
March 22, 1998
By Tom Gawaya-Tegulle
Sunday Monitor, Kampala, Uganda
Rev. Moon Casts Wide Net in Uganda
1.5 Million Families Register
Push has come to shove as what is no doubt the biggest religious
movement to come to Uganda in recent times takes root. It is powerful,
unprecedented, and serious; far too significant to be ignored. It has
spread like a wild fire on dry bush and within a matter of months over
1.5 million families have become fully fledged members -- for life.
According to Mrs. Eleanor Rutangye, Ugandan chapter co-president,
several million people have joined the family Federation for World
Peace (FFWP), an international movement started and launched at the
global level in July 1996, Washington, USA by Rev. Sun Myung Moon of
Korea.
The launch had all the markings of an occasion that could potentially
alter the destiny of the planet. Almost every country in the world was
represented. Dignitaries like former US presidents George Bush and
Henry Ford [ed. Gerald Ford] and former Soviet Union president Mikhail
Gorbachev were present. Uganda was represented by Jane Kuka, Minister
of State for Gender and Community Development, and also patron of the
federation's Uganda chapter.
That was 1996, and nobody thought -- even as a joke -- that it would
affect small nations like Uganda. But like the proverbial small mustard
seed that grows into a large tree, FFWP has taken the country by
storm.
The signals are clear. FFWP Uganda chapter, which started formally
operating May 1997, under co-presidents Martin and Eleanor Rutangye, is
here to stay. The movement also has special departments for women and
youth.
"FFWP is an international movement raised out of concern about the
failure of the family unit," says Martin. "We are drawing attention to
global family ideal as a basis for creating world peace. If we are to
attain world peace it has to start with the family unit, which is the
basic building block in society. We want to build peaceful, united and
harmonious families. To ensure this, unity, absolute love, trust,
communication and mutual concern between husband and wife are a must."
The rationale is that a peaceful family is a good basic training for
the kids who in turn will be in a better position to set up similar
families.
"The divorce rate in the US is rising," explains Martin. "About half of
the children grow up in broken families, without parental love and
care. So despite the riches they enjoy while still young, they get
frustrated and end up in bad company, with lots of sex and drugs.
That's why the US also has the highest teenage suicide rate.
"Things like marriage by contract are not ideal," says Martin. "Neither
is it ideal for women to say, 'I want a child, but without a husband,'
or 'I like you, let's have a kid.' Ideally a child is supposed to be
brought up by two parents. Such basic ideals have to be promoted
worldwide."
Our society, especially the future generation, argues Martin, needs to
be protected from such phenomena. AIDS and STDs also have to be
addressed, so that by the 21st century the world view will have been
changed. FFWP asserts that mistrust in love and the misuse of sex pose
the greatest challenge to family life and advocate for faithfulness
within a monogamous union as the only viable panacea to stability.
"Love is very difficult to share, and was not meant to be shared in the
first place. Not even the polygamists would like to share their wives
with other men," says Martin.
The movement is multidenominational, and has established branches in
many districts of Uganda, headed by a volunteer coordinator. John
Mbotana, a former Catholic priest, is the coordinator in Kamuli
district, and has embraced the movement with the enthusiasm of a cat
drinking milk.
"We want to form stable loving families based on God, and with improved
socio- economic advancement," he says. "We want the youth to grow up in
purity, abstaining from sex till marriage; and that they participate in
development programmes, e.g., studies, agriculture; small scale
industries and sports and games.
"Our approach is wholistic. We want both spiritual and physical
development, so that we can have peaceful homes, which will result in
peaceful districts and in turn, peaceful nations and, eventually, a
peaceful world. We emphasize environmental care because we believe we
need to care, love before using it. As for now we are just exploiting
it -- to our destruction, and the disadvantage of humanity as a whole."
He has an "army" of volunteers, whose efforts yielded 5,000 families
between May and December 1997, in Kamuli district. First, the agents
inform area LCs about their presence, and sensitize them about their
mission. They then arrange meetings in which they educate the people
about their objectives. The families fill in special forms, after which
they are registered. VIPs are given special forms "to recognize their
importance and uniqueness."
Usually the first step is campaigning for environmental care. "We
advise the people to grow fruits, green vegetables and woodlands, and
also to rear small animals like goats, chickens and rabbits," says
Mbotana.
"We also advise people to have improved fireplaces, pit latrines and
clean drinking water. No one can be registered unless they have a pit
latrine."
The response is so far overwhelmingly positive and in many places, the
peasants have already embarked on vegetable growing and animal
rearing. They are encouraged in particular, to grow the neem, a tree
with 40 medicinal properties. Its seeds can produce cooking oil, the
trunk produces timber, and its leaves repel cockroaches, banana weevils
and other garden pests. Seeds will soon be provided to local people at
a low cost.
Hajati Kasibante is the coordinator, Mpigi district, where over 30,000
families have been registered. She is an AIDS counsellor attached to
Nkozi Hospital, who after considering the objectives of the FFWP
thought it would be helpful in the fight against AIDS.
"I watched some of their films on AIDS and decided people would need
them," she recalls. FFWP advocates for a preventive approach to AIDS, a
major boost to a district which has been severely hit by the AIDS
epidemic. She guessed right: the fear of AIDS had an immediate effect
on the population, many were beaten into line. After watching films
provided by the FFWP, on the horrors of AIDS and STDs, thousands rushed
to make vows -- of faithfulness and monogamy.
"Before the coming of AIDS few would ever think seriously of fidelity,"
says Hajati. "The first to join FFWP were AIDS widows, for fear of
being seduced, by men who would easily infect them with more complex
diseases. Married women, elderly men with young wives, and young
married couples like it very much because it ensures fidelity," says
the heavy set Hajati. She suggests the fear of AIDS, rather than the
desire for stable marriage, is the main drive behind the rush for
vows. Imperatively, too, those infected want to live longer and care
for their families, while the healthy too want a clean bill of health.
"Men were difficult at first," she recalls. "Most thought they would be
bound to one woman and if they failed, be imprisoned." But eventually
common sense carried the day. In Kituntu sub-county, Mawakota, people
are electing committees in order to get projects. Every parish has a
FFWP committee. Since July 1997, FFWP has provided seeds which are
planted in a central nursery in the parish and then the seedlings are
distributed free. More projects are in the pipeline if this one does
well.
Religious barriers have been cast aside as Muslims, Christians and
traditionalists alike join FFWP. The Coordinator of the FFWP Mukono
Chapter, Hajii Umar Nsubuga, is just one of the many Muslims who head
district chapters.
Membership also cuts across the social strata; both the high and mighty
and the rank and file are now birds of the same feather. They are all
united in the desire to fight AIDS, achieve stable families and ensure
peace. Many top shots and former LCs are members. RDC Rose Mutonyi,
former LCV secretary for women Ruth Mirembe, former mayor Mr. Lubega
and his assistant Haji Kasule are all members.
In an unprecedented trend, many Muslims are resorting to monogamy. And
the Muslim women are not taking it lying down. "As a Muslim I have to
fight so that I remain the only wife in the home," says Kasibante.
"That's very important so that his love remains undivided. Muslim men
now realise that in a polygamous marriage faithfulness is very
difficult; it's impossible. A mistake by one person could wipe out the
whole family."
FFWP's efforts have not come to naught. "There has been remarkable
behavioural change," says Kasibante. "The public vows bind people to a
consistent lifestyle. They reject promiscuity because they are ashamed
to be seen to be failing. Even those who want to deliberately infect
others have been sensitized on how to live positively. Many no longer
spread the virus after infection; but now after counselling, they are
anxious to prolong their lives because they realise they are still
useful to the nation. Both AIDS widows and widowers now behave better,"
she observes.
The affianced no longer trust each other: they only now marry after
blood tests. There has also been a reduction in the divorce rate,
because couples fear embarrassment since they publicly vowed not to
leave each other.
"At least I can now trust my husband: since he was taught by FFWP, I
know he is faithful. That's what usually breaks marriages," says
Nakimuli Agnes.
Many men now entrust their wives with their secrets, because they are
sure they are there to stay. For those who remain with one wife, the
latter now accepts to accept to look well after their step-kids, so
that the husband does not regret and retreat to their mother, or other
women. Hajati Kasibante has five kids and two others from her one time
co-wife. She recently transferred her step-daughter Aisha from St.
Mary's Nkozi to the superior Bulo Parents SSS, Butambala, to make her
feel equal to her own Junat in S.6 at Bulo.
"She doesn't feel inferior, so I now want to see how their father will
start complaining that they are being mistreated."
In the Youth Federation one has to test HIV negative before being
allowed to join -- so that it makes sense to start saving sex for till
marriage. If they want, spouses are selected for them from other
chapters of FFWP. They are tested and if found HIV negative they are
photographed and their photos sent to potential spouses.
The kids are kept busy with meetings, seminars, etc., in order to get
their minds off immorality. "The kids work hard and behave well; so if
you get a spouse from FFWP, you are sure you have a very good one,"
says Agnes.
In Kamuli people have been sensitized about the need to be faithful in
marriage and how to avoid AIDS and STDs. Life skills are also being
imparted in these workshops. And for those behind the scenes, working
with FFWP provides unbeatable job satisfaction because they feel it's a
noble cause they are promoting.
Comments Mbotana: "Establishing FFWP in Kamuli has given me the
greatest satisfaction because it's what I would have been doing as a
priest -- the moral and spiritual development of the family, women and
youth groups, by shaping their conscience to enable them to be useful
members of society. By the year 2000, if people are consistent with
their vows, the AIDS situation will have greatly improved. We are
adding value to life. We shall not accept to die just like that," sums
up Kasibante.
[Photo]
An FFWP seminar in progress in Iganga district: Fear of AIDS has been
a major boost in the growth of the movement (Photo by Tom Gawaya
Tegulle).
[Photo]
FFWP Uganda chapter copresidents Martin and Eleanor Rutangye (Courtesy
photos).
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
From damian@unification.net Thu May 7 14:10:04 1998
Date: Thu, 7 May 1998 14:09:42 -0400
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification, talk.religion.misc,
alt.religion.christian, alt.christnet.theology
Subject: Re: BIF: The Formula Course for the Restoration of the Family
On Mon, 4 May 1998, Maria wrote:
> Damian J. Anderson wrote:
> >
> > Blessing and Ideal Family
> > by Reverend Sun Myung Moon
> >
> > Chapter Five
> > Part 3
> >
> > RESTORATION OF THE FAMILY
> > THROUGH THREE SPIRITUAL CHILDREN
> >
> > 4. THE FORMULA COURSE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE FAMILY
> >
> > In order to make a heavenly family, you must have three spiritual
> > children. In this way you cannot say that you have prepared a family
> > foundation without making a foundation of spiritual sons and
> > daughters' attending your physical children, whom you beget after
> > receiving the Blessing, even from when they are in the womb. Father is
> > not saying this merely for practical reasons.
>
> >*It is the law of heaven*.
> > Where does this teaching come from?
The law of heaven comes from God. Where did this teaching come from?
From Reverend Moon who obtained his teaching from God. You may notice
that Jesus paid particular care of his three closest disciples. A
spiritual child is a disciple.
> > For that reason Jesus also tried to embrace his three disciples even
> > at the final place of death.
>
> Which disciples did he try to embrace?
Jesus paid special attention to Peter, James and John in the Garden of
Gethsemane, asking them to pray with him, so that they would be able to
unite with him. They all fell asleep, three times.
> >But all of them ran away. Thus Jesus had
> > to ascend from there.
>
> >From where did he have to ascend? They only ran away before the
> crucifiction. John, the beloved disciple, however, stood at the foot of
> the cross. After he had resurrected by His *own power* as God they were
> with Him whenever He showed Himself to them right until He ascended
> after 40 days teaching them, explaining the scriptures to them and
> comissioning them to go and make disciples of all the peoples, to
> baptise them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
> and to teach them to obey the commandments God had given them, which
> are to love God and their neighbour as themselves. This order to the
> disciples and their followers, the christian Church has not been revoked
> as yet. And therefore it is my sacred duty to teach you the right way, I
> do it in obedience to this command.
Are you so sure you know the right way Maria? I am not confident that
you do.
> If the three disciples had died with Jesus,
> > before resurrecting Jesus,
>
> See above!
>
> God would have resurrected the three
> > disciples.
This is Rev. Moon's assertion. Perhaps things would have gone differently
even at that last moment if the three closest disciples had obeyed Jesus.
> The disciples like all human beings will be resurrected on the last day.
> Only Our Lady, Mary, His blessed mother, never died. She was assumed
> into heaven without ever experiencing death.
The last day is here, Maria. The time of the resurrection of all flesh
is here, and the Day of Judgment is at hand. The resurrection will not
be physical, that is from physical death to physical life, but from
spiritual death to spiritual life. All people must participate in
this. Those who will participate in the "First Resurrection" are those
who recognize the Lord when he comes and become his disciples. Then the
disciples will go out and proclaim the message to the world. Rev. Moon
is the Lord who is to come. You can believe that now, or you can find
out when you go to the eternal world. Either way, nothing will be
hidden.
> >If that had happened, Jesus would not have had to
> > resurrect, but only the Holy Spirit would have had to come down to
> > earth. In that way, if a spiritual foundation had been established on
> > earth, the faithful could have had direct contact with the spiritual
> > world without praying so much.
>
> The spiritual foundation on earth is Mother Church under the guidance of
> God, the Holy Spirit.
Yes, and that spiritual foundation had to be rebuilt from scratch
because the prepared bride rejected the bridegroom when he came. Now
the bridegroom has prepared his marriage feast and the whole world is
being invited to take part in the Holy Blessing of Marriage, so that
God can bless their union also.
> But because there was no standard on
> > earth for him to be the parent, Jesus, who was the father,
>
> Jesus is God, the Son!!!
Yes, and I am a son too, but I am also a father. Jesus was in the
position to be the father of all the living, as the second Adam, but to
do that, he needed a bride to be the mother of all the living, as the
second Eve. Isaiah 9 prophecies that he would be the eternal father and
prince of peace. The book of Revelation and Jesus himself spoke of the
Marriage of the Lamb.
> had to go
> > to the spiritual world as the representative of heaven, and the Holy
> > Spirit, who symbolized the mother, had to come down to earth.
> >
> > Since the father and the mother were separated, it was very hard for
> > people to become their children.
>
> Because we are the brothers of Christ Jesus, Our Saviour, we are the
> adopted sons of God and therefore the co-heirs of heaven.
Yes, but we were not supposed to be only adopted sons. We were supposed to
be fully begotten of God, just as Jesus was. This did not come about due
to the sin of our ancestors. So, we must be born again of God and become
true sons and daughters.
> >It is clear that this happened
> > because the three disciples of Jesus had not established a victorious
> > base of restoration on earth and because they did not set the
> > condition of going through life and death together with Jesus.
>
> In baptism we die to the world and are reborn in Christ.
Jesus' disciples had to show their willingness to support Jesus at the
risk of their lives. They did not do this until after he died.
> > Since
> > this is the law, every Unification Church member should know that he
> > cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven without establishing this family.
> > Jesus died because of that,
>
> Jesus died because that was the purpose of His coming to earth in human
> form. He came to give us a perfect example of how a human life is to be
> lived, in total obedience to the will of God the Father, which he
> constantly sought in prayer.
The perfect example of how a human life is to be lived must include
marriage and family life. Jesus did not do that.
> and Father also suffered for 21 years
> > because of that; and also God has been working for 6,000 years in
> > order to end that. This is the formula course that everyone who learns
> > the Principle has to go. There is no forgiveness in this formula
> > course. There is no forgiveness.
>
> Does Mr Moon really mean that? God is all merciful and there are plenty
> examples of His forgiveness in the scriptures.
Jesus said "You will not get out [of prison] until you have paid the
last penny." Matt 5:26
This means that though the Son of Man has the power to forgive sin,
ultimately, there can be no compromise on God's absolute standard.
Though we can go to the realm of Paradise by faith in Jesus, to enter
the Kingdom of Heaven as perfected beings, we must pay the price to go
that difficult path. Jesus grew to maturity and learned obedience
during his life on Earth, and so must we. (Heb 5:7-9)
There is a different level of salvation available in the last days that
the disciples of Jesus longed for but could not attain. This is what
Paul mentions in Romans 8:23 and Peter mentioned in 1 Peter 1:5,
namely, the redemption of our bodies and in particular, as is being
revealed now, the sanctification of sexuality.
> > There is the age of Adam, of Jesus, and of the Second Coming. Here,
> > Adam is the first son, Jesus is the second son, and the Second Coming
> > is the third son.
>
> Adam is a creature, Jesus is God, the Son,the only son, conceived as
> human by the virgin Mary and His second coming has not yet happened.
> Jesus will come in the second coming, no-one else.
Jesus was born of God, a son. His mother was not a virgin, she had
intercourse with a man. Jesus has come again, in the person of Sun
Myung Moon. This is not reincarnation, This is another man coming in
the spirit and power of Jesus, just like John the Baptist came in the
spirit and power of Elijah. (Luke 1:17).
> >In these three ages, who opposed restoration
> > history? Cain always opposed Abel. Thus Cain-type restoration has to
> > be accomplished, and three archangels have to be restored first. In
> > this way, without making the foundation of their completely attending
> > the child you will have after the Blessing, your descendant cannot
> > become heaven's citizen. This is the law of heaven.
> >Where is that taught?
>
> Anyone who believes in Christ Jesus and does the will of the God will
> enter heaven. That is God's solemn promise.
You must realize that we cannot put new wine in old wineskins. When the
Lord comes, he will not teach what we have already heard, but what is
new. Jesus said while he was on earth that he was not able to reveal
everything he wanted to say. There were many things that he wanted to
reveal but the people were not ready for them. (John 3:12).
> > It is
> > because he has to obey this heavenly law. Because that is the formula
> > for entering the Kingdom of Heaven, you cannot enter without walking
> > that formula course.
>
> Who invented this formula? It is contrary to all christian teaching.
Then perhaps Christian teaching is at fault.
> >You do not enter the Kingdom of Heaven
> > individually but only as a family.
> > So what happens to anyone who never has a partner in this life in
> Unification teaching? Are they condemmed?
He cannot go to the Kingdom of Heaven without a partner. Heaven is a
place for people who resemble God, by uniting as man and woman and
becoming one flesh. If they cannot do this on Earth, then they will
have to do that in the spirit world.
> > Everyone without exception has to leave the satanic world
>
> The world is not satanic, the world is good. See Genesis 1:31
> Satan just happens to roam in it seeking the ruin of souls, but he is on
> a losing wicket. Christ has overpowered him by his life, death on the
> cross and His glorious resurrection.
The world dominated by evil is Satanic. The world that God created was
good, but Satan took over its sovereignty. When God can restore his
sovereignty in the world, then it can become a world of goodness, once
and for all. Jesus said that Satan was the ruler of this world. (John
12:31). In this sense, it is Satanic.
> >in order to
> > be admitted into the nation of God. Thus you must find and meet the
> > True Parents and true brothers and sisters. The Unification Church has
> > to cleanse completely every impure love, and because Eve lost three
> > kinds of love in one generation, it has to restore three kinds of love
> > in one generation. You must form a couple in a place which parents and
> > brothers can like.
> >
> > In order for you to form a family, you need to witness to three
> > persons. These three people are three archangels. BY having parents,
> > brothers, husband and wife, and angels, you can start a family.
> > Original sin is rooted in false love. Thus, do not be tainted with sin
> > ever again. From an ideal family, an ideal tribe is formed. I hope
> > that you form a true ideal family.
>
> Being human, we sin every day. But we also confess to this and try
> again. God is all loving and merciful.
No, if we sin every day, we do not belong to God. This is what the
Apostle John said, so perhaps you should rethink this one.
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's
seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning because he has
been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God
are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not
do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does
not love his brother. (1 John 3:9)
> With love and prayers
>
> Maria
Thanks for commenting on this. I do appreciate the opportunity to explain it to you.
Love,
Damian
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net
Subject: Re: Little Angels in Pyongyang
From: Damian J. Anderson
Date: 1998/05/08
Message-ID: <6iuvoo$vk1$1@nnrp1.dejanews.com>
Newsgroups: alt.religion.unification
In article <1998050718504600.OAA28212@ladder01.news.aol.com>,
rosamaxim@aol.com (Rosa maxim) wrote:
> It is one of the harshest things when children are forced
> to resemble adults, and when adults force their personalities
> on children.
>
> Seeing little children with caked-on make-up , and dressed
> up and made to perform unnaturally at so young an age is
> pathetic.
For goodness' sake, Craig, get a life! Don't you know that kids all over
America perform in ballet, children's plays, karate competitions, song dance
and many other things and consider it a privilege, not a burden? The fact is
that the Little Angels are uncommonly good, and there is a great deal of
competition to get into the Little Angels performing arts program.
In this case, the children performed in a goodwill mission to help heal the
historic rift between the two parts of the their divided homeland, Korea, that
have been divided since 1945, over 50 years. If I felt that having my kids
perform in a dance would help bring peace in the world, I would encourage them
to do it too.
Tell me, do you have any children? If the answer is No, I am not surprised.
Few parents would speak as you did.
Sincerely,
--
Damian J. Anderson damian@unification.net http://www.unification.net