Raising Children In God's Will

by Rev. Sun Myung Moon

1. The Root of the Universe is the Relationship of Father and Son

What is the center and the foundation of the Universe? A son reached the realm of mystery and prayed to God and asked this question. He answered, it is the relationship between a father and his children, in other words the father-son relationship. People who do not understand might think we are talking about relationship of our fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, but we mean the relationship of God and man. (19-160)

So I have, within my prayers, reached the deep realm and struggled and fought to find out the secret of the Universe, the root of the mystery of the Universe. What is the foundation of the Universe? It is simple. The answer turns out to be the father-son relationship. So what is the father-son relationship? We cannot explain it leaving love out. What are we talking about? We cannot explain the father-son relationship without talking about love. Ordinary people would think it is simply about the father-son of men, but since I knew it was about God and man I have found the answer and the theory. (144-250)

When you enter the land of the deep and pray, man is the center of the creation but what is the center of the Universe, you will find that the answer is the father-son relationship. What is the center of the Universe? In one word, the father-son relationship.

But ordinary people think it is about their own parents. They think it is about their own father and mother, centering on moral principles. It is wrong. When we look at it from a solid point of view, the conclusion is that the place where God and man becomes one centering on the deep heart of the father-son relationship is the center of the Universe. (48-209)

What is the root of the Universe? Parents and children. Parents and I, the father-son relationship is the foundation of the Universe. God is the father and I am the son. Sons and daughters. The last foundation is the father-son relationship, and the last goal is the same. That is why we must find it.

I have even overcome the way of suffering in order to find it. Even when put to Satan's test, the father-son relationship can win over it in seconds. Even when we enter the satanic world and sleep there, we must not forget the father-son relationship. So you must understand the fact that since we lost this relationship we are resentful and furious. (12-258)

You do not know the spirit would, but you must go in to the mysterious realm and really ask God, "What is the truth of the Universe? If you have created man to destroy them, you are a cruel and evil God." When you ask him seriously, the answer would be different.

The truth of the Universe is, when you ask what is the basic of the great principle, it is the father-son relationship. That relationship is not about your parents who gave birth to you in the fallen world. When the horizontal love of husband and wife becomes absolutely one with God's ideal love and flourishes, and when heaven and earth shakes with the fragrance of that love and adds up God's love, the position of sons and daughters are completed. Sons and daughters can sing of happiness, and sing of a love which can praise the hope and everything of sons and daughters.

It will not end there but a solid love will be added to a precious gift of love you own, and the whole Universe will swell up. You know balloons? Like when you blow up a flat balloon it will grow big, in the same way the Universe swells up and even if all things go in it, it will become a Universe that all man can be happy with. A power of love emerges that can satisfy all things. When you think about it, doesn't it feel good? (101-34)

2. The Standard of the Original Relationship of Father and Son

If, in our world, God exists in the position of parents..... Where is the supreme position where the deep heart of man and heaven can be connected? No matter how high we climb and search, since God is a parent, man must seek the position of the child. That is why Christianity calls heaven Father. And heaven calls us humans children. It is about the father-son relationship.

So what is the standard of that the father-son relationship? When we ask is it below or above the line of the fall, it cannot be above or under it. It is in much higher position than the father-son relationship.

Isn't it so when we look at fallen people today? Even when we talk about love lower than the line of the fall, the father-son relationship suffers when children are not dutiful, so imagine how it is when parents who have never fallen had undutiful children, how sad would they be? When we think about this problem of love between the father and son around us in daily life, we can understand the background of it.

So didn't God intend to love his children with love above the line of the fall? So how strong will that love be? We find the conclusion that no one has stood in the position above the line of the fall, so nobody knows about this.

We human beings fell at the completion stage of growth stage. So didn't we fall in the position where we cannot attain the position of perfection? Aren't we set apart from a position where we can experience God's ideal elements? So when we think how it was when we did not fall and receive these factors, how higher is the position of relation between God? Isn't it a position we can't even imagine? If so, the so called dutiful sons and daughters, those that are said, "The boy of that family is a dutiful son! The daughter of that house is a dutiful daughter." When we think of those people, is there any one who can stand before the original parent and come close to their heart, is there anyone who can stand in the position of true children? We know the answer is that there has been no such person since history began.

If so, When God wanted to give love at the amount of 100, was there anyone who can receive all 100? There was no one. When God loved, there was no one who understood this love. Nobody understood but he couldn't help but love, but we must understand how miserable he must have been. (62-20)

3. The Substance of the Father-Son Relationship

The father-son relationship represents the vertical side. So that is why love between the father and son never changes. Isn't it so in the history of human beings? Love between husband and wife has a nature of four sides since it is a connection of the horizontal side. That is why parents can never abandon their children and children never abandons parents. (145-275)

Where is God's love found? Does it exist between brothers who love each other? No. Also, God's love is not created centered on love between a man and a woman. God's love is found in the love between a father and a son. The flesh and blood must be connected. In order to create a tradition that lasts for eternity, flesh and blood must be connected. That is, a vertical relationship must be formed.

It is the vertical relationship that receives God's love, so it cannot be any other than the love between a father and son. This love has no distance. In this vertical relationship there must be one center. There can only be one center. The center is in the best position. If there were two centers, in this world, there would be a fight. (28-169)

As for the child, the joy of being with the parents must be a joy that represents the world; and as for the parents, the joy of being together with their child must fulfill a desire that represents the world. When we think about the father-son relationship, it must be the foundation of the universe. We can see that the root of joy sprouts from here and if there is sorrow here, there cannot be a more sorrowful position.

Even if they loose everything in the external world, there is still on position where parents can be happy, with their children. Isn't that the most important thing? The parents' desire is to show off their relationship with their children to the whole world.

So, if this is the case in the relationships of humankind, as we can imagine it even through the relationships of fallen man, isn't it the same with the relationship of heaven and earth, God and man? We know that, as there are moral principles among men, there exists also a moral principle of heaven. If there is a deep heart among men, there must be a deep heart of heaven. As heaven is above and earth is below, and as parents are above and children below, they are in "above and below" relationships.

So, people on earth are in the children's position and heaven is in the position of parents. The direction of love between the heart of parents and the heart of children is from subject to object. Parents try to love their children and children try to receive love. If not, parents' would stand in a position where they can receive love and children must then stand in a position where they can love their parents. If there is a limit to a heart that wants to give and that wants to receive, love cannot exist.

We have experiences in our families and in the life of the heart where, even when there is a giving heart, if something blocks it we cannot receive love even if we want to. That is why heaven is above and earth is below. The parents exist above and the children below and it is the same with God and man. God is in the parents' position, so he exists above human beings. That is why God loves man. (62-18)

Centering on the relationship of God and man where God is the father and man is the son of God, when someone says, "He looks more handsome than God." to a man, is God happy or not? (laughter) If God feels bad, he is no better than man. No better than fallen man. (laughter) Don't you think God would surely be happy? So that is why we need love.

Do you want to be better than God, or not? Please answer, [We want to be better than God]. (laughter) We are sorry, but to be honest, we want to be better than God. In ancient times, in the far east, the son greeted his father every morning and evening. But what happens if the son starts to think, "I wish I could be in my father's position and my father in my position."? It is possible that he thinks, "Why should my father always be above me and why should I be in the lower position?" Why not? The above and below relationship is good, but if it is fixed you might not like it. The son would feel better if he knows that he can be in the position of the father, one day. But he feels bad if the father always sits in the upper position and himself in the lower position. Don't you think so? That is possible.

The father-son relationship is an above and below relationship. That is why, when the son says to his father, "Father, give me your position for once. I want to be in your position," the father cannot say, "No son, I can't do that." Because God is absolute, you must consider this as well.

So, it cannot be a problem for God when he thinks, in what position should he place man? God put man in a position where the rank is above and below but, in real life, also in before and after, and in and out relationships exist. You must consider these elements when you think about the answer to the question, "Where should God exist?" So, in order to be in an in and out relationship, where should God exist? God is a shapeless God, but in what position should he be with man? He cannot always be in the above position. He cannot always be in the upper position. That is why we need the father-son relationship.

Centering on the father-son relationship, the father is in the upper position and the son is in the lower position, in other words, an above and below relationship. When the son says, "Father, I want to be in your position," God cannot say, "No, you can't," otherwise it would be a problem. God knows this, so he put us in not only an above and below relationship, but also in an in and out relationship, which is equal, like the mind and body.

First, God creates his son; second, he becomes one with him and third, he even wants to give man his ability of creation. That is why God wants to own...? Everyone here, young or old, should have the experience where, if you parents own something nice, you want to have it. You want to make it yours. So, when you look at it this way, what your father owns is yours too. (53-225)

4. Alteration of the Father-Son Relationship

Although there is a strict order in the above and below relationship of parents and children, when you see it centering upon love, it is not difficult even if the vertical order changes to a horizontal order. Isn't it so? The basic rules are that the father should order his son, but when the son calls, "Father, please come here," he cannot but go. Even if a two year-old daughter calls, "Daddy, come here," he has to go. Even if this position is a crossing point where the vertical standards change horizontally, there would be no contradiction or collision. We can praise this precious standard as this standard of happiness is made only by love. (49-54)

Parents only concentrate on raising their children until they grow up. The more children grow, the more they stand in an object position to their parents. Isn't that right? That is normal. If a child grows up, would he still think, "Oh, it is best to stay in my parent's arms and drink my mother's milk"? He must work. The above and below relationship changes to an object-partner relationship. (42-110)

The reason parents are noble is because they live for the sake of the children. That is why the position changes later. Old parents are alike young children. When the children were young, the parents are their teachers, but when they become 70, 80; they are like children. Then, the children must stand as the parents. The children must love their parents in exchange, since their parents raised them. That is the principle of heaven and earth.

It is the same in the family between, between parents and children. When the parents are wrong, the children must correct them and vice versa. They should complete the common purpose.

When the children are young the parents dominate them, but when the parents grow old, sons and daughters dominate their fathers and mothers. Is this true or not? (It is true.) The principle of heaven and earth is like that.

5. The Relationship of Deep Heart Between Father and Son

You were born of your parents. So, what are the object partners you can speak of? Your parents, aren't' they? The first words I spoke when I was a baby were Mom and Dad. What more could there be? The parents I called were the parents in the original position. That's interesting.

Everyone, call your parents a thousand and ten thousand times. Try to find the taste of your parents. The taste is everlasting. If you call your parents, wouldn't they answer? They are meant to answer. This is the nature of the subject-object relationship.

If there is an absolute object, there is also an absolute subject. If this is a basic rule, the parents are meant to answer your calls and that will make both you and your parents happy. If you call your parents a thousand times and there is no answer, would you be happy? The same can be said about seeking God. You must live with God like a young child spending time with his parents. (29-138)

When you think about your family, you cannot judge if it is good by only the good environment or by the nice house. On the contrary, even if the environment is bad and the house is shabby, still if you make it a place for peaceful living and connect your standards and everything in your life to it, that is a good family. The heart of the parents and children is to live for the sake of each other. This becomes the basis to judge happiness in our daily lives because it is the origin and the homeland of ...? Why is that? Because it is the one and only relationship of love of parents and children which nobody can invade. That is the object of our yearning in our daily lives because it is the motivation for love of parents. (29-17)

The relationship of heart between parents and children never changes or fades even if history goes on and the days go by. It will get stronger day by day and as time goes by, rather than fade, it concentrates.

When a son sends to message to his parents, or vice versa, when they are apart; that message seems to be a stimulus that can fulfill all hope. (51-71)

6. The Distinctive Relationship of Father-Son as One Body

Although there are many parents in the world, my parents are related to me in the absolute age of history. This is a fact. You cannot change that fact even in exchange for the whole of humankind. Can you? And can you change it in exchange for God? Not even for God, and God cannot change it either. (74-18)

So, from what do you judge the father-son relationship? We judge it from the blood lineage. Today Christianity vaguely calls, "Heavenly Father." Why do they say father instead of God the master? Within the word "father," love and blood lineage exist. Isn't that true? To become a direct descendant, you must be one in love. Become one through lineage. Blood consists of life. Isn't that so? You carry life that succeeds the tradition of your parents. For what? For love. (142-267)

Nothing can break the father-son relationship. Even with atomic bombs. This relationship can never break or be set apart or be abandoned. (21-69)

You might think of the husband and wife relationship as a destiny, but the father-son relationship is not a destiny. It is an unchangeable fate. You must understand this. It is difficult to explain the difference. Destiny can be changed. It changes. Fate does not. If you were born as sons and daughters of a particular father, it never changes.

If so, which of these two relationships is more vertical and which is more horizontal? The father-son relationship is vertical and the husband and wife relationships horizontal, since it cannot be changed. That is why people who claim that the husband and wife relationship is primary are a horizontal flock and those claiming that the father-son relationship is primary are a vertical flock. (169-59)

When we say, "Love of heaven does not appear from the start, but appears when a man and woman mature with their love, in their adolescence, an that it is the love of a husband and wife," we say that love starts in the middle. So, who is the object form of the absolute value standard which could start at the very beginning of creation? The father-son relationship.

So what is the father-son relationship like? What relationship centers on love? What is the father-son relationship? If the love between parents are the cause, the children are the fruit and that is how we see it. The result and cause do not start far apart. The result and cause start from the same position. So what does it mean when we say I am the result of parents' love? I am the one who appeared as a result of the position of present love of my parents. So the child has the equal position of result and cause made one in love.

So who am I? I am the one who appeared as the result of my parents' love and the one who attended the original start of love. This can never be set aside since the cause and result started from one place. The origin of the parents' love which is the cause and my love of life which is the result are one. So, when we look at it from that point of view, we can say, centering on l love, father-son are one.

The phrase "one body" cannot exist without love. I have had parents since I was in my mother's womb. From when I first appeared in my mother's womb, as the result of love, the love and attention of my parents has concentrated on me. Why is that? Because I am the fruit of love. So we are born from love and receive life from love, and after growing up with love, we meet our spouse. (127-13)

Is there such a phrase as "father-son" in one body? Is there not? Isn't there such a phrase? There is "father-son" in one body. What comes next? Well, ladies want to come first, so... Wife and husband (laughter...) Husband and wife in one body. Next, brothers in one body. We must know that. Nowadays people only know husband and wife in one body. In the fallen world that is the only purpose. So they only know husband and wife in one body.

Nowadays, father-son in one body is not known to come before husband and wife in one body. That sort of phrase does not normally come out. Husband and wife in one body, father-son in one body, what comes next? Brothers in one body? Brothers in one body. So, if my brother is in a position to die, I must die. Does that sort of thing happen or not? It does. If cutting off your arm will save our brother's life, you should cut it off.

Somebody in our church has said that his son's eyes are disabled. His son is blind. So he went to a famous eye doctor and said, "Doctor, will you do me a favor?" "What is it?" "I have two eyes, they are very good, and I want to have one of them taken out. What do you think?" "Why do you want one taken out?" "I have someone I want to give it to." "To whom are you going to give it?" "I want to trade one of my eyes with one of my son's." Through this story we can be sure that fathers always want to give something good to their sons. That is father-son in one body.

When you sleep in a cold room, doesn't your belly hurt? Your belly feels the cold first. [Yes] If so, which part f your body do you cover with a quilt? [the belly] Yes, we cover our belly. And when your feet feel cold, you move your quilt from your belly to your feet. That is one body. One body acts to correct any small fault in it, and in order to do so, it sacrifices one of its parts. That is, it works to put the part back into its original position. (53-30)

7. The Exact Content of the father-son Relationship

Once I experienced the mysterious realm and sought what was the foundation of the universe. The answer from God was, "the father-son relationship." That is the conclusion.

Ordinary people would think, "that would mean my mother, father and me." In short, we tend to think it is about our own parents, but we are talking about the relationship between God and man.

What is the exact content of the father-son relationship? Where is the best place that a father and son can meet? The center where love, life and ideals cross, the center is their meeting point. So that means love, life and ideals are all in one place. If you go there, God is love and I am love, God is life and I am life, God is ideal and so am I. So the place of original relationships and unification is the position of father-son. This is a sure fact. (69-78)

When you are born, first your parents should make a relationship of love and establish the subject-object position. Then, life and thought must coincide with that. The ideal must be the same. Where is the point of coincidence, the meeting point of love, life and ideals? Where is this place in the universe where the creator and creation can relate and bond themselves? If that portion is the ideal standard, where would that position be? It cannot be anything other than the father-son relationship. They is why far eastern thought is amazing. It is simply amazing. What I really treasure is love. Then life. Isn't it the same with you? Love is the best thing. Then life. And then ideals. (69-186)

The purpose of will is to find an ideal. Through what would an ideal be accomplished. When you eat all three meals a day, that is not the purpose of an ideal. So what is the purpose of will? You cannot be satisfied w with eating three meals a day. And even for people who like to drink very much, that cannot be the purpose. So what is the most important thing? Love. That love is not temporary nor cheap, that can be bought with a little money. That love is substantial. When we analyze this substantial love, we find t hat there is no revolution. The love parents give their children is true love. That is why the love our ancestors gave their children and the love we give our children is the same. There is no evolution in love, nor an end. Love has no need of revolution, love is pure.