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Appendix: the Numerological Significance of the Blessings

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Appendix: the Numerological Significance of the Blessings Appendix: The Numerological Significance of the Blessings As previously explained, the numbers of couples undergoing the Bless­ ing are regarded as symbolic. The symbolic meanings given by the Unification Church are provided here. On occasion the actual number blessed does not exactly correspond to the symbolic number. This is deemed to be unimportant, however. When referring to a specific Blessing ceremony, Unificationists will usually cite its symbolic rather than its actual number. Thus, the 1963 ceremony is often referred to as the '120 couples', even though there were four extra couples who were allowed to participate. The analysis is culled from Unificationist literature, principally speeches of the Rev Moon and an account of his life written by a Mr Dijk.l 1961: 36 Couples 36 = 12 x 3. 12 represents the number of apostles and the tribes of Israel. 3 represents three categories of individual: (i) virgins ('Abraham type'); (ii) those who had sexual relationships within marriage ('Adam type'); (iii) those who had sexual relationships outside marriage ('Noah type'). By solemnising the marriages of 12 couples from each category, it was demonstrated that salvation was available to all. Although the '36 Couples' Blessing' is frequently mentioned by Unificationists as if it were a single event, in reality there were three separate ceremonies: 3 couples (1960), 9 couples (1960), and a further 24 couples (1961). It is held that Jesus should have conducted the marriages of his three closest disciples: these three ideally should have included John the Baptist, who (according to Unification thought) refused to submit himself to Jesus; but through John's default the inner circle of three became Peter, James and John. This initial Blessing of an inner core of three founder-disciples (Hyo Won Eu, Young Whi Kim and Won Pil Kim) is thus a 'principled' enactment of an event which Jesus was unable to accomplish. The marriage of the further nine, of course, corresponds to the remaining number of Jesus' disciples. 193 194 The Advent of Sun Myung Moon 1961: 72 Couples Jesus sent out 72 disciples to preach (Luke 10.1): 72 = 36 x 2, representing 36 couples from the 'Cain' side and 36 from 'Abel'. Also, 72 = ( 12 x 2) x 3, symbolising pairs of 12 (one 'Cain', one 'Abel') from each of the three eras of history - Old Testament, New Testament and Completed Testament. 1963: 120 Couples (actually, 124 were solemnised) 120 apostles gathered together prior to Pentecost (Acts 1.15), and 120 represents the number of nations of the world. 120 therefore represents 'practically everybody on earth'. 1968: 430 Couples 1. The 'vertical history' of Korea is 4300 years. 2. The period of slavery in Egypt is calculated to be 430 years.2 These two points are linked, for both are concerned with nations: the Israelites became a nation after their period in Egypt. The number 430 is thus connected with the concept of 'nation'. 3. The combination of 4 and 3 yields a spiritually significant number, because: 4 + 3 = 7 (a 'perfect' number) 4 x 3 = 12 (a perfect number) 4 - 3 = 1 (signifying unity) 4 + 3 = 1 remainder 1 (signifying unity twice) This Blessing is said to have established the 'national' base from which international marriages could subsequently take place. 1969: 43 Couples This Blessing has similar numerological significance to the previous one. The factor 43 provides a link between the 'victory of Korean history' and restoration on a world-wide level. The '43 Couples' Blessing' was in fact three separate Blessings: one in Korea for Japanese founder-leaders, another in America for American founder-leaders, and a third in Germany for European leaders. The Numerological Significance of the Blessings 195 1970: 777 Couples (actual number: 791) 777 comprises three 7s. 7 represents perfection, and three represents the three stages of spiritual progress: Formation, Growth and Completion. It marks the completion of all indemnity, enabling the Lord of the Second Advent to commence his ministry at an international level. 'This was the last conditional number to be fulfilled. After this, Father could bless any number.'3 1975: 1800 Couples 18 = 6 x 3. Three 6s form Satan's number (666).4 This Blessing 'restores' the number 666 'in three different categories' .s This explanation (the exact meaning of which is not totally clear) is given by Sun Myung Moon, notwithstanding Mr Dijk's assertion that the 777 Blessing was the last ceremony at which 'restoration of numbers' was necessary. Notes 1 Examining the Evidence 1. Acts5.1-10. 2. For an examination of the 'brainwashing' theory, see Eileen Barker, The Making of a Moonie (Oxford: Blackwell, 1984). 3. For a fuller discussion, see G. D. Chryssides, 'The Right to be Religious', The Modern Churchman, New Series, vol. XXIX, no. 3 (1987), pp. 25-33. 4. Ted Patrick and Tom Dulack, Let Our Children Go! (New York: Dutton, 1976), p. 127. 5. See, for example, Patrick and Dulack, op. cit., pp. 32, 240; FAIR News October 1982, p. 2. 6. It is important to note that 'the Principle' is to be distinguished from Divine Principle. The latter is the book which is used by the UC: this is held to be a distillation of what has been revealed to Sun Myung Moon, and it by no means contains all his revelations. The Rev Moon's revelations of these spiritual laws is known as 'the Principle'. There is another sense of the word 'Principle' -a technical term in Korean philosophy - which will be explained later. I have attempted to distinguish carefully between what is in the book Divine Principle and what is one of the Rev Moon's pieces of revelation, which (following UC practice) I have termed 'the Principle'. 7. Hyo Won Eu, Divine Principle (New York: HSA-UWC, 1973). I shall continue to use the initials 'UC' as a standard abbreviation for 'Unification Church'. 8. Peter B. Clarke, Black Paradise (Wellingborough: Aquarian, 1986). 9. Jan Shipps, Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition (Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1985). 10. British Council of Churches (Youth Unit), 'The Unification Church: a paper for those who wish to know more'; n.d., c. 1978. Panel on Doctrine appointed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 'The Third Adam from Korea', Life and Work (September 1978). 11. For an explanation of the term 'New Christian', see Chapter 5. 12. James Beckford, Cult Controversies (London: Tavistock, 1985). 13. John Lofland, Doomsday Cult (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1966), ch 2, pp. 14-28. Gregory T. Tillett, 'Sources of Doctrine in the Unification Church', Update, vol. 8, no. 1 (March 1984), p. 3. J. Isamu Yamamoto, The Puppet Master: An Inquiry into Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church (Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1977). 14. The use of the title 'Reverend' juxtaposed to a surname without 196 Notes to pp. 9-19 197 forename or initials is normally unacceptable usage, and indeed is often regarded as the hallmark of ignorance. However, this is how UC members normally refer to their leader, and I have therefore followed their practice. If it is objected that the Rev Moon's title has never been conferred by any mainstream authority, I fully accept that this is so: Sun Myung Moon is reported to have said, 'I have been ordained by God: what higher ordination is needed?' The fact that Sun Myung Moon and several UC leaders assume the title 'Reverend' is part of the phenomenon of Unificationism, and I believe it to be worth reporting. 15. Yamamoto, op. cit., p. 83. 16. Young Oon Kim, Unification Thought (New York: Unification Thought Institute, 1973). Young Oon Kim, Unification Theology and Christian Thought (New York: Golden Gate Publishing Co., rev. edn., 1976). 17. Matthew 5.29-30. 18. Mark 3.31-35. 19. Master Speaks, 17 May 1973. 20. European Parliament, Committee on Youth, Culture, Education, Infor­ mation and Sport: 'Report on the activity of certain new religious movements within the European Community'. Rapporteur: Mr Richard Cottrell, 22 March 1984. PE 82.322/fin. General Synod of the Church of England, 'New Religious Movements: A Report by the Board for Mission and Unity'; GS Mise 317, October 1989. 21. Erica Heftrnann, Dark Side of the Moonies (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1982), pp. 67-8. 22. FAIR (Family Action, Information and Rescue) leaflet, n.d. 23. See, for example, W. Y. Evans-Wentz (ed.), Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines, 2nd edn. (Oxford, 1967), pp. 49ff. 24. The Holy Wine Ceremony is discussed in Chapter 7. 25. J. H. Grace, Sex and Marriage in the Unification Movement (New York and Toronto: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1985), pp. 139-40. 26. Chung Hwan Kwak, Outline of The Principle Level 4 (New York: HSA-UWC, 1977). 27. See, for example, John Hick, Philosophy of Religion, 2nd edn. (Englewood-Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1973). 28. United States District Court, Southern District of New York; Colombrito v Kelly; 79 Civ 6205 (RO); 27 May 1982 (a.m.), pp. 174-5. 29. G. D. Chryssides, C. Lamb and M. Marsden, Who Are They? New Religious Groups (London: United Reformed Church, 1982). 30. 'My Pledge' Update, vol. III, Issue 1/2 (July 1979), pp. 53-4. 31. This is discussed more fully in Chapter 6. 32. See D. Z. Phillips, Faith and Philosophical Enquiry (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1970). 2 Unificationist Doctrines 1. The transliteration of Korean names has presented some problems, 198 Notes to pp. 20-24 since different authors use different methods of rendering Korean into English script. I have adopted conventions which now appear to be securing acceptance in Great Britain, but with some exceptions.
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