Unification News Unification News $2 Volume 18, No. 2 T HE N EWSPAPER OF THE U NIFICATION C OMMUNITY February 1999 BLESSING ’99 The Cosmos as One Village by Dr. Tyler Hendricks—NYC Main Stadium on a Sunday morn- ing. We had attended the rehearsal t blows you away every time at the day before, arriving early. Because a stadium event: the moment we were the only participants there you enter into the sunlight. early, the staff allowed us on the stage, From the outside, a stadium where we took many photos and rev- is a formless, too-big-for-any- eled in the sunlit atmosphere. Iuse massive gray monstrosity. You That evening we gathered in a park miles away. You struggle to find restaurant on Itaewon. In front of a the right gate. You pass through the big window looking out onto the side- dark cold tunnel, seeing in front of walk, we had the best holy wine cer- you a television screen’s worth of emony I’ve ever been part of. We had green and light and brightly colored the St. Petersburg directors, Rev. and seats. Then you enter and gaze upon Mrs. Jeff Tallackson, with us, who a new world. A private sky is cap- had come with their daughter who tured for you and only you by the was part of the second generation tremendous bowl. blessing. They officiated and gave You feel the energy from the hum good guidance. Also Mrs. Tate, whose of activity on the field in preparation son was in the second generation for the event, an event that is draw- blessing (blessed with the daughter ing multitudes, an event that is wor- of “General” Chang Song Kim), assist- thy of a stadium. The world of the ed. Despite the secular environment, event opens up before your eyes. New the atmosphere was sanctified. Word sounds, new colors, a world enclosed and sacrament together always bring unto itself for a time. On February 7, the Holy Spirit. 1999, at the Seoul Olympic Main Sta- Sunday morning, the day of the dium, some 150,000 people shared Blessing, we departed our hotel at that illumination of a stadium entrance. 10:30 a.m. and were engulfed in the I am quite sure the stadium had never flow of buses arriving from across the held so many, because even the Korean peninsula. They had left their Olympics did not have thousands of homes far away as early as 2 a.m. people on the field. and 3 a.m. to be there on time. We American in Seoul heard that the church leaders of Korea who prepared the event expected some I was part of the American con- 3,000 buses to converge that morn- tingent. We were housed in a lovely ing. We found our parking place and hotel, the Tower Hotel on Namsan indeed, rivers of people, literally rivers, Mountain, due to the foresight of Rev. flowed past us. These were hardy Joong Hyun Pak and the sacrificial country folk, taking on the several work of Go-World Travel. We were a hours in the frigid weather with a scant 15 minute drive from the Olympic see BLESSING on page 16 HSA KOREAN CULTURAL DEPARTMENT INSIDE KOREA • IIFWP Inaugural Speech p.2 • The Matching p.5 • WCSF Convocation p.9 • Media Coverage p.6 • World Religions p.11 WORLDWIDE • NYC p.7 • Chicago p.8 • Montevideo p.8 2 Unification News February 1999 INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERNATIONAL by Rev. Sun Myung Moon The purpose of the various ecu- Given February 6, 1999 at the Hotel menical and inter- Lotte, Seoul, Korea faith activities and INAUGURAL istinguished leaders from organizations I have every walk of life: been developing oppression of the atheist communist Perhaps the United Nations, more It gives me great pleasure over the past forty years has been the ideology and the Cold War era. When than any other international organi- to host this Inaugural realization of a world of peace that God that came to an end, the world drank zation, serves as a good example. Many Assembly of the Interreli- and human beings have been longing a toast in celebration of peace, albeit regard the UN as the institutionalized Dgious and International Federation for for. A vision for peace is the heart of briefly. All too soon we came to learn organization of the human ideal for World Peace (IIFWP). Although it was any interfaith activity. that the end of the Cold War era did world peace, and set their hopes upon last year that I made the official pro- In the 20th century humankind has not lead automatically to a time of it. At the UN, representatives of all posal for its founding, in my heart I suffered two devastating world wars, peace. Violent conflicts continue to nations combine their efforts to solve have been preparing for this occasion and experienced confrontation and occur throughout the world today. the world’s problems and to promote for decades. conflict for seventy years under the Even now, massacres are being per- peace and human prosperity. petrated in Yugoslavia, the Middle However, these efforts by the UN to East, Sudan, South Asia, and else- realize world peace have always met where. It is common knowledge that with serious obstacles. While its accom- many such disputes have behind plishments cannot be denied, one can them deep-rooted religious conflict. observe that the UN could be improved These are only some examples that in many ways. The time has come awaken us to the importance of dia- when cooperative and mutually sup- logue and cooperation among reli- portive relationships among the world’s gious orders. statesmen and religious leaders is des- Often, in the modern era, religions perately needed. work toward the realization of their Originally, human beings were meant ideals while keeping a certain dis- to live with their mind and body unit- tance from the realms of worldly ed, responding to the complete love of power. This is generally accepted as God. It is because human beings were the norm. I believe, however, that it created to be God’s son and daugh- is time for those international orga- ters, resembling Him, that their mind nizations that serve the cause of and body should not fight. Instead, world peace to re-examine their rela- they should create true unity. God’s tionship to the world’s great religious mind and body are not in conflict: traditions. Almighty God could never have any conflict within Him- self. The human ideal ALENDAR of unified mind and C body is realized FEBRUARY when a person is 5 Shin Yul Nim’s 5th Birthday (lunar) fully possessed of the true love of God. 8 1800 Couples’ Blessing (1975) The words, “Blessed 10 Jun Sook Nim’s 31st Birthday (lunar) are the peacemak- 11 16 Couples’ Blessing (1978) ers, for they shall 12 Shin Gil Nim’s 11th Birthday (lunar) be called sons of God” (Matt 5:9) also 16 Hoon Sook Nim’s 36th Birthday (lunar) premise that the 18 Yeon Jin Nim’s 18th Birthday (lunar) ideal of unity of 20 In Jin Nim & Jin Sung Nim’s Blessing (1984) mind and body is to Heung Jin Nim & Hoon Sook Nim’s Blessing (1984) be attained on the 21 FATHER’S 79TH BIRTHDAY (lunar) basis of relationship with our Heavenly MOTHER’S 56TH BIRTHDAY (lunar) Father. 74 Couples’ Blessing (1977) It was due to the 22 Choongmo-Nim’s Ascension (lunar) human fall that 430 Couples’ Blessing (1968) people lost the stan- dard of unity and MARCH GRAEME CARMICHAEL 3 Shin Jung Nim’s 16th Birthday (lunar) 10 Kwon Jin Nim’s 24th Birthday (lunar) 27 Shin Won Nim’s 11th Birthday (lunar) 31 Hyun Jin Nim & Jun Sook Nim’s Blessing (1987) APRIL 4 Jin Sung Nim’s 37th Birthday (lunar) 7 42 Couples’ Blessing (1989) 138 Previously Married Couples’ Blessing (1989) 57 Single Blessing (1989) 10 1265 Couples’ Blessing (1992) 11 Un Jin Nim & Jin Hun Nim’s Blessing(1986) 12 36 Couples of the 2nd Generation Blessing(1986) 13 Shin Chul Nim’s 7th Birthday (lunar) 16 Kwon Jin Nim & Hwa Yun Nim’s Blessing (1995) Sun Jin Nim & In Sup Nim’s Blessing (1995) 17 TRUE PARENTS’ DAY (lunar) Sung Jin Nim’s Birthday (lunar) 26 Shin Hwa Nim’s 11th Birthday (lunar) February 1999 Unification News 3 FEDERATION FOR WORLD PEACE spective, this religious council gious leaders worldwide took the lead would have to address the inter- in suggesting that all religious people ADDRESS ests of all people, transcendent donate money of an amount based on of regions or nations. the number 7, and thus pioneer the harmony of their mind and body, and self-reflection is surely prerequisite to Through mutual creation of a fund for world peace. Indi- has thus been living in self-contradic- this. Religious people have failed to respect and cooperation, viduals and nations have different tion and conflict. Moreover, the bat- set an example in the practice of love. these two houses would economic circumstances. For some, tle of the mind and body within the Now is indeed the time for them to be able to contribute enor- seven rubles would be a lot to offer individual has expanded to the level of repent for not having exerted them- mously to the realization but then someone else might offer the family, society, nation and world. selves fully for the sake of world sal- of world peace. The polit- 7 million dollars. If all religious Cain’s killing of his younger brother vation.