Heaven's Side and Satan's Side (1)

Heaven's Side and Satan's Side (1)

Reverend Sun Myung Moon

February 20, 1983, Belvedere, Translator - Bo Hi Pak

Religious people generally do not take seriously the idea of a Heavenly side and a satanic side in this world. This is simply because many people are not sure of themselves and whether there really is a God and a Satan. However the Unification Church is clearly making a declaration about the existence of both God and Satan.

What would God and Satan themselves say about their own existences? Certainly they are sure that they exist. Also they would be clear about claiming what belongs to each of them. Would both God and Satan claim the good things or the bad ones? They would both want the good things. What is it that Satan looks upon as most desirable in this world? According to Oriental philosophy, the universe is composed of Chun, which is the heavens; Chi, which is the earth; and In, which is mankind. The population of the Heavenly Kingdom as well as earthly kingdoms is composed of human beings; thus these elements include everything in the universe. It is the common goal of both God and Satan to have dominion over everything in the universe-heaven, earth, and mankind.

Both God and Satan are pulling the three elements toward their own sides. Satan wants to make the heavens into his own kingdom, all the kingdoms of earth under him, and all mankind under his domain. God wants to do the same thing. If Satan and God really had the same goal, they should have no quarrel with each other; but that would mean that there was no distinction between Satan and God. However, even the fact that there is a terminology regarding the different sides signifies that there are differences between God's goal and Satan's goal.

What is the clear definition of Satan's side and what is the goal of Satan? Likewise what is God's side and God's goal? If we draw three concentric circles, one represents man, one Heaven, and one the earth. From the center, two completely opposite directions came into being, one representing God's side and the other, Satan's side. If God is the God of goodness, what can be said about Satan? He is the "god" of evil. From Heaven's side, we term certain things evil but from the satanic point of view, the same things are good and the opposites are evil. From God's point of view, Satan is evil. From Satan's viewpoint, God is evil. Does Satan have the right to claim that, however? Does he have the right to claim his side as good?

Do you think God knows clearly that He is good? Does Satan know clearly that he is evil? That is a very fundamental question. We must start out with a fundamental definition of good and evil. What is good? Is eating a meal "good?" Is wearing a good suit "good?" Good is related to original value, the originally intended value. What is that origin? Let us take the example of a plant. Its origin is a seed which was borne by another plant's fruit. These are real, substantial origins which really existed.

Goodness always brings protection to that original form. What is evil? Evil is the power which tries to obstruct and destroy the original form. For example, when a little sprout is coming up from the seed, the evil force will try to stop it by taking away the dirt or moisture. When the tree tries to put forth flowers, evil would bring about cold weather or something to kill the flowers in order to prevent the fruit from coming into being. That is an illustration of evil going against an entity's original form.

What is the definition of God? God is a personality and a character. In our universe God brings protection to all the originally created forms of the creation. All of the things of creation need to grow toward their goals, so God is the source of their warmth and love and protection allowing them to achieve their originally intended goals. When I hug someone, he must feel good from it. Why? Because a hug means warmth, love and protection. Likewise, if I hit that person, he would feel hurt and shocked because that is a destructive action. In this context, hugging someone is a good action while hitting someone is an evil action. Thus the definition of goodness is to bring protection, warmth and love to the original form so that form can blossom into its original design or purpose. The definition of evil is that force which tries to bring destruction and disturbance to the original form or purpose.

When we draw a vertical line in the center of a circle, God's side is always moving toward normalcy and growth. Satan's side moves away from normalcy and toward diminishing goodness. The characteristic of God is to always try to build toward the better, while Satan is always bringing the lesser, destructive results. Thus the elements Chun, Chi, and In,-heaven, earth, and man-are the sum of the universe. Which of these are in the position to be the central point of the universe? Certainly, the focal point of existence, the central point, is mankind.

What are the components of mankind? They are men and women. Let us also say that God exists. What kind of a God is a good God? The definition of a good God is one who gives protection for the development of all the original forms to their fruition. There is another "god," as well, one who is pulling the universe in the opposite direction, toward destruction. That "god" is Satan and his forces are the satanic forces. In our universe, the three critical "actors" are God, Satan, and mankind. What is the common desire of both God and Satan? Do you think Satan wants to possess God? Does God want to possess Satan? No, they each want to possess man.

Within this universe the most precious creation is mankind. However, above man there is an even greater Being, the Creator, namely God. Why doesn't Satan want to have possession of God, since He is greater than man? Satan is a greedy being, so why wasn't he ultimately greedy and pursuing God as his object of possession? The reason is that God has no capacity to be corrupted- He is eternal, unchanging, unique. Therefore, no matter how much power Satan may gain, he could never change God and bring Him under his control. God is beyond Satan's realm.

Why didn't God seek to gain possession of Satan, with all his power? Both are rulers. God is eternal and unchanging while Satan is always changing and is very temporal. God is unique and Satan is not; God is eternal, Satan is temporal; God is unchanging, Satan is always changing to suit himself. Why, then, do God and Satan both pursue mankind as their possession? It is because mankind is capable of relating to both God and Satan. Men have the characteristics of changeability as well as unchangeability so both God and Satan have the hope that men will come to their sides.

Is the person who changes from morning to night more open to God's side or Satan's side? Is the person who is always the source of conflicts in his home more susceptible to God or to Satan? Is the person who is totally immersed in his daily affairs and doesn't even think about eternity or gain any kind of long-term vision-is he more susceptible to God or to Satan? Let's look at the man who is a husband and a father with many responsibilities at home. Suppose he continually neglects his wife and children and goes off to the local bar and gets drunk, even trying to forget about his home life seeking only momentary pleasures. Is that person more susceptible to Satan or to God? Do you think such a person who likes to drink and get drunk is a happy person? During the time when he is drinking, he may be very happy. He might even jump up on top of the bar and start to dance because he wants to express his joy. However, such joy will never last. It has no element of the future, of eternity. The next day he will suffer because he used up all his money at the bar and there will be no peaceful relationship with his family. Therefore his momentarily happy acts of drunkenness will bring him to eventual destruction.

We need to evaluate the world in which we live as well as the society and the nation. Are they more susceptible to Satan or to God's side? Those who think we have a society which is on Satan's side, raise your hands, please. Now, those who also have the conviction that they are one of Satan's men and women, raise your hands, please. You have said that you are living in a satanic society, but you have also said that you are not a satanic person. Are you telling me the truth? Aren't you contradicting yourself? You feel you are separate from Satan, but honestly examine yourself. Don't you have a susceptible attitude toward Satan? Aren't you more changeable than unchangeable'' How much do you change from morning to night, from day to day? Do you think God takes delight in something one minute and the next day He changes and feels unhappy about it? Or is God's joy an everlasting joy?

God is always presenting His eternal, unchanging, unique character. The forces opposing Him are saying, "I will challenge you and make you change." Throughout human history there have been many human dramas in which women have enticed men from their homes and caused problems within the society and nation. Among women, who is more susceptible to being used in this way-the homely ones or the more beautiful ones? Certainly, it is the beautiful ones. However, men can also become useful instruments for Satan. Now that the blessing has been given to most of the members, I observe that you men are the ones who are shaking like willows-from one side to another each day. When the Unification Church men have changeable minds, is that a good time for Satan to visit? Yes, it is. That means God will have to leave you and you will be opening the door to Satan.

Where can God visit? He can go wherever His character can be seen-wherever He sees an eternal, unique, unchanging character. When those characteristics are missing, God's presence departs. This is the reason why God emphasizes the need for absolute faith which is eternal, unchanging, and unique. God wants to create an absolute reality, and that must start from absolute faith. God needs absolute faith on the part of man.

I want you to understand very clearly that this is the formula; also this is the covenant between God and Satan. They have agreed upon one thing: Satan promised God that anybody on earth who manifests His character through absolute, unchanging, unique faith will belong to God. God is in a sad position, in a way, because Satan is always accusing people before Him, "You think John Doe is a man of God? You are proud of him now but how can you guarantee that for the rest of his life he will not change?" God cannot say for sure because He doesn't know what John Doe will do ten years from now. Satan always has the upper hand because men are always doing more good for Satan than for God. God is always worried and concerned about men and wishing for the best but in many cases people bring more disappointment than satisfaction to Him.

Do you think Reverend Moon has just come up with his own brilliant idea, or am I speaking about the truth based upon eternal law and principle? You don't want to hear this kind of sermon this morning, do you? Aren't you saying, "Father, why can't you make our lives a little easier? After listening to this sermon, I know I have to continue working until my death! You have tied me up!" Many of you have thought, "Gee, I thought the blessing would be nothing but sweet candy," but now you are blessed with spouses from totally different cultures and you are thinking, "Now I wish I hadn't gone through with this." Is that more akin to Satan than to God? Certainly, to Satan.

Another way of thinking which some of you have is, "I thought Father was wonderful, that Divine Principle was great, but then I have heard Father speaking over and over again at Belvedere and all he does is accuse American women and Western civilization. What can I do?" Once you are wondering what to do, you are already hooked by Satan. You may laugh at my example, but there is a very important implication here.

Now you can understand that God's character is eternal, unchanging, and unique. In order for you to reflect God's character, you too must exhibit eternal, unchanging, and unique qualities. Now look at yourself and ask if you are on your way to that goal or if you are there already. Are you full of hope, or hopeless? Do you men feel uncomfortable if you are not allowed to wear a mustache in your mission work or can you say it doesn't matter? The Unification Church members are known for their clean-cut appearance, but suppose someone says, "I want to be a different kind of Moonie. I want to grow my beard and mustache and look real shaggy but I will still be a good Moonie." Is that kind of character more susceptible to satanic influence or not?

I am not saying these things just for the sake of an argument but there is a certain principle within it. The members of the Unification Church love to say, "Yes, we are on God's side ! " but often they have no deeds to back up that statement. That is an irresponsible way to behave. Do you think you are truly on God's side? God, who is eternal, unchanging and unique is looking at people here on earth, including you, and He is trying to determine whom He can count as His. How many do you think God can count as His men and women with confidence? That is a very serious question. Are you really on the side of God ?

When you evaluate your past you can see how irresponsible you have been. You have been talking about being on the side of God but you have not lived up to it for the most part. I want you to understand that those sons and daughters who are known to have filial piety toward their parents are those whose minds do not change, their fidelity doesn't change. The patriot is the one whose love for his country doesn't change even under adverse circumstances. This quality of unchanging love determines true goodness. Those who are saints and holy people are those whose loyalty toward God never changes, even unto giving up their lives.

This kind of unchanging spirit was dramatically demonstrated by Jesus Christ at his crucifixion. He knew beforehand that his crucifixion was imminent, but he prayed to God that if it were Possible some other course besides the crucifixion might occur. "However, not my will but Thy will be done," was his resolve. Certainly Jesus went through great agony as a human being at that moment when he was facing his death on the cross but he never compromised his unchanging character.

Let us imagine that every one of the Unification Church members dropped out, one by one. Do you think then that Reverend Moon would say, "Since nobody is coming to Belvedere anymore, I will quit too."? I know that every person in this room has the potential to be a drop-out. I know this by my own experience because everyone has that changeable character. Let's compare the qualities of character between Oriental people and Occidentals. Which culture is the more changeable? Since the Western culture is more prone to change, we can conclude that the ultimate, unchangeable truth of God can be brought more easily to the world from the East and not the West. Eternal truth will more easily come through the relatively less changeable culture.

What kind of people are Orientals? They have tremendous patience and endurance. Although they have these qualities, however, not all Orientals are prone to great idealism as well. Patience and endurance are not the only qualities which God looks for but He also looks at the historical idealism which has been manifested by a certain group of people or a nation. Out of all the Oriental cultures, Korea has the highest degree of idealism. Korea has been invaded by foreign powers 910 times throughout its history. Nonetheless, the country endured and the central theme of that endurance was God.

Actually the Korean people are the center of controversy and are very troublesome, even among the Asian cultures. I am sure that the Korean immigrants will become controversial here in American society as well. Korean people are composed of both extremes-very evil people and extremely good people. Within that one country there are both kinds of extreme characters which will be very susceptible either to God or to Satan. The most vicious satanic forces exist within that country.

When Korean history is looked at from God's dispensational point of view, it makes absolute sense. That is because there is nothing lukewarm about Korean people. They have been either incredible patriots, displaying absolute loyalty to their king and country to their deaths, or they have been traitors, betraying the good people and trying to manipulate everyone for their own power. Korean history is painted with much blood, including the blood of betrayal.

During modern day history' Reverend Moon is here trying to do absolute good for the sake of the world. On the other hand there is a power which is trying absolutely to destroy Reverend Moon's power-those are the Koreans who have been working against the Unification Church. Koreans themselves have been the worst enemies of the Unification Church. especially some Korean Christians, who waged the worst persecution against us. This is because God is finally making the separation between good and evil, so there must be a black and white clarity between them. There has to be some absolute boundary line which will distinguish good and evil.

What do you think? Am I advertising for or against Korea today? Perhaps you cannot tell. One thing is for sure: I am speaking the truth. The Bible clearly shows that whenever a great sin occurred, a correspondingly great grace was given. I am sure that the Koreans have a great talent for participating in the Mafia; eventually, I fear. there will be a lot of Koreans involved in it. That is one reason people have criticized me saying, "Reverend Moon is the head of his own Mafia." When such accusations are being heard, you should rejoice because that is a signal for the final judgment and that the last days are drawing to a close.

2nd part