Look
at the plot to kill St. Stephen or Jesus in
Matthew 26: 1-5.These people were the cream
of the crop of the intellect of that
society. They however were disgusted with
St. Stephen and Jesus and their belief. What
I have discovered is those who oppose our
church, call us derogatory names as
"Moonies" are hurting and spiritually in
pain. Does it make sense to oppose a faith
that supports the family, upholds the Holy
Bible, believes in Jesus Christ, and
promotes morality and lives for the sake of
others? No! However, St. Stephen too points
out very importantly we must forgive those
who persecute us. It is not easy but we must
forgive.
Persecution: "To afflict, oppress, torment"
My Biblical Cyclopedic Index brings up
persecution as caused by man's sinful nature
in Gal. 4:29, hatred of God, John 15: 2-23,
Ignorance of God in John 16: 1-3, Hatred of
Christ in I Thes. 2:15, Rev. 12:13, Gal
5:11, Gal, 6:12, Due to Godly living Matthew
13:21, 2 Tim. 3:12. It also states the
Christian's attitude is to Rejoice in Mat
5:12, be patient under I Cor. 4:12 glorify
God in 1 Peter 4:1:6 and pray during Matthew
5:44.
I must
take a minute and reflect on how much God
has blessed us. Our church, our membership,
our homes and our family are blessed by this
church. We will receive a "Spirit of Promise
Award" on Tuesday for our community work.
Mr. Martin received a "Billings Bright and
Beautiful Award" for his environmental work.
Our church has been given opportunity to
write in the Gazette and our TV program has
been praised by many people in the
community. Our youth received recognition
for their rest home outreach as through the
Stillwater Hospital and Convalescence home.
One of our member's works for a city board
and is part of the PTA, another working with
the Boy Scouts. I was recently asked to
chair the Yellowstone Suicide Prevention
Board. We are an asset to our community
because God is with us and we are with Him.
We have much proof God is with us! Matthew
7:20 "Wherefore by their fruits you shall
know them."
Therefore, it is sad to see you being
persecuted. However, I feel it is a sign
that you are on God's side. However, do not
go it alone. Include your pastor and elders
into your dilemma if someone is persecuting
you or if you come across questions of your
faith and your church. Say to someone who is
negative towards us, could I please bring my
pastor by your home sometime and talk? I
always wonder what is their motivation for
attacking another faith? Are they jealous?
Are they unsure of their own faith?
In the
Divine Principle, we understand clearly
about Satan. Satan has dominated this world
through the Fall of Man. As
Jesus
said, you are a brood of vipers. There is
sin and there is Satan. We must be aware and
clear as we walk this life of faith.
We
also understand about the Fourth Fallen
Nature which is a multiplication of evil.
How often I have seen this take place. Like
the crabs in the bucket who should help each
other out of the predicament, they rather
pull each other from anyone escaping. Fallen
Nature is not to see from God's view point.
Also, it is tied to sin which is any
condition that allows Satan to work more in
ones life. Do not be naive that Satan will
oppose goodness.
Did
you know what antichrist originally meant?
It means those who did not believe in the
birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. If
you are around us at all, you will see that
we believe in the Holy Bible and proclaim
Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. We see
Father Moon as anointed by God but not God
Himself. How can people say otherwise?
Unfortunately, those who I have talked with
personally who would oppose us often admit
that we should be more relaxed on our moral
standard, be open to same sex relationships,
and not be so strict on lifestyle standards.
Is this really such a good reason to oppose
our church or Father Moon?
So we
must look at theology and lifestyle
together. If our theology leads us to a
morally pure and upright lifestyle, we must
have confidence we are on the right path. I
have this handout I give at many workshops.
It states clearly the way of a morally pure
person. No sex until marriage, no
pornography, no drugs, to pray, attend
church, and study. Read the Divine
Principle, read the Holy Bible, attend
seminars, Wed. Bible Study, Tuesday Women's
Prayer and see if you life does not change
for the good.
As I
toured the state recently, I am so grateful
for the quality of people that associate
with us. They are very good people. They are
righteous men and women who love God. For
people to persecute us and accuse us is so
unfair and clearly satanic. God is with us.
As with Jesus, God was with him and the
people persecuted him.
There
have been many false accusations against
Father Moon. Yet, he is not alone. Joseph in
Gen. 39: 7-20, Moses in Num. 16: 1-3, David
in Psalms 41: 5-9, Stephen in Acts 6:11 and
Paul in Acts 21: 27-29. And against Christ
for gluttony in Mat 11:19, Blasphemy Mat 26:
64, Insanity in mark 3:21, Demon possession
in John 7:20, Sabbath desecration in John
9:16, Treason in John 19:12. So, Father Moon
is with a good crowd of witnesses.
For
those who persecute us, I would be very
curious to know their own lifestyle and life
of faith. Can they look into the mirror and
truly be proud of themselves. Yes, Father
Moon has gone to jail. So had Jesus, St.
Paul and others. Father Moon was married
before. Although this was a painful part of
his past that others forced his hand in
losing his spouse, how many others have
divorced and still continue in the faith?
His family has suffered on this path but are
we to persecute him for this as well?
Yes, hold me, him and others to the
standard, but be careful in your judgment.
We
must address such unfair attitudes both with
love and with courage. We must have courage.
What right does one have to say another is
wrong? It is especially ironic when the
person who talks bad of another is usually
in worse shape and has no solid alternative.
That is another reason why I love this
church so much; she is so embracing of other
faiths. We are genuine in willing and in
working with other faiths seeking common
ground and God’s love. What a testament
itself to Father Moon and his theology. As
with Sister Terry going to Israel and many
others we have sponsored to promote peace
and interreligious dialogue, we put our
money where our mouths are.
What
is our faith in a nutshell? We can talk
about Adam and Eve failing to do the will of
God. We can talk about the failure of the
people to attend Jesus and the amazing
victory Jesus brought in his resurrection.
For people do deny our belief in the Bible
or Jesus is ludicrous. Yes, we are a hopeful
people. We believe in the Last Days as a
time of great peace. God’s will is for the
Kingdom of Heaven on Earth as well. We are
not proclaiming our faith is the only one
deserving or going to heaven. We are called
to work together for peace on this earth
working together will all religions. Isn't
this true HOPE!
You
can look up any church and any faith to find
reasons not to love them or work with them.
The library has books against the Pope,
Latter Day Saints, Jehovah Witness or
Fundamentalists. Atheists can criticize the
Christian and the Christian the non
Christian. You can go to the internet like
going into a marriage and find good or bad
on someone. What is your motivation? What is
your desire? Do you wish to understand in
order to love that faith more or to find
ways to separate from the other? Motivation,
heart, attitude are keys to what you will
discover and take from away.
As for
me, I have discovered life in this faith. I
have discovered a compassion for others and
a deep understanding of Jesus and Heavenly
Father. I am always amazed how people will
say, "How can you be part of that church?
You are such a nice person!" They do not
realize that I am nice because of this
church, her teachings and her founder. You
will know the tree by its fruits.
I see
in other ways that God is behind our church.
He is blessing us. While in
Missoula last week, I visited with a
professor who was my advisor for the church
group (CARP) I had on campus in the early
1980s. He now is the senior sociologist for
his department. He too applauded what we
have accomplished in such a short period of
time. We have not only survived but been
successful. As in the letters we gain from
others who bear testimony that by our
prayers for their illnesses they are being
healed. I can say that in this and so many
other ways, God is behind, beside and
walking ahead of our church.
Yes,
we have made mistakes. I believe one of our
most serious mistakes ahs been that we have
denied our faith. Like St. Peter who denied
Jesus under persecution, we too have failed
to proclaim our faith at times when we
should have. Those people can accuse us and
also lose the chance to be witnessed to. St.
Stephen set the standard not to deny his
faith under incredible circumstances.
Yes,
we have a theology that can be challenging
and confronting. I do not deny this. For our
mistakes, I apologize. For my faith, I can
only encourage others to seek to
understand and pray. Ironically, I found
a very good way to address persecution is
through witnessing (Matthew 5:14 "Let your
light shine").
The
more you are out in the community sharing
your faith, the more it is strengthened. The
more you invite people to you church, hand
out a church card or literature, share your
faith and not be ashamed, you will grow,
your heart will develop and your ability to
deal with persecution will become more
astute. Even practically, when people know
what church you go to and you will have to
deal with the inevitable misunderstandings
than the road is open for deeper sharing and
fellowship. Through consistency you become
more credible. Yet, if they do not know who
you are, even though it is a realm of
contentment for you, you are not able to
develop or deepen their understanding.
Please witness your faith and see the
miracles take place.
Matthew 10: 38 “And he that takes not his
cross and follows after me is not worthy of
me and he that finds his life shall lose it
and he that loses his life formy sake shall
find it.” If we are genuinely sincere and
desire to know the will of heaven, it will
be revealed. I did not give up when so many
people persecuted me and accused me of
joining this controversial church. Rather, I
prayed and studied and sought the will of
God. And it is my promise to each of you,
especially you young people who did not find
this church but was given to you by your
parents. You will too be challenged in the
end to determine for yourself what I and
others found. Apply this points and I am
confident you will discover what I have
discovered that this church is true and the
founder a man of God.
1. Be
prayerful, pray daily.
2.
Be prepared for when you stand on God's
side Satan will strike. Do not be naive!
3.
Set the right conditions by study and a
life of faith, attending church. Wrong
conditions open the door for Satan to pull
you away. Unite and work together is a great
condition.
4. ***Witness:
be bold and do not isolate yourself. Be in
the community and share your faith with
others.
5.
Study and know your faith. Read the Holy
Bible and The Divine Principle and other
materials.
6.
Ask questions, ask God and ask Jesus.
Attend seminars when they are made
available.
7.
Talk with your pastor, refer the
persecutor to the pastor, don't be a loner
and don't isolate yourself. Include others.
8.
Repent! Be humble we are not perfect!
9.
Forgive! We must not ourselves become
resentful but forgive and let it go.
10.
A blessing is coming! Do not be afraid.
It is a sign you are doing good. Hang in
there and God will bless you abundantly!
Persecution is a good sign. Welcome it as a
way to fine tune and strengthen your own
faith.
It is
our faith that can shine like the sun on the
mountain top. We love Jesus Christ and see
him as the Son of God the Messiah. When we
say to follow it is to follow. Sexual purity
is not just a concept. Fidelity in marriage
is not just a concept. Loving your neighbor
is not just a concept but we are called to
love all people of all races, creeds, faiths
and colors.
You
are walking with me on this great journey. I
am walking with Father Moon on this great
journey. You will look back, I pray, and not
regret this day. You will stand firm when
others persecute you. When you really
listen, what are they saying? They are
finding an excuse not to live a morally pure
way of life. They are bound by Satan. Yet,
we must love them. Pray for them. Pray for
our younger members, our neighborhood
families who after joining our church get
persecuted. How precious they are and how
much they need our prayers as well. "Behold,
I send you forth as sheep in the midst of
wolves, be ye therefore wise as serpents and
harmless as doves" Matthew 10:16.
As I
mentioned, I traveled this week to visit
families in
Great Falls, Sims,
Missoula, Butte and Whitehall. I was
able to pray with them, blessed their homes,
shared a Holy Candle for their home and
talked deeply. Others in Helena, Whitefish
and Glendive have also recently visited and
or communicated with us. We have a great
membership. Let us unite more. Let us pray
more for one another. We will endure this
time of persecution and emerge ever
stronger, ever faithful and ever more
loving. Mark my words!
