In heaven, there are many different ethnic groups. You have Japanese, Korean, and Blacks, etc. Every ethnic group is in there. That’s how it will be. What is the biggest enemy to this? nationalism. Wherever they go, they say, “This is how I am.” The very thing that they have been proud of, that they respected about their nation, is the greatest enemy. The problem is how to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
Former Shoto Headquarters, 6 July 1967, Shibuya, Tokyo
Until today, we have learned the preciousness of loving our country through True Parents. We have been taught that “those who do not love their own country cannot love the world.” In the second vow of the Family Pledge, we recite daily that “we pledge to perfect the dutiful family way of filial sons and daughters in our family, patriots in our nation, saints in the world, and divine sons and daughters in heaven and earth.” We honor those who have lived a life of living for the sake of others at the national level as “loyal subjects” and remember them as great men and women of history.
Also, the words of wisdom and the ways of life of these loyal subjects are preserved in history.
As stated on page 347-348 of Cheon Seong Gyeong of CIG Holy Scripture, “a patriot’s way is to fight for his country at the sacrifice of his flesh and blood. He does so for the sake of his descendants,” those who loved their countries and became known as “heroes” and “loyal subjects” are “medals of honor” for having lived a life worthy of such admiration.
Loyal subjects that cannot transcend the nation
However, we must also be aware that in heaven’s providence of pursuing peace, “loyal subjects” who have dedicated their lives for only their nation are remembered as great men of honor only in their respective countries, but this can rather hinder heaven’s providence for a peaceful world.
True Father said the following:
“What is the difference between a patriot and a saint? A patriot does not go beyond his or her nation, but a world-level saint transcends his or her nation. The love of a saint is not limited to one nation. That person lives a life of love, enduring hardships and suffering, for the sake of humanity and the world.”
Cheon Seong Gyeong, pp. 348-349
In view of this fact where he says that nationalism is the worst obstacle in breaking through in the providence, a nationalist can also be described as a “loyal subject who only loves his own country.” Love for one’s country is fundamental and noble, but when that love is limited to one’s own country, it can be a hindrance (in the providence).
Many loyal subjects and heroic spirits in the spirit world are national heroes, and they will be cooperating with the loyal subjects of their fatherland on earth with the pride of having devoted their lives for their country. From the perspective of the Second Advent of Christ, we can say that it is principled to see the spirits, that were loyal subjects, cooperating behind the scenes with the people on earth who stand up believing in the salvation of the nation and the world.
However, if these cooperating ancestral spirits are at the level of loving their own country, this can be detrimental to heaven’s providence of promoting world peace that transcends nations.
“To become a patriot, you need to serve the nation even at the expense of your family. To be a saint, you need to give of yourself in service to the world, even at the expense of your nation. To be a holy son or daughter, you have to work to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth and in heaven, even at the expense of the world.”
Pyeong Hwa Gyeong, p. 538
The final goal is to become sons and daughters of God
As written in the Divine Principle, “the works of a good spirit may be accompanied by the subtle influences of an evil spirit” (p. 71) . From the perspective of God’s providence, this means that cooperative assistance by the spirits of (national) loyal subjects can result in the work of an evil spirit.
From the perspective of the (divine) spirit, Japan must truly transcend this world in order to become a parent nation. In order to raise the spirits of loyal subjects who only loved their own nation to the level of saints and sages, and to lead them to do the work of the good spirits, we who are in charge of the providence on earth must transcend our nation, return to the level of saints and sages, and ultimately become filial sons and daughters who stand in heart with Parents. It is the Principle that the spirits of these loyal subjects, who cooperate with us as central spirits, also grow together with us.
True Father has lived his life as a peace-loving global citizen, and True Mother has never stopped walking as the Mother of Peace who wipes away the tears of humankind.
Let us, here on earth, be completely united with True Mother and live a proud life as global citizens so that the noble patriots who dedicated their lives for their nation can also make great leaps as world citizens.
If you cannot be a filial son, you cannot be a loyal subject, and you cannot be a saint or a holy child.”
Heavenly Parent’s Holy Community, p. 176
