On April 3, a special meeting was held for second generation of the Fukui District at Fukui Family Church with the Regional Group President of the Heavenly Japan for the Heavenly Parent’s Holy Community, Bang Sang-il, and his wife. In his message, Bang talked about some of the people who gave their lives in the independence movement of the fatherland, and he called on the young people in attendance to become real filial sons and daughters of Heaven. In this article, we present the contents of his speech and words of greeting from his wife, Mrs. Kazuyo Fujinohara.
Today, I am overwhelmed with all of the energetic people who welcomed us with cheers of delight.
People and most of creation gather in bright places. Would you want to meet with someone who has a dark and sunken face? If you could, wouldn’t you want to spend time with someone who smiles a lot? All of you have bright, shining faces. There is no doubt that many young people will be attracted to this church.
The loyal retainer who left two young children to seek the nation’s independence
I went on a tour around Ishikawa District before coming here. In Kanazawa, there is a memorial monument for Korean independence activist, Yoon Bong-gil. I prayed when I visited that site.
When he was 23 years old, he was ordered by Kim Gu—who was leader of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in Shanghai, China—to use bombs to attack key Japanese figures, including the commander of the expeditionary force to Shanghai (Shanghai Tenchosetsu Bombing Incident). He was arrested on the spot, tried at a court-martial, and sentenced to death. After being sent to Osaka, he was detained in Kanazawa and executed by firing squad.
Yoon Bong-gil had two young children. I couldn’t hold back my tears as I prayed.
During the 40 years of Japanese rule, the Korean people had no country. All of you are now living in the great country of Japan without any inconvenience. Unfortunately, however, I feel that young Japanese people today are less patriotic.
How miserable is it for a people not to have a country? I don’t think you can fully comprehend something that was just told to you unless you actually experience it.
I, also, have not experienced the independence movement directly. However, since I was a little boy, I have heard stories from elders, received education, and seen many documents about this history. Every time I heard or read such stories, I felt the sadness and pain of losing my country.
Chiang Kai-shek (former President of the Republic of China), upon receiving the report of the incident committed by Yoon Bong-gil, is said to have said, “I am deeply moved to see a young Korean man accomplish what even a million Chinese troops could not do.” After that, he actively supported the activities of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea.
China was a vast country with a much larger population than Japan. Nevertheless, it too was controlled by Japan.
These tragic events still happen as we have seen Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
It is said that Russia has the second largest military power in the world. Therefore, President Putin and other Russian leaders must have thought that Ukraine would surrender three days after the invasion. However, with military support from Western countries, the do-or-die resistance continues. Many Ukrainians have stood up and even an 80 year-old woman is holding up a gun and shouting, “I will defend my country!”
Patriots who sacrificed themselves to welcome True Parents on Earth
How hard is it to protect, and to even build, a country?
Without a foundation of patriots, True Parents would not have been able to exist on Earth. Even if it were heaven’s providence, nothing can be done without conditions being set.
True Father said the following:
In South Korea, Ahn Jung-geun is said to be a patriot who advocated peace in Asia…
Yoo Kwan-soon is a symbol (of freedom) for women, and An Jung-geun is a symbol for men. At that time, Ahn Jung-geun was 32 years old. He was almost Jesus’ age when he was attacked by the enemy, the Satanic female nation. However, Satan knew when the Second Coming was to arrive in Korea, so from the standpoint of the Satanic female nation, he had to destroy Korea at any cost.
He wanted to end 4,000 years of history in 40 years. Yoo Kwan-sun and Ahn Jung-geun tried to defend their country from this.
True Parents’ Life Course Vol. 9. p 370. (Japanese edition)
Many young people in their teens, twenties and thirties died to welcome True Parents to the Korean Peninsula.
True Mother has proclaimed Cheon Il Guk. You are all brave warriors of the Family Federation.
Cheon Il Guk is God’s kingdom where all humankind stand as one, but it has yet to be manifested in form. You are the warriors who’ve received heaven’s calling for this kingdom to materialize. If young people and students, full of energy and stamina, decide to risk their lives, the providence will advance faster than ever before. I hope you can make that kind of determination and contribute to heaven’s will.
Some of you here may be working for certain companies. If you work for a month, you can get paid, support your families or decide to spend money on your interests. Of course, I want you to cherish your happiness, but I hope you do not stay at that level. Before you are a company employee, you are a child of the Heavenly Parent (God) and a brave warrior of heaven! Please keep that kind of spirit.
God’s only begotten son and daughter have lived their whole lives to fulfill their promise to heaven
When True Father was 15 years old, he was praying one night at Mount Myodu when Jesus appeared before him. He told Father that God was grieving over the suffering of humankind and asked him to fulfill a special heavenly mission on earth.
Fifteen years old in today’s age would mean you are in the third year of junior high school or the first year of high school (in Japan and Korea). Here was Jesus asking a boy to save humanity and free God from His grief. It sounds impossible, doesn’t it? However, True Father accepted this tremendous calling and devoted his life to fulfilling it. His heart never changed from the moment he met Jesus until going to the spirit world.
The same is true of True Mother. She was 17 when she got married to True Father. To fulfill the promise she made to Heaven at that time, she is still at the forefront of the providence, even as she nears the age of 80. Although Father is no longer here on earth, she is still working hard 24 hours a day.
Her devotion to Heaven has never changed throughout her life. How great is that? We all change our minds many times a day. Your emotions may be exalted at this moment and you may shout out, “I will fulfill my mission as a brave warrior of heaven!” But by the time you get home after this meeting, your feelings may have changed and you might think it sounded nice when the Regional Group President was giving his speech, but in actuality it’s quite difficult.
The Bible tells a story of Jesus going up to Jerusalem when he was 12 years old. (Luke 2:41-52) Even at that age, I think Jesus already knew about his mission. Jesus, like our True Parents, tried to comfort God and save humanity no matter where he was placed.
Jesus was crucified without having committed any crime. The robber on his left cursed him and said, “If you are the Christ, save us.” The Roman soldiers also hurled insults at him. Yet, when he was about to die, Jesus pleaded to God, “Father, forgive them for they know what they do.” (Luke 23:34)
What would happen if I kicked someone here with all my might for no particular reason? Wouldn’t that person hold a grudge against me and think how he or she could get back at me?
Human beings have the blood of fallen lineage, so when they bear the slightest grudge, it is very difficult to get rid of it. They may even call out to God not to forgive the person who caused them trouble and to punish them. This is the difference between a fallen person and one who was born again from the only begotten son and daughter of God.
We are the Family Federation. We are together with the True Parents of humankind, the Second Coming of the Messiah sent by God.
They’re not as common now, but if you search for “Family Federation” on the internet, you’d still be able to find some articles criticizing our movement. It’s a real shame because some second generation are hurt and lose confidence in coming to church after reading these articles.
Was Jesus killed on the Cross because he did something wrong? No. What about the Family Federation? Are the movements for world peace and building of true families promoted by True Parents such a bad thing? We must be bold and walk with confidence.
When I was 20, I was led to the Unification Church. At that time, I was attending a Christian church, but when I heard the Principle I was shocked. I was moved by these teachings that the Christian church couldn’t explain, and I immediately joined. That was 1980.
However, criticism against the Unification Church in those days was immense. The moment I would utter “Uni” of the “Unification Church,” people would interrupt and rebuke me. But I chose the Unification Church over the more established Christian Church. There was only one reason: (the Unification Church) had the truth.
I am certain that if Christians listened to Divine Principle lectures for a week, 90 percent of them would be evangelized. I am proof of that. Although I had spoken ill of True Father and Mother, but once I heard the Principle, I shut my mouth and was completely converted. Hallelujah! Believe (in the power of the Principle.)
Gandhi did not eat, sleep or rest for the sake of India’s independence
You all know of Mahatma Gandhi from India. He was called to the bar in his early twenties and went to South Africa as a general counsel of a trading company where an incident occurred while he was traveling by train. Even though he had paid the fare, he was treated like a laborer by the conductor and was forced to get off. These things happened because of the racial policies of white people in those days. Gandhi’s family was very rich and he had never been discriminated against. He was also a lawyer, so he couldn’t have imagined that he would be treated as such.
He spent a night shivering in the cold at a dark station building on a plateau. Anger and chagrin due to being treated unreasonably, as well as, fear in the face of such discriminating pressure must’ve overwhelmed him. With all these mixed feelings, he kept asking himself why he had come to South Africa. After a night of anguish, he decided to stand up against racism. As he thought of his homeland which was controlled by Britain, he began to develop an awareness of being an Indian.
After campaigning against racism in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India and began leading the independence movement through “nonviolence and civil disobedience.” The independence movement spread across India as bystanders fearing British rule gathered around him, one after another.
Was Gandhi stout like a sumo wrestler? He was thin and his ribs stuck out due to a simple diet and for fasting to promote nonviolence and civil disobedience. Gandhi—who gave his life for the independence of his country without eating, sleeping or resting—is still respected by the people as the Father of India’s Independence.
Gandhi stood up and vowed to liberate his country.
What about True Parents? Did he give his life for the salvation of a nation? No. True Parents have tried to realize One Family Under God for the salvation of the whole world and humankind, as well as God’s liberation.
Blessed families dedicating themselves for the realization of one human family under God
A peaceful world where people love each other as brothers and sisters under God, their parent: this is the mission we need to realize. Do you know how hard your fathers and mothers have worked for this cause?
There may be people here who feel they were not loved by their parents or that your parents were not there when you needed them. There may be some of you who have been burdened with bad parent-child relationships. But please remember, your father and mother are the people you should be most proud of.
Your fathers and mothers have continued to live a life of not eating, sleeping, or resting whenever they want in order to fulfill the hopes of God and True Parents. They may have prioritized contributing to the world rather than buying and feeding you delicious food. They never doubted that happiness would come once the peaceful world desired by heaven was established. Please do not criticize your fathers or mothers. They are greater than all the great figures of history.
I think all of you gathered here today are people who are connected in heart with your fathers and mothers and do not resist the church. I have a favor to ask of everyone. Please reach out to the second generation who do not come to church and bring them back.
I think many of them are just rebelling against their parents. They may feel, “They didn’t love me,” or “They didn’t buy me what I wanted.” Such grudges have piled up and they haven’t been able to let these things go. However, they are now in their twenties and thirties and are no longer children, so they may understand their parents’ circumstances and feelings a little more. If they study the Principle and understand heaven’s providence that True Parents have been advancing, their parent-child relationship will surely improve and they’d be able to have hope in the church.
Aspiring second and third generations are necessary for the realization of Cheon Il Guk
Cheon Il Guk must be realized as soon as possible. True Mother will soon be 80 years old. The first year of Mother’s second 7-year course has already passed, but the remaining six years are as important as the 6,000 years of human history.
True Parents set their minds towards heaven in their teens and their determination has never changed their whole lives. Please seek for the realm of their heart. And I hope that you will swear before heaven just as True Parents had done, and testify about the Family Federation to the whole world.
In order to realize Cheon Il Guk, it is necessary to increase second and third generation who can make contributions to the local regions and the nation.
In one district, one of the church staff won the election for city council with the most votes. Since he had revealed his faith in the Family Federation, he had been slandered, but he had garnered more support. I heard some of these people fired back against the criticism saying, “What’s wrong with his faith? Some members of Congress cheat or have affairs and are immoral while others have problems related to drinking. This guy is serving his community seriously.”
I feel that it used to be difficult for a local assembly member to rise up. But now, every election brings up a new face. I hope that some of you will come to serve as Diet members for Heaven, Japan and Fukui, carrying True Parents’ ideals of “loving heaven, loving people, and loving country.”
Not long ago, I spoke on the phone with a second generation who is a local councillor. He is a very capable brother who can speak four languages. I told him it was my hope that he become the future prime minister of Japan, and to therefore, set up a 21-year course. He hesitated for a moment, but he answered vigorously, “Thank you for your encouragement. I will do my best to do so.”
When I visited Korea this February, I shared about this young man to True Mother. She asked how old he was and after I told her his age, she said that she would be a hundred in 21 years and that she would do her best, also. I replied, “Mother, please live longer than a hundred years. Eventually, the Prime Minister of Japan, the President of Korea, and the President of the United States will all come together under you, and the world will be transformed into Cheon Il Guk!” She was very happy and said that’s right.
When I visited a certain region, I told the same story as I just mentioned. A few days after that, I received a letter from a girl in the third year of junior high school. It said, “Thank you very much for the meeting. I was struggling to find what to do for my future, but that became clear when I heard your speech. I want to become a prefectural governor. I will study hard and become a prefectural governor without fail.” As I read this, my heart was filled with joy and hope. I wish her all the best from my heart as she has taken a step forward towards this future.
Middle and high schoolers, university students and all young people have time to take on challenges. Each person is entrusted with a mission from heaven, so pray and make a vow to contribute to the development of the church such as becoming a public leader, Diet Member, or president of a company. By accomplishing your dreams, you can become a dutiful son or daughter of Heaven.
Supporting you are absolute good spirits, and they are fully cooperating. If you devote yourself before heaven, through prayers and hoondokhae, and strive towards your goals, you will surely achieve them. Please keep that in your heart.
The name, “Fukui” is very wonderful. It means, “fuku no ido (the well of fortune).” It is a place where beautiful water gushes out to give happiness to people. I’m sure there will be some great people. Starting today, please make a new start in your life.
