On July 6 and 7, the Heavenly Japan’s Chambumo-Ron (True Parents Theory) Special 2-Day Workshop was held at Shoto Headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, which was also live-streamed to other churches nationwide. This message is a summary of what President Tomihiro Tanaka said at the opening (6th) and closing (7th) ceremonies.
Editorial Department
Different perspectives lead to different interpretations
Good morning to all leaders, blessed families, and members throughout Japan.
Today, we are broadcasting live from the Cheon Shim Won Special Prayer Room at Shoto Headquarters.
Today and tomorrow, we will be addressing the Chambumo-Ron (True Parents Theory). All of the leaders have already faced this topic three times during their training in Korea. Based on this content, I would like to share this time with all of you brothers and sisters across the country.
As we go through the learning process, you may find yourself questioning some things or have an “aha moment”. I think it is best to face the theory comprehensively for the next two days and try to understand it. After that, I think it is a good idea to explore each individual case thoroughly.
The title of my opening address is Our attitude toward True Parents’ lives and the “interpretation” of their words.
We live our lives constantly facing God’s words, and these words give us strength. We interpret the Word of God in our daily lives, and we lead our lives by the interpretations we have of these words.
Because words are used to describe God’s words, interpreting them is inevitable. These interpretations will vary greatly depending on the experiences of the interpreter.
Your understanding (of God’s words) can change according to how you interpret and face the word. It will also depend on what perspective you are looking from. The extent and scope from which you perceive the word will also affect your interpretations. Interpretations may also vary depending on a person’s background, family situation, and portion of responsibility.
Furthermore, there is the spiritual state of the person. When one reads the words in a state of anger or in a state of love, one’s interpretation of God’s words will inevitably form depending on one’s state at that moment.
Let me give you a practical example of differences in perspective. Suppose the number “6” is written on the ground. Even if you see it and recognize it as “6,” someone standing across from you, i.e., on the other side of the number, will recognize it as “9.” This is the result of a difference in perspective.
I introduced this picture to you all at a worship service some time ago. It is from the book Petit Philosophy Book (Masahiko Sato, Chuko Bunko).
One frog is pushing another. This is the bully frog. The one that has been pushed and is about to fall is the one that is being bullied. These are frogs, everyone. (Laughter.) And the fish that is looking at the frog being pushed is saying, “Oh, be careful!” No matter who is looking at this picture, this is what they will see.
However, (these are just parts of the picture and) if you step back and look at the whole picture, you will see that it actually looks like this.
The frog is not bullying the other. Instead there is a nut falling from the tree above and he is actually helping by pushing the frog out of the way. And the fish below can see the nut falling, and that is why it is shouting, “Be careful!”
Thus, our interpretation changes completely when we look at things partially versus from a holistic perspective. This is often the case.
This is true for True Parents’ words and for True Parents’ life course. Therefore, when we are interpreting the Word of God, we need to take a holistic approach.
True Parents’ course was a series of choices and decisions
True Father said, “Do the words come first or substance (God’s embodiment)?…Words do not come first. There is a substance, and then the substance testifies to the fact of what it has done with its words” (July 8, 2010). This substance is True Parents. In his later years, Father spent a long time and made many “proclamations of the word as God’s embodiment.”
We have learned that “the purpose of the Word is substance, and the purpose of substance is the heart.” We must practice the word to attain the perfected substance of this word that Heaven desires, and ultimately enter into that realm of heart.
Where did the word come from? It came from the substance of the victorious True Parents. Therefore, ownership of these words belongs to True Parents. Accordingly, the interpretation of these words must be done under the authority of True Parents.
Therefore, when we face the word of God, we must first understand this firmly, and then proceed to interpret the word of God while keeping the substance of the word of God at the forefront. First of all, we must firmly understand that True Parents are the owners of God’s words.
On that foundation, when we face the word, we must take the Principle into consideration. Furthermore, we must be active in the providence, but since our lives of faith are progressing, we also have to take into account the providential view of the providence. How these three things, “the word,” “the Principle,” and “providence,” are organized in our minds is another aspect that is very important to our perspective.
Members may have their own view of the providence, and are out of alignment with the Principle or out of alignment with the word. This is not good. Or, since the providence is always in motion, we may not be able to sort out the current providence from the standpoint of the Principle, and we may have some doubts, which can lead to distrust.
Taking this into consideration, it is necessary to try to understand the Principle, the word, and the providence in a consistent manner. True Parents were the ones who lived their entire lives while maintaining the consistency of this Principle, word and providence.
True Parents have been misunderstood in their lives, and we often hear different arguments about their course based on different interpretations.
Why does this happen?
True Parents have made many choices from time to time as they have advanced God’s will. We have experienced them makes choices, make decisions, and then rebuke us, encourages us, and lead us.
As disciples who have walked together with True Parents, there have been many times where we had to choose a different path from what True Parents had planned because of our shortcomings. In particular, we have experienced many burdens we have placed on True Parents because of the shortcomings as the Mother Nation of Japan.
Hence, True Parents’ life course has been a series of choices and decisions. There were times they seemed to have hit a wall and had to make a new choice and decision. True Parents’ life course continued in such a manner.
We have learned through the Principle that the fulfillment of God’s will is based on God’s portion of responsibility and man’s portion of responsibility. The plan for God’s will is absolute, but its fulfillment is relative. This is because responsibility is shared with human beings.
Therefore, it can be said that although plans for God’s will are absolute, they are not pre-determined with regard to the process at any given time. This is true for us, of course, but it is also true for True Parents’ course. It is always a series of choices, not a pre-determined path that will lead us to the outcome.
In this sense, we cannot say that only one path leads to restoration. We can say that several paths exist because it is about a series of choices. I believe that we must also face True Parents’ life course from this perspective.
There are several paths depending on the historical situation of the times or the conditions that have been prepared, and the central figure will have to choose one accordingly.
The same is true of True Parents. We believe that True Parents have chosen the path that is principled and best suited among several possibilities for the providence to move forward. True Parents’ choices have been repeated several times, but in a way that is principled, providential, and consistent with God’s words; it means that new choices are always being made.
Therefore, when we look at True Parents’ life course or their words, what is important is the reason behind their choices and decisions they made at different times during the providential course of restoration. Why did they choose that path? Why did they make those decisions? That is what we do not understand. And because of our lack of understanding, we have misunderstood them and misinterpreted their choices.
True Mother’s heart contained in the holy paintings at Cheon Il Sanctum
With this in mind, when I look at what lies behind True Parents, I have been made to reflect on the past few years, but at the same time I have been given a new perspective.
Since True Father’s Seonghwa, True Mother has initiated the construction of Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum, and she has been taking bold steps as she encourages and leads us.
I have heard some people say, “How can you say that we are advancing the will of God if all we do is build church buildings?”
Despite this way of thought, I understand a part of True Mother’s heart that insists on erecting Cheon Won Gung and Cheon Il Sanctum.
Fourteen holy paintings are on display in the Cheon Il Sanctum. These 14 holy paintings, which the artists created over a period of seven years, were intended to last even after 300 or 500 years.
When you look at them, you can see that True Parents went through such an amazing life course, and that the holy paintings are indeed full of impact.
True Mother stressed that we can understand that God is our Parent through True Parents’ life course depicted in those 14 holy paintings.
For me, this message changed my own perspective completely. The purpose was not to emphasize True Parents’ existence. It was intended to convey that God is the Parent who has been seeking humanity for six thousand years through True Parents’ life course. This was the point True Mother was making.
Looking at these holy paintings from a different perspective, we can see that True Mother loved True Father from the bottom of her heart and that she revered Father’s life course; we are able to come in contact with her world of heart.
We must find the world of true love and heart that lies behind the source of True Parents’ choices they made in their life courses. Otherwise, we will not be able to understand the essence of their decisions.
It is very important to understand that the paths True Parents took and the words they spoke came from parental love and a parental heart.
For example, let’s say that one day I was being scolded by True Mother. If she were to say, “Do you understand me, Tanaka,” and somebody saw that moment. He or she would think that President Tanaka was severely scolded by Mother.
However, if I understood True Mother’s love and heart in that moment of scolding and accepted her words, I would not think that I was being scolded at all. Rather, I would feel that I were receiving tough love and that feel a sense of gratitude.
Therefore, depending on whether one is able to discern the world of heart and the world of love behind the words, or only sees the superficial matters, the way those words are received will be completely different.
True Parents knew God’s parental heart and lived their lives from that perspective.
Why has God been so betrayed for six thousand years of biblical history, and why does He not give up even though His providence has been extended due to the shortcomings of His people, even sending His only begotten Son to the cross? There is only one conclusion. It is because He is the Parent. Parents never give up.
Within the parents’ realm of heart, the providence will always move forward until there is victory, so as long as God is the Parent, the providence of restoration will surely be fulfilled. This is the God we have learned about.
Victory Proclamation based on the providential milestones that True Parents achieved together
True Parents, who became completely united with God the Parent, have made a series of choices and decisions, and their achievements can be found in the Victory Proclamation. For each providential milestone, they always made the necessary preparations.
True Parents have made various choices and decisions in various ways and for different reasons, but they were all processes leading up to this Victory Proclamation.
True Parents may have taken certain action that we cannot understand from our perspective. But with the Victory Proclamation, everything can be understood as a process leading up to it.
The proclamation promulgated by True Parents states, “Satan cannot obstruct. He must officially recognize it as fact…God guarantees it.” (Collections of Speeches from Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Vol. 383, p. 280 [In Japanese]), and that it “(Things) end in victory when a proclamation ceremony is held” (Vol. 269, p. 319 [In Japanese]).
Furthermore, the Proclamation states “It becomes the law of the spirit world and the law of the earth” (Vol. 526, p. 25 [In Japanese]).
Indeed, I think it is important for us to look at God’s words and True Parents’ life course with this Victory Proclamation.
And the Victory Proclamation is basically a joint proclamation of victory between True Parents. Because it is a joint proclamation, it is not a proclamation for True Father alone.
It is a victory proclamation for True Mother and a victory proclamation for True Father. They have been able to establish the Victory Proclamation together as a couple.
Therefore, when we look at True Parents’ life course and face their words, we must always interpret and understand things from the standpoint of the Victory Proclamation where True Parents are of one body.
In this way, True Parents are the owners of the word, who have ownership and authority to interpret it. However, True Father has already departed to the spirit world.
Only True Mother is on earth now. And now, centering on Mother, the providence of Cosmic Canaan Course is still ongoing. The fact that the providence is ongoing means that the door for interpreting the word is still open.
Therefore, True Mother is the owner of the word, has ownership of the word, and has the authority to interpret the word. From this perspective, we need to look at Mother and ask what has been the center of her life.
During the last 14-day leaders’ training session, there was a word from True Mother that really caused me to repent and be thankful at the same time.
She said, “(True Mother) has walked as True Parents.” Rather than looking at her course as an individual known as Hak Ja Han, (I understood) her motivation and thoughts were always on “how to bring victory as True Parents and how to cement True Parents in history.” From this perspective, (I understood) she persevered, made decisions, and worked as one with True Father.
I strongly felt that it is necessary for us as children to interpret Mother’s life course from the perspective that “True Parents will not change even after 300 years; True Parents will remain unchanged forever; and True Mother’s life was (given) to firmly establish the True Parents, whom God had been seeking for 6,000 years.”
True Parents, whom God had been seeking throughout history, already proclaimed True Parents in 1960, and since then, they have been leading us with numerous victory proclamations.
Three hundred years later, when somebody asks, “Who are the True Parents,” (we need to answer) they are a pair. Even after 1,000 years, and for all eternity, if we go to the spirit world and seek God, we will meet Him in the appearance of True Parents, and the True Parents are President Sun Myung Moon and President Hak Ja Han.
There is absolutely no way we can think of True Parents as separate because they are our parents. From this perspective, we must interpret True Parents’ life course and interpret their words.
First, we need to recognize that the only owners of the providence and the word are the couple known as True Parents, so let us face the word and their life course with this understanding.
Second, as a couple they were jointly victorious as True Parents, so let us face their life course and words on the premise that they cannot be separated.
Third, let us interpret True Parents’ lives and words through the lens of true love to grasp their true intentions. If we interpret them only linguistically, in other words, only through words, or through logic, or only in terms of concepts, in all likelihood we will make a wrong interpretation. We must discern the heartistic motive of True Parents who are truly saving humanity, rather than just following mere words. That is to say, (their motive is based on) the love of parents.
Today, at this very moment, True Mother is in South America. It is an undeniable fact that she is making decisions and acting as True Mother of humankind.
We should always try to face True Parent’s messages and each action and decision they make from the perspective and understanding that true love is behind them.
During these two days, some of the content may be new to you. Or some of the contents may shock you. I believe that if we first understand the big picture, and then delve deeper into each individual thing, we can have a better understanding.
True Parents of humankind: the only couple of Presidents Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han
Thank you all for the two days of learning.
There may have been some things over the last two days where you may (still) not know how to fit the pieces. There may have been some new things you’ve discovered. We’re just at the beginning when it comes to the True Parents Theory.
Just as we have spent our whole lives studying the Divine Principle and discovered new things every time we’ve studied it, I believe that we will discover even more if we face the True Parents Theory in our lives of faith.
First of all, I would like you to face the six lectures that you have listened to here, and deepen your understanding by rewatching and studying them many times.
As we close these two days, I would like to confirm four promises that we should not waver from. There may be messages or things about True Mother’s world (of heart) or even True Parents’ world (of heart) that you do not understand. But please remember these four things.
The first is that whether three hundred years or five hundred years pass, we must never waver from the fact that the True Parents of humankind are Presidents Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han.
This conviction has to be the central axis of our faith. If this main pillar is blurred, our whole understanding will begin to blur. I believe that we should work on learning more and delving deeper into these studies with this conviction. If this pillar is not blurred, even if there are things we do not fully understand, we will be able to meet True Parents when we go to the spirit world.
True Mother tells us to study (and teach) the Theory of True Parents, True Parents’ life courses, and eventually bring (humanity) to her. She always says, “If you meet me, all your problems will be solved.”
I believe that this word contains many thoughts, but just as the basis of the universe is the parent-child relationship, even if there are some arguments (in these contents) that we do not understand, just remember that True Mother, who is in front of us now, and we have a parent-child relationship. There are many worlds that can be seen based on this realm of heart.
In light of this, we feel a deep parental love in her words, “Bring them to me. If they meet me, their problems will be solved.”
I hope that we can confidently proclaim True Parents are the one and only set of parents who will never change for eternity.
Second, the providence is still ongoing. The providence is still incomplete.
Therefore, as we encounter new providences of heaven, we will continue to receive words from True Parents each time.
I believe that we will continue to have to face these words (given at different moments) as the providence progresses.
We sent True Father to the spirit world without establishing a single nation as God’s nation. While True Mother is on earth, we have to establish one nation before heaven, and I feel that this time, we must send True Mother to spirit world after we have spent time in God’s nation.
Of course, (the providence) will not end when we send True Mother (to spirit world). True Father proclaimed at the convention on the Day of Victory of the Number Ten Combining Two Halves (Ssang Hab Shib Seung Il), attended by VIPs, that if there is even one person on earth who has not received the blessing, in other words, as long as there are those who do not stand in the position of God’s children, the blessing movement will continue forever.
God the Parent will never give up on salvation until all of humankind returns to His bosom. Therefore, let us move forward with the belief that we, too, are walking with the Heavenly Parent (God) and with True Parents.
The third promise is to be humble towards the truth. We must humble ourselves to the voice of our conscience within us.
God has been moving forward in the providence of salvation by working through our conscience. Every human being has a conscience.
This conscience is superior to teachers, superior to parents, and superior to God. I feel that we can discover the truth in the conscience, in the voice of the conscience.
In the Divine Principle it says, “All scriptures have the same purpose: to illuminate their surroundings with the light of truth. Yet when a brighter lamp is lit, the old lamp is outshone and its mission fades.” (p. 7)
We have already passed the Completed Testament Age and have entered the Age of Cheon Il Guk. As we try to accept the new light of truth in the new era, we must harmonize what we’ve learned in the old era with what we’re learning at the forefront of the new providence. As we do so, we must not neglect the voice of our own conscience and incorporate these things in our daily lives in order to advance the providence.
Fourth, this learning must take root in our lives; otherwise, there is no point in learning. We must make sure that these new truths take root in our lives of faith, and that new “revolutions” take place in our daily lives.
We have been learning about the world of the Heavenly Parent and True Parents, but the place where the Heavenly Parent and True Parents can take root is in the family with children.
There is a place for God and a place for True Parents only in a family where the children serve their parents properly. It is our hope that the four realms of heart be firmly established in our families so that True Parents can be firmly established for generations to come.
Above all, at the core is husband and wife: the husband and wife, who are the substantial objects of God’s dual characteristics. The husband and wife must become one, and that is where children can see God. There is no other way to firmly establish True Parents and the Heavenly Parent on earth.
In this sense, let us do our best to create a family where the children simply say, “I’m glad I was born in this family.”
No one will say such a thing as, “No, I’m glad I was born to my father,” without the mother. No child would say, “I’m glad I was born to my mother,” and ignore their father.
After all, the origin of one’s birth came from the union of husband and wife. As long as we aim to create a family environment where we can be proud of our identity, live with unwavering joy about our birth and be grateful for the life given to us by heaven, I am confident that both the Heavenly Parent and True Parents will be firmly established in our families.
Let us study more deeply, and let us make effort so the True Parents Theory takes root in our daily lives.
That is all for today. I would like to conclude by wishing you all hope and development in your daily lives.
