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R. Haines: On Unificationism - Interfaith Youth Forum in London
Written by Robert Haines
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognizes in its preamble that "the inherent dignity and equal inalienable rights of all members of the human family are the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world." This fundamental foundation from which humanity can flourish and advance has been the goal of the United Nations ever since its conception. We are all present here today because of a sincere desire to make the world a better place. As a Unificationist, I believe the role of religion is essential in ensuring that human rights are respected. Firstly, because one of the main teachings of all the major world religions is the idea that the happiness of the individual depends on the happiness of the whole, that we are all part of a global, interconnected community. Secondly, that religion believes in the innate consciousness that is present within each and every single one of us and guides us to do good.
Even though the Unificationist movement is relatively young, it stands as the inheritor of God's providence. It began early Easter morning 1935, when Jesus appeared to the young Sun Myung Moon as he was praying in the Korean mountains. In that vision, Jesus asked him to continue the work that Jesus had begun on earth nearly 2,000 years before. Jesus asked him to complete the task of establishing God's kingdom on earth and bringing peace to humankind. Rev. Moon declared in a speech that "Our ultimate responsibility is to build world peace, but global peace begins in the family. Harmony, peace and happiness within the family begin with a relationship to the Creator, one of children to parent. Thus, the solution to world peace is to rebind the relationship between the Creator and each family." As Unificationists, we see all religions as the results of providential figures raised up to prepare the way for the coming of heaven.
In today’s modern world it is easy to become absorbed by one's own interests and problems and forget about those less fortunate than us. The relative comfort of our everyday lives makes it easy to become detached and apathetic about those around us. It comes as a surprise to us when we hear about the horrific things that happen "in the news"; we view them with our apparently enlightened understanding of life but fail to truly empathize with their desperate situations. Rev. Moon, during one of a series of world tours, declared:
Heaven is a natural world where all people live for the sake of others. Consequently antagonism and jealousy cannot be found anywhere in that world. It is not a world governed by money, position or power. In heaven the success of every person represents the success of the whole, the likes of every person represent the likes of the whole, and the joy of every person represents the joy of the whole.
This idea is central in our faith. The only way to ensure the protection of human rights is if we push aside the false barriers of race, religion and nationality and work towards the betterment of humanity. If people from all walks of life recognized that we all share the same creator and are a part of a greater human family, then we would treat each other with respect. My belief in God as my Father causes me recognize the innate holiness of every one of you as my brothers and sisters. As children of the same Heavenly Father, we should put aside our differences and worship side by side, raise up society to a higher moral standard and encourage the unity of our global family.
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that man is "endowed with reason and conscience to act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." What else is this based upon other than our God-given conscience? How is our conscience developed and nurtured? It is through strengthening our relationship with God and denying ourselves our selfish desires that we can connect to the heart of our Heavenly Father. The purpose behind religious practice is to ensure that we are conscious of how God wants us to act towards our fellow man. Thus, God has endowed us with the responsibility to be righteous through obedience to the truth that is within each one of us. If we deny the religious roots of our moral and ethical system and lie to ourselves that morals are relative, then our society, already showing cracks as a consequence of excessive vanity, greed, lust and jealousy, is doomed to fail.
Rev. Moon teaches us that we should strive to be saints for the world, ready to devote our lives for the greater good. History is full of valiant men and women who stood up for what they believed in and fought against the status quo to move hearts and minds to live better lives. The examples of Muhammad, St. Francis of Assisi, William Wilberforce, and Mahatma Gandhi resonate to this very day. We need more men and women of such courage, faith, and integrity who can inspire people in ways governments and politicians cannot. An interreligious council would provide a different approach to current problems. Working together for a higher purpose, religious leaders can show us the way to build a society based upon mutual trust, respect, love, and service.
Thank you
Over the past year, Robert Haines has been on a gap year leadership development program. This involved fundraising, organizing, and participating in service projects, outreach work and working with young people. Next year he hopes to study Comparative Religions at university.