The list of textbooks wasn’t the only time Father did seemingly contradictory, or inconsistent, or unexpected, unreasonable or illogical things. I think he did this in order to teach us to love one another. The list has eight, but a ninth book has the same value. No problem, if we love each other. There are six or seven deaths and resurrections. No problem, if we love each other. The jubilee year is two years. No problem, if we love each other.
“One person suffers for years to receive the Blessing, another gets it through a toast at a banquet. No problem, if we love each other.”
One person suffers for years to receive the Blessing, another gets it through a toast at a banquet. No problem, if we love each other. Muslims and Mormons can drink juice. No problem, if we love each other. There were four Blessing vows, now there is one. No problem, if we love each other.
Two scholars, Dr. Joong Hyun Pak and Dr. Andrew Wilson, wrote True Family Values. It explained the seven verses of the original Family Pledge, one chapter each. They perfectly demonstrated the perfection of the perfect seventh verse concluding the predestined seven verses. They presented it to True Father. Within a week, you know what?
Father made an eighth verse.
No problem, if we love each other.
I could go on and on with examples, but the point Father was making is: The difficult part is to love each other!
“Because of Zen, I welcomed contradiction as a facet of the path to enlightenment. “
I was fortunate enough to have caught the drift of Zen Buddhism before meeting True Parents. Because of Zen, I welcomed contradiction as a path to enlightenment. Modern physics calls it the uncertainty principle. If you think it’s this, no, it’s that. If you think it’s that, no, it’s this. Father constantly pulled the rug out from under our feet so we would stand on nothing but God and our love for each other.
-TH
“Father constantly pulled the rug out from under our feet so we would stand on nothing but God and our love for each other.”
This is how I remember and love my True Father, the man who taught us to not get stuck in doctrine, religious ritual or organisational trappings. Instead, our identity as children of our awesome God, and liberated by True Parents, free us to live and love in a more encompassing and complete way. What incomprehensible, amazing grace!