Contemplating Unification Thought

By Jennifer P. Tanabe

A series of reflections on the basic theories of Unification Thought, the philosophical system developed by Sang Hun Lee. Unification Thought itself is derived from the revelations received by Sun Myung Moon, and systematized and applied to the traditional fields of philosophy in a novel and intriguing way. Part 1 of this volume contains discussions of these ideas in the context of critical analyses by a variety of scholars. The second part contains discussions of how these ideas may be applied to issues that we face in our everyday lives. Diagrams illustrating key ideas are also included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9781300634492

Book preview

Contemplating Unification Thought

CONTEMPLATING UNIFICATION THOUGHT

Jennifer P. Tanabe

Copyright

Copyright © 2013 Jennifer P. Tanabe

All rights reserved

ISBN 978-1-300-63449-2

Preface

This series of articles first appeared in Unification News, beginning with the December, 1992 issue. My good friend and editor of the Unification News, Richard Lewis, kindly gave the series its title Contemplating Unification Thought, and I have tried to maintain that spirit in each of the articles.

My idea for the series was to share some of the inspirations and understandings that had I had received while teaching a course on Unification Thought at Unification Theological Seminary (UTS). In that course we had discussed the objections and criticisms raised by various scholars at the International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences (ICUS) and other conferences, as well as those raised by the students and professors, myself and Dr. David Carlson, in the class itself.

When I began, I had expected to write at least ten articles, corresponding to the ten major topics in Unification Thought (Original Image, Ontology, Original Human Nature, Axiology, Epistemology, Education, Ethics, Art, History, and Logic) quite easily. Then I realized that my first article was more of an introduction to Unification Thought, so I added the Introduction to the list. Then, when I started writing on the Theory of the Original Image, it became far too long, and so I divided it into two articles! By that time, several months had already passed and I was beginning to think about writing on other topics. However, I felt obliged to continue my series for Unification News, and so I wrote the other articles that form the basis for the first part of this collection, which was originally published separately.

The articles in the first part of this volume introduce the theoretical concepts found in Unification Thought, offering inspirations and understandings I gained through scholarly discussions. The sharing of such ideas is one essential component of the task given to the Western scholars who completed Dr. Sang Hun Lee’s 21-day seminar on Unification Thought held at the Unification Theological Seminary in Barrytown, New York. He said that we were the vessels that God had prepared for this great truth and all he had to do was to give it to us and we would spread it to the world. However, there is another significant component to this responsibility, namely discussing the application of these theories to the real world.

The second part of this volume, therefore, contains a number of articles regarding the application of Unification Thought to a range of real life issues. Some of these I wrote while teaching Unification Thought at the Unification Theological Seminary; others were written while I served as the Social Sciences editor for the New World Encyclopedia. This online encyclopedia has the goal of promoting knowledge that leads to human happiness, well-being, and world peace. In writing and editing the articles, we relied upon the teachings of Reverend Sun Myung Moon, often those systematized by Dr. Sang Hun Lee in the form of Unification Thought, to guide and inform us regarding the underlying values that support this goal. Working on this encyclopedia inspired me regarding the applicability of Unification Thought to a wide range of topics, such as that found in an encyclopedia, and encouraged my efforts at writing the articles that form the second set of contemplations.

I have to admit that the chapters in the second part of this collection do not follow the clear systematic structure of Unification Thought. They are indeed just a collection of contemplations on the applicability of Unification Thought to our everyday lives. And there are many, many more topics that should be addressed. In particular, the majority of the articles contained here relate to the development of individual maturity, which is but the first goal of human development. As the theory of education explains, there are three significant goals in human growth: individual maturity, development of harmonious social relationships, and mastery of knowledge and skills. The achievement of these three goals results in a person of character, a good citizen with a good family, and a genius or person who fully uses his skills and talents for the betterment of society while exercising loving dominion or stewardship over the natural world.

The chapters in this volume include reflections on the qualities that make us human and how we achieve our individual perfection, the nature of true leadership, a discussion of the difficult topic of sex education, some thoughts on family and society, and finally some insights into life after death. Missing are details on marriage and parenting, the nature of dominion, and discussion of issues related to business and finance, to name just a few. In fact, Unification Thought can be applied to every aspect of human life.

A caveat is, however, in order. Dr. Lee took full responsibility for mistakes in the presentation of the truth he systematized, recognizing that it comes from Heaven through Reverend Sun Myung Moon and so is not his own thought, and that the expression he used may sometimes be incomplete. In like manner, and with additional disclaimers, I offer these reflections on Unification Thought. Where there are inaccuracies in the presentation of the theories, they are mine; where there are gaps in the theoretical exposition, I encourage study of the original texts; and where there are interpretations or examples that are inadequate to express this great truth, I take responsibility and humbly apologize.

May God bless your studies of Unification Thought and guide your efforts to apply these truths in your life and work.

Jennifer P. Tanabe, Ph.D.

January, 2013.

Part 1: Introducing the Theories

Introduction

I decided to write this series of articles while teaching a course on Unification Thought at the Unification Theological Seminary with Dr. David Carlson. As we neared the end of the course, I realized that the ideas which had been discussed during the term should be made available to more than the thirty or so students and two professors participating in the course. I am sure that many have struggled, as I did, through several generations of texts on Unification Thought, sometimes inspired and sometimes confused, and left in the end with questions on what to do with the ideas. Through this series of articles I hope that clarification may come, and that Unification Thought will become more real and alive to many people.

For those who become interested in further study, I recommend the text Essentials of Unification Thought: The Head-Wing Thought, published by Unification Thought Institute, 1992. As an introduction to some of the basic concept, The New Cultural Revolution and Unification Thought, by Sang Hun Lee, Unification Thought Institute, 1987, is a useful little volume. And, for those looking for additional material, the volume entitled Unification Thought Supplementary Materials, which I edited, may prove useful.

As in studying Divine Principle, it is not enough to read the book(s) over and over, we also need to study the speeches and life of Reverend Moon himself. Although Unification Thought is the thought of Reverend Moon, and Dr. Lee is the first to make this clear, accepting no personal credit for this philosophical system, nonetheless it is helpful to know more about Dr. Lee himself. This first article, then, introduces not only the system of Unification Thought but also the person primarily responsible for its development, Dr. Sang Hun Lee.

Dr. Lee was a man of great dedication to truth. Before he met the Unification Church he was ready to commit suicide if he could not find the answers to life's question. After he joined the Unification Church he was told that God's heart was filled with suffering because of the situation of the world. As a man of intellect he found himself unable to shed tears for fallen humanity and for the creation, and he did not feel God's suffering heart. Therefore, he determined to fast until he experienced God's heart. His testimony of how he experienced God's heart at the time of Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Reverend Moon's life was given at a seminar in 1984, and is reprinted in Unification Thought Supplementary Materials.

After the First International Seminar on Unification Thought and VOC Theory for Special Lecturers, held in the summer of 1989, Reverend Moon invited all the participants to lunch at East Garden. Reverend Moon told us that he had chosen Dr. Lee to develop Unification Thought because he was the most serious person he found, serious enough to die if he could not find the truth, like Reverend Moon himself. But Dr. Lee was not only serious about truth, he was also humble about his own abilities. For many years, he confirmed everything with Reverend Moon before writing it down. Finally, Reverend Moon told him that he did not need to do that any more, but that through prayer Dr. Lee would find the truth himself. The experiences I have had with Dr. Lee, which I have written about in earlier articles in Unification News, are rare and precious ones which I will never forget. Dr. Lee's determination to understand Reverend Moon's thought and present it to the scholars of the world moved me to tears. And his faith in us, his students, as the vessels God had prepared to receive Unification Thought and bring it to the world is truly an inspiring responsibility.

So what is Unification Thought? Reverend Moon has described it as a new view of life, a new view of the world, a new view of the universe and a new view of the providence of history that has never before existed. It is also a principle of integration that can encompass the whole into one unity, while at the same time preserving the individual characteristics of all religious doctrines and philosophies. He explained further, God's truth is sent to earth as revelation given through certain providential persons. God's truth is the absolute truth, which is an almighty key capable of solving any problem, no matter how difficult it may be. I have encountered the living God through a lifetime of prayer and meditation, and have been given this absolute truth. Its remarkable contents clarify all the secrets hidden behind the entire universe, behind human life and behind human history.

The character of Unification Thought, the philosophical systematization of this truth received as revelation by Reverend Moon, is described by Dr. Lee as: a philosophical theory dealing with questions of being, logic, cognition, value, art, history, and practice; a theory assuming theological nature in that it deals with the attributes of God, creation, providence, etc.; a theory of standards for settling actual problems; a reform theory which is aimed at restoration to the original world; a complementary theory which recognizes the truth in existing philosophies and theologies; a theory for cultural revolution which provides the basis for the culture of the Kingdom of Heaven; and the true liberation theory which aims to liberate all humankind from Satan and thus to liberate God.

This is a formidable list! Clearly, Unification Thought sets itself a great task, and the foundation for this work is the understanding of God. As Dr. Lee has said, Unification Thought begins with God in its logical development. That is to say, this thought system starts with the theory of the attributes of God and the theory of His creation. Thus the first premise in the establishment of Unification Thought is the clarification of the attributes of God. The second premise is the creation of the universe, and the third premise is creation according to the law of resemblance. The reason why these three points are chosen as the premises for its logical development is that Unification Thought is revealed for the salvation of mankind through the settlement of actual problems.

Thus, the proponents of Unification Thought claim that it provides the basis for a global society in which true love is actualized, and all actual problems of the individual and society can be solved. However, does the very nature that forms the foundation for these claims give it a different status from other theories developed by philosophers and scientists, i.e. does it become a matter of faith to accept Unification Thought? Dr. Lee has addressed this issue, and argues that when subjected to the hypothetical method Unification Thought proves tenable. He shows that two major hypotheses in the Theory of the Original Image are verified by scientific observation. These are that God is the harmonious Subject of the dual characteristics of Sungsang and Hyungsang, and of the dual characteristics of Yang and Yin. Since all things created according to the Law of Resemblance resemble God, they should reflect these two dual characteristics of God. By examining the characteristics of human beings, animals, plants and minerals, these hypotheses are verified. Thus, it need not be a matter of faith to accept Unification Thought.

Unification Thought is a comprehensive philosophical system (see Figure 1). It begins with the theory of the Original Image, an understanding of the nature and characteristics of God, the