"I, for the first time, realized that what he said was such an..."
Biography
Rev. Hyung Jin Moon is the international president of the Unification Church and has been designated by his father as the person who will carry on his religious work. He is the youngest son of Reverend and Mrs. Moon. He received his BA from Harvard University and an MA from Harvard Divinity School.
Every Sunday Rev. Hyung Jin and his wife, Yeon An Lee, hold popular religious services in both Korean and English in Seoul, Korea, which can be seen in English on this website.
Studying at the Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions, Hyung Jin met the leader of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the Venerable Bub Jang, and pursued an interest in Buddhism, which he studied and practiced in earnest. He is also highly skilled in martial arts, which he has practiced since he was young.
His Testimony
"I myself was dealing with many issues in my life that were leading me to value religious traditions and the spiritual life. But when my Father responded the way he did to that strawberry story..."
The Strawberry Story
Once upon a time there lived a humble farmer that toiled in the rice fields throughout the day. One day, he took a nap and as he awoke, night had already fallen. He got up and immediately started home. Attempting to expedite his return, the farmer decided to cut through the forest. As he walked, the sounds of midnight stood still as a lone owl could be heard in the distance. There was something in the air.
The farmer quickened his pace, as his breath began to pick up. He could hear something -- something tracking him, following him to make a kill. So he began to run. Undoubtedly, the farmer now heard heavy strides quickening their pace from behind -- something was coming. He could hear its breath, dripping with hunger. Fearful for his life the farmer began to sprint with all his might.
But suddenly a cliff emerged in front and the beast was closing in from behind. He leaped. He tumbled through the air as his and fortuitously grabbed hold of a single vine that now suspended him from his doom. From above, the beast emerged peering over the cliff -- it was a monstrous tiger. It said, "Come up and I shall devour you." At that very moment, the man peered down and from the blackness emerged yet another tiger saying, "fall down and I shall devour you." But it didn't stop there. As he looked up he noticed one black and one white mouse gnawing on the very vine that sustained his life -- the life vine. At that precise moment he gazed in front and beheld a luscious strawberry. He picked it and ate it -- how delicious it was.
Meaning of The Story
Now what is this story supposed to meant? Didn't it seem like a rather abrupt and ostensibly unfitting conclusion? Well, the story is supposed to represent us all -- our human condition, so to speak. We are all hanging on that life vine. The black mouse and white mouse symbolizing night and day propel us towards the inevitability of death or suffering -- whichever comes first. We are all going to die (the one thing we can be sure of), or experience a desperate moment.
But as we hang there the message of the story is to recognize the "strawberries" in our lives, like a sunset on a Sunday walk in the park, or even an argument with a friend, you fill in the blanks. Our lives are filed with wonderful, rich, aromatic strawberries, if we are willing to pay attention to the moment here and now. Our lives are filled with moments that are more wondrous than wonder itself and all its synonyms combined, if we pay attention.
Rev Moon shocking reply to the story
But something remarkable happened as I told this story to Papa. He immediately said, "Yes, my son, but then you must give the strawberries to the mice and to the tigers"! Upon hearing this I fainted! Here was a response that was not a thought-out rejoinder, but a reflection of Papa's being, as he just blurted it out. He, without pause for thought, blew me away with this profound elevation of compassion -- to have the heart of giving one’s life "strawberries" to the very beings that are trying to bring about your demise -- to completely love even your worst enemy! I fainted. When I awoke, I was bald.
Only after this life shaking experience could I honestly consider myself to be a, "Unificationist." Prior to this, Papa was just my father whom I respected for what he accomplished. But at that moment, Father became my spiritual master / guide. He was not one who only spoke about compassion, but one who embodied it so fully that he simply responded with an effortless reply reflecting his being, his essence, his spiritual make-up. This is what was so staggering.
My relationship with Father
Growing up, I heard the Divine Principle, what seemed like thousands of times, in those long lectures during humid summer workshops that we had to attend. I heard the explanations of love, God's heart and suffering, etc., but never felt it had any real relevance to my life. It was all some theology that I didn't necessarily reject, but that I also necessarily didn't connect with. I participated and went to our gatherings more out of duty than out of a sense of excitement of what was being taught.
It was during the recent past years while studying religious traditions that I stumbled upon this ancient parable, coming from the Zen tradition of Buddhism. I already believed this strawberry story to be profound, from real Zen masters that inspired me. However, my real relationship with Father truly began after he responded the way that he did.
Even though he was my father, I never really felt close, as do many with their parents. We grew up many times seeing Parents one or two weeks, combined over various visits, out of the year, and even then just greeted them in the mornings. they were never a real and interesting part of my life as a young person. I, many times felt scared, abandoned, and neglected. I never connected to Father whenever he taught. I found myself saying, "This stuff is for old, un-cool people," being indifferent, angry, or resentful.
Finally I understand who True Father really is
I was at a very critical point in my life when I told Papa this strawberry story. I myself was dealing with many issues in my life that were leading me to value religious traditions and the spiritual life. But when he responded the way he did to that strawberry story, I realized that it was not all theology to Papa. I, for the first time, realized that what he said was such an intimate part of his existence that he didn't have to think about it, it just naturally was the obvious response. He was a Zen master's master.
After this, I began to pay more attention at gatherings, during speeches, and in conversations. I began to become interested in Father as a religious/spiritual teacher. I began a reading through the Hoon Dok Hae series books and discovered a side to the teaching that I never even heard, let alone connected with. I read Father's words about, "If there is a person who feels that the leaves are as his / her children and speaks to them, that person is close to being a saint. Do you understand? That person is not crazy." I realized that what I thought to be the entirety of Father's teaching, the Divine Principle, was merely scratching the surface. Here is where I began to develop a scholarly interest in Unificationism and its founder's extensive teachings.
Video Testimony
Why Reverend Moon is misunderstood & persecuted?
Religious leaders were always misunderstood and persecuted in their time for bringing new ideas and spiritual revelations that in some way challenge the society to question it's values or the practice of it's values. In the bible in is written, "Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute?" (Acts 8:52).
In Christianity, starting with Jesus, who was persecuted by religious persons of his time, there were countless prophets who were called heretics or apostates in that times but later were recognized as people with vision and today are called saints. The apostle Paul was called the leader of the Nazarane Sect, "We found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect..." (Acts 24:5). Martin Luther was also called as a leader of the sect of the Lutherans after his scission from Roman Church.
In India, the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, due to their followers' fast growth was stoned by orthodox Brahman priests angry with who they considered the greatest heretic that had appeared in India. Buddha was a threat to the power of the Brahman priests' social religious hegemony because the Buddhism denied the social casts system opening the possibility of spiritual enlightenment to anyone, either for a high priest or a pariah.
Mohammed also suffered adversity for preaching the monotheism against polytheism. Mohammed was poisoned by his enemies but survived.
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