IN RESPONSE TO MICHAEL MICKLER

Mr. Howard C. Self wrote this open letter to members of his faith community addressing fundamental issues at the crux of the Unification Movement Schism and the religious nature of an ongoing court case in the D.C. Courts, now in its 12th year. Recently, the D.C. Courts have ruled that the First Amendment’s religious abstention doctrine applies to the facts of that case.

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE UNIFICATION MOVEMENT AND FRIENDS

Dear brothers and sisters and friends of the Unification Movement,

As you may know, I have written “open letters” to the Unification Movement (UM) for the past few years, mostly concerning the truth about how the Unification Schism was created by a cabal of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) leaders, how the character assassination of Dr. Hyun Jin Moon (Hyun Jin Nim) was carried out, the costly legal attacks launched against him (some 30 court cases on three continents), etc. In August of last year, I wrote an open letter to the Movement entitled, “How the Unification Movement Came to Suffer from the Loss of Adamic Authority.” For your convenience, you can find that letter at <https://righttobelieve.org/how-the-unification-movement-came-to-suffer-from-the-loss-of-adamic-authority/>. I encourage you to read it for yourself if you have not had the chance to do so before. My previous letters may also be found on the Right To Believe website here at <https://righttobelieve.org/statements/>.

After nearly eight months from the above letter being posted, then FFWPU-USA President, Naokimi Ushiroda, directed Mike Mickler to respond to it; then sent Mickler’s response out officially from his office to the entire U.S. Movement in late April. You may have seen it through FFWPU channels. In doing so, they greatly distorted the content of my letter and, in my opinion, have taken on a very heavy spiritual burden for themselves. I will not bore the reader by responding to all of Mickler’s claims here. However, I do hope that the materials herein (in particular, the recently discovered videos containing last messages from True Father himself) and my comments will be of good assistance in your search for the truth concerning our Movement and the Providence. (The most important video is at the end of this letter – please watch it)

Why issue an official response now from FFWPU to an eight-month-old letter? Perhaps because the many accomplishments and victories of Hyun Jin Nim, especially in Korea and other areas of the East, (see below) have compelled FFWPU leadership to once again attempt to ratchet up their campaign against him. Or perhaps because a successful (and thereby disturbing to FFWPU leadership) ongoing national USA tour by myself and others about the Schism, etc., is bringing the truth directly to hundreds of FFWPU members; and they hope to somehow affect the tour. Through the tour, members are learning about many things that they have never heard from their FFWPU leadership.

However, by sending Mickler’s slanderous and inaccurate writing out officially, Ushiroda has sparked a great deal of interest in my open letters. There has been a corresponding spike of readership of these letters on the Right To Believe website. Thank you, brothers [Mickler and I were together for one year at Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) [(1976-77) and Ushiroda worked under me in Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles (CARP) for several years)].  True Father famously said during the height of the media negativity in the 70s: “The worst thing they could do would be to ignore me. All of this exposure is a good thing, even though it is negative!”  So, I must say “Thank you” to Mickler and Ushiroda for helping me to advertise my messages! And I extend an invitation to all UM members to attend a session of my ongoing tour when there is one near you.

A LACK OF QUALIFICATIONS

Seriously, however, I am concerned for the spiritual fate of Mickler and Ushiroda. What qualifies them to judge the True Son, Hyun Jin Nim, who carries all the weight of the Providence on his shoulders as the Fourth Adam? (Since I began writing this piece, it was formally announced that Ushiroda has resigned from his position as president of FFWPU-USA.)

Not only is Mickler out of his depth spiritually, but he also lacks basic qualifications to be considered as the “go to source” for assessing the UM’s history, etc. To be at that level of authority, you must be able to go to the original source, i.e., True Father’s own words, which are of course in Korean. Mickler does not speak Korean, so he cannot even begin that process. Although he mentions conclusions from the Japanese History group, he was never part of the Korean History Compilation Committee, so his sources are at best secondary and usually tertiary. More importantly, Mickler has never been an important front-line leader in the UM. I never saw him at major leadership meetings with True Father. [I was in many leadership roles for decades – such as North London Director of the Home Church Campaign (1978-79), CARP (Southeast regional director, national vice-president and president), American Freedom Coalition (Region 6 leader and national field director) and Universal Peace Federation (national field director)]. Mickler graduated from UTS in 1977, went directly to grad school, returned to UTS afterward and has been an “ivory tower lecturer” there for the last 40 years or so. I am sure that his role there was needed, but it hardly qualifies him to be the authority on the UM which, especially under True Father and Hyun Jin Nim, has always been a dynamic, front-line mission-oriented entity.

WHO IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIASCO IN JAPAN?

Mickler states that I claimed in my letter that the “root cause” of the assassination of Shinzo Abe was FFWPU. That appears to me as a deliberate obfuscation, as I made it clear that the root cause was clearly the unprincipled actions of leaders of FFWPU that caused FFWPU to lose Heavenly spiritual support when:

1. Key FFWPU leaders acted to destroy the true Adamic authority and lineage – by directly attacking Hyun Jin Nim instead of supporting him as True Father had directed them to do and,

2. The FFWPU leaders in Japan (meaning the highest Korean leader and the Korean regional leaders) continued policies of illicit public fundraising and the horrendous treatment of Blessed Families, causing many of them to be forced into bankruptcy.

All Mickler or anyone else has to do is to talk with any of the Blessed Families in Japan to know the truth of the situation in Japan regarding who mistreated them the worst for decades – the media OR their own leaders. He should NOT just echo the “party line” of the FFWPU leaders – who caused the problem but take no responsibility whatsoever for the situation. The media of Japan undoubtedly have practiced their share of biased reporting against the Unification Movement through the decades. However, in this case, the cold hard facts are that the Blessed Families were seriously mistreated by their unscrupulous FFWPU leaders. The Japanese Blessed Families are indeed victims, but they are the victims of their own leaders, not of the media. As the FFWPU leaders of Japan have done, Mickler wants to just ignore the suffering of the Japanese Blessed Families – and they hope that by blaming the media, the media will stop their coverage and the problem will just go away. Mickler relies on the quotes of an outsider, Dr. Massimo Introvigne, to back up this irresponsible explanation. I seriously doubt that Dr. Introvigne had the opportunity to speak directly with any bankrupt Blessed Families in Japan. Being a good man and a champion for the rights of new faiths, he could easily be swayed by the limited information he was given. FFWPU leaders’ blaming of the media is along the lines of “if you tell a lie big enough and long enough, it becomes the truth” (attributed to Stalin, among others). The problem for them is that practically every member of the UM who have ANY contact with Japanese members living in Japan, know that the tales of suffering, brought on by unprincipled FFWPU leaders’ mistreatment, are TRUE! And no amount of dissembling by blaming the media will ever change that.

Mickler also states a blatant untruth when he says, “There is no record of him (Hyun Jin Nim) voicing objections or taking steps to alter any of its practices.”  I was an eyewitness to the strong effort Hyun Jin Nim made to remove the unscrupulous Korean regional leaders of Japan almost two decades before the assassination of Abe. Even that far back, Hyun Jin Nim had heard of the mistreatment of the Japanese Blessed Families and the continuing illicit fundraising practices by these leaders. He directed an investigation which showed the worst to be true. Therefore, Hyun Jin Nim directed all the Korean regional directors to attend his first 21-day workshop for leaders being held in Canada. Because of the great authority True Father had given Hyun Jin Nim, they had no choice but to attend. On the first day, he had them stand up and he told those leaders: “You do not go back to Japan. You will stay here and work with me and I will make you into good leaders”. With this strong action, Hyun Jin Nim was putting everyone on notice that the unprincipled type of leadership in Japan would stop.

However, establishing what would become a regular practice of the unfaithful Korean leaders, Rev. Jeong Ok Yu, the then chairman of Japan, went to True Father and with a lie, had True Father reinstate the regional leaders. He told True Father, “If the direction to remove the Korean regional leaders is upheld, then the entire Japanese fundraising will collapse” – which simply was untrue. But with that lie, he succeeded in perpetuating the dire situation that ultimately led to decades more of untold suffering of the Japanese Blessed Families AND the assassination of Abe. Later, “Reverend” Yu became the chief apologist and spokesperson for Hyung Jin Sean Moon during Sean’s tenure, and later his Sanctuary Church. The accumulated acts of such treachery to both Hyun Jin Nim and True Father by the Korean leaders in the “John the Baptist” role led to the FFWPU’s loss of Adamic authority, with accompanying spiritual consequences. Further, if the FFWPU leadership around the world had been less corrupt and more competent, they should have been able to raise money in their own areas of responsibility. Then there would have been no need to pressure the Japanese members endlessly for high amounts of donation to the international UM community.

Most members do not know that Hyung Jin Sean and Kook Jin Justin, embraced the type of illicit fundraising that was carried out in Japan as “the model” form of fundraising that should be set up in every nation! This fundraising method was developed by Mr. Furuta and gained strong support, especially from Kook Jin, who, for a while took control over the finances of the Movement. Although it would have been impossible for these two to not know of the suffering situation of the Japanese Blessed Families, that did not matter to them – because their primary concern seems to have been money, not people!

DENIAL OF THE ADAMIC ROLE AND AUTHORITY

In his “response” to my letter, Mickler first denies that the Messiah comes as an Adamic figure, even though the Divine Principle shows that according to the Bible, Jesus came as “Second Adam” and that the returning Messiah would be the “Lord of the Second Advent,” i.e., “Third Adam”.  It is unimaginable that a so-called “theologian” of the UM could take a stand so contrary to Divine Principle! In contrast, True Father himself stated:

“Since the first Adam fell and the second Adam could not fulfill God’s Will on earth, the returning Lord comes as the third Adam in their place.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 15, p. 328; December 7, 1965)

By intentionally replacing the designation “Third Adam” with “True Parents”, Mickler is aligning with the completely new “Only Begotten Daughter” theology position that ignores the fact that True Father is the male messianic figure who was called by Jesus at the age of 16, began his mission as a single person at the age of 25, unlocked and taught the Divine Principle at great price, faced death numerus times, etc., BEFORE ever meeting Hak Ja Han.

True Father explained:

“You have no idea how arduous the path of restoration is. How hard is it to cross over the pass of restoration? God lost Adam and Eve and their family, and since then, God has spent tens of millions of years trying to recreate Adam throughout history…. Because God lost a woman and children due to the woman’s Fall, God should raise up a pure son. Since God lost a son with whom He wanted to become one, God had to have the son born again, thereby reclaiming the original seed. The original seed! That son with the original seed is none other than the Messiah of the Old Testament Age, the Messiah of the New Testament Age, and the Messiah of the Second Advent Age, the Completed Testament Age. The Messiah is the one who brings the seed of life centered on God’s love, absolute love, standing in the position of the original son of God’s direct lineage. The primary goal of the providential history of salvation is to restore that son, that is, to send the Messiah.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 285, pp. 23–24; April 19, 1997)

Whether Mickler and all of the FFWPU leadership want to downplay True Father in their attempt to curry favor with Mrs. Han or not, the Messiah (and his heir) are, without question, male and in the Adamic providential line. According to True Father:

“Should the Messiah come as a man or a woman? ‘Man.’ Why? Because God created Adam first, the Lord coming in the Last Days should be a man, embodying the capacity and personality of an unfallen and perfected Adam.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 90, p. 308; January 15, 1977)

Next, Mickler denies that the term “Fourth Adam” applies to Hyun Jin Nim or even that the term would ever apply to one person! He uses quotes from True Father that seem to indicate in some places that “Fourth Adam” applies to all blessed members and in other places that it applies to all “3.6 billion of the world’s population”! This is a classic misuse of True Father’s words to prove whatever you want to prove. (Much as the Marxists would use Bible verses to “prove” whatever point of Marxism they wanted.) This is knowing deception by Mickler, and considering the academic position he holds, borders on criminality! True Father also made statements like, “You should all become True Parents yourselves.” While this is undoubtedly true, it does not mean, of course, that there would not be one original pair of “True Parents”, just as there would necessarily also be one original “Fourth Adam” no matter how far and wide the term might be applied eventually. Look at how strongly True Father stressed the importance of lineage in his Peace Messages (which he made clear were an encapsulation of his lifelong teachings) – that lineage was “more important than life or love”, etc. In True Father’s case, “lineage” would naturally mean one of his own sons. Otherwise, how could the Three Great Kingships ever be established? (a key point in our “Family Pledge”!) Did not True Father teach that it would have been one of Jesus’ sons who took the leadership role in Christianity, had he not been crucified? <https://www.tparents.org/moon-books/bif1/BIF1-3-204.htm>

At the time of his appointment, Hyun Jin Nim was the third son and middle child of True Father and Mrs. Han, and his older brother, Hyo Jin Nim was still alive. However, the “Elder Son” position and simultaneous “Fourth Adam” appointment is done by God – to the one He decides is the most qualified – so birth order is not the primary issue. Reverend Moon recognized only four Adamic figures: the original Adam, Jesus, True Father and Hyun Jin Nim.

Read for yourself the language True Father used during what he himself called the “cosmic event” of the recognition of Hyun Jin Nim to this role in 1998 as printed in Today’s World: <https://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Publications/TodaysWorld/TodaysWorld-98/TodaysWorld-9807.pdf>. It is obvious that True Father was ecstatic on finally being able to announce the victory “through this acknowledgement” of the Third Generation. Along with much more, True Father stated:

“As a parent I am grateful to see Hyun Jin, who is not even 30 years old, taking the vice-presidential position in the Family Federation, given that Jesus could not fulfill the purpose to establish a family at the age of 30. This makes me truly grateful and happy. You must understand how miraculous it is that the new era has just started here by completely eradicating Satan’s lineage on the last page of what is called “restoration through indemnity”, in which a child of God’s direct lineage with his family could inherit the realm of the victory of the fourth Adam.” (True Father’s commemorative speech at Hyun Jin Nim’s FFWPU vice presidential inauguration on July 19, 1998; Tongil Segye (August 1998), pp. 29)

To an unbiased eye, it is clear from this statement that True Father is talking about one person “inheriting the realm of the victory of the Fourth Adam” and that one person can be no one other than Hyun Jin Nim. True Father continued to emphasize the importance of everyone uniting with and supporting Hyun Jin Nim. Here, True Father speaks – two years after the appointment ceremony:

“On earth, it is crucial for you to unite with Hyun Jin. You should become one with Hyun Jin’s family in order to follow Parents. Only then will everything be completed.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 335, p. 285; October 6, 2000)

True Father also made it clear later that we were passing from the “Age of Mother/Son Cooperation” to the “Age of Father/Son Cooperation” and what Mother (Mrs. Han) should do:

“Now, the age of inheritance has arrived. The era of mother-son cooperation represented an age of indemnity. However, once the path of father-son relationship is established, Mother should also follow the anointed elder son.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 340, p. 64; December 23, 2000)

True Father’s further guidance:

“In the era of mother-son cooperation, from the providential viewpoint, brothers had to be divided, and a mother cooperated with a younger brother. However, that era has now passed, and we are entering the era of father-son cooperation…. With the establishment of the birthright of the elder son, who represents the parents, all other sons are unified with the elder son at their center, leading to the complete settlement of the family.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 468, p. 161; September 13, 2004)

And further:

“The Fall took place with Eve at its center. Therefore, the age of restoration is characterized by the era of mother-son cooperation. Do you understand? Now we are in the era of father-son cooperation, in which Mother should step back.” (TF’s Sermons, vol. 312, p. 264; November 7, 1999)

True Father often used the phrase, “the Realm of the Fourth Adam” in his talks. However, he absolutely recognized one person alone – his son, Hyun Jin Nim – as the Fourth Adam.  Confusion was purposely created by the Korean leaders in the cabal against Hyun Jin Nim as they would incorrectly translate the meaning of True Father’s words to the Western members, or they would omit key sentences which would have made his intent clear. However, every Korean speaking member or leader present in those meetings knew exactly what True Father was saying in regard to Hyun Jin Nim being the Fourth Adam.

MICKLER’S “ABOUT FACE”

Contrary to his statements in his “Response” to my letter, Mickler himself wrote in previous publications that Hyun Jin Nim had taken a major leadership role in the Movement and was considered the designated heir. Once the clerics’ cabal had done its dirty work, he reverses his position, joining the revision of history effort to claim that Hyun Jin Nim had never taken leadership. His own words below establish clearly that his denial of Hyun Jin Nim’s leadership is an outright lie.

In “Toward an “Abel” UN? The Unification Movement and the United Nations”, in the Journal of Unification Studies, Mickler himself wrote in a footnote:

“Hyun Jin Moon, Rev. Moon’s third son, has taken a major leadership role within the UM.”

<https://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Publications/JournalUnificationStudies9/JUS9-04.html>

In the book “40 Years in America,” Mickler makes several references to True Father and Hyun Jin Nim’s co-leadership of the Movement after the founding of FFWPU, as well as Hyun Jin Nim being the successor to True Father (bolding is my added emphasis): 

(p. 593) “In July 1998, as previously noted, Rev. Moon appointed his third son, Hyun Jin Nim, Vice President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification International (FFWPUI). The FFWPUI was intended to bring the worldwide projects of Rev. and Mrs. Moon into a “unified focus,” and Hyun Jin Nim’s appointment was widely interpreted within the movement as a sign that he had been designated Rev. Moon’s successor.”

(p. 594) “Hyun Jin Nim was in a unique position to implement this agenda. As Rev. Moon’s presumed successor, he was the ultimate elder son.”

(p. 595) “… Hyun Jin Nim undertook several fact-finding trips and exploratory investigations. He traveled to Korea and Japan where he met senior and youth leaders. He went to South America and Alaska. He continued running the movement businesses for which he was responsible and reflected further about his role. Then, beginning in mid-1999, he began asserting himself on several fronts primarily related to the building up of what he termed “a homogeneous community of faith.” He became a principal keynote speaker and representative of Rev. and Mrs. Moon at public “Hoon Dok Hae” Conferences convened for the movement’s VIP contacts.”

The revision of our Movement’s history by the FFWPU clerics and such opportunistic “spokespersons” as Mickler for the direct purpose of discrediting the Fourth Adam, Hyun Jin Nim, is one of the greatest betrayals in human history.

FAILURE OF JOHN THE BAPTISTS

From his statements, Mickler has already made it clear how truly ignorant he is of the Divine Principle and the Providence. Again, Mickler does not understand Korean language and he did not attend the great majority of leadership meetings with True Father, so he could not know what True Father actually told the Korean leaders about Hyun Jin Nim’s role as the Fourth Adam. Why does Mickler think that True Father repeatedly instructed the Movement that ALL leaders and members under the age of 40 (and later, 48) must come under Hyun Jin Nim’s leadership? Does that sound as if Hyun Jin Nim was only involved in “youth leadership” as Mickler claims? And why did True Father suddenly change the leadership of major organizations across the Movement from the 36 Couples and other eldest blessed couples to mostly the 6000 Couples leaders who were much closer in age to Hyun Jin Nim? True Father told those younger leaders that they were now in these roles for one purpose- to unite with and support Hyun Jin Nim. This means that they were put into the John the Baptist role for Hyun Jin Nim by True Father. No matter how much Mickler protests the reality, all those who were in the meetings after Hyun Jin Nim’s appointment and who spoke Korean know exactly what True Father was directing.  

Mickler even uses the fact that Hyun Jin Nim did not refer to himself as the Fourth Adam as part of his “proof”. This is patented nonsense! With such reasoning, he could also dismiss True Father’s messianic role since according to Mickler’s own statement True Father made “his first public declaration of messiahship at the first World Culture and Sports Festival (WCSF) on August 24, 1992.” So, is Mickler saying that because True Father didn’t announce his messiahship until 1992, that he could not have been in that position before that year? Anyone who knows basic Divine Principle is aware that it was up to John the Baptist to let others know of Jesus’ messiahship; that it was up to True Father’s “John the Baptists” to testify to his messiahship; and the same would of course hold true for Hyun Jin Nim. It was not supposed to be for any of the Adamic figures to testify to their own role. This was clearly the responsibility of the respective John the Baptist(s). If the Adamic figure has to testify to himself, it means that his John the Baptist figure(s) have FAILED! And, in fact Jesus did have to testify to himself, True Father also had to testify to himself and now, Hyun Jin Nim has to testify to himself! Our Movement and history have now witnessed the failure of John the Baptist figures for the third shameful time. Mickler shows both his ignorance and his gall in making his ridiculous charge against the Fourth Adam.

FAILURE OF MRS. HAK JA HAN

Mickler makes this unattributed statement: “The Holy Blessing, as the central salvific work and sacrament, cannot be accomplished without the full participation of True Father and True Mother.” Which begs the question: “Did True Mother fully participate with True Father until the end?” You do not have to depend upon Mickler or anyone else other than True Father himself to find out the answer to this critical question. Although Mickler nor any other FFWPU leader wants to touch this, in True Father’s last public speech – given before over 10,000 people in a Women’s Federation meeting in Korea in July, 2012 – True Father stated strongly and bluntly, “Reverend Moon has no wife! Mother does whatever she wants to do”.  See for yourself here: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vtwdi3S0WU> True Father was never given another chance to speak publicly after this startling pronouncement. Clearly, Mrs. Han had taken her own course, separate from the course of True Father. Her Only Begotten Daughter theology, supported by people the likes of Mickler, bears this reality out – as it portrays her as being the “real” messianic figure, NOT her husband! This is nothing less than a reversal of dominion far worse than that of Eve, since it occurred after the establishment of the True Family! Also, her leading the cabal against the Fourth Adam was an act of reversal of dominion which preceded this public declaration by True Father.

AN IMPORTANT COMPARISON

Only Hyun Jin Nim has remained unchanging in his teaching, his focus on the Providence, his effort to protect and strengthen the True Family, and his determination to educate and help raise the Movement’s members and families. Others, such as his mother and Sean have changed their positions on key areas as it suited them. Did Mrs. Han not support the elevation of Sean <https://vimeo.com/12509427>, even promoting Sean’s role as supposed “heir” and putting him into the role of international leader of all of FFWPU, etc. for three years (with corresponding disastrous results to the Providence)? Later she pivoted 180 degrees, denouncing and ejecting Sean when his use as an instrument for Hyun Jin Nim’s removal was done, and True Father had passed away. On the witness stand in 2019, she testified under oath that Sean was never the heir and “has the understanding of the Divine Principle of a middle schooler.” <https://unificationmovement.wiki/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2019-HSA-v-Sanctuary-Exhibit-15.pdf> Which means that her earlier support of him was a total fraud!

On his part, Sean praised his mother to the high heavens in a brazen and unprincipled attempt to deify her. Then, after he was pushed out by her, he blasted her online as being the historical “Whore of Babylon” and a total fraud. Which also, by his own words, proved that his earlier deification of her was itself a complete fraud. And did not Sean, with Mrs. Han’s backing, change the official name of FFWPU back to “Unification Church” in an indisputable reversal of True Father’s direction for the Movement? If Mickler is now the great historian of the UM, can he now provide all of us with an explanation of these extreme contradictions in the positions taken by both Mrs. Han and Sean?

The fact is that Mrs. Han and Sean have created two new religions-both of which have nothing to do with Reverend Moon’s mission OR the Divine Principle. Whenever the “Only Begotten Daughter” theology is explained in any detail, the results have been a loud outcry from leaders and members as if hearing it for the first time.  This is because OBD theology clearly represents a reversal of dominion over Reverend Moon and the Providence! Similarly, Sean’s Sanctuary Church bears little resemblance to Reverend Moon’s teaching or practice. After his father’s death, Sean even “divorced” his parents and “wed” his father to the aged Mrs. Hyun-Shil Kang, proclaiming her as the new “True Mother”!

BEING OUT OF TOUCH WITH MEMBERS IN THE FIELD AND THEIR CONCERNS

Mickler has also proven with his own words that he is out of touch with the great majority of the members and families “in the field.” He either doesn’t know or chooses to ignore the members’ many serious concerns about the direction FFWPU is taking. He and the rest of FFWPU leadership never address members’ great concerns about such areas as:

1. The Only Begotten Daughter theology with its continual downplaying of True Father’s role which has, as already mentioned, created a new religion that has nothing to do with Reverend Moon’s mission or the Providence;

2. The continuation of frivolous court cases that have cost the UM at least $100 million of public funds-without any reporting of these cases’ outcomes and/or costs by their leadership (FFWPU has lost or is losing in some 30 court cases brought against Hyun Jin Nim and those associated with him);

3. The abysmal policies by the leadership of FFWPU that led to the bankruptcy of many Japanese Blessed Families, ultimately resulting in the assassination of former Prime Minister Abe.

4. The continuing sell-off of UM’s “Providential properties” internationally in an attempt to cover for the lost income from Japan (which was caused by the corruption and incompetence of the leaders themselves);

5. The dreadful negative media image in both Japan and Korea of FFWPU and its leader, Mrs. Jak Ja Han;

6. The focus on building expensive buildings in the hills of Korea by squeezing donations from members rather than investing in activities that can have a positive impact on society;

7. The great numbers of the 2^nd and 3^rd generations who have left our faith; and on and on.

Mickler and Ushiroda would do well to pay attention to these critical concerns of the membership. Instead, they continue the attacks on the very one who is upholding True Father’s legacy and striving to fulfill the mission True Father inherited from Jesus.

Mickler and the FFWPU leadership ignore the truth; mainly because they want to continually elevate themselves. Mrs. Han teaches and evidently now believes that the victories of the Movement were all based on her role as the “Only Begotten Daughter” and that Heavenly fortune came to the UM due to her presence. On their part, the FFWPU clerics think that they have been the real pillars and power of the Movement all along. Neither outlook is accurate. In fact, both Mrs. Han AND the corrupt FFWPU leaders callously dismissed the Adamic power and authority and Heavenly fortune brought through both the Third Adam and the Fourth Adam. This lack of God-centered leadership and corresponding loss of Heavenly fortune is why the entire FFWPU is now suffering in many areas. 

HEAVEN’S ONGOING WORK THROUGH HYUN JIN NIM

Sincere FFWPU members who seek the truth about God’s providence should research the work and achievements under Hyun Jin Nim’s leadership, as they certainly will never hear accurate reports about them from their leaders. Mickler refers to the number of those supporting Hyun Jin Nim as “miniscule”. This is perhaps the most asinine statement (among many) that he makes. By what gauge or measurement does he believe he can evaluate Hyun Jin Nim’s work?  I urge blessed members to think deeply about what True Father aspired to achieve, what inspired you to dedicate your life to his Movement, and to look honestly at where we are today.  Did True Father aspire to create a new religion, or to gain political influence through fancy banquets and glitzy conferences? Absolutely not. He worked tirelessly to solve God’s “headaches” and thereby comfort God; he sacrificed greatly to advance God’s providence, fulfill God’s ideal, and to usher in a new civilization that honors God and uplifts the human family.  His mission is being carried forward by his son who has taken up that same mantle, and “you will know him by his works”.

Korea is a clear example. The division of the peninsula has led to global threats to peace and security, with significant providential implications. Resolving such complex issues requires an extraordinary vision, transformative leadership, and substantial results. Hyun Jin Nim articulated that compelling vision in his award-winning, best-seller book, Korean Dream, first published in 2014. The Korean Dream draws on the ancient ideals and identity of the Korean people, and provides the blueprint for peacefully resolving the division of the Korean peninsula, building a new free and unified nation that fulfills the long-held aspirations and destiny of the Korean people.

The Korean Dream has had enormous impact. It is shaping policy approaches in key nations around the world, building broad international support. It is the catalyst and guiding framework for the largest civil movement for unification in Korean history – a grassroots coalition of activists and organizations committed to this noble cause, together representing some 15 million Koreans in the South and diaspora.

Because of his vision, leadership, and substantial results toward resolving the division on the Korean peninsula, Hyun Jin Nim made significant breakthroughs and has won broad support in both electronic and print media in South Korea. For “old timers” like me, who witnessed decade after decade of total negativity to Reverend Moon and the UM, this is nothing less than a miraculous turn around.  Recently, a major media outlet for Korea and the western world, The Korea Times, offered to feature his commentary in an ongoing special series focused on building a free and unified Korea based on the Korean Dream.  Here are links to his first two published pieces:

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/03/137_348016.html

and

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/05/197_349805.html

In a recent FFWPU leadership meeting in Korea, Mrs. Han herself chastised her own leaders, scolding them because they have done so little in Korea. Basically, the same people are in place in the leadership of FFWPU as when Hyun Jin Nim was expelled by the cabal in 2009. With all of the UM’s support, FFWPU leadership by its own admission has accomplished very little in Korea, in sharp contrast to Hyun Jin Nim’s remarkable achievements, as in the one example described above.

During his 2007 meetings with major faith leaders in the USA, Hyun Jin Nim coined the phrase, “One Family Under God”, which encapsulates the universal mission that True Father had been endeavoring to accomplish through the UM.  Hyun Jin Nim became the global champion of One Family under God, inspiring huge crowds and building great momentum in 2008 through Global Peace Festivals in 24 nations.  Even though he returned all the credit to True Father, it was he, marshalling heavenly fortune as an Adamic figure, who lifted the Movement to an unprecedented new level.

It is obvious to those who seek the truth and have eyes to see (even from these few examples), that God is doing mighty works through Hyun Jin Nim, despite the opposition from FFWPU. FFWPU leaders in the USA and worldwide never tell their members about these, and other, incredible advances being made by Hyun Jin Nim in the Providence, but the truth is in plain sight. Jesus said, “You will know me by my fruits (works).” The same applied to True Father and now, to Hyun Jin Nim. The Bible says, “He who has an eye to see….” will FFWPU members be the last to “see”, because of their blind loyalty to false leaders?

“UNIFICATIONISTS” VS “BLESSED CENTRAL FAMILY MEMBERS”

Blessed members of the UM must now decide into which one of two categories they belong – “Unificationists” or “Blessed Central Family Members” (BCFs).  “Unificationists” are members who allow themselves to believe in and to be willingly led by the leaders, or “clerics,” of the FFWPU. These “clerics” are the false leaders that resisted True Father’s directive calling for the “End of the Church Era” and maneuvered to retain an institutionalized church structure for their own benefit – because through that structure they could selfishly retain their own positions, power and material benefits. With the same motivation, they willfully confused and mixed the “Church” with FFWPU. FFWPU, coming AFTER the End of the Church Era, was to have had nothing to do with the “Church”; but the clerics falsely told the members that it did. In fact, they deceitfully led the members back and forth through the contradictory name (and mission) changes of the central UM entity by Mrs. Han and Sean, as mentioned before.

The clerics promoted, also in contradiction to the Divine Principle, the deification of True Parents by applying the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to them and teaching that True Parents are omniscient and infallible. Here is an example of their unprincipled views straight from one of the top FFWPU lecturers:

“True Mother completed her responsibility and ascended to the position of substantial God. This means that the substantial trinity is realized for the first time in human history… God, True Father and True Mother become one in the womb of True Mother. True Parents who have formed the Trinity are, first, omnipresent. While staying in America, they can simultaneously educate us here at Central Training Center. While staying on earth, they can work in the spirit world at the same time. Second, they are omniscient and omnipotent. They can know anything they want. True Mother constituted a trinity with God and True Father. Therefore, True Mother’s instructions, orders, decisions, and words are those of God and True Father. All UC Blessed Families must absolutely obey True Mother’s instructions, orders, decisions, and words.”  (Taek-Yong Oh’s lecture at Cheon Bok Gung on June 6, 2010; Tongil Segye (June 2010))

True Father went to great lengths in Divine Principle (DP) to deconstruct this very doctrine! The clerics positioned themselves as “special representatives of True Parents.” By being their “special representatives”, the clerics would gain additional power for themselves while using True Parents’ name and authority to the members to direct whatever they wanted – whether True Parents’ knew about it or not. The clerics also insist on the members’ absolute obedience to themselves with similar unprincipled reasoning.

Furthermore, they falsely present Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Mrs. Hak Ja Han as “co-equal co-founders” of the UM (Reverend Moon, as the Third Adam and messianic figure, founded the Movement before even meeting Hak Ja Han). In this way, the clerics sought to uplift Mrs. Han, which would aid their plan to disrupt Reverend Moon’s succession plan centered on Hyun Jin Nim. This would enable them in the end to derail Heaven’s plan for a lineal succession (leadership from Reverend Moon’s lineage) and replace it with an apostolic succession centered on Mrs. Han (leadership chosen by themselves from within their own ranks). The clerics are therefore the ones who initiated and are still leading the attack and smear campaign against Hyun Jin Nim, the rightful heir to Reverend Moon and the Fourth Adam.

Thus, the clerics falsely taught the members many un-principled aspects while claiming them to be from Divine Principle. The problem for the clerics (and for their spokesperson) is that their theological platform is not supported by either Divine Principle OR the teachings of Reverend Moon and cannot undergo the most basic scrutiny.

“Unificationists” then are those who support the clerics in theory and practice. They see themselves as primarily being church members. They accept that they must be absolutely obedient to their FFWPU leaders. They mistakenly view Reverend Moon and Hak Ja Han as “perfect and infallible.”  They now see Mrs. Han as being completely one with Reverend Moon and God. Restoration and salvific work are accomplished primarily by their just believing in Mrs. Han. “Just believing in the Only Begotten Daughter” is like the Christian belief which True Father went to great pains to challenge in the Divine Principle. Many Christians think that only believing in the messianic figure is enough for their salvation.  This is convenient because it does not require the 5% portion of human responsibility. DP however introduced the breakthrough concept that BOTH a “Foundation of Faith” and a “Foundation of Substance” based on the proper fulfillment of human 5% portion of responsibility, are necessary for human salvation and restoration. Without BOTH of these foundations, God’s expectations cannot be fulfilled. It is astounding that Mrs. Han, the clerics and lecturers like Mickler teach members to ignore this central tenet of DP– just pushing the Foundation of Faith alone. With such false guidance, Unificationists do not have any way to understand or to be able to explain to their children the concept of their fulfilling the Three Great Blessings OR the Three Great Kingships as a Blessed Family. It is similarly difficult for them to understand the Tribal Messiah role.

Unificationists see the blessing primarily as the marriage sacrament of one church – the UC – which is their “ticket to Heaven” and believe their main “big picture” responsibility is to support the “Church” and its leadership. And on the family level – their goal is to just get their children to the “Church” blessing.

On the contrary, Blessed Central Family members (BCFs) pledge absolute obedience only to God. They understand that, as Divine Principle states, Reverend Moon came as a charismatic, dynamic Adamic Figure (Third Adam) for all mankind; but importantly, he came as a man – not a deity. His successor, from his own sons, would also be a charismatic Adamic figure. (Again, Reverend Moon recognized only four Adamic figures – the original Adam, Jesus, Reverend Moon, and his son, Dr. Hyun Jin Moon – the Fourth Adam.)

BCFs understand that Reverend Moon’s mission was to restore the failures of Adam’s family. To fulfill that basic mission, he had to take a bride from the fallen world, raise her up and establish a True Family. BCFs know that once the True Family was created, then the Marriage Blessing could be offered, not to just one church or religion, but to all mankind by virtue of the proper precedent set by the True Family, as the way in which all of humanity could come back into God’s lineage – to that zero point before the fall of Adam and Eve. The Blessing provides the opportunity never before seen – to grow to perfection by fulfilling our responsibility and thus experiencing true freedom in the true love of God.

Therefore, BCFs know that through the Blessing, they become extended members of the True Family and see themselves, with their families, as historical Providential figures. As such, they are co-creating with God to help build God’s substantial Kingdom of Heaven on earth by creating an ideal God-centered family. BCFs also are reclaiming their status as a true son or true daughter of God and are seeking to inherit the Three Great Blessings that God wanted to give to Adam and Eve. Through the Blessing, they are participating in the work of salvation together with Heavenly Father centering upon the Adamic figure who substantiates the ideal of TP and True Family. This is why True Father used the term “Messiahship” loosely, even establishing that the primary mission of Blessed Families to be “Tribal Messiahs” and even “National Messiahs”. BCFs strive to raise their children to understand that receiving the Blessing is NOT an end goal in itself but is rather the foundation for their beginning their own course, together with their parents. Then, they can co-create the essential Three-Generation Blessed Family that includes Grandparents, Parents and Children, representing past, present and future. Such a three-generational family is the foundation for establishing the Three Great Kingships centered on God.

The time is here for all UM members to carefully consider and decide your status before Heaven. Do you want to remain “Unificationists” i.e., suppliant church members, under the control of the FFWPU clerics and Mrs. Han’s Only Begotten Daughter theology or Sean Moon’s equally heretical Sanctuary “Church” – both of whom stand on an unprincipled footing? Or do you want to strive to fulfill the responsibilities of historical Providential figures and extended members of the True Family as Blessed Central Families?

CONCLUSION

Again, only Hyun Jin Nim has remained unchanged on key points, including his love for his extended family. Even now after more than 14 years of persecution, he always states that he will “keep the door open” for his mother, other True Family members, and all UM members, hoping and praying that they can realign with God’s Providence. And now, Ushiroda and Mickler, in their own names, continue the fraudulent judging of Hyun Jin Nim! I do fear for them because the living God is obviously blessing Hyun Jin Nim’s work and thwarting the efforts of those who have tried to bring him down. As True Father stressed, “We are living in the time of the noon-day sun when all things will be revealed.”

Near the end of his life, True Father himself found out about the treachery of the FFWPU leaders – to God, to himself and to his family – especially to Hyun Jin Nim. Already, some time before True Father passed, Mrs. Han had stopped the sending of True Father’s Hoon Dok Hae (HDH) sessions to the international membership. However, somehow one of his very last HDHs that had been videotaped was recently revealed. In the incredible video below, you can hear for yourself True Father’s strong condemnation of the FFWPU leaders that he concluded had caused the Schism. He calls them “traitors” and shouts that they are “worse than Lucifer!” since it was Lucifer that destroyed God’s family in the beginning, and now, as True Father explained, the FFWPU clerics have “trampled on the True Family” out of their selfish desires to advance themselves and their own families. This last HDH videotape by True Father and other clips have been incorporated in the following video that can now be found on YouTube. IF you want to hear True Father’s own strong views about the FFWPU clerics, please watch this 19-minute video which encapsulates much of what has been discussed: <https://youtu.be/k9WYnObwP84>

It is clear that the FFWPU leaders have been and continue to be the main problem in the UM – from both True Father’s and Heaven’s views.

I challenge Mickler to give us his analysis of these statements by True Father! It will not be easy to twist the meaning of statements so clearly made. In fact, if Mickler is the U.S. Movement’s “historian” then why doesn’t he have all of True Father’s later HDHs – all those that were blocked from going out to the membership – released and sent out, so that all members can know what True Father felt when he discovered how nefariously the FFWPU leadership has acted? Why are they hiding True Father’s words, thoughts and feelings from the members?

The time is at an end when the FFWPU leadership, and their spokespersons such as Mickler, can utilize obfuscations and falsehoods to keep their members in the dark about how the Schism was begun and maintained; and the truth about the Fourth Adam, Hyun Jin Nim. Surely, “all will be revealed”!  Dear brothers and sisters, please make the right choice, based on God’s truth and love. I would be grateful to hear your opinion on these most important matters. Please send your thoughts to me at: hcself@righttobelieve.org

Sincerely,

Howard C. Self

President, Right To Believe