By Teacher Suksun
This
was something that happened while I was holding an international seminar.
Someone mentioned that the seminar was being attended by people from eight
different foreign countries, pastors and members of various denominations,
unbelievers, ex-convicts shunned by society, an army colonel, a
lieutenant-colonel, soldiers on leave, a Buddhist monk in his sixties, another
in his seventies, and a female Buddhist monk. There was also this peculiar man,
a bachelor in his forties. He was a guru who had searched for the truth in
Christianity, Buddhism, and Confucianism all his life. He had already attended
the seminar many times in private. I did not think much of him because people
from various religions and backgrounds had attended every seminar. That ten-day
seminar ended like any other. Afterwards all those attending returned home.
However,
an usher came to my room and told me that a pastor from Jeju Island
and two elderly Buddhist monks were standing outside, determined to meet me
before returning home. I put my jacket back on and gladly went to meet them.
When I tried to shake their hands, they refused and instead asked me to sit
down. I thought, "Perhaps Buddhists do not shake hands when meeting people
in a room," and sat down as they asked me to. After I sat down, the two
elderly monks proceeded to bow to me.*
In tears, they expressed their heartfelt gratitude. "What a difficult time
you must be having, trying to save mankind!" they exclaimed. That is when
I realized why those two men had refused to shake hands with me and had instead
asked me to sit down. Though I was much younger than they were (I was in my
mid-forties at that time), these men were treating me with the respect they
would have shown for their mentor. (*This is a deep bow of kneeling and falling
prostrate, touching the head to the ground, usually reserved for grandparents,
parents, elders, and others held in high esteem.)
A
few days after returning home, I had another guest--the same guru who had
attended my most recent seminar. However, this time he brought along an elderly
man in his seventies who had not attended my seminar, someone who had placed
all his housework aside and had spent more than thirty years just searching for
the truth, the true way. He was a Confucianist scholar; people called him the
modern-day Confucius. Since they both had been pursuing the truth, these two
men were in close acquaintance with one another. It seems this guru went
directly to that modern-day Confucius after bowing to me at the last seminar,
professing to have finally found the true mentor he had been searching for all
his life. Moreover, after hearing about my seminar and me, that modern-day
Confucius had now come all the way to Songni Mountain
just to meet me.
I
was dressed in working clothes--a jacket and blue jeans--what I normally wear
as a woodman. I invited these two men into our living room, which was quite
shabby at that time. From the facial expression of that modern-day Confucius, I
could see that I was not exactly what he had expected. Based on what he had
heard from the guru, he had imagined an elegant, dignified-looking spiritual
guide preaching seated with his eyes closed, his long hair tied in a topknot,
and clad in (Korean traditional) full-dress attire. Moreover, I was young and
still in my forties with my hair cut short, and I was wearing work clothes
along with jeans, and so it seemed to him that no teaching or truth could come
from someone like me.
Yet,
he kneeled in front of me, perhaps from feeling nervous. I repeatedly suggested
that he sit comfortably, but he would not. For someone like me, kneeling was
more comfortable because I was used to praying on my knees. He had traveled
quite a distance, and it did not seem proper for an elderly man to kneel in front
of a young man like me. Sorry for all the trouble he had gone through to come
this far, I asked him several times to sit comfortably, but he would not. What
he had heard about me from that guru before coming here must have been very
grand.
I
had no choice but to first sit cross-legged in front of that elderly man and
then ask them to do the same. Only then, did they follow suit and sit
comfortably. Then the modern-day Confucius began to question me as if he was
determined to get something out of me. He tried to lead me the conversation so
that he could get a feel of me and about what I knew. I dislike arguing or
debating. Besides, debating is what people who are on a similar level do when
they meet; it is not possible when you are too different.
No
matter how much he pressed me to talk, trying to get a feel of me and about
what I knew, I merely smiled and remained silent. Then, he decided to hit me
with a final blow before standing up to leave. He said something like,
"You learned the truth from Jesus, the holy Son of the West, and I learned
the truth from Confucius, the holy son of the East. Therefore you are one level
lower than me." It was then that I began speaking.
“I
said, "Sir, Jesus is not from the West, but from the East. Israel is
clearly a country in the East. What did Confucius teach? He taught people to
obey God. That was his one and only teaching. He never once told anyone to
believe in him, but instead led people to God, teaching that they would be
blessed by obeying Him. What did Jesus teach? He also led people to God,
introducing Himself to be [the
way] (John 14:6) to
Him, and taught them to obey God. Buddha also taught people to serve Heaven. We
should all go out to God, who Confucius, Jesus, and Buddha taught is the source
of all blessings and life, and live as His children. Why hold on to the people
who led us to God and argue about whether we believe in Confucius, Jesus, or
Buddha? I believe that we should all return to God since we are all His
children." When I said that, the elderly had a complete change of attitude
and said, "I'm sorry that a man as secular as me wasted your precious
time. May someone with a topknot like me attend your lectures?"
"Of
course," I replied, "I cut my hair short to fit in with the secular
world. If you come to my lectures, I will make sure you are taken care
of." He was pleased to hear that, and both men left overjoyed. After
bidding them farewell, the thought of the discord between the different
religious denominations in the world and the rivalry found even within their
own denominations tormented me.
Actually,
there originally were no such things as denominations. The wicked powers of
darkness just happened to take us in, accounting for the countless number of
religions and denominations. It is truly an egregious and upsetting reality.
How can there be more than one denomination if there is only one God, one
universe, one universal teaching, and one truth? In the beginning (the
Creation), was there Christianity, Buddhism, Confucianism, or shamanism in the
Garden of Eden? We must eradicate all those demons.
What
is the "way"? There is a path that
God, the Creator of the universe; the angels in heaven; His children on earth;
and all the galaxies and the innumerable stars within them have been taking.
Everything in the universe has been taking that path safely from time
immemorial. It is a safe path without any accidents, collisions, or death--a
path of life, a path of happiness and peace for eternity. It is the right way,
the grand way of the universe.
Confucius
said, "The path of the truth is never a lonely one."”He was not
merely referring to people walking on the same path, but heaven, earth, and the
entire universe walking together. Jesus said, "I am the way, the
truth." (John 14:6) In other words, He was saying, "I am the great
Path you may follow--the Guide to the Heavenly Father, who is the greater Path
of truth."
What
is the way? As I mentioned earlier, it is the eternally unchanging path of the
truth. Therefore, the way is the truth, and the truth is the way. A simple
example, “1 + 1 = 2, is a mathematical principle that will never change.
Another, H2 +
0 = water, is a
chemical principle that will never change. Just as the number 2 takes the path
of the addition of 1 and 1, and water takes the path of combining two hydrogen
atoms with one oxygen atom to become what they are, everything in the universe
has a path it must take. Everything in mathematics and chemistry has its path,
God has His path, humans have their path, and all creation has its path of the
truth.
Let
me briefly mention the path of the truth that humans must take. Until now, all
the sages throughout history have taught the path of love--to "honor God
and love one another."”That was the safe path of truth man was to take,
the grand way of the universe. The Bible lists the details of that path as
"The Ten Commandments."
When
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth," He was stating that He Himself
was the eternally safe path of truth, the true path of the way, since He could
never deteriorate or set foot on the path of sin; only through Him could the
way of truth be conveyed. He was the only one who could impart (eternal) life
to all people. He was saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No
one comes to the Father," the greater, grand Way of the universe,
"except through Me." (John 14:6)”
Our
heavenly Father, too, is the universe's eternally unchanging, grand Way of
truth, and the Source of all life. When all creation, nature, the angels in
heaven, and the people on this earth serve and follow Him, they can live
enjoying the life, happiness, and blessings that come from Him; they can walk
the path of truth. That is why all the western and eastern sages who taught the
true way only strove to join people to Him. Any god or person who joins people
to himself (herself) or any other object or subject besides God and has them
serve and worship him (her) is a fake, a fraud, and the devil.
However,
if someone--whether it be Confucius, Jesus, Buddha, or a nameless person--or
some denomination leads and unites the world to the true God, he (she) is
uniting the world under one way, one truth, one universe, and one God. That
person is a true sage, a true son (daughter) of God. There can never be two
denominations in a world with such sages. Everyone in the world will all
naturally become children under one God, one brethren living as one universal
family--a happy, universal heaven. The word for "universe" written
with Chinese characters (宇宙) consists of two separate
characters that both mean home, which tells us that the universe is one
home, one family. The living God will surely find and restore His original,
universal family once again and make them heirs to the new world.
Therefore,
no one could have originated or founded Christianity, Buddhism, or Confucianism.
Those who professed to have were only human guides who introduced and led the
people in this world to God, the Entity and Origin of the true way, the genuine
truth of the universe. The devil, the demon of darkness, estranged the children
of God on this earth from their heavenly Father, the Source of life and the
Entity of the truth. Then, in order to destroy all mankind, he used human
mediums as his puppets to establish all the innumerous denominations of
today--pitfalls for them to fall. With "chains" of false teachings
and doctrines, he tied up anyone who fell into one of those denominations so
they could never escape. There, he had them fight bitterly with one another
until the day they passed away, so that they would be destroyed all at once.
Oh, who knows this horrible fact? Who can set himself (herself) free from those
heinous binds and escape that pitfall of destruction?
That
is why Jesus said, [I
am the (true) way (to God), the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me (and not through those frauds).] (John 14:6) It was not only
because He was the Son of the true God that Jesus asked people to believe in
Him. There was a greater reason. When a young man interested in marriage asks
someone to be his matchmaker, he must trust him/her. Only when he believes his
matchmaker is sincere can a marriage be consummated and a new family be
established. Likewise, with the world full of impostors, Jesus was asking
people to fully believe that He was the true Intercessor (matchmaker) who came
to unite the children of God on this earth with their heavenly Father.
The
way taught by each sage throughout the ages was the same way from the same God.
China's
Confucius taught "charity"--love that is benevolent. He never
instructed people to build a shrine and worship him. Buddha taught
"mercy"--love that is compassionate. He, too, never told people to
establish temples, erect statues of him, and worship them. Jesus taught
"perfect love"--to worship God and love man (Mat. 22:37-40). He never instructed
anyone to erect crosses or statues of Mary and worship them. On the contrary,
he told us never to make or serve idols.
Thus,
all the sages in every age taught "love"--the sole truth of the
universe. They strived their entire lives to join (match) all of God's children
with their heavenly Father so that they would go out to the Entity of love and
the Source of life, and receive eternal happiness and immortal life. However,
as time passed, the wicked, deceptive demon seized opportunities to hinder mankind
from going out to Him. He absurdly seated those human matchmakers--the men
(sages) who were guides--in God's position, saying, "They are your
gods," and force people to serve them, thereby creating the many religions
and denominations we have today.
Once
again, the many different sects we have today that argue and fight with one
another are deceptive pitfalls the demons in this world have dug in order to
kill all of God's children on this earth. Those sects are demonic temples that
have nothing to do with the true God. There is only one universe, one heaven,
one God, one truth, and one way of selflessness in the universe. Therefore, all
the religionists in the world should be startled and come to their senses; set
themselves free; quickly slip out of those horrible pitfalls; and return to [the only true God] (John 17:3)--our Father who is
the Entity and Source of all things. I pray and hope with all my heart that, by
doing so, all your wandering will end, and you enjoy immortal life after
restoring the former Eden (new world) as real brethren under one love in the
arms of our heavenly Father.
In
conclusion, brothers and sisters, I hope that you do not consider this book to
be strictly for Christians. As you continue reading this book, you will notice
many references to the Bible and Jesus. As I emphasized earlier, please do not
concern yourself with the denomination, sage, name, or book that is being
cited. Instead, contemplate only on the truth--the true way of life--that has
been given by heaven through those human mediums so that, as happy children who
return to the God who gave the way, you will all become heirs to the new world
who live forever.
I
mention the Bible and Jesus frequently because heaven has abundantly conveyed
the truth of life, the way of selflessness and the way of humility, through
both, and I am using them to convey the truth. This does not mean that I am
only stressing Jesus and/or Christianity. If our spiritual eyes are opened, we
will discover the precious truths of heaven throughout the entire universe. I
ask for your understanding in this matter and hope that regardless of what
denomination you may be from, it will not bother you. My only request is that
you read this book to the end and take whatever you believe to be the truth. Moreover,
I would still bow deeply to you out of gratitude even if you were to throw this
book away afterwards.
Pitiful
Human Beings
Though
the green hills laugh without a word,
The
running water sings,
The
sun, moon, and stars all smile in joy,
And
the God of heaven loves all His children,
Human
beings are the only ones
Who
snap at each other,
Fighting
in groups until they die,
Not
even knowing that Heaven
Has already turned away from them.
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