Jesus Christ requested from us a very high standard
of purity: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit
adultery.' But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman
lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
(Mt. 5:27-28).
Immoral acts are always committed secretly and in a
free society there is almost no way to prevent them, except to
elevate our heart and conscience. Simple laws, punishments or other
acceptable external methods, prove, so much now as in the past, to
be ineffective to control them. As human beings can not live without
experiencing love, if we are not able to live by the laws of true
love is evident that the alternative is illicit love.
God exhorts each human being through
religion, morality, and through the voice of the conscience to keep
the basic law of the cosmos which was given already in the very
beginning with the symbolic expression "do not eat". This
means abstinence before marriage and to maintain absolute fidelity
and love to our spouse after marriage, accomplishing the ideal of
eternal love and a family that will give us the greatest peace and
happiness forever.
On the contrary, the misuse love results in
suffering. This includes free sex, in other words,
fornication and adultery, which is the antithesis of sanctified
married love. In the end, people involved in this type of love
never find permanent satisfaction, and it inevitably leads them to
unhappiness.
Once our original sin is forgiven and eliminated, it
will be much easier to establish a future world free of sin. A world
in which each person, with the power and inspiration of God, will be
able to overcome evil and where Satan will never be able to operate
and accuse man. The desire for illicit love is deeply
ingrained in the human heart. Sexual sin and the sin of illicit love
are very difficult to overcome.
People should be clearly informed of the terrible
consequences that this kind of immoral behavior causes to our
eternal life. Our virginity, which represents our first and true
love, is the most valuable and holy possession that no amount of
money can possibly buy. Once it is lost, it is irrecoverable. Once
we are aware of this fact, it is a real tragedy to give away such a
priceless possession in an idle moment of passion or lust. Such an
action can have devastating consequences for those involved, and for
their future attitudes and behavior.
Even religious leaders, who inspired many with their
faith and carried out great accomplishments, often succumb to such
temptations. There are those who think that these weaknesses
are rather natural and part of our intrinsic human nature. They feel
that it is useless to try and change ourselves. However, Jesus
Christ clearly pointed out that in the context of love, human
perfection is possible: "You, therefore, must be perfect as your
heavenly Father is perfect." (Mat. 5:48).
Paradoxically, our path to perfection implies, on
the one hand, to grow to and attain true love. It also means living
sacrificially for the sake of others, including our enemies, even at
the cost of life itself. And, on the other hand, to abstain from
loving in the wrong way, avoiding illicit sexual love. In short, we
are called to love from God's viewpoint and refuse the forbidden
love.
The efforts to avoid and overcome these problems
that have traditionally been carried out by self-discipline or
permanent celibacy are commendable and worthy of admiration.
But, unfortunately, they do not represent either a full eradication
of sin, nor do they constitute a realistic and complete solution to
the problem.
How then, will we finally be able to resolve this
difficult situation? It is obvious, that the only antidote or
lasting solution would be the experience of true, eternal and
unchangeable love within a marriage recognized and blessed by God.
Pure and true love is the irreplaceable medicine to cure both, the
lack of love and tainted love. Light drives darkness away and
only the authentic love will quiet the desire for any substitute
that we may have had.
That is why only the achievement of divine love
between man and woman will ensure our success in totally eradicating
the desire for ungodly love. This would eliminate infidelity,
adultery, divorce, prostitution, rape and other deviations in human
conduct.
To resolve this problem, humanity has to receive new
ancestors, who can be substituted for Adam and Eve, the fallen
parents. These new ancestors, in the position of True Parents,
represent the love of God and God's lineage. They will separate us
from the false lineage. They will eliminate the original sin in each
man and woman. They will engraft us into the true lineage of God and
will transmit to us the blessing to establish a sacred and eternal
marriage recognized by God.
