Religion

The word “religion” is composed of the characters “foundation” (宗) and “teaching” (敎). Religion is the foundational teaching. It is like the floor of a house. For us to have a house, it must have a floor, and religion is that fundamental doctrine. The ultimate conclusion of this doctrine is True Parent, True Teacher, and True Owner, that is, God. Knowing God brings us to an understanding of the fundamental doctrine that can be the root, trunk, and branches of any doctrine.

By sending prophets and saints to humanity, God gives rise to religions. As we trace the development of history down to the present day, we can see that the cultural spheres, with religions at their core, are absorbed into the cultures of our world. We have seen the development of the Christian cultural sphere in the democratic world, the development of the cultural sphere of Confucianism, Buddhism and Zen Buddhism in the Far East, the Hindu cultural sphere in India, and the Islamic cultural sphere. This is how we can recognize the presence of God and His works.

Transcending time and space, the teachings of the founders of religion have served as a driving force for the defense of conscience, morality, and the development of culture. Accordingly, all religions are partners in ending a sinful world and building the ideal world that God and humanity desire.

What does religion teach us? It teaches us to save the soul and subdue the body. That is why religions encourage us to sacrifice ourselves to serve others.

In our time, religions consider their goal to be personal salvation, but the religion that the whole world will accept and that the Heavenly Parent will establish in the new age must be aimed at the salvation of families.