[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] “If you truly want to achieve world peace, you must unite religions as one.”
㈔Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) Chairman Man-Hee Lee started his journey for world peace and has received great response from overseas religious circles through the World Alliance of Religions' Peace Office.
HWPL's World Alliance of Religions' Peace Office currently has branches in 253 locations in 129 countries, and is promoting the world alliance of religions through comparative discussions of scripture and a forum for religious dialogue. Chairman Lee has led 31 peace tours around the world, and has never failed to miss a meeting with local religious dignitaries.
Chairman Lee said that the first step of this movement took place at the 1st WARP Summit. Chairman Lee and 12 leaders - including two from the Anglican Church - signed the “Peace Agreement” at the “World Alliance of Religions' Peace Agreement Ceremony;” a highlight of the 9.18 WARP Summit held on September 18th in 2014. In order, the faiths in attendance were Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Protestant Anglicanism, Sikhism, Judaism, Bahaism, Jainism and Zoroastrianism.
Religious leaders who signed the agreement were Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan, head of the Sikh Golden Temple, Sirigu International Law School President, Chidanand Saraswati Maharajji, President of the India Palmas Niketan Ashram (Monastery); Antonio Ledesma, Mindanao, Philippines Archbishop Cagayan de Oro; Rabbi of 'Rabbis for Human Rights' Jeremy Yehuda Milgrom; President of the University of Meher Master Muss Zoroaster; Sayed Ali El Amin, Grand Ayatollah of Lebanon; and Archbishop Patricio Robles of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Chile.
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| On November 11th, 2015, after the 21st Light of Peace Development Conference hosted by HWPL LA (LA) WARP Office, Chairman Lee Man-Hee talks with the Bahai religious leader Sahip Sappol Singh Kalsa. (Provided by: HWPL) ⓒCheonji Ilbo DB |
At the time, Chairman Man-Hee Lee said in an opening speech, “There is only one God who created the heavens and the earth, and there is only one meaning and scripture...there are more than 100 religions on the earth that each claim to originate from God, but their scriptures, practices and meanings are all different. They fight with each other, and this dishonors God. This shows that they are old and corrupt.” He also affirmed that "the true God does not cause strife and killings," and, "If people who live by receiving the light, rain, and air which is the grace of life from heaven do not love but kill each other, then this is an act of forgetting the grace that they have received."
In addition, Chairman Lee said, “By eradicating corrupt religion and uniting religion under the One and only true God, we will become a world of religion without dispute, and world peace will be achieved. If we do not do this, mankind will be destroyed. If you do this, all mankind will be blessed." He emphasized, "the world will be ruled by the true God, the source of all blessings, and God will become one under one religion.”
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| During the 27th Peace Tour on May 14th, 2018, Chairman Lee Man-Hee gives a presentation at a conference for religious leaders in Sweden hosted by the WARP office. (Provided by: HWPL) ⓒCheonji Ilbo DB |
Chairman Lee said to the religious leaders who attended the religious conference, “Let us achieve a world of peace according to God's will. Let's get rid of disputes and sign a peace agreement among religious people. Peace is not one person's possession. We must become the foundation stone to create a new era today.”
Hindu leader Chidanand Saraswati Maharajji, President of the India Palmas Niketan Ashram (Monastery), who attended the event, responded, "Religion is not made for war, but for peace." “We are spiritually one family.” “We must respect each other's insights, be harmonious, and live in peace. Now the time has come for religion to become one. Each religion should stop speaking its own words and become one.”
Singh Sahib Giani Gurbachan, head of the Sikh Golden Temple, said in reference to the WARP Summit for the World Alliance of Religions, “It is a landmark event blessed by God for peace.” "Religious leaders who promote division, not the unity of religion, are political leaders, not religious leaders.”
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| Chairman Man-Hee Lee speaks at the WARP Office “Advancing World Peace”, held at the Bible Museum in Washington D.C. on June 2nd, 2018. (Provided by: HWPL) ⓒCheonji Ilbo DB |
The message of religious integration, initiated by Chairman Man-Hee Lee, became reality through the activities of HWPL's WARP Office. After religious leaders signed the peace agreement, WARP offices in 253 locations in 129 countries around the world actively engaged with neighboring religions to achieve religious unity.
Different religious people with different scriptures and beliefs in different religions gathered and held a "Scripture Dialogue" to compare their respective religion's scriptures. Religious leaders who participated in this debate gathered saying, "Through this debate, we can learn the will of God contained in the scriptures and truly embrace other religions."
During the annual WARP Summit, a separate session was held which religious people from all over the world attended, and in-depth discussions were conducted on the “Scripture Dialogue,” a method for unifying under religion. In addition, many religious people who became HWPL members and compared scriptures were encouraged to participate within each religion.
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| Religious leaders enter the ceremony for the 2nd anniversary of the 9.18 WARP Summit, held on September 18th, 2016. (Provided by: HWPL) ⓒCheonji Ilbo DB |
HWPL's Scripture Dialogue began with remarks of gratitude by overseas religious leaders, and was actively conducted nationwide in Korea. Dozens of meetings have been held at the WARP Office each year through each branch.
On June 27th, 2016, religious leaders from Korea, China and Japan gathered at the Goseong Peace Institute and held the Religious Leaders' Peace Conference. That day, representatives of 10 orders including Buddhism, Confucianism and Christianity, such as Geumgangseonwon Haegeo, who mastered the three Buddhist orders of the Korean Buddhism, and Jeongseok Lee of Myeongryun Hakdang (village school) in Cheonghak-dong Mt. Jiri, Bajeong Dageol of Mapa Temple in China, and Deputy Secretary General Gong gang-wi from the Confucius Genealogy Compilation Committee. More than 120 leaders from Korea, China and other countries attended.
On August 26th, 2016, the 4th Scripture Comparison Discussion was held at the Central Hall of Cheondogyo, Jongno-District, Seoul. About 400 people, including religious leaders from Confucianism, Christianity and Korean religions attended the event.
That year, the “Bible and Buddhist scriptures” were compared in the first and second rounds, and in the third round, the “Bible, Buddhist, Hindu and Korean religious scriptures” were all compared.
The WARP Office sought a common denominator through the “Scripture Dialogue" for the unity of Christianity that has been divided into thousands of sects while having the same scriptures and faith.
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| On August 26th, 2016, the 4th HWPL Scripture Dialogue Meeting was held at the Central Hall of Cheondogyo in Seoul, while attending religious guests listened to speakers' discussions on the comparison of scriptures. (Provided by: HWPL) ⓒCheonji Ilbo DB |
The response of pastors who attended this event was positive.
Pastor A, who participated as a panel at the 2018 Seoul-Gyeonggi North branch meeting, said, "Building a wall is not our goal, but our goal is to communicate," and, "Thank you for providing a space for us to engage in peaceful dialogue."
Pastor B, who participated as a panel at the Jeonju branch meeting, also stressed, "I hope that many such meetings will be formed so that there will be many opportunities to plan and promote peace."
The Presbyterian Pastor C, who attended the meeting held at the WARP Office headquarters, said, “As I observe the attitude of the audience in attendance, I can see that many people are missing the word in this era. As I listened to the speeches, Shincheonji Church of Jesus preached Biblically and accurately. It is not right to criticize Shincheonji Church of Jesus without knowing their content." He stressed the necessity of this meeting, saying, “The Scripture Dialogue is important beyond any denomination.”
As such, the satisfaction of the religious leaders who participate in the Scripture Dialogue held by the HWPL WARP Office is high. They also affirm HWPL's peace movement under the slogan, "Let's pass on a world of peace, without war, as a legacy", showing their sincerity and dedication to "peace", that no previous meeting has ever been able to achieve.
Peace!
