4. The Central Point between the Two Worlds

I imagine you must be very curious about the spirit world. The many religions of the world provide paths for us to seek eternal life, the world where we can live together with God eternally in the good regions of the spirit world. For religious people, attaining that world is their life’s goal. However, what has become of religion today? It is on the decline. In this modern age people think that religion is only for the weak; it is unnecessary for everyone else. They think that religions were created by people to push morality.
Even Christianity, the central religion, has declined. America is the representative of the world’s Christian nations, yet people who grew up in American Christian homes have lost their faith and are living each according to their own way.
Christianity upholds heaven, the dwelling place of God, who is the Lord of the universe and Source of all good. Why are so many Christians abandoning their religion? There are three reasons. First, people do not have a clear understanding of the reality of the spirit world. Human beings have the innate capacity to compare and would abandon a bad situation in favor of a better one. If they knew that the spirit world contained higher-dimensional realms of greater value, they would certainly seek them out. That is original human nature. Second, people do not truly know God. Our connection with God was severed as a result of the human Fall, and we have lived ever since as orphans.
Third, people do not understand the centrality of love. Love is what connects us to God and also to the spirit world. Even though many people believe in God and the spirit world, if they do not understand that the eternal world is ruled by love, they may well abandon their religion.
Where love abounds, you are happy. It doesn’t matter whether you are promoted to a high position or demoted to a low position or you just stay at your current level; in whatever state you are, you are content. Does a wife dislike her beloved husband if he has a higher position in society than her? Does a husband dislike his beloved wife because she comes from a lower class than him? When you are one with each other you can go anywhere, from the bottom to the top or from the top to the bottom, or you can just stay where you are. There are no limitations. It is based on this concept that many people in the world say, “This world can become one. There can be unity among all peoples. We can build a world of peace.” (91-140, 02/06/1977)

God and His love should be at the center; it is the same for the spirit world and the physical world, for spirit beings and physical beings. But people in their fallen state as we usually know them do not have God as their center. The relationship between the physical self and the spirit self is different from that between mind and body. The mind is not the spirit; spirit world exists in a different dimension. In speaking of the spiritual and physical worlds, we understand that they relate based on God’s love. For these two worlds to unite as one, God must be involved. Were it not for God’s love, the spirit world would not exist. It is by God’s provision that we can have a home there.
People may think that mind and spirit are the same, but this is a confused notion. Due to the human fall, the mind does not have a relationship with the spirit world. To better understand this, think of the mind of fallen human beings as analogous to a person whose body has no bones. Its form is like a boneless body.
The spirit self is composed of a body-like element and a mind-like element. The mind-like element of the spirit self is immersed in the spirit world. It always maintains a relationship with God. Therefore, if you do not make a relationship with God, this mind-like element will not form in your spirit self. Understand that spirit and mind are two different things. The mind of fallen man has no relationship with God. God has left it. God can neither relate to the fallen mind nor exercise His direct dominion over it.
Your mind changes, going one way and then another, but the spirit world and spiritual beings are not like this. They set one eternal goal and move steadily in its direction. Why is this so? It is because they stand on God’s side. But the mind that resides within us fallen human beings is constantly vacillating.
I’m sure you know this from studying the Principle, but what is the spirit mind? It is what unites our mind and spirit and moves them toward a higher goal. When our spirit mind becomes one with our conscience, centering on God, it motivates us to become our ideal selves. Therefore, without the spirit mind, we would be unable to find the inner root that enables us to live in proper relationship with the spirit world and experience true love.
When the spirit mind sprouts within us, our body rejoices. Everything we think, say and do follows the promptings of our spirit mind. Then everything begins to unite spontaneously. The biggest problem for human beings has been the conflict between our mind and body.
However, when spiritual energy resides within us and causes our spirit mind to germinate, our mind and body spontaneously become one. Unless we experience such a revolution occurring at the root of our selves, and unless we discover the origin that can rectify everything from that root, we will have no way to attain the ideal. Without a motivating cause, there can be no result.
The purpose of religion is to implant a spirit mind within us. The many religions with all their different forms and doctrines all exist to cultivate the spirit mind. (91-142, 02/06/1977)