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Most people
are attached to their earthly life. They regret its passing because, due
to the Fall, they are ignorant of the fact that after they discard their
clothes of flesh, they are meant to live forever in the beautiful and eternal
spirit world. The transition from physical life to life in the spirit world
may be compared to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
If the caterpillar had self-awareness, it might feel the same attachment
to its limited existence climbing about the leaves of a plant as people
do to their earthly life. It, too, would probably be reluctant to end its
existence as a caterpillar, unaware that it is destined to enter a new
phase of life as a butterfly when it will enjoy fragrant flowers and sweet
nectar to its heart's content.
The relationship
between earthly existence and the life of a spirit is akin to the relationship
of caterpillar and butterfly. Moreover, if there had been no Fall, earthly
people would be able to relate with spirits just as naturally as they relate
among themselves. They would know that death is not the final departure
from their loved ones on earth. If people knew what a beautiful and happy
world they will enter after they attain perfection on earth and die a natural
death, they would look forward eagerly to the day they enter that world.
Excerpt from Exposition of the Divine Principle ISBN 0-910621-80-2
Divine Principle - link to www.unification.net pages
1973 edition
1996 edition
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