The 21st Century Common Sense
An Idea to Stop Suicide Bombers
By Jhoon Rhee, Tae Kwon Do Master

As The Common Sense by Thomas Paine played the spark of the American Independence War, which changed the world, I hope that “The 21st Century Common Sense” could elevate world peace and our life style to the standard God is happy with.

The 21st Century Common Sense, I believe, has the power to ignite change in our world, freeing us from the destruction of war and the threat of suicide bombers. “Why Do You Live? ” is the first question I ask when I speak to audiences. People are often stunned when they realize that they struggle to answer this basic question. Another stunning reality that I have discovered is people cannot clearly define Good and Evil.

The Universal Purpose of Life
In order to reach the goal of world peace, I believe that every one of the six billion human beings on this earth would need to accept a universal purpose of life that would establish common values for all. Can our world society agree on a common purpose of life? Yes, we must! If we believe that a supreme power created the universe and everything in it, then every living thing has value and is meaningful.

If there is a God, then where did God go? Is God taking a long nap or hiding somewhere, waiting until His people transform this world in order to be acceptable to His sight? Mankind is lost, for we are living without knowing why we are living. If we do not know our purpose in life, then we don’t know our value and cannot value the lives of others. Therefore, we must find our common purpose, discover our common values and embrace a universal purpose. Every one of us wishes to be happy; no one wishes to be unhappy. The answer is simply—HAPPINESS. Doesn’t every life seek happiness? I hope you agree that happiness is the best answer to the age-old question, “Why Do We Live?”

The Universal Definitions of Good and Evil
We talk about GOOD and EVIL, yet no one has been able to explain the clear definitions of good and evil to me. Without the universal purpose of life, the universal good and evil cannot be defined, for it has to be accepted universally. I would suggest that any value that is contributing to our happiness, the universal purpose of life is a good value—and the value against our purpose is an evil value. The creator always sets the purpose of each created. If a man has made six billion cars, these cars don’t set their own purpose—their maker does. By the same token, every human life must have the same purpose set by the one who created them, the Creator.

It is my philosophical belief that the ultimate value for happiness is Love; only Beauty triggers the love emotion; and only Truth beautifies human hearts. Therefore:

When I am truthful, my heart is beautiful.
When my heart is beautiful, people loves me.
When people love me, I am happy.

Conversely,

When I lie, my heart is ugly.
When my heart is ugly, everyone hates me.
When everyone hates me, I am unhappy.

Therefore, a truthful way of life is not only good, but also wise; a false way of life is not only wrong, but also foolish. Truth, Beauty, and Love are three basic elements of Good that we must live by daily. Deceit, ugliness, and hatred are three basic elements of evil that we must recognize but never practice.

Albert Einstein’s “Theory of Relativity” explains as follows:

• E = MC²
  • Mass (function of Space)
  • C² (function of Time)
• E = MC² Space & Time = Universe.

It is interesting to find that the three Universal Human Values for Happiness and the three physical values of this universe are both Truth, Beauty, and Love as explained below:

Mineral Kingdom contains	Truth value
Plant Kingdom contains	Truth + Beauty Value
Animal Kingdom contains	Truth + Beauty + Love

Therefore, Truth, Beauty, and Love are three Physical values of the Universe.

“True Law is right reason in agreement with nature, unchanging and everlasting”
-Marcus Cicero

When a person becomes an embodiment of truth, beauty, and love, that person is humanly perfect. If one person can become humanly perfect, then everyone can achieve human perfection. If everyone becomes humanly perfect, there will be no need of government.

If all men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
-James Madison

If the above statement were correct, religion would not be necessary either. I do not mean we don’t need religion today. In fact, I believe I am a good Catholic. Only if all men were angels, we would need no government, no religion, nor Tae Kwon Do.

We all deserve the most joyful social environment for absolute global happiness. The foundation for a happy society is perfect human character, exercising true freedom approved by the one’s conscience, and never practicing false freedom licensed by selfish animal instinct. People of the 3rd Millennium must be perfect human beings, defined as a person who never makes mistakes knowingly. Therefore, as a martial artist, I must first develop a perfect body as the temple for a good mind. A perfect human being is a person with perfect character, not a person who knows everything.

Slavery System by the Kings for the Recorded 6,000 Years
The human race had been living in a slavery system, ever since the beginning of recorded global history. Then a little over 200 years ago on July 4, 1776, the United States of America was born and introduced democracy—calling for FREEDOM and EQUALITY for everyone on this planet. The meaning of freedom has grown in our hearts through Abraham Lincoln’s articulation—“government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

People ruled by a dictatorship can be brainwashed to give their lives for their King. For example, during World War II, there were many Japanese Kamikaze pilots, who sacrificed themselves to kill American soldiers in the name of their Emperor. At the time, it was believed to be an honorable way to die. They were not taught the truth that all men are created equal before the law. After the war, democracy was introduced to the Japanese people. They now know that they have the right to govern their country, even to expel their prime minister by impeachment if he does not practice the truth.

The Cause of the Suicide Bombers
Today, some religions put God in the ancient kings’ position, preaching to people to live and die for God. As a result of different interpretations of this teaching, the free world lives with constant threats of terrorism, including suicide bombers. I would like to share a story. Assume that you have two sons. The older son is absolutely loyal to you and the younger son is a devil to you. Naturally, the older son hates his younger brother wishing him to disappear. One day you wake up to find that your older son killed the younger one and killed himself in the name of his father. How would you feel? On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 terrorists killed over 3000 innocent people in the New York Trade Center buildings in the name of God. Imagine, how our God felt? These terrorists were brainwashed to believe that God would bless them with many beautiful women in Heaven for their tragic actions. Those who instructed them to die for God never die; they brainwash young, innocent children to carry out their misguided wishes.

Resolution of all Conflicts
There are generally three kinds of conflict. They are conflict of ideology, conflict of interest, and conflict of emotion. The three universal values—truth, beauty, and love—are the solution to the three conflicts above. The three types of conflict are:

• Conflict of Ideology:
  When two conflicting sides agree on the same TRUTH, this conflict will be automatically resolved.
• Conflict of Interest:
  When two conflicting sides perfect BEAUTY of the heart, this conflict will be automatically resolved.
• Conflict of Emotion:
  When two conflicting sides perfect LOVE for others, this conflict will be automatically resolved.

All conflicts between individuals, groups, religions, and countries are the result of a lack of truth, beauty, and love. The only way to perfect these universal values is to live the truth, not just know the truth.

“The first chapter in the book of wisdom is honesty.”
-Thomas Jefferson

Freedom and Democracy
It is truly remarkable that American Founding Fathers introduced the idea of democracy, a democracy that thrives in America to this day. Mankind fought for 6,000 years against the rigid social structures of the past to secure the freedom. Since 1776, American people were given not only political freedom, but also the freedom to think, express, and take action without the fear of being arrested—guaranteed by their new U.S. Constitution.

“Liberty is the gift of God, not the government and the purpose of government is to protect that liberty not to destroy it.”
-George Mason

In 1609, Galileo started observing the night sky with a telescope, which had just been invented. When he looked at the planet Jupiter, Galileo found several small satellites or moons orbiting around it. This implied that everything did not have to orbit around the earth, contrary to popular belief at that time. Soon after the announcement of this astronomical truth, Galileo was arrested and put in jail for confusing society.

He was under house arrest for eight years prior to his death. Under this kind of dictatorship, how could the Wright Brothers have invented airplanes? If the Wright Brothers lived in England, King George, III would have put them in jail and stopped the invention of airplanes, without which there would be no flying today. Can you imagine, traveling around the world without airplanes today? Only recently, in 1991, did The Vatican announce its apology to Galileo. Inventing a new product is difficult enough. With the threat of being arrested, people will be discouraged to try anything new. No wonder human achievement exploded when the freedom to think, do, and express was granted to people in America. A few American visionaries introduced many new ideas, such as electricity, telephones, automobiles, airplanes, televisions, computers, faxes, the Internet and more. Today, the world benefits from the significant, astonishing inventions and discoveries made in America. American people were able to invent new ideas, not because they are smarter than others but because their Constitution gives them the freedom to think and express their ideas without the fear of being arrested.

Two Fundamental Life Questions:

Question 1:
There are two kinds of King--King A and King B. King A tells his people that people are not for him but he is for the people. Therefore, . people do not have to live and die for him King B demands that people must live and die for him. Which of two kings is a BETTER king to the country?

Question 2:
There are two kinds of God—God A and God B. God A tells his people that people are not for God but God is for the people. Therefore people do not have to live and die for God. God B demands that people must live and die for God. Which of the two Gods is a BETTER God to the world?

“The most acceptable service we render to Him is in doing good to His other children.”
-Benjamin Franklin

I am sensing a clear voice of God saying to people the following: “Please understand me correctly with your reason, which 1 have given to you all. What is more divine in heaven and earth than human reason? You should know that you are not for me, instead, I am for you and your happiness. Don’t be fooled by those selfish manipulators, who say that you exist for Me--God. I love you even if you hate Me, because l am a God of unconditional love. You know that I created everything there is. Then, how can I expect any help from you? What can you do that I cannot do for myself?”

“Oh, yes! There is one thing you can do for Me that I cannot do. I cannot force you, because I gave you free will, which1 can never take away from you. It is against my principle. The minute I take your free will away, you no longer reflect my image, which loses the whole purpose of creating you—My image. This is the reason why I have not been able to force you to love one another. I have been forced to wait until you choose to love one another, creating a peaceful world where everyone is happy with every breath of life. As I am for six billion children of Mine, every one of you is also for six billion brothers and sisters of yours and Me—God.

“My only wish from you is that you all are happier than Me, just as your physical parents' wish this to be so. I want you to know that the most acceptable service you render to God is not to Me, God, but is in doing good to My other children. Nothing is a worse crime than taking your own life, especially the crime of taking your own life while taking the lives of My other children in My Name. Just imagine how parents would feel when an older child kills his younger brother and then kills himself in the name of his parents.” Jhoon Rhee’s conscientious Common Sense

Unconditional Love of God
God has given his children the unconditional love and freedom to think and express their ideas through the creation of all types of artistic beauty that is the universal value that attracts the love value for happiness. It is my personal opinion that God has given his children absolute freedom to describe even His character as God of the people, by the people, and for the people.

During the last 6,000 years, people are so selfishly motivated that the Creator had to give people some incentive to believe in Him. Any one wishes to be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven, one must believe in Me. Today, because of this incentive, we have most people believe in God through, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and others. However, we are in the 21st century in which God is revealing the Truth in plain words. Whatever you believe to be truth is the only truth for you. If you say there is no Creator, Creator cannot force you to believe in Him, because God gave you free will to think and express yourself freely. If you choose to kill one of His children, God can’t stop you.

We need only fraction of a year’s budget of the U. S. Department of Defense to introduce a program that will bring this dream into a reality. The program is based on the straightforward idea to educate all people to become humanly perfect, a person who never makes mistakes knowingly. I truly believe that God is for His children and their happiness. God is happy only when His children are happy, just as we are happy when our children are happy. It is impossible to change people’s beliefs in a short time. Change of this magnitude will take three or four generations. So, we must start to educate people for character perfection today.

During World War II, Japanese people respected the Japanese Kamikaje pilots. However, today, a half-century after the freedom and equality of democracy was introduced to the Japanese people, young Japanese are laughing at the Kamikaje pilots. It will take several generations to realize it, just as it took 50 years for Japanese people to realize that committing suicide for an emperor is a foolish act. I am sure that most Japanese people thought that nothing could be a more honorable way to die than dieing for the Emperor during World War II. It was the result of brainwashing by the government. The time is changing—people are more aware of what is right and what is wrong.

“I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times”.
-Thomas Jefferson

The time has come to advance our thoughts and actions. I am certain that it will be unthinkable for anyone to take his or her own life 50 years from now in the Middle East, if we now begin to educate people with “The 21st Century Common Sense”. My vision for the Utopian society, “The 21st Century Common Sense”, which woke me up in early 1970s, was so clear that I have no other choice but to devote myself to this vision until I graduate from this planet.

The Reason for the Failure of Communism
The communism, one of the most popular political functions from the beginning of 20th century failed flatly. The reason for the failure is obvious; how can anyone expect the success of communism with six billion 99.9 percent selfish animalistic individuals? If we educate people with a carefully prepared character education program, Free Common Posessionism in place of Communism will be automatically realized. So, let us educate all children to be humanly perfect to reconstruct a Utopian global village once and for all.

An Important Message for Future Possible Suicide Bombers:
I have good news for you. You don’t have to kill yourself to be favored by God. God never blesses nor punishes you; but all depends on how you live your life on earth. Hell is a place where you eternally regret the things you did against your own conscience and good reason in this world. Don’t be laughed at eternally by killing yourself in the name of God.

Solution to the problems caused by terrorists
Kamikaje means divine wind In Japanese. Kami means God; Kaje means Wind. When Mongolians invaded Japan in early 13th century, nearly 1,000 Mongolian Warships were destroyed by a strong hurricane and Japan was saved by it. Japanese government used this victory as God’s will to their people that Divine Wind was an act of God, which protected Japan from Mongolian attack.

It was not the Emperor that Kamikaje pilots trusted their lives but God, Who anointed the Emperor, they trusted with their lives. People knew the Emperor did not have authority for their eternal lives but they knew God did. So, Japanese government brainwashed people with an idea that God anointed the Emperor. So, anyone gives life for name of Emperor goes to Heaven.

Therefore, if the US begins to educate the people of Iraq and all Middle Eastern nations with The 21st Century Common Sense, using every available promotional medias, the young people will begin to think twice before committing suicide. The idea will soon spread to the entire Middle Eastern regions, and the thousands years of the conflict of emotion between religions will be fade away within ten or twenty years at most. People with old thoughts will graduate from this planet and new generations will never think of killing oneself in the name of God.

If the US government is ready to promote the idea, I will volunteer my services to go to the Middle Eastern Regions for lectures on the subject.

Conclusion:

“Know that killing yourself is the worst crime of all in the sight of God.”
-Jhoon Rhee

To Contact Grand Master Jhoon Rhee, E-mail at masterrhee@aol.com