On Sunday, I received a text message from CNN® saying: The Rev. Sun Myung Moon — founder of the church colloquially known as the Moonies — died early Monday in South Korea, according to the Washington Times, a newspaper that he founded, citing Unification Church leaders.
This is part one of a video of a mass wedding officiated by Moon in 1992
Admittedly, I do not have expert knowledge of Moon, but, even with what I do know; I found it hard to mourn his passing. I would venture that many of the readers of this blog may be as unlearned about Moon and his organization as I have been. This post will share some sources that will reveal things about Moon, his “religious beliefs”, his MASSIVE organization and his political power.
First, let’s begin with a couple of quotes from the obituary listed on the LA Times website. The headline and first paragraph header reads:
Sun Myung Moon dies at 92; led controversial Unification Church- By Elaine Woo September 3, 2012
“South Korean immigrated to the U.S. and became the wealthy leader of an unorthodox religious movement that was labeled a cult and featured mass marriage ceremonies. The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed Messiah from South Korea who led the Unification Church, one of the most controversial religious movements to sweep America in the 1970s, has died. He was 92. Moon, who had been hospitalized with pneumonia in August, died Monday at a hospital in Gapyeong, South Korea, church officials announced.”
As I have casually read about this leader and his organization over the last few years, I have been befuddled by the enormity of his organization, his political influence and of course the uniqueness of his beliefs. I suppose what shocked me even more has been the attitude of “acceptance” portrayed by many religious and political leaders for Moon and his methods. Could it be that when he was portrayed as being from Korea, many Americans did not feel or recognize the threat his teachings and practices posed? The LA Times article continues with some very interesting summaries and insights into the long “ministry” of Moon.
“Although greeted as a Korean (by) Billy Graham when he arrived in the United States four decades ago, Moon gradually emerged as a religious figure with quite different beliefs, whose movement was labeled a cult and whose followers were mocked as “Moonies.” At the height of his popularity, he claimed 5 million members worldwide, a figure that ex-members and other observers have called inflated… Moon offered an unorthodox message that blended calls for world peace with an unusual interpretation of Christianity, strains of Confucianism and a strident anti-communism. He was famous for presiding over mass marriage ceremonies that highlighted Unification’s emphasis on traditional morality….
What also made Moon unusual was a multinational corporate vision that made him a millionaire many times over. He owned vast tracts of land in the U.S. and South America, as well as dozens of enterprises, including a ballet company, a university, a gun manufacturer, a seafood operation and several media organizations, most notably the conservative Washington Times newspaper. He also owned United Press International.”
Later in this post, we will list parts of “unorthodox message that blended calls for world peace with an unusual interpretation of Christianity” as well as sources for the names of the corporate holdings of Moon and his vast empire. We will also share videos to help explain the “Moonies.”
Another short quote from the LA Times obituary:
“He courted the powerful with surprising success, at one time counting among his friends and allies Christian right leader Jerry Falwell, who defended Moon when he was tried and later convicted in the U.S. on charges of tax evasion; the Nation of Islam’s Louis Farrakhan, who shared pulpits with him; and former President George H.W. Bush, who appeared at Unification Church-affiliated events in the U.S. and abroad.
In 2004, Moon invited guests to a U.S. Senate office building in Washington, where he had himself crowned “none other than humanity’s Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent.” The ceremony was attended by a dozen members of Congress, several of whom later told reporters they had been misled about the purpose of the event. (video below)
His religious journey purportedly began 16 years after his birth on Jan. 2, 1920, in what is now North Korea. According to biographical accounts, Jesus appeared to the young Moon on a Korean mountaintop on Easter Sunday in 1936. From this meeting Moon divined that his job was to complete Jesus’ mission of creating heaven on Earth.”
You may ask why I feel this information is important enough to mention on this blog. Let me give you my reasons. First, The Unification Church has had a global presence for many years and Moon’s passing will affect people in many nations. In the study of religious cults, it is a major milestone when the founder of a group passes. Many such groups have imploded or at least changed dramatically after the founder leaves this earth.
Second, when I read the number of learned religious and political leaders who were duped into endorsing and probably taking donations from Moon, I can better understand how local, state and national political leaders have been fooled by Jane Whaley and the other members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Being “educated” does not keep you out of a cult or give you automatic discernment into what makes a control group dangerous. Everyone must take their own time to become aware of what measures promote mind control, thought reform and how to spot a dangerous group; regardless if they spout Scriptures or have some other rouse they use.
Next, in my readings about Moon and his group, I see similarities in the far-reaching absolute obedience of his followers and those of Jane Whaley. Both leaders operate a “totalistic” belief system which eventually destroys relationships of members with those outside the group that don’t agree with or question the teachings or authority of the leader. To support this conclusion, I will provide two more quotes from the LA Times article and then move on to other sources as well as videos.
“Church members addressed Moon and his wife, Hak Ja Han, as the “True Parents,” a title that outraged many of the actual parents of Moon’s followers.”
We have documented several times that Jane is called “Mama Jane” or “Grandma Jane” and teaches that spiritual parents are more important than natural parents. That is definitely taught when the parents “don’t serve God” by following Jane.
“Moon promoted interracial and intercultural marriages and arranged thousands of unions. Couples matched by the church were instructed to refrain from having intercourse for 40 days, partly to ensure that the unions were based on “pure love” rather than carnal desire.”
Likewise, Jane’s far-reaching control extends into the bedrooms of her members, as did Moon’s control. Do other pastor’s in Rutherford county restrict or dictate the frequency of time their member’s spend with their spouse behind closed doors? Does this seem like a normal pastoral duty over the members of a church? Jane, did you realize your practices have similarities to the practices of the Moonies?
In my opinion, the foremost authority on the Moonies is a former member, Steven Hassan. Hassan work has been quoted here before. His website (www.freedomofmind.com ) has extensive information on Moon and his multi-national organization as well as his beliefs and how they were/are applied to members. First, we will provide a video showing Sen. Orrin Hatch calling Moon and his wife –friends after expressing admiration in reciting facts about their far reaching influence.
Why should we be shocked? Cult leader Jim Jones was granted a private audience with Rosalyn Carter. Sure would have loved to have been there to listen to that conversation!
Next, we will provide several links and some quotes from Hassan’s website which will give more understanding about the Moonies. First, on the subject of the Beliefs of Moon and his group:
“The primary teaching of the group is called The Divine Principle (DP). It claims to explain God’s nature: Masculine and Feminine and having Internal Character and External Form. It says that the purpose of God’s creation was to have a reality which reflected God’s nature, so that he could experience love- especially the love of a parent. The DP says that the purpose of life is happiness, but that God’s plan went astray when Lucifer,…”
Of great significance, is the groups’ teaching that in order for “God to work”, Cain must submit to Abel and follow him unconditionally. Members are indoctrinated to accept this belief and practice it automatically. What it means is that you must always submit and obey your leader (Abel figure) no matter what, even if it contradicts your conscience, the law, or whatever else. If you don’t immediately “unite with Abel”, then “Satan will invade!” Members are taught to distrust their own thoughts or feelings and are always on guard for “tests” or “invading evil spirits”.
At WOFF, this was not preached exactly the same, but, in practice while I was there, total obedience to one in leadership and ultimately Jane Whaley, was without question the expected norm of behavior. To disobey someone in your life who had the Word of the Lord (even if you did not agree) was akin to “spiritual suicide” and labeled rebellion. You would be out from under God’s protection and subject to being taken over by devils. Jane Whaley was the final authority on what was the “Word of the Lord.”
We continue with more from Hassan’s site: “…Despite the claims by the group that it is Christian, by all theological accounts it is not. It does NOT believe that Jesus was God. It does not believe that Jesus was of virgin birth (the oral teaching is that Zachariah was Jesus’s real father). It does not believe in the Trinity- Father, Son and Holy Spirit (the group believes the Holy Spirit is a feminine spirit). The group does not believe that Jesus came to be crucified and that by being crucified, Jesus offers total redemption. It does not believe in Jesus being physically resurrected. The Moonies believe that Jesus lied to his disciples when he told them that he wasn’t a spirit (after his resurrection)…
The Jewish people fell into disfavor because of their disobedience, and God moved his blessing to the Korean people- making them the New Israel. By the way, (Moon teaches) the Jews suffered the holocaust in order to pay indemnity for their sins of not following Jesus.
Despite the fact that the Bible talks about Jesus going to Heaven dozens of times, Moon teaches that Jesus was stuck at a lower realm in spirit world called Paradise. Moon teaches that since God is both masculine and feminine aspects, Jesus couldn’t be in Heaven with God, until Moon married Jesus to a Korean woman in the church.” Do these beliefs sound like the beliefs of a “Christian” group?
Here is a link to a listing of over forty (40) countries besides the United States, where Moon has organizations and businesses – http://freedomofmind.com/Info/infoDet.php?id=658&title=Moon_organization_-_Moon_Front_Groups_(9)_International_Closely_Associated_Entities_
This link is to a list of Music Groups which operate as a front for Moon: http://freedomofmind.com/Info/infoDet.php?id=656&title=Moon_organization_-_Moon_Front_Groups_(7)_Musical_Groups_Associated
This link is to the businesses and front groups run by Moon and his followers in thirty-two (32) of the United States. Hassan admits to the list not being comprehensive and many members will open their businesses in their own personal name to avoid being linked to the “Unification Movement.” One common phrase in the naming of several of these groups is “True World”…
Lastly, from Hassan’s website, this link lists the sixty-three (63) media outlets that are known to be closely tied to Moon either through ownership or some associated interest. http://freedomofmind.com/Info/infoDet.php?id=654&title=Moon_organization_-_Moon_Front_Groups_(5)_Media_Closely_Associated_Entities
The next video is from a documentary done by the BBC®. The first link is to the first ten minutes or so posted on YouTube®. I watched several minutes and felt it was worth sharing. The total documentary is in six parts on YouTube®
This last video is actually a puff piece put out by the Unification Church. It shows the ceremony held to coronate Moon and his wife as True Parents and founders of an organization to promote world peace. The quality of the video is poor, but the meaning is sure. Major world religions came and bowed down to Moon. How leaders of major religions and U.S. Congressmen could be so duped I do not know. Who should have done their homework before this ceremony? Everyone.
Okay, I could not leave this one out… Moon giving his dictates on how to eliminate “free sex.” He apparently is not the only religious cult leader fixated on the subject.
We may post more about this religious cult, its survivors and the scope of the deception Moon has played on the world.
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