Unificationism

Unificationism is a movement and worldview based on the teachings of the Unification Church, founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon (1920-Sept. 2012^[1]), a religious minister who was raised in a Christian household in northern Korea. The Unification Church was officially named the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, abbreviated as HSA-UWC, but is now officially named as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.^[2] Its followers are typically referred to as Unificationists, or by the pejorative term "Moonies". The church estimates it has 3 million adherents worldwide, with 100,000 in the United States; however, critics and people who have left the church estimate membership at around 100,000 worldwide.^[3]

Rev. Moon, who wrote Crown of Glory as a young teenager, had an unusually cheery and positive attitude toward persecution:

• "Nations have opposed me. North Korea, Japan, the United States, the whole world has opposed me. Everyone opposed the Unification Church and Reverend Moon. Judaism, established Christianity and especially communism have opposed me. Most people would want revenge. But I do not. I have no thought of revenge. I am willing to forget everything, as soon as possible. I am willing to forget even though I have been kicked and maligned. When people oppose me I take the attitude that they do so because I could not carry out what I wanted to do and give them more love. Because I could not achieve what I had pledged — to love people before God — and because I could not prepare the right position for them, they persecute me so loudly. But I love them even though I am persecuted. When I do this the world changes." ^[4]

In the political world, Moon was best known for having founded The Washington Times, a conservative newspaper.

The church preaches a universalist doctrine of salvation based on a doctrine called the Unification Principle.^[5] Rev. Moon is called by his followers the Lord of the Second Advent, and believed by them to be messiah,^[6] sent to complete the elimination of evil, the establishment of a perfect society on earth and the cleansing of mankind of original sin.

The church is known for its unique theology, conversion techniques, mass weddings and political activity. It is opposed by conservative Christians due to its contradictions of Christian Biblical doctrine,^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]} though certain ministries have accepted funding from Unification "front" ministries,^[14][15] while others mainly object to its conservative political involvement.

Moon apparently remained the head of the Unification Church till his death in September 2012 of pneumonia, despite turning over "day-to-day control" of the movement to three of his children. Thirty-year-old Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, Moon's youngest son, was chosen in 2008 to be the international religious leader of the church,^[16] while Kook Jin Moon, 39, has completed a successful restructuring of business ventures in South Korea.^[17] Heading the US church is daughter In Jin Moon.^[18]

Rev. and Mrs. Moon's oldest living son, Hyun Jin Moon, declined an offer to spend a year closely attending Rev. Moon and has chosen his own path.

History[edit]

Sun Myung Moon was born and raised in what is now North Korea, during imperialist Japanese occupation. Moon's parents mainly adhered to Confucianism until they converted in 1930 to the Presbyterian church in Korea, when Moon was around 10 years old. During the Japanese occupation, the Presbyterian church—along with many other faiths—was the object of Japanese persecution. It was also a time of spiritual innovation. Although for a short time Moon was taught in the Presbyterian Christian faith, he states that on Resurrection Sunday in 1935 (when he was 16) he saw a vision of Jesus, in which he was commissioned "to restore God's perfect kingdom", and that he would be "the completer of man's salvation by being the Second Coming of Christ",^[19] though minor variations of this message are given. Moon would be known as the "Savior, the Lord of the Second Advent, the Messiah".^[20] In a similarity to men such as Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and Emanuel Swedenborg, founder of Swedenborgism, Moon claimed that he conversed in the spiritual realm with Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha and other notables of other faiths.^[21][22]

Moon established his first congregation in 1946, titled the Broad Sea Church. In 1948 Moon was excommunicated by the Presbyterian Church, and a short time later was imprisoned and tortured by the North Korean authorities. He was soon released but was arrested and imprisoned again, remaining so until the camp was liberated by American and U.N. troops in 1950. Moon relocated to South Korea, and began a church in a refugee camp in Pusan. In 1954 Moon registered his church as The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC). In 1955 South Korean authorities arrested Moon for draft evasion, and later adding charges of adultery and promiscuity. However, the government could not prove its case and Moon was released.^[23]

In 1959 Moon came to America, where, in 1971 he established his international headquarters. Moon found a political ally in the 1960s with South Korea's leader Park Chung Hee, as both were committed to fighting communism. Moon created ideological and political alliances with prominent figures based on a common interest, even though these people often did not otherwise share all of his beliefs.^[24]

While growth in the United States was slow to begin, organization and growth were increased in the early- to mid-1970s as Moon made his third tour of the country. Moon made many publicized speeches (including in Madison Square Garden and Yankee Stadium in New York City) and orchestrated other gatherings, and increased evangelism.

A later feature of Unificationism was the practice of mass public wedding ceremonies. The first of these was held on July 1, 1982 when Moon married over 2000 couples at one time at Madison Square Garden, New York City. In 1988 6,516 couples from 83 countries were married in a church-owned location near Seoul, South Korea.^[25] In August 1992, Moon presided over a mass wedding of 3,000 couples in Seoul Korea, while in 1995 more than 720,000 people were married via satellite at 545 sites in over 100 countries.^[26] Regarding such, Moon stated, "No religious leader nor the president of any nation can accomplish such a feat."^[27][28]

The Unification Church is estimated to own or have a substantial interest in approximately 300 financial institutions all over the world, including publishers, jewellers, and clothing stores,^[29] as well as substantial influence in Bridgeport Academy and University of Bridgeport.

Theological development and doctrine[edit]

Moon's theology is influenced by a variety of sources. Moon's parents had followed a blend of traditional Korean religions - Confucianism, Buddhism and folk shamanism before choosing to convert to Presbyterian faith. Early on in his departure from Christian theology, Moon was influenced by "Paik Moon Kim, a self-proclaimed messiah",^[30] whose teachings Moon is seen using. Moon also cited a cult text from the fifteenth or sixteenth century, the Chung Kam Nok, which supported his claim that Korea would bring forth the messiah.^[31]

One of Moon's early converts, Young Oon Kim, was a further influence in the development of Unification theology. Also known as Miss Kim, in her youth she had visions, heard voices, and had hallucinations. She became deeply influenced by the writing of occultist Emanuel Swedenborg, whom she said appeared to her in visions. Having rejected much of her early Methodist training, Kim sought to be ordained in a small organization called the Universal Church of the Master, and also combined various ideas from other religions. Miss Kim would later be particularly influential in its growth of Unificationism in the United States, as its the first missionary there. Miss Kim also worked in translating the Divine Principle into English.^[32][33][34]

The Divine Principle, a 536-page work, was published in 1957 and is the primary doctrinal authority for Unificationism. While it is considered by members of the Church to be divinely-inspired scripture, it is called "only part of the new truth. ...as time goes on, deeper parts of the truth will be continually revealed" ^[35]

In Unification theology, God is both masculine and feminine, according to the concept called polarity, and is based on finding the characteristics which are common to all entities in his Creation." ^[36] being similar to the idea of deity seen in I Ching, Confucianism, Taoism, as well as the Hindu worship of a Mother Goddess.^[37]

The purpose of creation is to perfect relationships of love between God and man and each other, and to have dominion over creation, which constitutes a tri-fold process called the Three Blessings. This includes the requirement that perfect families be realized and replicated. However, Adam and Eve are held to have sinned by fornicating, with Eve being sexually seduced by Lucifer, followed by Adam having marital relations with Eve, which according to Moon was not to have taken place until they had reached a stage of perfection. Due to their failure, "they multiplied selfishness and corruption. As a result, we have never seen "true parents" who could raise sinless children and create a sinless lineage."

In seeking the restoration of God's plan and establish the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, Moon's theology mandated that indemnity conditions be met, and that someone would restore the Foundation of Faith and the Foundation of Substance, and achieve perfection, have an ideal marriage, raise sinless children, and then propagate this perfection till the kingdom comes. God’s efforts at restoration are stated to have included Cain and Abel, Noah, Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ, but all of whom Moon claims failed.

Jesus is held to have provided a spiritual salvation, while His bodily physical resurrection is denied, and He is rejected as having completed God’s plan, due to His having died without marrying and raising perfect children, which would have provided physical salvation. In contrast, Sun Myung Moon is stated to have fulfilled all the conditions necessary to be the Messiah (which was officially proclaimed in 1971), and to have enabled salvation for mankind.^[38][39]

In 1960 Moon married 17 year-old Hak Ja Han, his third and present wife. This year was when the marriage of the Lamb prophesied in the book of Revelation took place, and (Moon) the Lord of the Second Advent and His Bride became the True Parents of mankind, according to Moon.^[40] Being held as the first couple to be able to bring forth children with no original sin,^[41] Hak Ja Han is reported to have borne 14 children.^[42]

Sun Myung Moon also asserted that Jesus now serves his dead son, Heung Jin, in heaven.

He does not have the heartistic bond with True Parents that the True Children do. Therefore, Heung Jin takes the position of first son in the spirit world. It is correct that Heung Jin is called Lord there. He went there instead of Parents, which means that the birthright is restored in the spirit world. That is why Jesus must serve him absolutely.^[43][44]

Moon had completed the Original Palace for the Attendance of True Parents in South Korea by 2004, Before its completion, Moon’s medium, Dae Mo Nim, described it as the place “where God and True Parents can work together".^[45]

Sun Myung Moon is seen as an object to whom implicit faith and obedience is to be rendered by his followers. Moon stated,

Actually, have you ever stopped to wonder if there is anything that Father doesn't do? There's no such thing; he does everything. Now we know these are phenomena of the Last Days. So what is the conclusion? Pay no attention to anything else; just hold on to Reverend Moon. Thus, when Father gives a direction, we can reply confidently, "Yes." We don't discuss it; we just go ahead, because we know that we are better off that way”.^[46]

An often recited vow promises, "I will become a dutiful son and a child of goodness to attend to our Father Moon forever.^[47]

Spirituality[edit]

During a tour of America in 1965, in which Moon established Holy Grounds at various locations, Moon and former South Korean Colonel and C.I A. officer Bo Hi Pak (later president of the Washington Times) met with occult spirit medium Arthur Ford (1879-1971) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ford claimed that his "spirit guide" named "Fletcher, would communicate through him. Ford stated, "I go to sleep because I was trained by a yoga, In this state of unconsciousness in which my objective mind is pushed aside there is a personality called Fletcher [which] comes through". Fletcher confirmed Moon to be a spiritual leader through whom the Spirit of Truth could speak "more clearly than any one individual" at that time.^[48] Moon then advised Ford to "find out what level Fletcher is at, so you can understand best how to work with him."^[49]

Moon's use of spiritism would continue, being one that "continually receives 'new revelations,' and practices a form of soul travel whereby he allegedly projects himself into the spirit realm to see Jesus and the saints, and claims to be an 'expert' on the spirit world."^[50][51]

Unification sources also state that Moon has offered spiritual guidance and blessing to various notable historical figures, and has enabled seminars to take place in the spirit world, attended by a variety of leaders, from Confucius to Mao Zedung.^[52] For 20 years Moon has sought to develop a Spirit World Machine, hoping to establish a reliable connection to the spirit world.^[53]

Primarily in earlier days, Unificationists themselves placed a heavy emphasis upon visions, revelatory dream and hearing voices. A study of members in the New York City area between 1979 and 1980 showed 32 percent describing having personally meaningful visions of Sun Myung Moon in different postures.^[54]

Philosophy[edit]

Rev. Moon introduced a system of thought called Unification Thought. It is "theistic in standpoint [and] assumes Creation by God and the action of Divine Providence in the process of human history". Core Teachings of Unification Theology

• Unification Thought, which is the Rev. Moon's thought and the perspective (thought system) of the Unification Movement, is also called Godism or Head-Wing Thought. The term “Godism” indicates that this system of thought has God's truth and love as its nucleus; and the term “Head-Wing Thought” indicates that this system of thought is neither a part of the right wing nor of the left wing, but rather embraces both. [4]

Opposition[edit]

With the growth of the Unification church came increasing theological opposition, primarily from Christian teachers due to Unification's contradictions of Christian theology, detailed in such works the Kingdom of the Cults, by the late Walter Martin.^[55]

Critic James Bjornstad, in Sun Myung Moon and The Unification Church, sums up Moon's theology as being an the admixture of different beliefs.

"Begin with a well-seasoned Taoist philosophy, add Christian words and phrases and some Bible verses, and stir briskly until they blend. Now add a bit of spiritism, a pinch of numerology, a dab of physics, and a dash of anti-communism; mix it altogether, using a Korean Messiah, and you have the recipe for one of the newest religious movements sweeping America." - The Unification Church, founded by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon.^[56]

The Unification church is criticized over what is seen as attempts to appeal to Christianity by using the Bible in order to teach a form of New Age theology, by applying various esoteric and metaphysical meanings to such biblical words and terms as sin, salvation, born again, etc.

In Divine Principle 9 it is stated, "It may be displeasing to religious believers, especially to Christians, that a new expression of truth must appear", and that "the Bible is not the truth, but a textbook teaching the truth", as revealed by Moon.

Sun Myung Moon has indicated that his use of the Bible is temporary:

"Until our mission with the Christian church is over, we must quote the Bible and use it to explain the Divine Principle. After we receive the inheritance of the Christian, we will be free to teach without the Bible.^[57]

Pointed doctrinal opposition has also been seen from without America. In 1998 Church leaders in the Solomon islands opposed Sun Myung Moon's Global Peace Festival, and stated that he had undermined,

“

the finished work of Christ on the Cross and what Moon is doing is the work of the Devil and the Anti-Christ. The only truth comes from the word of God and the Bible which says that Jesus alone is the way the truth and the life no one goes to the Father except through Him, and that alone is one of the fundamental principles of the Christian Faith.[58]

”

In the Philippines the News Today reported on November 19, 2008 that “religious sectors particularly the Catholic Church” in the Philippine province of Capiz have declared the “Global Peace Festival” held there to be “anti-Christ.”

Charges of mind control and manipulation by the Unification church were often heard in the 70's and 80's, but dwindled practically to nothing after the American Psychological Association declared that the theory of mind control had no scientific basis.

In 1981 Moon faced governmental opposition when the Internal Revenue Service charged him with tax evasion. Although some other religious figures supported Moon in this issue, he was found guilty and fined 25,000 and time in prison. Moon ended up serving 13 months in prison, but he remains a permanent resident of the US.^[59]

Robert Boettcher, the former staff director for the congressional committee which investigated Moon,^[60] criticized Moon for apparently thinking that his “religious beliefs” were a special license to break laws. \^[61]

In defense, Pulitzer-prize winning reporter 1991 Carlton Sherwood, an employee of Moon's paper, the Washington Times, wrote Inquisition. Sherwood describes Moon as a victim of religious persecution and racial bigotry, a portrayal which church investigators J. Isamu Yamamoto and Paul Carden strongly disagree with.^[62]

In 1998, Nansook Hong, the former wife of the Moon's oldest son, Hyo Jin Moon, joined with a Boston Globe columnist to pen a crushing memoir, In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family Boston:^[63] describing her husband's increasingly constant drug use, rampant adultery and physical violence during the turbulent fourteen years of their marriage. In addition, one of Moon's other sons apparently committed suicide in 1999, falling from a 17th story balcony in Reno, Nevada.^[64]

As Moon promoted himself as a model of family values and taught that he and his wife are the True Parents of the new family, born without original sin, this revelation of iniquity within Moon's family has seriously impugned Moon's credibility. A perfect family is necessary for the fulfillment of Moon's theology, the establishment of the kingdom of God, for which purpose Moon has declared he was ordained as Messiah.^[65][66][67]

Controversies[edit]

Accusation of separating families[edit]

Rev. Moon said,

It truly is an irony. However, from the spiritual point of view, a great blessing is coming to those families because their sons and daughters are working for this new messianic mission of the Unification Church. Furthermore, this is a heavenly emergency on a worldwide scale. When a national emergency comes, a soldier leaves his wife and children behind temporarily and goes out to defend his country. From God's point of view, these children have been summoned for the greatest heavenly emergency and a most glorious mission. The incredible grievances and complaints come only because people do not see this spiritual aspect.

I have never divided families or broken homes. Actually, in many cases, I have restored families and united them in happiness. I have received numerous thank-you letters from grateful parents. In some other cases, families are trying to blame me for damage that was done long before.^[68]

Mass suicide rumor[edit]

In the aftermath of the Jonestown Massacre, rumors circulated that Unification Church members were of like mind to members of the People's Temple. However, basic differences include a prohibition on suicide (classed by the church as a worse sin than murder), an international base (as opposed to one large, local community); minimal pressure to maintain membership, resulting in a 94% voluntary dropout rate in the years 1975 to 1995, a repudiation of the doctrine of Reincarnation, and an God-centered ideological opposition to Marxism.^[69]

Anti-semitism charge[edit]

Despite its large percentage of Jewish members, the Church has long been dogged by charges of anti-Semitism. In 1976 the American Jewish Committee published the report "Jews and Judaism in Rev. Moon's Divine Principle", asserting that "every time Rev. Moon mentions Jews or Israelites he portrays them collectively as reprobate, with evil intentions."^[70]

Unificationists deny that they are anti-Semitic, regarding Judaism as an "older brother" and recommending that the US defend Israel militarily against Arab aggression.

• And yet, in spite of this clear and explicit statement, we were attacked repeatedly and accused of anti-Semitism. Our views were distorted, our struggle, its meaning and objectives misrepresented.
• The Unification Movement categorically condemns anti- Semitism, the most hideous, abject and cruel form of hatred. We regard the murder of six million Jews in Europe the result of political short- sightedness and lack of moral responsibility on the part of Germany's political and religious leaders, and statesmen from among other nations, in the period between the Two World Wars.
• Ignoring the basic teachings of the Scriptures, they acted too late to block Hitler's ascent to power, they postponed the action for his downfall, and they did nothing to rescue the victims who were the captives of his satanic plans and designs.
• Only a unified front of all Christian and Jewish forces, inspired by the principles of the Divine Commandments and guided by the concept of human brotherhood, would have been able to prevent the Holocaust, the implementation of the "Final Solution,"—a Cain-inspired action, carried out by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945.
• The Unification Movement recognizes the divine and natural right of the Jewish people to physical survival and preservation of its specific religious traditions, the marks of its distinctive historical entity. These fundamental human rights must be secured everywhere, especially for Jews living in the lands of the Diaspora.^[71]

In 2003 Moon gave a sermon at Arlington, Virginia, describing the death of six million Jews in the Holocaust: "Through the principle of indemnity Hitler killed 6 million Jews. That is why. God could not prevent Satan from doing that because Israel killed the True Parents."^[72] This sentence has been taken out of context, and the key point that it was Satan rather than God who acted has been ignored. The Divine Principle interprets the Old Testament in terms of God's love for the Jews as the chosen people. When they acted righteously, they were blessed and protected; when they fell into sin they were scattered. This view is in accord with Western thought.^[73]

In 2003, a Unification organization, American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC) implemented a program designed to persuade Christian churches to remove the cross in their buildings and to replace them with the crown, which is Moon's preferred symbol. "This campaign, called Tear Down the Cross, culminated in Moon’s high priests holding a ceremony outside Jerusalem in which they buried a 4-foot cross wrapped in Moon’s flag, declaring it to be 'the symbol of Satan’s victory in the Church.”^[74]

Driksen building coronation[edit]

In the Driksen building of the U.S. Senate in March 2004, Sun Myung Moon and his wife were clothed with kingly robes and crowned with golden crowns. Moon took the title King of Peace and made a long speech, in which he stated,

Emperors, kings and presidents... have declared to all Heaven and Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent.

The founders of five great religions and many other leaders in the spirit world, including even Communist leaders such as Marx and Lenin... and dictators such as Hitler and Stalin, have found strength in my teachings, mended their ways and been reborn as new persons.

In the context of heaven's providence, I am God's ambassador, sent to earth with His full authority. I am sent to accomplish His command to save the world's 6 billion people, restoring them to heaven with the original goodness in which they were created.

Certain prominent politicians took part in the ceremony, stating afterwards that they were misled into participating.^[75][76]

References[edit]

Books[edit]

• J. Isamu Yamamoto, Dr Alan W Gomes, Unification Church. Book with hostile, biased analysis

Links[edit]

• Rev. Sun Myung Moon official web site
• Determined Man - slideshow with music
• ification_church/index.htm Religion Facts, Unification Church. Secular historical overview
• The Dark side of the Moon, Let Us Reason series, critical evangelical examination of Unificationism
• Apologetics Index, About the Unification Church. various critical links
• Think Spot - Pearson Education