Since the Moonies came up in connection with Rev. Jerry Falwell, I thought we might include an short synopsis of the event Dave Hunt referred to, in a newsletter from the Ministry: Families Against Cults, Carmel, Indiana, February 1997.
They wrote: "The following article was taken from `The Centers for Apologetics Research December Prayer Update'. "Is Moon just a misunderstood oriental religious figure with vaguely unorthodox views and a big wallet? No, he is a living, breathing antichrist who claims to be the very Lord of the Second Advent, the Third Adam - the fulfillment of the predicted return of Christ and the eventual ruler of Earth. Moon spends untold millions in every conceivable part of the world teaching an evil perversion of Christ while exalting himself as Jesus' virtual replacement. Not only do Moon and his followers deny Jesus' deity, virgin birth, atonement and resurrection, emphasizing that His earthly mission was a failure; according to Dr. Andrew Wilson, a Unification (Moonie) professor I met in Montreal, they maintain that Jesus (now in the spirit world) is literally married to a living Korean woman!"
Can it get any worse? Only four months ago, such Christian celebrities as Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition, Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America, Gary Bauer of the Family Research Council [who is making a bid for the Presidential nomination], Robert Schuller, and Pat Boone spoke and performed at a major Moon event in Washington D.C.. The August 1996 issue of the Unification periodical `Today's World' even features a photo of Jerry Falwell posing in an embrace with Rev. Moon himself! What moral confusion or willful ignorance enables them to do this I cannot comprehend. Surely no amount of money, no political agenda, no secret favors can justify such compromise. (This without mentioning, for example, the pastors who give their pulpits to Louis Farrakhan and his henchmen; I could go on)" It truly grieves us to see "Christian" leaders lending respectability to false messiahs such as Moon. Are we intent upon combating worldly evils that we will join hands with the devil's emissary to accomplish our Earthly goals. Does the end really justify the means? Please pray that these and other Christians in the glare of the television spotlight will abandon associations with false prophets. We are told to "come out from amongst them," not to join them to make this world ready for Jesus' return. What would Jesus say?" In the May 1997 issue of the same Newsletter came a response from Beverly LaHaye: "Dear Dan: Thank you for your inquiry. I am sure that you would agree that hindsight is always 20-20 vision. Let me explain. Several weeks early, a Speakers Bureau had asked if I would speak on the topic "How "My Judeo-Christian beliefs influence my position on Public Policy" at a rally being held in Washington, D.C. I had the date open and the topic was one I would enjoy addressing, so I accepted. It was only a few days before the event that I learned one of the sponsors was the Family Federation for World Peace and the Washington Times, which are backed by Moonies. Since it was too late to back out, I decided I would have to see it through and use it as an opportunity to share the true Word of God and God's standard for the family marriage. Gary Bauer of Family Research and Ralph Reed of Christian Coalition were also caught in the same dilemma. So the three of us tried to be a true witness for Christ in this event. Please pray for all of us that we carry the true message of Christ wherever it is needed and people will hear us. Thank you for listening, Prayerfully, Beverly LaHaye, Chairman"
Comment from the ministry: "We certainly do sympathize with Beverly LaHaye. We know how deceptive the cults can be. They come as Angels of Light in order to deceive any unsuspecting sheep that may wonder from the fold. (Dan and his wife are former Mormons} "The lesson to be learned here is for us all to be on our guard at all times. If Mrs. LaHaye can be fooled, with all of her staff available to check these things out, can you imagine how quickly and easily your children and the average Christian can be sucked unto the devil's playgrounds." From another article "Mass marriages, Cult, Moonies." Few spiritual movements conjure up images as viscerally as the church founded by Rev. Sun Myung Moon of Korea in 1954 and brought to America in 1971. More images: the flock - uprooted '60s flower children; the leader - an anti-Communist, capitalist newspaper baron.
"Now here's the Sunday image. In a pretty brick A-frame just outside downtown Denver, the worship service is designed to be as dear and familiar as a country church spire. A guitarist leads hymns at a pink-carpeted altar framed by pictures of Jesus and Moon. There are Sunday school and potluck and lots of well-behaved kids. The congregation is 70% converts from mainline Christianity, including Don and Kathy Spangenberg, a handsome and prosperous-looking couple in their 50s who appreciate how Moon's philosophy pulls "all religions together." Husband, wife, family, church - that's the image Unificationists say is reality. Even the sermon is as Middle America as the preacher, the Rev. Jim Flynn. He's filling in for Gi Young Shin, who's leading a religious workshop in Korea. In his sermon, "The Power of Unity," Flynn talks about how an upstart team was able to defeat his beloved Broncos - not as individuals, but by pulling together as a team. Flynn and his wife, Carolyn, were among 2,075 couples who took part in a "marriage blessing" at New York City's Madison Square Garen in 1982; Moon had chosen Carolyn for Flynn three years before. (Flynn recalled, "We went outside and said: `Gee, Rev. Moon thinks we should be engaged. Shall we give it a try?) The results are a solid marriage (she's the light of my life") three great kids and absolute trust in Moon as a representative of God. "I'd much rather have a person I trust spiritually (choose my wife) than some computer database," Flynn said. High praise from Flynn, a computer trainer. The Flynns, raised Catholic, now believe that, like Jesus, Moon and his wife reached the highest status possible in this life, as True Parents, reflecting the male/female mystery of God's creativity.
Unificationists want to shake the image of brainwashed cultists. Flynn says they will no longer tolerate the name Moonies.. He deals affably with Moon's eccentricities. In a newspaper ad running nationally, the leader explains bodily functions and tweaks Jesus for not marrying. "He's not too concerned with political correctness," Flynn concedes." (Tampa Tribune "How Coloradans Worship", Jean Torkelson) The editor of Watchman Expositor, vol.13, No 5, 1996 p. 8 stated that the primary reason Rev. Moon gained such credibility was many conferences and programs presented through its front organizations. Typically they present the keynote address, in which they will present Unification theology. Claims that such front organizations are not affiliated and are empty. They admit to it in their own publications. Many are drawn to these programs not realizing that they are attending an event sponsored by the Unification Church. They will go to great expense to hire high-profile celebrities from various fields to participate which draws non-members who otherwise would not attend. Moon associates himself in the public mind with prominent business, entertainment, and political personalities lending credibility to his organization. Here are some examples: Maureen Reagan; former President Ford; George and Barbara Bush; Bill Cosby; Marilyn Quail (hopeful Presidential candidate's wife) & Jack Kemp. (Washington Post, Oct 14, 1996 p.C3) Others are Olympic Gold medalist Dan Jansen; Mrs. Martin Luther King, Coretta Scott King; Barbara Walters; Christopher Reed and those named in the previous article. (The Washington Post, July 30, 1996) President Bush's fees reportedly run $80,000 per speech (The Washington Post, July 30, 1996, p.E1). It was said that his fees would be donated to charity. They made much more and estimates have run as high as one million dollars for his six appearances. The Washington Times, Moon owned, ran a full page ad. Many claim they didn't know of the connections, others did and didn't care. Some did not know but said they would have done it had they known. Still others refuse to acknowledge the connection to Moon. Former members of his organization insist that Rev. Moon uses celebrities to gain new members.
The editor of Watchman Expositor reminded the readers that it is troubling to see people like Robert Schuller, Beverly LaHaye, Ralph Reed, Pat Boone sharing the platform with Mr. and Mrs. Moon. Why, because "Mrs. Moon taught that Jesus was, not the virgin-born son of Mary, but rather the illegitimate son of Mary and her cousin's husband, Zecharias (tape on file). Mrs. Moon was giving no new teaching, but standard Unification Church theology. In his February 7, 1995 address in Washington D.C., Moon stated, "Who was the father of Jesus? Zachariah." He continued, "The result of the relationship between Zachariah and Mary was the birth of Jesus Christ" (Today's World, April 1995, p.12). There should be no question that the Jesus of the Unification Church is not the Jesus of the Bible." I happened to watch an interview on CNN, on October 10, 1998 of Rev. Sun Myung Moon's daughter in law, Nansook Hook, who wrote the book "In the Shadow of the Moons." She stated that the Rev. calls himself the Messiah Sung Myung Moon who has a staff of 50 people and has amassed billions of dollars. He has 50,000 hardworking members enriching their lifestyle. The members sell flowers and sleep in tents. Brides are teenagers. She was a child bride of 15 years old and wasted 29 years of her life. There was no love just abuse. She feared for her life after she decided on a divorce. She called the Moon family organized religion. Her former husband abused her and she had not one happy moment for 15 years. The children in the organization become disfunctional. They don't live the family values that they teach. Rev. Moon is delusional and not the Messiah even if he thinks he is. She went public for shelter. If anything happens to her it would point a finger to her family which she is trying to leave.
What do they teach? ERROR!! [in relation to the Bible] states Cultivate Ministries from Colorado Springs. We now have the means to heal all modern-day human problems, exalt every human soul, and bring the Kingdom of God within the reach of every man. (Moon, Christianity in Crisis, ix)
God Himself told me that the most basic and central truth of this universe is that God is the Father and we are His children (CIC, p.9). There is one living, eternal, and true God, a Person, beyond space and time.. source of all truth, beauty, and goodness.. creator and sustainer of man and the universe (Declaration of Unification Theological Affirmations at Barrytown, New York, October 14, 1976). God being the First Cause of all creation, also exists because of a reciprocal relationship between the dual characteristics of positivity and negativity.. We call the positivity and negativity of God "masculinity" and "femininity" respectively (Moon, Divine Principle, p.24). God existed as the internal masculine subject, and He created the universe as His external feminine object (DP, p.25)
Man is the visible; and God is the invisible form. God and man are one. Man is incarnate God.. as important in value as God Himself (CIC, p.5). God is just like you and me. All Human traits originate in God (CIC, p.4)
As a man [Jesus was] no different from us except for the fact that he was without original sin (DP, p.212). He was the one who lived God's ideal in fullest realization (CIC, p.12). He "attained" the purpose of creation (DP, p.290). In light of his attained deity he may well be called God. Nevertheless, he can by no means be called God Himself (DP, pp.210-11).
The death of Jesus was neither his will nor his fault. [It was] murder, and his body was taken by Satan (CIC, p.104) He will come again as the third Adam, the lord of the Second Advent. The Kingdom of God will gradually appear (DP, p.506) Jesus came as the sinless Adam, or perfected Adam. His first mission was to restore his bride and form his first family of God. But he was crucified. Jesus Christ must come again to con summate the mission he left undone 2,000 years ago (CIC, p.27). See "Reincarnation."
Christ will be born in a country in the East.. and will place a seal on the foreheads of the 144,000 (DP, p.520).
Korea should be the nation that can receive the Lord of the Second Advent (DP, p.520). Even if the spirit world after his resurrection, he lives as a spirit man with his disciples (DP,p. 212).
The Holy Spirit is a female Spirit. She also cleanses the sins of the people in order to restore them, thus indemnifying the sin committed by Eve.. the Holy Spirit, being female (negativity) in working on earth (DP,p.215).
There must be a True Mother with the True Father, in order to give rebirth to fallen children as children of goodness. She is the Holy Spirit (DP, p.215).
Adam and Eve.. were tempted by the archangel Lucifer into illicit and forbidden love. Through this, Adam and Eve willfully turned away from God's will and purpose for them, thus bringing themselves and the human race into spiritual death (DUTA).
Evil is the emergence of selfishness into this world. God's principle of unselfish giving was wisted into an ungodly principle of selfish taking. The origin of evil is Satan (CIC, pp. 16-17).
It is God's will that all people be restored to Him is predestined absolutely, and He has elected all people to salvation (DUTA) He [Jesus] must come again to consummate the mission he left undone 2,000 years ago. He was crucified.. not given a chance to restore his bride (CIC, p.27). God's work has been the restoration of original goodness.. To do this job God needs certain tools. The religions of the world have served as these tools for God.. Christianity may be considered the most advanced and progressive religion because it teaches this sacrificial love and duty in supreme form (CIC, pp.17-18). Christ will come as before, as a man in the flesh, and he will establish a family through marriage to his Bride, a woman in the flesh and they will become the True Parents of all mankind. Through our accepting the True Parents (the Second Coming of Christ) , obeying them and following them, our original sin will be eliminated and we will eventually become perfect (DUTA). Marriage is the most important means of establishing God's kingdom on earth (CIC,p.25). God intended to make Adam and Eve one in heavenly matrimony. Then they would have borne sinless children and become the true mother and father for all mankind.. establishing the heavenly kingdom on earth (CIC,p.26)
The invisible world was not created after the fall.. it had been created before the creation of men, so that their spirits, after they had accomplished the purpose of creation, might go and live there forever, once they had discarded their flesh, after their physical life on earth (DP, p.168). Physical [death] is not a result of the fall.. spiritual death signifying the degradation to Satanic dominion, is the real death caused by the fall (DP, p.169).
The human body, once it is dissolved into dust, cannot be resurrected to its original state. It is not necessary for a spirit man to resume his flesh, when there is a vast spirit world where he is supposed to go and live forever (DP, p.170). Therefore, "resurrection," means the phenomena occurring in the process of man's restoration.. When we repent of our sins, making ourselves better and better, day by day, we are coming closer to the resurrection (DP, p.170).
Paradise is the region of the spirit world where those spirit men who have attained the life-spirit stage by believing in Jesus while on earth go after death, and stay until the gate to the Kingdom of Heaven opened (DP, p.177). The providence of restoration, beginning on the individual level, is headed for the final goal of the restoration of the entire cosmos (DP,p.187).
The spirit men who left their missions unaccomplished on earth descend to earthly men.. and cooperate with them for the accomplishment of the will .. In this case, the earthly man is the "second coming" of the spirit man.. John the Baptist.. had to accomplish the mission Elijah had left unaccomplished (DP, pp.187-88)