108-490: Unificationist may refer to: Unificationist (religion) , A member of the Unification Church; not to be confused with Unitarians or Unitarian Universalists In politics of Australia , a unificationist is a person who favours abolition of the federal system and the unification of the states See also [ edit ] Unionist (disambiguation) Topics referred to by
216-484: A Presbyterian Church , where he later taught Sunday school . In 1945, Moon attended the Israel Monastery (Israel Jesus Church near Seoul) with his wife, Choi Sun-Kil ( 최선길 ; 崔先吉 ; Choe Seon-gil ), to learn the teachings of Kim Baek-moon [ ko ] , including his book The Fundamental Principles of Christianity (基督教根本原理 drafted March 2, 1946, published March 2, 1958). After World War II and
324-592: A cannabis "smoke-in" in the middle of a Unification Church sponsored rally in Washington, D.C. In 1976, Unification Church president Neil Albert Salonen met with Senator Bob Dole to defend the Unification Church against charges made by its critics, including parents of some members. In 1977, Unification Church member Jonathan Wells , who later became well known as the author of the popular Intelligent Design book Icons of Evolution , defended Unification Church theology against what he said were unfair criticisms by
432-408: A dangerous cult , a political powerhouse, and a business empire. The group has been accused of excessive financial exploitation of its members. Its involvement in politics includes anti-communism and support for Korean reunification . Its members have founded, owned, and supported related organizations in business, education, politics, and more. Moon did not originally intend to found
540-496: A 1976 rally in Washington, D.C., in which he spoke on the grounds of the Washington Monument to around 300,000 people. During this time many Unification Church members left school and careers to devote their full-time to church work. "Mobile fundraising teams" (often called MFT) were set up to raise money for church projects, sometimes giving candy or flowers in exchange for donations. Members considered fund raising to be
648-462: A Blessing ceremony held in Korea, partly in order to promote unity between the two nations. Moon's practice of matching couples was very unusual in both Christian tradition and modern Western culture and attracted much attention and controversy. The Blessing ceremonies have attracted a lot of attention in the press and in the public imagination, often being labeled "mass weddings". However, in most cases,
756-531: A Minnesota law which had imposed registration and reporting requirements on those religions that receive more than half of their contributions from nonmembers as being contrary to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution 's protection of religious freedom and prohibition of state establishment of religion. The law was seen as especially targeting the Unification Church. In 1982, Moon
864-513: A close look at HSA-UWC's theology is important: "They raise some incredibly interesting issues." In 1984, Eileen Barker published The Making of a Moonie based on her seven-year study of HSA-UWC members in the United Kingdom and the United States. In 2006, Laurence Iannaccone of George Mason University , a specialist in the economics of religion , wrote that The Making of a Moonie
972-761: A doctoral thesis entitled "The World Savers: A Field Study of Cult Processes", and in a 1966 book by Prentice-Hall , Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith . In 1977, Frederick Sontag , a professor of philosophy at Pomona College and a minister in the United Church of Christ , spent 10 months visiting HSA-UWC members in North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as interviewing Moon at his home in New York State . He reported his findings and observations in Sun Myung Moon and
1080-518: A financial success, The Washington Times was well-read in conservative and anti-communist circles and was credited by President Ronald Reagan , who acknowledged reading the paper daily, with helping to win the Cold War . In 1983, Unification Church members publicly protested against the Soviet Union over its shooting down of Korean Airlines Flight 007 . In 1984, church member Dan Fefferman founded
1188-678: A literal Second Coming . Unification Church of the United States The Unification Church of the United States is the branch of the Unification Church in the United States . It began in the late 1950s and early 1960s when missionaries from South Korea were sent to America by the international Unification Church's founder and leader Sun Myung Moon . It expanded in the 1970s and then became involved in controversy due to its theology, its political activism, and
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#17328768100321296-493: A negative light. In 1975 Steven Hassan , who had held an important leadership position in the Unification Church in the United States, left it and later became an outspoken critic. He is the author of two books on his experiences and on his theories concerning cults and brainwashing . The political activities of the church were opposed by some leftists. In 1976 members of the Youth International Party staged
1404-520: A period of nine years after he claimed Jesus appeared to him on Easter Sunday 1936 on the mountainside and asked him to continue the work that he could not finish while he was on earth, due to the "tragedy" of his crucifixion. It was first published as Wolli Wonbon ( 원리 원본 ; 原理原本 , ' Original Text of the Divine Principle ' ) in 1945. The earliest manuscript was lost in North Korea during
1512-484: A separate organization or denomination, and did not give his group of followers its official name, Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity ( 세계 기독교 통일 신령 협회 ; Segye Gidoggyo Tong-il Sinryeong Hyeobhoe ), until 1954. The informal name "Unification Church" ( 통일교 ; Tongilgyo ) has been commonly used by members, the public, and the news media. By 2018, the term "Unification Movement"
1620-815: A source of both spiritual and practical training for future activities. Moon also brought Unification Church members from Europe to work in the U.S. Church buildings were purchased around the nation, including the Belvedere Estate, the Unification Theological Seminary , and the New Yorker Hotel in New York state. The national headquarters of the Unification Church was established in the New Yorker Hotel in New York City . In Washington, D.C. ,
1728-559: A talk former Prime Minister Edward Heath gave at a Unification Church sponsored conference, Andrew Brown commented: "The term 'Moonie' has entered the language as meaning a brainwashed, bright-eyed zombie." Brown also quoted William Shaw, a broadcaster who was presenting the Cult Fiction series on BBC Radio 5 Live : "Most Moonies embrace a morality which would make them acceptable in the most genteel Anglican social circle ." In his 2000 book Mystics and Messiahs , Philip Jenkins likens
1836-509: A view of a "God-centered family". In 2003, Korean FFWPU members started a political party in South Korea, "The Party for God, Peace, Unification, and Home" ( 천주평화통일가정당 ). An inauguration declaration stated the new party would focus on preparing for Korean reunification by educating the public about God and peace. An FFWPU official said that similar political parties would be started in Japan and
1944-665: A whole were prepared by God to receive the Messiah in the person of Jesus of Nazareth , with John the Baptist tasked from birth with the mission to lead the Jewish people to Jesus, but failed in his mission. According to the Divine Principle , the Jews went through a "course of indemnity" due to the failure of John the Baptist to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, in spite of publicly testifying to him at
2052-431: Is "really the only sacrament " in the Unification movement. Unificationists therefore view singleness as "not a state to be sought or cultivated" but as preparation for marriage. Pre-marital celibacy and marital faithfulness are emphasized. Adherents may be taught to "abstain from intimate relations for a specified time after marriage". The church does not give its marriage blessing to same-sex couples. Moon has emphasized
2160-461: Is a harsh word to use". In the same year, Durst wrote in his autobiography : "Our relations with the Jewish community have been the most painful to me personally. I say this with a heavy heart since I was raised in the Jewish faith and am proud of my heritage." In 1989, Unification Church leaders Peter Ross and Andrew Wilson issued "Guidelines for Members of The Unification Church in Relations with
2268-432: Is considered to be one of the most important and widely cited studies of the process of religious conversion , and one of the first modern sociological studies of a new religious movement. By 1971, the Unification Church of the United States had about 500 members. By the end of the 1970s it had expanded to about 5,000 members, with most of them being in their early 20s. In the 1980s and 1990s membership remained at about
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#17328768100322376-480: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Unificationist (religion) The Unification Church ( Korean : 통일교 ; RR : Tongil-gyo ) is a new religious movement derived from Christianity , whose members are called Unificationists or sometimes informally Moonies . It was founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Seoul , South Korea, as
2484-609: Is discouraged by the Unification Church. Also in the 1980s, Moon instructed Unification Church members to take part in a program called "Home Church" in which they reached out to neighbors and community members through public service. Unification Church business interests, which had begun in the 1960s, expanded in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. Church-owned businesses in the United States include media and entertainment, fishing and sea food distribution, hotels and real estate, and many others. Many church members found employment in church-owned businesses while others pursued careers outside of
2592-399: Is no longer considered crucial to church members. In 1997 Dr. Sontag commented: "There's no question their numbers are way down. The older members complain to me that they have a lot of captains but no foot soldiers." While Barker reported that Unificationists had undergone a transformation in their world view from millennialism to utopianism . On May 1, 1994, the 40th anniversary of
2700-540: Is not always considered pejorative, as Unification Church members have used the word—including the president of the Unification Theological Seminary David Kim, Bo Hi Pak , Moon's aide and president of Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea , and Moon himself. Moon and his wife, Hak Ja Han, are regarded by Unificationists as "True Father" and "True Mother", respectively, and as "True Parents" collectively. On February 25, 1920, Moon
2808-482: Is to promote "intercultural, interracial, and international cooperation through the Unification world view." J. Isamu Yamamoto states in Unification Church : "At times, CARP has been very subtle about its association with the Unification Church; however, the link between the two has always been strong since the purpose of both is to spread Moon's teachings." The HSA-UWC also sent missionaries to Europe. They entered Czechoslovakia in 1968 and remained underground until
2916-706: The New York City Tribune ) and the Spanish-language Noticias del Mundo, were published in New York from 1976 until the early 1990s. In 1982 The New York Times described News World as "the newspaper unit of the Unification Church." Moon's son, Hyun Jin Moon , is its chairman of the board. News World Communications owns United Press International , The World and I , Tiempos del Mundo (Latin America), The Segye Ilbo (South Korea), The Sekai Nippo (Japan),
3024-595: The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity ( HSA-UWC ; 세계기독교통일신령협회 ); in 1994, the organization changed its name to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification ( FFWPU ; 세계평화통일가정연합 ). It has a presence in approximately 100 countries around the world. Its leaders are Moon (prior to his death) and his wife, Hak Ja Han , whom their followers honor with the title "True Parents". Moon's book, The Divine Principle , informs
3132-637: The Japanese rule ended in 1945, Moon began preaching. In 1946, Moon traveled alone to Pyongyang in Communist -ruled North Korea. He was arrested on allegations of spying for South Korea and given a five-year sentence to the Hŭngnam labor camp . Moon founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC) in Seoul on May 1, 1954. It expanded rapidly in South Korea and, by
3240-531: The Korean War . A second, expanded version, Wonli Hesol ( 원리 해설 ; 原理解說 ), or Explanation of the Divine Principle , was published in 1957. The Divine Principle [ ko ] or Exposition of the Divine Principle ( 원리강론 ; 原理講論 ; Wolli Gangnon ) is the main theological textbook of the movement. It was co-written by Sun Myung Moon and early disciple Hyo Won'eu and first published in 1966. A translation entitled Divine Principle
3348-742: The National Council of Churches . That same year Frederick Sontag , a professor of philosophy at Pomona College and a minister in the United Church of Christ , published Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church which gave an overview of the Unification Church and urged Christians to take it more seriously. In an interview with UPI Sontag compared the Unification Church with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and said that he expected its practices to conform more to mainstream American society as its members become more mature. He added that he did not want to be considered an apologist for
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3456-557: The Rod of Iron Ministries (also known as the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church). It has been controversial for its advocacy of private ownership of firearms and for its support of the January 6 United States Capitol protest . The Unification Church has been struggling with severe financial difficulties following the death of Sun Myung Moon. Since late July 2024, protests have erupted at
3564-563: The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion . In 1997 Barker reported that Unificationists had mostly undergone a transformation in their worldview from millennialism to utopianism . In 1998, Irving Louis Horowitz , a sociologist, questioned the relationship between the HSA-UWC and scholars whom it paid to conduct research on its behalf. Unificationism holds that the Jewish people as
3672-582: The Soviet Union and met with President Mikhail Gorbachev . Moon expressed support for the political and economic transformations underway in the Soviet Union. At the same time, the movement was expanding into formerly communist nations. The Women's Federation for World Peace (세계평화여성연합, WFWP) was founded in 1992 by Hak Ja Han. Its stated purpose is to encourage women to work more actively to promote peace in their communities and society. It has members in 143 countries. On May 1, 1994 (the 40th anniversary of
3780-589: The Tokyo Dome . Bush told the gathering: "If as president I could have done one thing to have helped the country more, it would have been to do a better job in finding a way, either through speaking out or through raising a moral standard, to strengthen the American family." Hak Ja Han , the main speaker, credited her husband with bringing about the Fall of Communism and declared that he must save America from "the destruction of
3888-640: The Zambezi Times (South Africa), The Middle East Times (Egypt). Until 2008 it published the Washington, D.C.-based newsmagazine Insight on the News . Until 2010, it owned The Washington Times . On November 2, 2010, Sun Myung Moon and a group of former Times editors purchased the paper from News World. Starting in the 1980s, Moon instructed HSA-UWC members to take part in a program called "Home Church" in which they reached out to neighbors and community members through public service. In April 1990, Moon visited
3996-595: The 1990s. Unification movement activity in South America began in the 1970s with missionary work. Later, the HSA-UWC made large investments in civic organizations and business projects, including an international newspaper. Starting in the 1990s, the HSA-UWC expanded in Russia and other former communist nations. Hak Ja Han , Moon's wife, made a radio broadcast to the nation from the State Kremlin Palace . As of 1994,
4104-467: The Blessing ceremony is not a legal wedding ceremony. Some couples are already married and those that are engaged are later legally married according to the laws of their own countries. The New York Times referred to a 1997 ceremony for 28,000 couples as a "marriage affirmation ceremony", adding: "The real weddings were held later in separate legal ceremonies." Mary Farrell Bednarowski says that marriage
4212-442: The Church invested nearly a million dollars into the United States seafood industry. Moon delivered a speech in 1980 entitled "The Way of Tuna," in which he claimed that "After we build the boats, we catch the fish and process them for the market, and then have a distribution network. This is not just on the drawing board; I have already done it." and declared himself the "king of the ocean." He also suggested that they could get around
4320-943: The FFWPU co-sponsored the Million Family March , the Global Peace Festival in 2009, and blessing ceremonies in which thousands of married couples of different faith backgrounds were given the marriage blessing previously given only to Unification Church members. In 2001, the United States Army , in a handbook for chaplains , reported that "the Unification Church emphasizes the responsibility of citizenship but sets no official rules as to military service ." It added that members have no restrictions on diet, uniform appearance, medical treatment, or other factors which might conflict with military requirements. In 2009, Sun Myung Moon's daughter In Jin Moon became president of
4428-706: The HSA-UWC had about 5,000 members in Russia. About 500 Russian students had been sent to the US to participate in 40-day workshops. Moon moved to the United States in 1971, although he remained a citizen of the Republic of Korea. In the 1970s, he gave a series of public speeches in the United States, including one in Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1974; two in 1976 in Yankee Stadium in New York City; and one on
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4536-707: The International Coalition for Religious Freedom in Virginia , which is active in protesting what it considers to be threats to religious freedom by governmental agencies. In 1986 conservative author William Rusher wrote: "The members the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church, now almost universally referred to as 'Moonies,' constitute a fascinating problem for outsiders—and perhaps above all for conservatives, because they are so unabashedly anti-Communist and pro-American." The Unification Church of
4644-634: The Jewish People" which stated: "In the past there have been serious misunderstandings between Judaism and the Unification Church. In order to clarify these difficulties and guide Unification Church members in their relations with Jews, the Unification Church suggests the following guidelines." In 2008, the Encyclopaedia Judaica described the statements and guidelines arising from mutual contacts as "excellent". Protestant commentators have criticized Unification Church teachings as being contrary to
4752-634: The Jordan River, whilst receiving the baptism. In 1976, the American Jewish Committee released a report by Rabbi A. James Rudin which stated that the Divine Principle contained "pejorative language, stereotyped imagery, and accusations of collective sin and guilt ." In a news conference that was presented by the AJC and representatives of Catholic and Protestant churches, panelists stated that
4860-535: The Protestant doctrine of salvation by faith alone . In their influential book The Kingdom of the Cults (first published in 1965), Walter Ralston Martin and Ravi K. Zacharias disagreed with the Divine Principle on the issues of Christology , the virgin birth of Jesus , the movement's belief that Jesus should have married , the necessity of the crucifixion of Jesus , and a literal resurrection of Jesus as well as
4968-470: The Unification Church , published by Abingdon Press . The book also provides an overview of the Divine Principle . In an interview with UPI , Sontag compared the HSA-UWC with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and said that he expects its practices to conform more to mainstream American society as its members become more mature. He added that he did not want to be considered an apologist but that
5076-551: The Unification Church but a close look at its theology is important: "They raise some incredibly interesting issues." In 1978 and 1979, the Unification Church's support for the South Korean government was investigated by a Congressional subcommittee led by Democratic Representative Donald M. Fraser of Minnesota . (see also: Koreagate , Fraser Committee ) In 1982 the United States Supreme Court struck down
5184-578: The Unification Church into widespread public and media attention. The Unification Church of the United States sponsored other anti-communist activities during the 1970s and 1980s, including the multi-national organization CAUSA International . In 1982, Moon founded The Washington Times , a daily conservative newspaper in Washington, D.C. , as part of News World Communications , an international news media conglomerate which also publishes newspapers in South Korea, Japan, and South America. Although never
5292-574: The Unification Church of the United States ) commented: "Why, after so many years, should we now be taking such a stand to eliminate the term 'Moonie?' For me, it is a sign that the American Unification Church has come of age. We can no longer allow our founder, our members, and allies to be dehumanized and unfairly discriminated against. ... We are now entering a period of our history where our Church development and family orientation are strong enough that we can turn our attention toward ending
5400-554: The Unification Church of the United States. She worked to modernise church's worship style in an effort to involve younger members. Following Sun Myung Moon's death in 2012, his widow Hak Ja Han took leadership responsibility for the international Unification Church, including its activities in the United States. In 2013, the Global Peace Foundation , which had been founded in 2009 by Moon and Han's son Hyun Jin Moon and church leader Chung Hwan Kwak , distanced itself from
5508-527: The Unification Church opened a conference center in Las Vegas , Nevada. In 2016 a study sponsored by the Unification Theological Seminary found that American Unification Church members were divided in their choices in the 2016 United States presidential election , with the largest bloc supporting Senator Bernie Sanders . In 2018 The New York Times , which had previously been critical of
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#17328768100325616-474: The Unification Church purchased a church building from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . In Seattle , it purchased the historic Rolland Denny mansion. Moon had long been an advocate for anti-communism . He was born in what is now North Korea and had been imprisoned by the North Korean communist government during the Korean War , and believed that the defeat of communism by democracy
5724-432: The Unification Church resent references to them as 'Moonies'", and quoted one church member who said, "Even in quotation marks, it's derogatory". In 1985, the president of the Unification Church of the United States, Mose Durst , said: "In one year, we moved from being a pariah to being part of the mainstream. People recognized that Reverend Moon was abused for his religious beliefs and they rallied around. You rarely hear
5832-503: The Unification Church: In the early 1960s, John Lofland lived with HSA-UWC missionary Young Oon Kim and a small group of American members and studied their promotional and proselytization activities. Lofland noted that most of their efforts were ineffective and that most of the people who joined did so because of personal relationships with other members—often family relationships. Lofland published his findings in 1964 as
5940-498: The Unification Theological Seminary, refer to 'Moonie theology,' the 'Moonie lifestyle,' and so forth matter-of-factly". The principal aide to Moon, Bo Hi Pak , was quoted by Carlton Sherwood in his book Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon as declaring to the United States Congress : "I am a proud Korean – a proud 'Moonie' – and a dedicated anti-Communist and I intend to remain so
6048-519: The United States and came to public notice. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the word "Moonie" was used by Unification Church members both within the movement and in public as a self-designation, and "as a badge of honor". Unification Church members could be seen on the New York City Subway wearing T-shirts that read: "I'm a Moonie and I love it". Religious scholar Anson Shupe notes that "on many occasions," he heard "David Kim, President of
6156-518: The United States and established what he called "holy grounds" in each of the 48 contiguous states. The Unification Church first came to public notice in the United States after sociology student John Lofland studied Young Oon Kim's group and published his findings as a doctoral thesis entitled: The World Savers: A Field Study of Cult Processes , which was published in 1966 in book form by Prentice-Hall as Doomsday Cult: A Study of Conversion, Proselytization, and Maintenance of Faith . This book
6264-421: The United States has introduced a number of neologisms into the English language, directly or indirectly. These include the derogatory word "Moonie", a special use of the word " indemnity ", and the expressions " doomsday cult ", " love bombing ", and " crazy for God " —the last coined by Moon himself. The word "Moonie" was first used by the American news media in the 1970s when Sun Myung Moon moved to
6372-445: The United States. Since 2003, the FFWPU-related Universal Peace Federation's Middle East Peace Initiative has been organizing group tours of Israel and Palestine to promote understanding, respect, and reconciliation among Jews, Muslims, and Christians. On August 15, 2012, Moon was reported to be gravely ill and was put on a respirator at the intensive care unit of St. Mary's Hospital at The Catholic University of Korea in Seoul. He
6480-468: The beliefs of the Unification Church. Moon considered himself the Second Coming of Christ , claiming to complete the mission Jesus Christ was unable to because of his crucifixion: beginning a new ideal family, and a larger human lineage, free from sin . The Unification Church is well known for its mass weddings , known as Blessing ceremonies . It has been criticized for its teachings and for its social and political influence, with critics calling it
6588-487: The church community. Also expanding were church sponsored interdenominational and cultural projects. In 1984, Eileen Barker , a British sociologist specializing in religious topics, published The Making of a Moonie which disputed much of the negative characterization of Unification Church members by the news media. In 1991, Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon by investigative journalist Carlton Sherwood criticized
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#17328768100326696-403: The church's political involvement; and the extreme lifestyle of most members, which involved full-time dedication to church activities often at the neglect of family, school, and career. During this time, hundreds of parents of members used the services of deprogrammers to remove their children from church membership and the activities of the church were widely reported in the media, most often in
6804-555: The couples except 12 who were already married to each other before joining the church. This was Moon's second marriage. In 1945 he married Sun Kil Choi . They had a son in 1946 and divorced in 1954. Later Blessing ceremonies were larger in scale but followed the same pattern. All participants were HSA-UWC members and Moon matched most of the couples. In 1982 the first large-scale Blessing (of 2,000 couples) outside of Korea took place in Madison Square Garden, New York City. In 1988, Moon matched 2,500 Korean members with Japanese members for
6912-407: The designation of 'Moonie,' and to declare any such nomenclature as indicative of a prejudiced view of the church." In 1989, the Chicago Tribune was picketed after referring to members as Moonies. Moon directed minister and civil rights leader James Bevel to form a protest by religious officials against the Chicago Tribune because of the newspaper's use of the word. Bevel handed out fliers at
7020-438: The end of 1955, had 30 centers nationwide. The HSA-UWC expanded throughout the world, with most members living in South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, and other nations in East Asia . In the 1970s, American HSA-UWC members were noted for raising money for Unification Church projects. In 1955 the HSA-UWC founded The Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles ( CARP ; 대학원리연구회 ). According to CARP's website, its goal
7128-749: The entrance of Cheonjeonggung Palace in Gapyeong, starting with a rally calling for the resignation of Vice President Jung Won-joo. These protests have been fueled by the exposure of corruption involving key aides of the former head of the Unification Church Foundation, particularly those close to Han Hak Ja. From late September, the Unification Church Members' Emergency Response Committee and gatherings advocating for Jung's resignation have held protests. By early October, demonstrations spread to major Unification Church sites, including Cheongshim Peace World Center in Gyeonggi's Gapyeong and Cheonwon Temple in Yongsan, Seoul, demanding Jung's resignation. Moon's book, The Divine Principle , was, he claimed, revealed to him over
7236-400: The fall and restore humanity back to the relationship and position that God originally intended. David Václavík and Dušan Lužný described the details of those three points as follows: Followers take as a starting point the truth of the Christian Old and New Testaments, with the Divine Principle an additional text that intends to interpret and "fulfill" the purpose of those older texts. Moon
7344-569: The family and moral decay". In 2000, Moon founded the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO), which describes itself as "a global organization whose mission is to serve its member organizations, strengthen and encourage the non-governmental sector as a whole, increase public understanding of the non-governmental community, and provide the mechanism and support needed for NGOs to connect, partner, and multiply their contributions to solve humanity's basic problems." It has been criticized for promoting conservatism in contrast to some of
7452-467: The federal government's prosecution of Moon in the 1980s. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moon made anti-communism much less of a priority for Unification Church members. In that year Moon announced that members should return to their hometowns in order to undertake apostolic work there. Massimo Introvigne , who has studied the Unification Church and other new religious movements , has said that this confirms that full-time membership
7560-495: The founding of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC) in Seoul , South Korea, Moon declared that the era of the HSA-UWC had ended and inaugurated a new organization: the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). The FFWPU included members of various religious organizations working toward common goals, especially on issues of sexual morality and reconciliation between people of different religions, nations, and races. In 2000,
7668-519: The founding of the HSA-UWC), Moon declared that the era of the HSA-UWC had ended and inaugurated a new organization: the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) would include HSA-UWC members and members of other religious organizations working toward common goals, especially on issues of sexual morality and reconciliation between people of different religions, nations, and races. The FFWPU co-sponsored Blessing ceremonies in which thousands of couples from other churches and religions were given
7776-600: The government's case. Among the American Christian leaders who spoke out in defense of Moon were conservative Jerry Falwell , head of Moral Majority , and liberal Joseph Lowery , head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference . Michael Tori, a professor at Marist College ( Poughkeepsie, New York ) suggested that Moon's conviction helped the Unification Church gain more acceptance in mainstream American society, since it showed that he
7884-458: The grounds of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., where he spoke on "God's Hope for America" to 300,000 people. In 1975, the HSA-UWC held one of the largest peaceful gatherings in history , with 1.2 million people in Yeouido , South Korea. In the 1970s, the Unification Church, along with some other new religious movements, became a target of the anti-cult movement . Activists have accused
7992-519: The human bloodline is sinful due to being directly descended from Satan. Through the Blessing, members believe, the couple is removed from the lineage of sinful humanity and restored back into God's sinless lineage. The first Blessing ceremony was held in 1961 for 36 couples in Seoul, South Korea by the Moons shortly after their own marriage in 1960. All the couples were members of the church. Moon matched all of
8100-713: The ideals of the United Nations . In 2000, the FFWPU co-sponsored the Million Family March , a rally in Washington, D.C. , to celebrate family unity and racial and religious harmony, along with the Nation of Islam . Louis Farrakhan was the main speaker at the event which was held on October 16, 2000; the fifth anniversary of the Million Man March , which was also organized by Farrakhan. FFWPU leader Dan Fefferman wrote to his colleagues acknowledging that Farrakhan's and Moon's views differed on multiple issues but shared
8208-821: The lifestyle of its members. Since then, it has been involved in many areas of American society and has established businesses, news media, projects in education and the arts, as well as taking part in political and social activism, and has itself gone through substantial changes. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, missionaries from the Unification Church of South Korea came to the United States. Among them were Young Oon Kim , Sang Ik-Choi, Bo Hi Pak , David S. C. Kim, and Yun Soo Lim . Missionary work took place in seven Mid-Atlantic states (including New York , Pennsylvania , and New Jersey ), and Washington D.C. , three Midwestern states (including Illinois , Wisconsin , and Michigan ), and three West Coast states (including California , Oregon , and Washington ). In 1965, Moon visited
8316-497: The mainstream Unification Church. In 2017, they also founded the Family Peace Association . In 2014, Moon and Han's younger sons Hyung Jin Moon and Kook-jin Moon founded the Rod of Iron Ministries , also known as the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church. It has been controversial for its advocacy of private ownership of firearms and for its support of the January 6 United States Capitol attack . In 2015,
8424-495: The marriage blessing previously given only to HSA-UWC members. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Church's businesses expanded greatly and encountered significant success, leading to it becoming wealthy despite its declining number of members. In 1991 Moon announced that members should return to their hometowns, to undertake apostolic work there. Massimo Introvigne , who has studied the Unification Church and other new religious movements , said that this confirmed that full-time membership
8532-417: The movement of having "brainwashed" its members. In 1976, American Unification Church president Neil Albert Salonen met with Senator Bob Dole to defend the HSA-UWC against charges made by its critics, including the parents of some members. The Unification Church's involvement in the seafood industry began at the direction of Moon, who ordered an expansion into "the oceanic providence." In 1976 and 1977
8640-572: The president of the Unification Church of the United States as well as a convert from Judaism , said that the Jewish community had been "hateful" in its response to the growth of the Unification movement, and he also placed blame on the community's "insecurity" and Unification Church members' "youthful zeal and ignorance". Rudin, then the national interreligious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, said that Durst's remarks were inaccurate and unfair and he also said that "hateful
8748-520: The protest which said: "Are the Moonies our new niggers?" In 1990, a position paper sent from the Unification Church to The Fresno Bee said: "We will fight gratuitous use of the 'Moonie' or 'cult' pejoratives. We will call journalists on every instance of unprofessional reporting. We intend to stop distortions plagiarized from file clippings which propagate from story to story like a computer virus ." In 1992, Michael Jenkins (who later became president of
8856-618: The recently imposed 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone by marrying American and Japanese members, allowing the Japanese ones to become American citizens, because once married, "we are not foreigners; therefore Japanese brothers, particularly those matched to Americans, are becoming ..... leaders for fishing and distribution." He also declared that " Gloucester is almost a Moonie town now!" In 1976 UC members founded News World Communications , an international news media corporation . Its first two newspapers, The News World (later renamed
8964-505: The rest of my life." Moon himself declared: "In two and a half years the word 'Moonie' shall become an honorable name and we will have demonstrations and victory celebrations from coast to coast." In the 1995 book America's Alternative Religions , published by the State University of New York Press , Baker wrote: "Although they prefer to be called Unificationists, they are referred to in the media and popularly known as 'Moonies'." In
9072-424: The same book, sociologists Anson Shupe and David Bromley , both noted for their studies of new religious movements , also use the word "Moonies" to refer to members of the Unification Church. In his 1998 book Religion, Mobilization, and Social Action , Shupe notes that Barker, Bromley, and he himself had used the term in other publications, "and meant no offense". In a 1996 article for The Independent about
9180-420: The same number. Scholars have attributed the Unification Church's relative success in the United States, as compared to other Western nations , to its support of patriotism and capitalist values, and to its multi-racial membership. Some commentators have also noted that this period of Unification Church growth in the United States took place just as the " hippie " era of the late 1960s and early 1970s
9288-424: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Unificationist . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Unificationist&oldid=431977977 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
9396-509: The similarity between Unification views of sexuality and evangelical Christianity, "reaching out to conservative Christians in this country in the last few years by emphasizing shared goals like support for sexual abstinence outside of marriage, and opposition to homosexuality." Since 2001 couples Blessed by Moon have been able to arrange marriages for their own children, without his direct guidance. Also, some Unification Church members have married partners who are not church members. Holy Days of
9504-432: The teachings of the Divine Principle and summarized it in 12 concise points: The Unification Church is well known for its Blessing tradition: a mass wedding ceremony ( 합동결혼식 ) and wedding vow renewal ceremony . It is given to engaged or married couples. According to the Church's belief in a serpent seed interpretation of original sin and the Fall of Man , Eve was sexually seduced by Satan (the serpent), and thus
9612-452: The term 'Moonie ' ", while USA Today reported on "the folks who follow Rev. Sun Myung Moon (also known, to their dislike, as the Moonies)." The Unification Church of the United States was met with widespread criticism beginning in the early 1970s. The main points of criticism were the Unification Church's unorthodox theology, especially the belief that Moon is the second coming of Christ ;
9720-423: The term 'Moonies'. This is a label which members of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church find demeaning and offensive, and I'd like to apologize for its use." In its entry on "Unification Church", the 2002 edition of The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage advised: "Unification Church is appropriate in all references to the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which
9828-490: The term to "smear words such as Shaker, Methodist, Mormon". Jenkins mentions use of the word in book titles including Life among the Moonies and Escape from the Moonies , and comments: "These titles further illustrate how the derogatory term 'Moonie' became a standard for members of this denomination, in a way that would have been inconceivable for any of the insulting epithets that could be applied to, say, Catholics or Jews." In 1984, The Washington Post noted, "Members of
9936-405: The text "contained over 125 anti-Jewish references." They also cited Moon's recent and public condemnation of " antisemitic and anti-Christian attitudes", and called upon him to make a "comprehensive and systematic removal" of antisemitic and anti-Christian references in the Divine Principle as a demonstration of good faith. In 1977, the HSA-UWC issued a rebuttal to the report, stating that it
10044-416: The widespread misunderstanding about our founder and the Unification movement." In 1992, Unification movement member Kristopher Esplin told Reuters what is normally done if the word is seen in media sources: "If it's printed in newspapers, we will respond, write to the editor, that sort of thing." On an October 6, 1994 broadcast of Nightline , host Ted Koppel stated: "On last night's program ...I used
10152-623: The word 'Moonie' anymore. We're 'Unificationists.'" In 1987, civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy , who was also the vice president of the Unification Church affiliated American Freedom Coalition and served on boards of directors for two other related organizations, equated the word "Moonie" with the word " nigger ". In 1989, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Unification Church members preferred to be called "Unificationists." The Washington Post reported that "Unification Church members are being advised no longer to accept
10260-468: Was "one of the most comprehensive and influential studies" of the process of conversion to new religious movements . Australian psychologist Len Oakes and British psychiatry professor Anthony Storr , who have written rather critically about cults , gurus , new religious movements , and their leaders have praised The Making of a Moonie . It was given the Distinguished Book Award in 1985 by
10368-760: Was a necessary step in the Divine Providence to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. In 1974, Moon asked Unification Church members to support President Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal when Nixon was being pressured to resign his office. Unification Church members prayed and fasted in support of Nixon for three days in front of the United States Capitol , under the motto: "Forgive, Love and Unite." On February 1, 1974, Nixon publicly thanked them for their support and officially received Moon. This brought
10476-477: Was admitted on August 14, 2012, after suffering from pneumonia earlier in the month. He died there on September 3. Soon after Moon's death the Global Peace Foundation , which had been founded in 2009 by Moon and Han's son Hyun Jin Moon and church leader Chung Hwan Kwak , distanced itself from the FFWPU, which is led by Han. In 2017 they also founded the Family Peace Association . In 2014 Moon and Han's younger sons Hyung Jin Moon and Kook-jin Moon founded
10584-437: Was also widely used. Moonie , the colloquial term for members, was first used in 1974 by some American media outlets. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Unification Church of the United States undertook an extensive public relations campaign against the use of the word by the news media . Many Unification Church members consider the word "Moonie" derogatory, despite originally being received neutrally. In other contexts, it
10692-535: Was born Mun Yong-myeong in Sangsa-ri ( 상사리 ; 上思里 ), Deogun-myon ( 덕언면 ), Jeongju-gun , North P'yŏng'an Province , at a time when Korea was under Japanese rule . His birthday was recorded as January 6 by the traditional lunar calendar (February 25, 1920, according to the Gregorian Calendar ). Around 1930, his family, who followed traditional Confucianist beliefs, converted to Christianity and joined
10800-583: Was convicted in United States federal court of willfully filing false Federal income tax returns and conspiracy . In 1984 and 1985, while he was serving his sentence in Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury , Connecticut , American Unification Church members launched a public-relations campaign claiming that the charges against him were unjust and politically motivated. Booklets, letters and videotapes were mailed to approximately 300,000 Christian leaders. Many signed petitions protesting
10908-411: Was ending, when many American young people were looking for a sense of higher purpose or community in their lives. Among the converts were many who had been active in leftist causes. In 1971, Moon decided to move to the United States. He then asked the American Unification Church members to help him in a series of outreach campaigns in which he spoke to public audiences in all 50 states, ending with
11016-705: Was financially accountable to the government and the public. On July 1, 1982, a large number of the members of the Unification Church of the United States were married by Rev. and Mrs. Moon in a Blessing ceremony (sometimes called a "mass wedding") in Madison Square Garden in New York City. The total number of people who took part was 2,075, some coming from the other countries. Soon after other American members were married in ceremonies in South Korea. Most who took part were matched with their future spouses by Moon. Many couples were international or interracial. Before this most American church members had been single and living celibately . Moon's practice of matching couples
11124-458: Was founded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Do not use the disparaging Moonie(s) ". Reuters, in its handbook for journalists, says: " 'Moonie' is a pejorative term for members of the Unification Church. We should not use it in copy and avoid it when possible in direct quotations." In 2010, National Public Radio , in a story on Unification Church " second generation " members, reported that they "bristle at
11232-696: Was intent on replacing worldwide forms of Christianity with his new unified vision of it, Moon being a self-declared messiah . Moon's followers regard him as a separate person from Jesus but with a mission to basically continue and complete Jesus's work in a new way, according to the Principle . The Unification Church regards a person's destination after death as being dependent on how much one's work during this life corresponds to its teachings. Moon's followers believe in Apocatastasis , that everyone will eventually receive salvation . In 1977, Frederick Sontag analyzed
11340-510: Was neither comprehensive nor reconciliatory, instead, it had a "hateful tone" and it was filled with "sweeping denunciations". It denied that the Divine Principle teaches antisemitism and gave detailed responses to 17 specific allegations which were contained in the AJC's report, stating that the allegations were distortions of teachings and obscurations of the real content of passages or the passages were accurate summaries of Jewish scriptures or New Testament passages. In 1984, Mose Durst , then
11448-655: Was no longer considered crucial to church members. In 1994, The New York Times recognized the movement's political influence, saying it was "a theocratic powerhouse that is pouring foreign fortunes into conservative causes in the United States." In 1998, the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram criticized Moon's "ultra-right leanings" and suggested a personal relationship with conservative Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu . In 1995, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara Bush , spoke at an FFWPU event in
11556-457: Was published in English in 1973. The Divine Principle lays out the core of Unification Church theology and is held by its believers to have the status of holy scripture. Following the format of systematic theology , it includes God 's purpose in creating human beings, the fall of man , and restoration – the process through history by which God is working to remove the ill effects of
11664-445: Was very unusual in both Christian tradition and in modern Western culture and attracted much attention and controversy. Thousands of couples have been placed in marriages by religious leaders with people they had barely met, since Moon taught that romantic love led to sexual promiscuity. Their mass arranged marriage events have gained international public attention. Critics have stated that some of these marriages end in divorce, which
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