SUN MYUNG MOON MEETS HIS MAKER

The "Moonies" have always been a kind of enigma to most North Americans. Why do they have such huge wedding ceremonies? Who is Sun Myung Moon? What do they believe? Why are so many Koreans convinced to follow Moon's theology? At the Church in Toronto we strive to keep our congregation aware of any "different gospel" (Gal. 1:6) that deviates from the Essentials of the Christian faith. The "Moonies" and the teachings of Sun Myung Moon are definitely a deviation from the standard of the Christian faith. --- Ian Brinksman. 

By Nigel Tomes

Among Asian countries South Korea is the highest proportion Christian. More than 40% of South Korea’s people affirm they are Christian. Many of these are orthodox believers, active proponents of the gospel. However, South Korea has also produced a number of non-orthodox and even heretical preachers, who claim to be “Christian.” Among these is the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of the controversial Unification Church. His death, at the age of 92, has just been reported by the media.

Moon Dies Age 92, Sept. 2, 2012

S. KOREA—Officials say Rev. Sun Myung Moon founder of the controversial Unification Church died today in S. Korea at age 92.

Church officials said Monday (Korean time) that the Rev. Sun Myung Moon died at a church-owned hospital near his home in Gapyeong, South Korea after being hospitalized with pneumonia last month. On Friday, doctors declared the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s illness "irreversible." Church-officials reported that doctors had informed them that “there is no longer any way to improve True Father's condition through modern medical technology'." The title, "True Father" refers to Moon, who the church claims as "the one and only messiah in human history." Such extravagant claims led to Moon being labeled a heretic.

Moon claimed that when he was 15 Jesus Christ personally called on him to complete his unfinished work. He alleged that Jesus Christ was crucified before he could get married, so Christ’s work is incomplete. Consequently Sun Myung Moon was commissioned to finish the job! Apparently Moon overlooked the significance of Christ’s declaration—“It is finished!” (John 19:30)

The New York Times reports on the Unification Church’s view. They assert that  Jesus had failed in his mission to purify mankind because he was crucified before being able to marry and have children. Rev. Moon saw himself as completing the unfulfilled task of Jesus: to restore humankind to a state of perfection by producing sinless children, and by blessing couples who would produce them. Hence, Moon asserted that marriage was a key part of achieving salvation, and for a (preferably inter-racial) couple marriage was as much a commitment to the Unification church as it was to each other.

Moonies Mass Weddings

Moon, the controversial Unification Church’s founder gained fame in the 1970s and 1980s for mass weddings in which thousands of followers (“Moonies”) were married off at elaborate ceremonies. At these made-for-media events the Rev. Moon and his wife as the (self-described) “True Parents” lead the “Cosmic Blessing Ceremony.”

The New York Times reports on a mass-wedding ceremony involving 2,075 couples at Madison Square Garden, NY in 1982. All the men (grooms) wore identical blue suits and the women (brides) lace and satin gowns. Mr. Moon was said to have made the matches, based on questionnaires, photographs and the recommendations of church officials. Such marriages (supposedly “made in heaven” via the Rev. Moon) were supposed to produce “sinless children.” After thousands of “Moonie marriages,” we ask—Have any “sinless children” been produced?

Often the couples married at mass-weddings had met only weeks earlier or could speak to each other only through an interpreter. Many remain separated for several years, doing church work, before they were allowed to consummate the unions. Due to such practices, critics accuse the church of demanding cult-like devotion from its followers. Faithful “Moonies” reportedly endured 16-hour days of raising money and working for free on behalf of "Father," as Moon styled himself. Is it surprising that Rev. Moon became rich?

Moon’s Unification Church-- heretical

Moon’s Unification Church was labeled heretical by Protestant churches in S. Korea, including Moon’s own Presbyterian Church. In the US the church was rejected by ecumenical organizations as non-Christian. The main objections against it were theological, especially because of the Unification Church’s additions to the Bible and for its rejection of a literal Second Coming of Jesus. Commentators criticize Unification Church teachings as contrary to the orthodox doctrine of salvation by faith alone.

Moon Manipulates US Politicians

The Guardian (UK) reports on a bizarre incident. In March 2004 a dozen Republican & Democrat politicians attended a Moon reception in the Dirksen Senate Office building of the US Capitol in Washington DC. The highlight was US congressman Danny Davis, (Illinois Democrat), presenting the self-proclaimed messiah—Rev. Moon, with an ornate crown on a pillow. Moon donned the crown and delivered a speech... saying he was sent to earth to save its people and that "emperors, kings & presidents have declared to all heaven & earth that the Rev Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, returning Lord & true parent." When this was reported in the media many politicians who attended claimed they didn’t realize what would happen, or even that Rev. Moon would be present. But, the invitation stated that the "primary program sponsor" would be "the Interreligious & International Federation for World Peace founded by the Rev Dr & Mrs. Sun Myung Moon. Clearly the Rev. Moon was able to manipulate a bunch of naive US politicians to produce a media event which (no doubt) got plenty of airtime, “US Congress crowns Rev. Moon as Lord,” the Moon-media might triumphantly declare.

Moon’s Business Empire

In North America the “Moonies,” followers of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, were labeled a “cult” by the popular press. There was also a perception that money was a significant motive. Moonies were frequently seen selling flowers and trinkets and collecting donations in urban areas. These suspicions appeared confirmed in 1982 when Rev. Sun Myung Moon was convicted by the U.S. government of willfully filing false federal income tax returns and conspiracy. His conviction was upheld on appeal. Moon was given an 18-month jail sentence and a $15,000 fine.

Over the decades Moon’s Unification Church built a business empire that included newspapers (e.g. the Washington Times), hotels (e.g. New Yorker Hotel in Manhattan, NY), schools (e.g. Bridgeport Univ. in Connecticut, US), a ski resort and dozens of other ventures in several countries, including a peace institute, carmaker and hotel in N. Korea. In 2010 Forbes magazine described the inauguration the Unification Church’s new World HQ in Seoul, Korea, costing $100 Million US. “The splendid 5-floor structure has a marbled lobby, an all-embracing prayer room with Islamic inscriptions and portraits of Christ, Buddha and Confucius, and a main hall large enough to hold 1,200 of the faithful.” Forbes reported. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36). Yet the Rev. Sun Myung Moon seems to have built a business empire very much “of this world.”

Will Moon’s Passing impact the Church?

Will the Rev. Sun Myung Moon’s passing have a major impact on the Unification church? How will the Unification Church react to the death of "the one and only messiah in human history"? One would expect profound disappointment and disillusionment. On the other hand, the Rev. Moon leaves behind 7 sons and 7 daughters, bent on infusing new fervor into the Unification Church empire as both a business and a religion, Forbes noted in their 2010 report.

Korean Pastor David Jang Jae-Hyung 

Neither does Moon’s theology seem likely to disappear.  The passing of one Messianic claimant leaves a vacancy. Rev. Moons own children (reportedly) don’t claim to be messiahs, only “apostles.” Apparently others with historic connections to the Rev. Moon, aren’t so modest. Christianity Today (CT) recently published a report on Korean pastor David Jang Jae-Hyung, whose followers claim is the “second coming Christ.” Jang’s critics in Korea, Japan, and China allege that he was involved in Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. They point to David Jang’s appearance in a 1989 student handbook for Moon's Sung Hwa Theological Seminary as an assistant prof. of theology, teaching systematic theology and Unification theology. Pastor David Jang seems to strike the same chord as the Rev. Moon declaring that Christ’s work was “incomplete.” Allegedly (CT reports) Jang claimed that his relationship with Jesus was the same as the relationship between John the Baptist and Elijah, and that he [David Jang Jae-Hyung] would finish the work that Jesus left incomplete. [See Ted Olsen & Ken Smith, Is Korean Pastor, David Jang, Christ’s 2nd Coming? Christianity Today, Aug. 2012] So perhaps we should ask--has one false Messiah (Moon) simply been replaced by another?