THE MOONIES

History

They call themselves The Unification Church. Their ultimate goal is to unite all the world’s religions under the leadership of their founder, Sun Myung Moon.

Moon is a highly charismatic personality. He claims that when he was sixteen years old in Korea, he went to pray on a mountainside. While in prayer, he claims that Jesus appeared to him (sound familiar?). Jesus allegedly told Moon that he wanted him to complete the work that was left undone by him nearly two thousand years ago. What was that work which Jesus left undone? Saving mankind, of course! Moon's followers see him as the "Lord of the Second Advent." Make no mistake about it, Moon’s followers consider him to be the messiah, the Lord.

What we have in this "Lord of the Second Advent", is an ex-Presbyterian who divorced his first wife because, as Moon says, "she did not understand my religion." Moon’s first wife is by no means alone.

In 1957, Moon published Divine Principle, the Bible of the Moonies. In this volume, Moon puts forth in writing his incomprehensible teachings. He is no different than the other cults In that he claims that his book explains the Bible.

Moon’s followers call him "the victor of the universe and the Lord of creation." This is based on a 1945 experience in which Moon claims to have been victorious in a struggle against satanic forces in "the spiritual and physical world."

In 1972, God supposedly appeared to him and told him to come to America. The purpose was to prepare the people in America for the Second Coming. Upon arriving in America, a twenty-two acre estate was purchased in Tarrytown, New York and serves as the cult’s headquarters in America.

Of all the major cult systems, the Moonies are among the most destructive. While most other cults resort to elaborate theological fabrications to justify their false teachings, the Moonies have undergone hundreds of accusations of mind control to regulate the behavior of their members and of prospective converts. The well publicized accounts of ex-Moonles verifies the validity of such charges. The Moonies have also just recently lost a case of that very nature in England.

The exact methods used in such a regimen are numerous. These methods include, but are not limited to, isolation, sleep deprivation, diet control, and fear. The prospective member’s personal right to make and consider rational decisions in an unhindered manner, is severely Impeded.

Once a member is safely within the net of the Moon distortions, he or she may be assigned to one of the group’s many ventures. For a good portion of them, this means being assigned to an M.F.T. - a Mobile Fundralsing Team. Being on an M.F.T. means selling candy, flowers, or a host of other items for fourteen to eighteen hours a day. It means sleeping on floors. It means using "heavenly deception" to sell your items. To mis-represent themselves to outsiders is common. When a follower of Moon claims that the funds being solicited are for "drug programs", or for "Christian" youth programs, they are well aware that they are lying. but if it promotes the cause of Moon, or "Father", is perfectly acceptable. All this, while Moon resides in an eight million dollar estate and enjoys spending time on his forty-eight foot yacht.

Theology

The teachings of Moon are an assortment of Eastern religions, spiritism, and anti-Communism, all cloaked in Christian vocabulary and sprinkled with Bible verses. When prospective members encounter the group, they are not exposed to the theology until they are well within the confines of the sect. The reason is simple: to attempt to convert people with the type of bizarre teachings which Moon perpetuates, would be fatal to their movement.

The unusual teachings of Moon are too numerous to treat here, therefore, only some of the major heresies will be covered.

The Moonies hold the following views:

Probably the most obvious distinction between Moon and other cults is Moon’s assertion that Jesus failed in His mission. While most cults pervert the role and nature of Jesus, they do not claim that He failed. Moon not only perverts the role and nature of Jesus, he goes on to also claim that Jesus failed!

Jesus Is Not God

For further enlightenment into what Moon really teaches, the following quotations are being included. These quotations are from speeches which Moon has given to his followers:

"You know, for thirty years our movement has been delayed by the initial rejection I received when I first declared this message. Koreans deserve hell, so that nation must suffer. Christians all over the world deserve to decline, because they did not accept me." Master Speaks.

"We are tigers to shake the whole world. We are great personages to change the whole world. Our state is the whole world. The leading nation of the whole world is America and we must shake America first. Master Speaks.

"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." Master Speaks.

"I am a thinker. I am your brain."Master Speaks.

The material presented here on Moon is but a glimpse into the queer world of a man who yearns for power. Moon seeks political power. He has chosen to pursue this power through the use of religion. Moon has created a group which not only propagates preposterous heresies, but which also constitutes a very real threat to the freedom of thought of the individual.

The sharp contrast in Moon’s system is clearly seen in his rabid denunciation of communism - while he concurrently leads a very effective dictatorial organization. He is possessed with the illusion that someday all religions will be under his authority.

As Orthodox, we have never, and will never, recognize any one person as the head of the Church, except for Christ Himself. We follow the teachings handed down to us through the ages, The teachings’ which Jesus Christ told us to guard.

We condemn Moon’s teachings and pray that those deceived by him will find their way to repentance.

We think of the words of St. Paul and commend those who would follow Moon to read them: "Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. For such men are slaves not of our Lord Jesus Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting." Romans 16:17,18.

CONCLUSION

The intent of this pamphlet, as stated previously, is to give the Orthodox reader a brief introduction to the major cults which are operating today. It is hoped that the Orthodox reader will find this publication useful as a quick reference guide as to the major differences between the faith which Christ taught and the false teachings of the cults.

The cults mentioned in this pamphlet are not Christian. They teach doctrines which distort the Truth of Christ. There are many other cults which are also having an impact on our society which were not covered in this work. The fact that many other groups were not listed in our look at certain groups does not mean that they are not cults. Among the various groups not covered, but which are still nonetheless considered cults, are the following groups: