Your Moon Is Shining

I suppose a little history is pertinent, although I'll try not to bore you to death, but just touch on a few of the politically relevant points in history. Back in 1954, a North Korean known as Shining Dragon (Yung Myung Moon,later changed to Sun Myung Moon), founded the Unification Church. In the early 60s Moon was involved in the organization, International Federation for Victory over Communism in Korea, and the Freedom Leadership Foundation in the United States. The organization in South Korea was designed to counteract the force of communism in their country and the FLF in the U.S. was designed to build a lobbying group within the Nixon administration and was pro Vietnam War. Both organizations were shown to have ties to the Central Intelligence Agency. There is even evidence showing Moon had ties to Oliver North and even the well known evangelist Jerry Falwell. There seems to be no boundaries or limits to the amount of influence the Unification Church has across the entire globe. If you're interested in a very detailed account of Moon's activities and principles, Steven Hassan maintains an excellent data base.

Now for a little current news on the Moonies. The literary news jewel of the republican's is the Washington Times. And just who do you think owns the Times? Yes, that's right, Mr. Moon himself. This just get's more interesting as it unfolds! Moon has the support of many Filipino and Taiwanese politicians, and the head of the Arizona GOP even attended one of his rallys. But the most interesting as of late is GW's brother, Neil. He has been front row center in Moon's tours and speaking engagements, and even toured with Moon in the Philippines and Taiwan. It has been reported that Moon proposed his idea for a trans-religious council to President Bush in a 2003 meeting, and President Bush was said to have called it "a brilliant idea." U.S. Congressmen, Danny K. Davis and Curt Weldon have been quoted as saying "We are grateful to ... the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon for promoting the vision of world peace, and we commend their work."

In this current article from AlterNet, John Gorenfeld writes,

"Reverend Moon is the latest in a line of unusual partners for Neil Bush in recent years, including the son of former Chinese President Jiang Zemin, and fugitive Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who has been promoting the younger Bush's educational software company, Ignite!, according to the Washington Post.

Moon, reviled in the 1980s as the leader of a group that separated young recruits from their families, says he is the Messiah. His far-flung business empire includes the UPI wire service, Washington, D.C. television studios, a gun factory, and enormous swaths of real estate, and he donates millions to conservative politics. In 1989, U.S. News & World Report linked his group to the Heritage Foundation and other conservative organizations. "Because almost all conservative organizations in Washington have some ties to [Moon's] church," wrote reporter John Judis, "conservatives ... fear repercussions if they expose the church's role."......

Neil isn't the only Bush to attend Moon events. In 1996, his father, President George H.W. Bush, traveled to Buenos Aires with the Reverend in one of several such fundraising expeditions. "The 41st president, who told Argentine president Carlos Menem that he had joined Moon in Buenos Aires for the money, had actually known the Korean reasonably well for decades," writes former top GOP strategist Kevin Phillips in his book "American Dynasty." "Their relationship went back to the overlap between Bush's one-year tenure as CIA director (1976) and the arrival in Washington of Moon, whose Unification Church was widely reported to be a front group for the South Korean Central Intelligence Agency." Moon and his aides have called such claims bogus, saying his accusers were controlled by "Satan" to distract from his campaign to destroy communism.

Just this past March, a bipartism group of congressmen were at a coronation of billionaire Moon, where he was declared the "Messiah"! This coronation took place within a senate office building. Moon claims to be endorsed by Jesus, Confucius, and also Buddha. Great credentials! Moon proclaims to be humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent." Where Jesus failed, Sun will take up his slack! Where are my knee pads when I need em'? After the coronation, the only sounds to be heard were mainly from the bloggers of our world rather than syndicated news agencies. As this Google Search shows, the bloggers were resounding an incredible "WTF" in response to the coronation. Versions of videos from the coronation and images can be downloaded from the Where in Washington D.C. Is Sun Myung Moon?

Wow, this has left me smiling and concerned at the same time. I'm just not sure what to think and I find it impossible to ignore the implications, considering Moon's relation to so many of our governmental and capitalist elite. I would say it warrants a closer look and we should at least begin to ask questions of our elected officials and find out which Messiah they follow. Damn, I can't quit smiling but I think I shouldn't be! John Gorenfeld's article on Moon says it very well:

Moon's newest followers were invited to tear down the traditional symbol of Christianity, told they could swap it for a crown. But unlike the crown in the hymn, it wasn't for them. It was the one that Congressmen gave, March 23 at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, to a wealthy right-wing newspaper owner, one described by Time magazine in 1976 as "megalomaniacal," not much of an exaggeration for someone who claims to be the Second Coming. Unless of course he actually is.