Where in Washington, D.C. is Reverend Moon?: Israeli Jews much more wary of Moon peace tour than U.S. Congressmen

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6/04/2004

Israeli Jews much more wary of Moon peace tour than U.S. Congressmen

The Jerusalem Post reports that the Washington Times owner's world peace tour, endorsed in the U.S. Congress, is falling short of blowing away local Muslims and Jews, finding them suspicious of the group's theological aims.

"The only ones here who are from the region are Muslim," [an organizer] said as he glanced around the park in dismay at a group of Muslim children playing with plastic machine guns, which they directed at the Israeli policemen who came to secure the festival.

A Jerusalem resident doesn't feel the love, either:

For Moshe Fass, who had recently entered his retirement, the effort was at best naive. "They talk about suffering, and peace, and understanding. I don't know if they actually know what these things mean," he said. "There is no genuine feeling of conciliation at this festival, which for all its nice words has nothing to do with reality."

A rabbi tells the Post that Jews at these events have been fooled into acknowledging group responsibility for the death of Christ:

Rubin gave as an example three rabbis who last year were invited to attend an IIPC-sponsored seminar in Jerusalem where they were lectured about peace for several hours before being asked to sign a symbolic treaty of solidarity in English. The treaty, said Rubin, which one of the rabbis couldn't read, declared that the Jews were responsible for the death of Christ and that the signers vowed to encourage their congregants to repent for that sin.

He has more to say:

"These people don't have a peace plan. They have a theological agenda," said [Rubin], director of the Anti- Missionary Department of Jerusalem-based organization Yad L'ahim (Hands to our Brothers), which offers help to Jews who have been persuaded to join cults and missionary movements.

According to Rubin, Moon's Church of Unification is currently undergoing its fourth incarnation as an occult under the leadership of Rev. Moon and his wife, who also serves as head of the WFWP. The current objective of the church, he said, is to create the Fourth Israel. The church's view holds that the First Israel was besmirched by the murder of Jesus by the Jews, the second was destroyed because Christians refused to recognize Rev. Moon as the messiah, and in the Third Israel, Christians denied that Rev. Moon represented the Second Coming.

"Moon's followers call him The Lord of the Second Advent " said Rubin and revealed that the Fourth Israel aims to include Jewish, Muslim, and Christian followers in a joint chosen nation under the true leadership of Moon and his wife.

"The goal is to bring people of all faiths into his service," said Rubin. "The problem is that most followers don't understand the real agenda."

[...]

""The credibility of this movement is what really stands out to me. In America, the church is well respected and it is gaining respect all over the world."

For example, see this.

According to Rubin, Moon's primary goal is to establish public legitimacy. "Their tactic is different from most cults, since they don't try to convert people directly, but instead try to gain legitimacy through different public conferences and festivals," explained Rubin."

So: The group convinces Christians to tear down their holiest symbol, and blames Jews collectively for the Crucifixion. Next, we'll look at whether Muslims should be upset about what their Moon-following clerics are up to.

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"John Gorenfeld: The first man on the Moon"
-- Ana Marie Cox ("Wonkette," Time.com Washington editor)

"Thanks to the superb reporting of John Gorenfeld on Salon.com and his indispensable Web page, Moon's shenanigans are routinely scrutinized. Maybe some of Gorenfeld's discernment will rub off on preachers and politicians."
-- Tony Norman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist

"The scene summoned the moment in Robert Graves's "I, Claudius" when Emperor Caligula declares himself a god in the Roman Senate; a fawning solon instantly offers a prayer."
-- New York Times editorial on the Crown of Peace scandal

"I am happy that our work is being challenged and improved in consistency, openness and coordination, by the accountability your spotlight demands. I am not talking about simply removing stuff from websites..."
-- Moon spokesman the Rev. Phil Schanker

"Instead of welcoming Reverend Moon, this government put me into prison. History will reveal the truth in the future and the American government and people will realize what an evil thing they did. What will they do then? They will bow down. Again, that is the way of natural subjugation." -- Moon in 1987

"A political movement basing its appeal on old fashioned patriotism and family values simply cannot justify an alliance with a cult that preys on the disintegration of the American family and advocates allegiance to an international social order operating with cell-like secrecy."
-- Rep. Jim Leach (R-IA)