OT: Moon Honored at Hill Reception

[Guest guest]

Hey y'all,

 

If Gary Young or some of the other " Saviors " out and about read this

news article .. I expect it won't be long afore old Moon will also be

endorsing snake oils. ;-)

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

The Rev. Moon Honored at Hill Reception

Lawmakers Say They Were Misled

 

By Charles Babington and Alan Cooperman

Washington Post Staff Writers

Wednesday, June 23, 2004; Page A01

 

More than a dozen lawmakers attended a congressional reception this year

honoring the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in which Moon declared himself the

Messiah and said his teachings have helped Hitler and Stalin be " reborn

as new persons. "

 

At the March 23 ceremony in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Rep.

Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) wore white gloves and carried a pillow holding

an ornate crown that was placed on Moon's head. The Korean-born

businessman and religious leader then delivered a long speech saying he

was " sent to Earth . . . to save the world's six billion people. . . .

Emperors, kings and presidents . . . have declared to all Heaven and

Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior,

Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent. "

 

Details of the ceremony -- first reported by Salon.com writer John

Gorenfeld -- have prompted several lawmakers to say they were misled or

duped by organizers. Their complaints prompted a Moon-affiliated Web

site to remove a video of the " Crown of Peace " ceremony two days ago,

but other Web sites have preserved details and photos.

 

Moon, 85, has been controversial for years. Renowned for officiating at

mass weddings, he received an 18-month prison sentence in 1982 for tax

fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice. In a 1997 sermon, he likened

homosexuals to " dirty dung-eating dogs. "

 

Among the more than 300 people who attended all or part of the March

ceremony was Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), who now says he simply was

honoring a constituent receiving a peace award and did not know Moon

would be there. " We fell victim to it; we were duped, " Dayton

spokeswoman Chris Lisi said yesterday.

 

Other lawmakers who attended or were listed as hosts felt the same, she

said. " Everyone I talked to was furious, " she said. With Minnesotans

demanding to know whether Dayton is a follower of Moon, Lisi said, the

senator persuaded the St. Paul Pioneer Press to write an article

allowing him to reply.

 

The event's organizers flew in nearly 100 honorees from all 50 states to

receive state and national peace awards. The only " international crown

of peace awards " went to Moon and his wife.

 

Some Republicans who attended the event, including Rep. Roscoe G.

Bartlett (Md.), said they did so mainly to salute the Washington Times,

a conservative-leaning newspaper owned by Moon's organization. " I had no

idea what would happen " regarding Moon's coronation and speech, Bartlett

said yesterday.

 

But a key organizer -- Archbishop George A. Stallings Jr., pastor of the

Imani Temple, an independent African American Catholic congregation in

Northeast Washington -- said Moon's prominent role should have surprised

no one. He said a March 8 invitation faxed to all lawmakers stated that

the " primary program sponsor " would be the " Interreligious and

International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP), founded by Rev. Dr.

and Mrs. Sun Myung Moon, who will also be recognized that evening for

their lifelong work to promote interfaith cooperation and

reconciliation. " The invitation was signed by Davis and the Rev. Michael

Jenkins, as co-chairmen of the IIFWP (USA).

 

The event's co-sponsors were the Washington Times Foundation, the United

Press International Foundation, the American Family Coalition, the

American Clergy Leadership Conference and the Women's Federation for

World Peace, according to the invitation. Stallings, a former Roman

Catholic priest who was married in Moon's church, said Moon's

association with those organizations is well known.

 

" You'd have to be deaf, dumb and blind to not know that any event that

is sponsored by the Washington Times . . . could involve the influence,

or the potential presence, of the Reverend Moon, " he said.

 

Use of the Dirksen building requires a senator's approval. Dayton said

he gave no such permission, and Stallings said the question of who did

so is " shrouded in mystery. "

 

Moon has claimed to have spoken in " the spirit world " with all deceased

U.S. presidents, Jesus, Moses, Mohammed and others. At the March 23

event, he said: " The founders of five great religions and many other

leaders in the spirit world, including even Communist leaders such as

Marx and Lenin . . . and dictators such as Hitler and Stalin, have found

strength in my teachings, mended their ways and been reborn as new persons. "

 

Several Web sites quoted Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.) as praising

Moon at the event for " always standing up for what is right. " In an

interview yesterday, Cummings said, " I don't recall saying that. That

may have been confused with what I was saying " about Bishop Joseph

Showell, a constituent being honored.

 

The Rev. Walter Fauntroy, a Democrat who was the District's

congressional delegate for 10 years, was the event's master of

ceremonies and recipient of a " National Crown of Peace " award. Also

speaking at the event was Rep. Curt Weldon (R-Pa.).

 

Davis said in an interview that he is a lifelong Methodist who does not

agree with many of Moon's religious teachings. But he praised Moon's

efforts to promote world peace. Davis said that some Moon associates

have donated money to his congressional campaigns, but that that has

nothing to do with his support for Moon's organization.

 

The prominent role played by Davis, Fauntroy and Stallings, among

others, reflects Moon's efforts to reach out to the black community.

Jenkins said many African American clergy members " have become strong

allies " of Moon because they sympathize with the " mistreatment and

labeling " he has faced.

 

© 2004 The Washington Post Company