1) ... Americans ought to know about it when their Congressmen hold an event on federal property claiming to unite Christianity in the name of the United Nations.
I haven't been able yet to locate a statement or press release from Moon's organization. Thus far I have only your somewhat slanted report of the event.
So, Moon holds a public meeting in a public place and you don't think public servants (congressmen) should attend. "..claiming to unite Christianity in the name of the United Nations." Sounds like you're mis-representing the theme of the event.
2) Again, a lot of taxpayers might have strong opinions about a campaign to remove the symbol of Christianity from church walls, which goes a lot further than anything the ACLU ever thought up.
I'm sure they got a permit from the Parks Dept. and paid a fee for the use of the hall. Feel better?
Actually, it was civil rights activist and entertainer Dick Gregory who first suggested taking down crosses from the churchs 30 years ago. He pointed out the absurdity of the cross as a symbol of christianity by suggesting that if Christ came today, he'd be put to death in an electric chair. Thereafter churchs would have electric chairs on their steeples and believers would wear little electric chairs around their necks.
Moon has been saying for over 50 years that the cross was not part of Jesus' original plan. As you can imagine, this is just one of his views that alienates christians.
3) Keep in mind we're talking about a guy who talks about whomping his followers with a baseball bat.
He didin't actually hit anyone with a baseball bat did he?
For some reason, hardly anyone knows about this Moon stuff, and the press never writes about him.
You're kidding right? Where've you been for the last 30 years?
John, I actuallly enjoyed reading your article. Yes, it has conventional Moon-bashing but at least you were civil about it.
It would be more rare and original if you took the time to find your way past the conventional wisdom and write something less superficial.
I can only recommend you to a brilliant biography by Carlton Sherwood :
In 1984, investigative reporter Sherwood accepted a job with the Washington Times, which was owned and operated by the Unification Church, itself founded and led by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon who had just been convicted on federal charges of tax evasion and conspiracy and sentenced to 18 months in prison. Instead of the corruption, scandal, and hypocrisy Sherwood expected to uncover, be found a very different story--the story of how the American prosecutorial system can be abused to persecute a religion and its leader.
A shocking example of how easily prejudice can run roughshod over fairness and basic decency. This account of a contemporary witchhunt reads like a novel. Its clear that Moon's real sin was being Asian, grabbing the loyalty of a lot of middle class white kids, preaching interpretations different from conventional Christianity and being a little too fired up about God, anti-communism and chastity for people's taste. This vividly chronicles how Moon was railroaded into jail.At any rate, best of luck.