Sun Myung Moon's Infiltration into the churches

On January 19 there was an Inaugural Prayer Luncheon for Unity and Renewal at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington D.C. Tickets cost $100. The Washington Times Foundation sponsored the luncheon. As is often the case the committee that sent out the letter for the luncheon was not part of the Washington Times Foundation. They included Doug Wead. Doug Wead is an unpaid political adviser. Larry Zillioz was kind enough to send me some background on Wead. Doug Wead is an unpaid political adviser. While Bush has shunned many of his father's old political advisers, Wead is one exception. During the Bush administration, Wead, ordained as an Assemblies of God minister, served as a liaison to various groups, including the evangelical community. He is now reaching out to gather evangelical support for the younger Bush. In an interview with the Center, Wead acknowledged that Bush turned to him during the intense media scrutiny over rumors of cocaine use. "I'm a friend, and he did call me that week. I'm not in his inner circle," Wead said. Wead is a motivational speaker, an author and business consultant based in Irving, Texas, near Dallas. In the past he's been viewed as a religious extremist. When he ran for Congress in Arizona calling himself a "Goldwater Republican," Barry Goldwater, objecting to his views, endorsed the Democrat, who won. He lost his job at the White House when he objected that the Bush staff had invited a number of gay groups to the signing of hate crime bill, according to the Arizona Republic. His popularity with the evangelical community is a valuable asset to Bush, who is said to call him regularly. Wead is credited with Bush's strong showing in the Iowa straw poll last August. According to the New Republic, Wead helped George W. Bush's brother, Neil, after the government investigation of the Denver-based Silverado Savings and Loan. Neil had sat on the thrift's board, but he was not prosecuted. Wead, according to the newspaper, offered him a share of his lecture-circuit business. Also on the committee who sent out the invitations was Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church and a former delegate to Congress. Rev. Fauntroy has a long history of appearances at Moon sponsored events. His appearance lends the Unification Church the luster of his association with Martin Luther King and congress. He was a strong lobbyist on the Parents Day legislation especially to Rep. Dan Burton, Republican from Indiana. Burton gave his speech to the house and a few weeks later Fauntroy attended the Second World Peace Conference, held in Seoul Korea to coincide with the Unification Church's 40th anniversary. At this conference Fauntroy presented Sun Myung Moon and his wife with a framed copy of the Parents Day resolution proposed by Burton. The list of those attending this luncheon needs to be an eye opener for all of us. Even more important everyone needs to read how the event was reported both in the Washington Times and on the Unification News' web page, which I am sure will end up front page of the Unification News. I will not go through the whole list of those attending but the key names need to be given. John Ashcroft was the Bush representative who attended. Rev. Tony Evan, senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas gave the opening prayer. I honestly do believe that Rev James Merritt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention was caught off guard and did not realize it was a Moon sponsored event. He states the invitation came from Wead. Merritt gave a tribute to Rev Billy Graham. However, we can be sure that Jerry Falwell, Robert Schuller, Pat Boone, Jack Hayford were well aware of the sponsor. They have all attended other Moon sponsored events. Paul Crouch from TBN television, and Kenneth Copeland also spoke at the event. The two reports tell about these ministers honoring Billy Graham, Martin Luther King and Sun Myung Moon, with Moon accepting an award from the ecumenical ministers for his work in support of traditional family values. It is important to point out here that While Rev. Merritt was caught off guard and when he realized the intention of the luncheon, he decided to use his time to honor Graham and as an opportunity to share the gospel message. Unfortunately the Unification News web-page and the Washington Times reported a modified story. While they acknowledged honoring Graham and Martin Luther King, they placed Sun Myung Moon equal to those honors and when they gave him the ecumenical award left out with ministers were involved in presenting the award. Thus their readers still believe that Merritt, Falwell and Paul Crouch etc., were part of that presentation. An e-mail from Paul Carden said that Crouch showed the luncheon on his TV program including showing Sun Myung Moon getting the award. What a recruitment tool that now makes for them.

I also need to point out that the editor in chief of the Washington Times, Wesley Pruden, was the one to introduce Sun Myung Moon and Mrs. Moon as old friends. Upon leaving those attending were given the book True Family and World Peace, which includes the sermons of Sun Myung Moon in the New Testament Age. Pat Minichello got me a copy of the book. It would be important for us to have anyone one we know who received the book to read pages 25- 28. There the quote from Moon's speech July 6, 1992 clearly states that he is the Messiah, Lord of the Second Advent. The book also tells of Jesus' failure to accomplish his mission. Moon presses the teaching that Jesus failed and asked him Moon to do what he could not do. Simply based on that teaching every Christian should take a very strong stand against it and Moon or they really are not Christians.

There should be no doubt that the Washington Times and its foundation are not only owned and controlled by Sun Myung Moon, but are used to give Moon both creditability and help recruit members into his movement. In preparing this talk, Pat Minichello made me aware of the November/December 2000 issue of Today's World, the Unification Churches magazine, and the article about a newspaper the Middle East Times. This paper according to the article was established as a project of the New World Communications, the parent company of the Washington Times, UPI and other secular publications. Dr. Bo Hi Pak and Robert Morton proposed the idea of the paper in 1982 as an English-language newspaper that would promote understanding and reconciliation in the Middle East. The article goes on to state that Unificationists can be proud that their just views have been disseminated continuously by a small yet persistent and consistent voice for almost two decades. What is the difference between this paper and the Washington Times who have the same owner and leadership? Moon has claimed to have given over one billion dollars to the Washington Times to keep it running. What is he getting for his money? Yes, the paper plays to the right and conservative beliefs. But is it any different than any cult group that we have studied where they use maybe up to 90% or more of the Scriptures and change the rest? This picture of Moon getting an ecumenical award has got to be worth a couple million bucks to Moon and his movement.

The Luncheon was held in conjunction with an American Leadership Conference, that the Washington Times reported was an inspirational and training events for clergy and state legislators. The American Leadership Conference is another Moon front. Remember that this group sent out millions in mailings to get Bush senior elected.

The problem is two-fold. Moon has apparently a very unlimited supply of money and is willing to spend it to attract names he can use for his advantage. We are all well aware of the vast amounts of money Jerry Falwell has received from Moon over the years and has clearly indicated he is still willing to do so. Jerry has stated that he would be willing to preach in hell if they let him back out. We need to assure Jerry that Satan would love to have him preach in hell, first of all since no one in Hell can be saved and Satan will let him come and go as he wants because Satan gets to keep some of those who followed Jerry down. As for Robert Schuller, it's a waste of time and that could be another whole workshop. However, it is important to know that Schuller has spoken at several Moon events and get paid well for them.

What we need to do is go after everyone attending these events and make it clear that if they did not know the sponsor at the time that they do now and we will let the Body of Christ know if they continue. As ministries we also need to take a stand and if they continue to accept Moon money be sure that we are completely disassociated with them in every way.

Many of the politicians have also received large sums of money from Sun Myung Moon through one of his from organizations. It has been estimated that George Bush senior after losing the election on the second term try received a golden parachute from Moon. He was asked to travel and speak with Moon in Asia, the United States and South America. The reports vary from 3 to 10 million dollars as to how much Moon paid for Bush's services. One strange case took place back in Argentina in 1996 where Bush declared: "I want to salute Reverend Moon as a man of vision." While at the same time Moon's speeches were terming the United States as "Satan's harvest and that American women were descended from the line of prostitutes. Unfortunately I believe that we must get the Christian ministers away from Moon before even trying to get the politicians away. If we can get the ministers away most of the politicians will follow.

There are other moves on Moon's part that we need to be aware of and warn our Christian brothers about. Most of you heard about Louis Farrakhan's Millions Family March back on October 9, 2000. I am sure that most of you are also aware that Sun Myung Moon paid the bills for that march. The question is why? The answer is really simple. Moon has for some time been going after the black population and black churches. Farrakhan helps him in this area. However, there is even a larger part to this picture that everyone is overlooking. Moon was able to have the United States declare Parents Day. The original bill actually stated True Parents Day, but true was left off the final bill. This Moon was able to insure his following that dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. Moon. Prior to the march Moon had the American Clergy Leadership Conference send out letters to all the Christian churches in New York State and other areas offering them a free family flag and asking them to fly it on September 24. Please notice the bottom sponsor of the Family Flag Day committee and the flag itself. It is none other than the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. For those who may not be aware of it Moon changed the name of his church from the Unification Church to the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. There is no question that he will next be seeking for the United States to declare a national day of recognition of Family Day, which he will also declare in honor of his movement. The wheels and flags are in place for that to happen if we stay asleep.

I would like to spend a few minutes on the names listed on the Family Flag Day Committee. These names appear on several other publications of Moon events. The one Dennis Dillon who is the publisher of the New York Christian Times was actually the MC of Moon's last mass wedding in Madison Square Garden. I spoke with him and was told in very clear terms that Sun Myung Moon has done more for the black Christians in New York than Billy Graham ever did. What Moon did was give Dillon and others money as he bought them off. Others on the list such as Bishop Billings have appeared at numerous other Moon events and we can be assured that they were well paid for their names. Thus money is the major key Moon uses to buy his power and creditability with.

There is one more area I would like to cover here and this one may open Pandora's box. The Queens Federation of Churches publishes a newspaper that carries an advertisement for only one seminary. This seminary is located at 4 West 43rd street and is an extension of the main seminary in Tarrytown. The difference is that those attending this branch are not yet members of the Unification Church. The editor and executive director is a Rev. L'Heureux. Rev. L'Heureux has attended the Cult Information Service conventions in New Jersey with the Scientologists defending them. He has also spoken out in strong support for the Unification Church. How can we wake up the member churches to see what they are supporting? Yes, they are part of the National Council of Churches. However, most of them still claim to be Christian. L'Heureux is very out spoken in the defense of Scientology and has traveled to Europe and Washington D.C. routinely. I pray his movement is limited to the Queens Council or Federation of Churches, but fear it may be the whole national council.

I have to blame us the Apologetic ministries for some parts of this growing problem with Moon. Yes, we need the freedom of religion and can be happy and proud that it exists in our country. However, that freedom is what allows us to also express our beliefs and the truths of Scripture. Apologetics is not taught in most seminaries and most pastors have no knowledge on how to cope with the problems or even able to recognize the problems until it is too late. It is our job or calling to inform the pastors and their congregations when the defense is needed or what they need to defend against. If the federation of churches is off base we may need to go after the churches one at a time and get them out of the federation the same, as we would do with a cult member. We cannot sit back and just write them off or ignore the facts. We are the only ones trained to see the problem and defend the faith.