Ed Brayton is a freelance writer and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
AP reports:
A helicopter carrying the Rev. Sun Myung Moon crashed Saturday into a mountain in South Korea, injuring the founder of the Unification Church and 13 others, officials said.Moon was slightly injured, a hospital official said. Members of Moon's family, including his wife, were also hurt, and one person suffered a serious back injury, fire official Kim Wu-jong said...'
Moon received an X-ray and his condition was not serious, Park said.
If he had died, he would of course have risen from the grave 3 days later anyway. Or so his credulous followers would believe.
Comments
If he had died, I'm sure his followers would have made him a Sainted Martyr, and possibly found a way to blame liberals, or godless America, or Obama, for his death.
Posted by: Raging Bee | July 23, 2008 9:51 AM
... and everyone who doesn't see him rise from the grave three days later would assume that they were not worthy of the revelation.
Posted by: Umlud | July 23, 2008 9:58 AM
He didn't bend his crown, did he??
Posted by: Squiddhartha | July 23, 2008 10:07 AM
Dang, he missed a great chance to resurrect! They could have said he died in the crash and then poof, here he is again!
Posted by: Rod | July 23, 2008 10:57 AM
I found this site by accident using Google. I am stunned by the meanspiritedness of the comments that I see. You have every right to disagree with Rev. Moon and to ridicule the beliefs of his followers. But to take pleasure in anyone's missfortune speaks volumes about the bloggers who frequent this site. What I see here is nothing but bigotry coming from people trying way too hard to be clever.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 23, 2008 11:04 AM
Dadicated - I consider Moon to be an evil piece of shit who's done incredible harm to this country, so forgive me if I don't shed a tear over his being "slightly injured".
Posted by: Taz | July 23, 2008 11:19 AM
So why didn't Jesus, Mohommed or Abe Lincoln tell the Rev that the crash was imminant? Maybe god(s) are trying to get a message through to him. Concentrated really hard, Rev. Moon, just listen to my voice... DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 23, 2008 11:26 AM
Dadicated: you'd be even more "stunned" at the meanspiritedness of Moon's public statements over a period of decades. Not to mention his top lieutenants' connections to Japanese crime organizations, and to the Bush family. This loony deserves no more sympathy than a big-time gangster who gets shot by his rivals.
Posted by: Raging Bee | July 23, 2008 11:33 AM
"What I see here is nothing but bigotry coming from people trying way too hard to be clever."
I know that we all like to throw the 'bigotry' take around a lot, heck, some folks wear it like a medal of honor. But I don't think it's bigotry when you oppose someone's ideas. Am I a bigot if I hate Nazis? What if I hate violent criminals, does that make me a bigot?
I know that Rev. Moon is not a Nazi or a violent criminal (though he is a criminal) but he has done enough evil in this world for me to wish him an ill fate.
Posted by: Michael | July 23, 2008 11:33 AM
sorry to be nasty, but it is to bad he survived, the world would be better off with out him
Posted by: Ex Partiot | July 23, 2008 11:45 AM
Dadicated - If you don't like the blog, don't read it.
Everyone else - It's a shame Moon's helicopter crash didn't leave him stranded on a Japanese island populated by the victims of his "Spiritual Sales". They could have ripped him to shreds like he deserves.
I wish I believed in Hell, because I would take comfort in thinking of the special place reserved for Moon, L. Ron Hubbard and other greedy false prophets.
Posted by: Barry | July 23, 2008 11:45 AM
Barry - Break out the red-hot leaden cloaks for these f*ckwits -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 23, 2008 11:55 AM
Dadicated, I'm sympathetic to your message. But your tone comes off to me as judgmental and self-righteous, which makes it difficult for me to remain open to what you're saying. I can only guess at your motives. But if your intention is to influence people to be more caring and sympathetic, I'd suggest a change in tactics. OTOH, if your intention is simply to make yourself feel good by pointing out how superior you are, then perhaps you're right on track.
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 23, 2008 11:57 AM
Has no one here seen a picture of him recently? I'm guessing he's been dead a lot longer than three days.
Posted by: kehrsam | July 23, 2008 12:05 PM
You can acknowledge that a man's death would be a net gain for the world without jumping for joy every time something bad happens to him. One is a rational analysis of Rev. Moon's effect on society, the other is a basic disregard for human life.
Posted by: Brandon | July 23, 2008 12:11 PM
Abby,
In all honesty I wasn't trying to influence anyone. I was responding to what I saw as very hateful messages. An 88-year-old man was in a helicopter with his wife and grandchildren when it crashed. How can that be something to cheer or laugh about? I wasn't trying to influence them any more than I would try to influence a person who hates Hassidic Jews, Mormons, Scientologists or any other organization that has been the target of ignorance and bigotry. I do not believe that you can read most of these blogs and not be stunned by the language and thoughts expressed.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 23, 2008 12:52 PM
Perhaps I'm just hardened, but with everything that I know about Moon and his actions, I'd say that the sentiments expressed here are appropriate, if tactless.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 23, 2008 12:56 PM
And Brandon, "jumping for joy" is an exaggeration, and your smug self-righteousness is no more appealing then our supposed "basic disregard for human life."
Posted by: Taz | July 23, 2008 1:09 PM
Rev. Moon is a fascist cult leader who has destroyed countless lives. If it's "bigotry" to oppose him, I will gladly accept the label of bigot. But it's not, of course, and Dadicated has made nothing even approaching a coherent argument for why it is.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 23, 2008 1:14 PM
Looking back at the comments, I don't see one person jumping for joy at Moon or anyone being injured. What they are doing is taking the chance to poke fun at his idiotic teachings. If that's too insensitive for you then too bad. Oh, and Dadicated? The Mormons, Scientologists, and Hassidic Jews also have idiotic teachings.
Posted by: Taz | July 23, 2008 1:14 PM
Dadicated: no one here is cheering or laughing about a helicopter crash, and you know it. Nor is anyone here saying any of the injuries sustained in said crash are a just or good thing. We're attacking Moon's long-documented dishonesty and insanity, and the mental and moral bankruptcy of his followers. Which we would all be doing if this post were about Moon spilling a cup of tea, or marrying another few thousand people at random.
One question, Dadicated: what, exactly, were you googling when you stumbled on this particular post? News about Moon? Responses to the crash? Just curious...
Posted by: Raging Bee | July 23, 2008 1:23 PM
What's the point of responding if not to influence? I think it's fair to say you weren't just practicing your typing. Why bother to put your opinion out there if not in the hope that people to consider it?
To your point about the general viciousness of bloggers, I would tend to agree, which is why this is one of the very few I comment on. I've often found the discussions here to be a cut above most. Plus it hardly seems fair to judge this blog based on your impression of others.
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 23, 2008 1:37 PM
We laugh at him because obviously if he's the son of God he could fly just by flapping his arms, ok geddit?
It's ironic because if he's so all powerful his helicopter shouldn't crash.
Were you as outraged when Moon crowned himself the messiah in a Capitol office in front of Congress members?
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9c06e3dd1e39f937a15755c0a9629c8b63
Posted by: Phil | July 23, 2008 1:55 PM
Abby,
It was cathartic. I have known Rev. Moon and his family for more than three decades and I was looking for news about the crash. I had never seen this site before and I very rarely blog, but this hit a nerve. But I honestly don't think I will change anyone's mind.
Phil,
Your comments remind me of a Bible verse Mark 15 26-30:
People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days--so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!"
Posted by: Dadicated | July 23, 2008 2:59 PM
You know Moon? What have you to say about the following information?
http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/reverend_moon/
Follow this link and you'll understand why we -- even, I suspect, some of the atheists among us -- don't like the idea of people like you comparing him to Jesus. Even if Jesus was nothing more than a misunderstood Jewish reformist, he was still a far better man than Moon will ever be.
Posted by: Raging Bee | July 23, 2008 3:10 PM
Fascinating. I've never before knowingly spoken with someone who's personally known Rev. Moon for a significant length of time. I'd love to hear any thoughts or stories about him you'd care to share.
Catharsis does explain the tone of your original post. I was on the right track in that its purpose was to make you feel good. :D
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 23, 2008 3:29 PM
"What I see here is nothing but bigotry coming from people trying way too hard to be clever."
To paraphrase The Princess Bride: "You keep using that word...I do not think it means what you think it means."
Posted by: Aegis | July 23, 2008 6:54 PM
I feel nothing but sorrow for most of you. Sorrow for the mean-spiritedness of the original posting and the viciousness shown in the comments that followed.
I thought this is a Science Blog.
Shame on you!
Posted by: Jim | July 23, 2008 9:20 PM
There's some familiarity with the Moonies in a lot of these comments. I grew up in that community and was the same age as some of his boys, we've played and fought, I've fished and ate with the Rev. Glad to be long and far removed from it all though.
I don't wish Rev. Moon any harm, but there's some truth to those jokes: the Moonies do tend to make a big symbolic deal out of otherwise benign events. I expect the numerical significance of the date will be widely discussed, a member who died in a car crash on the same day will be declared to have sacrificed his life for Moon, and so on. It sounds funny, but I'm not even doing it justice. Reporting on the political ramifications in Heaven, announcements on which spiritual milestones have been affected, money will of course need to be collected for something related to this.
As a young boy I felt rather isolated and ridiculous trying to explain to the adults around me that they were being hysterical; the weather was bad, it was a fairly predictable accident and that revising travel protocols would be a much more productive response than burning stuff and talking to dead people.
Sun Myung Moon himself is smart and tough as nails, I'm sure he'll recover fine, be more cautious in the future, and find ways to benefit from this that would never occur to me.
Posted by: TobyF | July 23, 2008 9:30 PM
Jim - I surmise from your post that you're a Moonie. If so, you're a deluded fool.
Posted by: Taz | July 23, 2008 10:50 PM
At least, Reverend Moon is a sincere man. Right or wrong, or somewhere in between, just like everyone else. Also, he does not teach or believe in miracles.
Posted by: Leah | July 24, 2008 2:34 AM
Only if you consider con men "sincere."
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 24, 2008 2:42 AM
Meh, lucky git. That's all you can say really.
Posted by: Richard Eis | July 24, 2008 4:05 AM
Posted by: Taz | July 24, 2008 9:23 AM
TFA: "Moon received an X-ray and his condition was not serious, Park said."
Ed: "If he had died, he would of course have risen from the grave 3 days later anyway."
Maybe that's what they meant by "not serious"...
Posted by: Andrew | July 24, 2008 9:47 AM
Abby,
I am somewhat reluctant to share much of my experience here. Nevertheless I'll try. I encountered the teachings of Rev. Moon in the early 70s. I had studied for five years at a seminary to become a Catholic priest in a religious order. I left that because I thought there must be something more embracing than Catholicism. This was the era following the close of Vatican II or the Ecumenical Council. I was very influenced by Pope John XXIII and before that by President Kennedy.
When I first heard it I was amazed at the theology that underlies Rev. Moon's teaching. I knew that if it were true, it would change my life. I prayed to God to show me that it wasn't true. My prayers were answered, but not in the way I wanted. A very dramatic spiritual experience convinced me that it is true. The rest, for me at least, is history.
I now work in a professional job that has nothing to do with any church. My wife and I have four teenage children and we hope that they will embrace our beliefs as their own. That will be their choice to make.
I had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time with Rev. Moon. What from the beginning has impressed me the most is his teachings about the suffering heart of God and the suffering heart of Jesus. I can remember vividly standing with Rev. Moon, his wife and other members at a rock where he would pray after Sunday service. I especially remember the tears streaming down his face as he prayed.
I was privileged to be at Rev. Moon's house the night before he entered Danbury Prison. He had been given the option of leaving America and never coming back. Many of the church leaders urged him to do that. They were afraid for his safety. But he felt called by God to stay in America. He could easily have lived out his life in comfort in Korea. But he chose to stay. I will never forget that night.
I am sure that someone will look for ways to cleverly poke fun at my words. I can't stop that although I would hope they would learn to respect the beliefs of people who disagree with them.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 24, 2008 4:50 PM
Abby,
I am somewhat reluctant to share much of my experience here. Nevertheless I'll try. I encountered the teachings of Rev. Moon in the early 70s. I had studied for five years at a seminary to become a Catholic priest in a religious order. I left that because I thought there must be something more embracing than Catholicism. This was the era following the close of Vatican II or the Ecumenical Council. I was very influenced by Pope John XXIII and before that by President Kennedy.
When I first heard it I was amazed at the theology that underlies Rev. Moon's teaching. I knew that if it were true, it would change my life. I prayed to God to show me that it wasn't true. My prayers were answered, but not in the way I wanted. A very dramatic spiritual experience convinced me that it is true. The rest, for me at least, is history.
I now work in a professional job that has nothing to do with any church. My wife and I have four teenage children and we hope that they will embrace our beliefs as their own. That will be their choice to make.
I had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time with Rev. Moon. What from the beginning has impressed me the most is his teachings about the suffering heart of God and the suffering heart of Jesus. I can remember vividly standing with Rev. Moon, his wife and other members at a rock where he would pray after Sunday service. I especially remember the tears streaming down his face as he prayed.
I was privileged to be at Rev. Moon's house the night before he entered Danbury Prison. He had been given the option of leaving America and never coming back. Many of the church leaders urged him to do that. They were afraid for his safety. But he felt called by God to stay in America. He could easily have lived out his life in comfort in Korea. But he chose to stay. I will never forget that night.
I am sure that someone will look for ways to cleverly poke fun at my words. I can't stop that although I would hope they would learn to respect the beliefs of people who disagree with them.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 24, 2008 4:55 PM
Dadicated-
The notion that we should "respect" beliefs is silly. I certainly respect your right to hold those beliefs, but that does not mean I can't call your beliefs what they are - which is patently absurd. Criticism is not persecution. And no matter how nice you might be, the man you follow is a fascist and a fraud who has destroyed a great many lives. Beliefs are ideas; ideas are always open to criticism. And criticism has not a damn thing to do with "respect" (which might well be the most overused and rarely defined word in the English language).
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 24, 2008 5:30 PM
Ed,
I doubt that you know much about my beliefs. Do you think all religious beliefs are absurd? Have you ever taken the time to study the teachings of Rev. Moon?
You call Rev. Moon a fascist? Do you know what fascism is? By definition fascism is a totalitarian philosophy of government that glorifies the state and nation and assigns to the state control over every aspect of national life. The term was first used by Mussolini.
Rev. Moon has challenged his followers repeatedly to see if they can find a better explanation of man's relationship to God. The members of his movement have shown sincere respect to people of all religious beliefs. That doesn't sound like fascism to me.
In fact Rev. Moon was imprisoned in a camp run by North Korea's Kim Il Sung, a maniacal dictator. He has repeatedly expressed his gratitutde to America and the UN forces that liberated the camp he was in.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 25, 2008 1:12 AM
Raging Bee
My point was not so much to compare Rev. Moon to Jesus, my intention was to compare Phil to the people who mocked Jesus and the men crucified with him. I found the similarity striking, don't you?
Posted by: Dadicated | July 25, 2008 1:21 AM
Dadicated, you more than likely will not find this convincing, as your mind is clearly made up on the issue, but if you are interested in why the lot of us consider Moon to be so repellent, here is a good place to start.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 25, 2008 1:40 AM
"At least, Reverend Moon is a sincere man. Right or wrong, or somewhere in between, just like everyone else."
Leah, the above is essentially meaningless. Since when is sincerity a justification for anything? The second sentence describes Moon and also every other human being on earth.
Posted by: Joe | July 25, 2008 2:27 AM
Dadicated, thank you for sharing despite your misgivings. I agree with Ed that asking for an idea to be respected just because you or anyone else believes in it is silly. I will judge the value of an idea on it's own merit. Ideas don't deserve automatic respect. However, I feel people do.
This is were I see you and I having common ground and this is what resonated for me in your original post. I quote:
The essence of that statement, that disagreeing with an idea need not lead to hate for the person espousing it, is a great message. I know a little about Unification theology from the Divine Principle. There are some elements that work for me in a "doing the right thing for the wrong reason" way. Most of it though, I found to be fairly worthless. I think his son's struggles with drugs, violence, and infidelity, are proof enough that his ideas for building an "ideal family" are without merit. I won't even go into the issues Sun Myung Moon reports.
Apart from my philosophical differences with Rev. Moon's teachings, I strongly oppose his position on many social issues. But that's not to say I don't respect him. He has achieved much. He's been incredibly successful at getting his ideas out there. He's built an empire that influences, either directly or indirectly, the lives of millions of people. What's more he's done it by talking. That's amazing to me.
It makes me want to find out more about Sun Myung Moon the person. I'm curious about his sense of humor. What kind of food he does he like? Is he afraid of spiders? What kind of tipper is he? What's his last thought before falling asleep and what's his first thought in the morning? What drives him to do what he does? These are the types of questions that interest me.
You've also piqued my interest. You seem a caring and reasonable person. As I mentioned, Rev. Moon's teachings don't hold much appeal to me. So I'd love to better understand a contrary point of view. You mentioned that his theology amazed you and changed your life. Can you tell me in what way it resonated for you? How has following Moon's teachings enhanced your life?
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 25, 2008 10:51 AM
Abby,
What struck me most in the teachings of Rev. Moon was the Christology. Fom as early as I can remember Jesus was very important to me. I left the seminary after five years in part because I believed there was something missing in the Catholic teaching on Jesus. I had for several years been raising questions that made some of older priests uncomfortable. I was considered a philosphical troublemaker.
In essence the traditional teaching is that Jesus was born to die on the cross for the sins of mankind. If it was indeed the ultimate will of God that his son be tortured and crucified, then those who did this were doing the will of God. That makes Judas and Pontius Pilate saints for accomplishing God's will in such a major way.
But no one beleives this. Judas was so wracked with guilt that he took his own life. Jesus never said "Kill me and I'll save the world." He said follow me and I will lead you to the Father.
In the Garden of Ghetsemane Jesus asked his heavenly Father to "let this cup pass from me." If the whole purpose of hs life was to die on the cross, how strange this prayer becomes.
Traditional theology explains this as the human side of dualistic Jesus.
The Divine Principle explains that the death on the cross was not the ultimate will of God. Jesus' mission was to create an ideal family and lay the foundation for the kingdom of heaven to come on earth. I do not believe he prayed out of fear -- too many heroes have gone bravely to their deaths. Jesus wept because the death on the cross was not the original will of God and would delay the coming of the kingdom of heaven. He wept because he understood the heart of God and the sadness this would bring to God. His mission depended on the cooperation of people that God had been working to prepare for hundreds of years.
This is a simplification of a very profound part of Rev. Moon's teaching. The prophecies in the Old Testament explain what would happen if mankind accepts the messiah sent by God and what would happen if they don't. Thus some prophecies focus on the suffeering servant and others predict a Lord of Glory. The mission of the prophets was to warn what will happen if people follow the word of God and what will happen if they don't.
When I heard this teaching it had the ring of truth. For me, it still does.
Because I joined the movement when it was still relatively small in America, I had many opportunities to spend time with Rev. and Mrs. Moon. I remember one time in Boston when he brought an entire crusade team to McDonald's. I can still picture Rev. Moon sitting at the end of a booth with his stomach pressed against the table so his children couldn't get out and run around while members of the team performed.
Rev. Moon is a passionate man who believes deeply in the things he teaches. On many occasions I have seen him weep when he spoke about the suffering heart of God.
But he is also a man with a great sense of humor. At the end of church celebrations he often took the stage to sing Korean folk songs with Mrs. Moon. It wasn't unusal to see him break into a very funny dance. He has a wonderful sense of humor.
And yes, he is a big tipper. If memory serves me correctly he explained that he thinks how he would want someone to treat the waiter if it were his son or daughter.
One more thought. When Rev. Moon was convicted on tax charges in Federal Court, he walked over and shook the prosecutor's hand. He harbored no bitterness. At Danbury prison he won the respect of many of his fellow inmates. One inmate in particular wrote a letter to Screw magazine explaining how much he had grown to respect Rev. Moon. In particular he noted that Rev. Moon was willing to clean the toilets, a job no one wanted to do.
Posted by: Dadicated | July 27, 2008 5:06 PM
I too was looking for commentary on the crash as looking at some of the photo's it seems amazing that anybody survived let alone an 88 year old man. I heard the copter turned on it's side and that young children were on board.
I ended up reading all the comments and wondered what type of a science blog this is?
TobyF - Your comment about somebody dying instead of somebody else is an interesting one. This idea is a commonly held belief such as Jesus death on the cross but also more modern times. If you have read Carl Jung's autobiography "Memories Dreams Reflections" you will see it was one held by the great man himself. Jung was very sick in hospital and had a dream that he was dying. In the dream as his spirit left his body, his doctor came and asked him to return. When Jung awoke he said that he knew that his doctor would die in his place. A short while later his doctor did in fact pass away and Jung believed that it was so he could live and continue his work.
There is much more to life than what we currently know, as is the belief of all science and scientific discovery.
Posted by: Jeff | July 27, 2008 7:15 PM
Jeff wrote:
I'll take gibberish and bullshit for $1000, Alex.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 27, 2008 9:14 PM
Ed stated:
'The notion that we should "respect" beliefs is silly'
I am not sure about this one. I am no Moon fan for sure. But I think there is a more civil way in general to hash out all of disagreements about world views and beliefs in this country.
I would say this: if this man does not feel respected than there is no chance he will come out of the cult. Notice I said it was a cult so I am not saying to water anything down but these things do tend to be more divisive than need be in a free country.
Let me give an example. I totally disagree with much of what Buddhism teaches. I think some of it even harms lives in that it is a fatalistic religion at its core. I also find the rituals meaningless. But when I went to Tibet and went to visit Monasteries I would walk around the thing just the way they did. Not in worship or agreement. Just out of respect for the culture. I think this is what the man is saying in his comment.
He can correct me if I am wrong. I also understand that by calling what he is into a cult he may feel disrespected and this could nullify all I am saying. This is a hard one is a global world full of conflicting ideas.
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 27, 2008 10:15 PM
Which is why scientists are laboring all the time, seeking and finding explanations.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 27, 2008 10:36 PM
Dadicated,
I really didn't expect so many of my questions about Rev. Moon to be answered. I thoroughly enjoyed your accounts. Thank you. The joy, confidence, passion and sincerity you portray are consistent with a number of other powerful leaders I've researched. Mahatma Gandhi, Benjamin Franklin, Jim Jones, Pim Fortuyn, Bahá'u'lláh, and Albert Einstein spring immediately to mind.
Fair warning, I'm unlikely to run out of questions any time soon. So I'll just keep asking for as long as you're up for answering. You wrote a bit about the incomplete work of Jesus. Obviously that has huge theological implications. But I'm more curious about the practical repercussions. How has that revelation impacted your life?
I remember reading about building a foundation for the Messiah and preparing oneself to be saved. Though I'm sorry to say I've forgotten most of the details. What actions you take that you wouldn't have were it not for Unification Church?
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 28, 2008 1:47 PM
Sadie
That was exactly my meaning. As human beings we are looking to discover more. Science is one of the means of doing that.
Why Ed thinks that is Bullshit and gibberish escapes me.
Posted by: Jeff | July 28, 2008 5:19 PM
Joe,
You wrote: "Since when is sincerity a justification for anything? "The second sentence describes Moon and also every other human being on earth."
I, for one, appreciate sincerity. It says a lot about a person. I don't think Moon is a con man, if he was, I imagine he would have retired a few years ago.
My other point was just that, he is just like everyone else. I see him as a man trying to do something to better the world. I admire his effort.
Posted by: Leah | July 28, 2008 10:12 PM
Moon is characterized by a pathological messiah complex, and he has become drunk with power. These are not characteristics of "everyone else."
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 28, 2008 10:33 PM
Sadie,
Are you serious?
Posted by: Dadicated | July 29, 2008 1:14 AM
As serious as a heart attack.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 29, 2008 3:07 AM
Sadie,
No that's certainly not the impression I got of Reverend Moon when I heard him speak in Europe a couple of years ago.
I found him to be very humble and willing to listen and learn from others as well as encourage and inspire people in the work they are doing for others in public service be it large or small.
I also found that he is very respectful of others, be they people of some faith or not.
In fact the audience that he spoke to were very mixed in terms of faith and ethnicity.
He is also very willing to talk about his challenges in his life and the attitude he employs to overcome them, by way of offering advice.
"Drunk with power"? He didn't strike me as drunk with anything. In fact he speaks about the danger of misusing intoxicates!
Posted by: Jeff | July 29, 2008 6:37 AM
Abby,
What intrigued me about the teaching of Rev. Moon is that the emphasis is not on personal salvation but rather on the salvation of mankind, including everyone who has ever lived. God cannot be truly happy until everyone is saved.
To accomplish this God has worked through all of the world's great religions, not just Christianity.
I believe that the solution for the war in the Middle East lies not so much in military power as it does in the hope that the relgious leaders can come to higher understading of the mind and heart of God.
Although I work in a job now that is not related to the Unification Church or the Family Federation for World Peace, my religious beliefs and the example set by Rev. Moon in his life are a constant guide.
It is a comfort to believe that the world is moving toward some ideal and is not just caught in an and endless, meaningless cycle. I believe that world peace and an end to poverty and hunger are achievable goals and that a people motivated and empowered by God will lead the way in achieving those goals. In that sense I am not living solely for my own salvation or even for the sake of my family but for the sake of the world.
To be honest, I often fall far short of my ideals and the example set by Rev. Moon. Nevertheless I am confident that I am moving in the right direction.
Posted by: Dadicated | August 2, 2008 11:05 AM