Unification News for May 2001

April 14 - Honolulu, Hawaii

The Saturday morning "We Will Stand" breakfast program drew 1,500 people and included the choirs and pastors of several local Pentecostal Christian congregations. The Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom was transformed by the lively and unique event.

The Aloha State flocked to hear Korean evangelist Father Sun Myung Moon and others speak on the sanctity of marriage and family and ending all forms of prejudice by "tearing down the walls of denominationalism".

More than 500 tourists from Japan and Korea were among the crowd, and they were among the most enthusiastic and attentive.

"Recently, many young couples don't care about lineage, they don't want children, they just want to enjoy life. They are less than human," he preached.

"If you are guilty of infidelity, you are bound for hell, you are going in the trash can. Wives who avoid having children are committing a sin.

"To have children was God's main purpose for humankind. Without children, that's not a family. You cannot enter the kingdom of God ... you enter as a family."

He challenged and cajoled his new-found congregation. "Just by believing in Jesus doesn't mean you will enter the kingdom of heaven."

He thundered in the style of a hellfire preacher, speaking in Korean, and giving Mr. Peter Kim his translator a fit as he sought to keep up.

However the ideas may have played in less tolerant areas of America, regarding racial intermarriage and lowered barriers between religious denominations, they didn't cause a flicker in this crowd.

The tourists especially applauded appreciatively when Father Moon described bringing Japanese and Koreans together in marriage. "Then you are in-laws and old enmities are ended," he declared.

Reverend Michael Jenkins, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, acting as the emcee for the morning stated: "Father and Mother Moon received a commission from Jesus to anoint families."

University of Hawaii religion professor Cromwell Crawford offered thoughtful remarks to the local press.

"He's not singular in that perspective, every religious leader has a messianic consciousness. No single leader has done more for ecumenism than Reverend Moon."

"I am consistently stuck by his message. He appeals to the type of mentality that believes it is under siege."

He said attacks from organized religion that marked the nondenominational movement in the 1960s and 70s fit a historic pattern.

"We were all on the fringe once. Every religion has been a 'moonie,' even Christianity was 'moonie' in its time. Every great religious leader was persecuted. We become monopolistic."

"In terms of translating what he says into welfare, this man has an iron in every fire."

Among other interests, Father Moon established the Washington Times and, last year, purchased United Press International news service.

Customary flowers were presented including the traditional Hawaiian Leis to Father and Mother Moon.

Awards were then presented to the Family Home Evening Program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Mike Gabbard, founder of the Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values; and Leon Siu, founder of Christian Voice.

Father Moon himself presented an award honoring Korean War veterans to retired Lt. Colonel Gayle Gardner, founder of the U.S. War Veterans Foundation.

Regional report

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