Hyun Jin Moon's Inability to Humble Himself -- A Cause of Schism

Dan Fefferman
September 12, 2011

Hyun Jin Moon, May 30, 2010, San Paulo, Brazil

I admit that there are other, deeper issues in addition to succession and control in the current schism. Hyun Jin Moon's 2008 letter makes it clear that he believes the movement should not take the "church" path, and that the right way to go is to make the Unification religion take a back seat to the Global Peace initiative under UPF (with himself as the leader).

Like you, I had hoped that "were a movement of people that would give up any position, power, or wealth if it would benefit a larger purpose."

But when push came to shove, Hyun Jin Nim was unwilling to give up his position and power--even temporarily as Father asked him to. What is so disappointing about this to me is that such a course is far from unprecedented in our movement. Time and again, Father has asked his adopted sons to relinquish the foundations they established and offer them up to heaven.

This is what we used to call the "course of Isaac." Invariably, when the "son" unites with the Father and joins in the offering, he is resurrected. I'm quite sure that such a scenario is what Father intended for Hyun Jin Moon... a few months (or even weeks) attending True Parents and uniting with them in heart... then being supported in a major way, with the Unification Church foundation supporting the Peace UN initiative as Father always intended.

Instead of this, Hyun Jin Moon refused to humble himself. Instead of inheriting Father's foundation by becoming one with him, he took a position apart from True Parents. He insisted that he knew best, and that he was going to show them the right way to go. He has even refused to meet them, even withholding his own grandson from Father, running away from East Garden on the very day when Father came to bless the first fruits of the new generation.

So, no... it is not primarily about succession and control. It's primarily about the heart of the True Parents, and Hyun Jin Nim's inability to humble himself to them.

That refusal, combined with the very opposite attitude of Hyung Jin Moon, is what resulted in Father giving his blessing to Hyung Jin Nim as his successor. So in the final analysis -- and I know some hate to hear it -- the issue is not a struggle between the brothers for control as Father's heir. It is a question of unity between True Father and his sons. In one case (Hyung Jin Nim) there has been success; in the other (Hyun Jin Nim) a failure.

This can still change however. Father has made it clear that if Hyun Jin Moon steps down from UCI and comes back to him, the lawsuit against UCI will stop. Once that happens, Father will forgive Hyun Jin Moon and restore him... although I'm not sure he will ever regain the position Father once hoped he would fulfill as the spiritual leader of the next generation. That honor, it seems, has now been given to Hyung Jin Moon, and in my opinion rightfully so.