Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Reverend Moon is dead

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current Events Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
On the other hand



Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:53 am    Post subject: Reverend Moon is dead Reply with quote

Quote:
GAPYEONG, South Korea (AP) � The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the self-proclaimed messiah who turned his Unification Church into a worldwide religious movement and befriended North Korean leaders as well as U.S. presidents, has died, church officials said Monday. He was 92.



I hate to admit it, but he was probably the first person that I ever associated with the country in which I now reside. It makes for an awkward moment when Koreans ask me "How did you first hear about Korea?" I guess there was that late 70s "Koreagate" political scandal as well(though I think Moon was involved in that).

As a kid, I pretty much bought the post-Jonestown popular consensus that cults were a dire menace to society, and that Moon, along with L. Ron Hubbard and Jones himself, were among the most evil people who ever walked the earth(well, true in Jones' case). After coming to Korea, I met a few Moonies(they actually use that name for themselves) who didn't really fit the stereotype of the "brainwashed" cult member. Fairly well educated, and quite content to let you live your life, not constantly trying to lure you into the church(as the media image claimed). They WERE big on promoting marriage, though, and would recommend those mass weddings even to people who weren't members(apparently, you don't need to join the church to be maried in one). I actually know a couple who got married via the church's matchmaking and marriage services, and they seemed quite well suited to one another.

I also read somewhere that the church's reputation for crazy mind-control was based largely on a study done of their Bay Area branch, but that this was not representative of their overall approach. Politically, Moon was famously right-wing, owned that newspaper in DC and got involved in Korean politics as well(he had connections with both the South Korean dictators and the liberal opposition). I gather he was reaching out to the Norks as well, maybe jumping on the Sunshine bandwagon, I'm not sure.

From what I've read, he seems to have started out as someone who did have sincerely believed mystical experiences, contrary to the notion that these guys just sit down one day and say "Okay, I'm gonna create a fake religion and rip everyone off"(as in the famous L. Ron Hubbard quote). I suppose if you truly believe that you are God's man on earth, it's easier to rationalize living a lifestyle considerably more lavish than that of your followers.

One thing I've noticed is that he seemed to have more of a following in Japan and the USA than in Korea. With maybe one exception, the Moonies I've met here were all American or Japanese(maybe the odd Brit). And most Koreans I've discussed him with seem to have a fairly negative view.

link
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
catman



Joined: 18 Jul 2004

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

He was a great businessman.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
goreality



Joined: 09 Jul 2009

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 4:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-09-02/sun-myung-moon-church-head-who-ran-business-empire-dead-at-92.html
This is a good summary of the man.
He seems to have been arrested a lot. I also don't like the part of his inflating church membership.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rollo



Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Great com artist. But not a bad human
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
On the other hand



Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue

PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
He seems to have been arrested a lot.


In fairness, at least some of his arrests were at the hands of Japanese colonialists, and Korean dictatorships north and south. Not exactly the kind of people you would trust to make exlusively legitimate arrests.

The US tax charges might have been a different story. I remember the morning his conviction was announced. I was in middle-school, and the first thing I said to the first teacher I encountered in the hallway on my way into school that morning was that Moon had been convicted. I remember the teacher was really enthusiastic to hear that, and I was proud to be conveying the news.

Which gives you some idea as to just how deeply dislike of the man penetrated into the popular consciousness. Because Moonies themselves had absolutely zero presence in my city, and neither I nor, in all probability, the teacher had ever met one.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
On the other hand



Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Reverend Moon talks about sex

The facial expressions of the female listeners are interesting. Unfortunately, the editting job leaves us bereft of an answer to his "concave/convex" question.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
caniff



Joined: 03 Feb 2004
Location: All over the map

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the other hand wrote:
Reverend Moon talks about sex

The facial expressions of the female listeners are interesting. Unfortunately, the editting job leaves us bereft of an answer to his "concave/convex" question.


He was a truly misunderstood figure/guy.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mr. BlackCat



Joined: 30 Nov 2005
Location: Insert witty remark HERE

PostPosted: Mon Sep 03, 2012 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the other hand wrote:
Quote:
He seems to have been arrested a lot.


In fairness, at least some of his arrests were at the hands of Japanese colonialists, and Korean dictatorships north and south. Not exactly the kind of people you would trust to make exlusively legitimate arrests.

The US tax charges might have been a different story. I remember the morning his conviction was announced. I was in middle-school, and the first thing I said to the first teacher I encountered in the hallway on my way into school that morning was that Moon had been convicted. I remember the teacher was really enthusiastic to hear that, and I was proud to be conveying the news.

Which gives you some idea as to just how deeply dislike of the man penetrated into the popular consciousness. Because Moonies themselves had absolutely zero presence in my city, and neither I nor, in all probability, the teacher had ever met one.


Did you go to middle school in the US (or other Western country) or Korea? I'm surprised that Moon's conviction would have been on your mind on that age, especially since you state that you had never even met a Moonie and their presence in your city was zero. You seem to have a strong connection to the man and the religion.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
On the other hand



Joined: 19 Apr 2003
Location: I walk along the avenue

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Did you go to middle school in the US (or other Western country) or Korea? I'm surprised that Moon's conviction would have been on your mind on that age, especially since you state that you had never even met a Moonie and their presence in your city was zero. You seem to have a strong connection to the man and the religion.


I went to middle school in western Canada, but I was kind of a "current events" geek. And Moon was discussed a lot in the media in those days. From Doonesbury to 60 Minutes, he was making the news.

Plus, following the goings-on of oddball religious sects has long been a hobby of mine. Meeting a few Moonies in Korea rekindled my interest as well.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Ya-ta Boy



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Established in 1994

PostPosted: Tue Sep 04, 2012 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was aware of Korea before I heard of Moon (my best friend when I was a little kid had a mom who couldn't/wouldn't get out of bed all day because her husband had been killed here).

But I ran into the Moonies when I was in a low spot during college. I was surviving on 50 cents a day (a carton of chocolate milk and a couple of fried pies). A pretty hot chick in my medieval European history class sat next to me and we got into a conversation and she invited me home for lunch. YES!!!

We got to her home and it turned out to be a huge two-story house with a bunch of rooms and could have subbed for the house above the Bates motel in Psycho.

We go in the door with me wiping the drool off my chin in expectation of the first real meal in weeks.

No luck.

There was one other guy, (arg! competition!) and we were told we had to listen to a lecture first.

What?

We trudged upstairs to a big empty room and had to sit through a lecture from some other guy, complete with posters and pointers and picture of Moon in some weird get-up with a crown. Turned out, Moon was the son or brother or something of JC, who I hadn't believed in for some time. It was really hard to keep a straight face and to bite my tongue during the Q & A time at the end.

Possibly worse, the sandwich (yes, only a sandwich!) was dry and boring.

I never sat next to that chick again.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current Events Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe
TEFL Courses, TESOL Course, English Teaching Jobs - TEFL International