Letter to US Senator about Moon enclave in Brazil
November 1999
By a Concerned Parent
Dear Senator:
I need to point out a matter of serious concern for me, one of your constituents, and for many thousands. It relates to the activities and words of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, who has thousands of followers in this country. Unfortunately, my child is one of them.
As you may be aware, he has been building up an enclave, called Jardim, in the remote Brazilian countryside. Up to now, Reverend Moon's activities in the Brazilian hinterland have been of limited concern to us in the United States. Lately, however, Mr. Moon has issued pronouncements that raise the specter of what happened some 21 years ago in Jonestown, Guyana with the Reverend Jim Jones and his followers.
Specifically, in a rambling speech delivered on Sunday, October 24, 1999 in New York, Mr. Moon called his followers to go with him to Jardim, Brazil. To quote from Mr. Moon's speech: "It is time for our mission, for our working time…Even if we lose everything, we have to do this mission." What is the mission Reverend Moon is talking about? He states it clearly at the end of his speech. Again, I quote: "So you have to go to Jardim for 40-day education. Without that, you cannot register for the Kingdom."
Normally, I would give little credence to pronouncements such as these. However, Mr. Moon is starting to whip up a frenzy among his followers that sounds rather ominous. For your information, I am quoting a couple of passages from the above-mentioned speech, so you may further understand why I am becoming increasingly concerned:
In the prelude to the speech, the Unification Church's spokesman, Mr. Tyler Hendricks pointed out that: "All the members in the world will read the same message at the same time…It is inevitable for Father to set this tradition because he is reaching 80 and before he goes to spirit world he wants to make sure that all humanity will take his tradition seriously, otherwise the future of humanity will not be that great."
In his speech, Reverend Moon stated to his audience: "Repeat after me, Absolute obedience. [Absolute obedience.] In the secular world they do not have this concept; they say they have freedom, but it is a false freedom that acts as the shield of Satan. We have to stop it. By denying this satanic world completely, we can become one with God again. We can stand on God's side. Is there anything to be saved from the American nation? [Nothing.] Is it heavenly or satanic? [Satanic!] What would we say of Christianity? It is on the same side as communism, in a way."
Reverend Moon further told his audience: "Jesus Christ is trying to follow me, my footsteps, all the way. He stayed in Paradise, because he did not marry. But I gave him marriage. Don't you want to meet the wives of Buddha, Confucius and Muhammad? They sent letters of gratitude to me from spirit world. They pledge that even if their religion disappears, they will follow me."
"So you have to go to Jardim for 40-day education. Without that, you cannot register for the Kingdom."
You may access the full text of Mr. Moon's speech from The Unification Church's web site.
If Mr. Moon is luring his followers to the Brazilian hinterland where he expects their "absolute obedience," it is reasonable to suggest that someone should investigate if US citizens are in danger as a result of these actions.
I thank you in advance for any help you may provide.
Yours truly,
A Concerned Family
