Sun Myung Moon coronation

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The Sun Myung Moon coronation was a ritual held 23 March 2004 on Capitol Hill. At a Unification Church reception where more than 12 United States lawmakers were in attendance, Rev. Sun Myung Moon was crowned "King of Peace" in a religious ceremony that met with widespread media criticism.

On June 23, 2004 the Washington Post reported:

At the March 23 ceremony in the Dirksen Senate Office Building, Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) wore white gloves and carried a pillow holding an ornate crown that was placed on Moon's head. The Korean-born businessman and religious leader then delivered a long speech saying he was "sent to Earth . . . to save the world's six billion people. . . . Emperors, kings and presidents . . . have declared to all Heaven and Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent."[1]

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[edit] Controversy

Unification Church theologian Chung Hwan Kwak described the significance as follows: "So in effect, the crowning means America is saying to Father, 'Please become my king,'" in a statement posted on a Unification Church website and reported by Church & State.

After ABC News and other major networks broadcast footage of the ceremony, members of Congress sought to "distance themselves from Moon". [2] U.S. Senator John Warner (R-Virginia) claimed to have been "deceived" into allowing the event on taxpayer-funded property.

The New York Times editorial board compared the sights to an act of the Roman leader Caligula, remarking that the "the scene summoned the moment in Robert Graves's I, Claudius when Emperor Caligula declares himself a god in the Roman Senate; a fawning solon instantly offers a prayer."[3]

The Associated Press reported that "Many of the congressional members in attendance have said they felt misled into making an appearance that later was used to promote Moon's Unification Church."[4] Some stated that they didn't expect a coronation but thought the awards dinner was only to honor activists from their home states as Ambassadors for Peace.[5] Representative Curt Weldon's office initially denied that he attended the event and when shown the invitation showing him as a co-sponsor said that he had been unable to attend the event.[6] After being shown photos proving his attendance, they said that his participation was "limited to his attendance."[6] John Gorenfeld then found a photo depicting Weldon as giving the opening "congratulatory remarks" from the stage.[6] Weldon gave a speech about his recent trip to Libya in front of a photo of him pinning an award on Muammar al-Gaddafi.[6] Weldon's spokesman Michael Conallen said he "was not there for the crowning" and "had no idea that the Reverend Moon was going to be at this event ... If we had known that Reverend Moon was going to attend the event, be crowned and make an unbelievably interesting speech, the congressman likely would not have attended."[7]

Church & State states:

Moon critic John Gorenfeld broke the story in March on his website (www.gorenfeld.net/blog/) and later ran a lengthy article about the event on the website gadflyer.com. About two weeks later, Gorenfeld did a similar piece for the online magazine salon.com, which sparked national headlines. [8]

[edit] Later comments

In March 2007, Moon said:

"In Jerusalem, in 2003, on the foundation of the victory attained through such blood, sweat and tears, I had Jesus proclaimed as the king of kings before heaven and earth with the acknowledgement of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Following this, in 2004, I was acknowledged as the King of Peace both in a United States Senate Office Building and at the Korean National Assembly. Subsequently, in June 2006, we held the Coronation Ceremony of the True Parents as the King and Queen of Peace in Heaven and Earth."

[edit] External links

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Babington, Charles; Alan Cooperman (June 23 2004). "The Rev. Moon Honored at Hill Reception - Lawmakers Say They Were Misled". Washington Post: A01. 
  2. ^ Religious Leaders Defend Moon's Capitol Hill Coronation As 'King of Peace'
  3. ^ "Lawmakers Scurry From the Light", New York Times, 2004-06-27. 
  4. ^ Bartlett defends role in Moon coronation 07/03/2004, MD PA WV Herald-Mail.
  5. ^ John Gorenfeld, "Moon Over Washington: Why are some of the capital’s most influential power players hanging out with a bizarre Korean billionaire who claims to be the Messiah?", The Gadflyer, June 9, 2004
  6. ^ a b c d Ron Gunzburger (2004-06-18). SPINNING MOON. Politics1 blog. Retrieved on 2007-06-20.
  7. ^ John Gorenfeld, "Moon Over Washington: Why are some of the capital’s most influential power players hanging out with a bizarre Korean billionaire who claims to be the Messiah?", The Gadflyer, June 9, 2004
  8. ^ Church & State, July/Aug 2004