Fwd: Bush and rev. Moon

[Guest guest]

Just received this from the American Atheist News:

" BUSH PUSH " AGAINST FIRST AMENDMENT BEGINS: ASHCROFT IS PARTY ANIMAL

AT REV. MOON INAUGURAL BASH

W. Bush began his term in office this weekend with a proposal

for a

voucher program, and promises that he would soon unveil specifics for

his

planned Federal Office of Faith-Based Partnership.

The former Texas governor was sworn in on Saturday as the nation's

43rd

President amidst protests throughout the Washington, D.C. area, and

celebrations by supporters. Among the festivities was a lavish

Interfaith

Inaugural Prayer Luncheon organized by a front for Korean evangelist

and cult

leader Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The " America Come Together Luncheon For

Unity

and Renewal " was hosted by Moon's Washington Times Foundation, and

attracted

over 1,700 key religious right political operatives, ministers and

public

officials.

Despite the impressive line-up of speakers and attendees, the surprise

guest

of honor was former Missouri Sen. Ashcroft who is still under

consideration as Mr. Bush's choice to be the nation's next Attorney

General.

Ashcroft " brought down the house " according to a Washington Times

newspaper

story, and told the assembled ministers and political officials, " This

is a

country worth praying for. "

The event was described as " one of the largest and most diverse

inaugural

religious gatherings of clergy and lawmakers in memory. "

The three-hour festival included a wide mix of ecclesiastical leaders,

despite the overt involvement of Moon-controlled groups. Other

organizations

endorsed the luncheon, including The Empowerment Network, Christian

Voice,

American Forum for Jewish-Christian ation, and the Luther

King

Family Life Institute. Among those slated at the podium were Pat

Boone,

Congressman Danny , Rev. Walter Fauntroy, " Crystal Cathedral "

evangelist Schuller, Rep. Matt Salmon, and GOP political

operative

Wead

, also a Franciscan layman, told the guests at the $100-a-seat

bash that

he and Rep. Philip M. Crane (R-Ill.) will introduce this week a

congressional resolution calling upon Americans to " dwell in unity and

one

accord. "

Speakers praised each other as well as the absent Rev. Graham.

The

Rev. Merritt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention,

hailed the

aging evangelist noting that throughout his life " there had not been

one hint

of scandal. " Also coming in for effusive recognition was Rev. Moon,

who was

presented with a special award for his work in support of " traditional

family

values. "

Moon has been accused of operating a religious cult, the Unification

Church.

The bizarre evangelist is also noted for his mass wedding ceremonies,

and has

described American women as " prostitutes " and sexually promiscuous.

Moon and

his dozens of political organizations have been active in religious

right

causes for over three decades. A 1977 congressional probe chaired by

Rep.

Fraser revealed that Moon had been an important asset of the

Korean

Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA), which had funded the Unification

Church

as a " political tool " within the United States. One KCIA-Moon

operation

involved the Asian People's Anti-Communist League (APACL), which

according to

sociologist Diamond ( " Spiritual Warfare, The Politics of the

Christian

Right, " South End Press, 1989) was part of a multinational network of

" Nazi

war criminals, Latin American death squad leaders, North American

racists and

anti-Semites, and fascist politicians from every continent. "

Moon has enjoyed closed ties with American religious right operatives

including direct mail wizard Viguerie, Rev. Jerry Falwell,

apocalypse kitsch novelist Tim LaHaye, evangelists Jimmy Swaggart, Rex

Humbard, and D. Kennedy, doomsdayer Hal Lindsey, and Christian

Voice

executives Grant and Colonel Doner.

In 1996, then-President Bush -- father of the current chief

executive

-- spoke at a conference dinner organized by another Moon-linked

newspaper in

Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Tiempos del Mundo. Conspicuously absent

from

the affair was Argentine's President Menem, who had been

advised to

shun the dinner because of its close association with the

controversial Rev.

Moon. Bush, however, praised Moon's Washington Times newspaper for

its

" defense of liberty and democracy. " Moon then delivered a 50-minute

harangue, and in reference to having served a year in a U.S. prison

for tax

evasion, said " I am a person who had to overcome significant

persecution in

the United States. "

Moon also denounced the U.S. as " a nation of extreme individualism, a

nation

whose people are pursuing private interests, over-indulging

themselves,

gluttonous, practicing free sex. " (Associated Press, 11/23/96)

Rev. Moon's hostility toward secularism, individualism and popular

culture,

seemed to resonate with many of those attending the inaugural bash.

Rev.

Jerry Falwell even brought greetings to the event from an unlikely

co-religionist, the Rev. . was in an

accelerated r

ecovery-rehabilitation mode following revelations that he had fathered

a

child with a staff secretary of his Operation PUSH, out of wedlock.

" He asks your prayers,' declared Falwell. " He apologizes, he takes

responsibility and makes no excuses, points no fingers at anyone else,

and

that's all a man can do. "

Rev. Jack Hayford praised the Moon-sponsored banquet as symbolic of a

new

era of interreligious and interracial cooperation. Hayford is a

leading

figure in the " Vineyard " evangelical and " Latter Rain " movements which

critics say involve cult-like control over religious followers known

as

" shepherding " and " discipleship. " Hayford is considered one of the

theological influences within the Promise Keepers movement, and

encouraged

former university football coach Bill McCartney to form the

controversial

men's revival group.

Hayford was tapped to give the benediction at the 54th Inaugural

Prayer

Service at the National Cathedral to honor incoming President Bush.

The Times noted that " Many of the religious figures spoke of the size

and

ecumenical nature of the prayer luncheon. " Schuller, author of

numerous feel-good, religion themed tracts, and host of the " Hour of

Power "

television program told the audience, " Many of you had reason not to

accept

this invitation because of 'Who else will be there?' And yet there is

an

overriding unity. And the only way I can explain it in my theology is

the

Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ has really diversified His investment

portfolio. "

Also gushing over the theme of religious unity was singer Pat Boone,

who

spoke of his " wonderful feeling " at being surrounded by Christians,

Muslims,

Buddhists and Hindus.

" We love you, we cherish you, we respect you, " said Boone.

Politics And Prayer

Ecumenism, affirming the primacy of faith over doubt, was not the only

agenda

item at the Moon-sponsored luncheon. Politics was also on the menu,

especially with the presence of Bush campaign domestic policy adviser

Goldsmith, former mayor of Indianapolis and a leading advocating of

using

" faith-based partnerships " to involve religious groups in addressing

social

problems. Goldsmith told the gathering, " All of us here want the

government

to no longer be hostile to religion. " He praised Mr. Bush and his

cabinet,

noting " This is an administration that will clear out the regulation

problems, clear out the legal problems " in giving religious leaders

and

groups greater access to public funding.

Update: Bush Moving On Vouchers, " Partnerships "

Today, President Bush began his policy offensive on capitol hill with

a

series of briefing meetings with key congressional leaders. The Bush

voucher

plan is part of an education reform package which would rate all

schools, and

allow parents of youngsters in failing public schools to obtain up to

$1,700

per child for use toward tuition at private and religious

institutions.

There is speculation that this part of the Bush package could be

sacrificed,

though, especially in light of recent court rulings which have struck

down

voucher programs as a violation of the separation of church and state.

Next week, Bush is expected to conduct a similar round of hearings in

hopes

of laying the groundwork for his Federal Office of Faith-Based

Partnerships.

During the campaign, he promised to spend $8 billion in the first year

through a series of tax incentives, grants, loans and other funding

which

would subsidize religious groups engaged in faith-based social

outreaches.

For further information:

http://www.atheists.org/action/defwall-ashcroft.html ( " The Ashcroft

File, "

background on " The Man Who Would Be Attorney General "

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/church29.htm ( " Record prison

releases,

're-entry' programs could fuel calls for religion-based rehab, " 1/9/00

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/bush2.htm ( " Bush calls for charity

tax

credits, Federal office to promote faith-based social programs, "

7/23/99)

http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/church23.htm ( " White House, GOP

congress

join to promote faith-based 'Community Renewal' legislation, " 6/10/00)

http://www.atheists.org/public.square/charitablechoice.html

( " Charitable

Choice, Faith-Based Partnerships and the Public Funding of Religion " )

--- End forwarded message ---