CLICK HERE!  Support Our Sponsors -- Support Us!

Your Email Address: FREE! "trancenet.net News Weekly" Your name will never be given out without your express permission or sold for any purpose whatsoever.   Register your email address with URL-MINDER to receive automatic notification when we update trancenet.net. your email: Please send questions, comments, problems, and letters to the editor to jmknapp53@gmail.com. All editorial correspondence becomes the property of trancenet.net -- unless requested otherwise -- and may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. Except where noted, entire contents Copyright ©1995,1996,1997 trancenet.net Society. trancenet.netTM is a trademark of trancenet.net Society, an unincorporated nonprofit organization. The opinions and viewpoints of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of trancenet.net, its editorial staff, nor trancenet.net Society, its board, officers, employees, volunteers. Neither trancenet.net Society nor its editorial staff conclude that any group discussed on this site is necessarily cultic in nature. We provide suppressed and alternative information so that you may make informed decisions for yourself. Copyrighted works are reprinted with permission as noted or are made available under the "fair use" exception of U.S. copyright law, for research and educational purposes only. Moon's "Blessing '97" News Archive Report on the Protest Against Moon Mass Wedding Festival, Steven Hassan, 12/4/97 On November 28th and 29th, 1997, John Stacey, Steven Hassan, Cathryn Mazer and her mother, Cynthia Lilley, Craig Maxim and his wife Rosa, and Councilman Bill Finch from Bridgeport, Connecticut joined together for a press conference and picket outside the RFK Stadium in Washington D.C.. Camilia Anwar Sadat canceled her appearance as well as Whitney Houston (she notified the Moonies 2 hours before her performance, it wasn't announced until after the concluding fireworks), Lou Dobbs- CNN, Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy, a former congressional delegate for the District, Ralph Reed, Coalition, Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani prime minister, DC Mayor Marion Barry. None of them chose to speak out except Ms. Sadat. Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan as well as Maureen Reagan, daughter of the former president, appeared for Moon. The press conference on Friday, November 28th was covered well by the mainstream media. Comments focused on two main issues. One, how the Moon group is anti-family (except his own "True Family") and second, on mind control. For further details see: http://www.shassan.com/protest.htm Reverend Moon holds mass wedding in Washington, Agence France-Presse via ClariNet, Sat, 29 Nov 1997 13:47:41 PST WASHINGTON, Nov 29 (AFP) - Thousands of couples, some of whom were meeting for the first time, converged on a sports stadium here Saturday to be "married" by the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Moon married the couples after reciting a long prayer in Korean during which he asked them to build "the ideal family" in the tradition of the Unification Church. Organizers said the couples had come from 185 countries and that the event was being broadcast in 54 countries, reaching 39.6 million couples of all faiths. Six leaders of other religions -- Hinduism, Islam, the Orthodox Church, Buddhism, Sikhs and Catholics also blessed the group. The leaders included Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam. Unification Church officials noted that the marriages did not have legal status and that the couples would get legally married back home. Some of the couples had already been legally married but awaited Saturday's ceremony for the church's permission to live together. Outside the stadium a small group of protesters handed out pamphlets saying that "tens of thousands of families have suffered because of the deceptive mind-control practices of the Moon organization." The Unification Church, which Moon created in 1954, claims some 50,000 members in the United States, although some experts believe there only a few thousand active members. Whitney Houston a no-show at Moon's mass wedding ceremony, November 29, 1997, 4:41 p.m. EST (2141 GMT) WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Some 2,500 traditionally dressed brides from all over the world stood next to their blue-suited grooms in a packed stadium Saturday morning, as the Rev. Sun Myung Moon blessed their marriages, many of which he arranged himself. But singer Whitney Houston, who was to be a headliner at Moon's "Blessing '97" event, was a no-show, despite a contract that reportedly paid her more than $1 million. Promoters of the event released a statement saying Houston was "unable to perform due to a sudden illness." (Editor's Note: Ms. Houston appeared hours later on "Saturday Night Live" with no evident signs of illness.) Another pop star, Jon Secada, performed as scheduled. During Saturday's mass wedding ceremony, anti-Moon protesters gathered outside the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium. Satellite hookups allowed more than 3.6 million other couples in 55 countries to witness the ceremony and take part in the day's festivities. The controversial Moon, whose critics liken the Unification Church to a cult, served a federal prison term in the United States for tax evasion. Some former church members, such as John Stacey, saw Saturday's event as a publicity stunt. In 1995, Stacey was matched to a Japanese wife who spoke no English. Stacey said he was brainwashed into marrying her and working for church-related businesses. "We were forbidden from seeing our parents," he said. "In fact, after the marriage, we were separated from our spouses for years so they could get more work out of us." Unification Church leaders bless 28,000 marriages in mass ceremony, November 29, 1997 WASHINGTON (AP) -- In all, 28,000 couples -- most long married and 2,500 newly matched -- paid $70 each to take part in Saturday's marriage affirmation ceremony sponsored by the Unification Church, which believes cross-cultural matchmaking will help unite the world. The real weddings come later in separate legal ceremonies. Ranks of new brides and grooms in long white dresses and dark suits took up two-thirds of the football field once used by the Washington Redskins. They were sprinkled with holy water, took vows to be married and raise families in the church, and exchanged rings under a grey November sky. After the morning ceremony presided over by the Moons, the couples shared box lunches of chicken, rice, carrots, apples and small slices of wedding cake. Whitney Houston, who had top-billing in a concert for a reported $1 million salary following Saturday's blessing ceremony, cancelled at the last minute, citing sudden illness. About a dozen picketers protested the event by the Unification Church, which has a multi-billion dollar international business empire abroad and in the United States that includes ownership of the conservative Washington Times newspaper in the nation's capital and Bridgeport University in Connecticut. Korean Moon Blesses 3.6 Million Marriages, November 29, 1997 WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Korean evangelist Sun Myung Moon blessed the arranged marriages of 3.6 million couples on Saturday in a ceremony centered on a Washington stadium, but linked by satellite with 84 countries around the world. Organizers from Moon's Korean-based Unification Church said some 36 million other couples were simultaneously rededicating their marriages, promising to stay together for life and raise their children according to church rules. These couples, not necessarily members of the Unification Church, were recruited for the $40-a-seat event through advertisements and house-to-house canvassing. Organizers stressed that Saturday's ceremonies were to bless the partnerships and not to marry the couples, who they said came from 185 countries. The formal wedding ceremonies will take place in these countries at a later date. Church leaders invited representatives from six major religions to address the crowd before Moon, wearing a white crown with seven gold stars and trailing floor-length white and gold robes, blessed the couples from the podium. The Annual Word In Business and Profession Conference, The Way International, Wyndham Anatole Hotel, Dallas Texas, November 27, 1997 Yesterday's reception began the conference (at the cost of $100 plus room fee and most meals). Also planned is a "Texas-style barbecue" Saturday evening. In order to attend the Conference you must be a "foundational class graduate" of L. Craig Martindale's Way of Abundance and Power Class. Followers have been told that this conference is a "replacement" for the once famous Rock Of Ages, a one week revival formerly held at the Way International Headquarters, New Knoxville, Ohio. Rev. Moon's Church Set Up for Hate Crimes, Unification Church, Tuesday November 25, 8:35 pm Eastern Time WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Civil rights leaders joined with members of Reverend Moon's Unification Church to denounce The Washington Post's publishing of photos and addresses of the homes of Unification Church families. In this week's series of three articles by Post writers Marc Fisher and Jeff Leen, the Unification Church and its membership are being dangerously set up as targets for hate crimes, church leaders maintain. ``The Washington Post may choose to criticize our church, but publishing the home addresses of our families crosses the line from civil discourse to hate mongering. It is outrageous and unethical,'' said Dr. Tyler Hendricks, president of the Unification Church of America. Andrew Bacus, a lawyer for the Unification Church, said, ``The Unification Church is being victimized by The Post. Would The Post scrutinize the entire financial activities of the Catholic Church and its members? This is irresponsible, 'paparazzi' style journalism.'' Lawyers for the Unification Church are exploring the possibility of legal action against The Washington Post and its writers for malicious persecution of a minority religion with intent to incite bodily injury. Christian Protest of Moon's "Blessing '97" planned, Trancenet, 11/26/97 A Chrisitian-oriented protest of Rev. Moon's Wedding spectacle on Nov. 29 , 1997, is set to begin at 9:00 AM at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington D.C. Media from all over the world will be there , and we must show up in force ! Let's share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with those who so desperately need it ! Moon is scheduled to marry 36,000 people in the stadium and more than 3.6 million more by satellite worldwide. Submitted by Rosamaxim@aol.com Sadat's Daughter Withdraws from Moonies Event, 11/24/97, Steven Hassan (Boston, MA) Camilia Anwar Sadat, the daughter of late Egyptian President and Nobel Peace Laureate Anwar Sadat will hold a press conference, Tuesday 25 November, 1997, 10:30 am, at the Four Seasons Hotel, to denounce the Moon organization. She is withdrawing from the November 27-29 Washington D.C. conference, sponsored by Sun Myung Moon. She will talk about why she turned down an offer of $100,000 to appear at the conference. Ms. Sadat will be joined at the press conference by former Moon leader, Steven Hassan, author of Combatting Cult Mind Control> Ms. Sadat is President and Founder of the Sadat Peace Institute and actively works on behalf of peace, justice and human rights issues. Mr. Hassan is a licensed therapist, lecturer and specializes in counseling victims of mind control group and their families. Moon Protest Being Organized Noted author, counselor, and cult expert Steven Hassan invites the public to join him at a protest on Saturday, November 29, at RFK stadium in Washington, D.C. The event runs 9-6 pm. Mr. Hassan also expects to hold a press conference on Friday. Concerned citizens can also call the Mayor's office to complain about his participation, 202 727-6161. Washington Post Completes Extraordinary 3-Part Series on Moon Series begins at http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1997-11/23/175l-112397-idx.html. Rev. Moon's Church Set Up for Hate Crimes, Unification Church, Tuesday November 25, 8:35 pm Eastern Time WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Civil rights leaders joined with members of Reverend Moon's Unification Church to denounce The Washington Post's publishing of photos and addresses of the homes of Unification Church families. In this week's series of three articles by Post writers Marc Fisher and Jeff Leen, the Unification Church and its membership are being dangerously set up as targets for hate crimes, church leaders maintain. ``The Washington Post may choose to criticize our church, but publishing the home addresses of our families crosses the line from civil discourse to hate mongering. It is outrageous and unethical,'' said Dr. Tyler Hendricks, president of the Unification Church of America. Andrew Bacus, a lawyer for the Unification Church, said, ``The Unification Church is being victimized by The Post. Would The Post scrutinize the entire financial activities of the Catholic Church and its members? This is irresponsible, 'paparazzi' style journalism.'' Lawyers for the Unification Church are exploring the possibility of legal action against The Washington Post and its writers for malicious persecution of a minority religion with intent to incite bodily injury. Unification Church Protests Use of 'M' Word, Unification Church, Sunday November 23, 12:00 pm Eastern Time WASHINGTON, Nov. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The epithet "moonie" "is considered offensive and dehumanizing by not only our church members but by leading human rights groups and major media organizations," said Chris Corcoran, spokesperson for the Unification Church. All media are being asked to issue a policy statement to staff members to stop the continued use of this derogatory term and to not repeat its usage originating from other news sources. "We are thankful that many major media in America, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Reuters News Service have given us their commitment to stop using this word. In addition, the New York City Commission on Human Rights has issued a statement that the 'M' word 'evokes intolerance and hatred of the Unification Church,'" Corcoran said. Many media stories about Reverend Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church have been generated lately due to the extraordinary upcoming event called Blessing '97, which will feature 30,000 couples from all religions renewing their wedding vows at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. on November 29. Christian Protest of Moon's "Blessing '97" planned, Trancenet, 11/26/97 A Chrisitian-oriented protest of Rev. Moon's Wedding spectacle on Nov. 29 , 1997, is set to begin at 9:00 AM at R.F.K. Stadium in Washington D.C. Media from all over the world will be there , and we must show up in force ! Let's share the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ with those who so desperately need it ! Moon is scheduled to marry 36,000 people in the stadium and more than 3.6 million more by satellite worldwide. Submitted by Rosamaxim@aol.com Sadat's Daughter Withdraws from Moonies Event, 11/24/97, Steven Hassan (Boston, MA) Camilia Anwar Sadat, the daughter of late Egyptian President and Nobel Peace Laureate Anwar Sadat will hold a press conference, Tuesday 25 November, 1997, 10:30 am, at the Four Seasons Hotel, to denounce the Moon organization. She is withdrawing from the November 27-29 Washington D.C. conference, sponsored by Sun Myung Moon. She will talk about why she turned down an offer of $100,000 to appear at the conference. Ms. Sadat will be joined at the press conference by former Moon leader, Steven Hassan, author of Combatting Cult Mind Control> Ms. Sadat is President and Founder of the Sadat Peace Institute and actively works on behalf of peace, justice and human rights issues. Mr. Hassan is a licensed therapist, lecturer and specializes in counseling victims of mind control group and their families. `Blessing '97': Moon's Church Adapts, Endures, By Caryle Murphey, Wednesday, November 19, 1997, © The Washington Post The Washington Post, in a comprehensive article on the upcoming "Blessing '97" marriage rededication at RFK Memorial Stadium this month, reports that Moon's Unification Church recently dispatched members to buttonhole couples and pass out leaflets at 45 shopping malls, parking lots, and Metro stations. Church officials said yesterday they have sold 46,000 event tickets. But a city official said the church's unusual ticketing procedures -- selling vouchers to be exchanged later for tickets -- make it difficult to predict how many of 52,000 stadium seats will be filled. The church is so determined to have a full house that it has dropped ticket prices from the $70 a couple initially advertised to $40 -- and will take less. The festival, estimated to cost $9 million, is Moon's latest effort to keep his controversial church before the public eye. It is also an indication of the durability of the organization, which was founded by Moon, 77, more than 40 years ago on the doctrine that he has a key role in the world's eternal salvation. Among those scheduled to participate, according to church officials, are Maureen Reagan, daughter of former president Ronald Reagan; Camilia Anwar Sadat, daughter of slain Egyptian president Anwar Sadat; Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani prime minister; Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition; Kenneth Kaunda, former president of Zambia; and former prime ministers from Egypt, Ireland, the United Kingdom and France. Whitney Houston apparently was hired to ensure a big crowd, and festival organizers also have added a laser show and fireworks. Five hundred to 1,000 couples will reportedly be dressed in wedding attire and plan to formally commit themselves to marry a church-selected partner. CNN's Dobbs cancels speech before Moon organization, 7:51 a.m. PST Wednesday, November 19, 1997 NEW YORK (AP) -- Lou Dobbs, CNN's chief business correspondent and president of the CNNfn financial network, has canceled a speaking engagement before an organization affiliated with the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. He was billed as the keynote speaker for a conference of journalists sponsored by Moon's World Media Association in Washington, D.C., on Thanksgiving weekend. The Moon connection had nothing to do with the change, a CNN spokesman said, but Dobbs did not know it was a Moon organization until after the speech was booked. Lisa Zanin, of 21st Century Speakers in New York, told The Washington Post that she did not tell invited speakers of the group's connection to Moon. Whitney Houston also didn't know about the connection until she had already agreed to sing at a mass wedding and entertainment festival sponsored by the church in Washington the same weekend. Houston, We Have Another PR Problem, Tuesday, November 18, 1997, Contra Costa Newspapers Whitney Houston will perform in Washington, D.C., for Sun Myung Moon followers Nov. 29, but claims she'll do it while figuratively holding her nose. But her fee is said to be in the "low seven figures" for the 45-minute performance. Houston says she had no idea she was signing a deal with the Unification Church (Bill Cosby and Gerald Ford have made similar claims about Moon gigs), noting the concert was presented to her as the "World Culture and Sports Festival." Organizers are clearly aware of Houston's participation -- her name appears bigger than Moon's on posters. The event, "True Love Day," will feature a mass wedding of couples paying $70 for the privilege. They promised her the moon, The Miami Herald, November 14, 1997 Whitney Houston says she had no idea she was inking a deal to sing at a mass wedding for members of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. But the pop diva will go ahead with her Nov. 29 appearance in Washington, D.C., anyway. Houston's gig has angered anti-cult folks who say the Unification Church uses devious recruitment tactics, brainwashes members and dupes them out of money. Still, Houston will show up as contracted. She'll "get on stage, sing, go home," the spokeswoman said. In other words: take the money and run. Her opening act is Jon Secada. His rep, Tonni Kairey, told USA Today: "We honestly thought it was a Whitney Houston concert. We had no idea it was for a [Unification] wedding." The event, billed as "True Love Day," will feature a mass wedding of couples who paid $70 for the privilege. Houston's spokeswoman confirmed that the singer is getting in the "low seven figures" for a 45-minute performance. Moon Media Alert, by Steven Hassan, 11/13/97 On Saturday, November 29, 1997 controversial religious figurehead, alleged cult leader, and self-proclaimed Messiah Sun Myung Moon, will officiate over a mass wedding of 30,000 couples at RFK stadium in Washington, D.C -- coordinated with a worldwide wedding of 3.6 million couples via video link. Moon, a 77-year old Korean billionaire and convicted felon who served 13 months in federal prison for tax evasion and conspiracy in the 80s, owns the Washington Times newspaper, Insight magazine, The University of Bridgeport (CT), and The New Yorker Hotel. His empire was investigated in 1977-78 by Congress as part of Korean CIA activities in the U.S. Moon's stated ambitions include establishing a one-world government run by Moon and his leaders. His vision of Heaven on Earth includes absorbing all world religions into Unificationism as well as abolishing all languages except Korean. Members ritually pledge every Sunday morning, before an altar of Moon, to fight for the Fatherland (Korea). Unlike past mass Moonie weddings, the requirements for participation in the RFK event have been reduced from full committed devotion (in which Moon picks the spouses, who often wait years to consummate their wedding) to allowing anyone who wants to renew their marriage vows. The Rev. Al Sharpton recently had his vows renewed and was given the power to renew others' marriage vows. Whitney Houston is reportedly receiving over 1 million dollars to sing at the RFK event. In Japan, Moon's organization has been the subject of the largest consumer fraud investigation in its history. Recent court decisions upheld a 37.6 million YEN decision to pay two women coerced into donating their assets to the Unification Church. Thousands of additional cases are expected to follow. While Moon professes Family Values as a philosophical theme, his own eldest son (by this wife) Hyo Jin is being divorced by Nansook Moon because of his alleged use of cocaine, physical and emotional abuse, repeated DWI (driving while intoxicated) arrests and similar activities. Steven Hassan is a former Moon leader (1974-76) and has spent 21 years warning the public about this dangerous cult leader. He is a licensed therapist, author of the book Combatting Cult Mind Control, and is a specialist helping people involved in hundreds of destructive cult groups. Whitney Houston Claims Ignorance of Moon Deal, San Jose Mercury News, 11/14/97 Whitney Houston claims she didn't know she was inking a deal to sing at a mass wedding for members of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. But the pop diva will go ahead with her Nov. 29 appearance, even though she learned only recently of Moon's involvement, her spokeswoman Lois Smith said. "The engagement was made by her agent some time ago," Smith said Wednesday in New York. The event was presented to Houston as a world culture and sports festival at Washington's RFK Stadium. But advertisements bill it as True Love Day, at which couples from the South Korea-based church will tie the knot or reaffirm their vows. Houston will be paid "a lot," Smith said. The Unification Church is accused by critics of devious recruitment tactics, brainwashing members, and duping them out of money. Spiritual Fringes, a Five-Part Series, San Diego Union-Tribune, November 9-13, 1997 This series includes interviews with Michael Langone, Ronald Enroth, Janja Lalich, John Knapp, Rick Ross, and discusion of Elizabeth Clare Prophet and other groups. Additional Links for More Information Steve Hassan's breaking news: http://www.shassan.com/breaking.htm; Steve Hassan's Moon event page: http://www.shassan.com/moonmass.htm; Wesley Pruden, Washington Times: http://www.washtimes.com/politics/pruden.html (claims there is no connection between the Times and Moon and that the Post "makes it up"); and pro-Moon site "World Culture and Sports Festival" http://www.wcsf.org/ and http://truefamilies.com/. Submitted by David D. Rogers. webzines | search | browse | trancechat | contact us | media info | faq | free lists | counseling resources | thanks to our donors | make a micro-donation? | about | help | links | links to us | register | stats | awards & reviews | trancenet.net relies solely on "sharefare" donations from readers like you at http://trancenet.net/trancenet/levels.shtml. Member of the Internet Link Exchange To comment on this or any other trancenet.net page, go to trancechat. This page was last built with Frontier on a Macintosh on Thu, Dec 4, 1997 at 5:28:07 PM .

Creation has two sides: intelligence, which is the cause of everything, and the manifestations of intelligence, which are the physical and psychological features of the everyday world. Because Transcendental Meditation directly approaches intelligence, rather than the manifestations of intelligence, it solves problems by introducing harmony and well-being at the most basic level, and not by dealing with problems themselves. That's why it is so effective.

Political, racist, terrorist: fueled by belief in changing society, revolution, overthrowing the "enemy" or getting rid of evil forces. The leader professes to be all-knowing and all-powerful. Often the group is armed and meets in secret with coded language, handshakes, and other ritualized practices. Members consider themselves an elite cadre ready to go to battle. Techniques used: paramilitary training, reporting on one another, guilt, fear, struggle sessions, instilled paranoia, long hours of indoctrination. -- Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, Lalich and Tobias, Hunter House, 1993.