Husband who helped wife leave Unification Church now supports others

What's sad is that in Japan one needs to act in extreme fashion to get the ball rolling.

The sooner this dangerous cult is dismantled - and ALL members identified and investigated - the better.

Cult? Illegal? Leaders arrested.

I might not agree with their beliefs or methods but you are basically saying you wish to ban religion.

Further proof that you are in your bunker in the Kremlin.

Groups working to persuade individuals to leave the Unification Church say they face a daunting task as "they must beat God."

More like “they must beat stupidity.”

Groups working to persuade individuals to leave the Unification Church say they face a daunting task as "they must beat God."

I wish this issue would expand beyond the shores of Japan to many nations around the world.

The anniversary or Hiroshima just passed and as usual the LDP's Kishida used it for pointless international grandstanding and victim flogging.

But Japan can really teach the world something, and that is atheism, the general weakness of religious belief among the population.

In the US today widows are also being defrauded of their savings by Sunday TV evangelist hucksters.

I hope the investigation into the Unification Church in Japan deepens; and leads to tax exemption being removed from all religions, their finances investigated and their influence greatly reduced in politics and society.

“they must beat God”. It sounds an impossible task but his invisibility, the brazen hypocrisy of each and every religion, and his total lack of action, compassion and concern for mankind would suggest otherwise. But he desires tax free status for churches, subjugates women, cares more about who we sleep with than the slavery he condones? Better conclusion: he is simply not there. There’s no one to beat.

Why is this news for the Japanese? Everyone in western countries knows the “Moonies” are a cult and not a religion and prey upon, for lack of a better word, idiots.

Religion isn't illegal, scamming their followers also isn't, unfortunately.

Just to give an example, in Brazil the country I've grew in. There's this big religious group/church, even here in Japan they have some branches.

And they'd sell land, houses, apartments or even condos... That's ok, but the issue is, these properties were all.. in "Heaven". And people would buy it and receive a document, clearly A4 cheapily inkjet printed as a proof of their new property...

I guess taking profit of the mental fragility of people who are going through a rough phase or are looking for a sense of belonging isn't illegal, just immoral or even inhumane. Which isn't a crime per se, unfortunately.

People keep talking like there’s only this cancer of the Unification Church in Japan with their link to the LDP. The Unification Church has a long history of connection with the Republican Party in the United States for the same reason, touting their anti-communism stance to try to get legitimacy and protection from these political parties.

https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-speaks-at-moonies-911-event-praises-unification-church-2021-9?amp

In Ameica the vote of the bible belt is important

In Japan Cult follower are important for votes , so Japanese politics are influenced by cults

Also look up the Father of Abe san ... he changed his name. now look at the cult again count one and one togther ..

Trump was also influenced by the same cult that is why he was so big friends with Japan ??

Go deeper into this rabbit hole and maybe the shotter needs some sympathy..

Why do people join cults like the Moonies? Doctrine is rarely the reason I believe. In a cold and alienating society like Japan these people are merely looking for companionship and a sympathetic ear.

There are more members of the "Moonies" in America than in Japan. I remember in London in the 1970s.

After the death of the founder, the church split into three different organizations. One by the widow which is American based. Another two by his sons.

Freedom of religion is protected by the constitution.

In Japan about 600,000 members. Maybe 3 million worldwide.

wallaceToday  11:29 am JST

There are more members of the "Moonies" in America than in Japan. I remember in London in the 1970s.

This article has nothing to do with Moonies in America.

Why is this news for the Japanese? Everyone in western countries knows the “Moonies” are a cult and not a religion and prey upon, for lack of a better word, idiots.

All religions are cults.

Many years ago (in my native country) this practice was known as "deprogramming".

Lots of religion uses shunning as a way of forcing members too stay,they tell them any person outside the religion are influence by Satan and shunning is a psychological form of coercion Google Religious Shunning

In Ameica the vote of the bible belt is important

In Japan Cult follower are important for votes , so Japanese politics are influenced by cults

Religion is massive in the USA, and the Republican Party is now largely ruled by a cultish version of evangelicalism.

But in Japan cults are tiny, and election results will not be determined by them.

But in Japan cults are tiny, and election results will not be determined by them.

600,000 is quite a formidable number, on top of other cults which exist in Japan.

I might not agree with their beliefs or methods but you are basically saying you wish to ban religion.

Not the worst idea I have heard, considering history shows us that many wars were fought in the name of some religion or other.

Really what does religion actually offer us other than a place to pay money to. That seems to be what they are all about every religion wants their members to give them money.

I prefer to pay my "tithing" to NPO's that actually do something good in the world.

But in Japan cults are tiny, and election results will not be determined by them.

600,000 is quite a formidable number, on top of other cults which exist in Japan.

Japan has over 2000 cults Soka Gakkai has about 8 million members and with the pressure applied to members to get new recruits it is still growing rapidly.

@James - For a lot of people its the bedrock of their lives.

@theResident

For a lot of people its the bedrock of their lives.

Yea I guess, it just doesn't make much sense to me.

But in Japan cults are tiny, and election results will not be determined by them.

Soka Gakkai members are very motivated to vote and harass others into voting for Komeito.

Komeito have formed coalition governments with the LDP.

do what Hideyoshi did

@Seth M

That didn't work that well though. Many people ended up building little shrines in their attics.

When will governments ban these religious cults, not just the 'Loony Moonies' but also include the delusional Abrahamic cults.

All political parties canvas for votes

True, and while I’m only going on anecdotes here ( a lot of anecdotes ), Soka Gakkai members are more industrious in bothering people to vote for Komeito. Half-remembered elementary school classmates calling you up and the like.

I find the relationship between Soka Gakkai and Komeito disturbing in a secular democracy.

@Redstorm

I was going on anecdotes from others ( a lot of anecdotes ) from different people who had no reason to lie or exaggerate as far as I could tell.

As for policies which would have benefited me or not, I still find the relationship between Soka Gakkai and Komeito disturbing.

No particular beef with Soka Gakkai - get all religions/cults out of politics.

Every last one of them.

One reason the Soka Gakkai got into politics was to protect its members from attacks by rival religious groups.

The same reason why in all other countries apart from Japan, they try to cultivate contacts and be on good terms with powerful politicians instead of directly getting into politics.

The downside is that they have associated with tainted and discredited politicians as well, and on being asked to explain themselves they have swept things under the carpet.