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© KYODOUnification Church's donation coercion in Japan is problem: ex-exec
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William Bjornson
Of all of the things that G-d seems to want from Mankind in all of the voices, forms, variations, names, that claim to represent IT, MONEY always seems to be the most important.
Goals0
One interesting thing that has only begun to be talked about recently is that the Japanese women who went to Korea for those mass weddings in the 1990s often found themselves being married to Korean men who weren't Unification Church members. And the Japanese women had to pay a lot of money for their marriages.
Harry_Gatto
But when a "religion" resorts to extortion it should lose its right to exist, should be criminally prosecuted, have its bank accounts frozen and its members proscribed.
dagon
Unfortunately, tragically for the LDP exposed by the motivations of the assassin of FM PM Abe.
No steps will be taken against the organization itself and it's practices.
That would be infringing on its religious freedom to refill the LDP bank accounts.
kennyG
So they have the department handing donations, been whipped to clear the budget... Sure Religious organization is like this...
Legrande
This is a Korean -criminal organization, pretending to be a Christian movement.
Actually created by the KCIA, who are beholden to the CIA-
[ In 1997, Congressman Donald Fraser launched an investigation into Moon's cult. The 444-page Congressional report alleged Moonie involvement with bribery, bank fraud, illegal kickbacks, and arms sales. The report revealed that Moon's 20,000-member Unification Church was a creation of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency (KCIA). The Moonies were working with KCIA Director Kim Chong Phil as a political instrument to influence U.S. foreign policy. The U.S. CIA was the agency primarily responsible for founding the KCIA after WW II. ]
Gabor Fabricius
This is a Korean -criminal organization, pretending to be a Christian movement.
All its leaders belong in jail
noriahojanen
A case was already brought to court for trial back in 2012. The Sapporo district court found the UC's practice of coercive donations illegal.
統一教会に2.7億円賠償命令 札幌地裁「布教活動は違法」
2012年3月29日 21:56
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXNASDG29048_Z20C12A3CR8000/
The payback was ordered while the disbandment of the organisation was urged. Subsequent appeals by the UC to higher/Supreme Court have been denied, the verdict thus confirmed. Valid enough as a precedent.
A job is now for executive and legislative branches regarding the regulation or disbandment. They didn't do anything, and it's now alleged that the process was especially sabotaged during Abe's reign. At stake is negligence on the government side.
Mark
So when will Tokyo prosecutors get to work?
ushosh123
Perhaps uc isn't the same, but "if" other religions were to behave essentially the same way. And then those who are believers and weak minded fall prey, what would be the recourse? Same freedoms of religion would apply.
Just look at those priest's who were child molesters, how long did it take for them to acknowledge anything? Donation coercion is perhaps more difficult to prove.
juminRhee
Awa no Gaijin
Sep. 3 11:04 pm JST Not trying to single anyone out ,but the unification church is as valid as any other church or mosque.
Sorry but this statement isn't correct
I did source myself. Are you suggesting that the catholic church did not sell (and still has) indulgences? Many history books would disagree with you then.
kurisupisu
LDP members have received funds from a group that forces members to pay?
Sounds like a criminal group to me and LDP members have benefited from criminality!
juminRhee
Source:
https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwibr9vtr_j5AhX3j2oFHWhyAfsQFXoECAUQDA&usg=AOvVaw2iHCQHVTnVY97lscQqz2YG
jeancolmar
"That would be infringing on its religious freedom to refill the LDP bank accounts". If the primary purpose of the religious organization is get money then it ceases to be a spiritual entity. .
kochikame
Not just Unification Church, but also others like listed below, force donation:
-Universal Church
-Fuji dai sekiji Kenshou kai(富士大石寺顕正会)
albaleo
But it's not very well defined. I'd guess most would support freedom of religious belief, but not necessarily of religious practices. For example, if a religious group supported human sacrifice, it wouldn't be accepted (I hope). And so where do you draw the line?
juminRhee
So, classic catholicism? Remember when they sold indulgences (allowances for sinning) for salvation? Did you know they are still offered?
Not trying to single anyone out, but the Unification Church is as valid as any other church or mosque.
travelbangaijin
Freedom of religion is a basic and guaranteed human right.
painkiller
Just re-characterize this as a non-religious institution, and then ban it Japan.