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Hajime Tajika, a professor of constitutional law at Kindai University and an expert on religious corporation law, saying that careful consideration will be required so that freedom of religion is not violated, concerning the submission of a possible dissolution order to the Unification Church.
© KyodoVoices
in
Japan
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Officials will need to tread carefully when inquiring about the Unification Church's recruiting methods. The church may object to certain lines of questioning. And even if a request for a dissolution order is made, the court has the final say.
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Luddite
Freedom of religion does not mean religions or the religious can use their faith to over ride or ignore the law.
jeancolmar
The primary legal question should be is whether the Moonies represent a true religion or a crooked commercial organization that uses a religious facade to bilk people. There is no question my mind that the Moonies are using superstition to frighten people out of their money through "spiritual sales."
Religious "spiritual sales" is nothing new. In the Middle Ages the Christian Church sold "indulgences," like supposed pieces of Christ's cross (enough wood to build a ship as someone remarked).
Moonraker
Seems to me that Supreme Court rulings on constitutional matters can almost always be bent to the will of the establishment (bureaucracy and LDP among them). A professor of constitutional law should have realised that by now. Unless he is now indicating that the Moonies are part of the establishment.
William Round
Good luck with that, Japanese prosecution is not characterized for being careful and considerate, it is believable that in this case they will botch the inquiry on purpose to let the church go with minor punishment.
Mickelicious
Given the close association of so many members of the LDP (including the now martyred Shinzo Abe), expect prosecutors and courts to be anything but robust with this cult.
spinningplates
Considering they've had a long campaign of influencing, paying off and generally interfering with pretty much the entire LDP, I'd suggest heavy booted stomping about with public spotlights may be more appropriate in this case as opposed to softshoe obsfucation.
ushosh123
Afaik, there is no legal definition of a cult, so UC is like any other religion, and as such is protected by religious freedoms. Good luck getting anything of substance out of this. At least the people performing the show are getting paid, I guess.