Hyung Jin Moon

Hyung Jin Sean Moon was born on September 26, 1979,Staff report (1979). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q1o6AQAAIAAJ&q=Hyung+Jin+Moon+1979&dq=Hyung+Jin+Moon+1979&ei=X62cT-WiK56ekASPqbCqBg&cd=7 Transition] Newsweek in Tarrytown, New York. He is the youngest son of Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification movement, and Hak Ja Han. He attended the Hackley School until college. He earned bachelor of liberal arts degree from Harvard Extension University.[https://www.forbes.com/global/2010/0412/enterprise-moon-sun-myung-spiritual-unification-world-revival.html Sons Rise in a Moon Shadow], Forbes, April 12, 2010 At the Harvard Center for the Study of World Religions, he met the leader of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Bub Jang, and pursued an interest in Buddhism.[http://www.tparents.org/Library/Unification/Publications/Smm-Org/family_children.html Rev. Sun Myung Moon: His Family] www.tparents.org 2014-05-20. He also practiced Tibetan Buddhism, and for a time lived in a Roman Catholic monastery.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/apr/26/religion.korea Son of Moonies founder takes over as church leader], Justin McCurry, The Guardian, 26 April 2008

In April 2008, Sun Myung Moon (then 88 years old) appointed Hyung Jin Moon to be the International President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). Hyung Jin Moon and members of his church believe that a coronation ceremony with his father in 2009 made him heir and successor.{{cite web|url=http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/2/rev-sun-myung-moon-founder-times-dies-92/|title=The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, founder of The Times, dies at 92|work=The Washington Times}}[http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/asia/Unification_Church_pres_sees_smaller_mass_weddings_77510.shtml Unification Church pres sees smaller mass weddings] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090322013906/http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/asia/Unification_Church_pres_sees_smaller_mass_weddings_77510.shtml |date=2009-03-22 }}, Daily Monitor, 2008-12-30 Under his leadership, the Family Federation for World Peace was changed to the Unification Church.https://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/HyungJinMoon-13/HyungJinMoon-130118.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} He also introduced new practices like spiritual energy hand movements.https://iunificationist.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/hyung_jin_nim_hands_devotion-1.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

In 2011, Hyung Jin Moon visited North Korea to express condolences on the death of Kim Jong-il.[http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2011/12/26/0200000000AEN20111226008351315.HTML Unification Church president on condolence visit to N. Korea], Yonhap News, 2011-12-26. In 2011 in Pyongyang, to mark the 20th anniversary of Sun Myung Moon's visit to North Korea, de jure President Kim Yong-nam hosted Hyung Jin Moon in the official residence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/well/|title=휴심정|website=www.hani.co.kr|accessdate=Oct 10, 2021}}{{cite news |url=http://littlegreenfootballs.com/page/265310_Son_of_Unification_Church_foun |title=Son of Unification Church founder meets with senior North Korean official in Pyongyang |newspaper=The Washington Post |via=Little Green Footballs |agency=Associated Press |date=15 December 2011 |accessdate=March 21, 2020}} The latter donated 600 tons of flour to North Korean children of North Pyongan Province, the birthplace of Sun Myung Moon.{{cite web |url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/11/30/50/0301000000AEN20111130005000315F.HTML|title=S. Korea says food aid reached intended beneficiaries in N. Korea }}{{cite web |url=http://sports.kbs.co.kr/culture/2011/12/16/2405386.html |title=Kbs News |publisher=Sports.kbs.co.kr |accessdate=2012-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525154632/http://sports.kbs.co.kr/culture/2011/12/16/2405386.html |archive-date=2013-05-25 |url-status=dead }} After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, he donated $1.7 million to the Japanese Red Cross.{{cite web |url=http://b.hatena.ne.jp/entry/www.seichitravel.ne.jp/ucnews/view/14 |title=はてなブックマーク – たびのわ »UCニュース»日本赤十字社に文総裁からの寄付金を渡された文亨進世界会長 |publisher=B.hatena.ne.jp |accessdate=2012-05-23}}{{cite web |url=http://67.227.135.108/news/index.php?id=238&page=10 |title=Family Federation for World Peace and Unification |publisher=67.227.135.108 |accessdate=2012-05-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708131011/http://67.227.135.108/news/index.php?id=238&page=10 |archive-date=2012-07-08 }}

After Sun Myung Moon died in 2012, Hyung Jin Moon and his mother began expressing open differences. Hyung Jin was removed by his mother from various positions from 2013, and eventuallyhttps://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/HyungJinMoon-13/HyungJinMoon-130224.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} taken down as International President of the Family Federation for World Peace,https://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/HyungJinMoon-13/HyungJinMoon-150302.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}} and replaced by his sister Sun Jin Moon.{{Cite web|url=http://familyfedihq.org/2015/03/inauguration-address-by-sun-jin-moon-international-president/|title=Inaugural Address by Sun Jin Moon, International President – FFWPU Mission Support|first=Moon|last=Myungho|date=13 March 2015 |accessdate=Oct 10, 2021}} The Family Federation for World Peace now considers Hyung Jin Moon's church a "breakaway organization" and most of the changes led by Hyung Jin in the Unification movement were dismissed after his removal.

Hyung Jin Moon and members of his church have publicly criticized his mother Hak Ja Han for changing the theological foundations of his father's teachings and elevating her own status.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9-4Epj1xwI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/v9-4Epj1xwI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=The Harlot of Babylon - November 5, 2017 - Rev. Hyung Jin Moon - Unification Sanctuary|date=7 November 2017 |accessdate=Oct 10, 2021|via=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web |url=http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2017/11/21/no-longer-wife-of-the-true-parent-an-essay-by-kerry-williams/ |title=No Longer Wife of the True Parent – an essay by Kerry Williams – World Peace and Unification Sanctuary |access-date=2018-03-02 |archive-date=2018-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105834/http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2017/11/21/no-longer-wife-of-the-true-parent-an-essay-by-kerry-williams/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2017/05/05/how-mother-eliminated-gods-lineage-and-the-three-generation-kingships/ |title=How Mother Eliminated God's Lineage and the Three Generation Kingships – World Peace and Unification Sanctuary |access-date=2018-03-02 |archive-date=2018-03-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303105837/http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2017/05/05/how-mother-eliminated-gods-lineage-and-the-three-generation-kingships/ |url-status=dead }} This led Hyung Jin and his wife to separate from the movement and establish a local offshoot sect named World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church in early 2013. The church, also called Rod of Iron Ministries, officially opened in January 2015.{{cite news |last1=Dunkel |first1=Tom |title=Locked and Loaded for the Lord |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2018/05/21/feature/two-sons-of-rev-moon-have-split-from-his-church-and-their-followers-are-armed/ |access-date=November 27, 2020 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=May 21, 2018}}

In 2015, Hyung Jin Moon began renouncing his mother as the Whore of Babylon, saying she was no longer a "True Mother". He also began teaching that Hyun Shil Kang, one of Sun Myung Moon's first disciples, was now True Mother instead, as his spirit had married her. He and his wife Yeon Ah Lee also began assuming the titles 'Second King' and 'Second Queen' respectively.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Hyung Jin Moon: Hyun Shil Kang in now True Mother, not Hak Ja Han|url=https://www.tparents.org/Moon-Talks/HyungJinMoon-16/HyungJinMoon-170923.pdf|access-date=|website=tparents.org}}

Hyung Jin Moon is backed by his elder brother Kook Jin Justin Moon, who effectively serves as assistant pastor of the church and owns Kahr Arms, a small arms manufacturer.

By 2018, Hyung Jin Moon began wearing a crown of bullets on his head and expressed of a more militant and pro-gun rights ideology. Sanctuary Church also went by the name Rod of Iron Ministries and performed religious rituals that heavily involved the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.{{cite news |last1=Dunkel |first1=Tom |title=Two sons of Rev. Moon have split from his church — and their followers are armed |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/style/wp/2018/05/21/feature/two-sons-of-rev-moon-have-split-from-his-church-and-their-followers-are-armed/ |access-date=13 November 2021 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=May 21, 2018 |language=en}} In October 2019, members of the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary were invited to "show their willingness to defend their families, communities and nation" by bringing their semi-auto rifles to a service in which their weapons were blessed.{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/15/church-pennsylvania-holds-ceremony-bless-guns/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191015132130/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/15/church-pennsylvania-holds-ceremony-bless-guns/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2019|title=This church in Pennsylvania holds a ceremony to bless guns|date=15 Oct 2019|work=The Telegraph|access-date=15 Oct 2019}}

In 2021, Moon and Sanctuary Church bought and moved to a compound 40 miles from Waco, Texas, the site of the Waco siege.{{cite news |last1=Graziosi |first1=Graig |title=Trump loving church that uses guns in holy rituals buys compound near Waco, Texas |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-gun-church-waco-compound-b1856407.html |access-date=13 November 2021 |work=The Independent |date=1 June 2021 |language=en}} Upon moving to the compound, they continued to espouse a highly militant ideology. Later that year it was reported that Moon and Sanctuary Church had bought a 130-acre property in Grainger County, Tennessee to serve as the church's retreat center.{{cite news |last1=Morgan-Rumsey |first1=Camruinn |title=Gun-toting religious organization buys East Tennessee property |url=https://www.waff.com/2021/10/13/gun-toting-religious-organization-buys-east-tennessee-property/ |access-date=14 November 2021 |work=WAFF48 |date=October 15, 2021 |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Owen |first1=Tess |title=MAGA Gun Church That Worships With AR-15s Buys Giant Property in Tennessee |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/4avkdw/rod-of-iron-ministries-purchases-property-in-tennessee |website=www.vice.com |date=12 October 2021 |access-date=7 September 2022 |language=en}}

After the founding of Rod of Iron Ministries, Moon publicly aligned with conservative politicians and other far-right media figures. Moon espoused strong support for President Donald Trump during and after Trump's presidency. Moon endorsed the "Big Lie" that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump. Moon and other members of Sanctuary Church participated in the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Jordan |title='Good Way to Die': The Moonies and the Jan. 6 Insurrection |url=https://www.dcreport.org/2021/08/04/good-way-to-die-the-moonies-and-the-jan-6-insurrection/ |access-date=13 November 2021 |work=DC Report |date=4 August 2021}} Moon faced no criminal charges from his involvement in the January 6 riots.{{cite news |last1=Newton |first1=Creede |title=Rod of Iron: Antigovernment, Christian Right and Far-Right Movements To Join at 'Freedom Festival' |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2021/10/08/rod-iron-antigovernment-christian-right-and-far-right-movements-join-freedom-festival |access-date=13 November 2021 |work=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=October 8, 2021 |language=en}}

Hyung Jin Moon's church, World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania gained national attention{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/01/us/pennsylvania-church-ar-15-ceremony-trnd/index.html|title=Couples clutching AR-15 rifles renew wedding vows|first=Amir |last=Vera|date=March 2018|publisher=CNN}}{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2018/03/01/with-crowns-on-their-heads-and-ar-15s-in-their-arms-couples-exchange-vows-in-pro-gun-church/|title=With crowns on their heads and AR-15s in their arms, couples exchange vows in pro-gun church|first=Kristine|last=Phillips|date=1 March 2018|via=www.washingtonpost.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/pictures-couples-clutching-ar-15-rifles-renew-wedding-vows-controversial-825312|title=AR-15 rifles, pistols, crowns of bullets and renewal of wedding vows in church|website=Newsweek|date=1 March 2018}} in early 2018 for holding a marriage vows renewal ceremony that asked participants to bring their AR-15 rifles.{{cite web|url=http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2018/01/12/february-28-2018-cosmic-true-parents-of-heaven-earth-and-humanity-cheon-il-guk-book-of-life-registration-blessing-ceremony/|title=February 28, 2018 "Cosmic True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humanity Cheon Il Guk Book of Life Registration Blessing" Ceremony – World Peace and Unification Sanctuary|website=sanctuary-pa.org|access-date=March 1, 2018|archive-date=March 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302044628/http://sanctuary-pa.org/index.php/2018/01/12/february-28-2018-cosmic-true-parents-of-heaven-earth-and-humanity-cheon-il-guk-book-of-life-registration-blessing-ceremony/|url-status=dead}} Hyung Jin Moon has likened the AR-15 rifles to the biblical "rod of iron".{{cite magazine |last1=Dickinson |first1=Tim |title=Inside the Bizarre and Dangerous Rod of Iron Ministries |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/rod-of-iron-ministry-jan-6-sean-moon-moonie-1398447/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=7 September 2022 |date=18 August 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://vimeo.com/251835181|title=Peace Police Peace Militia Intro|first=Unification|last=Sanctuary|date=19 January 2018|via=Vimeo}} Neighbors of the church came out to protest the insensitivity of having the AR-15 rifles at the event so soon after the Parkland, Florida shooting that killed 17.{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/02/14/florida-high-school-shooting-heres-what-we-know/338750002/|title=Florida high school shooting: Here's what we know|website=USA TODAY|accessdate=Oct 10, 2021}} To address concerns voiced by parents of an elementary school nearby, the Wallenpaupack Area School District relocated students for the day.{{cite web|url=http://wnep.com/2018/02/28/different-school-day-for-wallenpaupack-elementary-students/|title=Different School Day for Wallenpaupack Elementary Students|date=28 February 2018}}

• List of Unification movement people
• Unification Church of the United States

{{Reflist}}

• [http://sanctuary-pa.org/ Hyung Jin Moon's World Peace and Unification Sanctuary website]
• [https://www.rodofironministries.org/ Rod of Iron Ministries website]
• [https://www.kwpus.org/ World Peace and Unification Sanctuary (Korean website)]
• [https://www.sanctuary-jp.org/ World Peace and Unification Sanctuary (Japanese website)]
• [http://www.tparents.org/Moon-Books/BaldHead/0-Toc.htm A Bald Head and a Strawberry]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8293607.stm Interview by BBC]

{{Sun Myung Moon}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moon, Hyung Jin}}

Category:American Unificationists

Category:South Korean Unificationists

Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Founders of new religious movements

Category:Harvard Extension School alumni

Category:Harvard Divinity School alumni

Category:American people of Korean descent

Category:American Christians

Category:South Korean Christians

Moon

Category:People from Tarrytown, New York

Category:American gun rights activists

Category:American people of North Korean descent

Category:Protesters in or near the January 6 United States Capitol attack