Moonists 'Capture' Students

We reprint here portions of a letter sent to the Student Travel Bureau by a New Zealand student who travelled to the States fast year on one of the STB schemes. It tells of a meeting with Moonists in San Francisco and how this led to a situation that could only be described as kidnapping.

The actions of this sect are well known in America. The effects of prolonged contact with Moonists has been known to make thieves, cheats and liars of previously honest people. The "rescue" effected by police, mentioned in the letter is also common and there have been instances of parents employing private detectives to kidnap their children back again from the Moonists. Similarly psychiatric treatment has often been necessary to treat the effects of the "intense form of brainwashing" mentioned.

The Moonists are well known in Wellington as the pests on the street who will engage anyone in conversation, or who may be hawking Ginseng Tea, flowers or anything at outrageously exorbitant prices. All this is done in the name of Sun Myung Moon, a South Korean "prophet" who has cloaked his sexist, racist, and fascist creed with a veneer of religion. However, for a man of God he has made a sizeable profit from his followers who regularly contribute to his coffers.

It is this money which has given him luxurious estates in the United States. In South Korea he has large business interests, (producing weapons and armaments) that flourishes under the fascist Pak Jung Hi regime. Moon's wild anti-communist stance ensures him continued good business and protection from this regime and its organs, like the KCIA. In addition there have been mass rallies in South Korea where followers have been duped into cutting off fingers and the like and then writing anti-communist slogans in their own blood believing that this was God's wish.

While the local Moonists have not gone quite so far, their antics are along the same lines. They masquerade under a variety of fronts the Freedom Leadership Foundation, the NZ Collegiate Association for the Research of Principles. They were the organisers of the "anti-communism" march that struggled to attract double figures let alone complete the route.

Despite that, their true nature should be exposed if further instances of "kidnapping" are to be avoided. Unfortunately not all persons are as lucky as this student was — some never get away.

"We were given fabulous talks about money, jobs, and just about everything else that we needed to know — except one thing: — religious cults.

There are many in the USA — but the largest of these have their bases in California and New York. My friend and myself were in San Francisco for about a week before our plane was due to return to NZ, and we met some other travellers and went to look around Berkeley Campus. Anyway these people — all of whom look very Respectable and are extra friendly — gave us coffee and then said "What a huge coincidence it was, but a bus/van was going up to their farm tonight and would we like to go for a night and the next day?"

We did — and had great difficulty leaving. The whole thing looked very casual but underneath it was all carefully planned and it turned out to be the Unification Church of Reverend Moon.

These cults select travellers especially, and as many congregate in places such as San Francisco the organisation is immense there. They offer you free food, free accommodation and something very different. We thought we'd give it a go, but even that was stupid because once they've got you they are very reluctant to let you go and their "lectures" are an intense form of brainwashing and the methods concentrate largely on giving everyone an ego boost and ideally, the sharing etc that they practise is good, but that is only a lure to get you into the organisation which is much bigger than any individual's own head.

My friend enjoyed herself there and wanted to stay. I got out by sheer determination, and then lost all contact with her, but it was lucky that I was staying with the right people who could help me.

It took the Police, the Sheriff and the NZ Consulate to get my friend out, and now, after only 3 days there, at the farm in Boonville, Mendocino County, she has committed herself for psychiatric treatment.

I felt much as she did when I got out, but as I was there for a much shorter time I have been able to reason with the situation more rationally.

I am writing this letter just so in your next orientation talks, the topic of 'Moon' and other religious or ideological cults should be mentioned. Please warn the future travellers so that they can judge these people from both sides if they happen to meet them.

Please also mention how they 'pick people up' — i.e. by chatting to travellers especially at places such as Berkeley campus and Fisherman's Wharf etc where tourists generally go.

These cults have large houses in the cities where they take you in and are very welcoming and then after they have given you dinner a van drives you up to the farm if you decide to go.

Don't — You really get trapped. (I'm sure New Zelanders who travel are far too trusting.)"

A deceptively peaceful photo of Moon and family.