Assault on Japanese Premier Abe - Press release FFWPU Netherlands

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) in the Netherlands is very saddened by and very shocked by the news of the fatal attack on the former Prime Minister of Japan, Hon. Shinzo Abe. This blow came all the more loud when it was reported in newspaper reports that the attack was committed by a son of a mother who has a bond with the Family Federation in Japan. The Family Federation deeply regrets all this.

Police in Japan have revealed that the son hated a religious organization, to which his mother had donated a lot in the past despite their poor financial situation. The Family Federation in Japan has confirmed that this mother is known to her, that one of her buildings was shot at before the attack on the Prime Minister took place and that she assumes that the hatred is directed at the Family Federation. The latter has begun an internal investigation into this disastrous event.

In some Rallies of Hope, organized by the Family Federation together with the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), Prime Minister Abe sent a message of peace via video. Some newspaper reports now state that the prime minister was killed by ties to the Family Federation. The title of an article by Jan Leonid Bornstein in “The European Times” shows another point of view: “Shinzo Abe’s assassination to be called a terrorist”. To clarify this point of view, a quote from the article now follows:

“When a radicalized Muslim kills a Christian for being a Christian, we are prompt to call it a terrorist attack. What’s different here? A radicalized “anti-cult” killed a person for his links to the

Church of Unification. What’s similar? A radicalized person killed another for his religious affiliation. In fact, Abe was not at all a member of the Church of Unification. But he had participated in some of their events and praised their work for world peace. His killing sends a terror message: do not acquaint with the Moonies (the Church of Unification has been founded by the Korean Reverend Sun Myung Moon, and its followers are derogatorily called “Moonies” by its opponents), or you’ll be killed. That’s terrorism. “

In the report on the attack on Prime Minister Abe, the Verenigingskerk, from which the Family Federation originated, was named and often referred to as the “Moon Sect”. The founder, Dr. Sun Myung Moon, is then portrayed as a dubious figure or a man with a business empire.

In 1984, the report “Government and new religious movements” was published in the Netherlands. This was commissioned by the Permanent Commission on Public Health after research into sects in the Netherlands. It also served as a dissertation for the registrar of the commission of inquiry, Dr. Witteveen. This solid report states: “Given its negative charge, the word sect has not been used (p. 308).” The committee chose “new religious movement” as a replacement term. The concluding remarks read: “The notion that new religious movements use coercion in the recruitment of members and subsequently subject members to forms of conditioning has not been confirmed in our study. The membership of a new religious movement usually turns out to be the result of a conscious choice.”

Despite the above-mentioned report, but also many similar studies in other countries, many journalists opt for word usage that wants to put new religious movements in a bad light. This also happens with managers and politicians. Both communist and other governments have dr. Moon and some of his followers were persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and opposed in many ways. Nevertheless, his movement developed further by committing to the restoration of God’s Ideal, His Kingdom of Peace - a commission given to the then sixteen-year-old Moon in a spiritual encounter with Jesus.

Dr. Moon and his wife took Jesus’ words to love the enemy very seriously by visiting North Korean President Kim IL Sung in 1991, who had made several attempts to kill Sun Myung Moon. In this meeting, dr. Moon publicly declared that for true peace a view of life based on the existence of God is necessary. Despite this statement, the hostility was removed and at the time led to substantial peace initiatives between North and South Korea.

The assassination of Prime Minister Abe once again makes it clear how important it is to deal with pent- up anger in a timely manner, to prevent destructive actions and to turn evil intentions into constructive actions. In Genesis 4 verse 6, the Lord warns the angry Cain: “But if you do not act well, sin lies as a besieger at the door, whose desire goes out to you, but over whom you must rule.”

In the story of Jacob and Esau we see a model to take away the wickedness of Esau. This is one of the key issues in the pursuit of peace and both the Family Federation and UPF will do their utmost to pacify evil intentions. This is necessary not only at individual level, but also in conflicts between countries, such as now in Europe and the Middle East.

May the attack on the noble Prime Minister Abe, the striving for hatred and resentment towards constructive cooperation give an extra impetus. It also plays an important role for managers, politicians and the media to take care in dealing with people, regardless of their religion, descent, race or nationality.

Willem Koetsier On behalf of FFWPU / UPF Netherlands