Word: moon
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Religious leaders who support Moon are forced to agree with this argument if they want any moral and constitutional high ground to stand on, but many find its bald expression distasteful, as the National Council of Churches disapproves of religions which exalt documents or individuals whose genesis occured after Christ's. On this point Nicholas M. Buscovich, Director of the Unification Church of Massachusetts, says simply, "There was a three-year period when, in essence, Reverend Moon was the church...
...Though Moon has a compelling argument that the scope of his work makes the $25,000 the government was pursuing seem trivial, he was proved guilty; and the list of his expenditures does seem rather secular. Nonetheless, the issue of selective prosecution remains-why research the Unification Church for five years? Prosecutor Devita contends that the seemingly extraordinary measures clothe a very simple tax case, and stresses that there is no reason for concern that legitimate church activity will be prosecuted because of this case, whether the religions are orthodox, unorthodox, or whatever...
DESPITE SUCH governmental assurances, however, religious leaders continue to view the Moon ruling with deep suspicion. They are disturbed by phrases such as "legitimate church activity," especially in light of the recent Bob Jones University case. In that case, the government wanted to withdraw Bob Jones' tax exemption unless they changed their practice--which stemmed from religious beliefs--of forbidding interracial dating. Last year the Supreme Court ruled that the IRS had the power to rescind the tax exemption, on the basis that the school's stance defied "public policy...
...subsequent outcry about totalitarian executive-judicial cabals was repeated and intensified when Reverend Moon protested his treatment before the Hatch subcommittee on June 26--this time charges of racism were working for, not against, the religious community...
...subcommittee hearing gave Moon a well-publicized venue for airing his concerns, but it was even more significant for bringing together scores of religious leaders who felt their faith was under seige: it was an ecumenical watershed. As Dr. Tim Lahaye of the Moral Majority said, "I don't believe in the history of America we have ever had such a religiously diverse group as we have in this room today. It's miraculous...