Monday, April 21, 2008

Regime Change in the Unification Movement: Hyung Jin Moon Replaces Sun Myung Moon as Leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification

(Updated below)
The French global news agency, Agence France-Presse reports that there has been a change in leadership in the Unification movement: Hyung Jin Moon, the 28 year-old son of Sun Myung Moon has taken over as the Chairman of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). The official announcement from the FFWPU web page confirms the news report:
During Hoondokhwae on April 16 at Cheon Jeong Gung, True Parents appointed Rev. Hyung Jin Moon as International President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU). Regional presidents, national leaders and other leaders should do their best in working together with the new international president in substantially completing the settlement of Cheon Il Guk.

I think this is an unusual development. I, like many people, thought that Hyun Jin "Preston" Moon would be taking over the family business. According to Wikipedia, Hyung Jin Moon "shaved his head and wore the gray robes of a monk." He is the author of A Bald Head and a Strawberry (click here to view the book's web site--it's freaky).

UPDATE: I spoke with a trusted confidante who assured me that even though Hyung Jin Moon is the head of the FFFWPU, that doesn't mean that Sun Myung Moon won't still be calling the shots or that Preston Moon is not in line to take over the political arm of the Unification movement. One thing I know about the Unification movement is that outward appearances can be deceiving.

2 comments:

Kenneth Gordon Neufeld said...

If indeed Hyung Jin Moon has been appointed instead of Hyun Jin ("Preston") Moon (note the slight difference in spelling), then Moon may be signalling his disapproval of his older son's performance by appointing the much younger and flakier man instead. This may merely be an attempt to stimulate the older son to harder work, etc. It is a ploy that Moon often used with his own followers, when he would frequently appoint leaders and then shuffle them around suddenly, with the intention of stirring up rivalries and redetermination among these leaders.

Anonymous said...

oh please. talk about something you really understand instead of spouting your personal feelings as if they really mean something. There is no "regime change." This "family business" is all about restoring a one world family under God; one in which all family members share a part to the extent that they feel called to this important task. Each of Rev. Moon's children is different and therefore have the ability to reach out to people in a different way, so that everyone can find a way to relate to God's desire for religious, political and family unification. I hope you can relate to the goal if not the methods.