Unification Movement

From Free net encyclopedia

The Unification Movement is a religious movement spearheaded by the Unification Church (renamed the "Family Federation for World Peace") comprising organizations and individuals that are dedicated to creating world peace through ideal families centered on God in accordance with the doctrines of Reverend Sun Myung Moon.

For legal and tax purposes in several countries, various projects inspired or directed by Rev. Moon or members of his church are required to maintain existence as separate entities. Under United States federal tax law, for example, 501(c)(3) charitable institutions, like churches, may not engage in political speech without losing their tax exemption status. As such, the Unification Church does not itself make political statements, and members of the church have created organisations such as CARP which operate under the less stringent requirements of a 501(c)(4) "non-profit, educational foundation".

Some members in the United States and other countries have also tried to establish businesses with the dual aims of serving their communities while hopefully making a profit to donate to church projects. Most of these attempts failed, and the church in the US has relied heavily on donations from abroad, especially Japan. A notable exception to this record of financial failure is the seafood business set up by church members in Baton Rouge, whose success after the hurricane of 1979 reminds some of a scene from Forrest Gump.

[edit]