Moonie (nickname): Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Cirt (talk | contribs)
199,086 edits
fix .
→‎2000s: putting back quote after talk page discussion
Line 52: Line 52:
In 2005, a representative of the Unification Church, Robin Marsh, lodged a formal complaint with [[Ofcom]], a body that supervises communication industries in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="ofcom" /> The [[BBC]] [[documentary]] program ''Reputations'' had used the term Moonie in a television broadcast about Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church.<ref name="ofcom">{{cite journal | last =[[Ofcom]] | title =Complaint by Mr Robin Marsh on behalf of The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – UK (formerly known as the Unification Church) | journal =Broadcast Bulletin |issue=54 | publisher =www.ofcom.org.uk | date =February 20, 2006 | url =http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/pcb41/ | accessdate = 2009-09-28 }}</ref> The program, subtitled ''Reverend Sun Myung Moon Emperor of the Universe'', was originally broadcast on [[BBC 2]] on August 7, 2001.<ref name="ofcom" /> Marsh complained: "The programme makers used the term 'moonie', a term as derogatory and offensive as 'nigger', in spite of assurances to the contrary".<ref name="ofcom" /> The BBC responded to this point by stating: "The producer recalls no promise not to use the word 'moonie' which is a term inextricably linked to the Unification Church in the era of the sixties and seventies highlighted by the film, and remains in use today. The term was used proudly by Mr Moon's principal aide Bo Hi Pak, and it is absurd to equate it with terms like 'nigger'. The BBC as an organisation has given no undertaking to avoid its use and in the particular circumstances of this film its use was appropriate"<ref name="ofcom" /> Ofcom weighed the issues presented by both sides, and in 2006 it determined: "Ofcom concluded that there was no unfairness to the Unification Church in the programme as broadcast. The programme makers had taken all reasonable care fairly to present material facts, had been fair in their dealings with the Unification Church and had provided the Unification Church with extensive opportunity to contribute to the programme and respond to allegations made, including contributions by senior members of the Unification Church."<ref name="ofcom" />
In 2005, a representative of the Unification Church, Robin Marsh, lodged a formal complaint with [[Ofcom]], a body that supervises communication industries in the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="ofcom" /> The [[BBC]] [[documentary]] program ''Reputations'' had used the term Moonie in a television broadcast about Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church.<ref name="ofcom">{{cite journal | last =[[Ofcom]] | title =Complaint by Mr Robin Marsh on behalf of The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – UK (formerly known as the Unification Church) | journal =Broadcast Bulletin |issue=54 | publisher =www.ofcom.org.uk | date =February 20, 2006 | url =http://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv/obb/prog_cb/pcb41/ | accessdate = 2009-09-28 }}</ref> The program, subtitled ''Reverend Sun Myung Moon Emperor of the Universe'', was originally broadcast on [[BBC 2]] on August 7, 2001.<ref name="ofcom" /> Marsh complained: "The programme makers used the term 'moonie', a term as derogatory and offensive as 'nigger', in spite of assurances to the contrary".<ref name="ofcom" /> The BBC responded to this point by stating: "The producer recalls no promise not to use the word 'moonie' which is a term inextricably linked to the Unification Church in the era of the sixties and seventies highlighted by the film, and remains in use today. The term was used proudly by Mr Moon's principal aide Bo Hi Pak, and it is absurd to equate it with terms like 'nigger'. The BBC as an organisation has given no undertaking to avoid its use and in the particular circumstances of this film its use was appropriate"<ref name="ofcom" /> Ofcom weighed the issues presented by both sides, and in 2006 it determined: "Ofcom concluded that there was no unfairness to the Unification Church in the programme as broadcast. The programme makers had taken all reasonable care fairly to present material facts, had been fair in their dealings with the Unification Church and had provided the Unification Church with extensive opportunity to contribute to the programme and respond to allegations made, including contributions by senior members of the Unification Church."<ref name="ofcom" />


In 2005 ''The Guardian'' quoted an official of the British Olympic Committee as equating Moonie with "[[zealot]]".<ref name="kelso">{{cite news |last=Kelso|first=Paul|coauthors=Charlotte Higgins |title =Blair and Chirac in Olympic face off | work =[[The Guardian]] | date =June 24, 2005 | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/jun/24/uk.communities | accessdate = 2009-11-02 }}</ref> In 2006 ''[[The Times]]'' referred to [[Josette Sheeran]], [[George W. Bush]]'s nominee to head the [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]], as a "former Moonie".<ref name="jamesbone">{{cite news | last =Bone | first =James | title =New UN food programme head | work =[[The Times]] | publisher =Times Newspapers Ltd | date =November 7, 2006 | url =http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article627894.ece | accessdate =2009-10-25 }}</ref> In 2009, the British newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' noted that members of the Unification Church were still "popularly known as Moonies",<ref name="peterfoster">{{cite news | last=Foster|first=Peter|title =Moonies hold biggest mass wedding since 1999 | work =[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] | date =October 8, 2009 | url =http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/6325372/Moonies-hold-biggest-mass-wedding-since-1999.html | accessdate = 2009-10-22 }}</ref> while the [[BBC]] said that the Unification Church members being dubbed Moonies was related to accusations of "cult-like practices".<ref name="mooniesmull">{{cite news | last =[[BBC News]] | title ='Moonies' mull future without founder | work =[[BBC News Online]] | publisher =[[BBC]] | date =October 8, 2009 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8293607.stm | accessdate = 2009-10-20 }}</ref> In 2009 Jon Herskovitz, reporting for [[Reuters]] noted: "Critics have for years vilified the organisation as a heretical, weird and dangerous cult while questioning its murky finances and how it indoctrinates followers. They describe followers of the group as 'Moonies', a term seen as derogatory."<ref name="seessmaller">{{cite news | last = Herskovits | first= Jon ([[Reuters]]) | title = Unification Church pres sees smaller mass weddings| newspaper = Monitor Online | date = November 3, 2009 }}</ref>
In 2005 ''The Guardian'' quoted an official of the British Olympic Committee as equating Moonie with "[[zealot]]".<ref name="kelso">{{cite news |last=Kelso|first=Paul|coauthors=Charlotte Higgins |title =Blair and Chirac in Olympic face off | work =[[The Guardian]] | date =June 24, 2005 | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2005/jun/24/uk.communities | accessdate = 2009-11-02 }}</ref> In 2006 ''[[The Times]]'' referred to [[Josette Sheeran]], [[George W. Bush]]'s nominee to head the [[United Nations]] [[World Food Programme]], as a "former Moonie".<ref name="jamesbone">{{cite news | last =Bone | first =James | title =New UN food programme head | work =[[The Times]] | publisher =Times Newspapers Ltd | date =November 7, 2006 | url =http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article627894.ece | accessdate =2009-10-25 }}</ref> In 2008 the ''[[Calgary Herald]]'' commented on the decline of Unification Church membership in [[Canada]], saying: "In fact, there don't seem to be any Moonies anymore; at least, you never hear about them."<ref>[http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=41d1261b-bfe7-4040-9e08-151f86a5585e Wine and vitamins may be good for you, or not], ''[[Calgary Herald]]'', April 18, 2008</ref> In 2009, the British newspaper ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' noted that members of the Unification Church were still "popularly known as Moonies",<ref name="peterfoster">{{cite news | last=Foster|first=Peter|title =Moonies hold biggest mass wedding since 1999 | work =[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]] | date =October 8, 2009 | url =http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/southkorea/6325372/Moonies-hold-biggest-mass-wedding-since-1999.html | accessdate = 2009-10-22 }}</ref> while the [[BBC]] said that the Unification Church members being dubbed Moonies was related to accusations of "cult-like practices".<ref name="mooniesmull">{{cite news | last =[[BBC News]] | title ='Moonies' mull future without founder | work =[[BBC News Online]] | publisher =[[BBC]] | date =October 8, 2009 | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8293607.stm | accessdate = 2009-10-20 }}</ref> In 2009 Jon Herskovitz, reporting for [[Reuters]] noted: "Critics have for years vilified the organisation as a heretical, weird and dangerous cult while questioning its murky finances and how it indoctrinates followers. They describe followers of the group as 'Moonies', a term seen as derogatory."<ref name="seessmaller">{{cite news | last = Herskovits | first= Jon ([[Reuters]]) | title = Unification Church pres sees smaller mass weddings| newspaper = Monitor Online | date = November 3, 2009 }}</ref>


===2010s===
===2010s===

Revision as of 17:06, 27 September 2010

"Moonies" redirects here. For other uses, see Moonie (disambiguation).
Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon

Moonie (plural Moonies) is a term which refers to members of the Unification Church. It is derived from the name of the church's founder Sun Myung Moon.[1] Some dictionaries call it offensive or derogatory;[2][3] others do not.[4][5] It has been used by critics of the church since the 1970s.[6] Church members have used the term, including Sun Myung Moon,[7] President of the Unification Theological Seminary David Kim,[8] and Moon's aide Bo Hi Pak.[9] Members of the Unification Church have stated that they currently prefer the term "Unificationists".[10] It has seen usage in several languages around the world,[4][5][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and according to Religion and Politics In America Unification Church followers are "universally known, often derisively" by the term.[19]

The word Moonie was coined in 1974 by the American media, when the Unification Church held a campaign at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[20] During the Sun Myung Moon tax fraud and conspiracy case in 1982, the prosecution argued that the term be banned during jury selection; the court denied the request and ruled that the term was appropriately "descriptive".[21][22] In the 1980s the church hired civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy to equate the term with the word "nigger".[23] Members protested outside of the Chicago Tribune and The Washington Post after the newspapers ran articles using the term.[24][25] In 2005, the Unification Church lodged a formal complaint with Ofcom, a body that supervises communication industries in the United Kingdom, after a BBC documentary about Sun Myung Moon used the term.[9] Ofcom ruled in favor of the BBC.[9]

In commentary on the term and its usage, scholars have noted it is both a popular colloquial term,[1] and one that has negative connotations.[26] Scholars including Anson Shupe, David G. Bromley, and Eileen Barker have used the term to refer to members of the Unification Church.[8] Barker titled her 1984 book The Making of a Moonie.[27] In his 2000 book Mystics and Messiahs, Philip Jenkins discussed the term's usage, and likened it to "smear words" associated with other religions; giving examples of Shaker, Methodist, and Mormon.[28]

Definition

The term Moonies is derived from the name of the founder of the Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon.[1] The 2002 edition of The World Book Dictionary does not note a negative connotation of the term, defining it simply as: "a follower of Sun Myung Moon";[4] nor does the 1999 edition of the Webster's II New College Dictionary, which defines the term as "a member of the Unification Church established and headed by Sun Myung Moon."[5] The 2009 Random House Dictionary states the term is offensive,[2] and the 2009 Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines it as derogatory in nature.[3] The Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Japan describes it as a colloquial term to refer to a member of the Unification Church.[29]

An extension of the term's meaning from its original usage referring to followers of Sun Myung Moon is noted in The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (2005),[30] The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (2007),[31] and The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English (2008).[32] These dictionaries define the term moonie as "any blind, unthinking, unquestioning follower of a philosophy".[30][31][32] In a 1996 article for The Independent in which he criticised former Prime Minister Edward Heath for speaking at a Unification Church sponsored conference, Andrew Brown commented: "The term 'Moonie' has entered the language as meaning a brainwashed, bright-eyed zombie."[33]

History

1970s

"In two and a half years the word 'Moonie' shall become an honorable name and we will have demonstrations and victory celebrations from coast to coast."

 —Sun Myung Moon (1978)[7]

The word Moonie was first used in American media sources in 1974, during the Unification Church campaign at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[20][23] Massad Ayoob wrote in American Handgunner that the term was used by critics by the time Sun Myung's Moon family moved from South Korea to the United States in the 1970s.[34] Its usage became prevalent in the 1970s, and it was used both by critics of the Unification Church,[6] as well as by church members themselves.[8] It has seen usage in other languages, including French,[11][12] German,[13][14] Spanish,[15][16] and Portuguese,[17][18] and according to Religion and Politics In America Unification Church followers are known "universally" by the term.[19]

The term was casually used within the Unification Church itself and by church members in public[23][35] as a self-designation.[36][37] During the 1970s and 1980s, the term was used by members of the Unification Church "as a badge of honor".[8] In 1978, Sun Myung Moon declared: "In two and a half years the word 'Moonie' shall become an honorable name and we will have demonstrations and victory celebrations from coast to coast."[7] Moon used the term again in 1979, stating: "If the most beautiful woman who thought she could seduce any man crept into my bedroom to tempt me, I would know how to make a Moonie out of her."[7] Later The Guardian quoted Moon as saying: "Looking at the Moonies from the normal, common-sense point of view, we certainly appear to be a bunch of crazy people!"[38]

In 1979, church members could be seen on subways in New York displaying t-shirts that read: "I'm a Moonie and I love it".[8] Religious scholar Anson Shupe notes that "on many occasions" he heard "David Kim, President of the Unification Theological Seminary, refer to 'Moonie theology,' the 'Moonie lifestyle,' and so forth matter-of-factly".[8] According to the BBC, the term has been used by the principal aide to Sun Myung Moon, Bo Hi Pak.[9] Pak was quoted by Carlton Sherwood in his book Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon as declaring to the United States Congress: "I am a proud Korean – a proud 'Moonie' – and a dedicated anti-Communist and I intend to remain so the rest of my life."[39]

1980s

During the Sun Myung Moon tax fraud and conspiracy case in 1982, prosecutors in the case argued that the term Moonie be banned during the jury selection process because they said it was considered "a negative term,"[21] and prejudicial in nature.[22] Defense counsel for Sun Myung Moon instead asserted use of the word in the jury selection process was necessary to identify the Unification Church and to question jurors about possible prejudice.[22] The court denied the prosecution's request, and ruled that the term was appropriately "descriptive."[21] Judge Gerard L. Goettel instructed the jury that the case involved the Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon, and his followers, who the judge stated were "sometimes referred to as Moonies."[22]

In 1982 The Washington Post reported that the Washington Times, then recently founded by Moon, was commonly referred to as "the Moonie paper";[40] Time magazine later made the same observation.[41] That same year a report sponsored in part by Auburn University, P. Nelson Reid and Paul D. Starr noted: "In informal interviews with U.C. members have indicated that they do not consider the term 'Moonie' derogatory."[42] However, in 1984, The Washington Post noted "Members of the Unification Church resent references to them as 'Moonies'", and quoted one member who said "Even in quotation marks, it's derogatory".[43]

In 1985 Anson Shupe, a sociologist who is considered a leading expert on cults and new religious movements, used the term telling Time: "What the Moonies do is ludicrous. Most people who go through that experience with them walk away later."[44] In 1985 the vice-president of Unification Church owned International Oceanic Enterprises Inc. used the word “Moonies” in referring to the employees of the company’s seafood processing plant in Bayou La Batre, Louisiana when he said: “Even Moonies have to eat.”[45] In 1985, then-president of the Unification Church in the United States, Mose Durst, asserted there was a positive change in perception of Sun Myung Moon after he was convicted of federal tax evasion: "In one year, we moved from being a pariah to being part of the mainstream. People recognized that Reverend Moon was abused for his religious beliefs and they rallied around. You rarely hear the word 'Moonie' anymore. We're 'Unificationists.'"[46]

The Unification Church hired civil rights activist Ralph Abernathy to equate the term Moonies with the word "nigger".[23] Abernathy served as vice president of the Unification Church-affiliated group American Freedom Coalition,[37][47] and served on two boards of directors for organizations related to Sun Myung Moon.[48] According to the San Francisco Chronicle, by 1989 Unification Church members preferred the term "Unificationists" over Moonies.[37] The Washington Post reported that "Unification Church members are being advised no longer to accept the designation of 'Moonie,' and to declare any such nomenclature as indicative of a prejudiced view of the church."[47] In 1989, The Seattle Times reported that the Chicago Tribune was picketed after referring to members of the Unification Church as Moonies.[24][49] Sun Myung Moon directed minister and civil rights leader James Bevel to form a protest by religious officials against the Chicago Tribune because of the newspaper's use of the term; Bevel handed out fliers at the protest which said: "Are the Moonies our new niggers?"[49] The Washington Post reported in 1989 that the Unification Church published newspaper advertisements equating use of the term Moonie to epithets including "nigger," "kike", "papist", "gook", and "Holy Rollers", asserting that its usage constituted "an act of religious and racial bigotry."[47]

The 1989 book Competition in Religious Life notes that "Moon and his disciples" have been "often unflatteringly referred to as 'Moonies'".[50] That same year, the Sun Myung Moon-created anti-communist propaganda organization CAUSA International paid US$200,000 for advertisements placed by the "National Committee Against Religious Bigotry and Racism" in USA Today, The New York Times, and the Unification Church-owned paper The Washington Times, criticizing the U.S. News & World Report and its owner Mortimer Zuckerman for articles about the Unification Church that used the term.[51] The ads equated usage of the term Moonie to "using an anti-Semitic epithet to refer to Jews".[51] In response, Zuckerman and U.S. News & World Report editor Roger Rosenblatt released a statement which asserted that the article about the Unification Church was "fair and accurate".[51] They added: "It is absolutely contrary to our journalistic standards to belittle any religious organization."[51]

The Washington Post refused to run the advertisements, and the advertising editor for The Seattle Times stated she would not have run the advertisements either.[52] Frank Wetzel of The Seattle Times noted: "For years 'Moonies' has been the common description of members of the Unification Church. If now the church announces it is offensive, courteous non-members will stop using it, although the problem remains of what members should be called. The change won't happen overnight, however, and it's sly to compare 'Moonies' with the epithets listed."[52] Walter Hatch of The Seattle Times reported that the "National Committee Against Religious Bigotry and Racism" organization was one of hundreds of front organizations with ties to the Unification Church.[52] Wetzel pointed out: "No such connection is mentioned in the ad. That's disingenuous."[52]

Unification Church official Michael Jenkins (who later became president of the Unification Church of the United States[53]) commented in 1989 on his views of why the Unification Church was shifting its public stance regarding use of the term: "Why, after so many years, should we now be taking such a stand to eliminate the term 'Moonie?' For me, it is a sign that the American Unification Church has come of age. We can no longer allow our founder, our members, and allies to be dehumanized and unfairly discriminated against. ... We are now entering a period of our history where our Church development and family orientation are strong enough that we can turn our attention toward ending the widespread misunderstanding about our founder and the Unification movement."[8] In 1989 Unification Church representative Tom Froehlic said to the San Francisco Chronicle: "The Unification Church is growing up. We are headed toward a more congregational-style movement. It's not so controversial to join the Moonies anymore."[37] According to author Darrell Y. Hamamoto, "By the end of the 1980s, the term Moonies had entered the language and become synonymous with individuals who had fallen under the hypnotic sway of the Unification Church."[54]

1990s

"We will fight gratuitous use of the 'Moonie' or 'cult' pejoratives."

 —Unification Church position paper (1990)[55]

In 1990, a position paper sent from the Unification Church to The Fresno Bee gave a warning to journalists about use of the term: "We will fight gratuitous use of the 'Moonie' or 'cult' pejoratives. We will call journalists on every instance of unprofessional reporting. We intend to stop distortions plagiarized from file clippings which propagate from story to story like a computer virus."[55] In 1992 the Unification Church-affiliated organization Professors World Peace Academy asserted usage of the term was akin to that of the word "nigger".[56] Unification Church member Kristopher Esplin told Reuters what is normally done if the term Moonie is seen in media sources: "If it's printed in newspapers, we will respond, write to the editor, that sort of thing."[57] According to a study published in 1992 in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 75.51% (74 of 98) of participating individuals were familiar with the term.[58]

In 1992 The New York Times quoted Colin Gunn, chairman of the board of trustees for the University of Bridgeport, which was then entering into a financial relationship with the Unification Church which resulted in two Unification Church members being placed in the position of university president (Richard Rubenstein 1995–1999,[59] and Neil Albert Salonen 1999–present[60]) as saying about "those seeking legitimacy": "They know that the name of the Unification Church, or Moonies, is a bad thing."[61]

On an October 6, 1994 broadcast of Nightline, host Ted Koppel stated: "On last night's program ...I used the term 'Moonies'. This is a label which members of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church find demeaning and offensive, and I'd like to apologize for its use."[62] In 1997, Unification Church members protested outside the building of The Washington Post after two of its articles used the word Moonie.[25] In 1997 the British newspaper The Independent noted that members in the United Kingdom preferred that their church be called the "Unification Church" rather than the "Moonies".[63] In 1998, the Glasgow, Scotland paper The Herald noted: "The Unification Church does not receive the hysterical media attention it did from the late 1970s, although its appeal against what it regards as the pejorative term of 'Moonies' has not been widely accepted."[64] In 1999, Mary Blume, writing in the style section of The New York Times about American English noted: "...a Moonie is both a cult member and an employee of Goldman Sachs".[65]

2000s

In 2000 British author and human rights activist Joan Smith in discussing laws protecting religions mentioned the "Moonie test", which she expressed as: "how do you frame a law that covers 'proper' religions without offering the same protection to the followers of the Rev Sun Myung Moon or, indeed, the Rev Ian Paisley?"[66] In 2001 paper Howard Hunter and Holly Price cited the "Moonies" as a group which most Americans would consider to be fringe groups, along with Jehovah's Witnesses, the Hare Krishna, and Scientologists.[67] In 2001, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that both Unification Church leaders and members in California referred to themselves as "Moonies".[68] In 2003 the New York Daily News reported that the Kahr K9 pistol, made by a company owned by Sun Myung Moon's son Justin Moon, was called the "Moonie gun" by New York police officers.[69]

In a 2004 interview with The New York Times, playwright Tony Kushner used the term "Moonies" to refer to religious converts who lacked "spiritual liveliness or freedom of thought".[70] The Hotline reported in 2004 that two Jefferson County, Kentucky politicians from the Republican Party got into a physical altercation after one called the other a Moonie.[71] John Lawlor claimed assault against Unification Church member Peter Hayes, alleging Hayes punched him in the arm after Lawlor referred to him as a Moonie.[71] In 2005 the New York Times interviewed Unification Church member Renee Watabe about her arranged marriage in which her husband was selected for her by Moon. Watabe referred to herself and fellow church members as "we Moonies".[72]

In 2005, a representative of the Unification Church, Robin Marsh, lodged a formal complaint with Ofcom, a body that supervises communication industries in the United Kingdom.[9] The BBC documentary program Reputations had used the term Moonie in a television broadcast about Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church.[9] The program, subtitled Reverend Sun Myung Moon Emperor of the Universe, was originally broadcast on BBC 2 on August 7, 2001.[9] Marsh complained: "The programme makers used the term 'moonie', a term as derogatory and offensive as 'nigger', in spite of assurances to the contrary".[9] The BBC responded to this point by stating: "The producer recalls no promise not to use the word 'moonie' which is a term inextricably linked to the Unification Church in the era of the sixties and seventies highlighted by the film, and remains in use today. The term was used proudly by Mr Moon's principal aide Bo Hi Pak, and it is absurd to equate it with terms like 'nigger'. The BBC as an organisation has given no undertaking to avoid its use and in the particular circumstances of this film its use was appropriate"[9] Ofcom weighed the issues presented by both sides, and in 2006 it determined: "Ofcom concluded that there was no unfairness to the Unification Church in the programme as broadcast. The programme makers had taken all reasonable care fairly to present material facts, had been fair in their dealings with the Unification Church and had provided the Unification Church with extensive opportunity to contribute to the programme and respond to allegations made, including contributions by senior members of the Unification Church."[9]

In 2005 The Guardian quoted an official of the British Olympic Committee as equating Moonie with "zealot".[73] In 2006 The Times referred to Josette Sheeran, George W. Bush's nominee to head the United Nations World Food Programme, as a "former Moonie".[74] In 2008 the Calgary Herald commented on the decline of Unification Church membership in Canada, saying: "In fact, there don't seem to be any Moonies anymore; at least, you never hear about them."[75] In 2009, the British newspaper The Telegraph noted that members of the Unification Church were still "popularly known as Moonies",[76] while the BBC said that the Unification Church members being dubbed Moonies was related to accusations of "cult-like practices".[77] In 2009 Jon Herskovitz, reporting for Reuters noted: "Critics have for years vilified the organisation as a heretical, weird and dangerous cult while questioning its murky finances and how it indoctrinates followers. They describe followers of the group as 'Moonies', a term seen as derogatory."[78]

2010s

In 2010 the Swindon Advertiser of Swindon, England noted that the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification was "more commonly known as the Moonies."[79] National Public Radio reported that young members of the Unification Church "bristle at the term 'Moonie'",[80] while USA Today reported that "the folks who follow Rev. Sun Myung Moon (also known, to their dislike, as the Moonies)."[81] In 2010 The New York Times noted that the word “Moonie“ was being used in Washington D.C. to denote that someone was a “swooning loyalist.”[82] The Denver Post reported that supporters of conservative congressional candidate Dan Maes were being called "Maes moonies" for their "almost cultish" devotion to him.[83] In 2010, David McWilliams, writing in the Sunday Business Post of Dublin, Ireland, referred to the irresponsible fiscal policies that lead to the world-wide late-2000s recession as "Moonie economics."[84]

Commentary

"Although they prefer to be called Unificationists, they are referred to in the media and popularly known as 'Moonies.'"

 —Eileen Barker (1995)[1]

British sociologist Eileen Barker titled her 1984 book, which was based on seven years of first person study of members of the Unification Church in the United States and Great Britain and has been the subject of controversy and criticism: The Making of a Moonie.[27] She commented in her introduction: "Mention the name 'Moonies' to anyone in the West today, and the chances are that you will receive an immediate reaction which falls somewhere between a delicate shudder and an indignant outburst of fury."[85] In a review of Barker's book published in the National Review, conservative author William Rusher wrote that Unification Church members were "...now almost universally referred to as 'Moonies'."[86] Barker later wrote in the 1995 book America's Alternative Religions that "members prefer to be called Unificationists", and acknowledges that "they are referred to in the media and popularly known as 'Moonies.'"[1] In the same book, Anson Shupe, a sociologist known for his studies of religious issues, and David Bromley a sociologist who has written extensively on cults, also use the term Moonies to refer to members of the Unification Church.[1] In his 1998 book Religion, Mobilization, and Social Action, Shupe notes that Barker, Bromley, and he himself had used the term in other publications, "and meant no offense".[8]

A book review by Topical Books in 1991 of The Secret World of Cults notes: "The word 'Moonie' conjures up unfavourable images to most people, usually of brainwashed adolescents abandoning their families, friends and studies to take up the worship of some obscure deity under the watchful eye of the charismatic Reverend Sun Myung Moon."[87] According to the 1997 book Daily Life in the United States, 1960-1990 by Myron A. Marty, Unification Church members are "known as 'Moonies' for their absolute subservience to the leader".[88]

The 1999 book Religion and Politics in America notes that "this movement - its followers are universally known, often derisively, as 'Moonies'",[19] and Philosophers and Religious Leaders, published in the same year, states that "Many Americans view Moon's church suspiciously as a cult with its members pejoratively referred to as 'Moonies'".[26] The 1999 Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture states "[Sun Myung Moon's] followers are known derogatively as 'Moonies' because their leader is [believed to be] the Second Coming."[89] R. C. S. Trahair's 1999 book Utopias and Utopians notes: "Today the term 'Moonies' is often used in a derogatory way, because their leader and his business ventures, which are synonymous with the church, have become suspect."; the book's entry on the group is "Moonies (Unification Church)".[90] In his 2000 book Mystics and Messiahs, Philip Jenkins likens the term to "smear words such as Shaker, Methodist, Mormon".[28] Jenkins cites usage of the term in book titles including Life among the Moonies and Escape from the Moonies, and comments: "These titles further illustrate how the derogatory term 'Moonie' became a standard for members of this denomination, in a way that would have been inconceivable for any of the insulting epithets that could be applied to, say, Catholics or Jews."[28]

In its entry on "Unification Church", the 2002 edition of The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage advised: "Unification Church is appropriate in all references to the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which was founded by the Rev. Sun Myung Moon. Do not use the disparaging Moonie(s)."[91] Rosalind Millam's 2002 book Anti-Discriminatory Practice notes that "Its followers are better known as Moonies"; the entry on the organization in the book is titled: "Unification Church (Moonies)".[92] The 2004 edition of the UPI Stylebook and Guide To Newswriting authored by United Press International advised: "Do not use the pejorative term Moonies in reference to [Unification Church] members."[93] United Press International was purchased in 1999 by News World Communications – a company owned by the Unification Church, which owns The Washington Times and newspapers in South Korea, Japan, and South America.[94]

The term is used as a high-school language exercise in the 2004 book Can I Know What to Believe?‎: "When I say the word Moonies, what do you think of? Because Moonies aren't as prevalent in our society today as they were several years ago ... some might mentioned the mass weddings performed by Sun Myung Moon. Others might mention the group's fund-raising efforts through flower selling."[95] Paul Weller's 2005 book Time for a Change notes that "Unifications have often popularly - and sometimes disparagingly - been referred to as 'Moonies', in reference to the founder of their movement."[96] Eugene V. Gallagher writes in the 2006 work Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America that a pejorative use of the term is linked with a negative view of Sun Myung Moon: "even his name attracted the hostility of enemies who derided followers as 'Moonies' and the movement as a 'cult.'"[97] Don Lasseter notes in his 2006 book If I Can't Have You, No One Can that "'Unificationists' now regard the term 'Moonies' as a denigration of their people and beliefs."[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Miller, Timothy (1995). America's Alternative Religions. State University of New York Press. pp. 223, 414. ISBN 0791423980.
  2. ^ a b Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009 (2009). "moonie". Dictionary.com. dictionary.reference.com. Retrieved 2009-09-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b Compact Oxford English Dictionary (2009). "Moonie". AskOxford. www.askoxford.com. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  4. ^ a b c World Book Encyclopedia (2002). The World Book Dictionary: L-Z. World Book, Inc. p. 1348. ISBN 0716602997.
  5. ^ a b c Editors of Webster's II Dictionaries (1999). Webster's II New College Dictionary. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. p. 711. ISBN 0395962145. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ a b BBC News staff (July 19, 2008). "'Moonies' founder hurt in crash". BBC News. news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  7. ^ a b c d Enroth, Ronald M. (2005). A Guide To New Religious Movements. InterVarsity Press. pp. 69, 72. ISBN 0830823816.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Shupe, Anson D. (1998). Religion, Mobilization, and Social Action. Praeger. pp. 197, 213, 215. ISBN 978-0275956257. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Ofcom (February 20, 2006). "Complaint by Mr Robin Marsh on behalf of The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – UK (formerly known as the Unification Church)". Broadcast Bulletin (54). www.ofcom.org.uk. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  10. ^ a b Lasseter, Don (2006). If I Can't Have You, No One Can. Pinnacle. p. 111. ISBN 0786018208.
  11. ^ a b "Mgr Milingo: "Admonition canonique", ultimatum au 20 août 2001". Zenit: Le monde vu de Rome (in French). www.zenit.org. July 17, 2001. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  12. ^ a b "Rome: Après l'ordination de quatre évêques mariés aux Etats-Unis". APIC (in French). www.kipa-apic.ch. September 26, 2006. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  13. ^ a b "Sun Myung Moon: Guru mit Geschäftssinn". Stern (in German). www.stern.de. August 19, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  14. ^ a b "Ein neuer Konkurrent im Kampf um die Seelen". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). September 24, 1997.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  15. ^ a b "Empresas de dietética alimentan en España a la secta del reverendo Moon". El País (in Spanish). www.elpais.com. June 21, 1988. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  16. ^ a b "La guerra de los moonies". La Jornada (in Spanish). www.jornada.unam.mx. August 22, 1997. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  17. ^ a b "Jornal Semanal da Comunidade Brasileira no Sul da Florida". Gazeta Brazilian News (in Portuguese). www.gazetanwes.com. December 27, 2005. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  18. ^ a b "O Brasil na imprensa internacional". Portugal Digital (in Portuguese). www.portugaldigital.com. December 26, 2005. Retrieved 2009-09-30.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  19. ^ a b c Fowler, Robert Booth (1999). Religion and Politics In America. Westview Press. p. 199. ISBN 978-0813334905. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  20. ^ a b PacNews staff (February 17, 2006). "Church leaders unite against Moonies". PacNews. Pacific Island News Agency Service.
  21. ^ a b c Berry, John F. (March 23, 1982). "Court Impanels 200 in Effort to Find Impartial Jury to Try the Rev. Moon". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. A5.
  22. ^ a b c d Lubasch, Arnold H. (March 23, 1982). "Selection of jurors is begun for Moon's tax-fraud trial". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. p. B2.
  23. ^ a b c d Gorenfeld, John (2008). Bad Moon Rising. PoliPointPress. p. 96. ISBN 0979482232.
  24. ^ a b Helvarg, David (2004). The War Against the Greens. Johnson Books. p. 211. ISBN 1555663281.
  25. ^ a b Murphy, Caryle (November 19, 1997). "'Blessing '97': Moon's church adapts, endures". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. B1.
  26. ^ a b Von Dehsen, Christian D. (1999). Philosophers and Religious Leaders. Greenwood. p. 136. ISBN 1573561525.
  27. ^ a b Rhodes, Ron (2001). The Challenge of the Cults and New Religions. Zondervan. pp. 192, 335. ISBN 0310232171.
  28. ^ a b c Jenkins, Philip (2000). Mystics and Messiahs: Cults and New Religions in American History. Oxford University Press. pp. 28, 200. ISBN 0195127447.
  29. ^ Stockwin, J. (2003). Dictionary of the Modern Politics of Japan. Routledge. p. 233. ISBN 0415151708.
  30. ^ a b Partridge, Eric (2005). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English: J-Z. TF-ROUTL. p. 1319. ISBN 978-0415259385. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  31. ^ a b Dalzell, Tom (2007). The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. Routledge. p. 439. ISBN 0415212596. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  32. ^ a b Dalzell, Tom (2008). The Routledge Dictionary of Modern American Slang and Unconventional English. Routledge. p. 671. ISBN 0415371821.
  33. ^ Brown, Andrew (August 12, 1996). "Edward Heath sees bright side of the Moonies". The Independent. Newspaper Publishing PLC. p. 13. Retrieved 2009-09-28.
  34. ^ Ayoob, Massad (November/December 2001). "The Rise of the House of Kahr". American Handgunner: 58–67. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ Koff, Stephen (August 1983). "Religion: Getting Mooned, Legitimately". Cincinnati Magazine. 16 (11): 14.
  36. ^ Lichtman, Allan J. (2008). White Protestant Nation. Atlantic Monthly Press. p. 304. ISBN 0871139847.
  37. ^ a b c d Nix, Shann (August 10, 1989). "Church seeks new image". San Francisco Chronicle. p. B3.
  38. ^ The Guardian staff (September 20, 2001). "Zoff off, Moon loon, and Cheat schmeat". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2009-10-08.
  39. ^ Sherwood, Carlton (1991). Inquisition: The Persecution and Prosecution of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon. Regnery Gateway. p. 558. ISBN 9780895265326.
  40. ^ Bumiller, Elisabeth (May 17, 1982). "The Nation's Capital Gets A New Daily Newspaper". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. C01. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
  41. ^ Time staff (November 5, 1989). "Press: No. 2 And Trying Harder : The Washington Times". Time. Time Warner. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
  42. ^ Reid, P. Nelson (November 1982). "The Social Impact of Unification Church Investments in Bayou La Batre, Alabama; A Socio-Ecologic Study Prepared for the Missippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium" (PDF). Missippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium. www.masgc.org. p. 21, Footnote: 16. Retrieved 2009-09-28. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  43. ^ Zagoria, Sam (September 19, 1984). "Journalism's Three Sins". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. A26.
  44. ^ "Religion: Sun Myung Moon's Goodwill Blitz". Time Magazine. April 22, 1985.
  45. ^ "Moon's church settles into quiet fishing town". Rome News-Tribune. November 27, 1985.
  46. ^ Goldman, Ari L. (July 28, 1985). "Moon's jailing may have eased things for his flock". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Section 4; Page 7, Column 4.
  47. ^ a b c Leigh, Andrew (October 15, 1989). "Inside Moon's Washington - The private side of public relations improving the image, looking for clout". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. B1.
  48. ^ Knight-Ridder Newspapers (December 20, 1987). "Unification Church funnels millions to U.S. conservatives". The Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Morning News Company. p. 4A.
  49. ^ a b Hatch, Walter (February 13, 1989). "Big names lend luster to group's causes - Church leader gains legitimacy among U.S. conservatives". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times Company. p. A1.
  50. ^ Newman, Jay (1989). Competition in Religious Life (Editions Sr ; V. 11). Wilfrid Laurier University Press. p. 82. ISBN 0889209898.
  51. ^ a b c d Guy, Pat (April 24, 1989). "MEDIA: Moon ads blast news magazine". USA Today. Gannett Company Inc. p. 2B, section: Money.
  52. ^ a b c d Wetzel, Frank (May 21, 1989). "More sunshine needed on Moon units". The Seattle Times. Seattle Times Company. p. A21.
  53. ^ Satyanarayana, Megha (February 13, 2007). "Shark poachers to pay for new habitat". The Oakland Tribune.
  54. ^ Hamamoto, Darrell Y. (1994). Monitored Peril. University of Minnesota Press. p. 199. ISBN 0816623686.
  55. ^ a b Taylor, John G. (September 1, 1990). "Unification Church will keep eye on media". The Fresno Bee. p. A10.
  56. ^ Goodstein, Laurie (May 26, 1992). "Church bids for legitimacy - Moon's group wooed a city to buy university". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. p. A1.
  57. ^ Stormont, Diane (Reuters) (October 4, 1992). "Moon followers vow to deman respect: Movement wants world to accept its members as normal human beings". Rocky Mountain News. p. 42. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  58. ^ Pfeifer, Jeffrey E. (University of Virginia) (April 1992). "The Psychological Framing of Cults: Schematic Representations and Cult Evaluations". Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 22 (7): 531–544. doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.1992.tb00988.x.
  59. ^ "Richard L. Rubinstein - A Brief Biographical Note". Bridgeport.edu. www1bpt.bridgeport.edu. 2003. Retrieved 2010-09-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  60. ^ Salonen, Neil Albert (July 30, 2005). "Featuring Neil Albert Salonen". The American Chiropractor. www.theamericanchiropractor.com. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  61. ^ Judson, George (April 17, 1992). "Making the Hard Choice at Bridgeport U.: Opting to Stay Alive". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  62. ^ Koppel, Ted (October 6, 1994). "Transcript # 3489". Nightline. ABC News.
  63. ^ McGrandle, Piers (June 8, 1997). "Cult explosion threatens to bury Christianity". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
  64. ^ Linklater, John (April 18, 1998). "The man who became a moonie". The Herald. Scottish Media Newspapers Limited. p. 7.
  65. ^ Blume, Mary (July 7, 1999). "Want to Speak American?Now It's a Walkover". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
  66. ^ Smith, Joan (November 26, 2000). "Believe what you like, but you can't make me take you seriously". The Independent. Retrieved 2009-11-05.
  67. ^ Hunter, Howard O. (August 2001). "Regulation of Religious Proselytism in the United States" (PDF). Brigham Young University Law Review. www.law2.byu.edu: 538. Retrieved 2010-09-07. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  68. ^ Lattin, Don (February 11, 2001). "Children of a Lesser God - The Moonies: Looking to its youth for survival". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  69. ^ New York Daily News staff (July 27, 2003). "Rev. Moon son made a gun". New York Daily News.
  70. ^ "10 Questions for . . . Tony Kushner". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. June 4, 2004. Retrieved 2010-09-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  71. ^ a b The Hotline staff (April 16, 2004). "News Bazaar: The fact that the fight for GOP leadership turned physical is just one part of this very weird story". The Hotline. The National Journal Group, Inc.
  72. ^ "Modern Love - A Leap of Faith". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. July 3, 2005. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  73. ^ Kelso, Paul (June 24, 2005). "Blair and Chirac in Olympic face off". The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-11-02. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  74. ^ Bone, James (November 7, 2006). "New UN food programme head". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 2009-10-25.
  75. ^ Wine and vitamins may be good for you, or not, Calgary Herald, April 18, 2008
  76. ^ Foster, Peter (October 8, 2009). "Moonies hold biggest mass wedding since 1999". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
  77. ^ BBC News (October 8, 2009). "'Moonies' mull future without founder". BBC News Online. BBC. Retrieved 2009-10-20.
  78. ^ Herskovits, Jon (Reuters) (November 3, 2009). "Unification Church pres sees smaller mass weddings". Monitor Online. {{cite news}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  79. ^ Morgan, Charley (July 14, 2010). "Moonies' burial site is approved". Swindon Advertiser.
  80. ^ Hagerty, Barbara Bradley (February 17, 2010). "Unification Church Woos A Second Generation". National Public Radio. www.npr.org. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  81. ^ Grossman, Kathy Lynn (February 21, 2010). "Love, kids, spiritual drift: Rev. Moon's mass wedding couples". USA Today. www.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2010-02-23.
  82. ^ Leibovich, Mark (March 6, 2010). "Message Maven Finds Fingers Pointing at Him". The New York Times.
  83. ^ "Maes' outsider campaign draws voters fed up with status quo". Denver Post. www.denverpost.com. August 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  84. ^ "If it looks like a duck..." Sunday Business Post. www.sbpost.ie. August 22, 2010. Retrieved 2010-09-07. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  85. ^ Barker, Eileen (1984). The Making of a Moonie. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 1. ISBN 0631132465.
  86. ^ Rusher, William A. (December 19, 1986). "The making of a Moonie - choice or brainwashing?". National Review. findarticles.com.
  87. ^ Topical Books staff (Autumn 1991). "Let us pay - The Secret World of Cults". Topical Books: 13–14.
  88. ^ Marty, Myron A. (1997). Daily Life in the United States, 1960-1990. Greenwood Press. p. 173. ISBN 0313295549.
  89. ^ Childs, Peter (1999). Encyclopedia of Contemporary British Culture. Routledge. p. 548. ISBN 978-0415147262. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  90. ^ Trahair, R. C. S. (1999). Utopias and Utopians. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 265–266. ISBN 0313294658.
  91. ^ Siegal, Allan M. (2002). The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage. Three Rivers Press. p. 344. ISBN 978-0812963892. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  92. ^ Millam, Rosalind (2002). Anti-Discriminatory Practice. Continuum. p. 98. ISBN 0826454755.
  93. ^ Martin, Harold (2004). UPI Stylebook and Guide To Newswriting. Capital Books. p. 251. ISBN 1931868581. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  94. ^ Liebenson, Donald (May 4, 2003). "UPI R.I.P. - As a new book by two veterans of United Press International shows, the world lost more than a scrappy wire service when UPI died. It lost a vital witness to history". Chicago Tribune. p. 18.
  95. ^ DC Cook staff, David C. (2004). Can I Know What to Believe?. David C. Cook. p. 65. ISBN 0781440890.
  96. ^ Weller, Paul (2005). Time For A Change: Reconfiguring Religion, State And Society. T. & T. Clark Publishers. p. 105. ISBN 0567084876.
  97. ^ Gallagher, Eugene V. (2006). Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America. Greenwood Press. p. 160. ISBN 0275987132.

External links

Look up moonie in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moonie_(nickname)&oldid=387350680"