Title | [Weekly Chosun] “‘You Are My Sunshine’ 40 Years Later” Headed to Belvedere, FFWPU’s Holy Ground in New York | |||
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Date | 2016-07-05 | Hit | 9480 | |
File | 주간조선.jpg [237kb] |
Weekly
Chosun
Korean National Major Monthly Magazine
“‘You Are My Sunshine’ 40 Years
Later”
Headed to Belvedere, FFWPU’s Holy Ground in New York
On June
1, 1976, 50,000 people filled the Yankee Stadium in New York. People flooded in
from New York and other neighboring cities to hear Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who had
come from Korea and founded the Family Federation for World Peace (FFWPU), give
the keynote address. Rev. Sun Myung Moon delivered a challenging message to
American society that day.
“If we
do not fight the threat of Communism and raise up the morale of the youth in
this nation, there will be no hope for America.” “I came
as a doctor and firefighter for America.”
As
America celebrated the 200th anniversary of the nation’s founding, Rev. Moon
was deeply troubled by the hippie culture and drug usage among the youth during
that time. Rev. Moon gave America four tasks. They were to revive the values
centered on family, restore the nation’s morals, eradicate Communism, and
oppose homosexuality. Rev. Moon’s messages moved the hearts of the people who
had been worried about their confused generation. A few days later, Newsweek
magazine featured a picture of Rev. Sun Myung Moon on its cover and “Sun Myung
Moon” became a household name.
Frank
Maketa (62), reminisced about that day, “All of a sudden in the middle of the
event, rain started to pour and the strong wind blew away everything that had
been set up. It was a mess. People began stirring and the event was close to
being called off. To be honest, my faith also wavered. Then suddenly, someone began
to sing “You Are My Sunshine.” Everyone began to join in, hoping the rain would
stop. As we began to sing, the dark clouds finally lifted. It was a very moving
scene.”
40 years
later, on June 5, 2016, the audience at Belvedere in Tarrytown, New York once
again began to since “You Are My Sunshine” at an event commemorating the 40th
anniversary of the 1976 Yankee Stadium Rally. A proclamation for a new vision
for the future was also held here. Coincidentally, it also began to rain on
this day, and everyone began to sing “You Are My Sunshine.” Belvedere, which
lies along the upper region of the Hudson River, was home to Rev. Sun Myung
Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon during their time in America. To FFWPU members, it
is America’s greatest Holy Ground and the current training center in New York.
This was
the first time that Belvedere was made open to the public and the press. This
secret garden sits just a 40-minute car ride away from the center of Manhattan.
Measuring 101,150㎡ (30,651 pyeong), this garden
may be better referred to as a park. This tranquil and well-maintained property
makes you wonder how such a place could exist in such a close proximity to
Manhattan. Belvedere contains 5-6 buildings, including the church. One of these
buildings is the guesthouse where Rev. Moon and his wife once resided. It is
the exact location to which Rev. and Mrs. Moon had frequently invited world
leaders, including American congressmen. It is also the place where a
celebratory event was held the day following the Yankee Stadium Rally 40 years
ago. This guesthouse became open to the public for the first time at the God
Bless America Family Festival. The first two floors of the building have been
preserved as-is during Rev. Moon’s residency. Rev. Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon
had purchased Belvedere, as well as another property in nearby Irvington called
East Garden, in the latter half of 1960 as the stronghold for missionary work
in America.
Rev.
Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon proclaimed America as the center of missionary
work and officially entered the nation in 1971. Rev. Moon toured 40 cities,
including Wall Street in New York, Washington D.C. and Baltimore, reawakening
Christianity and warning the public about the threat of Communism. The
unprecedented arrival of religious leaders from Korea gathered attention in
America. The names “Sun Myung Moon” and FFWPU became especially known through
the Yankee Stadium Rally. Three months later in September, 300,000 people
gathered for the Washington Monument Rally, setting the record for the largest
religious gathering in America. 40 years later, FFWPU is regarded as the
religion that had the greatest success in the shortest amount of time in
America. We were curious as to how they were able to transcend religion and
gather this level of strength and energy.
The main
event took place on an outdoor stage in front of the guesthouse. 3,000 people
from all over America began to arrive from early in the morning. They set up
mats and camping chairs on the lawn in front of the stage as if getting ready
for a jazz festival. Choir groups sang on the stage as the audience sang and
danced along. Even the reporters began to move their bodies to the music. A
group of food and event tents stood beside the main stage.
“Are you
ready?”
The
festival began with the welcoming remarks of the emcee. Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon
(73) stood on stage just as Rev. Moon had 40 years earlier. She called for
America to reflect on its self-centered ways, and fulfill its role in leading
the rest of the world.
FFWPU is
currently led by Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon. Following Rev. Moon’s passing in 2012,
his fourth son Kook Jin Moon and his seventh son Hyung Jin Moon stepped up as
the successors; but in 2013, they lost their authority and resigned from their
positions. Although there was a report stating that the fifth daughter, Sun Jin
Moon, had emerged on the scene as the International President of the Family
Federation for World Peace and Unification, today’s event confirmed Dr. Hak Ja
Han Moon as the solid center of FFWPU.
Former
U.S. Congressman Dan Burton, who had also attended the Yankee Stadium Rally 40
years ago, gave the congratulatory address. “The message given at Yankee
Stadium is needed in America more today than in the past. We can resolve the
social issues that plague America today if we look at them from the perspective
of that message given 40 years ago. The Anti-Communist movement that Rev. Moon
emphasized at that time moved President Reagan, and ultimately led to the fall
of Communism. I am grateful that Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon has continued to lead the
peace activities that Rev. Moon began.”
The
event was not only attended by FFWPU members. It transcended race, region, and
faith. Among those in attendance was Archbishop George Stallings. Archbishop
Stallings is the founder of an Imani temple for African-American Catholics, and
serves as the Co-President of the American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC).
He was born to a Roman Catholic mother and was blessed in marriage to a
Japanese woman by Rev. Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon at the FFWPU Holy Marriage Blessing
Ceremony. Rev. Moon named Archbishop Stallings’ two sons Shin-Young and
Young-Pal.
During
an interview prior to the event, Archbishop Stallings shared, “Rev. Moon and
Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon removed the divisions and barriers created by human beings.
Existing religions could not imagine that all religions were meant to be united
under God. Republicans and Democrats alike, along with Christian ministers
followed them. In the same way Martin Luther King, Jr. stated that people
should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their
character, I believe that they are true leaders who worked to unite all of
mankind as one true family.”
The view
of FFWPU from the stage was incredible. Rev. Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon’s
homeland of Korea was especially important to the members in the audience.
During the event, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon spoke in Korean, and simultaneous
translation was provided in English. Rev. Moon and Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon insisted
on giving all of their speeches in Korean. All FFWPU pastors are also required
to learn Korean. Black and White people from all over the world can sing the
four verses of our national anthem, and it is not uncommon to see them singing
the Korean song, “Sarang Hae Dang Shin Eul.” It’s like the original “Hallyu
Wave.” FFWPU currently has 3,000,000 members from 190 nations. Japan has the
most members with 600,000, followed by Korea with 300,000 and America with
100,000.
Photo
▲3,000 people
singing “You Are My Sunshine” on June 5 at Belvedere in Tarrytown, New York
▲Rev. Sun Myung
Moon entering the Yankee Stadium Rally in 1976 with 50,000 in attendance.
▲Dr. Hak Ja Han
Moon giving the keynote address at the Belvedere event on June 5. |
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