SEOUL, South Korea, July 19, 2008

Rev. Moon Injured In Helicopter Crash

Aircraft Carrying Leader Of Unification Church Makes Emergency Landing Then Bursts Into Flames

  • The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, seen here in 1986. Photo

    The Rev. Sun Myung Moon, seen here in 1986.  (AP Photo)

  • Interactive Eye on Religion

    Find out more about the beliefs, practices and history of some of the world's major religions.

(AP)  A helicopter carrying the Rev. Sun Myung Moon crashed Saturday into a mountain in South Korea, injuring the founder of the Unification Church and 13 others, officials said.

Moon was slightly injured but his exact condition was not known, fire official Kim Wu-jong told The Associated Press. Members of Moon's family, including his wife, were also hurt.

One person was seriously injured, Kim said.

The helicopter was carrying 16 people when it crashed in Gapyeong, about 37 miles northeast of Seoul, Kim said. It burst into flames after hitting the ground.

Police and fire officials said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

Church official Kim Dae-yeol said the helicopter was flying to a church-affiliated hospital in the area.

Moon founded the Seoul-based Unification Church in the 1950s and the conservative Washington Times newspaper in 1982.

The church's doctrine is a mixture of Christian, Confucian and traditional Korean values, and Moon's followers believe he came into the world to complete the work of Jesus Christ.

In February, a South Korean army helicopter crashed into a mountain near Seoul, killing all seven people on board. Last year, three helicopters and two fighter jets crashed in South Korea.


© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Video and Galleries from World

Add a Comment See all 34 Comments
by hypnotoad72 July 19, 2008 12:19 PM EDT
He''s as much of a "reverend" as Jim Jones or Count Chocula were.

Do such "values" include mass marriages?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/images/_35736_crowd.JPG

http://www.rickross.com/images/moonie1.jpg

(Cheap radio morning shows USED to do this sort of charade until people stood up in protect over the demeaning of a fair and decent ceremony.)

I''m sorry there was a crash and I''m sorry people were injured. But his was deemed a cult no different than any others during the 1970s, and it''s as easy to become a member as it is to pull the certificate from a box of sugary and possibly-whole-grain-too cereal.
Reply to this comment
by pollroller1 July 19, 2008 12:37 PM EDT
OH NO!!! The second Jesus hurt in a Helicopter crash. Where do I send my money? We all got to send lots of money to this man so we can get into heaven.
Reply to this comment
by gatofeo July 19, 2008 1:08 PM EDT
Dammit!
Moon missed going to his reward (a very special place in Hell).
Reply to this comment
by bgrodnerny July 19, 2008 1:17 PM EDT
I am sorry to hear of this accident, I know something of the Rev. Moon and his good works. He and his organization are the only hope for the reunification of North and South Korea. Please get well soon our prayers are with you and the other passengers on board.
Reply to this comment
by newsjunky5 July 19, 2008 1:21 PM EDT
God hates helicopters. And mobile homes.
Reply to this comment
by fuzzybear9 July 19, 2008 1:27 PM EDT
Hello America

Fuzzy Bear what topic will we discuss today ?

I think it best if we pick up the Topic of the Devil, Beelzubub, Scratch, or Satan

now I know this is a delicate subject which many people shy from, but if we take a pure Scientific approach to the Devil we can clear somethings up.

normally we would use the Bible in our discussion, but I choose to use Newton`s approach to start.

`` For every force there is a complete equal and opposite force ``

fundamental law of physics

When Einstein said God does not play dice with the Universe, we might use the supposition that the Devil tries too.

and here in this article about a mother using her daughters for prostituion is a perfect example of the influence of the Devil, or the Evil one.

Good - Evil, Love - Hate

since 99% of people in the World believe in God, then it stands to reason they must also except a belief in the Devil.

now as for Mr. Moon, I think he claims or at least preported to claim he was Jesus, don`t quote me on that, I know very little about the moonies other than they sell fancy paintings, let them believe what they like.

sincerely exposing Evil on all sides Bear
Fuzzy
Reply to this comment
by mcvet July 19, 2008 1:38 PM EDT
I guess the Old Devil wasn''t ready for him yet... Not to worry Moon, your day, just like Falwell''s and Helms is coming... Not to soon I''m afraid but coming never the less.
Reply to this comment
by gonaive1 July 19, 2008 1:54 PM EDT
I do pray for the full recovery of Dr Moon and his entire entourage involved in this tragic accident.
How sad that there are those who make it their business to wish the worst for others. They too are in need of prayer.
Reply to this comment
by apndrgn July 19, 2008 2:02 PM EDT
Lift plus thrust is greater than load plus drag.
Reply to this comment
by shinzoiwata July 19, 2008 2:04 PM EDT
We pray for Rev.Moon and the other passangers on board to get well soon. We know Rev.Moon and Mrs.Moon has 43 grandchildren(maybe more). Their international-interreligious works for peace centering family value are excellent, hope and model to us.
Thank you God, you protected them.


Reply to this comment
by harpoot July 19, 2008 2:06 PM EDT
Gag me with a spoon
Reply to this comment
by wl7bzh July 19, 2008 2:15 PM EDT
"Reverends" Moon, Jesse, Al, Pat, Paula, Oral, Jimmy, Jim, Joyce and any minister with the name Robert, Robertson, Bob, Rob or Billy-Bob follow one main scripture in the Bible-"If you see a stranger, take him in."

One last observation-is it just me,or does every female seed faith televangelist look like Bozo the clown in drag and receive messages from God insisting the female Rev have plastic surgery?
Reply to this comment
by thgdriver July 19, 2008 2:30 PM EDT
Did Arnie Schwarzenegger yell for him to get to the chopper?
Reply to this comment
by apndrgn July 19, 2008 2:49 PM EDT
-flangesqueal- It may just be the mirror in your bathroom. Suggest when you oil the flange, abstain from looking in it as stone is difficult to remove.
Reply to this comment
by yongamerica July 19, 2008 3:56 PM EDT
This joker has enough political pull to take control of one of the most prestigious halls of the US Capitol and be crowned the new Messiah.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/07/19/world/main4275087.shtml
Reply to this comment
by yongamerica July 19, 2008 3:57 PM EDT
Oops, here is a real link to his coronation.

http://www.iapprovethismessiah.com/2004/06/this-really-happened-at-senate-office.html
Reply to this comment
by chester_free July 19, 2008 4:11 PM EDT
Moon made his fortune building and selling weapons or warfare before he annointed himself "The Messiah" and claiming he is superior to Jesus Christ. He onws the Washington Times and a huge estae in Paraguay next to his future neighbor, George W. Bush. He has his tentacles deeply around the Republican Party, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. This guy is a very dangerous person and a whole lot of people are hoping his injuries are potentially life threatening. He has millions of mesmerized followers, including some posting here. But Moon is not the Messiah and he won''t live forever.
Reply to this comment
by bsuzuki2 July 19, 2008 4:17 PM EDT
For the few people who have criminal thinking to wish bad thing to the Dr Moon, (and i read some christian there too!!!) Do not forget that Jesus himself was regarded as the devil and that the romain talked about the christian as a sect who eat they children (because they used to baptize them in catacomb and "eat and drink the blood and flesh of christ".)
Those who will have evil thoughts will have to face heavenly judgement as those who killed and crucified the prophets and all people send by God!
Unfortunately for all those people, Dr Moon has been reconized by millions to be a good man, a man of peace with concrete actions of true love to mankind. I do not know of any man on this planet who can compet with him about creating thousands of ways to bring peace on earth!
Reply to this comment
by mcvet July 19, 2008 6:00 PM EDT
Unfortunately for all those people, Dr Moon has been reconized by millions to be a good man, a man of peace with concrete actions of true love to mankind. I do not know of any man on this planet who can compet with him about creating thousands of ways to bring peace on earth!

Posted by bsuzuki2 at 01:17 PM : Jul 19, 2008

Exactly WHO believes this trashy Fascist to be a "Good" man. Who ever it may be they need to seek help...and soon!
Reply to this comment
by hypnotoad72 July 19, 2008 6:49 PM EDT
...has been reconized by millions to be a good man, a man of peace with concrete actions of true love to mankind. I do not know of any man on this planet who can compet with him about creating thousands of ways to bring peace on earth!

Posted by bsuzuki2
-------------

By whom, people other than his most devout followers, who would be the people least likely to need convincing, of anything?

Now I don''t know all of Moon''s life and dealings (only snippets over the decades), but to compare anyone with Jesus demands a little cursory comparison:

* Jesus did not hoard great sums of money.
* Jesus does not lie.
* Jesus genuinely helped others.
* Jesus helped others to help themselves.
* Jesus, according to Mel Gibson, was a punching bag.
* Jesus did not own a media company to help spread the word. He did things on his own.

EVERY human has sins. Except Jesus, who in a tragic irony died in the name of them. We''re not supposed to parallel anybody to Jesus, but LIVE BY JESUS'' EXAMPLE if we are to actually call ourselves "Christians".

I''d love to use topical American figures as examples of people far more Christian than Moon, but to do so might cause misperception.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Myung_Moon

While it''s wiki and should be taken with a grain of salt, it still offers more food for thought than your response, forgive me. (Oh, did Jesus file false income taxes? We know Jesus never LIED...)
Reply to this comment
by dnamj July 19, 2008 7:39 PM EDT
Close call. UNfortunately, even if the *** had croaked, the moonie times would live on.
Reply to this comment
by wl7bzh July 19, 2008 8:15 PM EDT
"God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers? What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us? What water is there for us to clean ourselves? What festivals of atonement, what sacred games shall we have to invent? Is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we ourselves not become gods simply to appear worthy of it?"
Nietzsche



Nietzsche is dead!
God
Reply to this comment
by nssherlock1 July 19, 2008 8:24 PM EDT
Sometimes you can''t even count on a good helicopter crash!


He''s just another religious lunatic that finds many, many ways to steal money and avoid paying any taxes.
Reply to this comment
by feddupp July 19, 2008 9:09 PM EDT
what "''finish'' the work of Jesus Christ?"

Jesus did NOT leave anything else to do. He said so Himself from the cross--"It is FINISHED."

His life, death and RESURRECTION made it possible for ALL of us to be SAVED--ANYone ("whosoever will") who accepts Him can be assured of being with Him in Heaven when this old world is finally kaput!!
Reply to this comment
by daysrnumbrd July 19, 2008 9:19 PM EDT
Close call. UNfortunately, even if the *** had croaked, the moonie times would live on.

Posted by dnamj at 04:39 PM : Jul 19, 2008
...........

When he eventually dies, we''ll have to stuff his coffin with crumpled up pieces of his Washington Times paper...

...like packing a box of old Christmas ornaments!
Reply to this comment
by occams_taser July 19, 2008 10:13 PM EDT
It''s wierd how this whack-job cult leader is a hero of the CONservative "media" establishment.

On second thought, it fits. He''s a symbol of the criminally insane Bush cult.
Reply to this comment
by occams_taser July 19, 2008 10:14 PM EDT
Religion and conservatism are alike. They both keep doing the same things that don''t work over and over again, expecting different results. Insanity, in other words.
Reply to this comment
by hypnotoad72 July 19, 2008 11:56 PM EDT
Posted by occams_taser
---------------------

Utter baloney and hogwash. As with any structure or foundation, it''s up to the people within to keep it going properly. And I don''t know if the people know or care anymore.

These are the days when clerks, employees, and people in general find it surprising when a customer or fellow citizen is *nice* or *polite*. We demand clerks and other staff be polite, but that does not give the customer the right to be rude b*stards either...

We let vicious criminals go free only to get arrested time and again, and then whine how police officers end up using excessive violence at times. They''re as human and don''t have the time to be nice in any perceived life threatening situation. (Hindsight being 20/20 and the anti-police crowd can''t even see their own myopia!) Now that''s not all to say people deserve a second chance, but there are times when you have to say "enough is enough". Murder and rape qualify as cases where you don''t let people continue to get away doing it!!

These are also the days when young adults are freely groping each other in stores (the couple I saw today tops the list; baby in the cart, while she eyes the pasta sauces, he grabs down between her legs and grabs her behind from her front. Yet for anybody to say that''s not civilized behavior would be shot down. Ironic. In the 1960s, people went to jail for saying "free love". In the 2000s, people go to jail for saying "be respectful of others and yourselves".
Reply to this comment
by louklou51 July 19, 2008 11:57 PM EDT
Who cares?
Reply to this comment
by July 20, 2008 3:17 AM EDT
He should die a slow and torturous death for all of the lives he has ruined.
Reply to this comment
by jmurrieta1 July 20, 2008 10:50 AM EDT
Could our courageous free press kindly give us a summary of how much of America the "reverend" Moon owns?
Reply to this comment
by hermitdave July 20, 2008 4:53 PM EDT
Don''t worry, that crazy old Korean thinks he is a God, so he can heal himself. He is the greatest con man since Joseph Smith. Both guys proving just how stupid humans are.
Reply to this comment
by dakotaclark July 20, 2008 5:05 PM EDT
Hmmm...

Moon is not the first, nor will he be the last, person to claim some sort of special connectivity to God, or J-e-s-u-s C-h-r-i-s-t.

There is a reason why pastors call their church membership a flock - and that is, because they are like sheep. They follow the leader.

There are many false religions harvesting dollars from reasoning impaired followers. One does not have to look too far to see that morons are being taken advantage of by other religions.

The real scary thing is - more than likely, these morons are registered voters, and, they are licensed to drive vehicles.



Reply to this comment
by smurfcrusher July 21, 2008 10:38 PM EDT
An inspiration to con men everywhere. Of every denomination.
Reply to this comment
See all 34 Comments
  • MOST POPULAR
  • Viewed
  • Commented
Latest News
Featured Blogs