Rod of Iron Ministries

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Rod of Iron Ministries (originally known as the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church) is a schismatic offshoot of the Unification Church established by Hyung Jin Moon and Kook-jin Moon. Both of them are sons of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han. Their father was the founder of the Unification Church and its leader until his death in 2012. Hyung Jin "Sean" Moon is the group's current leader.

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The group exalts the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle in its ceremonies, believing it represents the "rod of iron" mentioned in the Book of Revelation that Jesus would use to assert his authority during end times. Originating in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania in 2017, it has attracted attention from some right-wing antigovernment groups and individuals who anticipate a coming civil war in the United States. Sean Moon hosts a webcast during which he discusses reports from sources such as Breitbart News and InfoWars . [1] [2] [3] [4] The Southern Poverty Law Center characterizes the organization as an "antigovernment Christian gun cult." [5]

History

The Rod of Iron Ministries was formed as the result of a dispute between Sean Moon and his mother following the death of Sun Myung Moon. This led Sean and his wife to separate from the Unification Church and establish an offshoot sect named World Peace and Unification Sanctuary Church in early 2013. [4]

In 2015, Sean began renouncing his mother as the 'Whore of Babylon', saying she was no longer a "True Mother". He also began teaching that Hyun Shil Kang, one of Sun Myung Moon's first disciples, was now True Mother instead, as his spirit had married her. [4] He and his wife Yeon Ah Lee also began assuming the titles 'Second King' and 'Second Queen' respectively. [6]

Sean is supported by his elder brother Kook-Jin "Justin" Moon, who effectively serves as assistant pastor of the church. He also owns Kahr Arms, a small arms manufacturer. [7]

By 2018, Sean began wearing a crown of bullets on his head and expressing a more militant and pro-gun rights ideology. Sanctuary Church assumed the name Rod of Iron Ministries and performed religious rituals that heavily involved the AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. [8] In October 2019, members of the group were invited to "show their willingness to defend their families, communities and nation" by bringing their rifles to a service in which their weapons were blessed. [9]

Sean Moon and other members of the group participated in the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol attack. [10]

Former Donald Trump national security advisor Michael Flynn addressed an October 2024 Rod of Iron Freedom Festival, saying that if Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, "Katie, bar the door. Believe me, the gates of hell — my hell — will be unleashed." Flynn's close associate Ivan Raiklin urged attendees to "confront" their state representatives with "evidence of the illegitimate steal" should Trump lose. Raiklin had previously characterized himself as Trump's "Secretary of Retribution" and said he had a prepared a "Deep State Target List' of over 350 people he would go after in a second Trump administration. [11] [12]

Properties

In 2021, Sean Moon and the Sanctuary Church bought and moved to a compound 40 miles from Waco, Texas. [13] Upon moving to the compound they continued to espouse a highly militant ideology. Later that year it was reported that Moon and the Sanctuary Church had bought a 130-acre property in Grainger County, Tennessee, to serve as the church's retreat center. [14] [15]

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References

  1. ↑ Neuman, Scott (March 1, 2018). "AR-15s Are Biblical 'Rod Of Iron' At Pennsylvania Church". National Public Radio.
  2. ↑ Woodward, Alex (October 9, 2021). "'Freedom Festival' unites 'doomsday' church, Steve Bannon and the NRA in Pennsylvania". The Independent .
  3. ↑ Owen, Tess (May 31, 2023). "The Leader of the Gun Church That Worships With AR-15s Is Now a MAGA Rapper". Vice Media.
  4. 1 2 3 Dunkel, Tom (May 21, 2018). "Locked and Loaded for the Lord". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  5. ↑ Meyer, Josh (October 24, 2024). "Trump vows to go after his enemies if elected. Meet two enforcers ready to carry that out". USA Today.
  6. ↑ "Hyung Jin Moon: Hyun Shil Kang in now True Mother, not Hak Ja Han" (PDF). tparents.org.
  7. ↑ Dickinson, Tim (18 August 2022). "Inside the Bizarre and Dangerous Rod of Iron Ministries". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  8. ↑ Dunkel, Tom (May 21, 2018). "Two sons of Rev. Moon have split from his church — and their followers are armed". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "This church in Pennsylvania holds a ceremony to bless guns". The Telegraph. 15 Oct 2019. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved 15 Oct 2019.
  10. ↑ Green, Jordan (4 August 2021). "'Good Way to Die': The Moonies and the Jan. 6 Insurrection". DC Report. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  11. ↑ Homans, Charles; Berzon, Alexandra (October 27, 2024). "Far-Right Figures Escalate Talk of Retribution and Election Subversion". The New York Times.
  12. ↑ Meyer, Josh (October 24, 2024). "Trump vows to go after his enemies if elected. Meet two enforcers ready to carry that out". USA Today.
  13. ↑ Graziosi, Graig (1 June 2021). "Trump loving church that uses guns in holy rituals buys compound near Waco, Texas". The Independent. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  14. ↑ Morgan-Rumsey, Camruinn (October 15, 2021). "Gun-toting religious organization buys East Tennessee property". WAFF48. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  15. ↑ Owen, Tess (12 October 2021). "MAGA Gun Church That Worships With AR-15s Buys Giant Property in Tennessee". www.vice.com. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
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