Quora Answers

[educatedindian]

The reliability of Quora answers are all over the place. A lot of wishful thinking, ideologically motivated rants, sometimes conspiracy claims. But there are good answers from knowledgeable people. Obviously the first thing is to always look at the credentials of the person answering. This thread will be for the better answers, solely for the topics we cover, esp famous frauds. I am going to start with some questions I have answered, limited solely to our topic here.

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 https://www.quora.com/Is-the-Unification-Church-founded-in-South-Korea-a-cult/answer/Al-Carroll-17
Is the Unification Church, founded in South Korea, a cult?
Al Carroll
Co founder and researcher for New Age Frauds Plastic Shamans Jun 24
What sets cults apart is they isolate their members from the rest of society in order to control them better. This is usually coupled with abuse, spiritual, psychological, financial, and often sexual. Cults also are not remotely democratic, with an authoritarian leader who usually has enforcers, sometimes a literal army.

Yes, the Moonies are a cult. They are isolated from everyone else. It controls its members right down to telling them who to marry, often people who have never met before. Some of its members have been literally held hostage. So called Reverend Moon, self appointed, was claimed to be literally Jesus, with absolute authority and never to be questioned. When he was convicted of tax fraud in the 1980s and served a brief term in a cushy white collar prison, what did the cult do? Appeal to right wing politicians and American fundamentalists, claim persecution, and of course, raise a lot of funds off this claim.

The Moonies also are a useful front for both the KCIA, the South Korean version of the CIA, and South Korean organized crime. In Japan fully half the members of the Liberal Democratic Party are tied to the Moonies. It was found guilty of defrauding tens of thousands of its Japanese members and ordered dissolved. Conflict with the Moonies led to the assassination of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In the US the cult has huge influence, including through fronts such as The Washington Times. It donated millions to the election campaigns of Donald Trump. The cult is rapidly Islamophobic and pro support of the Israeli right wing, including Benjamin Netanyahu. The cult has literally dozens of front groups for their causes, where they conceal their true intentions, beliefs, and even their presence. People can, of course, choose to believe what they wish. Whatever the value of their belief system, as an organization it is extremely corrupt and dangerous to us all, but of course most of all to its own members.

[educatedindian]

https://www.quora.com/Have-you-ever-been-indoctrinated-into-a-cult-How-did-you-escape-Are-all-of-the-worlds-various-organized-religions-nothing-more-than-cults/answer/Al-Carroll-17
Al Carroll
Co founder and researcher for New Age Frauds Plastic Shamans Jun 25
There are huge differences between cults and all the worlds best known religions, and virtually all the lesser known religions. Those who claim there are no differences either do not know much about the topic and may be lazy in their thinking, or more likely they are bigoted anti theists. An anti theist is quite different from an atheist. Atheists tend to be thoughtful highly ethical people who could not find a religion that lived up to their high standards. Anti theists are hateful, vicious, and take pride in being openly bigoted against every faith.

Cults choose to isolate themselves. They do not mix with outsiders and are very paranoid. Their leader is authoritarian and not to be questioned, with no input from the community of the faithful as most religions practice. Leaders have private enforcers, often a literal army and spy network. Some practice psychologically breaking down followers, including by use and abuse of drugs.

Abuse is epidemic in cults. We all know about the abuse of children and others in the Catholic and other churches. That is horrifying, with as many as 5% of priests guilty of assaults. In cults that percentage may be literally 10 to 20 times higher:

Dwight York of the Nuwaubians abused hundreds of children as young as age 5, fathering 84 children by his victims. Harley Reagan of the so called Deer Tribe ordered his cult members to anally masturbate with objects in their anuses, in groups, and charged them $2000 for this fake ceremony, falsely claiming it was Cherokee sex magic. The so called Rainbow Tribe is notorious for sexual assaults and child abuse, often drugging its victims.

Financial abuse is far worse in cults too. Where churches may ask you to tithe 10%, cults often force members to give them literally everything they own. And then force them to work long hours for the cult. A few cults have actual sex workers working for them.

Finally, many cults have deception on a massive scale. Some just have bizarre claims, like Harley Reagan claiming to simultaneously been in Special Forces, the CIA, a POW in Vietnam, and in the Olympics all at the same time. The Moonies have long been a front for the KCIA, the South Korean version of the CIA, and for both South Korean and Japanese organized crime. Whatever the alleged spiritual value of different beliefs in cults, by their behavior they are criminal and dangerous to us all.

[educatedindian]

https://www.quora.com/Why-was-the-Unification-Church-created/answer/Al-Carroll-17
Why was the Unification Church created?
Al Carroll
PhD in History, Arizona State University Jun 27
Most of the evidences points toward the supposed church being a useful front for the KCIA (South Korean version of the CIA) and South Korean and Japanese organized crime. It generates huge amounts of income by its control of its followers donating all their income and time, plus the following businesses:

One Up Enterprises Inc.

International Association for Peace and Economic Development (IAED)

Pyeonghwa Motors, an automobile manufacturer

Cheongshim Hospital

Ilhwa Company, producer of ginseng products

Isshin Hospital

Tongil Group pharmaceuticals, tourism, and publishing

Tongil Heavy Industries, machine parts and hardware for the South Korean military

Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea

Master Marine, shipbuilding and fishing company in Alabama

International Seafood of Kodiak, Alaska

Master Marine owning a factory in Las Vegas

True World Foods, sushi, restaurants, and markets

One Mind Farms

News World Communications includes newspapers New York City Tribune, Noticias del Mundo, United Press International, The World and I, Tiempos del Mundo, The Segye Ilbo (South Korea), The Sekai Nippo (Japan), the Zambezi Times (South Africa), The Middle East Times (Egypt), Insight on the News, and The Washington Times.

American Life TV cable television network

Belvedere Estate

Unification Theological Seminary

New Yorker Hotel

Rolland Denny mansion

In Uruguay owns the country's largest hotel, a leading bank, the second-largest newspaper and two of the largest printing plants.

National Hospitality Corporation

U.S. Property Development Corporation

Yongpyong Resort

The supposed church also controls the following fronts in politics:

Freedom Leadership Foundation

Peace United Family Party

International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP)

The Summit Council for World Peace

Coalition for a Free World

Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy

CAUSA International

International Coalition for Religious Freedom

International Federation for Victory over Communism (IFVOC)

Korean Culture and Freedom Foundation

National Committee Against Religious Bigotry and Racism

National Prayer and Fast Committee

The Moonies also are strong allies and financial supporters of the following groups and organizations:

American Conference on Religious Movements together with Scientology

American Freedom Coalition (AFC)

Christian Heritage Foundation

Empowerment Network, a political PAC of US Senator Joe Lieberman

Foundation for Religious Freedom (Also known as the New Cult Awareness Network) together with Scientology.

George Bush Presidential Library with a $1 million donation.

Geneva Interfaith and Intercultural Alliance

Liberty University, contributing $3.5 million

Married Priests Now!

Million Family March with The Nation of Islam

National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC) with a $500,000 donation.

University of Bridgeport of Bridgeport, Connecticut given $50 million in exchange for a majority of board members to come from Moonie groups.

World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO)