"Save the human race, punch a Moonie in the face" : The Unification Church from Cult to Corporation

Abstract

From the 60's to the early 80's numerous religious and social groups arose due to the political climate that permeated the entire world. One such group that gained notoriety but since has fallen into America's distant memory is the Unification Movement led by Reverend Sun Myung Moon. The Unification Movement began in Korea, and later moved its base to America bringing controversy to itself due to its beliefs and the methods it employs in order to gain support from the American youth. Looking at the history of the Unification Movement it is can be seen that what was once a religion is now a family run corporation that lost its crusade in America. This can be seen not only through the media at the time, but also by examining a specific case of the Unification Movement on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire campus in 1982.