letter from Japan
The Japanese government have voted to strip the legal status of the Unification Church (also known as the Moonies) following investigations into members being pressured into giving large sums of money.
They can still operate, but lose all the privileges of religious registration (tax-free status, etc.). Some are welcoming this as a curb on coercive activities by the cults, but some Christian leaders are concerned about future implications for religious freedom.
The Unification Church is one of the largest cults in Japan. They promise Heaven on Earth, but see God as in need of our help, Jesus as a failed saviour, and salvation as a human activity – one that requires money.
