Human Rights Leaders Protest Abduction of Women in Japan at New York Consulate

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/human-rights-leaders-protest-abduction-of-women-in-japan-at-new-york-consulate-104814079.html

NEW YORK, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Several human rights leaders and Christian pastors, stoked by a recent documentary on Japanese human rights abuses that aired on Korean television station SBS on October 6, held a press briefing today outside Japan's Consulate in New York to proclaim their discontent with the Japanese government.

Dr. Luonne Rouse, United Methodist Church Pastor, delivered remarks. He was supported by Luke Higuchi, president of the Survivors Against Forced Exit, the Rev. Michael Jenkins, chairman of the American Clergy Leadership Conference, and the Rev. Jesse Edwards. Several victims of Japanese abduction and attempted deprogramming attended the event to share their stories and answer questions. Numerous members of the Korean and Japanese media attended.

The documentary titled "Kidnapping and Confinement in the Unification Church – Kiyomi Returns Home After 13 Years" inspired today's protest and detailed the abduction and confinement of several members of the Unification Church, a matter of persecution that occurs daily in Japan at the hands of religious deprogrammers. The documentary has garnered a large amount of attention in Korea and is gaining notoriety within the Korean-American community.

"The Japanese government is turning a blind eye to this persecution," said Dr. Rouse. "It's time to stop the abductions and free the victims. We must protest religious freedom and human rights."

The protest concluded with Dr. Rouse and supporters walking into the Japanese Consulate and hand-delivering a letter directly to an aid of the Honorable Shinichi Nishmiya, the Consulate General. The letter requests a meeting between the Ambassador, human rights leaders, and several of the Japanese victims currently living in the U.S. to share stories of persecution and discuss steps to remedy the current situation.

Over the past 40 years, an estimated 4,300 members of the Unification Church have been subjected to human rights violations of this nature. Between ten to 20 Unification Church members are currently abducted each year in Japan to undergo forced de-conversions.

In the U.S., American citizens are being encouraged to sign a petition encouraging Congress to hold hearings on human rights violations in Japan. Specifically, the hearing would be held by the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights, co-chaired by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

For more information on the Japan abduction issue: http://stopjapanabductions.org/

Follow us on Facebook: Stop Japan Abductions

About ICRF

The International Coalition for Religious Freedom is a non-profit, non-sectarian, educational organization dedicated to defending the religious freedom of all, regardless of creed, gender or ethnic origin.

SOURCE International Coalition for Religious Freedom

Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://stopjapanabductions.org

Fredsfesten avlyst :(

Fra Universel Fredsforbundet:

Hei.
Pga. en uforutsett situasjon måtte vår gjestetaler trekke seg. Vi har derfor bestemt å avlyse fredsfesten (17. oktober kl 1600). Beklager!

Universal Fredsforbundet Fredsfest på 17.10.10

Universal Fredsforbundet holder en Fredsfest med Tema: “Sjelens psykologi” søndag, 17. oktober 2010, kl 1600 på Grorudvn. 39 (underetasje), Oslo i Familieforbundets lokaler.

Gjestetaler er Thomas Weys (som snakker på engelsk), med innlegg også ved Knut Holdhus, og sang ved Victor mm.

Weys vil bl.a. ta opp hvordan vi bedre kan nytte vår spirituelle kraft.

Her er en link til invitasjonen: https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=1dQS6N9G6QmJZseAsdlHnPM741Z3o77D3Lw4oJvT62V6v9JpZr0u7Pi46ZwI4&hl=en&authkey=CIfoj40J

Det høres interessant ut, og jeg serfrem til det!

Mvh,

Christopher D. Osborn
Ski, Norge

Petition to support religios freedom in Japan

Below is the content of an email witch I received via church today:
Stop Japan Abductions !

Petition for Religious Freedom in Japan

Sign our petition and urge Congress to hold hearings before the end of the year about religious and human rights abuses taking place in Japan – one of America’s great trading partners. These hearings should be held by the Tom Lantos Commission on Human Rights, co-chaired by Rep. James McGovern (D-MA) and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA).

Religious freedom is fundamental to the ability of civilized peoples to live together peacefully. Individuals around the world should be able to exercise their inherent right to express their faith and live a life grounded in convictions of their hearts and souls without government coercion or interference.

For too many years, the Japanese government has abused the fundamental principles of religious freedom by turning a blind eye to atrocities against individuals who practice religion not sanctioned by the government. As one of America’s great allies and trading partners, Japan must put an immediate end to religious persecution.

The U.S. State Department’s Religious Freedom Report has published complaints every year since 1999 that Japanese authorities are not enforcing their own laws regarding kidnapping, physical restraint and physical abuse of Unification Church members.

By signing this petition, tell the United States Congress to hold hearings on these religious freedom and human rights violations and hold the country of Japan accountable.

To sign the petition, please click on: http://stopjapanabductions.org

FOREF Europe
Forum Religious Freedom-Europe
Office: Seidengasse 28/4,
1070 Vienna, AUSTRIA
President: Prof. Dr. Christian Bruenner
Secretary General: Peter Zoehrer
Phone: +43 6645238794
Skype: zoehrer7
E-mail: manager@foref.info
Website: http://foref.info
Blog: http://religiousfreedom-europe.blogspot.com/
Facebook-Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=101116579943644
ZVR: 429267353

Truth Demands Honest Transparancy

An open letter to the authors of How Well Do You Know Your Moon and Done With Moon:

Hi, my name is Christopher David Osborn. I'm a 2nd gen. Unificationist born from two ex-Catholic American Unificationists. I was born in Washington D.C. and lived there until I was 8 and attended New Hope Academy in Maryland. I then moved to Martha's Vineyard off the coast of Massachusetts.

I was Blessed with Lisa Widenhofer of Norway at East Garden (New York) on December 26th 2004. I have now been living with her in Norway off and on (mostly on) since September 2006 and we're expecting a little 3rd gen. (a boy) around May 11th of this year.

If you wish, you can learn more about me by reading this blog, following me on twitter, or checking out my other blog called Min Sanhet.

Though I do still have strong faith in God, True Parents, True Family, and the entire Unification Movement; I respect your efforts on your blog to spread what you believe to be the truth. I have my own theories about the accusations you make, and I will get into why I still believe another day. I desperately wish that True Parents and/or the True Children would answer once and for all these very important questions that you and many others bring up.

However, I want to say this, that I would respect you a lot more if you did not post anonymously. There are other people in the Anti-Unificationist movement than you whom have been open about who they are. Have any of them been hunted down and harassed? Any Unificationist who upon learning your identity, sought you out to harass you, would be going against strong Unificationist tenants of loving your enemy, even dying for the sake of sinners over and over again as we are taught True Father has through the "7 Deaths and Resurrections". So I am asking, why do you and your writers hide yourselves?

Centering on True Love,

Christopher (Fipher) D. Osborn
Siggerud, Ski, Akershus, Norge
Google Oversettelse fra englesk til norsk bokmål

PS: Please do not count me as a "Moonie Apologyst". I am a Moonie (Unificationist) and I will never apologize for it; nor will I ever apologize for any person, entity, action, or thing outside of my personal direct dominion.

PPS: Heheh, wow, I just sounded just like my dad when I told the cat to get "down" from the holy table. She's always knocking something over.

God's Day Sunday

With Father Moon wanting to entirely to a lunar-calander celebration of Unificationist holy days, we'll be celebrating God's Day for a second time this Solar-year, this Sunday!

Explanation of God's Day http://kathryncoman.home.att.net/dayinfo/01-1godsd.htm

Norwegian Family Fed will be celebrating together at our Grorud location at 11 AM. Refreshments are "spleiselag", so everyone who comes is encouraged to bring a little something to share. Go to the bottom of this page to see information on how to join us there: http://enhet.no/norge.php

I'm trying to find something on the internet about the change of the Unificationist holy-day calender, but no luck so far. I'll edit this post if I ever find something.

Have a happy God's Day!

- Christopher D. Osborn

Helping Our Family in Haiti

Believe it or not, the Unification Church/Fammily Federation for World Peace and Unification actually has a community in Haiti, and they're not much better off than the rest of the Haitians in the earthquake zone. It looks like not a single member of our community there was seriously injured. However, they still have no roof over their heads, no water, and very little food.

If you want to help, first and foremost please make a donation via Lovin Life Ministries.

Second, you can join Helping Unification Church in Haiti on facebook to stay updated on their situation.

Below are two letters. This first is from Rev. Michael Lamson, the founder and administrator for "helping unification Church in Haiti" on facebook.

Haiti UC Update

Dear brothers and sisters,

I am sending information as it comes in so we can understand our members situation. I believe that even if we can not help financially we can use the power of prayer to send many absolute good spirits to help.

Phone and internet are difficult to come by at this time but our brother Paul is sending us updates as he can and our sister Evelyn Drake in Florida is also helping us collect information.

Tonight we learned that most members along with others are living in an open space behind the now destroyed church center. There is little food and no water. Most people have not been able to bathe since the quake hit. They have shared that the most prominent smell comes from those who have died. I can not imagine.

Theodule Paul the National leader, his wife Fugiko and their three children were in the center with members when the quake hit. When the quake hit Theothane their 6 year old daughter ran into the room where her mother was with their new born daughter. Fugiko could only run out of the house with the new born and one of the walls fell on Theothane.
Rev. Paul was able to escape with other members and his 3 year old son Theothile. It took them over an hour to dig out Theothane who was bleeding from her head and eyes.

The Japanese Embassy was able to relocate Fugiko, Theothane and their new born daughter to Dominican Republic. We are not sure how they are doing in Dominican Republic.

We are not sure how other members are but it looks like only Theothane was seriously injured.

It is possible that some of the banks will reopen in Port-au-Prince and we can start sending funds directly to the church account there. For now lets work together to help make sure the members can have basic food and water and help raise money to rebuild the church and mission in Haiti.

Rev. lamson

This second letter is from the national leader of the Unification Church in Haiti, Theodule Paul.

Dear Brothers and Sisters

9 days after the earthquake, we are still waiting for some help from the government or international community, we are about 100 people living in the yard of Unification Church with nothing: no water, no foods, no blankets, no tents, and we are on breathing death... our place is like a huge cemetery, children are crying but parents can not do anything.

We only listen on radio that help has come but we do not see nothing, the coordination is not made well, people must fight in order to find some foods or water.

we are living with many injured people who are also suffering from water and foods.

We do not have electricity, many of us do not take a bath since that tragedy, we are breathing all kind of thing particularly we are breathing the death.

we really need your help, your donation in order to face all this tragedy.

Many people are brcoming crazy because they have lost everything. they do see the value of life.

please help us.

may God bless you.

Theodule

The sooner the Unification members and Church can stand back on their own feet, the sooner they can get back to their mission of helping the Haitian people to inherit God's heart. Please donate to help members get food and water and rebuild the church and mission in Haiti via the Lovin' Life Ministry's "Haiti Relief Fund". If you can't, and even if you can, prayers are of course also welcome to be sent their way, as well as for the entire nation of Haiti.

Thank you,

Christopher D. Osborn
Siggerud, Ski, Akershus, Norge