A pastor who congregated couples in
Rev. Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon, the current leader of the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary, delivered an invocation without being invited at a campaign rally for Republican Pennsylvania governor candidate, Scott Wagner, over the weekend.
In his invocation, Moon introduced Wagner as the “future governor” of Pennsylvania and thanked God for the “power of the Holy Ghost” that would catapult him to victory.
Spokesman Andrew Romeo told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that Moon did not have the permission to speak but managed to storm Tommy Gun Warehouse, the venue in Greeley, Pa., as it was owned by his brother Justin Moon.
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“Scott does not support Hyung Jin Sean Moon or his beliefs,” said Romeo, adding that Wagner did not want the pastor’s “unsanctioned appearance” to interfere with his speech.
Romeo said that Moon “politely gave his remarks,” but Wagner did not speak to him and even left the venue early “to display that he does not want to be associated with Mr. Moon in any way.”
Moon, whose church has been labeled an “anti-LGBT cult” by the Southern Poverty Law Center, first caught attention in April when he required AR-15 rifles in a commitment ceremony that had crown-wearing members exchange or renew their wedding vows.
Wearing a crown of bullets, Moon at the time prayed for “a kingdom of peace police and peace militia where the citizens, through the right given to them by almighty God to keep and bear arms, will be able to protect one another and protect human flourishing.”
In defense, Justin Moon argued that he, as the organizer of the event and owner of the venue, invited his brother and that his presence “would be natural to assume.”
In an audio clip recorded from the event, Justin can be heard inviting his brother to “come up here and give his invocation, and get God’s blessing for the event.”
But Chris Decker, chair of the Pike County Republican Committee — which hosted the event — pointed out that neither the committee nor Wagner’s campaign had been made aware of Moon’s appearance.
Decker said that Wagner’s campaign was “clearly caught off guard by it and panicked,” adding that he himself only realized what was happening later.
