From Interfax:
Former Byelorussian Parliamentary Speaker Stanislav Shushkevich has said that he has nothing to do with the Church of Unification of Sun Myung Moon, but that he does agree with some of its principles.
“As for the church established by Moon, I have never had anything to do with it. But I find the principles that it professes and that I know of attractive,” he told Interfax on Monday…”It is true that I have met Sun Myung Moon, but in relation to his active secular life, not along religious lines,”
Shushkevich’s links to Moon had been featured in a local TV documentary; doubtless, this was at the behest of the dictator Lukashenko, who has been trying to discredit Shushkevich for years (Belarus takes a hard line against minority religions, and the Unification Church is banned. In return, Lukashenko enjoys the unqualified endorsement of the Orthodox Church, as I blogged here). However, the idea that Moon as an “active secular life” distinct from his religious activities is a bit of a stretch. Here’s Shushkevich and Moon in 2006:
The Opening Ceremony for the Cheon Jeong Gung [a Unificationist museum] was held at Cheon Jeong Gung on Mt. Cheonseong in Chung Pyung world village on June 13, 2006…This ceremony was the event to put an end to God’s pain and suffering, that all humankind has been dreaming of for a long time. It was a day that the whole spirit world were dancing in joy. It was a ceremony of victory, happiness, and hope.
…Around 300 representatives and leaders from around the world (including some former presidents, Members of Parliament and Peace Ambassadors) participated in the Congratulatory Banquet for the Cheon Jeong Gung Entrance together with True Parents and True Children.
Dr. Thomas Walsh, International Secretary-General of IIFWP as the MC gave the opening remarks which were followed by the offering of flowers to True Parents by Mr. and Mrs. Stanislav Shushkevich, former Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Belarus. This was followed by the Cake Cutting by True Parents.
Archbishop George A. Stallings [see my blog entry here – RB] offered an Invocation where many people from different religious backgrounds prayed and became one in heart.
Hyun-jin nim spoke to the participants. At first he read from True Father’s speech titled: ‘The Mission of the Clan Messiah in the Revolutionary Era after the Coming of Heaven’…. His words mostly welcomed the participants as they all cheered loudly and with warm applause, repeating loudly the words that Hyun-jin nim said, ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Hallelujah, God!’, ‘Hallelujah, True Parents!’, and ‘Hallelujah, Cheon Il Guk!’.
Shushkevich is also an enthusiast of Moon’s plan for an inter-religious council at the UN. And just two months ago:
Former President of Belarus and member of the [United Federation for Peace] Presiding Council HE Stanislav Shushkevich was among those offering congratulations to the 1,634 couples participating in the July 5 World Peace Blessing celebrated in Cheonan Korea by Father and Mother Moon. It was an entirely festive and happy moment, with thousands of well-wishers in attendance as the couples – some newlywed and others rededicating their unions – exchanged rings and recited vows of peace and fidelity.
…Dr. Shushkevich added a personal note of thanks for Rev. Moon’s committed work to oppose communism, efforts which eventually laid the seeds for the break up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. “I had the privilege to be at the World Peace Blessing in 1992, when I was still head of state of Belarus,” he explained, “At that time we were so happy because of our new found freedoms. But looking back now fifteen years later I can say that freedom alone is not enough: we must have strong families and a strong moral structure if our nations are to prosper.”
The accompanying picture shows Shushkevich wearing some kind of ceremonial stole.
Shushkevich has also worked to promote Moon in Lithuania:
His Excellency Stanislav Shushkevich, the former President of Belarus, introduced UPF Founder Father Moon to the 500 delegates who had assembled at the Palace Forum in central Vilnius. He recalled Dr. Moon’s lifelong service for the cause of peace, praised his accomplishments in strengthening marriage and family, acknowledging that divorce, family breakdown and youth alienation were rampant in the former Soviet republics.
…Father Pavel Paulilius offered the invocation, underscoring the need for spiritual values and the importance of respect and cooperation among people of all faiths.
Of course, Shushkevich is far from being the only politician to have accepted a role in Moon’s plans. I looked at a few others recently.
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