Pro-Trump group plans 'training center' in Tennessee

Without our two constitutional clauses guaranteeing freedom of religion, I'm convinced the U.S. would have long ago become a theocracy and splintered into pieces. Indeed, America's version of the Taliban who rule the Tennessee state government are just barely kept in line. Every person who is a follower of Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and other religions in the United States considers these constitutional safeguards to be vital to their religious lives while some Evangelical Christian zealots consider the enforcement of these articles as an unwelcome barrier that prevents the free practice of their version of Christianity.That last category of Americans has proven themselves to be dangerous to our democracy and is well-funded. But there are others. And one of them has just bought a large piece of land near Bean Station in Grainger County, which they intend to transform into a "training center" and "future spiritual retreat."This would be the pro-Trump "religious group" known as the Rod of Iron Ministries, aka The World Peace and Unification Sanctuary currently headquartered in Newfoundland, Pennsylvania.The founder is Hyung-jin "Sean" Moon, and this is an offshoot of the Unification Church started by his father in South Korea. (Remember the Moonies and their mass marriage ceremonies?)This son claims that his sect is the only legitimate heir to his dad's organization. He references his mother's rule of her church as corrupt and satanic. Pastor Moon and his followers brandish AR-15 rifles during ceremonies while he wears a crown of bullets and carries a golden rifle (very theatrical).Regarding the Tennessee land purchase, he predicted "Many, many, many busloads of people are going to come pray there and do ancestor liberations there." These ancestor liberations and MAGA patriot workshops are evidently very financially rewarding for the ministry. There's an online form where you can register for the ancestor liberations selecting how many generations you want freed and making payment arrangements.Moon intends to build a divinity school, an elementary and a middle school, and a training school for future MAGA politicians. Plans also call for separate cabins for males and females.The water source for the compound will be a centrally located well. Per a report by dailymail.co.uk, "The well would also symbolize Christ's second coming." There will be firing ranges and nature trails. And per Vice news, this group also purchased a 40-acre property in Texas destined to become a sanctuary to the church's "patriots" from the impending war with the "deep state."Somehow it's difficult for me to imagine East Tennessee Trumpkins going to school at a South Korean pastor's MAGA boot camp although I suspect many of them would be so thrilled at seeing all the AR-15s in the sanctuary that they might even begin talking in MAGA tongues.Per Timothy Nerozzi's piece for religionunplugged.com, Moon has been very active in rallying his supporters to re-elect Donald Trump. Last November, he told a crowd that conservatives and their entire families will die if they engage in a gunfight with police in order to prevent Biden from confiscating their firearms and passing executive orders on red flag laws. Moon ranted "Why do you fear dying? Don't you believe in a spirit world?"As I read about Moon and his cult, I had to remind myself that this is legally a "religion." I'll never consider such organizations as anything other than flimflamming hucksters. A "church" administrator, Gregg Noll, told Sam Luther with WVLT in Knoxville that the reason East Tennessee was selected was our beautiful scenery, the people and the conservative values of Tennessee.He said, "As a church, we really support the use of firearms, we do firearms training all the time ...." (The guns) are always unloaded, ziplocked, it's there for symbolic ceremonial purposes never to be used in that setting." The organization has approximately 15,000 to 20,000 followers.Although the compound isn't expected to be completed for five years, they hope to have part of it open to the public sometime next year. They apparently think Tennessee is "fertile ground" for recruiting. I do not consider that a compliment. Nor should other East Tennesseans.It looks like Halloween is going to become a year-round thing in East Tennessee considering the implications of this news. Hopefully, their plans don't include proselytizing at interstate rest areas.