The problem with freedom of religion is you just cannot tell people what to believe. No matter how off-beat the belief, when it's a matter of faith it is inarguable. And that's a very good reason to maintain strict separation between religious beliefs and government.
Senator John Warner (R-VA) just might be developing a greater appreciation for the wall of separation between church and state.
Last March the Senator arranged for a church group to use the Dirksen Senate Office Building. It turned out that the event included a ceremony in which the Rev. Sun Myung Moon declared himself the Messiah, announcing that, "Emperors, kings and presidents ... have declared to all Heaven and Earth that Reverend Sun Myung Moon is none other than humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent," and claiming his teachings have helped Hitler and Stalin be "reborn as new persons."
The Senator's staff now says that they were misled (even though there is no evidence that anyone concealed the identity of those involved), and that had they known that Rev. Mood was involved they would never have approved the use of the public building.
That's the problem with faith based initiatives: they just don't know when to stop.
Star Tribune (Minneapolis): Sen. Warner secured space for Rev. Moon's meeting
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