3 02-20-88 02:53 pps Oregon political group tied to Moon's church PORTLAND, Ore. (UPI) A P

   3 02-20-88 02:53 pps

   Oregon political group tied to Moon's church

   PORTLAND, Ore. (UPI) A Portland-area group that has lobbied on
behalf  of  aid  to  the  Nicraguan  Contra  rebels  and on other
political issues has  ties  to  national  groups  linked  to  the
controversial Unification Church of the Rev.  Sun Myung Moon.

   Drew  Davis,  president  of the Oregon chapter of the American
Freedom Coalition, said  he  was  not  aware  of  any  connection
between  the church and the coalition, or his employer, Christian
Voice, which calls itself the nation's largest Christian lobby.

   The coalition was founded last year by the  Rev.    Robert  G.
Grant, the   president   of   Christian   Voice.    The  strongly
anti-communist coalition has lobbied nationally in support of aid
to Nicraguan and Afghan rebels.

   A spokesman for both national  groups,  Greg  Mueller,  denied
that either  was allied with the Unification Church.  However, he
said about half of the staff in the coalition's 50 state  offices
came   from   a   group   linked  to  the  church,  the  American
Constituition Committee.

   Davis, who served  four  terms  in  the  Oregon  House,  calls
himself  a "dyed in the wool Christian" and said he knows nothing
about Moon's religion and has no connection to his church.

   Knight-Ridder  newspapers  reported   last   year   that   the
Unification  Church had funneled millions of dollars to a variety
of American  leaders,  including  some  New  Right  conservatives
connected to the freedom coalition.

   The  article  said the coalition was aimed at influencing U.S.
politics and perhaps developing a new hard-right  U.S.  political
party.

   The  Unifcation  Church  has been accused of being a cult that
brainwashes young people.  Its beliefs center on a doctrine of  a
Korean messiah, who supplants Jesus and unifies the world.