On the bedlam forum, I was accused by another poster of using a pejorative term for members of the Unification Church (founded by Moon of Korea). The word starts with M and ends with ies. Anyway, he was making an issue of it and suggesting it was just as bad as using slur words for gays, so I did some research and found that the New York Times and Washington Post now have style sheets suggesting not to use the M word and that they do now consider it a pejorative term. The members of this church prefer to call themselves Unificationists. The problem I see is that most people know the M-word term, and most people do not know the term Unificationists.

Anyway, searching the forum, I found that the Nation which is used as a big news source here, DOES use the M-word, and that the M-word has occurred a number of times on this site without prior complaint.

Use here of the M-word from the Nation:

http://www.thaivisa....1/#entry4667210

So I would like a judgment, can we use the more well known M-word to describe members of that church here or not? I do think that many mainstream newspapers in the world STILL do use the M-word so just because the Washington Post and New York Times doesn't, doesn't follow it should necessarily be a forbidden word here either.

For example, the UK Guardian:

http://www.guardian....oonies-uk-event

The argument I would make that it IS an acceptable word is because of communication. That is the word that most people know even though members of the church have lobbied against its use and for people to use another word, they haven't been very successful with that communication.

Thank you.

I thought that you of all people would have been supportive of groups trying to refute pejorative terms.

If the group in question objects to it, and the the New York Times and Washington Post agree that it's pejorative, then why don't you just show some solidarity with a minority group and refuse to use the term as well????

I'm seeking a moderator opinion on the general issue of the use of this M-word on this board.

As such, please don't even try to personalize this issue as I will not respond any such attempts. Again, if it's OK for the board to use the word in news releases from the Nation, why isn't it OK for posters to use it as well?

If I learn that a particular group is offended by a certain pejorative term then I stop using it. I genuinely thought that you of all people would be sensitive to that. I will also await the mods input with interest.

Monkeys. Moonies. Monies. ummm why does it matter what words you use.

But I do kinda of agree with blether.

Sent from my GT-P1010 using Thaivisa Connect App

Moonies is a generally acceptable pop culture term for Unification Church members. Even Rev. Moon used it on occasion.

Thank you. I agree. Please close the thread now as the question that was asked has been authoritatively answered.

Cheers.