| Revision as of 04:15, 1 October 2008 editCrj1000 (talk | contribs)13 edits Intro→Removed part about "death link". This is not considered to be one of the main controversies of the school, and is not important enough to go in the intro paragraph← Previous edit | Revision as of 06:17, 1 October 2008 edit undoCjim63 (talk | contribs)539 edits →Death of Robert Ludden: Tried to give as complete a summary as possible with the available information. Moved the referances to the end of the paragraph.Next edit → | ||
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| === Death of Robert Ludden === | === Death of Robert Ludden === | ||
| Thirty-five year old Robert Ludden of Des Plaines, IL was reported missing in August of 1991. Ludden was a former assistant instructor of the Oom Yung Doe schools who had left the organization several years earlier |
Thirty-five year old Robert Ludden of Des Plaines, IL was reported missing in August of 1991. Most of Ludden's partially decomposed body was discovered in the ] in September of 1991. Police began to investigate the Oom Yung Doe schools because Ludden was a former assistant instructor of the Oom Yung Doe schools who had left the organization several years earlier and because there had been communications between Ludden and Oom Yung Doe instructors just prior to his disappearance. However, at the time of his death his wife stated "...he ended his affiliation with the school more than seven years ago." Police also believed that he may have been involved in the use and sale illegal substances at the time of his disappearance.<ref name=moonies/><ref name=probe1> | ||
| {{cite news | {{cite news | ||
| | title = Police Probe Possible Martial Arts School Link to Man's Death | | title = Police Probe Possible Martial Arts School Link to Man's Death | ||
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| | publisher = Arlington Heights Daily Herald | | publisher = Arlington Heights Daily Herald | ||
| | date = ]}} | | date = ]}} | ||
| </ref><ref name=zekman1/> | |||
| </ref><ref name=zekman1/> At the time of his death, his wife stated that "...he ended his affiliation with the school more than seven years ago." Police also believed that he may have been using and selling cocaine at that time.<ref name=link2/> | |||
| === Monitoring by the Freedom of Mind Center=== | === Monitoring by the Freedom of Mind Center=== | ||
Revision as of 06:17, 1 October 2008
Oom Yung Doe (음양도) is a school of martial arts founded in 1972 by John "Iron" Kim. The schools teach the eight "Iron" Kim styles of martial arts, meditation and philosophy, and the use of herbal formulas or equipment designed to increase chi and aid in the development skill and ability. There are currently licensed Oom Yung Doe schools in seven states of the U.S..
Oom Yung Doe is a controversial organization because of legal entanglements that lead to the incarceration of Kim and several senior instructors in 1995, and accusations of being a unethical cult designed to funnel money to Kim.
Origins
According to Oom Yung Doe practitioners, the first generation Grandmaster in lineage of the "Traditional Moo Doe" line of martial arts was an individual named "Bagwa." No information is reported with regard to the second through sixth generation grandmasters; however, the seventh generation Grandmaster is listed as "Wang Po." The existence of these individuals cannot be verified. Kim claims to have received the title of Grandmaster from Wang Po during a brief visit to Korea in 1974.
The history of Oom Yung Doe in the United States can be traced to the early 1970s when Kim moved to the U.S. and opened his first school of martial arts in Westmont, IL under the name of "Kong Su." The name of the school would later be changed to "Chung Moo Quan" in 1976, "Chung Moo Doe" in 1989, and finally to "Oom Yung Doe" in 1999. "Chung Moo" more specifically means "mind and body;" while "Oom Yung" means the balance and harmony of everything in nature, which includes the mind and body. Instructors believe that explaining the principles of "Oom Yung" (Yin Yang) to those who are unfamiliar with the schools is easier with the current terminology. The name "Oom Yung Doe" was chosen to represent all the knowledge that is being taught by the schools to the greater community.
The organization currently includes twenty licensed schools in seven states, the individual schools are locally owned and must maintain a current school license from the national Oom Yung Doe limited liability company.
Biography of Kim
Kim was born in South Korea. Over the course of his career, Kim has also used aliases of Chull Kim, "Iron" Kim, Jack Park, and Charles Won-suk Kim at various times. Kim claims to have started training in martial arts at the age of seven under several teachers, including Wang Po.
Kim was arrested on April 11, 1995 for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Internal Revenue Service out of approximately two million dollars. Kim was incarcerated in a federal prison until his release on April 13, 2001.
Kim's claims of achievement
Kim claims to have competed in and won the All Asia Championship in 1956 sponsored by Wang Po in the Cho Leung area of Pusan.
Another achievement claimed by Kim is a technique he refers to as "Kyong Gong Sul Bope" (경공술법 or flying side kick). Kim claimed to have demonstrated Kyong Gong Sul Bope by jumping from the equivalent of an 11-story building. While in the U.S. in 1972, Kim claims to have again performed the Kyong Gong Sul Bope movement by jumping from the equivalent of an 8-story building and landing without injury on a sloped surface 8 stories below.
Pictures depicting Kyong Gong Sul Bope and other achievements may be found on the Oom Yung Doe web site.
Criticism of Kim
Those critical of Kim claim there is a lack of evidence for the existence of Wang Po, or any of the other "Traditional Moo Doe" Grandmasters prior to Kim, and thus question the validity of the Oom Yung Doe lineage.
Critics of Kim also assert that the All Asia Championship never existed for Kim to participate in or win. Furthermore, they accuse Kim of having falsified photographs purportedly documenting his claims of achievement and promoting outlandish legends of his abilities.
Training
The Korean term "Chung Moo" (정무) literally means "correct martial." "Oom Yung" (음양) in Korean has the same meaning as yin-yang in Chinese and can refer to balance and harmony. "Doe" means "a way." The schools' preferred interpretation of "Oom Yung Doe" is "a way to develop harmony through practice."
Oom Yung Doe instructors state that the style is derived largely from Chinese martial arts with influences from many other styles of East Asian martial arts. Training is often referred to as "Eight Martial Arts Taught as One," or "All Martial Arts United." The three main qualities of "Traditional Moo Doe" training are reported as:
- Studying Moo Doe moral principles to learn how to follow a positive path in life.
- Training to develop an internal (Nae Gong) and external (Wae Gong) foundation.
- Learning correct sequences of movements while having these movements properly adjusted for the practitioner's body type.
Moo doe techniques and movements
Techniques are claimed to be of "East Asian" provenance. The main forms practiced are variations of the following eight styles of martial arts:
- Hap Ki Do / Ai Ki Do
- Kong Su / Tae Kwon Do
- Udo / Ju Jitsu
- Kom Do / Samurai
- Kung Fu
- Tai Chi Chung
- Bagwa Chung
- Ship Pal Gae
Practitioners of Oom Yung Doe state that training often attempts to mimic the movements of animals or the elements of nature. Some of the movements or style alterations unique to Oom Yung Doe are also apparently drawn from fables or legends. The stated objective of Moo Doe training is to build beneficial chi and awareness of the mind and body. While Oom Yung Doe movements share a common name with several other forms of martial arts, some practitioners of these other forms of martial arts have noted that they consider these styles to be very different.
Acupressure and herbal equipment
Oom Yung Doe training is described as combining specific movements with acupressure points and herbal equipment in order to help the practitioner quickly build skill and ability, flexibility, coordination, speed, and power. Herbal equipment purportedly plays a key role in this quick development. Kim or other high level Oom Yung Doe practitioners claim to have access to specific Chinese classic herbal formulas, passed down for centuries by Traditional Moo Doe masters for the purpose of increasing chi and attaining tremendous strength. They propose that an increase of chi will allow practitioners to experience a balance in their internal and external conditions.
Meditation and spirituality
Adherents to Moo Doe maintain that training in the proper meditation techniques and principles is very important in order to allow the practitioner to attain inner peace, a high level of spirituality, and purity. One key form of Moo Doe meditation is called Nae Shim Gong.
Potential benefits
More Magazine and The Oprah Winfrey Show have featured an Oom Yung Doe practitioner in her 60s on stories about what women in their midlife are doing to maintain their health and gain greater meaning out of life.
Criticism of training
Critics have argued that the true purpose of training is to charge exorbitant fees and build loyalty towards the schools, while the similarities to other traditional martial arts are little more than superficial. For example, critics point to supplemental seminars such as "Weeklong Seminars" or "International Sae Gae Moo Doe Seminars" that constitute an important part of training in Oom Yung Doe, necessary for rank advancement. These seminars often cost hundreds or thousands of dollars in addition to the already considerable basic contract fees.
Training with herbal equipment has been criticized because Oom Yung Doe, and its associated organizations, are the sole vendors of the approved proprietary herbal equipment necessary for training. Examples of spin-off herbal equipment companies created to sell Oom Yung Doe herbal products are the now defunct "Renaissance" and "Orience" businesses as well as the still functional "Chi Herbal Formulas," "Chi Herbal," and the "Chi Herbal Care" companies. There have been allegations that under close examination that these "classical herbal formulas" containing "rare and unique Asian herbs" prove to only consist of simple, cheap components such as soybeans and black soybeans.
Finally, while Oom Yung Doe instructors maintain that practicing Traditional Moo Doe in the prescribed manner permits the development of miraculous skill and ability far superior to those of practitioners of other styles of martial arts, this is viewed with deep skepticism by many because neither instructors nor students of Oom Yung Doe engage in formal competition or training of any kind with practitioners of other forms of martial arts. In fact, the effectiveness and credibility of the Oom Yung Doe style and its senior members are often viewed as highly suspect by other members of the martial arts community.
Controversies
Much of the controversy surrounding the schools of Oom Yung Doe stem from the conviction and incarceration of the organization's leadership, including Kim and thirteen other individuals, for conspiracy to defraud the U.S. IRS, the charging of fees in the vicinity of $10,000 per annum, and accusations of fraudulent and unethical business practices including pressuring students to pay excessive prices and providing second-rate training or services to students who do not pay supplemental fees for additional seminars or courses.
Death of Robert Ludden
Thirty-five year old Robert Ludden of Des Plaines, IL was reported missing in August of 1991. Most of Ludden's partially decomposed body was discovered in the Cook County Forest Preserves in September of 1991. Police began to investigate the Oom Yung Doe schools because Ludden was a former assistant instructor of the Oom Yung Doe schools who had left the organization several years earlier and because there had been communications between Ludden and Oom Yung Doe instructors just prior to his disappearance. However, at the time of his death his wife stated "...he ended his affiliation with the school more than seven years ago." Police also believed that he may have been involved in the use and sale illegal substances at the time of his disappearance.
Monitoring by the Freedom of Mind Center
The Freedom of Mind website maintains reports on this organization including statements from former members and a list of media reports covering twenty years of this group's activities under its various names.
References
- ^ "Biography and Achievements of Grandmaster "Iron" Kim". New England Oom Yung Doe. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "OOM YUNG DOE The Grandmaster "Iron" Kim Style 2008 Traditional Moo Doe Week Long Seminar". Oom Yung Doe Pacific Northwest. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^
. New England Oom Yung Doe. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite web}}: Check|url=value (help) - ^ United States v. Kim, No. 1:95-cr-00214 (N.D. Ill. 1995).
- ^
Janota, Laura (1995-04-13). "Martial Arts School's Top Brass Charged With Tax Fraud". Chicagoland Daily Herald. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^
"Martial Arts School Chief Found Guilty In Tax Scam". Chicago Tribune. 1996-12-10.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^
Zekman, Pam (1989). "Chung Moo Quan: The Cult & The Con". WBBM-TV, Chicago.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^
Vogel, Jennifer (1992-04-01). "Be True to Your School: The Dark Side of the Moo". City Pages (Minneapolis - St. Paul). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^
Kahn, Ric (1991-10-25). "Chung Moonies? Critics call Martial-Arts Club A Cult Of Violence and Greed". The Boston Phoenix.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. History of The School of Oom Yung Doe (Chung Moo Doe). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Master “Iron” Kim Establishes the Oom Yung/Chung Moo Style in the United States. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "Recognizing a licensed Oom Yung Doe TM school". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "Chung Moo Doe". Freedom of Mind Resource Center, Inc. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
-
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Grandmaster “Iron” Kim The 8th Generation Grandmaster of the Oom Yung / Chung Moo Line of Martial Arts. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "Inmate Register Number 44555-198". Federal Bereau of Prisons. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
-
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Master “Iron” Kim Uncontested “Champion of all Asia”. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Photo Explanation: Skill of Kyong Gong Sul Bope (Flying Side-Kick). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "Extraordinary achievements of Grandmaster "Iron" Kim". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "The Cult in the Quan, The Fall of a Martial Arts Magnate Parts I-II-III", Martial Arts Pro, May 1997
- ^
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. pg. 7, All Martial Arts United. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "The 8 Martial Arts of Oom Yung Doe". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "Oom Yung Doe Traditional Sae Gae Moo Doe Seminars". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "Eight Styles of Martial Arts Taught As One". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
-
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Hap Ki Do / Ai Ki Do (Korean Style and Japanese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Kong Su / Tae Kwon Do (Korean and Japanese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Udo / Ju Jitsu (Korean and Japanese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Kom Do/Samurai (Korean and Japanese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Kung Fu (Chinese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Tai Chi Chung (Chinese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Bagwa Chung (Chinese Style). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) -
White, Thomas (2000). An Explanation of Traditional Moo Doe: First Edition. Oom Yung Doe, Inc., San Diego, CA. pp. Ship Pal Gae (Chinese and Korean Style of Weapons). Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - "The Legend of Bagwa". Oom Yung Doe Pacific Northwest. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^ "Cultist Mea Culpa The Real Truth Real Tai Chi Training: Are You Getting Your Money's Worth". POWERLinesChicago Magazine. November 1997.
- ^ "International Level Training Programs: Have You Ever Experienced Traditional Moo Doe?". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
-
"I'm getting balance, coordination, flexibility and strength that is mental as well as physical". More Magazine. July/August 2007 Issue. p. 175. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"The Age of Miracles: The New Midlife". Ophrah Winfrey Show.
{{cite episode}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Check|episodelink=value (help); Check|serieslink=value (help); External link in|episodelink=and|serieslink=|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - "2008 Traditional Moo Doe Week Long Seminar Registration Form". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- ^
Ingalls, Chris (2005-02-16). "Students take aim at martial arts school". KING 5 News. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Oom Yung Doe Webstore". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "Chi Herbal Formulas Exclusively for spas Experience the true power of Chi". Chi Herbal Formulas. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "Chi Herbal Chi Herbal Formulas". Chi Herbal. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "Chi Herbal Care Improve your condition for a better quality of life". Chi Herbal Care. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "True Martial Arts movement and fabricated movement". Oom Yung Doe, LLC. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
- "Adult Training". Oom Yung Doe Pacific Northwest. Retrieved 2008-09-26.
-
"Police Probe Possible Martial Arts School Link to Man's Death". Cult Awareness Network News. 1991-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"Officials Probe Death". The Boston Phoenix. 1991-10-25.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"Murder Probe Hits Martial Arts School". Chicago Daily Herald. 1991-10-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"Martial Arts School Link to Body Found in Forest Probed". Chicago Tribune. 1991-10-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"Police Seek Link Between Death, Martial Arts School". Arlington Heights Daily Herald. 1991-10-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) -
"Authorities Identify Body Found Last Week in Woods". Arlington Heights Daily Herald. 1991-10-11.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
- oomyungdoe.com: The official Oom Yung Doe web site
- Chung Moo Doe on the Web listing of Oom Yung Doe web sites created by current practitioners.
- The Yahoo "oomyungdoe_discuss" discussion group.
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