Beginning: Sun Myung Moon (1920-2012), was born on January 6, 1920 (lunar date), into a family of farmers that had tilled the land for centuries. As a boy he studied at a Confucian school and was a keen observer of the natural world. Around 1930, his parents became fervent Christians, and the young Sun Myung Moon became a Sunday school teacher.
At that time, Japan ruled Korea. Growing up oppressed in his own land, Sun Myung Moon learned early the pain of injustice, whether among his own people or at the hands of the Japanese rulers.
As a young man, he became intensely aware of human suffering and the failure of humanity to create a loving and just world. He sought to understand why people suffer and how suffering can be ended. From going to church, he knew that religion addressed the fundamental human condition and promised an ideal world to those who obey God. (HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SIN PROBLEM, NOR THE CURE)
He also saw that established religions, although centuries old and based on scriptures offering revelatory insights were, in practice, unable to answer many of life’s questions or solve the deepest problems facing humankind. (HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE SIN PROBLEM, NOR THE CURE)
Troubled by the immense gap between religious ideals and the actual state of the world, he began his own ardent pursuit of solutions through a life of prayer and study.
Early Easter morning 1935, Jesus appeared to Sun Myung Moon (15yrs old) as he was praying in the Korean mountains. In that vision, Jesus asked him to continue the work which he had begun on earth nearly 2,000 years before. Jesus asked him to complete the task of establishing God’s kingdom on earth and bringing peace to humankind. The young Korean was stunned. After deep reflection, meditation and prayer, he pledged to take on the overwhelming mission.
After personally accepting that call from Jesus, Rev. Moon set out to discover its meaning. If Jesus wanted him to complete his mission, it meant that Jesus’ mission was incomplete.
On several occasions he was guided directly by Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha and other saints and sages of all faiths, who met him in spirit and contributed to his understanding of God and the complex history of God’s relationship with humankind.
A video from 2004, posted on the website of what was then known as the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace, showed a ceremony taking place in a U.S. Senate office building attended by Moon and several members of Congress. Speaking Korean, Moon declares himself the messiah and says he'd spoken to the spirits of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, both of whom he said found strength in his teachings and mended their ways.
Started the “Holy Spirit Assoc. for the Unification of World Christianity” (Family Federation of World Peace and Unification) in 1954 in Korea. Known in the U.S. as “ Lovin’ Life Ministries” Based in New York City.
Rev. Moon founded the Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) in Barrytown, NY. It is now a fully accredited graduate school offering Master’s Degrees in Divinity and Religious Education. Faculty members have belonged to a broad range of religious denominations.
UTS has hosted much dialog, starting with the New Ecumenical Research Association and continued with other initiatives, such as the Assembly of the World’s Religions.
A key social teaching of Rev. Moon is that the world’s most difficult problems will be best solved by religious leaders working inter-religiously rather than by purely political and economic initiatives.
View of Scripture: The bible is not the truth, but a textbook that teaches truth. Moon wrote, Divine Principle, considered the “Completed Testament”. Outline of the Principle, and Level 4
View of God: God is both positive and negative. God created the universe out of himself; the universe is God’s “body”. God doesn’t know the future, is suffering, and needs man (Sun Myung Moon) to make him happy.
View on Jesus: Jesus was a perfect man, not God. He is the son of Zechariah, not born of a virgin. His mission was to unite the Jews behind him, find a perfect bride, and begin a perfect family. The mission failed. Jesus did not resurrect physically. The second coming of Jesus is fulfilled in Sun Myung Moon, who is superior to Jesus and will finish Jesus’ mission.
View on Salvation: Obedience to and acceptance of the True Parents (Moon and his wife) eliminate sin and result in perfection. Those married by Moon and his wife drink a special holy wine (containing 21 ingredients including the True Parent’s blood).
View on Death: After death one goes to the spirit world. There is no resurrection. Everyone will be saved, including Satan.
Other Beliefs: Emphasis on medium-ism (channeling) to contact the dead, “liberate” souls of one’s ancestors (which makes no sense if all will be saved, including Satan!). Efforts to persuade churches to remove their crosses. Belief that Jesus bows down to Sun Myung Moon, who is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Lamb of God.http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/02/world/asia/south-korea-reverend-moon-dead/index.html
UPDATE: status report of this cult-
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