Unification Church

The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), widely known as the Unification Church, is a new religious movement derived from Christianity, whose members are called Unificationists or informally Moonies. Sun Myung Moon (1920–2012) started amassing followers after the Second World War ended and, on 1 May 1954 in Seoul, South Korea, officially founded the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (HSA-UWC), the Unification Church's full name until 1994. Its leaders are Moon (prior to his death) and his wife Hak Ja Han, whom their followers honor with the title "True Parents". Moon's book The Divine Principle informs the beliefs of the Unification Church. Moon considered himself the Second Coming of Christ, claiming to complete the mission started by Jesus Christ of beginning a new family, and a larger human lineage, free from sin. The Unification Church is well known for its mass weddings known as Blessing ceremonies. It has been criticized for its teachings and for its social influence, with some critics calling it a "dangerous cult". Its involvement in politics includes anti-communism and support for Korean reunification. Its members have founded, owned, and supported related organizations in business, education, politics, and more. Moonie (nickname) Moon did not originally intend on founding a separate organization or denomination, and did not give his group of followers its official name, Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity (Korean: 세계 기독교 통일 신령 협회 Segye Gidoggyo Tong-il Sinryeong Hyeobhoe), until 1954. The informal name "Unification Church" () has been commonly used by members, the public, and the news media. By 2018, the term "Unification Movement" was also widely used. Moonie is a colloquial term, which was first used in 1974 by some American media outlets. Unification Church members have used the word, including Moon himself, the president of the Unification Theological Seminary David Kim, and Bo Hi Pak, Moon's aide and president of Little Angels Children's Folk Ballet of Korea.

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Sun Myung Moon

Sun Myung Moon (; born Moon Yong-Myeong; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious and cult leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the Unification Church (members of which consider him and his wife Hak Ja Han to be their "True Parents"), and of its widely noted "Blessing" or mass wedding ceremonies, and the author of its unique theology the Divine Principle.