Updated September 18, 2022
Contents
1 Testimony of Tahk Myeong-hwan
2 Death of ‘pseudo-religion’ critic focuses attention
3 Extracts from the 1979 book by Tahk Myeong-hwan, including the photo section.
The Facts and the Falsehoods of the Unification Church
– A Comprehensive Reference –
(Volume One)
Tahk Myeong-hwan was murdered four weeks after Sun Myung Moon spoke about him as an opponent.
From Japanese wikipedia:
1993
11月4日 草創期からの文鮮明の弟子、朴正華(パク・チョンファ)が恒友出版より『六マリアの悲劇―真のサタンは、文鮮明だ!!』を刊行。文鮮明が自らの教えを利用して、多くの女性信者と性的関係を持ったことを告発する内容。
On November 4, 1993 Pak Chung-hwa, who was a follower of Sun Myung Moon from the early years, published “The Tragedy of the Six Marys – the real Satan is Sun Myung Moon!!” (by Constant Friend Publishing). The content included the accusation that Sun Myung Moon used his own teachings exploitatively to have sexual relationships with many women followers.
[Tahk Myeong-hwan wrote the introduction to The Tragedy of the Six Marys.]
1994
1月21日 文鮮明が統一教会の反対運動をしていた卓明煥(タン・ミョンファン)と文鮮明の指示を無視して政党をつくろうとした人物が同年2月18日という同じ日に死んだ(卓は新興宗教団体の信者に殺害された)ことに言及し、教団に反対する者はみな、霊界に連れて行かれるという旨の発言をする。
46 a b 卓明煥「統一教、その実相」
On January 21, 1994 Sun Myung Moon spoke about Tahk Myeong-hwan who was opposing the Unification Church. On February 18th of the same year Tahk died. (Tahk was murdered by members of a new religious group). On the very same day a man who had not listened to the instructions of Sun Myung Moon, and wanted to make a political party, also died.
Moon specifically mentioned that those who oppose the cult will be taken to the spirit world.
46 a b Tahk Myeong-hwan [book] “The Reality of the Unification Church”
LINK to Japanese source of above quotes
In Korea many Christian leaders, to this day, suspect that Sun Myung Moon was behind the murder of Tahk Myeong-hwan.
See end of this page for further research about his murder.
Testimony
The International Religions Research Institute
Seoul Office Tel No. 125
#137-15, Sangbong-Dong, Chungnam-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Tahk Myeong Hwan 탁명환 卓明煥
How to Fight Against the Cults
– A Report for Preventing Cults –
I, Tahk Myeong Hwan, was born on July 8, 1937 in a farm village called Daejuk-Ri, Paeksan-Myun, Puan-Kun, Chunla puk-Do, and became a christian as a child.
As far as my educational background is concerned, I graduated from Chonju Shinheung Mission Senior High School in 1955, obtained a B.A. in 1960 after majoring in philosophy at Chunpuk National University, majored in theology at Yongnam Theological Seminary, and obtained an M.A. after majoring in Christian Education at Yonsei University United Graduate School of Theology.
After my studies, instead of engaging in the ministry for 5 years I pursued a career in the area of Christian mass media. And it was in 1968 that I started to research into cults and their damaging (deteriorating) impact on our society. At first, for the study of cults, I led an institute with the name of the ‘New Religions Research Institute’, which was later changed to the ‘Korean Religions Research Institute’. And now I organized and lead the ‘International Religion Institute for the Study of Cults’ all over the world.
Along with continuing the research, I have given lectures at more than 20 Korean universities, many churches, different Christian Institutes, Police Academies, and the National Defence Academy. Furthermore, I was given valuable opportunities to give seminars to the Korean immigrant communities in Japan, the U.S.A. and Canada.
Consequently I realised that I have given more than 2,000 lectures between 1970 and 1988, which has resulted in my being well-known in the Korean cult research field.
I have written a total of 16 books on cults from 1971 to 1988. Many of these are used as text books of curricula in Christian seminaries. And as they are being read by many ministers, they became the best sellers at Christian book stores all over the country. Since 1980, I have published a monthly magazine called ‘Modern Religions’ which is playing a leading role in furnishing theological students and ordinary believers, as well as ministers, with information about the current issues, facts, and the dangers of cults.
Such intense activities about cults have not only brought me much support, encouragement, and popularity, but also many enemies. Among many, the Unification Church, better known as the “Moonies”, have been the most extreme one.
Many examples of their extreme violence and hindrance to stop me are as follows: in 1970, they offered me approx. $450,000.00 in exchange of my discontinuation, but they failed to stop me; In 1979 they slandered and called me a communist. Following that I was arrested and tortured by the KCIA for 12 hours; I was accused of rape; In 1979 they forged my name meanly and made fraudulent announcements including my apologies to the Unification Church in the daily newspapers; on May 3, 1985, someone set a bomb on my car which eventually blew up and lead me to be hospitalized for one month; On October 18, 1988, I was raided by approx. 300 Unification Church members while giving a lecture, and was also hospitalized for one month. I have been attacked by cultists 63 times in the past 20 years.
▲ Tahk Myeong-hwan gave a talk about the Unification Church in a church in Kyoto, Japan, on October 27, 1983 (exact date to be confirmed).
The UC van outside carried these slogans: 宗教弾圧を糾弾する “Condemn religious repression,” 信教の自由を守ろう “Protect the freedom of religion,”
卓明煥による宗教迫害を糾弾する “Denounce religious persecution by Tahk Myeong-hwan”. About 150 UC members turned up to demonstrate; many were probably CARP members from Kobe. They tried to get into the church, but fortunately the police arrived very quickly and prevented that. One demonstrator was arrested by the police for assault. The UC leader was arrested because he did not have a permit for the demonstration.
▲ The placards read: “Tahk Myeong-hwan is the Devil”, “Shame on you to criticise us”, “Tahk Myeong-hwan is more evil than Judas”, “We do not forgive you, Mr Tahk Myeong-hwan.” The UC members were prevented from entering through the church entrance – which can be seen in the background.
The most serious incident, perhaps, was when the cults joined with a few political figures whom they were financially supporting, and tried to ruin me with many knavish ways. Threatening phone calls and intrusions into my home and my Research Institute have become a habitual experience in my life.
There have also been incidents in which these cults published books and other printed materials accusing me of being at fault, and sent them to Christian churches all over the country.
When my lectures and seminars were scheduled in the U.S., they have sent discouraging letters to the consul general of U.S.A. in Korea not to issue my visa. In Korea, there are approximately 4,000 Christian church leaders, 3,000 college or university professors and 40 politicians, including a former presidential candidate, who are under strong influence of the Unification Church – financially, physically and spiritually.
▲ Clockwise: Two vans from the 맥콜 McCol Unification Church business were photographed leaving the scene of the car bomb attack in Korea; the McCol logo which is written on the back of the vans; Tahk’s immobilized car; a newspaper report with Tahk’s name, 卓明煥, in the headline; Tahk recovering in hospital showing his injured leg, and Tahk wrapped in bandages. He was left permanently deaf in one ear.
These endless threatening situations surrounding my life everyday make me feel that today may be my last day. That’s what motivates me to live today glorifying my Lord as best and most sincerely as I can do. Cults may have money and power, but I believe that God is in me and I also know that someone has got to do this task as long as there are powers of darkness on earth that will destroy human beings’ spiritual and physical lives.
As I end this report, I think these may be my last words. But, I firmly believe that God is a just God and that the lives of human beings are in His hands. As Livingston left famous words saying, “One charged with a mission will not die until that mission is accomplished”. I believe that as long as I have this mission to complete, the Lord will protect my life from the enemy.
And now, four cases of lawsuits brought by the Unification Church against me are in the course of being judged. But I believe that there is nothing to be afraid of in Him. God is my Lord and will help me out thoroughly.
I have included some evidence here to prove that the contents of the above report is true.
September 25, 1989
Reported by: Tahk, Myeong Hwan
Personal History
Myeong Hwan, TAHK
No: 30-209, #13, Wolke-dong, Nowon-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Born: July 8, 1937
Height: 170 cm Weight: 78 Kg
Health: Excellent
Married: Wife and three sons
Education:
1) Chonju Shinheung High School, graduated 1956.
2) Chunpuk National University, graduated 1960. Bachelor of Art and Literature after major in Philosophy.
3) Yongnam Presbyterian Theological Seminary, graduated 1963, major in theology.
4) The United Graduate School of Theology, Yonsei University, graduated 1975.
Master of Art and Literature after major in Christian Education
Experience:
1) Editor in Chief of weekly “Korean Gospel Times” and “Korean Christian Times” (1964-1967)
2) Editor of photo-magazine “Korea Life” (1968-1970)
3) Director of the New Religions Research Institute (1970-present)
4) Special Lecturer at Methodist Theological Seminary, Baptist Theological Seminary and Seoul Holiness Theological Seminary; Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Korea
Christian College and Taihan Presbyterian Theological Seminary. (1970-1976)
5) Prof. of Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary (1975-present)
6) Member of the Korean Society for Cultural Anthropology.
7) Member of Korea Church History Institute.
8) Committee member of Research of New Religions in Korea of The Presbyterian of Church of Korea.
9) President of Monthly magazine “The Modern Religion” (1981-1988)
Military Record:
Entered the ROK Army, Apr. 20, 1960. Discharged Feb. 20, 1963.
Book List:
1) Non-fiction “The Yong Hwa Church” 278p (1971)
2) New Religions in Korea, Vol I 348p (1972)
3) New Religions in Korea, Vol II 468p (1973)
4) Studies on Religious Education of Dongbang Church (M.A. Thesis) 104p (1974)
5) New Religions in Korea, Vol III 426p (1974)
6) What is the Salvation Cult? 234p (1974)
7) The real facts of “Evangelist Park Tae-seon” 162p (1975)
8) The Waiting Maid of the Kingdom of Cult 316p (1981)
9) The Facts of New Religions in Korea 235p (1976)
10) Current Korean Religions 312p (1976)
11) The Heresies of the Modern Christian Church 312p (1977)
12) Criticism of Sun Myung Moon’s ‘Master Speaks’ 340p (1978)
13) Moonism in Pictures 250p (1978)
14) The Real Facts and Falsehoods of the Unification Church 327p (1979)
15) Suicide Pact of the People’s Temple 342p (1979)
16) The Letters from the Hell 356p (1980)
17) Seoul Keryong Mountain 276p (1981)
18) Jehovah’s Witnesses are an Anti-Christ group 100p (1983)
19) How to Answer to the Cults 340p (1983)
20) The Unification Church is not Christian 126p (1983)
21) Research about Christian Cults 382p (1986)
22) They Were Deceived by Cultists 405p (1986)
23) New Religions in Korea Vol IV 364p (1987)
24) Criticism of Major Heresies 127p (1988)
25) Studies on Heresies (Chinese) 62p (1989)
26) Heresies and Women in New Religions 428p (1991)
27) Like the Grass of the Field (Autobiography) 404p (1993)
Main Reports:
1) “A critical study of the Layman Training in Dong Bang Church” (1974)
2) “New and Quasi Religions in Korea”, Korea Journal (May 1970)
Vol. 105 No. 5 pp 11-15
3) “Therapeutic Phenomena of New Religions” (New Religions in Korea),
Korea Journal (Dec. 1971) Vol. 111 No. 12 pp 27-30.
4) “Women Founders of New Religions in Korea.” Cultural Anthropology, Vol 4, 1971 pp 115-134.
5) “The New Religions in Cheju Island”, Cultural Anthropology, Vol 6, 1973. pp 131-137.
6) “Current situation of New Religions in Korea” Nov. 1971.
A summary of research papers of New Religions in Korea,
Korea Christian Academy East Asia Christian conference pp 7-13.
7) “Interchange of New Religions among Korea, China and Japan” Above papers. pp 49-51.
8) “The Phenomena of New Religion in Korea”, Pastoral Review (Jan. 1977) Vol 49. pp 99-109.
Activities:
Have lectured 2000 times at church conferences and seminars. (from 1971 to July 1989)
References:
Dr. Sanghi Moon, Prof. of Yonsei University
#50-3, Daeshin-dong, Sudaemoon-Ku, Seoul, Korea
Dr. Kwangil Kim, Prof. of Hanyang University
#204-45, Limoon-dong, Dongdaemoon-Ku, Seoul, Korea
I hereby certify the above statements to be true and correct in every detail.
TAHK, Myeong Hwan
August 30, 1989
Newsweek magazine on the many Korean messiahs of the 1970s
Tahk Myeong-hwan’s books available in Korea
Tahk Myeong-hwan wrote about the cult which was partly blamed for the assassination of late South Korean president Park Chung Hee, and has now destroyed the political career of his daughter, Park Geun Hye, the ousted president. The cult was led by Choi Tae-min.
“The main reason that people who had left the Unification Church and revealed the inner workings were subsequently imprisoned was because at the time there were connections between the Unification Church and the [Korean] regime.” source
“In Korea, one even senses a fear, like one induced by the Mafia, among the opposition, and … outspoken opponents speak of death threats.”
– Professor Sontag, 1976
Philosopher/theologian/author Frederick Sontag was uniquely qualified to write about the Unification Church. He spent ten months and traveled three continents looking at this church. In September 1976 he visited Korea.
Dr. Sontag, was Professor of Philosophy at Pomona College, where he worked from 1952 to 2009. He had also been chairman of the department (1960–67 and 1976–77) and chairman of the Committee on Honors Study (1961–70).
In 1977 he met Rev Moon for a long interview. His book: ‘Sun Myung Moon and the Unification Church’ was published later the same year.
page 87
I spent one day interviewing people outside the church [in Korea] through contacts I had made before leaving America. These varied from impartial “old Korea hands” to bitter, fearful, and hostile opponents who talked darkly of reprisals.
page 88
Interview with a non-church member: “At that time real bad rumors were going around about this Moon.”
page 97
Who’s afraid of Sun Myung Moon?
It is fascinating to see Sun Myung Moon receive intense devotion and love from his followers and at the same time draw derision bordering on hatred from those outside. In Korea, one even senses a fear, like one induced by the Mafia, among the opposition, and in this country the outspoken opponents speak of death threats.
His followers project more on to him than he claims. To them he is a symbol and focus of what is good. To outsiders he appears the perfect embodiment of the Antichrist. Who is this man? Should we fear or love him?
Dr. Tahk was murdered by one or two thugs who beat him with an iron pipe and stabbed him with a long knife outside his 2nd floor home in Seoul.
This murder is connected to 永生教 “Yeongsaeng-gyo” Eternal Life Church which was founded by 曺熙星 Cho Hee-seong (1931-2004).
JoongAng Daily of Korea described the group in an article dated May 26, 2014: “A Christian doomsday cult in the 1980s called Yeongsaeng-gyo, literally “Eternal Life [Church],” ended badly after founder and leader Cho Hee-seong was charged with extorting money and labor from his believers and ordering some to kidnap and murder nine people who were trying to flee the religion or who slandered Cho. He was declared not guilty of murder due to a lack of evidence but was sentenced to two years in prison for harboring convicts. He died of a heart attack in prison in 2004.” LINK to JoongAng Daily
See also “Yeongsaeng-gyo” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_Altar
Dahn Yoga or Dahn World, which originated in Korea, may also be connected to the murder of Dr. Tahk. Apparently a man called Im Hong-chin from Dahn Yoga was jailed for the crime.
Video: “Mr. Tahk Myeong-hwan was attacked on February 18, after [he had given an] interview, by followers of the Korean new religion “Yeongsaeng-gyo”
He died at the age of 55.”
LINK to a full transcript of the video
The leader of Dahn World, Lee Il-chi, became very rich, and there were legal claims from women who said he had sexually abused them. (Dahn is the Korean for “energy”.)
Were Sun Myung Moon and Lee Il-chi connected?
Lee Il-chi 李一指 (born Lee Seung-heun 李承憲 ) “reportedly had help from Hwa-young Moon, a Korean woman who joined Dahn in the late 1980s and whipped [the theology] into shape; she knew a good deal about the enlightenment trade, having grown up in the “Moonies,” the Unification Church.” (Rolling Stone magazine, 2010 LINK)
“During the day time, Lee attended college, and … studied with Unification Church’s Divine Principle study group looking for answers in the bible.” (“Dahn Hak” written by Lee Il-chi, page 199)
From www.freedomofmind.com:
“While I was seeking Tao at Moak mountain, I attended Unification Church. … I opened up a Unification Church Il-Wha spring water franchise, but it failed so I had to sell my house.
…Lee first opened his eyes to the enlightenment in 1980. According to Dahn World, President Lee achieved his “Great Connection with the Heaven” on July 15, 1980 at Moak Mountain behind his wife Sim Journg-Sook’s birth home.”
[similar to Moon’s 1936 ‘revelation from Jesus’ on a mountain – LINK ]
In 1980 Lee changed his name from 李承憲, Lee Seung-heun to Lee Ilchi 李一指. Ilchi means “finger pointing to the truth.” [Moon changed his name.]
Lee left two sons and his wife.
[Moon left his first wife, Choi Seon-gil, and infant son in 1946; in July 1955 Moon sent his third wife, Kim Myung-hee, to Japan. She gave birth about six weeks after arriving in Tokyo. She remained in Japan with their child until 1959. Moon never sent her any money, or any support for their son, Moon Hee-jin.]
The six ‘wives’ of Sun Myung Moon
Some further information and context for Tahk Myeong-hwan’s murder can be found
HERE and HERE
Death of ‘pseudo-religion’ critic focuses attention
Korea
March 18 1994
The death of a Protestant theologian who attained prominence as a severe critic of pseudo-religious sects has focused attention on the state of the Korean religious community.
Reverend Tahk Myeong-hwan, 56, was beaten and stabbed to death near his apartment house in northern Seoul the night of Feb. 18 in a possible retaliatory attack by a fanatic from a certain quasi-religious sect.
An estimated 300-400 sects or cults are currently thriving outside established religious structures in Korea, according to scholars of religions. Some scholars refer to these groups as “new religions.”
Many of the cults are formed around a single, charismatic individual. Much scandal has resulted from former members or relatives of members of such groups charging the leaders with fraud and manipulation of followers. These are the type Reverend Tahk made a 30-year career out of exposing.
Reverend Tahk was slain only three days after he appeared on television criticizing the pseudo-Christian Yongsaeng-gyo (Everlasting Life Church), whose leader was arrested on charges of fraud in early February.
The night he was murdered, Reverend Tahk was returning home from a meeting with former Yongsaeng-gyo members and the human rights committee of the opposition Democratic Party in Anyang, south of Seoul.
Many social and religious leaders mourned his death. Among them were Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou Hwan of Seoul; Reverend Han Kyung-jik of the Yongnak Presbyterian Church; Reverend Song Wolju, a Buddhist leader; and Kim To-hyun, vice minister for culture and sports.
Since establishing the International Religious Research Institute in the 1960s to battle pseudo-religions, Reverend Tahk had been threatened, attacked or injured more than 70 times because of his intensive and caustic exposés.
Since the turn of the century, a large number of sects or new religions have taken root in this country, leading one sociologist to label generally homogeneous South Korea “the supermarket of world religions.”
About 1.5 million people adhere to these new religions, according to Lee Kwang-ho, professor emeritus at Chonbuk University in the southern provincial capital of Chonju. Some put the figure at 2 million.
In his 1992 book “General Guide to New Religions in Korea,” Lee identifies 390 pseudo-religious sects. He says 78 are associated with Buddhism, 76 with Christianity and 36 are cults for Tangun, the founding father of Korea. Of the latter, 10 are of foreign origin, according to the book.
The scandals caused by some of these groups rock society from time to time.
The foremost example was the Dami Missionary Church in 1992. Its leader declared that the world would end Oct. 28, 1992, and he persuaded followers to turn over billions of won in cash and property to him.
When police arrested him on fraud charges, they found securities and bonds scheduled to mature in 1995.
Some religious researchers say the mushrooming of pseudo-religions mirrors the insecurity and vulnerability of Korean society overshadowed by materialism and false messiahs.
END
The Facts and the Falsehoods of the Unification Church
– A Comprehensive Reference –
(Volume One)
Tahk Myeong-hwan, M.A. (author)
International Institute for Religious Studies
1979
統一教의 實相과 그 虛像
– 綜合的 資料編 –
(上巻)
통일교의 실상과 그 허상
– 종합적 자료편 –
(상권)
탁명환 문학석사 (저자)
卓 明煥 著
國際宗教問題研究所
국제종교문제연구소
Front cover flap
▲ Tahk Myeong-hwan, M.A. in 1979
Author biography
◊ Graduated from Chonbuk National University, Department of Philosophy
◊ Graduated from Yeungnam Seminary
◊ Studied at Presbyterian Theological College
◊ Graduated from Yonsei University Graduate School of United Theology (Master of Arts)
◊ Thesis “Critical Consideration on Shinto Education in Eastern Churches”
◊ Book “Emerging Religions in Korea” Christianity Volume 1 and 10 other books
◊ Professor at Korea Theological Seminary, Lecturer at Police University, Director of International Religious Affairs Institute
◊ April 1979. Completion of the Third World Christian Leader Training Institute hosted by the Hagai Institute (Singapore)
Table of Contents
The Facts and the Falsehoods of the Unification Church
Introduction
A portrait of the Unification Church through photographs
A short introduction to the Unification Church
ONE. The History of the Unification Church ……… 49
1. The Footsteps of Religion Leader Sun Myung Moon … 49
1) The family background of Religion Leader Moon … 49
2) The education and career of Religion Leader Moon … 51
3) The Religious background of Religion Leader Moon … 53
4) Religion Leader Moon and the North Korean Spirit Movement (the genealogy of pikareum) … 54
5) Religion Leader Moon’s life in prison … 58
6) The early beginnings of the Unification Church of Religion Leader Moon … 61
2. The founding process of the Unification Church and its development … 65
1) The beginning of the Unification Church … 65
2) The whole story of the so-called Ewha University incident … 66
3) The Korean national level activities of the Unification Church … 69
4) The overseas activities of the Unification Church … 76
5) Current status of the penetration into existing churches … 82
TWO. The creed and main doctrines of the Unification Church … 90
1. The main doctrines ……………… 90
1) The creed of the Unification Church … 90
2) The main arguments of the Unification Church … 91
3) An overview of the main doctrines of the Unification Church … 91
4) The meaning of the mass wedding …… 97
① The doctrinal significance of a joint wedding ceremony … 97
② The meaning of the Holy Wine ceremony … 99
③ The contents of the Family Pledge …… 100
④ The ritual of being beaten to indemnify sins … 101
⑤ The significance of the sex ritual for rebirth … 102
⑥ The current situation of the mass weddings … 103
THREE. Current State of Unification Church … 106
1. The Church influence ………………… 106
2. Affiliated institutions and businesses … 108
1) Media organizations ……………………… 108
① Media organizations ……………………… 108
② Educational institutions ………………….. 110
③ Art institutions ………………………………. 110
④ Anti-communist organizations …………. 112
⑤ Other related agencies …………………… 114
2) Businesses …………………………………… 117
3. Institutions and organizations of the Unification Church … 120
FOUR. Events surrounding the Unification Church … 122
1. Domestic events …………………………………… 122
1) The sexual promiscuity incident of Religion Leader Moon … 122
2) The case of Prof. Shin Sa-hoon 申四勲 (신사훈) who got hit with human feces … 126
3) The incident of their empty pledge of $100,000 reward for the best novel … 128
4) The Little Angels smuggling case …………………………. 130
5) 99 university professors advocating the Unification Church on an advertisement … 131
6) The Il-hwa Pharmaceutical 5.9 billion won tax evasion case … 131
7) The Unification Church’s loss to the Korean Buddhist community … 134
8) The case of the arrest of Kim Myung-hee 金明熙 (김명희) who left the UC … 135
9) The case of this author’s apology about the Unification Church … 137
10) The Unification Church believers’ riot at the Nandaemun Church … 144
11) The formation of the merging attempt between the Established Church and the Unification Movement … 147
2 . Overseas events …………. 152
1) Events in the United States ………………………… 152
2) Anti-Unification Church movement in France … 160
3) Events in the United Kingdom …………………….. 162
4) Events in Japan ……………………………………….. 164
3. Theological debates surrounding the Unification Church … 167
1) The debates between Professor Suh Nam-dong 徐南同 (서남동) (1918- ) and Professor Han Cheol-ha 韓哲河 (한철하) ……………. 167
2) The debates between Pastor Young-gwan Park and Mr. Lee Jae-seok 李載錫 (이재석) of the Unification Church … 170
3) Criticism of the Unification Church, a Special Feature by the Korean Theological Institute … 172
FIVE. Conclusion ………………………………………. 177
Appendix …………………………………………. 181
1. The claims of the Unification Movement (1) … 183
2. The claims of the Unification Movement (2) … 195
3. Criticism of the so-called “Unification Movement’s Claims” (1) … 203
4. Criticism of the so-called “Unification Movement’s Claims” (2) … 215
5. What is the “Principle of the Unification Church”? … 224
6. The identity of the Unification Church … 235
7. Various statements related to the Unification Church … 248
8. Application for admission to the Interdenominational Christian Association (1) … 312
9. Application for admission to the Interdenominational Christian Association (2) … 312
10. The Unification Church is not Christian (Apology Statement) … 313
List of Reference books ………………………………. 323
Preface
Is the Unification Church truly Christian?
Regarding this issue, the Unification Church has insisted that the Unification Church is Christian by introducing pro-Unification church personnel to the public and hosting a conference led by the Interdenominational Christian Association, an organization under the Unification Church, while posting a big advertisement in newspapers and booking the conference at a hotel.
On the other hand, the established church side is confronting the Unification Church saying it is not Christian, but, as to exactly why it is not Christian, it fails to provide an answer more detailed than a mere quote of Leader Moon’s sermon book “The Word”, which I have shown in fragments to the public.
This book is compiled to give a refreshing answer to the issue that is ongoing between the Unification Church and the established church.
Although several books with unilateral criticisms of the Unification Church have come out in fragments, I know I can proudly say that this book is the book that can quickly give a clear understanding of the Unification Church.
There is no doubt that this book will reveal the inner workings of the Unification Church in detail and become the definitive version of the criticism from a biblical standpoint.
In the meantime, I confess that when criticizing the Unification Church in the past, I sometimes cited insufficient data and made statements for which the evidence was not clear. For this reason, last year I faced a difficult ordeal.
Therefore, I have decided to cite accurate materials such as printed information and photographs of the Unification Church and not assert anything for which there was scarce evidence or insufficient data. One of my attempts to do that is by publishing this book.
Now, there is something I want to make clear. Last year, my apology about the Unification Church was due to the book “The Reality of the Unification Church.” That book never saw the light of day, but I have included in this book the photographs used in that previous book, and only its commentary is discussed again with care.
In the first part, I was the author, and the author of the second part was Se-ho Won, who is the pastor of Bo Gwang Baptist Church, an expert in the critique of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and a researcher at this institute. He wrote, with his heart and soul, the second part from a biblical standpoint.
We are not writing this book to just blindly criticize the Unification Church, but our purpose is to write about the non-Christian and heretical aspects of the Unification Church.
The doctrine of the Unification Church’s Discourse on the Principle [Divine Principle] is logically well-organized. However, its explicit doctrine is actually contained in a collection of Moon’s sermons that they are reluctant to disclose.
I think my analysis is almost perfect, as I wrote this with reference to their sermons and secret literature, which amount to about 100 documents.
In the past, when I critiqued the Unification Church, I had a sentiment close to a desire for fame or heroism, and also had hatred for the Unification Church. However, I reflected that it was this mistake that caused me a great ordeal. When I was experiencing a difficult ordeal due to the Unification Church problem, some of the people who were in the Unification Church did not hesitate to insult and slander me. All I can to do is to thank God for allowing me to stand up and write again, overcoming my setback and despair in that difficult situation.
I wrote a list of about 30 large-level pastors of established churches who have joined the Unification Church, but while praying I decided not to disclose the list and have left it out of this manuscript.
When this book is published, I think that pro-Unification Church members who hold positions in the established churches will reinforce their schemes against me in order to further and firther rationalize their position , but I have nothing to be afraid of, since I have already suffered enough.
There is something I would like to ask for as I conclude this preface.
I want the Unification Church to know that God lives. I hope that they remember the lessons of the Peoples Temple in Guyana, South America. I hope they show the sound attitude of an emerging (or new) religion that does not sway [from the true path], and frankly admit that the Unification Church is not Christian and stop the effort that is eroding Christianity by presenting itself as an interdenominational movement. In addition, the established church should not treat the Unification Church with unconditional hatred, but should help their followers who believe in their erroneous doctrine to find the right path.
Finally, I would like to express my greatest appreciation to monthly magazine Sungbyeolsa, members of Reformed Theology from the Presbyterian Church in Korea, Pastor Eun-cheol Oh of Christian Herald of the United States, President Unhwan Kim of the Christian Rebuilding Missions, students of Korea Theological Seminary, Elder Kyeong-rae Kim, Dr. Sang-hee Moon, and each and every one of you who I cannot possibly all list here, who gave me the courage to publish this work.
October 1979
Sincerely, Tahk Myeong-hwan
A portrait of the Unification Church through photographs
Note: some dates and other details have been corrected. A few extra photos have been added.
▲ Sun Myung Moon’s couple (with Hak Ja Han) proclaimed themselves to be the True Parents of mankind.
▲ His name was Moon Yong Myung (文竜明) at the time he was at the Kyeongseong Institute of Commerce and Industry.
In August 1964 he officially changed his name to Sun Myung (鮮明) with the permission of the Seoul District Court.
▲ Photograph of Leader Moon at Kyeongseong Institute of Commerce and Industry. (He is indicated in the group photograph by a 〇)
▲A close up from the photo above.
Moon Yong Myung went to Japan on April 1, 1941 to study. He worked during the day and then went to evening classes to study electrical engineering between 6:00 and 9:30 p.m. The course was cut short because of the war. After 2 years and 6 months he graduated from the Technical High School which was affiliated with Waseda University in Tokyo.
▲ This painting was drawn imagining what it looked like when Moon Yong-myung’s mother was nursing him. [He was known as that before he changed his name to Moon Sun Myung]. Ok Se-hyun and Chi Seung-do, both women, and Kim Won-pil who all traveled with Moon from Pyongyang say the rendering of Moon’s mother is an accurate portrayal.
The painting was placed at the front of the Cheonggpa-dong Headquarters Church in Seoul during the birthday celebration service of Sun Myung Moon in the early 1960s. The whole earth, symbolized by the globe, is being presented to Moon. The winged angels bow and worship him. From his birth, Sun Myung Moon was destined to be the “King of Kings, Emperor of the World.” So all Sun Myung Moon’s activities are directed towards his goal of becoming an emperor. The Unificationists are very enthusiastic that they will become part of the imperial family of this emperor and direct nationals under him. This is the typical nature of all pseudo-religions. [Some of this explanation comes from the book of Kim Myung-hui. LINK]
▲ Choi Seon-gil in the mid 1950s. She born on March 21, 1925 (or 1924) in Chungjoogoon, Pyungbook as the last daughter among six children. She died on November 16, 2008. In 1948 Leader Moon given five years in jail at Heungnam for bigamy with Kim Chong-hwa, a married woman with three children. She was also jailed for one year. At this time Leader Moon was still married to Choi Seon-gil. She eventually divorced him on January 8, 1957.
Religion Leader Moon was excommunicated from the Presbyterian Church in 1948.
▲ Kim Myung-hee before Religion Leader Sun Myung Moon got her pregnant at the end of 1954.
▲ A month before Kim Myung-hee was due to give birth, Religion Leader Moon sent her into hiding in Japan. He risked being jailed for adultery because he was still married. Since she had no passport she was smuggled there in a fishing boat that left Korea from Busan.
▲ Kim Myung-hee with Moon Hee-jin who was born in Tokyo on August 17, 1955.
▲ Unification Church leaders in Daegu in 1954. From the left, front row: Kim Gwan-seong (김관성) [金寛成 ] (Tong hwadang 통 화당), Lee Yo-han (이요한), Sun Myung Moon, Pak Chung-hwa (박정화) (who had been in Heungnam prison with Moon) and next to him is Eu Hyo-min (유효민). Back row: Eu Hyo-won (유효원), Kang So-yong (강서용), Lee Han-seong (이한성), Lee Bong-wun (이봉운) and Shin Seong-muk (신성묵) who was the husband of Eu Shin-hee.
Lee Yo-han had been the assistant pastor of Chong Deuk-eun; he knew all her teachings very well. Eu Hyo-won wrote the 1957 Divine Principle with a copy of the notes of the teachings of Chong Deuk-eun and a copy of Kim Baek-moon’s first book on his desk.
▲ This is a commemorative photo taken after the release of the two men from prison in 1955. They had been arrested earlier that year for causing social confusion. Leader Moon was arrested on July 4, 1955. The woman on the left was the old woman Ok Se-hyun who joined the Unification Church and divorced her husband, Elder Woo Ha-seon. The woman on the right was the old woman Chi Seung-do. The person sitting in front with a shaved head is Kim Won-pil, who [later] was the president of the Il-hwa Pharmaceutical Company. He was the first man to join Religion Leader Moon’s faith. [All three of these followers joined in 1946 in Pyongyang.]
▲ Religion Leader Moon divorced his first wife, Choi Seon-gil, in 1957. When he was a 41-year-old man he married again in 1960 and took the 18-year-old Han Hak Ja as his bride.
▲ The bride, Hak Ja Han, dancing with the Lord of the Second Advent, Sun Myung Moon, after the “Marriage of the Lamb” ceremony.
▲ Leader Moon being presented with a globe by the women of the church. This signifies the cosmos returning to the bosom of Leader Moon. Standing next to him clapping is Mr. Eu Hyo-won, who is in the position of the archangel Lucifer to Sun Myung Moon as Adam.
▲ A celebration with Leader Moon. (It may be after he received the globe.) The person dancing next to Leader Moon, who is both Adam and the Lord of the Second Advent, is Eu Hyo-won, a man six years older than Leader Moon, but who still calls him ‘Father.’
▲ Leader Moon couple at the 36 couple mass wedding ceremony in 1961.
▲ Left: Leader Moon couple at the 36 couple mass wedding ceremony. Right: Eu Hyo-won, former president of the Association, who was in charge of the mission [to restore the position of the] archangel [Lucifer] in relation to Sun Myung Moon [as Adam].
▲ 72 couples mass wedding. Moon Sun Myung and Hak Ja Han passing between the lines of the couples of Unification Church members.
▲ On July 24, 1963 Leader Sun Myung Moon blessed the brides and grooms at the mass wedding ceremony of the 124 couples.
▲ A 124 couples mass wedding ceremony held at the Civic Center on July 24, 1963.
▲ A view of the 1,800 couples mass wedding ceremony held on February 8, 1975.
▲ Following a mass wedding ceremony, couples stand beside cars just before they started a brash car parade.
▲ Moon, who appeared as the King of Kings wears a crown and claims that he is the true parent of all mankind. He is congratulated by his congregation on his birthday as if it is Christmas. In the church chapel, thousands of believers from all over the country sing and sing until late at night.
▲ These children are the family of Religion Leader Moon Sun Myung born with his wife Hak Ja Han. There are four boys, including one born in the United States, and three girls. From the left, the eldest daughter, Ye-jin, the second son, Hyo-jin, then the second daughter In-jin, the third son Heung-jin, then the daughter Eun-jin, and the fifth son Kwon Jin.
▲ The dedication ceremony of the eldest daughter, Ye-jin, as she is offered to God. She was born between Leader Moon and Hak Ja Han. The eldest son, Seong-jin, is standing behind Moon.
▲ Hak Ja Han gave birth to Ye-jin, the daughter of Leader Moon. After the dedication ceremony, Hak Ja Han put a crown on Moon Seong-jin (the son of Moon’s first wife, Choi Seon-gil) and they took a commemorative photo.
▲ The children of Leader Moon innocently eat and enjoy.
▲ Religion Leader Moon with some of the ‘Six Marys’. The woman standing next to Leader Moon is [Choi Won-bok in the position of] Mary Leah, and Hak Ja Han [on the right is in the position of] Mary Rachel. Four women are also hoping to be a part of the ‘Six Marys’. One of the women is from the third family of the 36 couples.
▲ Han Hak Ja was chosen to be the wife of Religion Leader Moon in 1960. She was born in 1943 to Hong Soon-ae and a Mr. Han, who were members of the Bokjung Church in North Pyongan Province.
▲ Hak Ja Han (center at the back) was a nursing assistant at the time she was recommended as a candidate for [the position of] True Mother by Elder Song. Her mother, Hong Soon-ae, is standing on the right. (photo taken at Elder Song’s house)
▲ Rejoicing after being notified of being chosen by Leader Moon to be his wife. She is with her mother (Hong Soon-ae) and the friend of her mother [Oh Yeong-choon 오영춘] in 1960.
▲ Religion Leader Moon and the Cheon-Seung-Ho boat in 1963.
▲ Prior to the launching ceremony of the boat, the Cheon-Seung-Ho, Leader Moon prayed for the boat project built according to the will of heaven, but the business collapsed.
▲ The couple Moon Sun Myung and Hak Ja Han were at the launch ceremony. However, Mrs. Choi Won-bok also came and she is holding one of the Moon children along with the father holding another.
▲ He built a boat called the Cheon-Seung-Ho, using church member donations. He said it was the providential will of heaven to catch the ocean’s blessings, however the business failed.
▲ Religion Leader Moon with some of his children; these are from three different mothers. This photograph was taken on January 5, 1965 at the Cheongpa-dong Church in Seoul. Moon Sung-jin (born in April 1946; mother Choi Seon-gil) is on the left. Moon Hee-jin is on the right (born in August 1955 in Tokyo; mother Kim Myung-hee). The younger children in the photo are Ye-Jin and Hyo-Jin. They are standing in front of their mother, Hak Ja Han.
▲ In 1959, Religion Leader Moon made a pilgrimage to a temple in the suburbs of Busan to find a teacher who was famous across the nation. He went along with his pupils Elder Song and Cho Il-cheong.
According to “The Word” No. 182 (March 15, 1976), the book of Leader Moon’s sermons, the fact that Leader Moon says that even Confucius and Buddha are his subordinates and that he conducted a religious tour in search of monks in temples is not without a sense of something being wrong.
▲ Leader Moon enjoys boating with his wife on Cheongpyeong Lake in 1975. He owns millions of pyeong of real estate along the lake shore. Many years later, Leader Moon had two palaces built there, the Original Palace by the lakeside, and another one that cost $1billion on a hillside above the lake.
▲ On January 16, 1975 at 7 p.m., Religion Leader Moon hosted a banquet [at the Chosun Hotel] for 650 invited guests. Political, academic and religious figures attended, and Pastor Hwang Jong-shik gave a prayer. Leader Moon proclaimed to them, “I have returned to Korea with my fortune.”
▲ In New York in the US, Korean Americans were invited to a banquet on the evening of April 2, 1976. What would Pak Bo Hi give a speech about while waving his arms about? Whatever the names of each meeting were, “the communist party must be stopped, the role of Korea is important” and “the great leader is Sun Myung Moon” were the main content of each and every Unification Church related meeting and conference.
▲ The audience listening to Pak Bo Hi.
▲ The Rally for National Salvation and Victory ( also called the World Rally for Korean Freedom) was held on June 7, 1975 at the Yeouido Plaza in Seoul.
▲ Religion Leader Moon speaking to the crowd.
▲ Like Hitler’s Nazi youth in Germany, the International One World Crusade (IOWC) team is dedicated and decisive. They are promoting the Rally for National Salvation and Victory at the Yeouido Plaza.
▲ Arriving for the World Rally for Korean Freedom. Naive rural seniors were invited for a trip by bus to Seoul where the May 16 plaza was filled up. No one held a Bible or sang a hymn at the Unification Church event, which claims to be Christian.
▲ The crowd at the Yeouido Plaza rally.
▲ The preaching words of Religion Leader Moon’s ‘The Word’ No. 182 page 29 and No. 184 page 64, which caused trouble because the book stated that Jesus, Confucius, and Buddha are also subordinates of Moon.
▲ Advertisement of the Interdenominational Christian Association promoting a public hearing at the Ambassador Hotel with the theme, ‘Is the Unification Church Christian?’
▲ On January 1, 1968 “God’s Day” was declared to be held on January 1st of each year and signifies how the Religion Leader Moon was victorious in defeating hundreds of millions of Satans and rescued mankind, returning them to God.
▲ Giving the benediction on God’s Day
▲ This is the hidden truth of the Unification Church. Religion Leader Moon is bowing for a shaman ritual. There is a pig’s head on the altar. His Leah and Rachel wives are bowing beside him. Hak Ja Han is on his right and Choi Won-bok is on his left.
▲ Some scholars argue this book by Chong Deuk-eun, titled “Principle of Life”, is the basis for the so-called gangbang [pikareum sex] doctrine of the Unification Church.
▲ Chong Deuk-eun was a woman who had deep spiritual fellowship with Leader Sun Myung Moon, and Leader Moon continued to share her theology with his spiritual movement. They worked together in Pyongyang, North Korea, from 1946 until early 1947 when she parted from him and moved to Seoul. They met a few times in the early 1950s; she died in 1958.
▲
▲ A view of the 10th “International Conference on the Unification of the Sciences” which Sun Myung Moon hosted in Seoul. He promoted ICUS claiming that dozens of Nobel Prize winners always participated. Such grand shows are the reason why professors and celebrities are overwhelmed. (1981. 11. 10. Seoul)
▲ The ‘Little Angels’ children are like budding flowers. Sun Myung Moon used these Little Angels 100% to advance his movement to the world stage.
▲ The seriousness of the Unification Church problem was announced at a press conference on July 2, 1976, but the established religions seem to have turned away from the issue as if they were not interested.
Headline:
공자·석가·예수도 나의部下 / 공자·석가·예수도 나의 부하
Confucius, Buddha and Jesus are my subordinates
統一教 문선명 説教集「말씀」에서 호언
통일교 문선명 설교집「말씀」에서 호언
Rants from the Unification Church sermon collection called “The Word” which contains Moon’s sermons.
基督敎 초교파協조직 敎界침투
기독교 초교파 협회 조직 교계 침투
Infiltration of the Christian world by the Interdenominational Christian Association
海外에서 물의일으켜 反韓감정 갖게해
해외에서 물의일으켜 반한감정 갖게해
Causing troubles overseas, the sect raises anti-Korean emotions.
統一敎 關聯人士폭로 신흥종교研 卓明煥소
통일교 관련인사폭로 신흥종교연구소 탁명환소장
Tahk Myeong-hwan, a Director at New Religion Research Institute, exposed Unification Church related persons.
▲ As of September 11, 1978, after suffering a difficult ordeal from the Unification Church, he [Tahk Myeong-hwan] remained silent. On June 10, 1979 he reaffirmed that the Unification Church was a heretic religion which did not uphold the cross (Gospel News).
Headline:
統一教는 十字架 없는 異端
통일교는 십자가 없는 이단
Since the Unification Church does not accept the crucifixion of Jesus, it is a heresy.
國際종교문제硏 / 국제종교문제연구소
International Religious Problem Research Institute
통일교批判聲明발표 / 통일교 비판 성명 발표
A statement critiquing the Unification Church announced / released
〝牧會者4천여명이 그들教育에 참석〟
〝목회자 4천여명이 그들교육에 참석〟
“About 4,000 pastors have attended their education events”
傘下단체및 生產品目 밝혀
산하단체및 생산품목 밝혀
Affiliated organizations and items produced identified and disclosed
〝統一教 내통자 뿌리뽑아야〟
〝통일교 내통자 뿌리뽑아야〟
“Unification Church intelligencers / undercover spies must be rooted out”
統一教관련자 處罰촉구韓神大 非行폭로大會열고
통일교관련자 처벌 촉구 한신대 비행 폭로대회 열고
Calling for punishment of Unification Church-related persons, Hanshin University holds a conference to expose their wrongful deeds.
統一教대책主日에特別獻金호소
통일교대책주일에특별헌금 호소
Asking for special offerings of money to fund a Sunday focussed on Countermeasures against the Unification Church.
예수의神性 · 救援역사 否認
예수의 신성 · 구원 역사 부인
Denial of the divine nature of Jesus and the history [of Christian] salvation
복음신문제휴
In alliance with Gospel News
▲ Pastors from the established Christian churches taking a break during the retreat/seminar. At a luxury hotel dinner party held for the inter-denominational movement, an old pastor said, “We are in tears because you treat us, old folks, like this (so well).”
Sun Myung Moon proclaimed “With the necessary financial resources, the established church can be destroyed” (December 3, 1969, Bulletin No. 14, page 2). He took advantage of the weakness of senior pastors [to promote himself as the Second Coming Christ].
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The Facts and the Falsehoods of the Unification Church
(Volume 1)
List price 3,000 won
Printed on November 20, 1979
Published on November 25, 1979
Author: Tahk Myeong-hwan
Publisher: Seongcheongsa
1-30, Haengchon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Registration 1961.1.6. No. Ga 7-81
Available from: International Institute for Religious Studies
Seoul Central Post Office Mailbox #5337
Alternative account Seoul 618710
Phone 267-9683
Printed by Eemoon Printing Co., Ltd.
野錄 統一敎會史 (세계기독교 통일신령협회사) – 1
. 박 정 화 외2인 지옴 (前 통일교창립위원)