My experience in a Moon church/organization (korean religion)

[Nanny]

I am wary of thought-collectives that suppress individuality.

It's hard to evangelize nothing, which is what atheism is - a lack of belief.

Religion often masquerades as community. But true communities are heterogeneous, made up of different people with different points of view. Cults demand one point of view and are intolerant of those with different points of view.

A true community is a free association of individuals. Cults like the Moonies are cults because they stifle individual thought in favor of group-think.

ETA - religious communities believe theirs is the correct way to live. This necessarily means that others' way of living is incorrect. This fosters conflict with / exclusion of those who have different beliefs or none at all. Religion divides. Community draws people together. Religious community is an oxymoron.

[Macoleco]

It is just incredible how the words of the priest/church can ruin a friendship. They destroy genuine feelings for their own benefit. Incredible.

This is a religion trying to grow, hence called a "cult". It is amazing seeing it first hand. And being discriminated by them, too. Back in the day they would have killed me.

---

Also, it makes me sad to see such nice people being manipulated like this. Their parents are members of this religion. Never stood a chance.

I do not see the Moonies being any stranger than other believers. They just arent as popular.

[Alex K]

The Unification Church is among the minority of new religious movements who have introduced their own unique scriptures.[106] The Divine Principle or Exposition of the Divine Principle (Korean 원리강론/原理講論, translit. wonli ganglon) is the main theological textbook of the Unification Church. It was co-written by church founder Sun Myung Moon and early disciple Hyo Won Eu and first published in 1966. A translation entitled Divine Principle was published in English in 1973.

The book lays out the core of Unification theology, and is held by believers to have the status of Holy Scripture. Following the format of systematic theology, it includes (1) God's purpose in creating human beings, (2) the fall of man, and (3) restoration – the process through history by which God is working to remove the ill effects of the fall and restore humanity back to the relationship and position that God originally intended.[107] God is viewed as the creator,[108] whose nature combines both masculinity and femininity,[108] and is the source of all truth, beauty, and goodness. Human beings and the universe reflect God's personality, nature, and purpose.

-- wiki

I mean honestly.  Is it any stupider than than any other religious horseshit?

No, it's just that the implementation is especially toxic...

[chimp3]

For decades the Unification Church has been known as a cult with authoritarian control of its members. The fact that the "priests" are concerned with your sex life is not unexpected.

[Minimalist]

The catholic church has them beat by centuries.

[brewer]

Atheist missionaries? Advertise a baby BBQ and see who shows up.

You will know the true ones by their sauce.

[Drich]

Like 2 years ago, I met some japanese/korean missionaires. They invited me to their house, where everyone, men and women, live for the time they are here. Since I like Japan, I wanted to learn more about their culture. First days I visited them, we did normal activities such as eating japanese/korean food, japanese games, etc, etc. It was an incredible experience. Some time later, I went to sleep there. It was a trick. They made me spend some in a seminar time listening to a woman talking about their religion. It was still fun anyway. I did not want to lose their friendship, so I just went along with it. I was honest with them, and told them I was an atheist. They didnt really have a problem, since they kept inviting me to their house. I had to read 1 hour of their holy book with a partner sometimes, though. I just played dumb, and read it  a few times. 

Now we start getting to the interesting part. I was not a member of the Church, but a member of a sub-organization called "HEROES". We go to pick up trash on the beaches, visit orphanages, etc. My friendship with the missionaires was great, but the President of the organization called "CARP" and  a member of the Church in Korea and in my country, did not like me because I am an atheist. One they we were going to some thermal waters, and before leaving, he mentioned that since I am an atheist, I would be capable of having sex on the streets like an animal (religious logic: not believing in God implies having sex on the streets   ). I remained silent since I didnt want to hurt my friendship with them, and he said it in spanish anyway. They probably didnt understand. That was the moment I learned he didnt like me. Not like I care anyway.

The missionaires leave after a year, and new ones come. After the generation I first met, I kept having contact with the new missionaires, as a member of HEROES. Now, the President of this organization always keeps an eye on me. He always looks to me when I speak to a girl, or gets close when I speak to them. Why, you may wonder? Well, in their religion, marriage and infidelity is a serious matter. And since I am an atheist, they dont want me having any kind of relationship with a woman, or being the living proof that atheism doesnt make you a bad person, something they believe. He obviously has authority over the missionaires, and I believe he talks ill about me to them. 

I probably will not visit them anymore, since I dislike having to deal with a fucking manipulative priest. And in any case, they rarely invite me anymore. I believe he forbids them now. Now, the lessons I have learned:

1. Atheists face discrimination within religious groups, even if they preach that we are all children of God. Hypocresy at its finest.
2. Religions control through sex and marriage. In this religion, a lot of its members marry with people they dont even know. Many marriages are arranged betwene people of different countries. They do this in oder to expand. 
3. Priests and churches are the biggest hypocrites of the world. 

Finally, this made me wonder. If there are missionaires of every religion, why not atheist missionaires? Not to profess atheism, but simply to interact with foreigners and have a good time together. I say this because my most precious time with them was when religion wasnt involved. Genuine human interactions, and not bullshit religion. 

Thoughts? I know more about this Moon religion. You can ask if you want.

1) no one was fooled by your intentions. You are a creepy westerner looking to hook up with a chickie.

2) depends on the religion. In biblical Christianity preists are not allowed to forbid sex in marriage, and neither is a husband allowed to deny his wife or the other way round.

3)again depends on the specifics.

The preist did nothing wrong here except protect his flock. Most fresh off the boat Asian people (first gen) have underdeveloped social and over all stranger danger awareness. Your just mad bcause the preist made his move before you made yours.

[Macoleco]

Like 2 years ago, I met some japanese/korean missionaires. They invited me to their house, where everyone, men and women, live for the time they are here. Since I like Japan, I wanted to learn more about their culture. First days I visited them, we did normal activities such as eating japanese/korean food, japanese games, etc, etc. It was an incredible experience. Some time later, I went to sleep there. It was a trick. They made me spend some in a seminar time listening to a woman talking about their religion. It was still fun anyway. I did not want to lose their friendship, so I just went along with it. I was honest with them, and told them I was an atheist. They didnt really have a problem, since they kept inviting me to their house. I had to read 1 hour of their holy book with a partner sometimes, though. I just played dumb, and read it  a few times. 

Now we start getting to the interesting part. I was not a member of the Church, but a member of a sub-organization called "HEROES". We go to pick up trash on the beaches, visit orphanages, etc. My friendship with the missionaires was great, but the President of the organization called "CARP" and  a member of the Church in Korea and in my country, did not like me because I am an atheist. One they we were going to some thermal waters, and before leaving, he mentioned that since I am an atheist, I would be capable of having sex on the streets like an animal (religious logic: not believing in God implies having sex on the streets   ). I remained silent since I didnt want to hurt my friendship with them, and he said it in spanish anyway. They probably didnt understand. That was the moment I learned he didnt like me. Not like I care anyway.

The missionaires leave after a year, and new ones come. After the generation I first met, I kept having contact with the new missionaires, as a member of HEROES. Now, the President of this organization always keeps an eye on me. He always looks to me when I speak to a girl, or gets close when I speak to them. Why, you may wonder? Well, in their religion, marriage and infidelity is a serious matter. And since I am an atheist, they dont want me having any kind of relationship with a woman, or being the living proof that atheism doesnt make you a bad person, something they believe. He obviously has authority over the missionaires, and I believe he talks ill about me to them. 

I probably will not visit them anymore, since I dislike having to deal with a fucking manipulative priest. And in any case, they rarely invite me anymore. I believe he forbids them now. Now, the lessons I have learned:

1. Atheists face discrimination within religious groups, even if they preach that we are all children of God. Hypocresy at its finest.
2. Religions control through sex and marriage. In this religion, a lot of its members marry with people they dont even know. Many marriages are arranged betwene people of different countries. They do this in oder to expand. 
3. Priests and churches are the biggest hypocrites of the world. 

Finally, this made me wonder. If there are missionaires of every religion, why not atheist missionaires? Not to profess atheism, but simply to interact with foreigners and have a good time together. I say this because my most precious time with them was when religion wasnt involved. Genuine human interactions, and not bullshit religion. 

Thoughts? I know more about this Moon religion. You can ask if you want.

1) no one was fooled by your intentions. You are a creepy westerner looking to hook up with a chickie.

2) depends on the religion. In biblical Christianity preists are not allowed to forbid sex in marriage, and neither is a husband allowed to deny his wife or the other way round.

3)again depends on the specifics.

The preist did nothing wrong here except protect his flock. Most fresh off the boat Asian people (first gen) have underdeveloped social and over all stranger danger awareness. Your just mad bcause the preist made his move before you made yours.

Dont know if troll or serious.

[The Grand Nudger]

There's no difference between the two with Drich, lol.  

[Drich]

1) no one was fooled by your intentions. You are a creepy westerner looking to hook up with a chickie.

2) depends on the religion. In biblical Christianity preists are not allowed to forbid sex in marriage, and neither is a husband allowed to deny his wife or the other way round.

3)again depends on the specifics.

The preist did nothing wrong here except protect his flock. Most fresh off the boat Asian people (first gen) have underdeveloped social and over all stranger danger awareness. Your just mad bcause the preist made his move before you made yours.

Dont know if troll or serious.

Let's use some logic..

Trolling is against the rules

I have just over 10k posts...

If I was an active 'troll' and most of my posts had to do with trolling I would not be here.