Good effort because you got the point over with the real life story of the Canadian guy who wasted his 10 years in good faith to be let down ( I knew too many like him who felt totally let down. In those days Caroline Barnes was a trim attractive young woman. The 'loveless marriage' of the Dutch wife ( where is the marriage coucelling-obviously totaly inadaquate). Well done to Richard and Hazel who made a good fist of it. Alas when your belief system is challenged the biggest deception is what has been portrayed by the Rev Moon -the false -inference that he is the promised Messiah - this is what has damaged the lives of those who hasve followed him ( this negates the good works that many members have unquestionably given and the awkwardness caused as members follow their hierarchical orders. The gross inhumanity of many of his children is a consequence of his lack of love as a true parent to his children. They are spoilt unloved children .
Last night I was moved by the frankness of Anna, Forrest and the Canadian guy. I was pleased to see Caroline and Richard and Hazel too, especially as their opinions I know are experienced and well thought through! As a child who felt bullied, abandoned and evil growing up in the Unification Church I am glad to say that as an adult I can see how damaging this religious movement was and is. As I watched the programme I squirmed in my seat, not because Ch4 got it wrong, or because any of it is untrue, but because I felt for my mother watching at the same time, elsewhere...28 years of her life and 18 years of mine...wasted!
Oh my heart goes out to you, and to your mother, I probably know you both. Yes I squirmed too. Unlike your mother, my family got out and have made a good life for ourselves. Of course the scars are still there, The guilt I still to this day feel of how my eldest son who was non blessed was made to feel all those years as not Gods true son and was to be treated different from his sibblings and of course from the other so called blessed children. It was so cruel, and had nothing to do with God,(although secretly I always told him he was a very special child that led us to Rev. Moon. But you know what there is happiness and life outside of that church, we just have to believe in ourselves. For the record all my children have grown up loving, stable and wonderful, and without any of the clap trap of the UC ideology, thank goodness. I urge you to come over and have a beer with us sometime.
I think you are mixing up things a little. Everybody has their own responsibility in their lives. Those who take it don't blame others for their misfortune or the decisions they make.
I spoke to Caroline recently. From what she told me she has no resentment from the past and did not wish to portray things in a bad light. She still has many good memories. I feel sad that she was used by the editor to portray things in the light he wanted to quite literally. Watch the video on the doubleband website about the making of it.
Hey another ex-moonie, I did post something yesterday..but anyway. Just to verify not only did you defend your eldest son, but I shall always remember that you defended me too! I was in Budapest twice this year and thought of you! How's the ankle?
hmmm...well lets see first off you don't seem to have showed any of the people like my parents who are happily married and have been for the last 25 years. I am one of three children we all enjoy being in the unification church. 'Everyone has the right to believe what they want' isn't that human right in the UK? its like you've violated that right by mocking us. I am just like anyone else that you may walk by in the street, you wouldn't guess I was a what you call a 'moonie' (which is actually an offensive word). I don't have anything against anyone who decided to leave the church, we all make our own choices in life. We are part of a minority which many people aren't used to or understand, there's nothing wrong with that. You can't really class it as a documentary can you? It doesn't show the life of a unificationist, just someone who left it,so technically they aren't in the UC anymore. It's in the past now so we need to live for today and its best to say positive things if not don't say anything at all. I don't mock you so don't mock us. jo
To Yewthwise, I recognise ones own responsibility. I am drawing attention to the deception of an intelligent man (Moon)over idealistic people who want to believe the truth of religion. We mistakenly put our faith in this man due to the inference that he was the prophesised Messiah. It was only much later when we learnt of the drug taking of his son and woman abusive of a partner chosen for him by his Father. The trauma caused by many after they were matched. I was diagnosed in hospital with acute anxiety. In many ways the most energetic time of our lives was taken because of our misplaced loyalty. I do admit however that the disciplinedfundraising regime that I partook of for 4 years did instill me with my own will power. (eg As captain of a chess team I gained promotion to div1 for Waterloo in the Merseyside chess league to win it in the first year with no losses and in 1996 I consequently won the title of UK Amateur Grand Prix Chess Champion + 40 odd other tournaments) Think of this the claims of Bahaulla of the Bahai faith and Ahmad of Qadian (founder of Ahmmadiya movement in Islam) who also have claims equivalent to Moon. They all cannot fulfill same prophesies.
