Ex-Cult Member Explains How He Escaped the Moonies

When Steven Hassan was 19 years old, he was recruited by the Unification Church, an infamous cult know for its mass marriage ceremonies. He spent two and a half years with the group, working to bring in new members, raise money, and preach the teachings of its controversial founder, Sun Myung Moon-until a near-fatal car accident helped him realize he’d been brainwashed, and led him to flee the cult. After the World Peace and Unification Sanctuary-an offshoot of the Unification Church-nabbed international headlines for holding a blessing ceremony complete with AR-15s and bullet crowns earlier this year, we met up with Hassan to hear more about his time as a “Moonie,” find out how he escaped, and learn why he’s since dedicated his life to becoming an expert on cults.
WATCH NEXT: Inside the Church of the AR-15 -- • Guns For God: The Chur...
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[@VICE]

In February 2018, a small church in Pennsylvania gained international attention when they held a blessing ceremony with AR-15's just two weeks after the Parkland School shooting triggered mass gun reform debates across the US. Go inside the Church of the AR-15, founded by the son of the man who created the Moonies - kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6PJeKyla62Elac

[@missmillies7237]

Just imagine being a cult leader watching this, you'd be in stitches😂🤣

[@bybrum]

Yeah, you want this video gain viewership by referencing it with another video released two days ago. What do you call that, good business strategy?

[@grezaputra1635]

OMG the presenter, is she caity lotz from DC legends of tomorrow??

[@FP19487]

VICE Is that Munchies chick?

[@ShawshankR3demption]

Was this before or after you wrote a story about "Pewdiepie teaching his audience that women are asking for it"? motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/59q98k/pewdiepie-alinity-copyright-feud-twitch-fails lol remember when you wrote this?

[@itskookiekook.]

My parents were moonies and I was born into this cult. The reason my mom left was because you are made to have an arranged marriage at 18 years old and my eldest brother pleaded to her that "[He] wants to marry someone he loves and wasn't ready." Snapped her right out of it. Thankfully she is a good mother who actually listened to her kids.

[@soda-enjoyer]

@@haileyosaurus I'm guessing that you're a moonie who dosen't know that they're are a moonie

[@maxphilly]

I'm familiar with them they don't have fixed marriages

[@maxphilly]

@Aiden Gavin I don't think he needed to join the army to escape. He joined as a product of leaving them behind.

[@daisyflower2784]

@@haileyosaurus Maybe that's part of the cult, projecting a sweet/nice image out to the world while keeping its darker inner workings private and privy only to members. Jerome's Witnesses and the Mormons do the same, I think. But I do agree that you can't always generalise an entire religion, as different sects have different values even if they're under the same overarching religion - for example, Christianity (Catholiscim, Protestant, Orthodox, etc). However, you then also can't do the opposite, which is generalising an entire religion based on one "good" sect. One has to realise that however "good" the sect is, it is still irreparably tied to the main religion and all its flaws imo.

[@haunt7121]

@@haileyosaurus still cultists

[@Jonwikk206]

This guy said, you look at people who have been in cult's and you call them weak and stupid but you don't realize the cult is powerful and misleading.

[@thatsnodildo1974]

HERU X ya i don't think people realize how easy it is to fall into those scams

[@brainflash1]

Everyone is weak and stupid in some form or another. The way to reach them is appealing to their strength.

[@LadyBeritanavatarius]

Psychological manipulation is a more powerful force than people realize... combine that with certain physical stressors, chemicals and restrictions and it's even more so.

[@themanhimself2348]

for like falling in love with an idiot people around you can clearly see that you have fallen for a fool but you stay oblivious. @@thatsnodildo1974

[@hewon6402]

HERU X So deep~fi CULT !!! ♥

[@albtz]

When people are too nice to you, you know something is wrong.

[@albtz]

@Shad Oria Shad Oria Although the lexical definition is unclear, most could usually sense the over-exaggerated or even extreme "friendliness" via the heart/mind.

[@sjulians626]

Пётр amen to that

[@djmuscovy7525]

Yup

[@cbgb1love]

Is there really such thing as too nice? I don’t think so

[@p.r.9982]

Unless you have experienced it, you have no clue how hard this is to discern. I had a former close friend who was to this day the kindest girl I ever met. She was NEVER part of a cult. I've met both cultic and non-cultic kind people. The only difference is "overtime you find out you have been deceived". Nobody would fall for it if it was that easy. Very smart people get sucked in, and it's almost always at vulnerable moments in your life (like him being dumped by his gf).

[@MsAkbar14]

True story, i was in a cult, everything Steve Hassan is accurate, the cult i was into is MULTI LEVEL MARKETING.

[@ajricherson1099]

The worst cult of all, because even when you realize that you were in a cult, all of your friends and family have left you.

[@jacquelineb.l.1170]

Sucks to pay to join

[@fratercontenduntocculta8161]

Amway?

[@nonayurbeezwax]

😂😂😂

[@randomcommenter3819]

Stuck with cydcor over here.

[@jakfearon2945]

I was born and raised in a Jehovah's Witness family, and got out when I was about 17. Most of my extended family is still in it, and it's heart breaking to know how they treat the ones who leave. Having been the first one to to leave way back when, I'm of course the devil incarnate (hah!) but because of that I'm also typically the first point of contact for the family members who do escape. There are a lot of people out there who say, "Oh, Jehovah's Witnesses are the nicest people! They're not a cult." It may appear from the outside to be loving and kind, but of course they project that to the world. The truth is, sadly, that they are indeed a very destructive cult.

[@wilhelmheinrich7502]

Jenna Fearon I roomed with a JW when I was working on a construction site. That was all he wanted to talk about when we were in the car going back to our room.

[@guayaquilindependiente8763]

Jenna Fearon Not sure what you’re talking about... no one in their right mind thinks, “oh a Jehovah witness... they’re not crazy at all”. Every single one of the people I’ve met who are a member, are freakin nuts, and they will argue with you, with this very specific script they’re provided, as to make you think that you’re wrong. Completely nuts.

[@Chromwel-A]

I need more information of how they are very destructive, since I never met them, I kinda want a... you can say description. Is it because of their unhealthy obsession over their belief? I only got one description from you said: persecution or judgment towards people who left them or has different beliefs. I want to know what else, do they try really hard at recruiting that at some point they also insult you for not accepting them? Do they also do something else that is more extreme? I want to know their methods and behaviors.

[@bonbossa6074]

I escaped too!! Congrats to you! 🥳🥳

[@SeeYaLove-lh3db]

My parents are Jehovah's Witnesses, in my teens I realised ha well I'm agnostic, can't say I relate to your experience ,maybe your parents are just nuts in fact I find Christianity as a whole to be annoying quite the same,their beliefs are to the most part the same, just JW are just much more into following what they believe, I get along with my family just fine,

[@morgantaylor4431]

My parents met in the moonies. It’s crazy to me that I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for a man that “matched” my parents together in a room full of people

[@VicmundLim]

No offense but are you still in the cult?

[@rienziecasallas8267]

Second Gen forever.

[@ipassingthrough]

Haha I'm with you. I wouldnt be here either

[@kellylyons1038]

Dont worry, you would have come into this world to your mother in some way or another. You dont owe your life to that marriage arrangement!

[@VisenyaAtoms]

@@kellylyons1038 I mean, scientifically speaking.. no she wouldn't have lmao a person is made of both their mother and father's genetics.. if another man had had a child with her mother, especially later considering women shed their egg every month, the makeup would have been different and very much *not* her. lol But it's ok. I'm the product of rape and people constantly scream about how people like me just shouldn't exist anyway. You are right in latter anyhow, no one owes anyone their lives for simply existing

[@Asa...S]

People should learn about cults in school, so they would recognize their methods and how they operate, so they will have that in the back of their minds.

[@maxpulido4268]

People will sue because public school is supposed to be secular. The private schools won't implement it because it might make the kids distance themselves from their faith.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@elicxc]

@@moonalisa392 the bible that You read is edited!

[@moonalisa392]

@@elicxc its a word of one true God.

[@mykodibear17]

@@maxpulido4268 Right? We can't even get most school in America to teach proper sex ed or about mental health.

[@christanom7484]

I joined a cult thinking it was just an ordinary church. One of the things we all had in common as congregants is that we were all new to Christianity. Within 6 months I went from doing very well as an engineering student to failing all of my modules. I was constantly paranoid and hallucinating so eventually I dropped out of university because I believed that the only person who could help me was this pastor and I was told if I left I would die.. It took me 2 years to escape, and even up to today im still being threatened and harassed. The most difficult part was starting my life from scratch, going back to finish my degree and trying explain to people what had happened. I don't wish it on anyone to be lured into a cult

[@jjones391]

WOW😢 I too had the same experience, I was doing great in graduate school until I got in a relationship with one.. This is so difficult to explain for anyone to understand.. Because they are very great at love bombing so everyone believe they are very nice.. In close doors there's a very dark side to them. Most especially the men !!

[@user-jy3zl2vp4b]

I had friend like you in college, I wouldn't join, they did. I wonder how they are now. I miss them. Good on you for going back to school. You are amazing.

[@MBB563]

Im a Christian, faithful devout and believe with all my heart that Jesus is my Lord and Savior, who has redeemed me and given me a chance to a new life, and most of all eternal life. That said, I have never followed a man, or given my life to an organization or man made doctrine that has exiled me from the rest of the world. Im free, to work, to be with my friends, my family....Im free to choose, to enjoy my hobbies and sporting life. Where in Christianity or the bible does it say we must become a slave to a pastor or anyone that hides us from society?? ...sure as Christians we refrain from drunkenness, drugs, sleeping around, cursing, lying, etc etc....thats the point, to be free of the worlds vices or sins that enslave us. We are free to choose, and to walk in peace and freedom with our LORD. Yes we live a life of obedience, meaning not to be hypocrites, preach righteousness but then live in debauchery living. We have reverence and respect for what Jesus did on the cross. We enjoy life thru thru our Savior, the light of the world . I never understood how Christians use the bible to manipulate and control others into thinking they are a chosen few who must live in a bunker, wearing rag tag clothing, worshipping a guru who enslaves you into serving his needs. Sorry but you did not follow Christianity, you followed a diabolic regime that used Christianity to make it seem more appealing. That was your idiotic decision. Dont tarnish a beautiful book that has saved millions of people.

[@arapaimagold8088]

Since old testament, God accept the worship of faithful one. If God take back His words and change. Then we can seek another God that never break His own words.

[@stevenaumovski1221]

After being nearly into a number of cults I went back and did a PhD in engineering and have my own business.

[@Dead_Last]

He looks past middle aged but speaks like he's in his early 20's. We all need his mindset.

[@ggteew]

Ppl who are passionate abt their fields have a yputhful energy. That is what you were hearing.

[@Niggro07]

Most people in their early 20's aren't this articulate.

[@prawngravy18]

It's not a mindset, get the fuck outta here with your feel good shit. He is just a happy man who speaks like humans should speak.

[@thorkrynu4551]

You get free of a cult and you might just be rather happy and free lol. Claustrophobic little worlds.

[@melharis4451]

@@no.8466 oh shit, we got a badass over here

[@DesVoador]

I don't understand why these are so short. It's not really beneficial for the subject matter, and doesn't KZbin reward longer videos? Please make these longer :(

[@markrobless6245]

2018 vice in a nutshell basically Video about interesting topics and which have a lot of depth to them - 10 minutes Can your dog smoke weed? - 30 minutes

[@DesVoador]

@Partial Sapien ah yes, the classic "aggressive for no reason whatsoever" comment. Thank you my dude

[@irrlicht321]

I figured those are teasers and you have to go to their website or pay them to get more, but I never actually checked. I'd like to see the full thing as well.

[@DesVoador]

@@irrlicht321 If that's the case they could at least make it more evident. Still, I hope there's a full version to this thing

[@tylercummings5045]

Gabriel Dal Molin This video is like a teaser/trailer to the second part or other video about the group and leader. Its the first link in the bio on this video. There is more to this, another 30 minutes of it to be exact

[@shellybee9322]

I was raised in a cult that my grandmother brought the family into. When you are in it they emphasize how you are special because you know/experience a truth/life that the average person doesn’t.

[@denisehayes2298]

May I ask what cult it was?

[@mr.mrs.d.7015]

Thats how my Mom got into QAnon :(

[@shellybee9322]

@@denisehayes2298 I’d rather not say. They have attacked me online enough.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@sweetapple122]

I was born from this cult myself. It’s really nice to see more former members speak up about it finally.

[@themore-you-know]

Do you know of some aspects that still influence your life and person to this day?

[@mrfattcatt]

Its not a cult

[@Hiroheim]

@@mrfattcatt you must be part of it

[@neiltagyab2427]

Yes, like sin and stuff, but i bet I'd be far bad person if their was no conscious reminders.

[@MrValarMorgoth]

My parents were wed on one of moonies mass weddings. Thank god they left it.. they are still happily married thanks to God. My aunt got it worse.. she still fanatically believe in their teachings. She's beyond saving I am afraid.

[@BUDbizWIZ]

Matěj ...my story is the same as you.. my aunt and all her children won't quit with this Moonie thing! I've had to severely distance myself.

[@xlynna2612]

I feel you. Both of my parents got married into the cult and separated years later. My dad fortunately was able to get out of it, but my mom is still brainwashed. Sad to say I have little contact with her

[@worldtankfun4576]

Did you speak with your Aunt about it or just assumed you have the best judgement ?

[@morgantaylor4431]

Same as you! My parents met in new York had a mass wedding at Madison square garden

[@commonman9782]

I advice pray to God to save her

[@crazymachines3388]

Came here after Japan former minister Shinzo Abe Incident...

[@giddyghoul7010]

What happened?

[@danabaker996]

I don’t think there is a benign cult. A cult is a cult. I like his honesty about being ashamed and how he was entrapped.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9 Mat. 22:8 🤵👰‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. "

[@marmackk]

There is indeed such a thing as a benign cult and unless you take the tiime to study both or had the very unfortunate ecperience of being in a destructive cult then you will not appreciate the major diffetences between two.A cult is simply amything with a following.So an example of a benign cult is the fan club of a famous musician.Unlike destructive cult a benign cult lets you know what you are getting into upfront in terms of ecpectations and requirements. You know the bottom line before you get involved..They do not separate you from friends and family who are not in the group.You can talk to who you want to talk to and read what you want.And if you change your mind you can leave with without suffering serious ramifications. .You are basically in control of your life. You cant put the ordinary run of the mill church or fanclub with groups like The Manson Family,Peoples Temple,Heavens Gate,Scientology.Steven is a cult expert who is a practising Jew that operates very very diffetently from the Moonies.

[@bads1000]

@@moonalisa392 But I brought salad.

[@moonalisa392]

@@bads1000 salad with young coconut meat ?

[@RokkitGrrl]

@@moonalisa392Blessed is the mind too small for doubt - Warhammer 40,000

[@JLynnEchelon]

Honestly, if you come to Korea and people come up to you and want to have a conversation, run the other way immediately. There are SO MANY here. I would have actually loved to hear more from Steve about the Moonies specifically rather than cults generally.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@Thedevilisaliar23]

@@moonalisa392wake up from your sleep

[@khezya9491]

Omg I literally almost got recruited for the 4th time in my university campus in Korea, its actually so exhausting like leave me aloneeeee!!!

[@RibbitFrog90]

He did an interview with Leah remini too on her show explaining himself, the cult he was in and a lot of other insightful things. As an outsider looking in its so easy to judge and form our own opinions. Unless you’ve been there you truly don’t know. Thank you for waking up and speaking up.

[@mikhailabunidal9146]

Saw it , he even appeared in this reality show about her and her husband left the cult of Scientology

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@orangpendak]

Those mass weddings remind me of The Handmaids Tale

[@TheRealCaptainFreedom]

fuzzylittlemanpeach LOL your mom reminds me of The Handmaid’s Tale.

[@VestaJ17]

@@TheRealCaptainFreedom wtf looooool

[@TheRealCaptainFreedom]

Ves†a_J I try to have a little fun here.

[@CourtTV.]

I knew the wedding reminded me of something.

[@hewon6402]

fuzzylittlemanpeach It's the marriage of the lamb that mention in the bible.♥

[@noheapai4145]

My brother was a Moonie. One day he called and said he was leaving and I wouldnt see him for a long time. My parents tried to find him and stop him but he refused to come home. He was young just graduated from high school like this man.... we didn’t see him for 7 years.... finally he came home to talk about his this huge wedding he’s going to take part in.... we noticed then that he seemed brainwashed. A few years later he left the cult and moved back home. He’s now living a “normal” life.... I was young and didn’t really understand the whole idea of a cult so to watch this and other videos is sad to see what my brother had to go through.

[@conniemcnair8758]

I am sorry to hear, and so glad he is out.

[@user-jy3zl2vp4b]

The same happened to my brother. We finally got him out, but a few weeks at college he met a girl that love bombed him. He dropped one cult but she manipulates him just like a cult. He didn't get deprogrammed before returning to life. Now he is completely brainwashed and has no concept of himself she does all his thinking for him. Our family is devastated.

[@bads1000]

My brother got caught up in the Moonies in the late 70s. Still there. I used to try to convince him how idiotic the "church" was, and how badly he had been fooled. No use. What a waste of a decent human being.

[@vinobody]

@@bads1000 I got caught up in 79 in San Francisco...I eventually left six weeks later and it was the only time of my life I considered suicide as I felt so guilty and weak to escape God's plane for me and the world...ur brother can't listen to rational facts, he must be entangled in his emotions...just let him know you will welcome him and put him up if he chooses to visit. Only his guardian angel could lead him out of the cult, your arguments can't reach him ...he's a believer...

[@QWER-wv5kn]

통일교는 100% 사이비종교입니다. 그리고 더 무서운것은 통일교는 미국정부랑 연관되어있고, 일본의 정치집단 자민당이랑도 연관되어있다.

[@Bentot2000]

This is so true. I was a member of this cult before. They will ask you to recruit, sell any items that can gain lots of profits, fund raising (or begging for money (LOL) . Our food are mostly from donations. We usually ask for food/produce left overs at different wet markets.

[@zeahnnhontiveros3550]

Ohhh~~😮

[@moonalisa392]

I experienced it too. 🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@roentgen8804]

i did too 😭😭😭😭☠️☠️☠️

[@roentgen8804]

that's called food raising

[@fluidchant]

I love Steven's explanation of a benign cult and how precisely he lists the techniques used by cults for recruitment!

[@moonalisa392]

Its witnessing Mat. 22:8 🤵👰‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. "

[@kishascape]

These are the original K-pop Stans

[@TheSirenmuse]

Years ago, pre internet, I was 19, and like Steven approached by several young people, invited to a gathering. At first I thought I liked that they seemed so inclusive, having grown up in a multi cultural home, at first they lured me in, knowing I was an artist, "Oh we have a piano for you to play, friends, food..." I went, everyone was sooooo nice, a little circle gathering, we were all 18 or 19 it seemed. I think there was a lecture, something felt a bit off, though there was mention of a retreat, would I like to come? Thankfully I didn't go, though I did run into them once more. Not the first time someone tried to lure me into a cult, fortunately my BS meter went on overdrive. I even run when I get wind of MLM's. Though I can understand how one can be pulled in, I was nearly there.

[@chamonix2602]

Any religious group will be extra-friendly with you, until you join them.

[@ThelPic]

@@chamonix2602 there's a term for this behavior, it's called love bombing

[@FluoxetinaBelcher]

What does mlm mean?

[@ladydiamondprisca]

I've been approached by such a group but I could tell right away what they were up to. Still I went to a nearby restaurant with them and we talked. I told them about my life as a struggling Christian and my student life (I was in college then). They wanted me follow them elsewhere but I gently declined and went home. They were all in their early 20s as I was at the time. I still think about them every now and then.

[@Galloway278]

@@FluoxetinaBelcher multi level marketing and they are cults. Definitely look into it so you don’t get duped one day.

[@Fankeybottle123]

im back to rewatch because of Abe

[@JupiterLatte]

Wait, this isn't about Sailor Moon... 🤔

[@puny5417]

Lol. 🤣🤣 Oh God

[@thegoodwin]

😆😆

[@breeyatchful]

Eric the Lavender 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@NipponAsahi]

No moon in S. Korea.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@chocaren4602]

Sadly the new moonies is the Shincheonji church here in Korea, thanks to them the covid19 is out of control.

[@justicelover5497]

My fiancée was stolen by Shincheonji and they advised her to shun me.

[@annwilliams6438]

@@justicelover5497 So sorry.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@jeffmint5472]

"Moonies Never Say Die"

[@srod8818]

U sound like a moonie

[@904czv4]

Crap Bag lol. Good movie!

[@kevinmccormick5453]

Lol

[@WowJustWow37]

😂

[@taintflap9132]

🤣🤣🤣guts

[@BadEconomyOfficial]

I remember being in a couple of Bible groups that were cults in disguised, one leader tried to destroy my personal life by forcing relationships and other weird stuff on me, when he asked me if I would be coming back to the group. I told him, “ What you mean that cult you started?” he just looked at me speechless then he said, “Uhhh..... I don’t think it’s a cult.” I simply replied, “It sure seemed like a cult to me!” He had no words to say.

[@lucyroth2671]

As a cult survivor, I can so relate to this video. Especially the kissing a person part. I literally thought for years that the LAST trumpet would sound and I was going to hell if I even thought about sex too long.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@LifeWithJessieLee]

My bestfriend was recruited into this cult about 8 years ago. She got out once and was lured back in and I haven’t seen her since. I have been the the center and seen where she lives but I would do anything to get her out of the moonied cult.

[@Fromtheforgottengardens]

Did she felt left behind or not part of a friend circle.

[@moonalisa392]

I hope you will see your friend . .. 🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@GreatYeondu]

I was almost kidnapped from my own place in Korea by a cult. I can't remember if it was a moonies cult but was similar. Something to do with "mother god" and the "water of life bride". I regret not secretly filming it on my phone but will defo be doing that if it happens again.

[@CraftyFoxe]

Probably not. Moonies use terms like True Father & True Mother, the blessing,

[@user-gp6lq5bi6u]

It might be 하나님의 교회 if they used terms like '어머니 하나님'

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

So sorry do you have to live through those crazy and dangerous moments, I can't understand people that still defend this evil cult or any of them.

[@camillewilliams3185]

Should like the World Mission Society Church of God or something like that. They believe in the Heavenly Mother- which is not Biblical at all

[@bradbryant332]

Steven and I were in the cult at the same time, were both fundraising captains....and we both fell asleep while fundraising, not sleeping and driving a van, and both got in an accident driving! Amazing similarities....I was in Headquarters (Washington D.C. under the president, Neil Salonen...followed my highschool friend, Marc Lee into the cult. Fortunately I was able to find my way out after 2.5 years. Some friends stayed 30 years...some are still there. Moon taught that he was the 2nd coming of Jesus!

[@moonalisa392]

I still alive today .🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@lilithpowers9686]

I'm so glad you made it out alive!!!

[@Ebrill_Owen]

As a Sailor Moon fan I think it’s time the fandom finds another thing to call ourselves other than “Moonies” because I really do not wanna be associated with this lmao. On a more serious note cults are terrifying and it’s terrifying how easily you could get sucked into one. Cults are like rip currents!

[@alishaanimations3058]

Be fr

[@vickysebastian9278]

Here after Abe's death...

[@captainaffection]

Same

[@maneckineckbeard1749]

You’re such a role model for me, Mr. Hassan! I don’t have words for how grateful I am to you for doing what you do, and being who you are.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@tenniscourt5831]

The exact same thing happened to my sister in the 70s. Luckily she was very strong and Independent. She also loved her stuff( like her stereo) more than the spiritual crap and escaped.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@bads1000]

@@moonalisa392 Stop with the lamb supper already! Getting really hungry!

[@pikabiga]

Everything this guy says is so reminiscent of the stuff I went through 😭😭 as someone who was also young and impressionable, I realized as soon as I got into college and away from my church cult how fucked up they really were. I wish this interview were longer. Just hearing how other people escaped and are kinda looking back at how insane their group was is something I identify with. Insane.

[@ciaa8387]

aetherisc there’s a lot of great documentaries on cults. You should watch the one on The Children of God and FLDS

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@GNOSisYOU]

I just know about it today from Shinzo Abe's assassination.

[@twistedtitan5485]

Was he a moonie??

[@GNOSisYOU]

@@twistedtitan5485 I don't know, but surely the conglomerate cult has a connection with many powerful insiders in Japan, and they need to brainwash more and more people as they can in order to maintain their existence. Old age society and conservative political party with their brainwashing regime is kind of a perfect combination, so powerful people in Japan will never change this regardless of the shrinking population and economy. The whole system is rotting, I guess.

[@charlottedadzie2777]

I went through a somewhat similar experience. There was a girl who asked me if I wanted to join their Bible studies. I thought she was a student who was trying to start a Bible study. And she greeted me like she knew me it was really weird. I did about three Bible studies with them and told my club leader about them and then she warned me that the group was a cult and how they have taken money from people and destroyed them mentally. Once she told me this, I stopped going to their Bible studies. As a psychology major I read about Hassan in my social psych class and learned more about cults.

[@Malbanica]

And on 8 July 2022, Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a victim of this cult

[@ihavenojawandimustscream4681]

@@MermaidMonarchist why did Trump support evangelicals or Erdogan appease conservative muslims? Because religious people provide a solid voting block and often wealthy donors,even if that religion is a cult

[@AclibButLikeTheRealOne]

@@MermaidMonarchist politicians. Trump did too lol

[@user-ys8xe1xd2x]

@@MermaidMonarchist I am Japanese. Many Japanese conservative politicians have provided support because Moonies has an anti-communist ideology. Shinzo Abe is not Moonnies, but has published a video letter thanking them for their support. The terrorist left a comment to understand Abe's political position, but did so to direct the wrath of the masses towards Moonies.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Wow, I didn't now, he was high ranked in the cult?

[@Malbanica]

@@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq Modern politicians always need money to fund their campains, and large voter group. And if a religion goup has a huge supporter base and deep pocket. It become natural that politicians want to lean to them.

[@waterbaby8360]

Sounds like The Cult of Scientology.

[@dbojangles1597]

I was talking to a scientologist recruiter outside their building in nyc a while back. I just told him that I like my thetans and that settled it.

[@pcbassoon3892]

He was on Leah Remini's show about Scientology. He was targeted by them for being on TV talking about deprogramming.

[@ThanguTech]

Tom cruise actor victim of scientology.i think similar is illuminati. I was shocked when illuminati was selling illegal sex products in facebook and a stupid seller in India was helping illuminati and not good to good business owners.i asked for samples of selling results and she showed the illuminati results for illegal sex toys sales.they need to be arrested.very sad when Facebook had approved such advertising and many good business are not approved.

[@devilsadvocacy]

A lot of parallels, although $cientology cult leader David Miscavidge is arguably one of the most sociopathic people on the planet

[@IDK-ue1gy]

@@devilsadvocacy what the hell is Scientology sounds like something anti-vaxers call science

[@theberrby6836]

I'm so happy that he got out!! Why is this so short? This seems like to should be like an 1 hour long documentary

[@chamonix2602]

I was happily a member of the Unification Church, but not into modern technology. They began subtly cutting communication with anyone who didn't have an "e-mail address". So....my cult escaped from me.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@mmwh5100]

@@chamonix2602 do you mind to share your escape experience from Moonies? Cause I plan to leave it

[@chamonix2602]

@@mmwh5100 I never tried to escape! The hierarchy discovered e-mail before half the members did. They decided to communicate only via internet, without a thought to the rest of us. Then we went to my husband’s home country and they didn’t ever bother to connect. I suppose you could break away gradually, it depends on your situation.

[@eimansfq1860]

is it why ex PM Japan Shinzo abe had killed?

[@CalvinLimuel]

I attended some discussion group meetings which I thought were an interfaith dialogue, but apparently were organized by some Moonies and they were just talking about Moon's teaching. I kept attending for awhile just to actually hear from the followers themselves what they're all about. One is a researcher at MIT. I can't believe how dependent they are on Moon's teachings and how flawed their understandings are on the "holy books" they claim to affirm. Many times I show the errors of their reasoning and how Moon's teachings were taking the old texts out of context, they just thought I just have different some different understanding.

[@arielysmartin9659]

I was almost getting into one of this cults without knowing it, good thing i noticed it. Everyone and everything seemed so nice and too good to be true. There's this organization that's going around in Latin America making a "cultural experience camp" as an excuse to recruite. The thing is people don't know, majority of the persons i saw in the event were the ones that were interested in Korean culture, Kpop fans or members of the "church". I payed 30 dollars to go this event for 3 days straight, on the morning of the second day i noticed the cultish behavior so i stopped even if lost the money.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. Rev.19:9

[@Elzilcho87]

"I don't care if Moon is like Hilter, I've chosen to follow him and I'll follow him to the end!". That's a scary similarity to the masses of people currently worshipping Trump.

[@scientistsbaffled5730]

Politics bro

[@whymypeepeehard7016]

not really, but ok

[@sokolshala485]

Lol the irony is strong with this npc

[@Elzilcho87]

@@sokolshala485 What irony? The cult of Trump does resemble the Moonies. The only thing that's missing is the mass marriages.

[@Elzilcho87]

@olaolapepsiman I guess that'd be because truth doesn't pander to anyone, and it's no one's job to "change their minds", (even though many people have desperately tried for the last 2 years). If they want to feel good about themselves while openly supporting and doing unstable sociopathic things, then they're not mentally healthy people. So again, the cult mentality of the Trump supporter greatly resembles that of other cult members. There's just no other way of putting it.

[@tira9328]

Some guy happened to be a member of mlm group tried to recruit me on the bus on my way back to the city for work. He happened to be sitting next to me. And guess what, there was a heavy traffic throughout the highway and it have extended the original eta from 2 hours to 6 hours. It was horrible. Imagine being forced to be sitting next to someone that wont shut up and keep on pushing you to join something and ask for your contact number and socmed accounts like wtf man. I even bluntly declined yet he was still forcing. But he know what he is doing which the way he forces me doesnt seem like it was aggressive but suffocating. He seems like a genuinely nice and friendly guy just trying to have some little chat while on the bus at first. Damn i am regretting my responses to his early friendliness

[@grandmalovesmebest]

bc i had been on a walker & w/c for awhile, i rode the bus. friendly ppl would accost me at bus stops or sit next to me on the bus and chat. often we would get an interesting conversation going and just as i was about to invite the person for coffee, they would hit me w the "do you know jesus?" line. they were ALWAYS some bogus "pastor" who wanted me to come to "bible study" at their apt or a church basement or a restaurant private room, etc. HOW RUDE bc i would think i was making a possible new friend! But no probs bc i had a double major one of wh was comparative religions, and unless you are a phd in religion, dont even think of arguing w me about it. you will be seriously questioning your faith before the last stop! (gets them every time bc they really have no knowledge they just parrot).😉

[@Ese_osa]

Here after Abe's death

[@osal31991]

In 2022, Japan’s former prime minister, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated by a man called Yamagami who is an ex-member and second generation of the unification church. It is said that his motive was to avenge the church for his financially devastating life caused by the nearly $1 Million donation that his mother made to the church after her husband's death. The PM and his family were known as supportive politicians of the church's start-up in Japan, and the criminal thought it was less meaningful to kill the switchable representative of the church, so he attacked the PM to stop this cult’s outrage in Japan. As Yamagami’s intention, the issue made by this cult has been getting known and rippled in Japan, and people started to demand the government make a restriction against cults, just like in France.

[@ultracapitalistutopia3550]

Few things to clarify: 1. Yamagami is never a member of the cult; 2. Various sources made it clear that Yamagami's motive is entirely for vengeance. He didn't want to think of the consequence his action could bring. We should not glorify Yamagami as some kind of dark hero for social changes. In fact, in his letter for a cult critic, it is suggested he feared his action would bring chaos larger than what he could imagine, although many argue that his action actually brought positive changes to Japan which has been trapped by this cult with inaction from the government for 30 years.

[@IWantToStayAtYourHouse]

@@ultracapitalistutopia3550 he is neither a hero nor villain. But I sympathize with his motivations for killing Abe

[@ilsepasschier2740]

For some reason the voice of the interviewer is soo calming I love it

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@CuriosityCulture]

Steven looks like a cool dude! I would get coffee with him

[@SolomonRasputin]

Harshil Patel then I feel you could be easily indoctrinated if he was still in it.

[@VSM101]

Nah he's indian we don't have a us vs them mindset and everyone is free to read what want and form there own opinions while you seem like a prime target making assumptions based on no evidence.

[@voteZDLR]

@@VSM101 Explain the crime and the rape problem in India then, I would think women are very much feeling it's "us vs them" when they're being violated on a train or something. I am just pointing out that you may on a cultural level think that's even mostly true... I think everyone to a certain extent has an "us vs them" mindset. I will say this though one of my best friends from when I played games online a lot was from India. His name was Rohit.

[@13satyakamsharma]

@voteZDLR I don’t think us v. them has anything to do with rape problem in India. But I do disagree with the utopian view that Indians have no us vs them attitude. Your argument about rape seems like a very uneducated and a forced one!

[@toxicwaste08300]

Then he drags you into a cult

[@Ju2000lo]

now Shinzo Abe is killed for supporting this cult

[@jairusaudwin2605]

is this the same as Unification Church related to Japan Ex PM Abe assassination?

[@dingbangwu8072]

Yes, this is.

[@derpherpp]

I got a group of these freaks in the park ran up to us today. As soon they mentioned their “leader is Moon” guy, I immediately asked them if they’re a cult? They completely denied it.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah they are like rats that hide when they are discovered on their lies

[@Mzee1084]

First rule of a cult is to deny it is a cult.

[@Knights70093]

It's a about time japanese media open up the truth

[@bruhmoment-yc5zg]

They're talking about it on the news too

[@JoshuaYoung2]

Great interview questions. Very thoughtful. Not your typical expected interview questions.

[@stagecoachprepper]

Growing up one of my neighbors family were moonies. They tried to recruit my brother. That was when my parents taught us what cults were.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@asoggyflipflop]

@@moonalisa392wake up

[@rosescentedembrace]

I accidentally joined this same cult when i was a Senior in high school. What he's saying is so true. It felt so welcome and loved and i was so young and stupid. thankfully i moved away from there and only realized later in life what it was.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@roxanateodora8874]

“Only Korean will be spoken” 😂 that will NEVER EVER happen

[@ebencipe]

Roxana Teodora On a second thought... kpop is everywhere... not a kpop fan btw

[@voodoo-fx5jl]

Will u be my online girlfriend?

[@nonayurbeezwax]

If he said that to an Arab, he would've been set straight in a sec!

[@TheMaster4534]

*laughs in Rising Sun*

[@zaph2580]

Meanwhile, Islam believes only Arabic will be used in heaven and at the end of the world.

[@allykins1767]

My dad says the moonies used to go on the corners and sell flowers. He bought some flowers from them for his then girlfriend and was horrified when the girl’s father told them that they were a cult and he had just inadvertently supported them.

[@CraftyFoxe]

I'm pretty sure they still sell flowers

[@jimfoard5671]

I was a hard core believer in Buddhism when I was invited to dinner with the Moonies back in 1973 in Berkeley California. My Moonie spiritual parents were Matthew (Jamie) Morrison and Beth. I knew the four Morrison siblings, Matthew, Kristina, Jennifer and Bonnie Elizabeth and Jeremy Schnee. For some reason I had special treatment and lived in Martin (Mose') Durst's house in Piedmont with three other college students instead of in the cramped sardine packed houses on Dana and Regent. I think I even had the luxury of having my own bed. Onni (the charismatic leader of the Berkeley/Oakland Moonies) wanted me over there for some reason. I met her early on and even had a private meeting with her within my first couple of weeks. I wanted to leave a few times, but Onni personally insisted that I should stay. So I stayed with them for about three or four months. I thought the three younger Morrison siblings were very nice people. Kristina (Onni's right hand woman) loathed me and I didn't care for her either. She was a frightening person. I'm not a coward, but she really unnerved me. I finally left after going through the Booneville experience and selling flowers and learning that they thought that God was like some cosmic Energizer battery made out of yin and yang. The way I escaped was interesting. One day the flower van dropped me off in a section of San Francisco where a large Buddhist Monastery was. It just so happened I knew the Abbot and the monks in the Monastery, so I walked through the doors of the temple with my flower bucket, offered my flowers to the three large Buddha statues, found myself a meditation cushion (it was meditation time when I arrived), curled up into half lotus position and stayed for about a month. The team leader had no idea what happened to me. Interestingly, I wanted nothing to do with Christianity before meeting up with the Moonies, but afterward I became interested in the Bible, and a few years later trusted Jesus as my Lord and became a Christian, so the Unification Church was actually kind of a stepping stone for me from Buddhism to Christ except their ideas about God and Jesus were all wrong. My life has been a struggle since then in many ways, it has not been easy, but I trust in the Lord. God bless you.

[@junghjoo6002]

"God was like some cosmic Energizer battery made out of yin and yang" lmao XD they probably didn't explain it that well, but the concept is similar. We (Moonies) do believe that God has aspects of Yang and Yin (as the world also has duality, and so must the creator), but essentially, we see Him as an Emotional (heartisitc,) Intellectual (True and Logical), and Willful (conscious being) being, who is our Parent! The energizer battery was probably referring to the concept that all things cannot exist without God. In this created world, if one thing doesn't have a relationship with at least one other object, it cannot exist. All things in this world need give and take (atoms need give and take in order to become something for example). God is the one that gives everything the ability to make relationships. He's the "in between" in a sense. He fills all the gaps. So basically, we believe that God is our Parent, a being that encompasses the perfected unity of dualities, and that he is the reason for all existence. I hope that kind of clears up the theological understanding that the Moonies have haha.

[@junghjoo6002]

Also, may I ask what makes you think the Unificationist understanding of God is all wrong? Also, I'm glad you've made your way to Jesus

[@jimfoard5671]

@@junghjoo6002" First and foremost there is the testimony of Moon's life and the life of his family. It is very obvious that they were and are to this day far from being the perfect family. Far from it. Secondly there is the witness of scripture. "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. 5Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things." "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds." 2Corinthians 11:3-6; 13-16. "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:6-9

[@junghjoo6002]

@@jimfoard5671 His family may not be perfect, but you have to realize that every person has free will whether they're borne from a perfect man or not. Meaning, that Rev Moon can be perfect while his family still fails to be. While he has ability to influence them, in the end, it is ultimately their decision to be good or not. Regarding the verses you gave, I would like you to take an actual look at the gospel that Rev Moon preached, and tell me exactly what part of it is perverted. From my understanding, it is quite consistent with the bible when you actually take the time to study the principles that Moon offered. Also, "their end will correspond to their deeds" in second Corinthians you mentioned is true - their end WILL correspond to their deeds, meaning, the fruits of the labor that Moon produces would reveal whether or not he was a bad person. So take a look at some of those fruits - he's established an Abel United Nations, created international orginizations devoted to establishing world peace and for unification, practically saved the fishing industry in America (which the significance is something that can't be explained in short, sadly), etc, etc. Overall, these seem like pretty good fruits, so his deeds that correspond, must also have been good. I also want you to consider this as well - every religion, no matter how wonderful the founder may be, has corrupt and bad people. Every one has free will as God ordained, therefore, people do make evil decisions even when they say they follow a good man / woman. So instead of taking a look at the Unification church, I want you to actually look at Moon for who he is and what he taught. If you put no effort into understanding those two points, there is no good argument you can make.

[@jimfoard5671]

@@junghjoo6002 There is a saying in Christianity: The New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New. So let us look back into the Old Testament. Let us see if there is any indication that the Messiah was meant to die and shed His blood for our sins from the Holy Scriptures of the Hebrews. Let us go back to the story of Adam and Eve (Incidently, there were more than a few church fathers as well as clerics in the midieval church who believed that the original sin might have been a sexual sin, so this is no novel revelation coming exclusively from Moon. I don't know what the sin was outside of the Bible. They disobeyed God by partaking of some forbidden fruit that was pleasing to the eyes, good to taste and made one wise, perhaps wise in the ways of the world, knowing good and evil). Immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, they made themselves skins from fig leaves. Afterwards God made them animal skins to wear. Notice that fig leave aprons were made by them. The animal sacrifice for the skins came from God. This was His provision, the death of an animal and the shedding of blood. Next we come to Cain and Abel. Here we have the very first mention of an offering to God, and the record of the first murder in human history. Cain brought an offering from the ground to God, however it was not accepted. Abel, on the other hand, brought a lamb to God as an offering. Remember this, because Jesus was the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. His death was prefigured throughout the entire Old Testament, it was no last minute scramble by God to try and fix things when everything went disasterously wrong. Abel's offering must have included the shedding of the blood of a lamb, or lambs since it could have been more than one, as the Scripture says that he also brought their fat to God. Notice the Scripture says it was the first born of the flock. The New Testament refers to Jesus as the first born from the dead. Now, why was Cain's offering not accepted? For one thing, his heart was not right when he offered it in the first place. He was full of pride. How do we know that? We know that because he killed his brother out of jealousy after God rejected his offering and accepted Abel's. He did everything he did for his own glory, for his own self esteem. And the Scripture said that his works were evil. Cain must have been furious: "Here I went to all this work, I grew my crops, (I got up at five every morning to pray, I fasted; I even fasted for seven days once; I sold flowers out in the rain, it's not fair!) I harvested them, I brought some of my fruit to the Lord, and now He says it's not good enough! But my brother's offering is better than mine! I hate him!". I would submit that if Cain had really done what he did to please God, for God's glory, then instead of being filled with rage, he might have been hurt, and he might have searched his heart, and wondered why God had not accepted his offering. He might have asked God what was wrong. When he talked with his brother he might have asked for Abel's advice for making a proper sacrifice. He might have repented. But he did what he did for his own glory, from self love, not out of love for God. That's why he was angry at his brother when Abel's sacrifice was accepted and his was not. His pride was hurt. And the Scripture tells us that this was the cause of the first murder. This is fascinating: The first murder had a religious motive behind it. The final persecution of Christians during the tribulation will have a religious motive behind it as well. Let us go to a third example. The Passover. In the Passover we see the clearest example of the salvation through the blood of the lamb, of Jesus. When the death angel passed over Egypt, the Jews were instructed to take the blood of a lamb and put it over the door posts of their houses to be spared. The blood of a lamb. Now, it didn't matter that night how nice of a person you might have been, how "loving" you were, what a good communicator you were, what a great personality you had or how much education you had. If you didn't have the blood of a lamb protecting you, then you were going to die. Only the lambs' blood could protect you on the night of the first Passover. You were meant to eat the flesh of the lamb that night. The Lord said "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you." Was God trying to give us some kind of hint here, telling us something about how the Messiah would suffer and die for our sins? "Christian symbolism in the Passover occurs early in the Seder (the Passover dinner). Three matzahs are put together (representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). The middle matzah is broken, wrapped in a white cloth, and hidden, representing the death and burial of Jesus. The matzah itself is designed to represent Jesus, since it is striped and pierced, which was prophesized by Isaiah, David, and Zechariah [But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. (Psalms 22:16) "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over a first-born. (Zechariah 12:10)] . Following the Seder meal, the "buried" matzah is "resurrected," which was foretold in the prophecies of David. It was during a Passover seder that Jesus proclaimed that the meal represented Himself and that He was instituting the New Covenant, which was foretold by Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah ["Behold, days are coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them," declares the LORD. "But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days," declares the LORD, "I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. (Jeremiah 31:31-33) "And I shall give them one heart, and shall put a new spirit within them. And I shall take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances, and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God. (Ezekiel 11:19-20) "I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness, I will also hold you by the hand and watch over you, And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, As a light to the nations, (Isaiah 42:6) ]. The celebration of this covenant has become the ordinance of communion in the Christian Church. At the end of the meal, Jesus took the unleavened bread, broke it, and said that it represented His body. Then He took the cup of wine, which would have been the third cup of the Seder - the cup of redemption. He said that it was the new covenant in His blood "poured out for you." It is through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that we are declared clean before God, allowing those of us who choose to accept the pardon, to commune with Him - both now and forevermore through the eternal life He offers." (The Heavens Declare the Glory of God) "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life". That kind of love is the kind of love that sent Jesus to the cross: "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends". That was the kind of love that God is talking about. The love that bought our salvation cost the Son of God His life. He suffered beating, and scourging, and was spit upon, and mocked, and hung on a cross and died for you and for me, and His death was prefigured throughout the entire Old Testament, and I have only briefly shown a few examples out of many that demonstrate this. Leviticus says: "For it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul". (Leviticus 17:11) Jesus, the Son of God washed the feet of His disciples. Moon struts around like a little banty rooster in a barnyard, living like a king while his followers live in poverty to support him. Jesus pardoned the woman taken in adultery. He offered living waters to the woman at the well who had lived with six different men. Moon refers to American women as "prostitutes". Members of Moon's own family beat their wives. The Bible says "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it." I want to offer a challenge and an invitation to members of the Unification church, some of whom I knew many years ago. My challenge is this: Let go of your pride. Admit that you have been following a false prophet and a false messiah for these many years. This won't be easy, because of your all consuming sense of your own importance, because of your pride in your education and your family heritage it will be very difficult, but I hope that somehow I may be reaching you if you read this.

[@ceeshat]

Next up: Ex-Member Explains How He Escaped The Bronies

[@brainflash1]

Simple: he stopped going on reddit.

[@AllenH718]

Lololol . Thanks for a sense of humor. People getting all political. .. .. its KZbin laugh a little

[@hewon6402]

Morty Additional... There is a spy ,fake , members too.

[@sophiebock9121]

That is what we all need lmao

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@FreedomofSpeech865]

A lot of these cults grab you in your youth when you are still trying to find yourself. I saw their recruiting tactics while I was in college. I was actually invited by who turned out to be a cult member to go to a gathering with live music, I love music of all types so I was in. I was about 19 y.o, but had a very good sense of who I was and of my values. Once I got there I realized exactly what was happening, the person who invited me neglected to say he was with the Moonies. At the gathering, everyone was were overly friendly and in my space which made me distrust them. I the made sure to have no further contact with any of them.

[@camillewilliams3185]

It's crazy how this is giving me MLM/Pyramid scheme vibes. The recruiting practices are way too similar to cults. The over-friendliness was weird for me to see at a World Ventures thing. They use anything any personal info about you to lure you in

[@jungone3925]

hi guys idk if anyone will read this but i was born in this cult and i think i am the luckiest person ever. IMO, i feel like “cult” isnt the right word and i would refer to this group as a community or even my family. im not sure about other countries because i live like across the globe from the country mentioned in my video. but i would like to emphasise that every country has its own members and leaders. yes we belong to the same community and we believe in the same things, but our cultures, how we act, the norms in our countries etc they are all different!! so in my country its simpler. we just aim for world peace and to spread true love to everyone around us. we often have lectures to educate and reflect on ourselfves to improve our own characters. i definitely can say that we are still imperfect, but the way that everyone gathers to learn from each other with such a open heart really touches me. i learnt that some people in the community are less “traditional” in a way that they dont really follow the things that our leaders encourage us to do like praying, doing conditions etc. bcs they are more simple minded and they just simply want to be a good hearted person thats all. so my point is that every country is diff. so any event that happens in a country does not define the community as a whole. reading the experiences of other moonies in the comments made me feel really sad as im still considered quite young and i pity them for not having the same experience as me. the people in my community take care of me and genuinely love me. anyways the purpose of this comment is to tell yall that yes people might have bad experiences but others have good experiences too! so please dont base your opinion just off a few peoples feelings ☹️☹️

[@WholeBibleBelieverWoman]

I met a guy many years ago who had been a Moonie for a while. He was young (in his twenties) and what he did was one day when there was some excuse for him to walk out of the house he walked out and as soon as he had turned a corner and was out of sight started running for his life. He ran as fast and as far as he could. Of course all he had was the clothes on his back and whatever was in his pockets.

[@Zesjajdn]

Seriously I accidentally join this cult for half year, luckily I manage to escape for them. They usually use fundrising or doing some moral work to do recruit their members. They don't tell you what their purpose is rather than twisting some words, tell you that if you want to improve yourself, you should join their brainwashing seminar. In the end they will invite you to join them if you join the classes. Also they don't care about your mind, mental health, your performance in academic, what they want is you to get more money for them and more members

[@QWER-wv5kn]

Moonie. 통일교는 100% 사이비종교이고, 매우 위험하다. 더 무서운것은 통일교는 미국정부랑도 연관되어있다.

[@proud2bpagan]

I'm training to become a mental health counselor....cults are fascinating to me. I am a practicing eclectic Wiccan, but I grew up Southern Baptist. One of my favorite insights about cults is that the moment you say you couldn't be taken in by a cult, you can be. Nobody joins a cult...they join a 'Bible Study Group'..a 'Self Help Group' or a 'Grassroots Movement'.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰 Mat. 22:8 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. "

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah very good points friend. Most people underestimate all the extremely polished mind control technics and advanced tricks of deception that religions and cults have developed and perfected for centuries to get a lot of new members (slaves) one way or the other. I have an aunt that one day went to one of those "self help groups" and when she look in her first visit that it was probably a cult, she try to leave immediately but the evil corrupted bastards wanted to retain her by force, fortunately she started screaming and run very fast to the other door that they where about to block too, and she managed to escape but those crazy people where willing to take her hostage and probably do her worst things, the good part is that the cult was busted and eliminated but there are many more cults and some of them with a lot more power, connections and resources where I live is a fk up world.

[@EmmaTheCowie]

This was a really helpful video for me to watch. I was in what has definitely been referred to as a cult in Scotland. I still find it difficult to call it that. But hearing everything Steven said made a lot of sense. Great work as ever.

[@frankesposito2182]

What was the name of the Scottish cult?

[@EmmaTheCowie]

Frank Esposito it’s called C7. If you google ‘C7 Church, Glasgow’ an article will come up explaining a small portion of what has been going on.

[@bluejysm2007]

@@EmmaTheCowie I'm sorry if you like this video but you are seen one side of a person that was a member but left and very resentful and negative that used violence and even raped innocent members to make they loose their faith and leave with guilty conscience. if you like to know more about the Unification Church here: read the Divine Principle here www.truelove.org/DP/Exposition-of-the-Divine-Principle-2006.pdf Or watch DP lecture: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4XYamBvea50ftE God blesses

[@sampedro9316]

Everyone talks about how bad cults are but never about how horrible the normal everyday alienation and disenchantment of modern life is.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah is very bad, but that still don't justify the massive genocides, atrocities and injustices that all the religions and cults have made and still do till this day. They need to be eradicated and banned for good asap.

[@Mzee1084]

Indeed. This is what cults seek out to take advantage of.

[@raeroa7982]

thank you for your honesty you are an inspiration. wishing you many blessings and a better life in the light and truth.

[@roxanneservaddiso9853]

I love how this man speaks, his voice or articulation is so soothing to me.

[@AngelHaterSk8ter]

M O O N I E S

[@contrarian2496]

Boobies

[@toxicwaste08300]

Booty

[@youtubeshortsareawfulforth2071]

Loonies

[@ansonhu8795]

Hoggies

[@desirelabelle2199]

@@toxicwaste08300 booties

[@southside7025]

He should have known better when he said the whole world will speak Korean

[@johnk3841]

He was a Kpop fan

[@quintusgrobler9088]

하지만 우리는

[@stephi6792]

Lmao not even Chinese hahah

[@Gamgyull]

그치만...

[@ashleyburbank3129]

they are about peace and love and unifying the world threw mixed marriage. which when brought up the way they do comes across as a very peaceful loving idea. but the reality of these people is not crate especially the heads of the religion they're involved in lots of dark Mafia type stuff in Korea and do not hold themselves to the same standards they do drugs and have tons of money and just bad people.

[@swineflu8848]

my uncle is an ex-cult member. thankfully he realized it was wrong and left. he refuses to this day to talk about it. i remember 30 years ago he left our city to go and study in aboard. it was really though for him to fit in and manage to handle it all without any friends or relatives close by. basically he was in a vulnerable place and they knew just that. I'm glad he realized before it was too late. unfortunately he still wasted 5 years of his life working for evil people and he even got married. cult members arent stupid or bad people they are just really desperate for a better life or a miracle and look for hope in the wrong place. i send my prayers to all of them

[@Mzee1084]

Yep. Cults look for lonely people, or people who are down on their luck. Extremist groups seek out the same sorts of people who have that void to be filled.

[@huh2340]

2:00 The hat thing looks like paper crown you get from a BurgerKing.

[@novamane4727]

Proud of him for speaking about his experiences

[@ruzzelladrian907]

2:17 I FELT THAT TOO! It happened to me when I was in Queens. It was so creepy! Two girls approached me and one said, "Hey, beautiful."

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@devon7826]

What

[@myartchannel8205]

This definitely enlivens me sense I talk me my experience in the Billy Meier cult fairly frequently, though more so in blogs these days.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@meheh002]

Thank you for speaking out about this! :)

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@meheh002]

@@moonalisa392 another Moonie troll right here. Perhaps read the whole Mat. 22 so you can better understand this bullshit.

[@space_guy_04]

Now Abe Shinzo is dead because of this Moonies

[@gulagwithahumanface4471]

like half the people commenting on this video are moonie members going "it's not that bad, really" lmao

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah is disgusting and pathetic. Cult Recruiters/Supporters are the scum of the Earth

[@Eddierath]

It requires a specific type of mind to completely be drawn to these. Even in hypnotism , experts claim that there are "types" who are more susceptible to suggestion than others but I have know idea how they can tell such things .

[@amsodoneworkingnow1978]

I am a member of the salvation army, in the 80's one of our young friends and fellow salvationist was recruited into moonies by a girl from uni. He disappeared and eventually another student who was also a salvationist checked things at uni and discovered where he was, of course we were not allowed to contact him nod was his family. No contact allowed by him to us or is to him so how did we get him out. We were not allowed on their properties of to phone write etc. By this time his mother was frantic as he had been medicated for a serious health problem from a young age and she didn't know if he was still accessing medication as the pills had not been taken with him when he left. His parents were not salvationist s but Catholic they begged us to help. We knew where he was and because they knew we were actively looking to get him back he was not allowed of the premises so what did we do......... We are an army we went to war for our brother. Not allowed on their properties find this army's weapons are love, care, compassion AND MUSIC not allowed close enough to speak to him on we will play to him it's amazing how far the sound of a brass band travels, or how loud a megaphone or amplifier carries the voice we will sing to him pray for him and we did but first we cleared it with the police headquarters to hold regular open air meetings on the roads surrounding the house, for 7 weeks 4 times a week and twice in Sunday's we played his favourite tunes sang his favourite songs ( We don't do hymns in the army) he heard his friends voices reading Goes word, reciting poetry, giving testimonies. We never once directed anything directly to him never used his name once never made a negative comment about loonies we just let him hear us and knew he knew we were outside just for him. After 7 weeks we were told he was on a lock down couldn't get out while we were there so we sang him out. He played guitar in a group consisting of four of us him on guitar,myself vocals, best friend and husband bass and drums we wrote a lot of our own stuff so best friend and I got to it and wrote a song about a lost soul struggling to return to faith and how he did so it contained a bit of army terminology that hopefully only be understood and one night we played it then a second time on the friday. Band packs up and we all leave but one of the bandsmen drive a black back taxi a common sight in the area for three hours this taxi circled the area with the 3 of us in the back making regular stops at a coffee shop a little distance down the way at 11pm just as we were deciding to make one more fun we see two young girls who spotting our uniform run towards us we thought things were taking a nose dive, but the younger collapses into my arms in tears turns out there were three salvationist in the group the two girls and my friend who was hiding further down the road behind a wall. Needless to say our hearts rejoiced the girls came from a different city so they came home with husband and I in our car friend and other bandsman took friend to his home in taxi as it would have been well after midnight by time he got to family home and we didn't want to disturb his elderly parents by 9 am both girls families had been informed they were out and with army folks they stayed three days till parents could travel our friend was home eating breakfast with family by 8.30 next day. So never give up if your child friend etc gets pulled in to this type of cult. Love and perseverance works well but faith and prayers work better. This cult really hated the salvation army here in Scotland after that and stopped even approaching our young folks at uni if they didn't know they were linked to the army and started once they realized they were they dropped them like not potatoes.

[@bluejysm2007]

Amsodoneworking now, this is all bla bla bla people like Steve Hassan were invited to study the Divine Principle and at the end of the workshop they ask if you accept and want stay but you are not forced to I attended the workshop with about 20 people about 8 accepted the teachings but did not stay full time with the Church. Hassan want attention and be recognized for writing those psychic books but all that he writes is against the first amendment in the US constitution which gives freedom of religion, sex, race etc. Jesus Christ was called a leader of a cult (sec of the Nazarene) once until emperor of Rome Constantine legalize into a major Religion the Catholic church. Rev. Moon was persecuted because he wants to save this country from Communism and destruction. Please first learn something so your criticism can be right. Here looks at the introduction of the Divine Principle Rev. Moon revelation from Jesus Christ himself and God. kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z4XYamBvea50ftE

[@tracesprite6078]

Wow, this story is so interesting. You were really good to keep on trying to help your friend. It's wonderful that you rescued 3 people, not just one. I think this would make a great movie or a book.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@famousbowl9926]

Salvation army is a cult . I went to the adult rehab center and they gave me a buzz cut forced me to tuck in my shirt and how to dress and go to church service. Uhmm . None of that is needed for drug rehab. Wtf

[@jtsy7499]

Im a korean and I’m surprise that so many people in the world believe this religion.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

They are good liars and manipulative monsters

[@samanthav3141]

Moonies did a LOT of political work for the GOP and was instrumental in establishing the ideology and power of the Religious Right. They showed up at protests en masse, volunteered on campaigns, were staffers on the Hill, and had very close relationships with very powerful people. They were very effective in shaping US politics during the 80s.

[@ssc5140]

Thats a lie. Evidence?

[@musicmaniac0]

SSC The leader of the Moonies owned a popular conservative newspaper the Washington Times. I’d say that’s a perfect example of shaping politics.

[@brainflash1]

Every day the Purge looks like a better idea.

[@LadyBeritanavatarius]

@@brainflash1 Not if you want freedom.

[@paddleduck5328]

It’s amazing how many people don’t know their news site is by the moonies

[@acenanu121]

listening to so many points about how cults recruit and the methodologies pointed my brains directly to all the religions of the world, each trying to propagate their own cult in the same ways...

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah cults and religions are the same crap, the only thing that change is their size, fortune and power, that is why all that all the cults and religions are frauds and lies and need to be errased and banned for good

[@collienstunes]

Thank you for this this is so true. I experienced a form of how a cult feels like as a former student at a Waldorf school- I got there when I was 11 and left with 19 without finishing my a level to make my A-level at a normal state school, this actually happened only a few months ago - the teachers were constantly love bombing their students and reminding them of how lucky they are to be here. At the same time they behaved incredibly toxic, yelling at us, degrading us. Our personality was totally shut off in order to indoctrinate us. And no i am not joking, this is real. They are teaches that don’t succeed in real life so they work at an alternative school where they can feel like they are doing something valuable. And it shows. At this place the pupils adopt unhealthy disorders and spiritual belief systems that are truly brain damaging. When I decided to leave the school, they made a great fuss about it, trying to explain how great their teachings are. It was insane, I felt like I got brainwashed. Lucky enough I am a very intelligent human being myself- without wanting to sound arrogant, sorry in advance- and was able to develop own logic against their indoctrinations, but I regret going there in the first place. I met people their who admitted needing a therapy after this experience and this just proves how sick this place is. The teachers like to call out mistakes and laugh about wrong doings. They compare students to one another, but when you call them out, they act as if they don’t know what you are talking bout, which is called gaslighting. Thing is, for people with depression or narcissistic disorder this place was great, because it gave you a reassurance that you are special - if you follow the rules or made any kind of great achievements. But you were either in or out. I was always out and therefore felt like an outsider. But now I understand that I simply realized that they were liars. Still it was hard to cope with a place like this where you are constantly drawn in by people who want to convince you they know what’s best for you. It os so creepy. I am ashamed of myself for getting too attached especially to this one female teacher who always acted like she looked after you and who got vey personal with the students. I thought she understood me more than anyone else and even told her- after I left the school- that I was in love with her. I immediately knew how this was just a reaction to her fake behavior towards me and of course regretted the whole thing. But I am especially angry at her, because she acts innocent and lurs students in to keep them at this school and shuts down negative critics.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

I am sorry that you have to endure that evil pos psychos

[@AbandonedMaine]

1988, young Navy guy in San Francisco, got invited to a meeting in an apartment. After the presentation, invited to their weekend retreat. Said I'd think about it and accidentally left a hat there. Came back to pick it up the next morning and found the formerly bright eyed people barely coherent. Luckily, I lived on a ship so that they couldn't reach me. Never saw them again.

[@moonalisa392]

🤵👰 Mat. 22:8 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. "

[@matthewl2722]

This is like the "Landmark Forum" everyone always smiling, in a creepy way; I almost got recruited.

[@jerryjones7293]

I am grateful that I escaped a cult recruiting session. Hassan's BITE model was used. I am glad that I was able to warn others about recruiters for "Life Training" and their danger to mental health.

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Good job friend, all cults need to be eradicated once and for all.

[@jbates725]

Exact same ways MLMs prey on vulnerable people. Same tactics.

[@marcderiveau9307]

In 1977, I jointed the cult willingly because I believed what they say that Moon was the second coming of Jesus. And like the apostle I left everything and followed. When we read that Peter left everything to follow Jesus, man says it’s wonderful. If I say I left everything to follow Moon, everyone will say I am stupid. Anyway, three years later I figured out that was not true, so I left

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Good for you, please warn more people about their disgusting lies

[@yuireed0555]

Been a member of WCARP during college days and I can tell its really a fun experience... Travel a lot of places, meeting new people, learn divine principles, public speaking etc...some are bad but there is also lot of good things, no regrets :)

[@52pickupx]

Cool story, bro. Have your ancestors been liberated though?

[@miguel2947]

@@52pickupx 😂😂

[@moonalisa392]

I'm still alive today. 🤵👰 Mat. 22:8 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. "

[@C0wb0yBebop]

The Interviewer is a natural; calm and pleasant demeanor/voice.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@pokie6087]

I was in the moonies aged 18 from 1979 - 1985. I left because I met a woman outside of the church and was given an ultimatum by her. I remember my time in the moonies with great happiness. There was a real sense of family with men and women treating each other as brothers and sisters. I cannot say I can relate to anything being being told here. My time in the unification church was full of joy and I grew as a person to way beyond my years.

[@user-vu9kk5nd1m]

Very nice 👌 comment with you just hoping you and yur wife now same happiness as u experienced during that time...Me too im unifficationist amd blessed in 1995 ... Im so happy with my family 👪 now ❤️ 💕

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

Yeah whatever you say cult recruiter, the Manson family cult members also use to say that they feel like a real and happy family and all that feel good cult fake crap, and look how it ended.

[@pokie6087]

@@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq I'm giving my opinion based on experience. There are two sides to every coin. You're a very hateful person I sense

[@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq]

@@pokie6087 yeah you are right, I hate all religions and cults

[@pokie6087]

@@GabrielMartinez-tf7vq Fine

[@Holly-on6ey]

His story sounds like that of the character "David" from the movie "Ticket to Heaven" which was inspired by the Unification Church. It's scarily accurate too.

[@Serai3]

That is a great movie. It was based on a documentary called "Moonchild". Sadly, I've never been able to find that doc since I saw it on PBS in the late 70's.

[@roninvancouver1]

Very accurate depiction. In the late 70's I spent 2 1/2 years in the Moonies until I managed to escape. For several months after I got out Moonies tried to contact me and played on my guilt. It took me many years before I could be "normal" again and talk about it. I actually personally met Moon in a very small group and he spoke directly to me...he was very charismatic. What did I learn? Many people with good intentions are susceptible to spiritual hogwash (aka brainwashing) and religion with its fanciful metaphors is not needed to be a kind person.

[@mrfattcatt]

Do you speak korean?

[@roninvancouver1]

@@mrfattcatt no...but I sure did eat some tasty Korean food.

[@thisissshe]

The interviewers voice is so soothing.

[@zarailly]

Thanks for this video (Y)

[@kikithepupper6774]

knew a friend who's both parents were from the cult. Were from different countries.. the father was an abusive, raging alcoholic... she really hated her dad

[@optulent4041]

I love how Vice cut him off with the end credits.

[@moonalisa392]

Mat. 22:8 🤵👰 ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.

[@benl308]

My ex's family are moonies. Very strange. Their religion was a priority over their health, financial security and family.