Changes

==History==

==History==

Sun Myung Moon was born and raised in what is now [[North Korea]], during a period in which it was under imperialist [[Japan]]ese dominion. Moon's parents mainly adhered to [[Confucianism]] until they converted in 1930 to the [[Presbyterian]] church in Korea, when Moon was around 10 years old.  During the  Japanese occupation, the Presbyterian church--along with many other faiths--was the object of Japanese persecution. It was also a time during which various degrees of spiritual innovation was taking place. Although for a short time Moon was taught in the Presbyterian [[Christian faith]],  he states that on [[Resurrection Sunday]] in 1936 (when he was 16) he saw a vision of [[Jesus]], in which he was commissioned "to restore God's perfect kingdom", and that he would be "the completer of man's salvation by being the Second Coming of Christ",<ref>Sun Myung Moon and The Unification Church, James Bjornstad, p. 9</ref> though minor variations of this message are given. Moon would be known as the "Savior, the Lord of the Second Advent, the Messiah".<ref>Today's World, September 1992, pp. 20-21</ref>  In a similarity to men such as [[Joseph Smith]], the founder of [[Mormonism]], and Emanuel Swedenborg, founder of [[Swedenborgism]], Moon claimed that he conversed in the spiritual realm with [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]], [[Mohammad]], [[Buddha]] and other notables of other faiths.<ref>The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions, Keith Crim, editor, p. 775</ref><ref>''Outline of the Principle'', Level 4, p. 2, 1980</ref>  

Sun Myung Moon was born and raised in what is now [[North Korea]], during imperialist [[Japan]]ese occupation. Moon's parents mainly adhered to [[Confucianism]] until they converted in 1930 to the [[Presbyterian]] church in Korea, when Moon was around 10 years old.  During the  Japanese occupation, the Presbyterian church--along with many other faiths--was the object of Japanese persecution. It was also a time during which various degrees of spiritual innovation was taking place. Although for a short time Moon was taught in the Presbyterian [[Christian faith]],  he states that on [[Resurrection Sunday]] in 1936 (when he was 16) he saw a vision of [[Jesus]], in which he was commissioned "to restore God's perfect kingdom", and that he would be "the completer of man's salvation by being the Second Coming of Christ",<ref>Sun Myung Moon and The Unification Church, James Bjornstad, p. 9</ref> though minor variations of this message are given. Moon would be known as the "Savior, the Lord of the Second Advent, the Messiah".<ref>Today's World, September 1992, pp. 20-21</ref>  In a similarity to men such as [[Joseph Smith]], the founder of [[Mormonism]], and Emanuel Swedenborg, founder of [[Swedenborgism]], Moon claimed that he conversed in the spiritual realm with [[Abraham]], [[Moses]], [[Jesus]], [[Mohammad]], [[Buddha]] and other notables of other faiths.<ref>The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions, Keith Crim, editor, p. 775</ref><ref>''Outline of the Principle'', Level 4, p. 2, 1980</ref>  

Moon established his first congregation in 1946, titled the ''Broad Sea Church''. In 1948 Moon was excommunicated by the Presbyterian Church, and a short time later was imprisoned and tortured by the North Korean authorities,  and was soon released but was arrested and imprisoned again, remaining so until the camp was liberated by American and U.N. troops in 1950. Moon relocated to South Korea, and began a church in a refugee camp in Pusan. In 1954 Moon registered his church as ''The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity'' (HSA-UWC). In 1955 South Korean authorities arrested Moon for draft evasion, and later adding charges of adultery and promiscuity. However, the government could not prove its case and Moon was released. <ref>James Bjornstad, ''Sun Myung Moon & The Unification Church'', p. 11</ref>  

Moon established his first congregation in 1946, titled the ''Broad Sea Church''. In 1948 Moon was excommunicated by the Presbyterian Church, and a short time later was imprisoned and tortured by the North Korean authorities,  and was soon released but was arrested and imprisoned again, remaining so until the camp was liberated by American and U.N. troops in 1950. Moon relocated to South Korea, and began a church in a refugee camp in Pusan. In 1954 Moon registered his church as ''The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity'' (HSA-UWC). In 1955 South Korean authorities arrested Moon for draft evasion, and later adding charges of adultery and promiscuity. However, the government could not prove its case and Moon was released. <ref>James Bjornstad, ''Sun Myung Moon & The Unification Church'', p. 11</ref>