Unification Church

=== Background and origins ===

On 25 February 1920, Moon was born Mun Yong-myeong in Sangsa-ri ({{Korean|labels=no|상사리|上思里}}), Deogun-myon ({{Korean|labels=no|hangul=덕언면}}), [[Chongju|Jeongju-gun]], [[North Pyongan|North P'yŏng'an]] [[Provinces of Korea|Province]], at a time when [[Korea under Japanese rule|Korea was under Japanese rule]]. His birthday was recorded as January 6 by the traditional [[Chinese calendar|lunar calendar]] (25 February 1920, according to the [[Gregorian Calendar]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=529997&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25 |title=Moon is mourned by sister in N Korea. Agence France Press |access-date=2018-07-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426045225/http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2 |archive-date=2012-04-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Around 1930, his family, who followed traditional [[Confucianist]] beliefs, converted to [[Christianity]] and joined a [[Presbyterian Church]], where he later taught [[Sunday school]].<ref name="massmarr">{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} Unification Church {{!}} Mass Moonie Marriage in the US |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1997/unification_church/34821.stm |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=BBC News}}</ref>

In 1945, Moon attended the Israel Monastery (Israel Jesus Church near Seoul) with his wife, Choi Sun-Kil ({{Korean|hangul=최선길|hanja=崔先吉|labels=no}}; ''Choe Seon-gil''), to learn the teachings of {{ill|Kim Baek-moon|ko|김백문}}, including his book ''The Fundamental Principles of Christianity'' (基督教根本原理 drafted March 2, 1946, published March 2, 1958).<ref name="kkg">{{Cite web |date=2021-09-10 |title=김백문의 기독교근본원리 연재 1 – 국역 서론 |url=http://www.kportalnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=20749 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=기독교포털뉴스 |language=ko}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=교회와신앙 |url=http://www.amennews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=8687 |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=www.amennews.com}}</ref><ref>[https://iss.ndl.go.jp/books/R100000002-I000001449787-00 "淫教のメシア・文鮮明伝" 萩原遼編]</ref> After [[World War II]] and the [[Korea under Japanese rule|Japanese rule]] ended in 1945, Moon began preaching.<ref name="massmarr" /> In 1946, Moon traveled alone to [[Pyongyang]] in [[Communist]]-ruled [[North Korea]].<ref name="CNN OBIT">{{cite news|title=Rev. Moon, religious and political figure, dies in South Korea at 92|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/02/world/asia/south-korea-reverend-moon-dead|access-date=16 June 2013|publisher=CNN|date=3 September 2013|first1=Richard|last1=Greene|first2=K.J.|last2=Kwon|first3=Greg|last3=Botelho}}</ref> He was arrested on allegations of spying for South Korea and given a five-year sentence to the [[Hŭngnam]] [[labor camp]].<ref name="WP Obit">{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Emma|title=Sun Myung Moon dies at 92; Washington Times owner led the Unification Church|url=https://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-09-02/world/35496666_1_sun-myung-moon-unification-church-tyndale-university-college|access-date=12 June 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|issn=0740-5421|date=2 September 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928012629/http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-09-02/world/35496666_1_sun-myung-moon-unification-church-tyndale-university-college|archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref>