ItsOKtoleave

Children of the Moon

A documentary created by Tymon Brown and Will Klein about growing up in the church.

‘Children of the Moon is a documentary short about the consequences of leaving an all-consuming way of life, and the lasting effects of a radical paradigm shift on one’s relationship to themselves and others.’

Children of the Moon — Will Klein and Interzone Pictures (will-klein.com)

Cults, Explained: Netflix documentary

In this useful episode exploring a range of cults, The unification church is included, with comments from Teddy Hose.

What makes a cult? 1: Charismatic Leader revered as a godlike figure. 2: Doctrinated System of thought control. 3: Exploitation of members. Problems with the term cult. Cults rose to help people through social turbulence. USA especially susceptible to cults. A leader with knowledge is an antidote to upheaval. Not about the belief system, about the methods of manipulation to control members. Seven things that make you vulnerable to a cult: 1. Going through a transition. 2. The soft sell – the first introduction session. 3. A new reality, in a self sealing system. 4. The Dear Leader – the only savior. 5. External enemy – fear of the outside world. 6. Peer Pressure, which creates loyalty to 7. The Sociopathic Narcissist. Loneliness is an epidemic that makes the need for community which can now be met online. Dangerous possibility for reinforcement of alternate narratives. Recovery involves learning and making your own choices

Our politics remind me of the Moonies: Teddy Hose on IndoctriNation podcast

Teddy speaks about ‘a mix of summer camps, banquets, and close bonds in an international community. These pleasant memories came along with parental abandonment, paranoia around sex and the outside world, and prioritizing loyalty toward the super wealthy, sometimes violence from the Moon family.’

I Was Best Friends with the Messiah’s Children: Lisa Kohn on IndoctriNation podcast

Lisa Kohn, author of To the Moon and Back, tells her story on growing up in a controlling environment, perfecting “that Moonie smile”, developing her own point of view, and breaking free.

Growing Up Moonie: Teddy Hose in the Nib Magazine

Teddy illustrates growing up in the Moonies in his cartoon that featured in the Nib Magazine.

Growing Up “Moonie”

Teddy Hose on Cults and Extreme Beliefs

‘Photo-illustrated interview with TEDDY HOSE, a former member of the Unification Church (the ‘Moonies’), known for its unusual practices including stadium-filled mass weddings.’

Growing Up Moonie: Hideo Higashibaba

‘Hideo Higashibaba left the cult he was born into when he was 22 years old. The Unification Church, also known as the Moonies, was founded in Korea by a man named Sun Myung Moon who proclaimed he was the Second Coming of Christ. In Growing Up Moonie Hideo asks people he grew up with what their childhoods were like and shares his struggles to make sense of his weird sheltered youth and the person he grew up to be. Edited and co-produced by Quinn Myers.’

If you would like a transcript of any of these episodes please email Hideo at growingupmoonie@gmail.com.

https://growingupmoonie.com/

‘Whisked Away by the Moonies’ and ‘A Bond that was Life Saving’: Cynthia Lilley and Cathryn Mazer on Indoctrination podcast

Indoctrination podcast features Cynthia Lilley and her struggle to get her daughter Cathryn out of the Moonies when she joined in 1993. Subjects covered include magical thinking, similarities with the 12 step program of AA, suspending disbelief, the need to belong. Cathryn describes the CARP front group that she joined, the workshop and Divine Principle lectures which led to fundraising and living off fast food. After writing an untrue letter to her family, they were worried and tried to get in touch but the leaders told her it was Satan invading. Her mother was prepared for her daughter to be cold and distant and after featuring on the Today Show, Cathryn got out. it.