Meeting Hoon Sook Moon in Paris

Christopher Davies
October 1, 2012

I have limited experience of the Unification Church-USA experience, apart from 120 Day workshop in The World Mission Center / New Yorker and working with One Way Productions re. INCHON in Los Angeles.

What I was taught in 1968 in London, UK, was based on "Divine Principle and Its Application" by Young Oon Kim, and that still remains the bedrock intellectual basis for my faith. I suspect she was somewhat sidelined when she was at UTS and that seems a major mistake, both hurtful to her and the American Movement. There is an unfortunate tendency for would-be religious people to create idols and this may be what you mean by "the cult of Rev Moon's lineage"; but I think in so far as that existed -- and I suspect still does for some people, it was merely a facile and rather juvenile interpretation of Father was teaching. Mother's recent emphasis on teaching basic Divine Principle cuts right through this -- and I am convinced that Hyung Jin Nim -- and Yeon Ah Nim, are the real deal.

I was fortunate to see the Universal Ballet in Paris yesterday and to hear and meet personally Hoon Sook Nim / Julia Moon. Something about her moved me -- totally unexpectedly -- to tears when she entered the room, quietly, humbly, without any pretense whatsoever. She herself all but choked up a number of times as she spoke about Father's passing and Mother's attendance to him in these 40 days. When she addressed us as brothers and sisters it was utterly real, something you just cannot fake. Other things that happened that evening -- which I was not looking for at all, my main reason in going was to try and talk with her "matter-of-factly" about "the providence for the arts" added more and more to that impression, that even the memory of it now chokes me up again.

Many mistakes have been made, are being made, will be made, but the essence of what probably touched you decades ago is still there, actually deeper and stronger, and just waiting for expression through us. The mistakes, errors, deviations need to be exposed and dealt with -- and I personally value what Damian [Anderson] does -- but they are minor compared with the love, beauty and goodness that God is able to share in this time. But I feel that no "intellectual" arguments or revelations of facts can ultimately convince anyone one way or the other.

Years ago, after hearing a few chapters of Miss Kim's book, I asked my spiritual mother whether she thought I should hear more or move back to Germany. She suggested simply that I pray about it. After doing my best to pray 30 minutes on three consecutive days, my mind was flooded with words that eventually became a song -- later called The Sparkle song -- the first words are "I call You from the sparkle of the sun upon the sea.."; but it wasn't "receiving" this song that convinced me, it was be getting in touch again with my deep down desire to seek the "truth" -- though I had no idea what that meant. 45 years later, the Divine Principle still informs my whole life, though I am far from being the "noon time" embodiment of that truth -- and while it feels presumptuous to mention her in the same breath, I know Hoon Sook Nim herself feels she has so much to learn.

It seems that you want to "cut through the crap", convinced that you will then see corruption at the core. But I suggest that if you really cut through the crap you will find a pearl, the most precious and perfect, more so that you could have ever dreamed of.

If I have not been cleared, and have strayed from the point "the gospel still left to preach" is in Miss Kim's book and despite lots of bizarre incidents, the golden line of True Parents' life has put, and is still putting more, flesh on the bones of her words.