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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| The Rev Moon's religion and me: my rebirth into the Unification Church | The Rev Moon's religion and me: my rebirth into the Unification Church |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| In 1993 I was 21, and visiting Manhattan on a university summer break. I led a relatively wild life, and used to DJ, so I was there shopping for vinyl. | In 1993 I was 21, and visiting Manhattan on a university summer break. I led a relatively wild life, and used to DJ, so I was there shopping for vinyl. |
| I asked a German boy, who was witnessing on the street, for directions. I wasn't looking for a religious path, but a rather more literal one. He showed me the way, but then caught me up and asked me if I believed in God. He told me about a lecture, which I went to. It was a young guy who gave an uplifting account of how our world could be more harmonious and unified. It answered a lot of questions for me about my purpose in life. I had a personal experience of God, what some people might call a rebirth. | I asked a German boy, who was witnessing on the street, for directions. I wasn't looking for a religious path, but a rather more literal one. He showed me the way, but then caught me up and asked me if I believed in God. He told me about a lecture, which I went to. It was a young guy who gave an uplifting account of how our world could be more harmonious and unified. It answered a lot of questions for me about my purpose in life. I had a personal experience of God, what some people might call a rebirth. |
| Two years later I made the big decision to get married in the church. The Rev Moon introduced people to each other using photographs, based on the far-eastern tradition of being able to read people's past and future in their faces. I was particularly happy with his suggestion. Cheiko was Japanese, but studying in Italy. We spoke on the phone, and then she came over to London. It was actually quite romantic. We had our first meal at the Wimbledon Tandoori, where we spoke about our families. Then she came back to my parents' house to meet them. If we had felt awkward, we might not have gone ahead with it. Obviously there was our faith, but the human relationship is just as important. | Two years later I made the big decision to get married in the church. The Rev Moon introduced people to each other using photographs, based on the far-eastern tradition of being able to read people's past and future in their faces. I was particularly happy with his suggestion. Cheiko was Japanese, but studying in Italy. We spoke on the phone, and then she came over to London. It was actually quite romantic. We had our first meal at the Wimbledon Tandoori, where we spoke about our families. Then she came back to my parents' house to meet them. If we had felt awkward, we might not have gone ahead with it. Obviously there was our faith, but the human relationship is just as important. |
| A month and a half later, we went to Korea for our religious ceremony, in one of the stadiums built for the Seoul Olympics with about 20,000 couples. The most poignant moment was when the Rev Moon and his wife came out on the stage to give the blessing. Holy water was sprinkled on all the couples by attendants, then there was some music from Korean pop stars, and wedding cake. | A month and a half later, we went to Korea for our religious ceremony, in one of the stadiums built for the Seoul Olympics with about 20,000 couples. The most poignant moment was when the Rev Moon and his wife came out on the stage to give the blessing. Holy water was sprinkled on all the couples by attendants, then there was some music from Korean pop stars, and wedding cake. |
| Later, we had another civil wedding party in Japan, with her family and friends. That's something most young people in the movement do now. It was a very innocent start, but we've been together 17 years, and we've got four boys and a little girl. For me it was a gut decision just to go with it. But – maybe by luck – it has worked out great. I couldn't be happier. | Later, we had another civil wedding party in Japan, with her family and friends. That's something most young people in the movement do now. It was a very innocent start, but we've been together 17 years, and we've got four boys and a little girl. For me it was a gut decision just to go with it. But – maybe by luck – it has worked out great. I couldn't be happier. |
| Simon Cooper is a pastor for the Unification Church in the UK. | Simon Cooper is a pastor for the Unification Church in the UK. |
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