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Unification Church

located by Ned Smith

See also:

Flags and Religion

The Unification Church is a religious organization founded in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon in Korea. It now has adherents throughout the world. The church has been the subject of some controversy, and is one of the more prominent, if not largest, of the new religious movements founded in the 20th century.

The church does have a flag, as proven by Chapter 11 of the church's publication "The Tradition: Book 1" which provides a partial description and gives usage guidance.
http://www.familyfed.org/usa/publications/tradition_book1/ch_11.htm:

Chapter 11
Unification Church Flag
Significance

The Unification Church flag represents our movement.

The colors of this flag are red and white. Red, the color of the Unification Church symbol, represents power, energy and positivity. White, the background color, symbolizes purity and holiness.

Use of the Flag

As Decoration

It is recommended but not necessary that each national headquarters or church center obtain a flag and (alongside one's national flag, if desired) hang it outside the center. It can be used with a flag pole or hung straight (vertically) down.

A Unification Church flag may be hung to decorate a main hall or room for Sunday service.

A Unification Church flag may be displayed in a prayer room.

Small or large flags may be used to decorate rooms which will host banquets, meetings, etc. At East Garden, small Unification Church flags alternating with flags of different nations are used as decorations for the True Children's birthday celebrations.

By Blessed Families

If blessed families living in their own homes have been presented with a Unification Church flag, they may also wish to display it.

At Seung Hwa Ceremony

If possible, a Unification Church flag should cover the casket of a blessed member during a Seung Hwa Ceremony and then be buried on top of the casket.

located by Ned Smith

Although the above excerpt does not provide more than the colors of the flag, the mention of the Seung Hwa Ceremony [a rite for deceased members] is a very helpful clue, since a google image search on Seung Hwa turns up a line drawing of the flag on a casket (http://www.tparents.org/library/unification/topics/traditn/SeungHwa-021111.htm). The emblem on the flag can be recognized as the official symbol of the Unification Church as described in the same source listed above for the flag (http://www.familyfed.org/usa/publications/tradition_book1/ch_10.htm).

Chapter 10
Unification Church
Symbol

History

The Unification Church symbol was designed by Father at the Chungpadong Church in Seoul.

The symbol was first worn by members on identification badges in Korea. Later, it was used in books, on church signs, etc.

Significance

Circles

The center circle symbolizes God, truth, life, and light. Those four elements reach out or radiate from this origin to the whole cosmos in twelve directions. The number twelve indicates the twelve types of human character. Historically, the number twelve has been important in God's dispensation; for example, Jesus had twelve disciples. The significance of the symbol, then, indicates that truth (the Principle) is able to spread out in twelve ways. According to Father, the structure of the heavenly kingdom is also patterned after this basic system; i.e., twelve tribes and twelve character types. The outer circle represents the harmony of giving and receiving action, the principle of the cosmos.

Square

The square represents the four position foundation.

There is a black & white illustration of the symbol on the webpage - 12 rays emanating from a central disk are inscribed within a square whose corners touch the inner edge of a thick circle; 8 of the rays are completely within the square but the four diagonal rays extend beyond both the square and the thick circle. In this illustration there are 2 chevrons or v-shaped breaks in the circle, but I have seen other illustrations without them.

Ned Smith, 11 February 2006