Within days of Reverend Moon’s passing, news surfaced that his daughter, In Jin Moon, may have given birth in May to a baby conceived with her lover, who is the singer in a rock band. In my opinion, any new child is a cause for celebration. But her position as Senior Pastor of the church, espousing abstinence before marriage and fidelity within it, made the news controversial.

I remembered speeches from fifteen years ago, when In Jin Moon had spoken about how difficult it was for her to love the husband chosen for her by Reverend Moon. I always respected her and felt a little judged by her when I imagined I caught her eye. Last month, I attended a Sunday service during which In Jin Moon advised a mainly teenage congregation to protect their virtue.

Unification Church members have exploded with comments on the Facebook page of the person who shared this news.

Many were angry, making comments like, “Shame on you for posting this garbage!”

Some encouraged respecting the family’s privacy: “Can I bury my True Father first please. True or not why can’t you at least wait until after the funeral.”

One woman said, “I can only say that not everyone [is] happy with their spouses... We are taught that God's liberation & happiness is always first... but I don't believe that our God is happy when he sees our own sufferings & misery.”

One comment said simply, "I love babies."

When religious leaders preach doing what they say and not what they do, people usually find fault. If I hadn’t aspired to a life of purity and sacrifice, I wouldn’t have stayed in the Unification Church for 15 years. But human beings are complicated, and one of the kindest things we can do is not to judge one another.

Perhaps some people are jealous of In Jin Moon and her lover. He is hot and talented. She is pretty, powerful and wealthy. And—if this is true—she is embarking on the adventure of raising another new life in her 40s, at a stage of life when many people aren't so ready or able to accept change.

Most religions try to apply rules to the complex desires of individuals but ultimately our nature is to push the boundaries of what is possible. If only we could focus more on where we want to go in our lives and what we admire in others, perhaps we could create a society of greater possibilities instead of perpetrating one of judgment and limitations.

Artist Gareth Lloyd's daughter Aona Inés

Reverend Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han were married in 1960 when he was 40 and she was 17. They were known by their followers as True Parents.

The news of Reverend Moon’s passing on Monday shocked me even though he was 92 and had been suffering from pneumonia. For fifteen years I considered this man to be the Messiah, and I was moved to hear that his time on earth was over.

I learned of Reverend Moon’s passing from one of my Unification Church friends on Facebook, the first of whom posted the news several minutes after his death at 1:54 a.m. on September 3 Korean time, or 12:54 p.m. September 2, EST.

Most Unification Church members posted the obituary in the Washington Times, which Moon owned. The New York Times and other papers like the Daily Mail provided a very different viewpoint.

Moon’s followers on Facebook posted comments like, “MY HEART IS CRYING,” “Sad, but it's not the end” and “Long live True Parents!!! Death cannot stop Our True Father.”

One woman said, “Thank you beloved Father; because of you my life changed direction 100% almost 32 years ago. You taught me the way to become a true and ideal person and I will continue to strive to become just that.”

Reverend Moon’s son, Hyun Jin Moon, posted this comment, "I mourn the passing of my father but I know that his spirit and legacy will live on. His vision has inspired so many forward-thinking people to see beyond the barriers that divide humanity - be they national, racial, or, most of all, religious. I will continue to work to give meaning and substance to his legacy."

Moon is survived by ten of the fourteen children he had with his wife, Hak Ja Han Moon. In May of 2011, their youngest son, Hyung Jin Moon was named as the likeliest to inherit leadership of the Unification Church.

Although I no longer believe in the Unification Church, for years I trusted Reverend Moon enough to happily have him (or perhaps another Church leader) choose my husband for the Church's 30,000 Couples Blessing and advise me on what to do, think and feel.

The only photograph I have of me with Reverend Moon. His back is to the camera and my face is touching the bottom of his jacket.

When he addressed me directly at speeches, I felt blessed. One time he told me I had dancing hair. Another time he drew a line down the middle of my face with his finger and said half of me belonged to satan, half to God, and that I should make a cut.

Reverend Moon was a man of determination and charisma. Ultimately, I came to see him not as the Messiah, but as a man who realized the power to create his dream and to have millions (or at least thousands) of others respond positively to that dream. In 2004, he had himself crowned the Savior of Mankind in the Capitol Building during a ceremony in which he heralded the "Era of the Eternal Peace Kingdom." Perhaps without meaning to, Reverend Moon taught me that—with focus and determination— any one of us can live our grandest dreams.

BBC documentary from 2008: Moon: Emperor of the Universe

2012 - 120531 - Married to the Moonies from European Office on Vimeo.