Yeji Lim 21500604

Kim Ju Eun 21500147

Ye Shin Cho 21500068

What is cult?

• When a group or movement defines itself as a mainstream and recognised movement

• yet it rejects or denies one or more central, essential teachings of that religion.

The Belief

1. Majority of the bible is consisted of metaphors and symbols

2. Lee Man Hee, himself is the direct prophecy the bible is inferring to

3. The one who protects God’s people

4. Receive salvation through him (physical eternity)

5. If one disobeys, God’s judgement and wrath will be upon him/her.

How it came about• 4 types of pastors in the bible

Pastors

1. Pastor of prophecy – chosen by God to foretell things that will be fulfilled in future

2. Promised pastor – When God’s promise is fulfilled, God chose a promised pastor who will rule and speak in behalf of God

3. General pastor – Chosen by the Lord to preach God’s word to next generations

From old testament’s prophecies

• Promised pastor = Jesus

• John 5:36-43

New testament

• Promised pastor = Lee Man Hee

• John 14:16

(the first half)

Purpose & Mission

• The number 144,000 (Rev 7:4)

• Members of 12 tribes (Matthew 19:27-28)

• In Korea

• Death (salvation)

2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the

living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been

given power to harm the land and the sea:

4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the

tribes of Israel.

Matthew 19:27-28

• 27 Peter answered him, "We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?"

• 28 Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Strong PointsShincheonji

1. ESTABLISHED MORAL VALUES

Motivation to volunteer for

- Hair dressing

- Wall painting (mural)

- Free coals and meal

2. BELIEF IN ETERNAL LIFE

The Greatest Fear: Death

2. BELIEF IN ETERNAL LIFE

“Lee lives eternally”“I live eternally if I

get 144,000”

SENSE OF

RELIEF AND

PEACE ♥

3. PURPOSE AND MEANING IN LIFE

a. Defines identity

(reason for existence + sense of belonging)

b. Makes life purposeful

avoid physical death by evangelizing the 144,000!!!

c. Makes life meaningful

Weak pointsShincheonji

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

1. Creates a distorted system of moral value

• Lee justifies and rationalizes acts of immorality

• Lee man Hee is the absolute

• Any method of evangelism is justified

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Husband beats wife who refuses to believe in Shincheonji

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Beaten up by a gang of SCJ members for leaving SCJ

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Sex as a method of evangelism

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

2. Self-Contradiction

• Lee Man Hee claims to have experienced flesh-spirit union with Christ’s spirit

• Lee Man Hee does not die

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Certificate of salvation signed by Lee Man Hee

Law of Entropy:

Everything in the universe eventually moves from order to disorder, and entropy is the measurement of that change

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Effect of law of entropy on Lee Man Hee

Before

After

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Latest

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

3. Not present focused

A) destructive to the society- Family, Church, Community

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

Consequential behavior of Shinchonji

• Running away from home

• Quitting work

• Dropping out of school

• Family feud: divorce

• Assault

• Acts of terror

• Murder

• Arson

• Stalking

• Sex crime, sex for a recruitment tool,

• Family feud

• Sue

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

“My dearest daughter, come back home where your parents are waiting.”

3. Not present focused

B) Self-destructive

No guaranteed future yet

Sacrificing the present

Sarah Kim Ju Eun

“They beat around the bush and strongly imply that we should drop out of school. But they never directly say “drop out of school”.

1. Christian Alternative

• Weak point 1: Creates a distorted system of moral value

• Absolute standard by which all moral judgements are measured = God himself

• For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

- Psalm 22:28

• God = Almighty, all knowing, all powerful, omnipotent, transcendence

• characteristics that human beings don’t and can’t hold

Christian Alternative -2

• Weak point 2: Self-Contradiction

• Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

- Hebrews 9:27

• My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and they come to an end without hope

- Job 7:6

: Death is inevitable.

• Eternal life in heaven through Jesus Christ

• "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.- John 3:16

• For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

- Romans 6:23:

Christian Alternative - 3

• Weak point 3: Not present focused

• Along with evangelism, emphasis on importance of relationship

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

Mark 12:30-31

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these.“

Questions?

Discussion Q1

• Would you be attracted to the physical immortality aspect of Shinchonji?

Discussion Q2

• Have you ever been approached by a Shinchonji member? How could we make them realize their flaws in their worldview?

THANK YOU