Shincheonji, Manson, Hillsong, South Africa
"THREE Cape Town women have lifted the lid on how they were lured into joining a "cult-like" South Korean-based church whose leader is labelled the immortal messiah.
The women, between the ages of 23 and 29, said they were recruited into the Shincheonji Church of Jesus (SCJ), a known secretive religious sect, under the false pretence of becoming better Christians. They wanted to speak about their experience to ward off others from falling prey to the alleged "secrecy, lies and a false prophet from South Korea".
The church, which has been labelled a pseudo-religion or cult by other mainstream churches, was founded in the 1980s by leader Lee-Man Hee and is believed to have more than 200 000 members. The church has been the subject of numerous investigations because of its cult-like activities.
The church was at the centre of huge controversy last year when it emerged that it accounted for more than half of South Korea's coronavirus cases.
Lee was also found guilty of embezzling billions of rands from his organisation and given a suspended prison sentence.
The church's teaching claims that their founder is a prophet called to deliver God's work before the second coming of Christ and that only he can decipher the Book of Revelation and its metaphors.
The Cape Town women as new recruits had to write a test on the church's teachings before they were welcomed into the fold. They were also warned not to speak to their family or friends about the church.
The women, like other newbies, were recruited through social media such as Instagram, BumbleBee and LinkedIn."
How Well Do You Know Your Moon: Jeong Myeong-seok, a former FFWPU member, started his own cult and is now in jail for multiple rape
"Jeong Myeong-Seok's group gave these "Vagina necklaces" to selected female followers known as evergreens. (evergreen = someone who won't get married because they have fully given themselves over to Jeong.)
His cult is known as Providence (officially Christian Gospel Mission). Christian Gospel Mission are known by different names in different regions. Providence or Providence Church in Europe and the US, Setsuri (Japanese for "providence") in Japan, the Bright Moon Church, the Morning Star Church, and Jesus Morning Star (JMS). Every year in spring, Providence holds a Flower Festival event in Wol Myeong-dong, South Korea. In 1999, Jeong founded the Global Association of Culture and Peace (the GACP). It also uses front groups called: Elohim Bible Academy and Save the Earth from A to Z".
National Post: Manson follower denied parole, deemed 'unreasonable danger to society' after 50 years in jail
"Leslie Van Houten, who has already been imprisoned for 50 years and is serving a life sentence for her role in the notorious Manson family murders, was denied parole on Tuesday.
The 72-year-old "currently poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from prison at this time," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in his parole review, the Associated Press reported.
A tentative date for another parole suitability hearing is expected in May 2023, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Van Houten's release has been recommended five times since 2016.
This is the fifth time her parole has been blocked by a governor in the state.
A petition to keep Van Houten in prison was created by actress Sharon Tate's sister, Debra Tate. It had garnered almost 180,000 signatures by Tuesday morning.
In the petition, Debra Tate wrote that after the victims were killed, Van Houten showered and stole a dress and a leather purse to wear."
Christian Post: The dangerous legal structures of Hillsong Church
" ... In 2010, the legal structure for Hillsong in the United States was being constructed. Attorney Stephen Lentz, the father of Carl Lentz who would become Hillsong's most popular American pastor, drew up the articles of incorporation for Hillsong Ministries USA, Inc., and used language common to many televangelist churches' governing documents. Stephen Lentz wrote in Article 6, "The Corporation shall have no members."
These words started appearing frequently in church corporation documents in the 1990s. In 1994, before Joel Osteen became pastor, Lakewood Church restated its articles of incorporation with the words, "The corporation elects to have no members."
The churches of televangelists Mike Murdock, Eddie Long, and Creflo Dollar also adopted similar language. Ironically, the bylaws of Grace Community Church, pastored by well-known Hillsong critic John MacArthur, use the exact same words as Hillsong Ministries USA: "The Corporation shall have no members."
This odd phrase prevents church attendees from being "corporate members," which means that church attendees have no voting rights in the church. Instead, key decision-making is restricted to the church board of directors or church elders."
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