On December 11, an estimated 1,000 members of Shincheonji marched around Myungsung Church (Rev. Kim Sam-hwan) in Gangdong-gu, for the sixth Sunday in a row. Shincheonji members have carried out various mass demonstrations, but such action outside a major church is rare.
A “march prayer” is a kind of intercessory prayer adopted by some fundamentalist mission groups who sneak into another religion’s facility or designated area to pray and sing in order to “drive out bad spirits.”
The participants in the march are reportedly mostly from Shincheonji’s so-called John Tribe, located near South Hanam Interchange. The purpose of their march prayer is said to be to entice members of Myungsung Church, supposedly “being poisoned by bad spirits,” to leave and join Shincheonji. According to analysis by experts on religious heretical groups, this “tribe” is in competition with other tribes aiming to better their position after Shincheonji head Lee Man-hui passes away. Lee was born in 1931.
Myungsung Church reported to the police that Shincheonji had disturbed their Sunday service. The church also placed a notice in its bulletin warning church members to beware of Shincheonji’s proselytizing activities.
According to materials on heretical groups published by the Christian Council of Korea, Lee Man-hui’s organization is one of the most active pseudo or heretical religious groups in Korea, along with the Salvation Sect and World Mission Society Church of God (formerly known as Ahn Sahng-hong Witness Society). Shincheonji members approach ordinary, authentic Christian church members with the offer of free Bible study. They teach that their leader Lee Man-hui is the Holy Spirit, the Counselor; that salvation is available only through them; and that the second coming of Jesus will take place among them. In 1995, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap and Hapdong) concluded that Shincheonji was heretical, and they were followed in this by PCK Kosin, PCK Hapshin, and Korea Evangelical Holiness Church.
Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo by senior reporter Kang Min Seok
Full Story in Korean:
막가는 신천지… 명성교회 6주째 포위 시위: 주일마다 교회 앞에서 ‘땅밟기’ 이만희 사망 전 충성경쟁 일종…교회측 ‘예배 방해’ 경찰 신고
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