Four months have passed since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in Wuhan, China. From early April 2020, the number of confirmed cases in Asia, Europe and the US have increased dramatically with half of the world's population in lockdown and the virus now spreading throughout cities, towns and rural locales throughout Africa. As of 27th April 2020, the virus has registered more than 3,000,000 cases and 200,000+ fatalities.
In South Korea, the number of daily confirmed cases has significantly declined, but citizens continue to exercise caution to avoid a second outbreak. The government has taken stringent measures to curb the spread of the virus, encouraged social distancing and freely provided hand sanitisers and masks in public places. How are members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus (hereafter Shincheonji Church) in South Korea - who have been worshipping and gathering at one of their 73 branch churches, as well as church members globally - maintaining their life of faith at present?
Many members of Shincheonji Church in South Korea have been infected with COVID-19, centred around “Patient 31”. At a press conference on March 2nd, Shincheonji Church issued a grave apology and expressed its commitment to full cooperation with public health and government authorities, which Shincheonji Church has fulfilled.
But fake news that has made Shincheonji Church scapegoat for the dramatic rise in confirmed domestic cases following "Patient 31" has led to the death of two of its congregants that resulted from severe persecution by family members, with thousands of other congregants made subject to forced absence from work, domestic violence, discrimination and insult. Shincheonji Church was not the cause of the spread of the virus in South Korea, nor did the church bring this virus in from China. In the face of fake news based on rumours, foreign media outlets have jumped on the anti-Shincheonji bandwagon without fact-checking. In response, the U.S Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued a declaration on February 6th 2020, stating, “USCIRF is concerned by reports that Shincheonji church members are being blamed for the spread of coronavirus. We urge the South Korean government to condemn scapegoating and to respect religious freedom as it responds to the outbreak”. Prominent religious leaders of the Christian and Muslim faiths as well as leading academics are also speaking out against these blatant human rights violations, and democrats in Korea are drafting amendments to existing legislation on journalistic ethics and standards to alter the media's free rein on publishing allegations without factual evidence.
At this time when the promises in the book of Revelation are being fulfilled, every Shincheonji Church member is applying themselves to diligent study in order to record God’s law, which is the promise and fulfilment of Revelation, into their hearts and minds according to Hebrews 8:10. Those who do so are 'sealed’ and God will be with such people. As a congregation member of Shincheonji Church, I am very grateful to God and Jesus that I have perceived the true meaning of the promises and fulfilment of Revelation and can continue to take part in worship service online. Like every other Shincheonji Church member, I will continue to record Revelation's prophecy and fulfilment into my heart and mind. I pray that this pandemic will soon end and the hearts and minds of all people everywhere will turn towards God, who is living and active.
News Publications
Broadcasting Centres Raise Audience Ratings through 'Shincheonji
Hatred'…“Enormous and Malicious Influence on National Progress” (Cheonji Daily
18/03/2020)
Controversy over Gyeonggi Provincial Government’s Response to
COVID-19 as number of infected members from the established church is 2.4 times
higher (Cheonji Daily 18/03/2020)
"Coronavirus and Shincheonji: Stopping the Witch Hunt"
(02/03/2020) ▶https://www.cesnur.org/2020/shincheonji_appeal.htm
Coronavirus: USCIRF decries South Korea for blaming Shincheonji
Church (Muslim Community Report 10/03/2020)▶http://bit.ly/2Qhpmdz
Four criticisms of 'Shincheonji Doctrine' brought to light… If
you only believe in external sources, that’s a 'disgrace' (Cheonji Daily
04/03/2020) ▶https://bit.ly/2wGAslq
IndependentFromBeliefs (March 2020)
International NGOs Warned the South Korean Human Rights Crisis
in the Coronavirus Outbreaks (NAWE 16/03/2020)▶https://www.nawe.bi/International-NGOs-Warned-the-South-Korean-Human-Rights-Crisis-in-the.html
Lies regarding the Coronavirus about Shincheonji 신천지 (03/03/2020)
Prohibition of 'Hateful, Speculative and Distorted' Reporting
Proposed under Natural Disasters Act (EDaily 17/03/2020)
Prosecution investigates membership list provided by Shincheonji
Church Headquarters: “No hidden members; they reported a true list” (Newsis
News Agency 17/03/2020)
Quarantine Official: "Confirmed case of COVID-19 in Daegu
had existed before ‘patient 31’" (Daum News 22/03/2020)
Quarantine Official: "Confirmed case of COVID-19 in Daegu
had existed before ‘patient 31’" (Naver 22/03/2020)
"Shincheonji didn't lie about membership figures."
(The Korea Herald 17/03/2020)
White Paper on Shincheonji and Coronavirus
Massimo Introvigne, Founder of Center for Studies on New
Religions (CESNUR) (17/03/2020)
Rosita Šorytė International Observatory of Human Rights of
Refugees (IOHR) ▶https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8IqLUegjT4
Alessandro Amicarelli, Attorney, European Federation for Freedom
of Belief (FOB) ▶https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py9NlpXQC9E
Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF)
Official COVID-19 Response by Shincheonji Church of Jesus
•0307 Chairman Man Hee Lee asks "all congregants to fully
cooperate for disease control" in a special announcement
•0302 Statement at Press Conference of Shincheonji Church of
Jesus Regarding COVID-19
•0302 Regarding COVID-19 Testing of Chairman Lee, Man-hee of
Shincheonji Church of Jesus
•0301 Letter of Appeal to Political Leaders
•0228 Letter of Appeal from Shincheonji Church of Jesus in
Regards to COVID-19
•0226 Shincheonji Church of Jesus Provided a List of All Members
to Public Health Authorities
•0223 Statement of Shincheonji Church of Jesus Regarding
COVID-19
•0222 Over 1000 Shincheonji Church of Jesus Locations
Disinfected and Closed Down in Korea
•0221 Shincheonji Church of Jesus Closed Down Its Churches and
Affiliated Buildings from 18 Feb
•0220 Statement of Shincheonji Church of Jesus Regarding
COVID-19 Countermeasures and Fake News
•0219 Statement of Shincheonji Church of Jesus Regarding the
Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
•0218 Notice on the Worship Service of Shincheonji Church of
Jesus in Regards to COVID-19
COVID-19/Fact Checker: Q&A on Shincheonji Church of Jesus
Regarding the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Personal Blog
Shincheonji Church has been conducting worship services online, teaching the absoluteness and importance of the word, which is God and life.
ReplyDeleteWow, shincheonji!!
Good job !!
It's a bad thing, but Shincheonji is trying.
ReplyDeleteShincheonji members are trying to cooperate with the government in a bad situation
ReplyDeleteIt's really bad the government hvehto realiRe
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information. Accurate information clears misunderstandings whereas false report creates discrimination and persecution :(
ReplyDelete"Shincheonji Church has been conducting worship services online, teaching the absoluteness and importance of the word, which is God and life (John 1:1)" As EVERYONE who is a Believer should. Great job!
ReplyDelete"...thousands of other congregants made subject to forced absence from work, domestic violence, discrimination and insult" What a sad world to be in when your own family and community disowns you. I truly pray that this has brought awareness to the lack of love we have for one another. Unfortunately, it has been at the expense of Shincheonji members.
ReplyDelete