Drugged, Handcuffed, Kidnapped, Confined; it’s OK, they Belong to Shincheonji! Today’s ‘Cult Framing' that Violates Human Rights and Tears Families Apart (Cheonji Daily 6th May 2020)
(On 6th May 2020, Cheonji Ilbo (Daily) published an article entitled "Drugged, Handcuffed, Kidnapped, Confined; it’s OK, they Belong to Shincheonji! Today’s ‘Cult Framing' that Violates Human Rights and Tears Families Apart." This is a translation of that article.)
(Above photo) On MBC’s True Story Expedition, which aired on the 29th last month, a victim of forced conversion, Mr. Park, admitted that he had been kidnapped and handcuffed by his brother and taken to a conversion programme run by the ‘Heresy Investigation Committee’. Celebrities in attendance on the show reacted in shock, but raised no issue with it.
On April 29th, MBC's True Story Expedition reported
that a victim of forced conversion had been working on his parents’ farm. He explains
why the family was torn apart in 2007 and what he was trying to do.
On MBC’s True Story Expedition, which aired on the 29th
last month, a victim of forced conversion, Mr. Park, admitted that he had been
kidnapped and handcuffed by his brother and taken to a conversion programme run
by the ‘Heresy Investigation Committee’. Celebrities in attendance on the show reacted in shock, but raised no issue with it.
Illegal 'forced conversion' that undermines the values of the Constitution
'Coercive conversion pastors, family + media' all justify such activity
“Because it is Shincheonji…” Blinded by one lens
Families become puppets for conversion pastors
Media advocates for victims
Emotional appeals tolerated for criminal acts
“Third-Party Intervention Worsens the Issue”
[Cheonji Ilbo =
Reporter Kang Su-gyeong] Forced conversion involving confinement in an unknown
'third place' continues unabated. Victims are fed sleeping pills, handcuffed,
bound with rope and blindfolded. Coercive conversion is not a criminal offence
in South Korea - a country which promotes freedom of religion. But it becomes a
very different story when accompanied by kidnap, imprisonment and assault. When
supporting evidence of various Articles is provided including articles 283 (Intimidation),
276 (Illegal Confinement), 260 (Violence) and 257 (Bodily Injury), it is a
criminal offence worthy of legal punishment. However, in South Korea, acts of forced
conversion go unpunished under the pretext of it being a ‘family matter’ where
its illegality is justified through reports of families using force.
On MBC’s True Story Expedition, which aired on the 29th last month,
a victim of forced conversion, Mr. Park, admitted that he had been kidnapped
and handcuffed by his brother and taken to a conversion programme run by the ‘Heresy
Investigation Committee’. Celebrities in attendance on the show reacted in shock, but raised no issue with it.
◆They confessed to drugging, handcuffing and
abducting victims, but this was overlooked
On the 29th last month, MBC re-examined Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which appeared in the MBC PD Handbook in 2007 on a programme called 'True Story Expedition' which featured well-known celebrities including Dong-yeop Shin (MC). At that time, Shincheonji Church was in serious conflict with the victim’s parents because of the forced conversion programme.
Mr. A, who had strong faith in Shincheonji Church, was in his 20s at that time, and is now in his 40s. Mr. A’s family tried to take him to conversion programme by force. Mr. A's older brother, who appeared in the broadcast, admitted that he had committed the crime, saying, "I fed him sleeping pills, handcuffed and kidnapped him." The victim's testimony explains that this was an instruction given by so-called ‘conversion pastors’ to the victim’s family to force him out of Shincheonji Church. This was confirmed once again through the broadcast. It was a shocking confession made by the victim’s family who were trying to forcefully bring him to a conversion programme tied and bound.
However, the broadcaster ignored the human rights abuses inflicted on Mr. A. Indeed, Mr. A was depicted as someone with unusual religious behaviour. After having reported the slanderous cases made against Shincheonji Church, he focused on his family's stance towards his faith. He affirmed that his choice of religion was willingly made in line with his beliefs, yet his religious activities were portrayed by his family as being 'a waste of life'. The MC was in agreement. Criticism of the media’s biased perspective was inevitable as they lost impartiality promoting one perspective alone.
On the 29th last month, MBC re-examined Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which appeared in the MBC PD Handbook in 2007 on a programme called 'True Story Expedition' which featured well-known celebrities including Dong-yeop Shin (MC). At that time, Shincheonji Church was in serious conflict with the victim’s parents because of the forced conversion programme.
Mr. A, who had strong faith in Shincheonji Church, was in his 20s at that time, and is now in his 40s. Mr. A’s family tried to take him to conversion programme by force. Mr. A's older brother, who appeared in the broadcast, admitted that he had committed the crime, saying, "I fed him sleeping pills, handcuffed and kidnapped him." The victim's testimony explains that this was an instruction given by so-called ‘conversion pastors’ to the victim’s family to force him out of Shincheonji Church. This was confirmed once again through the broadcast. It was a shocking confession made by the victim’s family who were trying to forcefully bring him to a conversion programme tied and bound.
However, the broadcaster ignored the human rights abuses inflicted on Mr. A. Indeed, Mr. A was depicted as someone with unusual religious behaviour. After having reported the slanderous cases made against Shincheonji Church, he focused on his family's stance towards his faith. He affirmed that his choice of religion was willingly made in line with his beliefs, yet his religious activities were portrayed by his family as being 'a waste of life'. The MC was in agreement. Criticism of the media’s biased perspective was inevitable as they lost impartiality promoting one perspective alone.
On April 29th,
MBC's True Story Expedition reported that a victim of forced conversion had
been working on his parents’ farm. He explains why the family was torn apart in
2007 and what he was trying to do.
◆Even with efforts made to
overcome religious conflicts within the family, people frown at victims
What further fault did Mr. A commit against his
family other than living out his religious beliefs? During those days, Mr. A was
living a sincere life of faith as a Shincheonji Church member while visiting his
parents’ home to help them farm the land. There was no trace of resentment found
in his attitude towards his family for their criminal offences involving kidnap,
drugging and handcuffing.
Even though his fiancé was rejected because she is also a member of Shincheonji
Church, he seemed to fulfil his role as a son concerned for his family.
It seems that what he desired for his family was recognition of his faith and
peace within the family unit. He seemed to have appealed for more than a
decade, but the family still seemed to disagree with his faith. MBC reporters concluded
the report maintaining that the victim was, in fact, the family. Shincheonji Church
members number 300,000 - 750,000 including their families, and the logic presented
is that these families all became victims.
Is there any solution to family conflict created by tensions between
Shincheonji Church and the established Church?
◆ Religious conflict within the family is a chronic societal issue
However, it should be noted that conflict within the family
caused by a conflict of beliefs between religions is not a new phenomenon. For
example, conflict created by temple sacrifices during holiday festivals has
been treated as a religious issue every year. Moreover, marriage between
couples from different religious backgrounds has caused conflict among the
extended family unit. It is not untrue to say that the experience of a formerly
devout believer now resistant to returning to his former faith serves as a tale
of heroism and testimony.
There have always been devoutly religious people who have
struggled with other religions.
In this situation, many families have tried to resolve
conflict through dialogue, understanding, patience and forgiveness.
But in South Korea, where various religions coexist, it
seems that families have been able to avoid inter-religious conflict because the
family has played its role very well. In particular, there is a view asserted by
religious academics that other religions would have tolerated and cooperated
with the Protestant Church with more understanding, which is a notion other
religions have rejected. However, what is unique about the conflict between
Shincheonji Church and the established Church is that a third party amplifies
existing religious conflict. It is pastors and other officials who carry out forced
conversion. It is very difficult to argue that these people have resolved
family conflict and provided social stability. On the contrary, it is victims'
consistent testimonies that proves them to be the catalyst for conflict.
On a video uploaded on YouTube on the 5th by the
Human Rights Association for Victims of Coercive Conversion Programs, a mother
confessed that she had taken her son to forced conversion. The mother said that
the conversion pastor had instructed her to bring sleeping pills to the
conversion programme. And she confirmed that they had secured a studio in Ansan
- as was asked - and prepared a month's worth of food.
On a video uploaded on YouTube on the 5th by the Human Rights Association for Victims of Coercive Conversion Programs, a mother confessed that she had taken her son to forced conversion. The mother said that the conversion pastor had instructed her to bring sleeping pills to the conversion programme. And she confirmed that they had secured a studio in Ansan - as was asked - and prepared a month's worth of food.
◆Family
relations aggravated by forced intervention
In a recently released accusatory video published by the
Human Rights Association for Victims of Coercive Conversion Programs (Pee-yeon Kang),
a mother only listened to the conversion pastor and tried to drag her son to
forced conversion. Mrs. Kang said: “A few
years ago, a call came through telling me my son had fallen into a cult.
The person told me, ‘They are worse than
the Communist Party, and if your child falls in there, he won't study or go to
school but give them all his money. And he also might have already secretly installed
many hidden cameras at home’. He continued, "I'm going to teach you how to bring your child in and prepare a
room for consultation." With the intention of saving her son, she
obtained a studio in Ansan and prepared a month's worth of food. Mrs. Kang
said, “When they treated my son, they
treated him like an animal. I did as they told me because they said my son would
ruin his life, which sowed very deep concern in my mind. I thought my son wouldn't
be a normal person anymore.”
In the accusatory video released on the 5th by
the Human Rights Association for Victims of Coercive Conversion Programs,
Ji-hye Choi complains about the problem in media reports regarding forced
conversion.
◆Expert: “Family must learn
to communicate rationally”
In this regard, Ji-hye Choi, Representative of Pee-yeon
Kang, said, “Forced conversion pastors
promote heinous cult-framing within the family and society. They carry out
interviews focused on publicising and promoting their coercive conversion
business. In addition, it glamorises illegal behaviour by emphasising that forced
conversion inflicting human rights violations is inevitable for conversion using
the media as its mouthpiece. It is an amoral, criminal act that legitimises
family violence and homicide."
In this video released by Pee-yeon Kang, expert advice was also provided. The
clinical psychologist Min-hee Jung (pseudonym) delivered a warning message, “When I look at counselling tactics of conversion
pastors, who are exposed to the press, it is clear that pastors raise parents'
anxiety. Raising anxiety feeds parents irrational beliefs, leading them to confine
and abuse their child under the justification 'it's for my child sake', and
gradually the family will fall into a 'dysfunctional family unit' without guilt
or fellowship. Home is a very intimate space that protects one’s survival, but
what if one's family members treat the other as deranged or insane? In the
worst case, the family will cut ties. Instead of bringing in a third party, who
complicates the problem, they must learn to engage in dialogue rationally.”
On the 5th, Pee-yeon Kang introduced a clinical psychologist in an
accusatory video released by the Human Rights Association for Victims of
Coercive Conversion Programs advising on a family matter over the telephone.
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