“Although I managed to evade 'coercive conversion' with every pastor in town brought in by fleeing to the army, harassment continued"

 

On 24th September 2020, Cheonji Daily published an article entitled, “Although I managed to evade 'coercive conversion' with every pastor in town brought in by fleeing to the army, harassment continued". This is a translation of that article.

The once unknown term 'forced conversion' became a serious topic in South Korean society in 2008 after Pastor Yong-Sik Jin sent Mrs. Baek-Hyang Jeong to a psychiatric ward in order to carry out forced conversion. He was later punished by law. At that time Pastor Jin, who headed up the Heresy Investigation Committee of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK), forcibly converted believers who belonged to denominations of the established church labelled so-called 'cults', including Mrs. Jeong’s. Such cases began to rise in leaps and bounds. At first, pastors carried out ‘forced conversion’ (also termed ‘deprogramming’ or ‘coercive conversion’) themselves, but later altered their approach. Today, forced conversion pastors instil fear and anxiety in the families of Shincheonji Church members by slandering Shincheonji Church, so that families are deceived into believing their beloved child, wife or parent has fallen into a ‘cult’ and are prone to making immediate hasty decisions. In order to prevent this, forced conversion programs tainted by illegal practices that include kidnap, confinement and violence become the 'last straw' to save the family. In 21st century South Korea, where issues around religious freedom have been brought to the limelight, ‘forced conversion’ continues unabated. This paper intends to serialise the distressing appeals of victims who have had to endure human rights violations and oppression through forced conversion, and are otherwise unable to voice their plea.  

My parents lured me to the mountain to undergo ‘coercive conversion’

Conversion pastors meted out personal attacks before I was moved to a secluded studio in a forest
Refusing to renounce my beliefs and convert, another pastor was then brought in
Although I escaped and enlisted in the army, I was harassed there because of my faith

[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] Young adults who are forced to renounce their faith and convert due to parental coercion and slander often harbour a great deal of resentment towards what they experienced. It is torturous to have to undergo a ‘programme’ filled with all kinds of slander, hate and discrimination under forcible confinement.

That is truly psychological torment. This is no different for a sturdy young man. In situations in which, regardless of one’s physical strength, one is unable to use physical means against one’s own family, the only option is to escape.

Even if they succeed in escaping and re-join society or enlist in the military, people who have heard all kinds of slander meted out by conversion pastors criticise victims forced to undergo coercive conversion. Yeom Min-cheol (pseudonym, male) of Buk district, Gwangju Metropolitan City, suffered as such a decade ago. His wounds, he says, are deep-rooted. What follows is a full account of Mr. Yeom's appeal.

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Hello,

Many years have now passed since I underwent the ‘coercive conversion programme’, but my memories remain arresting.

Before enlisting in the army in March 2008, I took leave of absence from studies at university and found a part-time job.  

My parents told me to postpone the date of military enlistment. My mother was alone and so I decided to wait until my brother was discharged before enlisting. 

Then one day, my parents asked me to join them on a trip to the mountains. 

Afterwards, just in time for the end of my part-time job, my parents and I enthusiastically left for the mountains. I hadn’t eaten lunch, so I made a quick meal at a snack bar on the way and got into the car.

My father asked to borrow my cell phone for a while, so I lent it to him without hesitation. I never saw it again. I fell asleep because I was full, and when I awoke in the car, we had arrived at some kind of forest recreation.

My mother refused to utter a word while my father told me to consent to the coercive conversion programme. I knew what coercive conversion programme was and told him that I didn’t want it, but after a while, conversion pastors began to show up.

I endured as long as I could, not receiving education until the end. I asked that we eat dinner, with food and everything ready in the refrigerator and in the boot of the car.

The conversion pastors began the programme in front of me, bringing out piles of desks, blackboards, chairs, and books prepared in the car. My will was utterly disregarded. Pastors Kang, Yoon, Im and some of their wives were unable to convince me, so they called in all conversion pastors who run the conversion programme in Gwangju to carry out other programmes. Fearing I may escape, my uncle and older brother came on vacation to ‘receive’ the programme together.

The forest recreation was full on the weekend so I was moved to a studio near ‘A Church’ where the programme resumed. There was no Saturday or Sunday; no day of rest.

The content of the programme comprised mostly of personal attacks rather than theological doctrine. It was very difficult to endure but I didn't buy into any of it.

As time passed, my parents’ attitudes towards me changed. Although previously loving and affectionate, they now began to curse me and rather suggested that we die together with a knife in front of us. I was distressed by my parents’ highly uncharacteristic remarks, and I thought to myself that, at that moment, I would have been better off being alone with the conversion pastors.

As there were other residents in this studio near the church, my father went out to look for a vacant room and left the door unlocked. I noticed this as I was on my way to the bathroom, and as the female evangelist returned to resume coercive conversion, I hurried out with my shoes barely on.

I couldn't go back home after escaping. Instead, I rushed straight for the army.

Yet the story continues. One day, while in training in the army, the platoon commander called me in. Out of the blue, he interrogated me, saying, "Why did you decide to come to the army? Was it to cause trouble?” My belongings were searched and they found a small Bible, about which they interrogated me. I was treated as if associated with a cult with hidden motives to incite my army associates to dissension. It was so difficult to bear that I rather wanted to die given the psychological trauma incurred by the conversion programme.

Even though a dozen years have since passed, these memories remain vivid and have scarred me. I hope that ‘coercive conversion’ will soon be eradicated in South Korea, where ‘freedom of religion’ supposedly exists. https://bit.ly/303aTH0

Full Reports on Coercive Conversion

“Incitement of Hatred Towards Shincheonji Tears Families Apart"
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/incitement-of-hatred-towards.html

“Conversion Pastor Caused Newlyweds to Divorce, Promoting Division and Conflict Among Both Families”⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/conversion-pastor-caused-newlyweds-to.html?m=0

Drugged and Abducted, Chained and Imprisoned...Yet Police Respond to Three Separate Appeals With the Words "We Can't Help You"⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/drugged-and-abducted-chained-and.html

“Adult Male Kidnapped, Drugged, Handcuffed & Forced into a Suitcase for the Purpose of Coercive Conversion" (18th June 2020)⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/adult-male-kidnapped-drugged-handcuffed.html

'Counselling Education'? No - 'Coercive Conversion' & Human Rights Abuses. Controversy Surrounds YTN As Its News Anchor Becomes Head Speaker at CBS' 'Shincheonji Counselling' Programme (June 25th 2020)⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/counselling-education-no-coercive.html

Coercive Conversion in Present-Day South Korea: Amoral Pastors Who Deceive Parents for Money
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/coercive-conversion-in-present-day.html

"Mum’s Piercing Words, 'Get out of the House, you Bi*ch!' Yet Later Protested 'Bring Back my Daughter!'" (Cheonji Daily, 10th June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/mums-piercing-words-get-out-of-house.html

"It’s because of 'Shincheonji Church' Vs. 'It's Parents Who Kidnap and Confine their Children'. Who's to blame?" (Cheonji Daily, 5th June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/its-because-of-shincheonji-church-vs.html

“Kidnapped & Confined: Coercive Conversion Abuses Parents’ Love & Must Be Eliminated”
(Cheonji Daily 2nd June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/kidnapped-confined-coercive-conversion.html

“Coercive Conversion Pastor Treated me like an Animal and Instigated Mistrust Within my Family”
(Cheonji Daily 1st June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/coercive-conversion-pastor-treated-me.html

Is This A Communist ‘People's Court'? The Deception of Coercive Conversion
(Cheonji Daily 21st May 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/is-this-communist-peoples-court.html

Restrained with Sleeping Pills…Resisted Forced Conversion, but was Assaulted and Eventually Fainted
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/restrained-with-sleeping-pillsresisted.html

Drugged, Handcuffed, Kidnapped, Confined; it’s OK, they Belong to Shincheonji! Today’s ‘Cult Framing' that Violates Human Rights and Tears Families Apart
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/drugged-handcuffed-kidnapped-confined.html

“Kidnapped and Confined Without Shower or Food, and Sexually Shamed”
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/kidnapped-and-confined-without-shower.html

"Family deceived and manipulated into locking up and beating pregnant family member. 'Peace' will be found when truth is revealed"
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/family-deceived-and-manipulated-into.html

"They forced me to remove my underwear in front of relatives in a car. I'm a 30 year-old woman”
(Cheonji Daily 28th April 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/04/they-forced-me-to-remove-my-underwear.html