12/01/2021

“The Only Thing Left Was Divorce - Who Is Responsible?”

πŸ“°On 2nd January 2021, Cheonji Daily published an article in Korean entitled “The Only Thing Left Was Divorce - Who Is Responsible?” This is a translation of that report.

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.

Initial forced conversion - confinement and 35-day hospital treatment for sustained back injury
Second forced conversion - 24-hour monitoring
Ultimately, acts of confinement and sown seeds of hatred resulted in 'divorce'

[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] In South Korea, where there is 'freedom of religion', people wish to live out their life of faith while enjoying a happy home life. However, this is not a given reality. The protection of religious freedoms, which is a given for believers of mainstream denominations, is  often a dream for believers of minority faiths, which the established Church labels a 'cult'. 

Coercive conversion on believers of minority faiths is tolerated, and even accepted, by parties with vested interests who label another's denomination a 'cult' and do not consider forced deprivation of one's basic freedoms an issue. Meanwhile, victims must endure bitter wounds of the heart that are not easily resolved, even decades later.

Victims of coercive conversion refuse to renounce their beliefs and 'convert' so that they uphold their faith, even though their pain and anger at how their family was torn apart through the programme remains. Victims express bitter pain as they testify to conversion pastors intentionally disturbing the peace of the family unit with slanderous accusations about the victim's faith, and going on to instruct one's family to proceed with abduction and confinement of their loved one.

Ms. Kyung-hee Woo (pseudonym) of Yeosu city has expressed her deep hurt through her testimony, which resulted in an unwanted divorce. What follows is the full account of Ms. Woo's appeal.
                    =============================================================

✍️Hello, 
I am an ordinary housewife who is a believer at Shincheonji Church.

I have suffered mental and physical scars from family breakdown and divorce caused by the human rights abuses of forced conversion programmes, which advocate for illegal acts of kidnap and confinement. The perpetrators are 'conversion businessmen' Mr. Shin, Mr. Kang, Mr. Jo, Mr. Han and Mr. Hwang.

I am writing this appeal with a grieving heart. Please resolve my pain.

These coercive conversion 'businessmen' shook my husband and family's confidence in me with false and outrageous accusations and distortions of facts. By giving my family direct instruction on how to carry out coercive conversion, they cut off all possible means of rational dialogue between my family and I, instilling in us a deep-rooted seed of fear with the statement that the conversion programme would last at least six months.

Upon the initial attempt to have me undergo forced conversion, I sustained a back fracture in my daughter's bedroom enroute to the rooftop.

Although I was promised this would never happen again, a second attempt was made six months later because I hadn't been 'converted'. The programme this time round was prepared in a more thorough and frightening way and involved uniting the pastors and congregation of the existing Church.

One afternoon, my husband tricked me into us collecting our kids at a particular time. Upon leaving home, two strong men took hold of me and pushed me into their car. Inside the car, I had to pee in a jar, which was humiliating. We arrived at the remote Natural Recreational Forest in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi province, where I was confined and forced to undergo the conversion programme.

These people were unscrupulous, blatantly discarding one's basic rights and knowingly leaving permanent scars on families. They were well aware of their illegal acts from the outset.

Manipulating the love of my parents and children, I eventually succumbed to signing the 'consent form' and was under continual pressure throughout the conversion programme as five hired thugs kept guard on me, positioning themselves  24/7 outside the building as I was confined.

My parents and (secondary school) children began telling me that I had fallen into a religious cult named Shincheonji and was now prone to 'giving away all our property, abandoning the family and causing a divorce'. My family was fed ludicrous and false lies.

I was made to feel psychotic, the victim of a strange cult and terribly irresponsible. This made my family fearful, fulfilling given orders for me to undergo coercive conversion. My parents and children, who had been deceived by such lies, did not treat me even like a human; rather as someone with a psychotic disorder who had to undergo forced treatment.

Because of this incident, seeds of hatred and division were sown deep into our family. Their eyes and ears had been blinded by a wall of pure disbelief. I was coerced into divorcing my husband, and my family broke down.

How on earth did this happen? Is it OK to destroy the basic rights of an individual and family in a liberal, democratic country like South Korea where religious freedom is stipulated within the constitution, for the sole reason of being a believer at Shincheonji Church?

Who is to blame for this fact? Who will compensate me for the psychological and physical anguish my family and I have suffered, and the financial aftermath of this coercive conversion programme?

Worst of all, my beloved family has been ripped apart. It's so painful that I just want to escape and die.

Even now as we, victims, share our experiences through the media, these unscrupulous acts continue to be carried out. My sincere wish is that you punish these inhumane conversion 'businessmen' through a fair and just trial, so that the true nature of their sin will be thoroughly exposed. May a tragic experience like mine never be re-lived within society.
                    =============================================================
Cases of Coercive Conversion (also known as 'Forced Conversion' or 'Deprogramming')
Confined in a Remote Mountainous Log Cabin - Coercive Conversion Predominantly Targets Shincheonji Church Members (part 1/2)

Abduction and Confinement - Coercive (Forced) Conversion in South Korea

I Became a Victim of 'Coercive Conversion' in South Korea Because I'm a Member of Shincheonji Church of Jesus

Confined in a Remote Mountainous Log Cabin - Coercive Conversion Predominantly Targets Shincheonji Church Members (part 2/2)

Imprisoned and Starved for Over One Week for Refusing to Renounce My Faith in Shincheonji Church. How Can I Forgive these Conversion Pastors?!

73-Day Coercive Conversion Programme in Confinement for Attending Shincheonji Church - I Fled Mid-Winter through the Bathroom Window

Targets of 'Forced Conversion' Suffering 'Kidnap, Confinement, Brainwashing' - Female College Students, Pregnant Women, Vulnerable Cancer Patients.
1000s of Cases of Abduction, Confinement and Assault: Shocking Stats Expose South Korea's Shameful 'Coercive Conversion' Endemic

International Community's Petition for an End to Coercive Conversion, While National Human Rights Commission of Korea Turns A Blind Eye

Allegation "Shincheonji Stole My Daughter" Found to Be a Lie

Imprisoned in a Country Pension to Undergo Coercive Conversion because of My Life of Faith at Shincheonji Church of Jesus

“Forced to Undergo 'Coercive Conversion' Thrice Within Two Years, Even Confined in a Psychiatric Ward Simply Due to My Faith at Shincheonji Church of Jesus"

“Liars Allege that Shincheonji Church Confiscates Property, Destroys Families & Endorses Coercive Conversion. It’s Coercive Conversion Pastors Who Do Such Things!”
⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/liars-allege-that-shincheonji-church.html?m=0

Confined on the 2nd floor of a Police Station to Stop me from Living my Life of Faith at Shincheonji Church. With a Crippled Arm, I Was Dragged Away for Coercive Conversion

Imprisoned for 2½ months in a secluded location in the mountains. My ‘crime’? Being a believer at Shincheonji Church

“Although I managed to evade 'coercive conversion' with every pastor in town brought in by fleeing to the army, harassment continued"
⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/although-i-managed-to-evade-coercive.html?m=0

“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

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1 comment:

  1. Quiz in the Bible16 February 2021 at 08:36

    Thank you for letting me know about the reality of Korea, a country with religious freedom.

    ReplyDelete