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| On 30th May 2022, Cheonji Ilbo (Cheonji Daily) published an article in Korean, entitled, “Shincheonji has become life for the whole family [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 8]”. This is a translation of that report. |
📰Two years ago, heresy counsellors belonging to the Korean Church predicted that Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji) would be dismantled in the wake of Covid-19. They insisted that believers would leave Shincheonji and go to their churches instead. Yet the reality has been the opposite. The established Church in Korea is facing its greatest crisis as it experiences a sharp decline in membership, while Shincheonji has grown rapidly over the past two years, producing a whopping 40,000 graduates. The stories of faithful believers, who have overcome discrimination and hatred amid an unprecedented era of 'fake news' during the Covid-19 pandemic, are recounted here.
✦ Testimony by Mi-jeong Kim (pseudonym) of Shincheonji Philip tribe
I grew up in a devout Christian family. However, after coming to Shincheonji and having perceived the truth, I now confess that Shincheonji is my life.
When I started my life of faith in Shincheonji 4 years ago, I had the courage to listen to the Word from Shincheonji, but I faced many difficulties, including from within myself.
The biggest reason why is that I come from a Christian family. Elders, missionaries, and gospel singers in my family, including parents, a grandfather and maternal relatives who had been pastoring for 50 years, put up a solid barrier that I couldn't overcome. So, it was difficult for me to choose a life of faith in Shincheonji. Moreover, I grew up hearing countless rumours from childhood, with the expression 'beware of Shincheonji' becoming a commonality, yet without understanding why such words were said.
Nevertheless, I listened to the truth from Shincheonji with the thought, 'I want to find out for myself and make a decision', and I began to walk the path of true faith. In particular, I had a strong desire to create an opportunity for my loved ones to check directly for themselves, without hearsay or prejudice.
I desperately wanted to convey this message to my mother, whose daughters had moved on through marriage, and who subsequently found herself living with scepticism and depression on a daily basis. My Christian mother had spent her entire youth serving at church. I thought that if I were to introduce the words of Shincheonji to her, she would smack me and tell me that she would sever ties between us. But as she continued to study, my mother came to check and accept the Word for herself. With earnest prayers and progress on the course, she confessed, 'this is right'.
In this way, this Word has become a source of blessing for my family, for my mother who was evangelised, and for each one of us who has been filled with light.
Furthermore, my father, who was closest to me, was always puzzled and would joke, 'I wish your mother would smile like this every day' and 'I'm afraid that she'll end up like she was before'. How did my mother feel seeing her entire family be reconciled, when she was the only person who had become so forbearing? Together with my mother, I proudly introduced the Word of Shincheonji to my father and younger sister.
However, it was not easy to introduce them to the Word of Shincheonji due to people's perceptions and preconceived notions. While the world was reeling from the Covid-19 pandemic, Shincheonji had become the centre of false news and allegations.
My sister and father, who would not have been convinced of Shincheonji enough to overcome the world's stinging criticism, were unable to sleep day or night. During the coronavirus pandemic and from time to time, my father and younger brother would check whether Shincheonji is the right place that teaches according to the Bible, and whether its teaching makes sense. Everyone in our family courageously confesses their faith in Shincheonji, which has become the pride of our family, and are in the process of fully coming to faith. In the end, our family has become a harmonious and happy family through the Word learned at Shincheonji.
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Shincheonji Diary of Faith Series
“I’m sorry I didn’t trust my daughter and tried to forcibly convert her” [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 7]
“Shincheonji’s words, like water for the soul, have washed away the hardships of life” [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 6]
“My 20-year life of faith was meaningless: understanding the Word gave me hope” [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 5]
“The word of Shincheonji Church of Jesus saved me from a life without purpose or hope” [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 4]
“Her faith, filled with grace, led to a healthier relationship”: Shincheonji fosters solid mother-child relationship [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 3]
''My parents, who tried to force me to undergo coercive conversion for years, acknowledged my life of faith in Shincheonji after seeing 'unity' between my husband, children and I [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 2]''
“This Word is True”: The Word of Shincheonji and My Family [Shincheonji Diary of Faith - 1]
