[Ch 19] When Claims Cannot Be Tested

The Psychic’s Strategy

Before examining Shincheonji’s specific claims, consider how professional psychics operate. A skilled cold reader doesn’t make specific, testable predictions. They don’t say: “Your mother, whose name is Margaret, will call you next Tuesday at 3:47 PM to tell you she’s selling her house in Cleveland.” That would be testable. If Margaret doesn’t call, or calls on Wednesday, or doesn’t exist, the psychic is exposed as a fraud.

Instead, they say: “I’m sensing a maternal figure… someone who cared for you… there’s communication coming… something about a dwelling place or a change in living situation…” This is brilliant strategy. It’s vague enough to fit dozens of possible scenarios:

• Your mother calls about anything
• Your aunt mentions moving
• You remember your grandmother’s old house
• A female friend discusses her apartment
• You see a TV show about mothers and homes

The vagueness isn’t a weakness—it’s the entire mechanism that makes the claim appear accurate. This is called the “Barnum Effect” or “Forer Effect” in psychology—the tendency to accept vague, general statements as personally meaningful and accurate. It’s why horoscopes work, why fortune cookies seem insightful, and why prophetic claims that avoid specific details can appear fulfilled.

Shincheonji’s 5W1H Problem

Shincheonji claims to use the 5W1H investigative standard (Who, What, When, Where, Why, How) to testify about the fulfillment of Revelation. But when we actually examine their claims using this standard, critical details are consistently missing or unverifiable:

• WHO: While Lee Man-hee is named, many key figures are identified only by symbolic names or titles. Independent witnesses who can corroborate the spiritual interpretations are absent, and former members are dismissed as “betrayers.”
• WHAT: Specific actions are described, but the spiritual significance assigned to them (e.g., organizational conflict as “spiritual warfare”) is interpretation, not verifiable fact.
• WHEN: Some dates are provided (September 20, 1981, for example), but many events are dated vaguely or not at all. The exact sequence of events is reconstructed retrospectively to fit the Revelation narrative.
• WHERE: The spiritual significance of the Tabernacle Temple location (claiming it’s “where God’s throne was”) is interpretation, not verifiable fact.
• WHY: The spiritual motivations assigned (divine calling vs. human ambition) exist entirely within Shincheonji’s interpretive framework and cannot be verified.
• HOW: The process by which ordinary events become prophetic fulfillment is asserted, never explained.

The Pattern of Vagueness

This vagueness isn’t accidental—it’s structural. Like the psychic’s cold reading, Shincheonji’s claims are vague enough to be unfalsifiable while appearing specific enough to seem credible.

• Claim: “The seven stars in Revelation 1-3 are the seven messengers of the Tabernacle Temple.”
  • What’s missing: Clear identification of all seven individuals and independent verification of their spiritual positions claimed.
• Claim: “The Nicolaitans in Revelation 2 represent the group that destroyed the Tabernacle Temple.”
  • What’s missing: Evidence that they called themselves Nicolaitans or a verifiable explanation of why organizational conflict represents this specific biblical symbol.
• Claim: “Lee Man-hee is the one who overcomes in Revelation 2-3 and receives the hidden manna and white stone.”
  • What’s missing: Objective criteria for determining who “overcomes” and evidence that can be examined by independent observers.

The pattern is consistent: Claims sound specific but lack the details necessary for independent verification.

The Courtroom Standard

In legal proceedings, courts are deeply suspicious of uncorroborated testimony from a single witness—especially when that witness has a vested interest in the outcome. This principle exists because human memory is fallible, and a witness who stands to gain from their testimony requires corroboration. Testimony alone, without corroboration, is insufficient for conviction in serious matters.

Yet Shincheonji asks members to make an infinitely more serious decision—accepting Lee Man-hee as God’s chosen vessel with authority over their eternal destiny—based on essentially uncorroborated testimony from Lee Man-hee himself.

The Apostle Paul Comparison

Shincheonji’s comparison of Lee Man-hee’s testimony to the Apostle Paul’s testimony about his Damascus Road experience fails because Paul’s experience was corroborated through multiple independent means (immediate witnesses, dramatic life change, documented miracles, recognition by other apostles). Lee Man-hee’s testimony remains uncorroborated interpretation of events that others present understood differently.

The Problem of Interested Testimony

Lee Man-hee’s testimony about the Tabernacle Temple events establishes his unique spiritual authority, his organization’s exclusivity, and his interpretation as the only correct understanding. This is an enormous vested interest. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and claims that establish the claimant’s unique authority require independent corroboration.

The Missing Witnesses

If the Tabernacle Temple events truly represent the fulfillment of Revelation, we would expect: Multiple independent witnesses who share the spiritual interpretation, contemporary documentation recognizing the prophetic significance at the time, and external validation from independent experts. The absence of these corroborating elements means the claims rest entirely on Lee Man-hee’s uncorroborated testimony and retrospective interpretation.

Carl Sagan’s Invisible Dragon

Carl Sagan’s parable of the invisible dragon illustrates that if there’s no test that could prove the dragon doesn’t exist, then the claim is unfalsifiable—and therefore meaningless. Unfalsifiable claims can’t be proven wrong, which paradoxically means they can’t be proven right either.

The Falsifiability Principle

In philosophy of science, a claim is considered meaningful only if it’s falsifiable—if there’s some conceivable evidence or test that could prove it wrong. This is crucial for distinguishing testable claims (e.g., “It will rain in Seoul tomorrow”) from unfalsifiable claims (e.g., “It will rain in Seoul tomorrow unless spiritual forces prevent it”).

Shincheonji’s Unfalsifiable Structure

Shincheonji’s core claims are structured to be unfalsifiable because they possess built-in defense mechanisms against contradictory evidence:

• Claim: “Lee Man-hee is the promised pastor of Revelation…”
  • Defense: Any contrary evidence is dismissed as lacking spiritual understanding: “You don’t understand the parables,” or “Your doubts come from Satan.”
  • Result: The claim is unfalsifiable.
• Claim: “The Tabernacle Temple events fulfill Revelation chapters 1-13.”
  • Defense: Claims are flexible through symbolic reinterpretation: “The fulfillment is spiritual, not physical,” or “The Bible is written in parables.”
  • Result: The claim is unfalsifiable.
• Claim: “Salvation is only available through Shincheonji.”
  • Defense: Evidence of genuine faith outside Shincheonji is redefined: “Satan can create counterfeit spirituality,” or “They don’t have the revealed word.”
  • Result: The claim is unfalsifiable.

The Circular Reasoning Trap

Shincheonji’s claims rest on circular reasoning that makes them immune to evidence: Lee Man-hee has revelation because he explains the parables, and his explanations are correct because he has revelation. The result is a self-contained system that cannot be tested, and therefore cannot be trusted.

Prophetic movements that rely on unfalsifiable claims repeat a historical pattern when specific predictions fail: reinterpretation to maintain authority.

• The Millerite Great Disappointment (1844): William Miller’s specific, testable prediction of Christ’s return was falsified. Followers reinterpreted it as a spiritual event to preserve the interpretive framework.
• The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Multiple Failed Predictions: Failed predictions (1914, 1925, 1975) led to organizational reinterpretation and subsequent claims becoming vague enough to be unfalsifiable. Followers stay due to Sunk Cost Fallacy and Social Cost of Leaving.
• Harold Camping’s Rapture Predictions (2011): His specific predictions were falsified, forcing him to admit error. The lesson for prophetic movements: avoid specific, testable predictions and instead rely on retrospective interpretation of past events.
• QAnon and Modern Conspiracy Prophecy: This non-religious example operates identically: specific predictions failed, but followers claimed “Disinformation is necessary” or “Trust the plan” to maintain an unfalsifiable framework.

The key insight: Unfalsifiable claims are a universal pattern in any system that prioritizes belief over evidence, regardless of religious context.

If no such test exists, the claims are untestable and untrustworthy.

Claim 1: “Lee Man-hee is the promised pastor of Revelation”

• What would falsify: Evidence that his interpretations contradict Scripture or that the events don’t match Revelation.
• Shincheonji’s Defense: “You don’t understand the parables” or “Your doubts come from Satan.”
• Result: Unfalsifiable.

Claim 2: “The Tabernacle Temple events fulfill Revelation chapters 1-13”

• What would falsify: Historical evidence showing the events were ordinary organizational conflicts.
• Shincheonji’s Defense: “The fulfillment is spiritual, not physical” and the Bible is “written in parables.”
• Result: Unfalsifiable.

Claim 3: “Salvation is only available through Shincheonji”

• What would falsify: Evidence of genuine Christians outside Shincheonji.
• Shincheonji’s Defense: “Satan creates counterfeit Christianity” and their faith is “incomplete.”
• Result: Unfalsifiable.

Claim 4: “The 144,000 are being sealed in Shincheonji right now”

• What would falsify: If Shincheonji’s membership exceeds 144,000 without the end occurring.
• Shincheonji’s Defense: “The number may be symbolic” or “The sealing takes as long as God determines.”
• Result: Unfalsifiable.

The consistent pattern is that every core claim is ultimately unfalsifiable due to built-in defense mechanisms that reframe contrary evidence as spiritual failure.

Unfalsifiable claims are psychologically powerful because they offer the Comfort of Absolute Certainty in an uncertain world.

The Appeal of Special Knowledge

Shincheonji creates an Appeal of Special Knowledge (“You understand the parables. Others are blind.”), which forms a new Identity, Purpose, and sense of Superiority. The psychological cost of questioning is enormous because it means admitting one might not be special, leading the mind to suppress doubt.

The Sunk Cost Fallacy

The longer a member invests years, relationships, and emotional energy—the harder it becomes to walk away. It is psychologically easier to maintain the unfalsifiable belief than to face the enormous cost of admitting that the past investment was based on error.

Cognitive Dissonance and Belief Perseverance

When faced with evidence that challenges beliefs, the mind experiences discomfort (Cognitive Dissonance). Unfalsifiable claims enable the mind to easily Dismiss the Evidence (e.g., critics are from Satan) or Reinterpret the Evidence (e.g., betrayal confirms prophecy) rather than accepting the costly option of changing the core belief.

The Illusion of Sophistication

Shincheonji’s systematic three-level curriculum and use of the 5W1H framework create an Illusion of Sophistication that makes unfalsifiable claims appear rigorous. However, a complex, systematic presentation of an untestable idea is still untestable—it is merely dressed in academic clothing.

The modern Flat Earth movement demonstrates how intelligent, sincere people maintain unfalsifiable beliefs despite overwhelming evidence. Every piece of evidence (e.g., photos from space, time zones) is countered with a special explanation (“NASA is lying,” “It’s an optical illusion”), making the belief system immune to testing.

The parallel to Shincheonji is exact: Both systems maintain beliefs by claiming special knowledge, reinterpreting all contrary evidence to fit the framework, and creating an in-group/out-group dynamic (enlightened vs. deceived). The difference is that a spherical Earth is falsifiable (it could theoretically be proven wrong), while Shincheonji’s claims are unfalsifiable (they cannot be proven wrong because every challenge is preemptively dismissed).

The Practical Test – What Would Change Your Mind?

 

The most revealing question to ask about any belief system is: “What evidence would change your mind?”

• Testable Beliefs: Both sides of the question have answers based on evidence (e.g., “Clinical trials would convince me antibiotics work,” and “Consistent failure to cure would convince me they don’t”).
• Unfalsifiable Beliefs: The answer to the question “What evidence would convince you that Lee Man-hee is not the promised pastor?” is often “nothing,” because the belief exists outside the realm of evidence.

 

 

The Danger of Unfalsifiable Certainty

Unfalsifiable beliefs are dangerous not necessarily because they’re false, but because they cannot be corrected if they are false. The fact that Shincheonji’s claims are structured to be unfalsifiable doesn’t prove they’re false—but it does prove they cannot be tested, which means they cannot be trusted.

When the Counterfeit Reveals the Real

Picture a master jeweler training an apprentice. He doesn’t just show the student genuine diamonds—he also presents convincing fakes. Glass that sparkles. Cubic zirconia that dazzles. Moissanite that even experienced eyes might mistake for the real thing.

“Why show me counterfeits?” the apprentice asks. “Why not just teach me what’s real?”

The master jeweler smiles. “Because anyone can recognize a diamond when there’s nothing to compare it to. But a true jeweler must be able to distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit when both are placed before them. The test reveals whether you’ve truly learned—or whether you’ve just been going through the motions.”

This is the uncomfortable truth about spiritual deception: God allows counterfeits to exist because they reveal what’s genuinely in our hearts.

The Question That Haunts Every Former Member

Matthew sat in his pastor’s office three months after leaving Shincheonji, tears streaming down his face. “Why?” he asked. “Why did God let me waste five years of my life? Why didn’t He stop me before I recruited my best friend? Before I damaged my relationship with my family?”

His pastor opened his Bible slowly. “Matthew, what you’re asking is one of the oldest questions in Scripture. And the answer is both harder and more hopeful than you might expect.”

If God is good and powerful, why does He permit false prophets to deceive His people?

The answer lies not in God’s cruelty, but in His wisdom. God isn’t testing us for entertainment or to watch us fail. He’s teaching us something we cannot learn any other way: the difference between genuine faith that tests everything against Scripture, and comfortable religion that simply accepts what we’re told because it makes us feel special.

Matthew’s Journal: Wrestling With the “Why”

Three weeks after leaving SCJ, Matthew began journaling his questions. These entries capture the wrestling process every former member faces:

Entry 1: The Question I Can’t Escape

“Why did God let this happen to me? I prayed. I studied the Bible every day. I was sincere. So why didn’t He protect me from being deceived?

My pastor said something today that I can’t stop thinking about: ‘God doesn’t test you to watch you fail. He tests you to teach you something you can’t learn any other way.’

But what was I supposed to learn? That I’m gullible? That I can’t trust myself? That five years of my life were wasted?

I keep coming back to Deuteronomy 13. God actually ALLOWS false prophets who perform signs and wonders. He permits them to test whether we truly love Him. But why? If He already knows my heart, why put me through this?

Unless… the test wasn’t for God’s benefit. It was for mine.”

What God Is Really Teaching Us

Lesson 1: Love for Truth Must Be Genuine, Not Convenient

Deuteronomy 13:1–3

“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Notice what God says: even if the sign comes to pass—even if the prophet appears to have supernatural confirmation—you must still test the teaching against God’s revealed Word.

The test isn’t about the sign—it’s about your heart. Will you follow spectacular claims, or will you follow truth? Will you be dazzled by the performance, or will you remain anchored in God’s Word?

2 Thessalonians 2:9–12

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…”

Notice the sequence: They refused to love the truth (the heart condition comes first), then God sends them a strong delusion (divine judgment follows human choice).

God isn’t randomly deceiving people. He’s honoring the choice of those who persistently rejected His truth. When someone prefers comfortable lies over uncomfortable truth, God eventually gives them what they’ve chosen.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 2

“I read 2 Thessalonians 2 today and it terrified me. ‘God sends them a strong delusion.’ Does that mean God WANTED me to be deceived?

But then I read it again. ‘Because they refused to love the truth.’ Past tense. They had already rejected truth BEFORE God sent the delusion.

I’m starting to see it now. How many times did my mom try to show me contradictions in SCJ’s teaching? How many times did my brother beg me to just compare what they taught with what the Bible actually says?

I didn’t refuse because I examined the evidence and found SCJ convincing. I refused because I didn’t WANT to be wrong. I loved feeling special. I loved being part of the ‘chosen 144,000.’ I loved having ‘hidden knowledge’ that other Christians didn’t have.

I didn’t love truth. I loved being right.

God’s test revealed what I couldn’t see: I loved the feeling of truth more than truth itself.”

Matthew’s reflection: Do you love truth, or do you love feeling special? Will you follow evidence, or will you follow what makes you comfortable? Are you willing to be wrong if that’s what Scripture shows?

Lesson 2: We Harden Our Own Hearts First

Exodus 7–14 (The Story of Pharaoh)

The story of Pharaoh reveals something crucial: hardening is progressive, and it begins with our own choices.

Watch the pattern:

• Plagues 1-5: “Pharaoh hardened his heart” (Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:7, 34)
• Plague 6 onward: “The LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12; 10:20, 27)

Pharaoh hardened his own heart first. Repeatedly. Deliberately. Even after witnessing undeniable miracles—water turning to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock dying, boils—Pharaoh chose pride over truth.

Then something sobering happened: God confirmed Pharaoh’s choice. God hardened what Pharaoh had already made hard.

Romans 1:24, 26, 28

“Therefore God gave them up… God gave them up… God gave them up to a debased mind…”

Three times Paul says “God gave them up.” This is the terrifying reality of human freedom: God will not force anyone to love truth. If we persistently choose deception, He will eventually step back and let us experience the full consequences of that choice.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 3

“The Pharaoh story is haunting me. He saw TEN PLAGUES. Ten undeniable miracles. And he still chose pride over truth.

I keep making a list of all the times I ignored warning signs:

• When my Bible study leader told me to lie about where I was going
• When they said ‘don’t tell your family you’re studying with us yet’
• When I had to memorize answers instead of thinking for myself
• When they said ‘only our pastor can interpret Revelation correctly’
• When my mom showed me verses that contradicted what I was learning—and I didn’t even read them
• When my best friend left SCJ and I cut her off without hearing her story
• When I felt the Holy Spirit convicting me, but my leader said ‘that’s your deceitful heart’

Every single time, I chose to ignore it. I hardened my own heart first.

And if I had kept going? Would God have eventually ‘given me up’ like He did with Pharaoh? Would He have confirmed my hardness?

The terrifying part: I was so close to that point. I almost couldn’t see anymore.”

Matthew’s reflection: How many warnings have you dismissed? Each time you ignore evidence, you’re hardening your own heart. God may eventually confirm the choice you keep making.

Lesson 3: Religious Activity Doesn’t Equal Genuine Obedience

1 Samuel 13–28 (The Story of King Saul)

Saul started well—humble, chosen by God, anointed, empowered by the Holy Spirit (1 Samuel 10:6-10). But watch the decline:

1 Samuel 13: Saul disobeys God’s command. When confronted, he makes excuses.

1 Samuel 15: God commands Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites. Saul partially obeys but keeps the best livestock. When confronted, he lies, blames others, then makes religious excuses: “to sacrifice to the LORD.”

1 Samuel 15:22-23

“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.”

Samuel equates Saul’s disobedience with divination and idolatry. Then came the consequences:

1 Samuel 16:14

“Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.”

God removed His protection and permitted a tormenting spirit—not because God delights in torment, but because Saul persistently chose pride and partial obedience over truth.

The tragic end: Saul, desperate and abandoned by God, consulted a medium (1 Samuel 28). The man who once destroyed mediums ended up seeking one out. This is how far deception takes you when you persistently reject truth.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 4

“I read about Saul today and I saw myself. He was doing SO MUCH religious activity:

• Offering sacrifices
• Leading God’s people
• Fighting God’s battles
• Performing religious duties

But he wasn’t actually OBEYING God. He was doing religion on his own terms.

That was me in SCJ:

• Studying the Bible 6 hours a day—but only through their lens
• Praying constantly—but only their prescribed prayers
• Recruiting people—but using deception
• ‘Serving God’—but cutting off my family
• Claiming to follow Scripture—but never testing their teachings against it

I was SO BUSY doing religious things that I didn’t realize I wasn’t actually obeying God. I was obeying Man Hee Lee. I was following a system. I was performing.

Saul kept making sacrifices even while disobeying. I kept ‘studying the Bible’ even while ignoring what it actually said.

‘To obey is better than sacrifice.’ God doesn’t want my religious performance. He wants my heart surrendered to TRUTH, not to a system.”

Matthew’s reflection: Are you studying the Bible—or just memorizing someone’s interpretation? Are you serving God—or serving a religious system? Intensity doesn’t equal obedience. Passion doesn’t equal truth.

SCJ’s Counterfeit: When “Don’t Trust Your Heart” Becomes Manipulation

Shincheonji correctly teaches that the heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) and that we must test everything by Scripture. But notice the subtle twist:

What the Bible teaches:

• Don’t trust your emotions over Scripture
• Test all teaching against God’s Word
• The Holy Spirit convicts and guides believers (John 16:13)

What SCJ practices:

• “Don’t trust your heart” = “Don’t listen to your conscience when it warns you about us”
• “Test by Scripture” = “Only accept our interpretation of Scripture”
• “Your feelings are deceitful” = “Ignore the Holy Spirit’s conviction that something is wrong”

When your family warns you, SCJ says: “Don’t trust your emotions.”

When Scripture contradicts their teaching, SCJ says: “You’re interpreting it wrong.”

When the Holy Spirit convicts you, SCJ says: “That’s your deceitful heart.”

The biblical pattern is different:

Acts 17:11 – The Bereans tested Paul’s teaching against Scripture independently

1 John 2:27 – “The anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things…”

John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”

Yes, the heart is deceitful—that’s why we test it against Scripture. But SCJ prevents genuine testing by:

• Controlling the interpretation
• Isolating you from other believers
• Calling the Holy Spirit’s conviction “your deceitful heart”

True discernment: Test your heart against Scripture AND the Holy Spirit’s conviction AND the counsel of mature believers.

SCJ’s counterfeit: Test your heart against Scripture—but only as we interpret it, and ignore everyone else.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 5

“This is the part that makes me angry. SCJ taught me Jeremiah 17:9—’The heart is deceitful above all things.’ They drilled it into us: ‘Don’t trust your feelings. Trust the Word.’

But here’s what they actually meant:

• When my mom cried and begged me to reconsider = ‘Don’t trust your emotions’
• When I felt convicted about lying to recruits = ‘Your heart is deceiving you’
• When Scripture contradicted their teaching = ‘You’re reading it with your deceitful heart’
• When the Holy Spirit warned me something was wrong = ‘That’s not God, that’s your flesh’

They used ‘don’t trust your heart’ to silence every warning God was sending me.

But the Bible says the Holy Spirit GUIDES us into truth (John 16:13). He CONVICTS us of sin. He TEACHES us (1 John 2:27).

So which is it? Is the Holy Spirit real, or is every internal conviction just ‘my deceitful heart’?

I’m realizing now: they taught me not to trust my heart so I wouldn’t trust the Holy Spirit’s conviction. They wanted me dependent on THEIR interpretation, not God’s Spirit.

The Bereans tested PAUL against Scripture (Acts 17:11). If they tested an apostle, why was I forbidden from testing SCJ?”

Matthew’s reflection: Is your group teaching you to test everything—or only to trust their interpretation? Do they call the Holy Spirit’s conviction “your deceitful heart”? True discernment uses Scripture, the Holy Spirit, and mature believers—not just one leader’s interpretation.

Lesson 4: God Uses Even Deception to Expose What’s Hidden

1 Kings 22:19–23

King Ahab spent years rejecting God’s true prophets—imprisoning them, ignoring them, surrounding himself with yes-men. When Ahab asked for prophetic guidance, God permitted a lying spirit to speak through his false prophets.

Not because God delights in lies, but because Ahab’s heart was already set on rebellion. The lying spirit simply confirmed the path Ahab had already chosen.

Deuteronomy 8:2

“And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”

God tested Israel not because He didn’t know their hearts, but to reveal to them what was in their own hearts. The test exposes self-deception.

Galatians 3:1

“O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.”

Paul wrote to believers—people who had received the true gospel—and asked, “Who has bewitched you?” The Greek word (baskaino) suggests supernatural deception. 

Even genuine believers who had heard the truth were led astray by false teachers.

The test revealed what they truly valued: the gospel of grace, or a system that made them feel righteous through their own efforts.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 6

“I read Galatians 3 today and I finally don’t feel alone. Paul is writing to BELIEVERS. People who heard the gospel. People who believed in Jesus. And they got deceived anyway.

‘Who has bewitched you?’ That’s exactly what it felt like. Like I was under a spell. Like I couldn’t see clearly even when the truth was right in front of me.

But here’s what I’m realizing: the deception exposed what was already in my heart.

I wanted to be special. I wanted secret knowledge. I wanted to be part of the elite 144,000. I wanted to feel more spiritual than ‘ordinary Christians.’

SCJ didn’t create that pride—it exposed it. God allowed me to be tested by their false teaching, and the test revealed that I loved feeling superior more than I loved truth.

That’s painful to admit. But it’s also the first step to freedom.

God didn’t let me be deceived because He’s cruel. He let me be tested because He wanted to show me what was in my own heart—so I could repent and be free.”

Matthew’s reflection: What does your response to testing reveal about your heart? Do you love truth, or do you love feeling special? The test isn’t punishment—it’s exposure that leads to freedom.

Lesson 5: Pride Keeps You Trapped; Humility Sets You Free

James 4:6

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Michael was a Shincheonji instructor for seven years. When a former member sent him documentation comparing Shincheonji’s teachings to Scripture, his first reaction was anger.

“I didn’t even read it,” he later admitted. “I was so sure I was right that I couldn’t imagine I might be wrong. It took my sister—who I had cut off for ‘persecuting’ me—to ask one simple question: ‘If you’re so confident in your beliefs, why are you afraid to examine them?'”

That question broke through. Not because his sister was eloquent, but because it exposed the pride masking itself as faith. True faith welcomes examination. Pride fears it.

Proverbs 11:2

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.”

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 7

“My brother sent me a document comparing SCJ’s teachings to the Bible. I deleted it without reading it.

Why? Because I was afraid.

I told myself it was ‘persecution.’ I told myself I was ‘protecting my faith.’ But the truth? I was afraid of being wrong.

Pride told me: ‘You’ve invested 5 years. You’ve recruited 12 people. You’ve cut off your family. If you’re wrong about this, what does that say about you?’

So I didn’t look. I didn’t test. I didn’t examine.

But when my brother asked, ‘If you’re so confident, why are you afraid to look at the evidence?’—something broke.

Because he was right. If I truly had the truth, evidence would confirm it, not threaten it.

I finally read the document. And everything fell apart. But in the best way possible.

Humility is terrifying. It means admitting you were wrong. It means facing the pain you caused. It means starting over.

But it’s also the only path to freedom.”

Matthew’s reflection: Are you afraid to examine evidence because you might be wrong? True faith welcomes testing. Pride fears it. Humility is the key that unlocks the prison of deception.

Lesson 6: Independent Verification Is Essential

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 8 – What I Wish I Had Done

“Looking back, I realize I never actually tested SCJ’s teachings. I thought I did—but I only tested them using SCJ’s own materials, SCJ’s own interpretations, and SCJ’s own ‘experts.’

That’s not testing. That’s circular reasoning.

I only read SCJ materials. I only talked to SCJ members. I only attended SCJ Bible studies. I was in a complete echo chamber.

What I should have done: Read the Bible passages in context, not just the verses they selected. Consult multiple Bible translations. Read commentaries from respected biblical scholars outside the organization. Talk to pastors and theologians who aren’t affiliated with SCJ. Listen to testimonies from former members.

Proverbs 18:17 – ‘The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.’

I only heard SCJ’s side. I never examined the other side. That’s not discernment—that’s indoctrination.

I accepted their claims because they SOUNDED biblical and were presented with confidence. But I never asked: Where is the biblical evidence for this specific claim? How do other scholars interpret these passages? Has this group made false predictions before?

1 John 4:1 – ‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.’

John didn’t say ‘test the spirits using only the spirits’ own testimony.’ He said TEST them—which means examining them against an external standard.

SCJ isolated me from other counselors. They were my only source of ‘truth.’ That should have been a red flag.

Proverbs 11:14 – ‘Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.’

I was pressured to make decisions quickly. ‘The end is near.’ ‘Don’t delay.’ ‘You need to decide now.’ But God’s truth doesn’t require rushed decisions. If it’s really truth, it will still be true next month, next year.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – ‘Test everything; hold fast what is good.’

Testing takes time. If someone is pressuring you to decide quickly, ask yourself: Why? What are they afraid you’ll discover if you take time to think?

The Bereans didn’t just accept Paul’s teaching. They examined it. Daily. Carefully. Even though Paul was an apostle.

Acts 17:11 – ‘Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.’

If the Bereans tested Paul, why was I forbidden from testing SCJ?”

Matthew’s reflection: Have you verified claims independently, outside your group’s materials? Have you taken time to discern, or were you rushed into commitment? Have you consulted multiple sources, or only one? Testing requires stepping outside the echo chamber.

A Former Leader’s Confession

One former Shincheonji center leader wrote:

“If you truly want to follow Jesus, you will do all you can to make sure you are following Him rightly. Cults like SCJ, JW, LDS, and many others, are a test for your heart. Pride and a lukewarm heart is what keeps people deceived and stay in groups like SCJ. Humility and an honest desire to walk in Truth is the way to freedom.

Don’t be like me and others, who have for many years led souls—and regret having led souls—into the false deception and manipulation of SCJ. Some of us have to live with the pain of knowing we were part of the works of darkness we pridefully ignored because we failed to test the doctrine of SCJ. Families, friendships, marriages have all been broken and affected because of our pride and lukewarmness—because we chose to trust a false teaching rather than test it.”

But here’s the hope: God’s grace extends even to those who led others astray.

1 Timothy 1:13–14

“Though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”

Paul called himself the “foremost” of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15), yet testified to overwhelming grace. God specializes in redeeming those who thought they were beyond redemption.

Matthew’s Journal: Entry 9 – Three Months Later

“I led 12 people into SCJ. Twelve.

I told them it was God’s true church. I told them Man Hee Lee was the promised pastor. I told them they’d be part of the 144,000.

And now I have to live with that.

Some of them are still there. Some won’t talk to me. One left because of me—but she’s angry, hurt, traumatized.

I can’t undo what I did. I can’t give them back the time I stole. I can’t repair all the families I helped break apart.

But I read about Paul today. He didn’t just believe a lie—he actively persecuted the church. He imprisoned believers. He approved of Stephen’s murder.

And God still used him.

I don’t know if God can use me after what I’ve done. But I know He’s a God of redemption. And if He can redeem Paul, maybe—just maybe—He can redeem me too.

I’m starting to reach out to the people I recruited. Not to defend myself. Not to make excuses. Just to say: ‘I was wrong. I’m sorry. And if you want to talk, I’m here.’

That’s all I can do. Humble myself. Admit the truth. And trust that God’s grace is bigger than my failure.”

The Hope Beyond the Warning

These stories—Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab—are sobering warnings. But they’re not the end of the story.

King David committed adultery and murder, but when confronted, he humbled himself and was restored (Psalm 51).

Peter denied Jesus three times, but when he met the risen Christ, he humbled himself and was restored to ministry (John 21:15-19).

Paul persecuted the church, but when confronted with truth, he humbled himself and became the greatest missionary in history (Acts 9).

The difference between tragedy and restoration isn’t the severity of the sin. It’s the willingness to humble yourself when confronted with truth.

Psalm 51:17

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

If you’re recognizing yourself in these stories—if you see the pattern of hardening in your own life—that recognition itself is evidence that God hasn’t given up on you.

Summary: What God Is Teaching Through the Test

The Choice Before You

God doesn’t prevent all deception because the test reveals what mere profession cannot. Anyone can claim to love truth. But when a convincing counterfeit is placed beside the genuine article, the test reveals whether that commitment is real.

You stand at the same crossroads where Pharaoh, Saul, and Ahab stood. But you also stand where David, Peter, and Paul stood.

The difference is humility.

Don’t be like Pharaoh, Saul, or Ahab.

Be like David. Be like Peter. Be like Paul.

Humble yourself. Test what you’ve been taught—independently, thoroughly, patiently. Choose truth over comfort.

That’s how you pass the test.

God isn’t testing you for fun or to watch you fail. He’s teaching you to distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit—because your eternal destiny depends on it.

This is why unfalsifiable claims aren’t just logically problematic—they’re spiritually dangerous. When a system prevents you from testing its claims, it’s not protecting divine truth. It’s preventing the very examination God commands and uses to refine genuine faith…

The critique of unfalsifiable claims is an argument for testable, evidence-based faith that welcomes scrutiny.

Biblical Faith vs. Blind Faith

Biblical faith (Hebrews 11:1) is trust based on evidence (revelation, experience, God’s demonstrated faithfulness), not blind assertion. The Bible never commends the blind faith that says, “Believe without questioning” or “Testing is lack of faith.”

The Berean Example

The Apostle Paul commended the Bereans because they “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). They tested the teaching against Scripture and external evidence. Shincheonji’s approach of discouraging critical examination directly contradicts the Berean model.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – “Test Everything”

The command is to “Test everything; hold fast what is good.” Unfalsifiable claims cannot be tested because they are designed to avoid testing. If a teaching cannot be tested, it cannot be determined whether it is good or false.

Conclusion: The Emperor Has No Clothes

We return to the emperor’s invisible clothes. Shincheonji’s claim that the Tabernacle Temple events fulfill Revelation is the “invisible clothes.” The claim is sustained not by specific, testable evidence or corroborating witnesses, but by social pressure, fear of appearing spiritually blind, and an unfalsifiable structure that prevents testing.

The child’s question: “But where is the fulfillment? Show me the evidence.”

The courage lies in trusting direct observation. Recognizing that the fulfillment is invisible because it doesn’t exist outside the interpretive framework is not spiritual blindness—it’s clarity.

Final Reflection

The fact that Shincheonji’s claims are structured to be unfalsifiable doesn’t prove they’re false, but it proves they cannot be tested.

• If Shincheonji’s claims are true, they should welcome scrutiny. Truth becomes more evident under examination.
• If Shincheonji’s claims are false, they must avoid scrutiny. Falsehood requires unfalsifiability to persist.

Choose the framework that welcomes testing. Truth has nothing to fear from honest examination.

Reflection Questions:

1. What evidence would convince you that Shincheonji’s claims are true? What evidence would convince you they’re false? If you can’t answer both questions, why not?
2. Can you identify any of Shincheonji’s core claims that are falsifiable? What test could prove them wrong?
3. How do you distinguish between biblical faith (trust based on evidence) and blind faith (belief despite lack of evidence)?
4. Why might unfalsifiable claims be psychologically appealing even though they’re logically problematic?
5. What would you say to someone who responds to every challenge with “you don’t understand the parables”? How can you have a meaningful conversation when the interpretive framework itself cannot be questioned?
6. If you were a detective investigating these claims, what corroborating evidence would you look for? Does that evidence exist?
7. How does the Berean model (Acts 17:11) apply to evaluating Shincheonji’s teachings? Are you encouraged to test like the Bereans, or discouraged from questioning?

The truth doesn’t need unfalsifiability to protect it. Only falsehood requires immunity from testing.