History of the Korean Cults Revealed – (SCJ, WMSCOG, JMS)

The video transcript has been paraphrased.

[Jordan] (0:00 – 0:40)

Well, welcome back, everybody. Today I am joined by Steve Matthews, whom many of you may know if you follow our World Mission Society Church of God content. Steve is somewhat of a cult expert and a good friend. I’m also joined by Chris, who is a former member of the Shincheonji cult.

We’ve had Chris on before to share his story, and we even did a two-part interview with him about leaving SCJ. If you want to check that out, I’ll include a link in the video description.

And of course, we have another very special guest today whom Steve will introduce.

[Steve] (0:42 – 3:30)

It’s great to be back on the show. Many people come to this channel because they have friends or family involved in the World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG), or they are former members. It seemed like a natural progression to include another high-demand Korean group—Shincheonji. There are many similarities between the World Mission Society Church of God and Shincheonji, as well as with other Korean groups.

Today’s episode will be very exciting as we explore the history and culture of Korea—a fertile breeding ground for many of these groups. For those familiar with WMSCOG, you’ll notice that many of these Korean groups share unique traits. They are secretive, make their literature hard to obtain, use front groups to hide their activities, aggressively recruit, and even operate actively on campuses.

They also often delay revealing key information to new members until later. This secretiveness is a well-known characteristic of the World Mission Society Church of God, and it’s common among many Korean groups.

There are other groups we haven’t covered on this channel yet, such as Providence JMS (also called the Gospel Christian Mission Church), Great News Church, and many more.

We are very fortunate today to have Pastor Stephen Yang with us. He holds an earned doctorate and is a scholar and researcher of these Korean groups. Being from Korea, he can read the original language materials—many of which are not available in English. Pastor Yang’s expertise allows us to gain insights from those sources.

And finally, we are joined by Chris, our friend and former member of Shincheonji, who is well acquainted with the methods and teachings common to these Korean groups.

Now, I’ll hand it over to Chris to introduce Pastor Yang and kick off our discussion for the evening.

[Chris] (3:31 – 4:46)
Yeah, just to emphasize this too: when I was in Shincheonji, I was always told how special SCJ was, that they possessed a unique ability to interpret the Bible, and that no other group in the world could come close to our doctrines. Then, when I began researching the World Mission Society Church of God—an inquiry sparked by Great Light Studios and Pastor Mike Winger—I started noticing many connections.

I also looked into the claims made by Lee Man He, where he insists that he was never evangelized or involved with these different groups. However, as I researched further, I discovered information about the Olive Tree and Baek’s Recreation Sect. Although he claims to have been a part of the Tabernacle Temple, even that narrative appears to be distorted.

This is why I believe it is important to share this history—not only for Shincheonji members but also for members of JMS and the World Mission Society Church of God—so that they can make informed decisions about this so-called special revelation. And Pastor Yang, you have a Bible Vaccine Center, which I found extremely helpful in thoroughly countering the doctrines of SCJ. Please, introduce yourself and take it away.

[Pastor Yang] (4:47 – 6:01)
All right, it’s nice to see you all today. I’m Reverend Dr. Yang from Bible Vaccine Center. I serve in South Korea, where I help people leave cults. We conduct prevention seminars, assist people in recovering their Christian faith, and help reunite them with their churches. For those who never had a Christian background, we help them embrace the faith so they can experience the abundant life promised in the Bible. Currently, I am in Chicago as a visiting scholar at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where I will stay for one year until this coming July, continuing to help those still trapped in cults.
While engaging in these activities, I met Steve, and I feel truly blessed to have him here today. Thank you.

[Steve] (6:02 – 6:34)
You were on the show when we interviewed Pastor Shin, so you’re a familiar face to many viewers. The knowledge we’re sharing today is an excellent resource that will, I hope, benefit people for years to come. We’ll also touch on many other groups.
Before we proceed, Pastor, just to confirm—the website is biblevc.org in English, correct?

[Pastor Yang] (6:34 – 6:37)
Right, that’s correct. That’s our English site.

[Steve] (6:38 – 6:45)
And you’ve written a number of books on cults in Korean, but this information is also available in English to educate people about many of these high-demand Korean groups.

[Pastor Yang] (6:45 – 6:59)
Right, and we’re continually working to produce more resources. Pastor Ezra Kim and I are doing our best these days as well.

[Jordan] (6:59 – 8:10)
Amen. If I may add one thing, Chris: what you’re emphasizing is that your decision to leave Shincheonji was largely driven by your realization that groups like the World Mission Society Church of God share incredible similarities with Shincheonji. This revelation was a significant push—it made you question, and ultimately decide to leave, when you began to understand that Shincheonji was not as unique as you had originally been led to believe.

I believe one of the goals of this video—and what Pastor Yang hopes listeners take away—is to understand how similar these groups are, whether you’re in Shincheonji, the World Mission Society Church of God, or another similar South Korean cult. They all claim to be unique and assert that no other church can reveal the truth of the Bible like they do. However, what you will discover today is that these groups actually share a common origin.

[Pastor Yang] (8:11 – 8:44)
Yes, you’re right. There are many similarities among cults—especially Korean cults. When you study their history, the connections become even clearer.

Today, I will show how the genealogy of Korean cults has evolved over the past hundred years. We are going to discuss the Korean cult genealogy. Let me share my screen now.
Can you see the full screen?

[Chris] (8:45 – 8:46)
Yes.

[Pastor Yang] (8:46 – 16:15)

Okay, all right. On your right, there’s a Korean letter that means “I am a God.” This is from a book I recently wrote that deals with 30 different self-proclaimed Second Coming Jesus figures, Paracletus, or accounts of God’s history. In it, you will find many stories that share similar common factors.

Today’s topic is Korean Cult Genealogy. Before we begin, let me show you the extensive genealogy that starts in 1917.

Korean cult history dates back more than a hundred years. In 1917, Lee Soon-Hwa (correctly spelled) founded Jeongdo-gyo, which means “Right Way Religion.”

From Lee Soon-Hwa came influential figures such as the Queen of the South and Han An-ok. Their influence eventually reached Kim Sung-do—an important figure who has shaped many of today’s major cults. I will explain more about her later. Next came Yu Myung-hwa, followed by Baek Nam-ju and Hwang Guk-ju. Then emerged another crucial figure: Kim Baek-moon, who was influenced by various cult leaders, along with another important woman, Jeong Deu-geun. She, in turn, influenced Moonis—founder of the Unification Church—and Park Tae-san of the Olive Tree Movement. From Park, many cult leaders emerged, including Kim Jong-gyu, Yoo Jae-yeol, Baek Man-bong, and Lee Man-hee, as you all know.

Furthermore, Moon’s influence extended to groups like JMS and other cult leaders. These leaders did not receive revelation directly from heaven; rather, they learned from their predecessor cult leaders—copying and slightly modifying their doctrines. In other words, their basic doctrines are not unique but rather common to many cult leaders.

Let’s begin with Lee Soon-Hwa, the first founder of Right Way Religion. At the age of 38, her five-year-old son became ill during the Japanese occupation. A neighbor persuaded her that attending church would heal her child. Within three days, her son’s condition improved significantly, and after a month, he was completely healed. Convinced that God was alive, she devoted her life to prayer.

While deep in prayer, at age 47 in 1917, she experienced a profound revelation—she heard the voice of God instructing her to raise two literal flags and start an independence movement against Japanese occupation. One flag was a green cross, symbolizing heaven on earth, and the other was an eight-trigram symbol, signifying world peace. Following this revelation, Soon-Hwa Lee was tortured and imprisoned in 1920 for publicly proclaiming that raising these flags would save the people and lead to Japan’s destruction. She was released in January 1923 after four years of imprisonment. Then, in early March 1924, she led 400 followers to Shindoan in the Geryong Mountains—a central, uniquely Tai Chi–shaped area of the Korean Peninsula known for its spiritual significance. (Incidentally, Lee Man-hee also claimed to have received a special revelation in the Geryong Mountains.) Today, Shincheonji (SCJ) has acquired many lands around that area.

Soon-Hwa Lee continued preaching in the Geryong Mountains until she died on January 27, 1936, likely due in part to the harsh torture she endured. In that area, she came to be known as the Great Heavenly Lord—the first to claim the title of Lord. Later, as Right Way Religion developed, it incorporated doctrines mixing Christianity with mysticism, syncretism, Buddhism, and Korean folk religions.

[Steve] (16:16 – 17:09)
So, Pastor, may I ask you a quick question? Could you clarify how Korea—before Christianity arrived—was predominantly a shamanistic, pagan society, and how its early offshoots of Christianity (like Chongjo, which began in the 1860s) emerged? It seems that many rural Koreans adopted a polytheistic, pantheistic, shamanistic worldview. Can you comment on Korea’s basic culture at that time? What was Korea like?

[Pastor Yang] (17:10 – 18:54)
Before Christianity came to Korea in the late 19th century, the official religion was Buddhism. However, even before Buddhism arrived, shamanism was widespread. When Buddhists built temples on mountains, they first worshipped the mountain spirits. They believed that every mountain—which constitutes over 70% of Korea’s territory—had its own spirit. In essence, the mountain spirit was regarded as the dominant deity in that area. Even after Buddhist temples were established, worshippers sought to appease these spirits to avoid their wrath. Consequently, almost every old Buddhist temple in Korea has a shrine dedicated to a mountain spirit, reflecting the deep-rooted shamanistic influence in their religious practices.

[Chris] (18:55 – 19:05)
And that makes sense because weren’t the messengers trained on a mountain for 100 days before heading to the Tabernacle Temple?

[Pastor Yang] (19:05 – 19:31)
Yes, indeed. Korea has many traditions rooted in shamanism. For example, they perform rituals that last 100 days, or fast for 20 or 40 days, and even pray to the stars.

[Steve] (19:33 – 19:44)
I was going to say that it’s important to understand that Buddhism in Korea wasn’t pure Theravada or Mahayana. It was heavily mixed with pagan practices.

[Chris] (19:44)
Right.

[Steve] (19:44 – 20:05)
We call that folk religion. They blended Buddhist teachings with pagan mountain spirit worship, resulting in a form of Buddhism that varied from family to family and region to region, depending on which deities were integrated.

[Pastor Yang] (20:05 – 20:30)
Yes, you’re correct. If you visit a Buddhist temple, you will notice four distinct spiritual generals. These figures are a mixture of Hindu and shamanistic elements. They believe that these generals sometimes guard the gate of hell and sometimes the gate of heaven, and such mythical ideas are infused into Korean Buddhism.

[Steve] (20:30 – 20:39)
In paganism, the practice is to placate and please local spirits. For instance, there might be a spirit of the wind or the mountain.

[Pastor Yang] (20:39)
Right.

[Steve] (20:39 – 21:00)
Or for the harvest, you perform rituals to appease that deity. In contrast, the Christian God is very different. He is sovereign, and His will unfolds in history—rather than us attempting to appease minor spirits through human rituals.

[Pastor Yang] (21:01 – 21:26)
Exactly. One key difference between shamanism and Christianity is that shamanistic practices do not include the concept of grace. In shamanism, you must prove yourself through actions in order to please God. You have to earn favor by doing something.

[Chris] (21:26 – 21:33)
And I can already see the influence on SCJ—the hundred days of fasting, the Tabernacle Temple practices, and their training methods.

[Pastor Yang] (21:34)
Yeah.

[Chris] (21:34 – 21:35)
And then there are the mountain spirits.

[Pastor Yang] (21:36 – 22:08)
Yes, and sometimes people swear an oath by cutting their hands or fingers—an old story common in Korean folktales. However, as the Bible states, we are not required to swear oaths to heaven or earth, as Jesus taught. Yet, Lee Man-hee proudly presents himself as having made an oath with God by cutting his vein, which is not correct.

[Steve] (22:08 – 22:35)
He even cut his fingertips, and when he couldn’t draw enough blood, he had to cut his foot. Later, during the hundred days on Mount Cheonggye in Gwacheon, the seven messengers had to cut their wrists to draw blood as well. This theme of bloodshed for God’s covenant is a very strange concept. Lee Man-hee did this before meeting the prayer group on Mount Cheonggye, and again later with the Tabernacle Temple group of seven messengers.

[Pastor Yang] (22:35 – 22:41)
Yes, those concepts are very common in Korean folk religion as well. Interesting.

[Chris] (22:41–22:51)
“And also, regarding workspace salvation—you mentioned that one of the first things I realized when I left SCJ was the difference between workspace salvation and salvation by grace.”

[Pastor Yang] (22:51–22:52)
“Right.”

[Chris] (22:52–22:56)
“That was actually one of the most powerful things I learned. But, I’m sorry, please go ahead and continue.”

[Steve] (22:57–23:29)
“Let’s say we want the Korean cults to understand the concept of grace, don’t we? We want them to realize that nothing we do can contribute to our salvation. All our righteousness—as Isaiah 64:6 states—hangs as filthy rags in God’s eyes. We can do nothing to earn salvation. This is something these Korean groups fail to understand; they believe you have to work for your salvation. But, you know, Jesus paid it all, as the hymn goes, on the cross. We do good works because we are saved, not in order to be saved.”

[Pastor Yang] (23:29–23:41)
“Right. Thank you for your comments. So let’s keep going.
Hold on—can you see the slide?”

[Chris] (23:41)
“Yes, you can.”

[Pastor Yang] (23:42–25:57)
“These are the ‘right-way’ religions of old. They all featured crosses—green crosses, in fact. On the slide to your right, you can see images including trigrams and green crosses. The elderly man is the son of Lee Soon-hwa, and the man on the left is Tak Myung-hwan, who researched Korean indigenous Christianity at that time. Of course, Lee Man-hee—yes, he even labeled him as a betrayer or destroyer—but that is a wrong concept and, frankly, quite deceptive. Anyway, Tak Myung-hwan visited that place and took a picture with Lee Soon-hwa’s son back in the day.

These ‘right-way’ religions originated in 1917. We then looked up Lee Soon-hwa. Next, we move on to the Queen of the South.

The term ‘Queen of the South’ comes from Luke 11:31, which states that the Queen of the South will rise at judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them. She claimed the title for herself; her original name was Wol-ee Lee. Whenever she held a Bible conference or prayer meeting at church, she would read through the book of Revelation, claim to perform healing miracles, and profess to cure all diseases by laying hands on people. However, she also engaged in habitual fornication with her male assistants.

[Steve] (25:58–26:11)
“It’s pretty amazing how these groups have female leaders—like the Great Mother Mary we’ll talk about later—because female leadership plays a significant role in the structure of these Korean cults.”

[Pastor Yang] (26:11 – 36:01)

Yeah, yeah, you make a very good point. In the early phase of Korean cult genealogy, most of the leaders were women. This is closely related to Korean shamanism, where the spiritual mountain spirit usually appears as a male figure but sometimes also as a female figure.

In that early period, many female figures emerged in Korean cult movements. For example, in 1929, the entourage of the Queen of the South visited a church in the Gimhae area (southern Korea) and claimed that the Queen needed that church. However, Seungjae Jo, the senior pastor, immediately refused.

A week later, the Queen of the South was caught fornicating with one of her entourage at an inn in front of the train station. When it was discovered that this behavior was habitual, she was sent to the prosecutor’s office. After serving her sentence, all traces of her ministry disappeared. She remained visible for about ten years, then vanished.

Another notable figure is Han Inok, who was born in 1887. In 1886—a pivotal year in Korea when Christianity first arrived on the peninsula—Han Inok began his work. He systematized the concept of “time and two and a half times,” as presented in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation. He calculated the eschatological timeframe from these books, predicting in 1948 that Israel would gain independence, in 1978 that an Armageddon war would erupt, and in 2023 that the restoration of Eden would be fulfilled. While two of his predictions missed, his 1948 prediction about Israel’s independence was fulfilled.

His accurate prediction surprised many, and people began to follow him. His work focused on calculating “time and two and a half times,” making him one of the first to study the calculations found in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation.

Next, we examine Yu Myung-hwa. Before moving on to Kim Sung-do, let’s discuss Yu Myung-hwa. She was active between 1927 and 1933 and claimed that the spirit of God was directly upon her, so that what she spoke was identical to God’s word. When she appeared in church, she acted as though she were possessed by the spirit—declaring, “Oh, my son, I know your heart. I am your God.” Many pastors, intimidated by her presence, submitted to her authority.

Moving on to Baek Nam-joo, he divided the Bible into three periods: the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Age of New Life. This division became the predominant biblical view among cult leaders, who often split biblical history into three parts (also referred to as the Old Testament, New Testament, and Holy Testament, among other names). Baek Nam-joo was the first to propose that each period required a different savior. He claimed that while Jesus came as the savior during the New Testament era, in the current age, Baek Nam-joo himself—calling himself Emmanuel—was God-like because God’s spirit had come into him. He asserted that the Old Testament reveals life, the New Testament demonstrates life, and the Age of New Life is when one receives true, eternal life. He even argued that if he received a new revelation, it could amend the Bible, suggesting that the traditional 66 books of the Old and New Testaments were not the final word.

Eventually, Baek Nam-joo resigned due to adultery with a female student at the Wonsan Theology Mountains and later joined Kim Sung-do’s New Lord sect—thus, the “Emmanuel God” went on to serve under the New Lord.

Now, let’s consider Hwang Guk-joo, an especially interesting figure. He initiated the New Jerusalem Pilgrimage. During the 1930s, while praying for 100 days, Hwang Guk-joo had a mystical experience in which he saw his own head severed in a vision, only to have the head of Jesus attached in its place. You may have heard of similar concepts, such as blood chain lineage or the doctrine of neck exchange in monism.

Following this vision, he organized a pilgrimage group called the New Jerusalem Pilgrimage and traveled to Seoul, holding meetings at various churches along the way. During his pilgrimage, approximately 60 women abandoned their homes and husbands to follow him. He stayed overnight at different locations, where he engaged in sexual immorality with the women who served him—a practice that later became a significant problem.

Hwang claimed that his mystical experience, wherein Jesus’ head was attached to his, justified his authority. He further asserted that sexual contact with him would bestow Jesus’ blood upon the woman’s body, enabling the spirit of Jesus to come upon her. According to him, those who had sexual relations with him could attain eternal life; through him, the forgiveness of sins and salvation were granted. On November 28, 1932, the Pyongyang Presbyterian Synod declared him a cult leader.

Hwang Guk-joo was indeed a fascinating character. Later on, he began styling himself with long hair, a beard, and a mustache reminiscent of Jesus, even referring to himself as the Second Coming of Jesus.

Finally, an interesting name arises—Park Tae-young—who claimed to be Jehovah’s wife. (We will skip further details on her.)

[Chris] (36:02 – 36:04)
Huh, that sounds familiar. Yeah.

[Pastor Yang] (36:04 – 36:05)
Hmm.

[Steve] (36:07 – 36:14)
Are you seeing a lot of connections between the Savior, the three ages, and God?

[Jordan] (36:16 – 36:21)
Oh, yeah. You’re seeing the roots here. Yeah, yeah.

[Chris] (36:21 – 36:26)
I always wonder how the Moonies came about, but this is making it pretty clear. That’s all I’m going to say. Yeah, yeah.

[Steve] (36:28 – 36:33)
And JMS’s idea that if you have sex with JMS, it will give you, you know…

[Pastor Yang] (36:33 – 36:48)
Actually, JMS is here, and Moony is here, and Olive Tree is here. They all received great influence from their former predecessors, who were cult leaders.

[Jordan] (36:48 – 37:14)
Wow. It’s also interesting how prevalent sexual relationships with followers were among many of these leaders. I mean, you can see that it was likely a major motivation for them.

Right, right.

[Chris] (37:14 – 37:15)
Yeah.

[Jordan] (37:15 – 37:36)
I mean, if you can convince people—and convince women—that by having sex with you, they are forgiven of their sins, it shows just how frequently that idea was tied to their teachings. It’s just disturbing—quite disturbing.

[Steve] (37:37 – 37:48)
Well, Aung San Huung apparently had a spiritual wife—and even he lived with his girlfriend, Kim Nam Hee.

[Pastor Yang] (37:49)
Yeah.

[Steve] (37:49 – 38:02)
I believe he was married at the time, right? And he even had the peace palace with him. So it seems like they took on concubines even while married.

[Pastor Yang] (38:03 – 38:25)
What’s striking is that this type of revelation from the spiritual realm comes from Kim Sung Do—she received it from a spirit. I think these kinds of doctrines and practices are exactly what Satan truly favors.

[Chris] (38:26)
Clearly.

[Pastor Yang] (38:27 – 41:50)

Yeah, yeah. So, we’ll go to Kim Baek Mun. He is, well, just some guy.

Alright, here’s a picture of Kim Baek Mun. He founded the Israel Monastery in the 19th century.

In the 1930s, according to Kim Baek Mun, the Lord appeared to him in the middle of the night. The Lord revealed his mission and the future that lay ahead. Then, on January 6, 1946, at three o’clock a.m., Kim saw a finger appear on a wall of his house with an inscription stating that death and creation would be separated on March 2, 1946. He prophesied that something significant would occur on that day. On March 2, while people were gathered and singing, the place vibrated and filled with smoke, and Kim had a vision of Christ appearing to him. When he proclaimed that the Lord had appeared to him, everyone in the room fell unconscious.

Then Jesus appeared to Kim and gave him a revelation: Christ came to fulfill the Old Testament, and the Holy Spirit came to fulfill the New Testament. The Holy Spirit comes to man, works within him, and through him fulfills the new covenant established by Christ with his blood.

Finally, Kim stated that the Holy Spirit had come upon him and that it was now time for him to fulfill the new covenant established by Christ. He then elaborated on and developed the theory of sexual depravity originally proposed by Jung De Geun and Ah De Jung (I’ll introduce Ah De Jung later) and went on to write a 900-page book called Fundamental Principles of Christianity. This is a really thick book—in fact, he wrote three books as part of the “Trilogy of Kim”: Fundamental Principles of Christianity (900 pages), The Theology of Holy Spirit (also known as Sung Shin Shinak), and A Theory of Christian Maturity.

These three books, particularly Fundamental Principles of Christianity, became the basis for the fundamental doctrines adopted by cult leaders. Mooney and other cult leaders—especially those focused on sexual depravity—copied these works.

[Steve] (41:51 – 41:53)

So, he introduced some significant heresies in that book?

[Pastor Yang] (41:55 – 42:49)

This book explains how humankind became flawed because of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. By eating that fruit, man fell. Kim argued that consuming the fruit of good and evil is not merely about acquiring knowledge—it involves an actual sexual relationship with the serpent. In other words, by engaging in a sexual relationship with the snake, mankind became depraved.

According to his theology, someone without sin in their blood must come as a savior and provide new blood. That is the central theme of his doctrine.

[Steve] (42:49 – 42:59)

Would you say that Kim Baek Mun really helped popularize this idea more than those before him, so that it could later be adopted by Reverend Moon?

[Pastor Yang] (42:59 – 47:02)
“No, actually he was not that popular. However, he had some very dedicated disciples. Later, before his death, the followers of Kim Baek-moon numbered only about 30. So, his group was very small. But when he wrote his book and taught at the Israel Monastery, many great disciples came to him—namely, Park Tae-sun and Moon Sun-myung. These two influential leaders learned from Kim Baek-moon.

Moreover, these two individuals also learned certain sexual practices from Jung Deuk-eun. Therefore, we need to discuss Jung Deuk-eun.

Let’s move on to Jung Deuk-eun. She founded the Trigon Mountain Prayer Center in Seoul and was influenced by Hwang Guk-ju. Hwang Guk-ju was the man who claimed that, while praying, his head was severed and Jesus’ head was attached in its place, right?

She attended the same church as Hwang Guk-ju, who asserted that since his head was Jesus’ head, his blood was Jesus’ blood, and his spirit was Jesus’ spirit, anyone who slept with him would not sin again because his blood was pure. This doctrine of sexual depravity and unconventional sexual intercourse, as taught by Hwang Guk-ju, also influenced Jung Deuk-eun.

At that time, Jung was renowned for her devout prayers, especially in the mountains, where many Koreans sought spiritual power. She was reputed to possess divine abilities, receiving fire from the Holy Spirit, and she could heal incurable diseases—including mental illnesses—through prayer.

What is particularly striking is that she often received what she called a “kiss revelation.” Have you ever heard of a kiss revelation? No? It is quite unique. She claimed to have received a message from heaven instructing her to kiss a particular man in the church. Initially hesitant, she later met with a man who asked if she had received a special revelation. She replied that she had received a revelation to kiss him, and he agreed. They met in secret, kissed, and had a sexual encounter.

She then practiced a doctrine of changing the bloodline as a female cult leader. In November 1946, while praying, she received a revelation instructing her to travel south to Seoul to become the Great Holy Mother of the church. She went to Seoul, participated in meetings at Kim Byung-moon’s Israel Monastery, and learned more detailed doctrines from him. Their teachings influenced one another. (This is her picture, where the large Chinese character “Bae Sung-mo” means “Great Holy Mother,” referring to Jung Deuk-eun.)

[Steve] (47:02 – 47:04)
“She also went by Great Mother Mary, right?”

[Pastor Yang] (47:05 – 48:37)
“Yes, Great Mother Mary, although she usually referred to herself as the Great Holy Mother. She received a revelation that original sin was caused by sexual depravity and that new blood was needed for salvation.

She performed a bloodline-changing sexual ritual with her followers. On June 6, 1946, she encountered a young man crossing the 38th Parallel—which divided North and South Korea at the time, though that division was not yet permanent. People casually crossed between the North and South during that period. While she was praying, she received a special revelation that a young man would cross the 38th Parallel, and that she should go to him and accept him.

That young man was Moon Sun-myung—the founder of the Unification Church. Jung accepted Moon and had a sexual relationship with him to establish a pure bloodline for salvation. She also had a sexual relationship with Park Tae-sun.”

[Steve] (48:38 – 48:53)
“You know what’s funny about this, right? It sounds like a pickup line—like a guy trying to get a girl to say, ‘Hey, have sex with me, get pure.’ But here’s a woman engaging in an initiatory, almost predatory behavior.”

[Jordan] (48:54 – 49:00)
“Yeah. It’s kind of like that. Yes, it’s very interesting. The tables are turned a little bit.”

[Steve] (49:01 – 49:02)
“Yeah, yeah.”

[Jordan] (49:02 – 49:33)
“It’s even culturally challenging to understand. In the West, particularly in the States, male spiritual leaders and figures of authority often exhibit this kind of behavior, but it is much rarer to see female spiritual figures acting as abusers and manipulators, as is the case here.”

[Pastor Yang] (49:34 – 49:42)
“Right, right. So, two great cult leaders from Korea were strongly influenced sexually by this woman.”

[Chris] (49:43 – 49:50)
“And mind you, Lee Man-hee was part of the Olive Tree Movement—the deal with Park Tae-sun. I’m just saying, but please continue.”

[Steve] (49:50 – 49:52)
“Yeah. It’s part of the DNA.”

[Chris] (49:52 – 49:54)
“Yeah. It’s crazy.”

[Pastor Yang] (49:55 – 51:37)
“She dictated her teachings to her followers and wrote a book called The Principle of Life. Notice how its title is very similar to Kim Bang-moon’s book, The Fundamental Principles of Christianity. In addition, Moon-hee’s book begins with the word ‘principle’ — The Divine Principle. They influenced one another. Later in life, she suffered from venereal diseases, such as gonorrhea and syphilis, and then she died.
Now, it’s time to discuss the Olive Tree Movement and Park Tae-sun. Park Tae-sun was strongly influenced by these two great teachers. Many cult leaders emerged from Park.
For now, Park is a very influential leader. Compared to Moon, who had great companies and global influence but few disciples, Park produced numerous cult leaders.
Today, we will focus on Park, and we will likely discuss more next time.”

[Chris] (51:37)
“Okay.”

[Pastor Yang] (51:38 – 58:30)

All right. Today we discuss Park Tae-sun of the Olive Tree Movement. He was born in 1917 and died in 1990.

We can divide his ministry into three phases—the three phases of Park’s cult history. Phase One covers 1917 to 1954.

Phase One:
Park was born in 1917. His mother died when he was seven, and after her death he began attending the Presbyterian Church at the age of nine. At 16, during the Japanese occupation, he went to Japan to study abroad. While there, he managed a machine factory, proving himself a successful businessman as well as a devoted Presbyterian.

He was not influenced by any unusual cult leaders during his youth. After returning to Korea, he settled in Seoul and grew his business. A picture of him in his youth reflects this early success.

Upon returning from Japan, Park Tae-sun attended Namdaemun Presbyterian Church in Seoul, where he was ordained as a deacon. In 1948, he attended a revival meeting led by one of Korea’s most famous revivalists, Reverend Lee Seong-bo, where he experienced the Holy Spirit for the first time—so vividly that he felt it burned into his heart.

Driven by his spiritual hunger, Park sought God with increasing fervor. One of his friends, Tae-yoon Lee, took him to a meeting after hearing about a special female prophetess from North Korea. Hungry for spiritual experience, Park followed his friend’s recommendation and met the prophetess, Jang Deuk-eun—the same sexual ritual practitioner mentioned earlier.

Park Tae-sun accepted her teachings. Between February and March 1949, he invited Jang Deuk-eun to his home, where she stayed for a month and conducted a “spiritual body exchange” ritual—a change of blood lineage. During this sexual ritual, she prayed over him and laid her hands on him, and other similar rituals were performed.

Then the Korean War broke out in 1950.

Phase Two:
This phase spans from 1953 (post-Korean War) to the 1980s. Park moved to Changdong Church, following his previous senior pastor, Kim Chi-sung, who had led his former church. In 1954, Byun Gye-dan, the senior deacon, held a healing prayer meeting with Kim Chi-sung’s permission. On the third day of the rally, Byun had to end the meeting suddenly due to a personal emergency.

At that moment, Park heard a special voice from heaven instructing him to lead the prayer meeting. With Reverend Kim’s approval, he resumed the prayer rally and laid hands on the church members. A great miracle occurred—the rally became extremely popular, and news of it spread throughout the country.

At one of the rallies held on the white sandy beaches along the Han River, a total of 600,000 people gathered over nine days. Many came seeking ordination or healing through prayer. Recognizing his spiritual prominence, Pastor Kim ordained Park as an elder, elevating him from his previous position as a deacon. From that point forward, a significant movement began, attracting thousands—if not hundreds of thousands—of people.

However, during this period, strange rumors emerged. The National Council of Christian Churches of Korea investigated Park’s ministry and announced in July 1955 that his rallies were cult-like and radical. On February 15, 1956, the Presbyterian Presbytery Synod of Gyeonggi officially declared him a cult leader.

One notable incident involved Park waving his hand over a water bottle. He claimed that if he prayed over the water, it would transform into holy water capable of curing all diseases. He then sold these water bottles, which became a huge business at the time.

[Steve] (58:30 – 58:40)
“Do you think he knew what he was doing, Pastor? Do you think he knew what he was doing—as a con man? Or do you think he was simply a person with a reprobate mind who was spiritually deceived?”

[Pastor Yang] (58:41 – 58:47)
“I think that, in some way, he believed in it. Yes, I believe he was deceived by an evil power.”

[Steve] (58:49 – 58:50)
“Right. Yeah.”

[Pastor Yang] (58:50 – 1:03:34)
“There were testimonies that some people were cured, while others testified that drinking the water resulted in bacterial infections in their stomachs and severe stomachaches. Both kinds of testimonies emerged. Interestingly, from that point on, the media began reporting on Park’s strange behaviors.

Secretly, Park practiced a doctrine of changing bloodline—known in Korean as the Pigarum doctrine—and newspapers started reporting on these practices. Some reports even claimed that he tied the hands and feet of a 19-year-old mentally ill boy and beat him to death with a club, asserting that the boy was possessed by the devil.

He also claimed that drinking bottled water that had been touched by him would cure people and send them to heaven. There were even so-called “caramel miracles” where he asserted that caramel possessed 100 times the power of bottled water.

He sold caramels, which people would melt, and he would apply the melted caramel on their bodies, lay his hand on them, and pray. Some testimonies claimed that this process cured diseases, although in other cases it was clearly fraudulent.

In other instances, he attempted to cure eye diseases by putting bottled water into people’s eyes, which instead caused conjunctivitis and other eye problems.

By the end of phase two, Park Tae-sun’s eldest son was caught fleeing the country with $265,000—a huge sum at the time (around 80 years ago). This indicates that Park amassed a great deal of money by selling water, caramels, and receiving offerings. The notebook found on the detained Park Tae-sun contained the names of 100 female celebrities, which caused a social uproar.

When the police caught Park Tae-sun, he was with several well-known female celebrities. People in the Sosa area of Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, even established a religious village. In 1958, Park began building houses and factories; by that year, 16 factories had already been constructed. He became extremely wealthy. Those who once referred to him as “elder Olive Tree” soon started calling him “Spiritual Mother” – a title he never requested, but one that eventually stuck.

In 1957, Man Hee Lee joined Park’s group in hopes of being cured of Hansen’s disease—indeed, he suffered from Hansen’s disease. If you look closely at his face, you might notice that he lacks eyebrows.

Park Tae-sun was arrested on November 24, 1958, on charges of assault, adultery, and embezzlement. He was later imprisoned on January 27, 1961, for his involvement in election fraud on March 15, and he was even involved in national elections.”

[Chris] (1:03:35 – 1:03:48)
“So I have a question. What are some of the similarities between the Olive Tree movement at this moment and current-day Shincheonji theology? Wasn’t the world supposed to end, and wasn’t he one of the witnesses in Revelation 11?”

[Pastor Yang] (1:03:50 – 1:04:11)
“Yeah, actually, nowadays Lee Man-hee doesn’t claim that he is an Olive Tree, but he used to claim that he was an Olive Tree and an Overcomer. Park Tae-sun also claimed to be an Overcomer. Additionally, the doctrines of the parables and the doctrine of the 144,000 all came from Park Tae-sun.”

[Chris] (1:04:12 – 1:04:37)
“Okay, so maybe in the next video we can discuss that in more detail, but I’ll let you continue. This is an important point to consider because, often, Lee Man-hee says, ‘I’m the one with the parables, the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, and the special revelation.’ And obviously, SCJ doesn’t really teach the sexual aspects that, perhaps, the Unification Church does.”

[Steve] (1:04:38 – 1:04:50)
“Yeah, and Lee Man-hee always says, ‘I’m just a humble farmer who was never part of a church before. I was a pastor who never attended seminary and never learned anything.’ But obviously, you know, he’s a three-time cultist.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:04:51 – 1:07:42)
“Right, right, yeah, yeah. Okay, let me move on. There’s a Phase Three from the 1980s to the 1990s. Why only ten years? Well, Park died in 1990. So Park Tae-sun changed the name of his organization from Evangelism Center, Jeonilrovan to Heavenly Father’s Center on August 1, 1980.

With the name Heavenly Father’s Center, you can gradually see hints that he began claiming to be the Heavenly Father. In 1977, Jo Sung-gi, a member of the Faith Village, brought the Gyeok-am-yu-ro—written in Chinese characters—and claimed that Park Tae-sun was the end-time savior and saint recorded in the Gyeok-am-yu-ro.

Nowadays in Korea, Shincheonji often mentions this Gyeok-am-yu-ro and tries to apply it to Lee Man-hee. But Lee Man-hee actually learned about the Gyeok-am-yu-ro when he was in Park Tae-sun’s Olive Tree. Some people even brought the Book of Changes—a Chinese classic—and claimed that Park Tae-sun was a person born 5,700 years ago, a heavenly being through whom salvation was possible, and that he was a noble man destined to rule the world.

In response to these complimentary claims, on April 5, 1980, Park Tae-sun made a bombshell announcement to a gathering of executives and pastors from Faith Village across the country. All the pastors of Faith Village and the Olive Tree gathered, and in front of them he declared that the Bible is 98% lies. He stated that all the characters in the Bible are assholes—literally, including Abraham and Paul—and that Jesus is just a criminal. Finally, he renounced Jesus and claimed to be the new Overcomer and Savior.”

[Steve] (1:07:44 – 1:07:45)
“Unbelievable.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:07:46)
“Yeah.”

[Steve] (1:07:47 – 1:07:49)
“It’s like mental illness or demonic possession—it’s hard to tell.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:07:49 – 1:09:08)

Yeah. Later on, I didn’t write on this slide, but eventually, Park even claimed that he wrote a book titled Jesus is S-O-B. No—yeah, he did. Park claimed that we were deceived into thinking that Jesus was the real Son of God. We all fell in love with him, not realizing that he was actually the son of the devil.

Now, the savior is this man, Park Taesan. Where is the Overcomer who can completely remove original sin? This is the olive tree and savior. He abolished the New Testament—which testified to Jesus—and now he says that Jesus is 90% a sinner. Instead, he claims that the 89-year-old Park Taesan is God and that his words are the Holy Spirit. He declares that the time has come for a new religion, not Jesus. That is why he started the Heavenly Father Center.

[Steve] (1:09:08 – 1:09:11)

So, Pastor, this was in 1980.

[Pastor Yang] (1:09:11 – 1:09:12)

Right, 1980.

[Steve] (1:09:13 – 1:09:34)

What do you think led him to do this? When he was at his prime—he was much bigger in the ’60s, right? How big was the olive tree in 1980? Because when we hear about Lee Man-hee of Shincheonji, it was many years before this. When was it at its peak, in terms of followers?

[Pastor Yang] (1:09:35 – 1:10:02)

Yeah, I think that was before phase three. When he was really growing and prospering, the numbers varied. Some professionals say that there were up to 600,000 members, and others claim that his followers numbered more than a million.

[Steve] (1:10:03 – 1:10:09)

But you could see many people leaving when he came out with this kind of garbage, right?

[Pastor Yang] (1:10:09 – 1:10:19)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. In phase three, people started realizing that he was truly depraved, and they began to leave.

[Steve] (1:10:19 – 1:10:23)

What happened to him in 1980 that led him to make these claims?

[Pastor Yang] (1:10:23 – 1:11:36)

That’s a good question. At that time, his wife died. Many people believed that Park was a divine figure who would not die—and that his wife wouldn’t either. When his wife died, he was utterly shocked. Soon after, he vomited blood due to a serious lung disease. He was extremely fragile at that time. Around then, some individuals approached him with a Chinese book that claimed, “You are the savior. You are more than 5,500 or even 900 years old, and you will be the Overcomer.” After hearing such compliments, he decided to make even more radical claims.

[Steve] (1:11:41 – 1:11:41)
Crazy.

[Pastor Yang] (1:11:42 – 1:13:23)
Yeah, yeah. Later on, he became crazy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Here are pictures of him. People who believe he is the Overcomer display his picture all over the world—they almost worship him. It’s similar to North Korea in one aspect. Can you see his figure? He was wearing a white costume, and his glasses resemble those of Lee Man-hee. There are noticeable similarities.

I believe Lee Man-hee saw him many times when he was young in Olive Tree. So here is the Korean cult genealogy: Park eventually died, but Moon outlived him. Also, Jung Myung-suk (JMS) was the instructor of the Unification Church. Later on, he modified some minor fulfillments and claimed that Moon was the betrayer, that John the Baptist was involved, and that he himself was the savior. Thus, the doctrines of betrayal, destruction, and salvation existed even before Moon, as evidenced in Moon’s book. This lineage goes back to Kim Byung-moon. Interesting.

[Chris] (1:13:24 – 1:13:33)
For me, when I was in SCJ, one of the selling points was the cycle of betrayal, destruction, and salvation. I always wondered where it came from. So thank you.

[Pastor Yang] (1:13:33 – 1:13:49)
All these leaders share very common doctrines with the Olive Tree Movement’s arguments. That is the essence of it.

[Steve] (1:13:50 – 1:14:01)
Well, thank you. This is information we don’t normally hear in the West. I mean, how many people in these groups actually know the true history of where their groups originated?

[Pastor Yang] (1:14:02 – 1:14:32)
Exactly. People in the Western world do not know where these doctrines and unusual arguments originated. They simply believe that a special leader like Lee Man-hee, James, or Moon received everything directly from heaven. But if you examine these arguments, you’ll realize that they copied from and learned from each other. That isn’t special revelation—it’s merely a reproduction of the doctrines of their predecessors.

[Steve] (1:14:33 – 1:15:28)
So, regarding Ahn Sung-hong and the body of Korean leaders—Ahn Sung-hong essentially got his ideas from the Seventh-day Adventists. But did he mix any SDA teachings with his own before he died? In 1985, when he passed away, many things changed. They even claimed he was the Second Coming of Christ, which was not taught from 1964 to 1985 when Ahn Sung-hong ran his church. I’m just wondering—among all these characters, Ahn Sung-hong still believed in the Passover and the feasts. He wasn’t claiming to be the Second Coming Christ, but he still adhered to many traditional beliefs. Was there anyone in Korea teaching about the Passover, the seven feasts, and the three times? Yeah, yeah.

[Pastor Yang] (1:15:28 – 1:15:59)
Regarding that doctrine—the teachings about the Passover or feasts—these did not originate from indigenous Korean cults. In fact, within Seventh-day Adventist groups, there are two factions: one is very conservative, and the other is more liberal. Ahn Sung-hong belonged to the conservative faction, which we often refer to as “Jeol-gi-pa-heo-gan.”

[Steve] (1:16:00 – 1:16:28)
Yeah, while you’re explaining that, in Seventh-day Adventism there are two factions: the hardliners, who strictly adhere to Ellen G. White’s teachings (even claiming that going to church on Sunday is the mark of the beast, among other things), and the more accommodating liberal wing, which seeks to coexist with evangelicals—especially appealing to young people who enjoy contemporary Christian music. But I understand your point. The hardliners really pushed the Ellen White agenda, and in the Green Book, Ahn Sung-hong even refers to her as a prophetess.

[Pastor Yang] (1:16:29 – 1:16:52)
Exactly. They are a very strict sect. They claim that we must continue to observe the Passover and other Old Testament feasts. One more point about Ahn Sung-hong: while he adhered to the hardline views, he also claimed that he received special revelation.

[Steve] (1:16:52 – 1:16:53)
Right.

[Pastor Yang] (1:16:54 – 1:17:10)
“And from that special revelation, I think all the claims that the other Korean co-leaders usually argued and made about themselves gradually emerged in his argument.”

[Steve] (1:17:11 – 1:18:03)
“And then there was a lot that Ahn Sung-hong took from the Seventh-day Adventist tradition—such as Michael the archangel, Jesus as an archangel, the necessity of keeping the Sabbath, and the doctrine that Satan is the bearer of sin, meaning that sins are eventually transferred to Satan from Jesus as the ultimate bearer of our sins. Also, the ideas of the cleansing of the sanctuary and the 1844 event. So, there are a bunch of Seventh-day Adventist elements.
I’d just love to know if there were other influences as well. But I don’t think he came up with all this on his own. I believe there was a mixture of ideas from other sources.
He did say—how about this—were there many Korean cult leaders like Ahn Sung-hong, who claimed to be essentially an Elijah figure? Were there many Korean cult leaders who claimed to be an Elijah figure?”

[Pastor Yang] (1:18:04 – 1:18:26)
“Well, there are some, but later on, they gradually changed their positions. In the initial phase, they usually claimed to be like Elijah, Aaron, or Moses, but later they shifted to claiming to be Jesus or the Second Coming Christ. Yes, it changed.”

[Steve] (1:18:26 – 1:18:36)
“They like to personify figures—such as the seven messengers in the Tabernacle Temple. For example, Shincheonji Kimura referenced figures like Moses, Solomon, Deborah, and others.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:18:36 – 1:18:37)
“Right, right, right.”

[Steve] (1:18:37 – 1:18:38)
“And, you know, it’s kind of funny.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:18:39 – 1:18:54)
“Yeah, I think that is similar to shamanism. In shamanism, an ordinary person may become an ancestor when the spirit of an ancestor enters them.”

[Chris] (1:18:55 – 1:19:14)
“That’s how spiritual marriage also developed in SCJ, because they always talk about spirit—being united in the flesh so that they become one and immortal. Right? It’s interesting. They even have a peculiar version of the first resurrection compared to what mainstream Christians believe, where everyone receives their own body. Right, right, right.”

[Steve] (1:19:14 – 1:19:23)
“Chris, what about the idea that the martyr spirit shown in our lives—do you think that exhibits shamanistic overtones?”

[Chris] (1:19:23 – 1:19:49)
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I was trying to say. There is definitely a lot of influence. In the next video, I think it would be very helpful to compare the olive tree influences when Lehman heals a part of it with the current doctrines of SCJ. A breakdown—covering the shamanistic aspects we just mentioned, the hundred-day prayer tradition of the seven messengers of the Tabernacle Temple, and similar elements—would be very valuable.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:19:50 – 1:20:30)
“If you examine the history of Korean cult genealogy, what we need to remember is that there have been significant spiritual and even evil spiritual influences among people in Korea. The cult problem is not just about doctrine or theology or simply rebutting their incorrect arguments—it also has spiritual dimensions.
When you try to help people who are in a cult, prayer must be accompanied by a great deal of spiritual support.”

[Steve] (1:20:30 – 1:21:12)
“You know, it’s really interesting because there’s a counter-cult researcher named Tim Martin who has an excellent video on YouTube. He sometimes gives a presentation called ‘Roots, Shoots, and Cahoots.’ I believe Chris has seen it. His work shows how, in the USA, various cults have emerged from other cults.
Seven Day Venice is a major fountainhead for many of them. What you’ve done today by connecting the dots on the lineage of Korean cults is very similar to Tim Martin’s work, though it highlights how Korean cults incorporate shamanistic influences and other unique aspects of Korean spirituality.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:21:12)
“Yeah.”

[Steve] (1:21:14 – 1:21:18)
“what are you thinking? You’re sitting there processing all this.”

[Jordan] (1:21:19 – 1:22:10)
“Yeah, it’s just a lot of new information. It’s all very fascinating to hear. One thought: I’m much more familiar with the World Mission Society, Church of God, and I noticed that many elements seem familiar. It’s interesting how different groups, like WMS, are not drawing everything from one source. Instead, they combine a variety of ideas that evolved over time. For instance, Aung San Huung didn’t teach the concept of three different saviors in three distinct ages, correct?
Where did that idea come from? Did it originate with Jucho Kim?”

[Pastor Yang] (1:22:12 – 1:22:24)
“Yeah, that’s from—hold on—yeah, that’s from Hwang Guk-ju. Hold on. Yeah.”

[Steve] (1:22:24 – 1:22:28)
“I wonder where Jucho Kim got his ideas.”

[Jordan] (1:22:28 – 1:22:45)
“Yeah, right. What was his influence? How did he come to adopt these teachings as if Aung San Huung himself believed and taught them?”

[Pastor Yang] (1:22:45 – 1:23:32)
“Immanuel. Okay, yeah—Immanuel, Paeknam-ju divided biblical times into three parts. Around that period, such ideas spread among pastors and believers. In Korean history, especially during the Japanese regime, Christians longed for a new world—a new era. That aspiration inspired people to divide biblical time into three segments.”

[Steve] (1:23:33 – 1:23:44)
“And consider Eastern Lightning—another well-known Asian cult. They speak of the Age of Law, the Age of Grace, and now the Age of the Kingdom. It’s a very similar concept.”

[Jordan] (1:23:45 – 1:23:50)
“Did Eastern Lightning originate in South Korea?”

[Steve] (1:23:51 – 1:23:52)
“No, that’s from China.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:23:53 – 1:23:58)
“Very similar claims to those of Korean cults. Okay.”

[Steve] (1:23:59 – 1:24:27)
“But, you know, people in the World Mission Society, Church of God try to claim that their origins date back to 1964, when it really started in 1985. I keep saying this because Aung San Huung didn’t even teach these things—so it’s not 1964.
Basically, it’s like Aung San Huung—a former Adventist—plus Zang Il-Ja and Joo Chul-Kim. The question is: where did they get their ideas to fuse with Aung San Huung’s teachings and create what today is known as the World Mission Society, Church of God?”

[Jordan] (1:24:28 – 1:25:18)
“Yeah, from what you’ve shared, it’s like a buffet of horrible ideas. Different groups pick and choose what they like, put it on their plate, and then adopt whatever suits their agenda. It’s very interesting.
There’s also much to say about the female influence in these different sects in South Korea. You can see that the World Mission Society, Church of God already had a foundation to draw from.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:25:18 – 1:25:46)
“If you look at what all these cult leaders claim, you can almost formulate a set of principles for being a cult leader. I’ve even arranged about ten or twelve common doctrines. Maybe next time, if chance allows, I’ll share them with you. Oh, man.”

[Chris] (1:25:46 – 1:25:49)
“Yes, well, thank you so much.”

[Jordan] (1:25:50 – 1:25:58)
“Thank you so much for your time and for sharing. That was very informative—there’s a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to part two.”

[Pastor Yang] (1:26:00 – 1:26:04)
“Thank you, thank you. It is my pleasure. Thank you all.”

r/Shincheonji
History of the Korean Cults
Teaching/Doctrine
Watch Video

Jordan from Great Light Studios interviews Pastor Yang to provide greater detail about the history of Korean cults. This video goes beyond SCJ, showing how other Korean cults have also adopted doctrines from previous cults as their own.

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Critical-strike9999
Current SCJ Member

“The end is near as so many Anti-Christ are here.”

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QuestionsAboutSCJ (OP)
Moderator

Hello, hope you’re doing well. I have a question: Why do you believe that LMH is the Promised Pastor and that SCJ is the place of fulfillment?

“Is it because of their 100k graduations? The Pentecostals, one of the mainstream denominations of Christianity, grow by 35k converts per day and didn’t lose any converts during Covid-19—unlike SCJ.

Eastern Lightning is already at 4 million strong and started in 1991.

WMSCOG was confined to a single country in 1998 and is now in 175 countries.

Is it because of prophecy and fulfillment? There seem to be many discrepancies and changes to the fulfillment and the books. You may say that the details don’t matter, but that contradicts the Bible—like Matthew 5:18 where Jesus clearly taught that the details do matter, or Deuteronomy 18:20-22.”

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↳ SeekingTruth2023
EX-Shincheonji Member

“This is a very interesting summary.”

This overview summarizes the main themes and historical connections between various high-demand Korean religious groups—often labeled as cults. The discussion traces a genealogical lineage of these groups back over a century, revealing shared doctrines and practices. Key figures and their influential roles are examined, demonstrating that many contemporary Korean cults, including Shincheonji (SCJ), World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG), and Providence JMS, did not develop their unique teachings in isolation. Instead, they borrowed, adapted, and built upon the ideas of their predecessors. The conversation also explores the significant influence of Korean shamanism and folk religion on these groups and touches upon the prevalence of claims of special revelation alongside a disturbing trend of sexual impropriety among many of their leaders.

Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts

Interconnectedness of Korean Cults:
A central theme is the genealogical relationship among various Korean cults. Pastor Yang presents a historical timeline starting with Lee Soon-Hwa’s Jeongdo-gyo in 1917, illustrating how subsequent leaders and groups emerged from earlier movements and figures. This challenges the claims of uniqueness often made by these groups.

• “Today, I will show how the genealogy of Korean cults has evolved over the past hundred years. We are going to discuss the Korean cult genealogy.”
  – Pastor Yang (8:11–8:15)

• “These leaders did not receive revelation directly from heaven; rather, they learned from their predecessor cult leaders—copying and slightly modifying their doctrines. In other words, their basic doctrines are not unique but are rather common to many cult leaders.”
  – Pastor Yang (15:18–16:01)

Rejection of Uniqueness Claims:

The participants emphasize that groups like SCJ and WMSCOG often assert their exclusive possession of biblical truth. However, the historical analysis reveals shared origins and doctrines, suggesting that these claims are unfounded.

• “They all claim to be unique and assert that no other church can reveal the truth of the Bible like they do. However, what you will discover today is that these groups actually share a common origin.”
  – Jordan (7:36–8:08)

• “When I was in Shincheonji, I was always told how special SCJ was, that they possessed a unique ability to interpret the Bible, and that no other group in the world could come close to our doctrines.”
  – Chris (3:31–3:37)

Influence of Korean Shamanism and Folk Religion:

The discussion highlights the significant impact of Korea’s pre-Christian religious landscape on the development of these cults. Practices such as 100-day rituals, mountain veneration, and the concept of appeasing spirits appear to have influenced their doctrines and methods.

• “Before Christianity came to Korea in the late 19th century, the official religion was Buddhism. However, even before Buddhism arrived, shamanism was widespread.”
  – Pastor Yang (17:10–17:24)

• “Yes, indeed. Korea has many traditions rooted in shamanism. For example, they perform rituals that last 100 days, or fast for 20 or 40 days, and even pray to the stars.”
  – Pastor Yang (19:05–19:31)

• Regarding Lee Man-hee’s oath-taking:
  “Yet, Lee Man-hee proudly presents himself as having made an oath with God by cutting his vein, which is not correct.”
  – Pastor Yang (22:00–22:08)

Concept of Three Ages/Testaments and a New Savior:

Several early figures, such as Baek Nam-joo, introduced the idea of dividing biblical history into three periods—each requiring a different savior. This concept is echoed in later groups.

• “Baek Nam-joo divided the Bible into three periods: the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Age of New Life. This division became the predominant biblical view among cult leaders…”
  – Pastor Yang (29:29–29:51)

Doctrine of Sexual Depravity and Bloodline Change:

A disturbing trend among several early cult leaders was the teaching that original sin stemmed from a sexual act and that salvation required a “change of bloodline,” often involving sexual relations with the leader. Figures such as the “Queen of the South,” Hwang Guk-joo, and Jung Deuk-eun (Great Mother Mary) are cited as proponents of these ideas.

• Regarding the “Queen of the South”:
  “However, she also engaged in habitual fornication with her male assistants.”
  – Pastor Yang (25:31–25:57)

• Regarding Hwang Guk-joo:
  “He further asserted that sexual contact with him would bestow Jesus’ blood upon the woman’s body, enabling the spirit of Jesus to come upon her. According to him, those who had sexual relations with him could attain eternal life; through him, the forgiveness of sins and salvation were granted.”
  – Pastor Yang (33:06–33:43)

• Regarding Jung Deuk-eun and Moon Sun-myung:
  “Jung accepted Moon and had a sexual relationship with him to establish a pure bloodline for salvation. She also had a sexual relationship with Park Tae-sun.”
  – Pastor Yang (48:13–48:37)

Influence of Kim Baek-moon:

His book, Fundamental Principles of Christianity, is identified as a highly influential text that laid the groundwork for many subsequent cult doctrines, particularly concerning sexual depravity and the need for new blood.

• “These three books, particularly Fundamental Principles of Christianity, became the basis for the fundamental doctrines adopted by cult leaders. Mooney and other cult leaders—especially those focused on sexual depravity—copied these works.”
  – Pastor Yang (41:21–41:50)

• “Kim argued that consuming the fruit of good and evil is not merely about acquiring knowledge—it involves an actual sexual relationship with the serpent. In other words, by engaging in a sexual relationship with the snake, mankind became depraved.”
  – Pastor Yang (42:02–42:44)

The Olive Tree Movement and Park Tae-sun’s Influence:

Park Tae-sun is presented as a crucial figure from whom many later cult leaders, including Lee Man-hee (founder of SCJ), emerged. His ministry evolved through phases—from apparent Christian fervor to claims of miraculous powers and financial exploitation, and finally to the outright rejection of Jesus and the Bible, claiming to be the new Savior.

• “From Park, many cult leaders emerged, including Kim Jong-gyu, Yoo Jae-yeol, Baek Man-bong, and Lee Man-hee, as you all know.”
  – Pastor Yang (14:35–14:51)

• “Nowadays Lee Man-hee doesn’t claim that he is an Olive Tree, but he used to claim that he was an Olive Tree and an Overcomer. Park Tae-sun also claimed to be an Overcomer. Additionally, the doctrines of the parables and the doctrine of the 144,000 all came from Park Tae-sun.”
  – Pastor Yang (1:03:50–1:04:11)

• “On April 5, 1980, Park Tae-sun made a bombshell announcement… he declared that the Bible is 98% lies. He stated that all the characters in the Bible are assholes—literally, including Abraham and Paul—and that Jesus is just a criminal. Finally, he renounced Jesus and claimed to be the new Overcomer and Savior.”
  – Pastor Yang (1:07:01–1:07:42)

Questionable Origins and Deception:

The discussion challenges the narratives presented by current cult leaders about their origins and revelations, suggesting a history of borrowing and adapting previous teachings.

• “But, you know, people in the World Mission Society, Church of God try to claim that their origins date back to 1964, when it really started in 1985. I keep saying this because Aung San Huung didn’t even teach these things—so it’s not 1964.”
  – Steve (1:23:59–1:24:27)

• “They simply believe that a special leader like Lee Man-hee, James, or Moon received everything directly from heaven. But if you examine these arguments, you’ll realize that they copied from and learned from each other. That isn’t special revelation—it’s merely a reproduction of the doctrines of their predecessors.”
  – Pastor Yang (1:14:02–1:14:32)

Spiritual Dimensions:

Pastor Yang emphasizes that addressing the issue of Korean cults requires not only theological refutation but also spiritual discernment and support for those seeking to leave.

• “The cult problem is not just about doctrine or theology or simply rebutting their incorrect arguments—it also has spiritual dimensions. When you try to help people who are in a cult, prayer must be accompanied by a great deal of spiritual support.”
  – Pastor Yang (1:19:50–1:20:30)

Timeline of Main Events Covered in the Podcast:

• 1917: Lee Soon-Hwa founds Jeongdo-gyo (Right Way Religion) after experiencing a revelation to start an independence movement against Japanese occupation.
• 1920: Lee Soon-Hwa is imprisoned for publicly proclaiming her revelations and the significance of her flags.
• January 1923: Lee Soon-Hwa is released from prison.
• Early March 1924: Lee Soon-Hwa leads 400 followers to Shindoan in the Geryong Mountains.
• 1927 – 1933: Yu Myung-hwa claims to speak as God.
• 1929: The entourage of the “Queen of the South” (Wol-ee Lee) attempts to take over a church in Gimhae but is refused.
• Shortly after 1929: The Queen of the South is caught in habitual fornication and her ministry disappears after her sentence.
• 1930s: Hwang Guk-joo has a mystical experience and initiates the New Jerusalem Pilgrimage.
• November 28, 1932: The Pyongyang Presbyterian Synod declares Hwang Guk-joo a cult leader.
• January 27, 1936: Lee Soon-Hwa dies in the Geryong Mountains.
• Around 1930s: Kim Baek-moon claims the Lord appeared to him and reveals his mission.
• January 6, 1946: Kim Baek-moon sees a prophetic inscription on his wall.
• March 2, 1946: An event occurs during a gathering of Kim Baek-moon’s followers, leading to his proclamation of the Lord’s appearance and everyone falling unconscious. He then develops his theology, including the concept of sexual depravity.
• June 6, 1946: Jung Deuk-eun encounters Moon Sun-myung crossing the 38th Parallel and has a sexual relationship with him as part of her bloodline-changing ritual.
• November 1946: Jung Deuk-eun receives a revelation to go to Seoul and become the Great Holy Mother. She participates in meetings at Kim Byung-moon’s Israel Monastery.
• 1948: Han Inok accurately predicts Israel’s independence based on his calculations of “time and two and a half times.”
• 1948: Park Tae-sun attends a revival meeting led by Reverend Lee Seong-bo and experiences the Holy Spirit.
• February – March 1949: Park Tae-sun invites Jang Deuk-eun to his home for a month, where she conducts a “spiritual body exchange” ritual with him.
• 1950: The Korean War breaks out.
• 1953 onwards: Park Tae-sun moves to Changdong Church.
• 1954: Byun Gye-dan’s healing prayer meeting is cut short, and Park Tae-sun takes over with Reverend Kim’s approval, leading to popular rallies and perceived miracles.
• 1955: The National Council of Christian Churches of Korea declares Park Tae-sun’s rallies cult-like.
• February 15, 1956: The Presbyterian Presbytery Synod of Gyeonggi officially declares Park Tae-sun a cult leader.
• 1957: Lee Man-hee joins Park Tae-sun’s group, seeking a cure for Hansen’s disease.
• 1958: Park Tae-sun begins building a religious village with factories in Sosa, Bucheon. He amasses wealth through selling “holy water” and “miracle caramel.”
• November 24, 1958: Park Tae-sun is arrested on charges of assault, adultery, and embezzlement.
• January 27, 1961: Park Tae-sun is imprisoned for his involvement in election fraud.
• 1964: Mentioned as the supposed starting year of the World Mission Society Church of God, though the speaker argues the true start is later.
• 1977: Jo Sung-gi brings the Gyeok-am-yu-ro and claims Park Tae-sun is the end-time savior.
• April 5, 1980: Park Tae-sun declares the Bible is 98% lies, renounces Jesus, and claims to be the new Overcomer and Savior. He changes his organization’s name to Heavenly Father’s Center.
• August 1, 1980: Park Tae-sun officially changes the name of his organization.
• 1985: Ahn Sung-hong, the founder of the initial movement that later became the World Mission Society Church of God, dies. This is identified as a significant turning point for the group.
• 1990: Park Tae-sun dies.
• 2023 (predicted): Han Inok’s prediction for the restoration of Eden, which did not come to pass.

Cast of Characters and Brief Bios:

• Jordan: The host of the show.
• Steve Matthews: A self-described “cult expert” and friend of Jordan, familiar with the World Mission Society Church of God.
• Chris: A former member of the Shincheonji cult who shares his experiences and insights.
• Pastor Stephen Yang: A Korean pastor, scholar, and researcher of Korean cults. He holds a doctorate and founded the Bible Vaccine Center in South Korea to help people leave cults. He is currently a visiting scholar at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago.
• Lee Soon-Hwa: Founded Jeongdo-gyo (Right Way Religion) in 1917 after a revelation to start an independence movement against Japanese occupation. She claimed the title “Great Heavenly Lord” and her teachings mixed Christianity with mysticism and Korean folk religions.
• Queen of the South (Wol-ee Lee): Claimed the biblical title for herself, held Bible conferences, claimed to perform healing miracles, but was also known for habitual fornication with her assistants.
• Han Inok: Systematized the concept of “time and two and a half times” from Daniel and Revelation, making predictions about Israel’s independence (which was accurate), an Armageddon war, and the restoration of Eden.
• Yu Myung-hwa: Active in the late 1920s and early 1930s, she claimed that the spirit of God was directly upon her and that her words were God’s word.
• Baek Nam-joo: Divided the Bible into three periods (Old Testament, New Testament, and Age of New Life) and proposed that each age required a different savior. He claimed to be “Emmanuel” in the current age.
• Hwang Guk-joo: Initiated the New Jerusalem Pilgrimage after a mystical vision. He claimed his head was replaced with Jesus’ head and that sexual contact with him could bestow Jesus’ blood and eternal life.
• Park Tae-young: Claimed to be Jehovah’s wife.
• Kim Baek-moon: Founded the Israel Monastery and developed a theology based on a vision of Christ’s appearance. He popularized the idea that the fall of mankind was due to a sexual relationship with the serpent and that a sinless savior with new blood was needed. His book, “Fundamental Principles of Christianity,” heavily influenced later cult leaders.
• Jung Deuk-eun (Great Holy Mother/Great Mother Mary): Founded the Trigon Mountain Prayer Center and was influenced by Hwang Guk-joo. She practiced a doctrine of changing the bloodline through sexual rituals, claiming a “kiss revelation.” She had sexual relationships with Moon Sun-myung and Park Tae-sun.
• Moon Sun-myung: The founder of the Unification Church, who had a sexual relationship with Jung Deuk-eun as part of her bloodline rituals and was influenced by Kim Baek-moon.
• Park Tae-sun: Founder of the Olive Tree Movement. He experienced the Holy Spirit, was influenced by Jung Deuk-eun’s sexual rituals, gained a large following through healing rallies and selling “holy water” and “miracle caramel,” was declared a cult leader, and later claimed to be the new Overcomer and Savior, renouncing Jesus and the Bible. Lee Man-hee was a member of his group.
• Kim Chi-sung: The senior pastor of Park Tae-sun’s former church.
• Byun Gye-dan: A senior deacon who initially held a healing prayer meeting that Park Tae-sun later took over.
• Lee Seong-bo: A famous Korean revivalist whose meeting Park Tae-sun attended.
• Tae-yoon Lee: A friend of Park Tae-sun who introduced him to Jang Deuk-eun.
• Lee Man-hee: The founder of the Shincheonji (SCJ) cult. He was a member of Park Tae-sun’s Olive Tree Movement. The source highlights the similarities between his doctrines and those of earlier cult leaders.
• Jung Myung-suk (JMS): Founder of Providence JMS (Gospel Christian Mission Church). He was an instructor in the Unification Church and later claimed to be the savior.
• Ahn Sung-hong: The founder of the initial movement that later became the World Mission Society Church of God. He adhered to many Seventh-day Adventist teachings and claimed special revelation.
• Zang Il-Ja: A figure involved in the later development of the World Mission Society Church of God after Ahn Sung-hong’s death.
• Joo Chul-Kim: Another figure involved in the later development of the World Mission Society Church of God.
• Ellen G. White: A key figure and prophetess in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, whose teachings influenced Ahn Sung-hong.
• Tim Martin: A counter-cult researcher who analyzes the lineage of cults in the USA.
• Jo Sung-gi: A member of the Faith Village who claimed Park Tae-sun was the end-time savior based on the Gyeok-am-yu-ro.

Conclusion

This discussion provides valuable historical context for understanding the emergence and development of several prominent Korean cults. By tracing their genealogical connections and highlighting shared doctrines and influences, the speakers debunk claims of unique revelation and expose a pattern of leaders borrowing and adapting ideas from their predecessors—often incorporating elements of Korean shamanism and engaging in morally reprehensible behaviors. The insights shared are crucial for those seeking to understand these groups and for individuals and organizations working to support those affected by them. This conversation sets the stage for future discussions that will delve deeper into specific doctrinal comparisons and the enduring impact of these historical roots on contemporary Korean cults.