Cult Research Begins

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Finally got myself seated down to really seriously research on cults... have been procrastinating for weeks now.

Resources on helping people from cults are abound on the internet but not specific information on the cult I am researching on... In the end, I found myself ploughing through websites in English, Chinese and Korean and even visited the Interpol website as well as the Korean National Police Agency to investigate allegations of sexual crimes made against the group's leader. All at the same time, as much as I want to find "proof" that this is indeed a cult, I am also trying to remain open and consider defenses. However, majority of the information on the cult seems to be more negative than positive and the group don't even have substantial web presence (they had websites but these were taken down).

Who Determines?
To be frank, I had once asked: "how do we decide if one group is a cult and one group isn't? Aren't we using our own finite minds to judge others? What if (I was just thinking what if) this person is indeed the messiah, wasn't Jesus also persecuted by many when he was here on earht?" but the more I read about the group on the internet, the more I believe this person to not be the messiah.

Allegations of Sexual Crimes

• He has countless allegations made against him of sexual abuse of female followers, and if this is indeed true then this is really unholy behaviour and how can a messiah engage in such unholy behvaiour? Such allegations and testimonies against him litter the internet, newspapers etc and it was also reported that he is also being wanted by the Interpol and Korean National Police Agency.
• Taipei Times (12 nov 2001) - "Chung Myung-seok, founder of the South Korean Jesus Morning Star Church, is suspected of sexually assaulting his female followers... The Jesus Morning Star Church has been surrounded by controversy since it came to Taiwan several years ago... Chung is wanted in South Korea on charges of sexual assault."
• Taipei Times (16 Oct 2005) - "The church's chief pastor in Taiwan Lin Huei-chuan (林暉川) yesterday denied media reports that the church recruited new members by holding beauty competitions in university campuses and through its football teams for sexual purposes. Chung Myung-seok (鄭明析), founder of the South Korean Jesus Morning Star Church (南韓攝理教會), has been wanted by police in South Korea and Taiwan for 10 years for sexually assaulting his female followers."
• The China Post (11 Dec 2001) - "Victims of alleged sexual harassments by Cheng Myong Suk, founder of the Jesus Morning Star (JMS) sect in South Korea said they will officially file charges against Cheng and Huang Ching-yuan, a Taiwan pastor and spokesman for the religious group, today at the Taipei District Court."
• Lian He Wan Bao (13 Oct 2005) - Mentioned how the group uses cultural programmes and soccer to lure people into the group and how recruitment for female models are like finding "sexual prey" for the leader.
• I can't find "Jung" on the Iinterpol website and antiJMS sites stated that the Interpol website mentioned that not all fugitives are listed on the website. Anyway, visited the Korean National Police Agency and on their visitors' board it states:
  
  8 Dec 2005 - "Thank you for your visiting our homepage. Please be informed that Jung Myoung Seok has been wanted on the charge of rape by Daejeon District Prosecutors' Office and Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office since 30 June, 2001. Jung Myoung Seok has been a fugitive and police has been continously trying to arrest him. Thank you."
  
  26 Sep 2003 - "Thank you for your visiting Korean National Police Agency. We inform you that the suspect, Myung Sok JUNG (DOB : 17 February 1945, male ) is wanted for charge of rape, etc. by Seoul District Prosecutor's Office(Foreign Affairs Division, prosecutor's name : LEE Yong Min, contact phone no. : 82-2-530-4821∼2) Seoul Interpol requested the suspect's deportation to Hongkong Interpol on 1 July 2003. The suspect was arrested for illegal stay in Hongkong, China by Hongkong Immigration Department on 9 July 2003 but released on bail after 3 days. Hongkong Immigration Department approved the exit order for Korea against Myung Sok JUNG. However, the suspect disappeared since he appealed dissatisfaction to Immigration Department on 1 August 2003. Hongkong police cancelled the bail against the suspect and are searching for him after registering the suspect on watching lists. Thank you very much for your consistant cooperation."
  
  11 Mar 2004 - "- Thank you for visiting our homepage. Jung myung sok, founder of JMS, is wanted on charge of violations of Korean laws by Korean law enforcement and also wanted by Interpol member countries(181 countries). Best regards. end Ip Seoul"
  
  I do hope these entries are not forged.
  

Unholy Interpretation of Bible

• The Japan Times (27 Oct 2002): "Jong has twisted the biblical story of Adam and Eve to deal with sex, saying, 'To atone for Adam and Eve's original sin, which was visited upon all mankind, it's necessary to engage in intercourse with the Lord.' In this case, he means himself, since he claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus."
• There is an emphasis on Jung being the Messiah and on providence. FACTNet (http://www.factnet.org/discus/messages/3/986.html) says:
  
  "An evolution of the relationship between God and man/women.
  In the old testiment the relationship between God and man was one of Master / Servent
  In the new Testiment the relationship was that of Father / Son.
  
  Providence now reveal that we have reached the next step in the evolution of our relationship with God. The relationship has now become that of equal lovers. The founder claims he is a Virgin."
  
  
• The group also advocates 30 principles which is taught to all followers in stages. According to FACTNet (http://www.factnet.org/discus/messages/3/986.html):
  
  "A bible study course is undertaken by new recruits, 30 lessons are covered over a period of several months. Students are not ALLOWED to take the material home with them, nor are they allowed to read ahead. Towards the end of the 30 lessons, the student is asked something like, "So have you worked out who the new Messiah is???" the student then believes that they have come to the conclusion themselves that Jung Myung Seok is the new Messiah....
  
  Members are not allowed to "date" either inside or outside the group. Once a member has completed the 3 lessons AND brought 3 new people into they group, they are ALLOWED to get married.
  
  For members "allowed" to marry, an event is held where members can ask potential mates a few basic questions. Once they find a suitable partner, they appear before the leader who either grants or refuses their request to marry, based on what God tells him. I know one girl who met her husband on 4 brief occassions before marrying him. A group wedding is held for the lucky couples, no family members welcome.
  
  I know of members who I believe are kept financially dependent on the group. Some hold no jobs, others part time jobs. One girl I know has an outstanding credit card debt and I imagine no resources or opportunity to pay it back. Singing and dancing for God are higher priorities. "
  
  
• I am trying to get hold of the 30 lessons and study it but then I seem to only be able to get the chinese version.

Identifying a Potentially Unsafe Group / Leader (http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html)

• Group - Authoritarianism with no accountability
• Group - No financial disclosure of budget and expenses etc (Safe group will tell you more than you want to know)
• Group - Testimonies by former members of abuse and grievances
• Group - Trail of bad track record on internet, TV, news, books etc
• Leader - Group leader is always right and is exclusive means of knowing truth
  
• Ideology - No tolerance for questions / critical thinking (Safe groups answer questions without being punitive or judgemental)
  
• Ideology - Fear of outside world (Safe groups encourage interaction with family, friends, community etc)
  
• Ideology - Leaving is frowned upon and those who left are viewed as evil, group frowns upon contact with them (Safe groups recognize that there will be disgruntled former members and will not forbid other members from having contact)
  
• Ideology - Followers feel they "never be good enough"

Identifying Unsafe Involvement in Unsafe Group (http://www.rickross.com/warningsigns.html)

• Behvaiour - Obsessiveness
• Behaviour - Mirroring mannerisms
• Behaviour - Inability to think critically, independently without group/leader
• Behaviour - Isolation from outside world /family unless they show interest in group/leader
• Ideology - Fused identity with group and leader
• Ideology - Questioning group / leader = persecution
• Ideology - Anything the leader does is justified no matter how harsh or harmful
• Ideology - Former followers = evil
  

Conclusion: A safe group will be patient with your decision making process. If a group or leader grows angry and anxious just because you want to make an informed and careful decision before joining; beware.

Working with People from Cults

• Remaining Calm & Understanding - It might be a misunderstanding and remember that any behaviour e.g. hostile might be a manifestation of the group's ideology and behaviour not the person's own behaviour.
• Doing Your Homework - Investigate thoroughly and discretely on the group e.g. criminal record and on cults in general. Check source for reliability. Understand group's beliefs, demands, practices as well as taboos
  
• Concerted Effort - inform and discuss issue with family members and/or those close to them, engage someone else who is not personally involved, objective but knowledgeable. Confidentiality is crucial because if news goes back to group, they might "fight back" by disallowing contact
• Maintaining Link with Outside World - demonstrate unconditional love and commitment as this also helps to link them to outside frame of reference to help them evaluate the group. Don't be a pest but let them know there are people who care for them on the outside
  
• Do not confront, Do not Denounce (at least initially) - Be careful with the choice of words and avoid words such as "cults", "brainwashed". Remain respectful and recognize differences and show that you have your own beliefs" (Assume everything you say will be repeated to the group/leader and maybe used as ammunition against you). Ask open-ended, thought-provoking questions and be a good listener e.g. ask about daily life
• File - file research, correspondences etc
• Invitation to Group Activities - attend, if necessary, only the open services (and not intensive training sessions etc) to demonstrate reasonable attitude
  
• Doubts - Handle "transitory" doubts that the person might have about the group carefully... be a good listener and take no position at first... if doubts continue, can start by sharing info and allowing space to the person e.g. "Some people shared these info, would you like to see it?" "It's OK, the info is here if you would like to have a look". Easier to share info on group similar to theirs so they can see what is wrong rather than presenting info that blatantly "attacks" their group
• Support - provide on-going support and link person to professional / support-group if possible. Avoid "I told you so" attitude. Provide support to significant others as well e.g. family.
  

Oh yah, managed to find a photo of the portrait I mentioned in my blog entry on my visit to the group. Here it is:

As I continue to read on cults, I find that there are so many around... which makes it real scary. What is scary is how some leaders of these cults are making use of these groups to serve their own agenda at the expense of others, sometimes even harming others... why isn't anything done about them?