r/Shincheonji

Genuinely asking, because I can’t figure out how some of it gets reconciled with what SCJ teaches

Colossians 2:2-3. “In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” All of them. In Christ. Paul isn’t gesturing toward a future figure who will unlock what’s been sealed. He’s saying the treasure is already there, complete, in Christ, available to anyone who has him.

Then 2:8. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

The word captive is striking. Paul uses it deliberately. He’s describing something specific: a system built on one person’s tradition and claimed special knowledge, positioned as something beyond Christ himself. That’s not a vague warning. It’s quite precise.

Colossians 1:19: “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him.” Not partially. All of it. Already. In Christ.

The whole letter is written to a community being pressured by people claiming additional spiritual layers, hidden knowledge, access that required a special mediating figure beyond simple faith in Christ. Paul’s answer, over and over, is: if you have Christ, you have everything. There is no sealed remainder waiting for one man in South Korea to open it.

Can any current or former SCJ members explain how these passages get addressed in teaching? I’m asking genuinely, not looking for a fight. Because the plain reading doesn’t leave much room for the idea that a promised pastor holds the key to what Christ himself didn’t fully disclose.

The story is the same, someone came up to me in a new city (Vancouver) with nice vibe and energy. Met some more people and eventually the bible study thing was brought up, thought it was genuinely a community of young adults who started the study from college or something.

Fast forward 9 months later and some change (time during 1-on-1 class), I managed to leave the class and made connections. I had one/two genuine connections and that still seems to fizzle out, almost like the entire nice act was robotic programming to recruit as many people as possible.

I say this because I’m now out and leaving the city soon, be on guard - usually people who go out of their way to help you in this case have hidden agendas. Always test the spirit! 1 John 4:1

Hi guys, has anyone here had a back and forth conversation? I keep noticing the religion of SCJ stops answering questions here, kind of like the JWs.

Can anyone here go line by line explaining why their truth is are you able to defend the SCJ beliefs who is currently in SCJ? I’m not here to persecute you but to ask questions. In doing this I hope we can find the truth.

You can bring all your teachers and we can all ask each other questions.

Even though I know you guys believe the testaments don’t hold anymore for some weird reason. Then just throw away the entire bible and only use revelation. Unfortunately you can’t cause it doesn’t stand on its own without the rest of the bible.

Here’s is the most famous verse in the world:
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

What does John 3:16 point too?

In Shincheonji, there are frequent special events where the tribes compete against one another to see who can recruit the most new members. Various approaches are devised, and new prospects are usually lured into Shincheonji through deceptive means such as music events, cooking sessions, art exhibitions and peace activities. Attempts are also made to recruit new members via HWPL and other organisations.

Everything is constantly compared and reported internally: who has recruited how many, how many have joined the Centre, and so on.

Those in last place are reprimanded.
Those in first place are praised.

This happens from top to bottom.

The tribes compete against one another.
The churches within the tribes compete against one another.
The groups within the churches compete against one another.

Now they’ve launched a competition called the “Call Nation Cup”.
They’re all competing against each other again for first place.

Why?

This competition puts pressure on the members. They are constantly being compared to others, told why they are not as good as the others. This is psychological pressure.

One special unit after another.
It is always said that it could be the last one.
Let us now bear new fruit with all our strength. It has been said for years: this is the last of the last days.

Dear members,
Do you not realise that you are currently caught in a spiral? It is a repetition every time. It is a new competition every time. Why this competition?
Must you swear an oath before God as to how much fruit you will bear?

Please ask yourself:

Is it God’s plan to work against one another within the organisation through deception, pressure and competition?

Jesus said: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest!’

Is this God’s plan, or is it the dream of a man named Lee Man Hee?
A man who forbids all members from belonging to organisations that operate like a pyramid scheme – yet has himself built a huge pyramid scheme from which he and the organisation’s leaders profit greatly?

I don't mind if moderators remove this post for whatever reasons in relation to rules on reddit but a fun and potentially truly intellectual idea that I just thought of and excited of!

Make a law that says all cult leaders will be granted immunity if they participate in publicized live debate.

Cult leaders debating one another!

Potentially this save lives or mental health of like people in cults when they realize how misleading cult leaders are. It is for entertainment and intellectual purposes possibly.

A chance for cult leaders to make the case that they are truly the way. But at the same time they will be seen in ridiculous light that could help cult followers leave on their own choice, which would be good and so cult leaders granted immunity.

How about that?

Hi everyone,

I have been commenting here for a while now and would like to share how I left shincheonji a couple of years ago. I would like to start off with how I was recruited in. I was a non church going Christian from when I was 11 up until 23.

When I was 20 a "friend" of mine asked if I would be interested in attending a bible study. Not thinking too much about it i attended what I would later find out was bb class for my first out of 3 times. I would have to repeat it the next semester due to my bbt having left scj at the end of first semester. During my second bb class I was unable to progress to centre class again due to being unable to juggle uni and work with bb classes took a small break. I would then resume bb class for a third time before moving on to centre class in my 2nd semester of my 3rd year of uni.

I must admit at the start I thought the teaching made logical sense even after finding out that the bible study was scj from accidentally finding it was when I came across their YouTube page. I would say I wanted to believe that what we were learning was correct as in a way I didn't want to be wrong. I began pushing my family away as we were constantly taught that our family would persecute us so when my family did I did my best to tried my best to push them away. I was even doing mental gymnastics to justify the doctrine despite it making no sense. Luckily for me the first crack in my armour was when I first heard that jesus wasn't God in my intermediate exam repeat from one of the other students in centre. For me that came as a shock as I was 100% sure the whole reason why I believed in Christianity was because of the fact that I believed Jesus was God. Through my rereading of the bible I became attached to John 1:18 and found it impossible to deny that Jesus for me was my lord and saviour. As the naive centre student I went up to my gsn and told him that I couldn't shake off the fact I believed Jesus was God according to the bible. So throughout revelations class I would meet up with my gsn and despite his best efforts I couldn't change the fact that I believed Jesus was an aspect of God. I despite a couple of attempts on leaving scj I felt like I couldn't due to everything I was about to leave I would talked out of it by my leaf. So I stayed until the start of new family centre.

I had been seeing a psychologist for stress and managing my adhd. So one day while i was still in revelations class I decided to come clean to her that I thought i had joined a cult but I didn't know how to get out. She would tell me that she thought that with the stresses of uni (I was doing my final year project at that time) it would be best to leave after semester as by that stage my sister had cut me off and my parents were overseas. Unfortunately I had to cut it off prematurely as I was being asked to fill out the book of life(which I was unwilling to do) and knew I was unwilling to do so. So to the lead up to leaving scj I began going onto reddit and began giving advice to others to leave. I began a process of blocking members numbers and exclusively using telegram. I then left after week 12 of semester 1 of my 4th year of uni by deleting my telegram account and going complete radio silent.

As you can imagine the guilt of betraying both my family and my my fellow centre members (fellow fruits) lead to what would eventually become a deep depression. Throughout my time at the start of centre to the end of my depressive episode I would lose about 10-11 kilos especially when I had hit my peak of depression. It got to the point where I probably would have starved to death if I hadn't still been talking with my therapist throughout that period. I had also been reduced to somewhat of a nervous wreck. Whenever I saw scj members about when I returned to uni I would panic and head the opposite direction. It got to the point when I was approached by scj members I would cut it short and bolt out of there when they tried recruiting me.

What helped me get past the other side of my life of faith involved 5 factors. Firstly I prayed to God for forgiveness in my involvement in a cult that turned people away from God. I also continued seeing my therapist and she helped me comes to terms with what I had done was right despite all the harm I had caused. My third factor was I came clean to my parents and siblings on my involvement and while I think it still causes problems from time to time I think it has helped. I then got involved with my university's Christian Club. Through the club I was able to meet others who had been recruited and share experiences with them. I was also able to share my testimony and help others not get recruited or to get out of SCJ. Then the final part that helped was I lived in another country for 3 months which I think helped broaden the appreciation for the life I have despite the idiotic actions I had taken to do it.

Currently I have finished my degree and managed to improve my grades to a much better position compared to when I was in scj. Although I haven't found work in the field I have studied I am fortunate enough to be working. I also have joined a church and have been attending for a few months. I would like to thank all who have helped me in my journey of getting out of scj.

About 2 months ago I made a post about my gf being part of this cult. Well I thought to update you guys, she left the the bible study. We had broken up over other reasons and had attempted to rekindle the relationship and during the rekindling I did talk to her about her bible study groups. What got her to leave I guess was when I made bee look into the tactics of cults and she realised alot of the same tactics were being used in her bible group. I guess other factors played in as well as it was a point were she really had to evaluate her faith in the bible study for the same of our relationship and I guess she came to a realisation. We have officially broken up though but I thought to update you guys, and let you know it really is possible and achievable for people to leave the church especially if they are able to take a somewhat logical review of what they believe in.

Here is the link to my original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Shincheonji/s/2i5SKvhrwK

He reviews everything and double checks everything right? How is it there are such inconsistencies in his own published writings? Why can’t members read them themselves?

All of LMHs books have been conveniently corrupted after he made and published them. He does this to hide his mistakes when he changes revelation.

Has he done this on anything recent? Also, what about his messages through telegram? What is he doing to stop people from keeping track with what he says?

One thing I've noticed is that scj doesn't appear to keep track of his old mottos for the years. "Judgement of Babylon" ect. Is it because they dont get fulfilled and he has to clean the palate?

Hey everyone,

I’m based in Sydney (Concord area) and I’m starting a very small support group (max 2–3 people) for anyone who has experienced or left SCJ (Shincheonji) or similar high-control religious groups.

The goal is a safe, calm space to talk, process experiences, and rebuild life and faith at your own pace — with no pressure and no judgment.

📍 We will meet in a public place only (Concord Library or nearby community space)

🗓️ First meetup: Saturday 23rd May

⏰ Time: 3:00 PM

You don’t have to share anything deeply — you can just listen if you prefer.

This is not about debating or arguing beliefs. It’s simply a space for support, understanding, and rebuilding.

If you’re interested, please message me first.

Thanks.

The King Center, founded to preserve the legacy and philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is one of the most respected peace and civil rights organizations in the United States.

Its CEO, Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, is the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and continues to speak publicly on nonviolence, justice, reconciliation, and faith.

That is why this upcoming partnership deserves attention.

This Saturday, The King Center will host another online event in partnership with HWPL Georgia titled:

“Nonviolence & Faith as a Necessary Methodology for Peace Building”

HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light) was founded by Lee Man-hee, the founder and leader of Shincheonji, a controversial religious movement from South Korea that has faced criticism internationally over deceptive recruitment practices and high-control group behavior.

Many former members, families, pastors, researchers, and journalists have publicly raised concerns for years about the relationship between HWPL and Shincheonji.

It is unclear how much The King Center or its audience knows about HWPL’s background and connection to Shincheonji. Because of that, I believe this is an important opportunity to respectfully raise awareness publicly during the livestream.

If you participate in the livestream chat, please keep comments factual, respectful, and based on personal experience where possible.

Since many people in this subreddit are former members or directly affected by Shincheonji and HWPL, personal testimonies may be especially meaningful.

Examples of things people may choose to share:

• that they were involved in HWPL while also being part of Shincheonji
• that Shincheonji affiliation was hidden during HWPL activities
• concerns about recruitment methods connected to HWPL relationships and events
• concerns about Lee Man-hee’s role and influence within HWPL
• personal experiences regarding pressure, control, or image management inside the organization
• concerns that HWPL’s vision of “peace” is closely tied to Shincheonji’s broader religious worldview and influence

Examples:

• “HWPL was founded by Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee.”
• “I participated in HWPL activities while involved in Shincheonji.”
• “In my experience, the Shincheonji connection was not openly explained to outsiders.”
• “Please research the relationship between HWPL and Shincheonji.”
• “Many former members and families have raised concerns about Shincheonji’s recruitment practices.”
• “Organizations should carefully review partnerships connected to Shincheonji.”

This is not about harassment or attacking Dr. Bernice King or The King Center.
It is about transparency, awareness, and informed partnerships.

📅 Saturday, May 16, 2026 — 11:30 AM ET
📺 Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-la3oJjBf0

https://preview.redd.it/j5i0jun3i81h1.png?width=2120&format=png&auto=webp&s=fcf36693242381e62d182bfb7cab5c031fc04b00

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Hi everyone. So I was recruited to Shincheonji in my first year of university, 2024. I entered the church mid 2025, but before then I was able to successfully recruit my high school best friend, whom was initially suspicious at first when I brought up the Bible study, but because of her trust in me, she reluctantly agreed to meet the BBT and was dragged in as a result.

I am sure she has finished her new family stage and is officially apart of the church. I know at this point it’s not my fault and that she agreed to join and stay (as I had also tried to recruit other friends from high school and it didn’t work out), but I can’t help but feel guilty and responsible for this. I only just left this year and am still recovering and trying to get my life back together and this has been weighing down on me. 

Some context about this friend: she was raised by a single mum and has five other siblings, all of which moved across the country mid 2024. She stayed in Melbourne to continue her studies and lives with her extended family. I’m not sure if her extended family care that much about her, as she is freely able to go out and return when she wants. I’m afraid she doesn’t have the same support that I do that helped me to get out of SCJ. Of course, I’ve lost contact with her so I don’t know her current situation, but I definitely know she’s still there.

Two months ago I sent her a text message asking to meet up. In response she asked if she can bring her group leader to the meeting and I saw that immediately as a red flag. I came up with an excuse as to why she shouldn’t and had tried to set a meeting with just her and I, but I oddly felt like she was avoiding me since then and not even trying to put in effort to make the meeting happen, possibly even making up excuses. 

Eventually I lost patience and just texted her straight up that I have left Shincheonji and for her to please reach out to me when she was free so that we can meet and I can explain my point of view. She texted me back telling me:

“sorry to miss your call i was working! thank you for contacting me, I really appreciate knowing that you’re okay, and thank you for all the things you did for me, I am really grateful. 

honestly, at the moment I am not in the best position to talk, so if possible, can you please give me some time? I will contact you, once I'm ready to talk.

I hope you are well. And as for myself, I am doing okay so please don't worry about me. 🫶

I hope you will respect my request.”

It honestly sounds fake now that I read it and she was probably helped by her group leader or team leader or something because she has not gotten back to me since. That was March 21st. 

I know sending her links to articles and screenshots won’t work - been in those same shoes and I often ignored any warnings I got from friends and family while I was trapped there.

Is there anything else I can do? Should I text her again to see if she will respond? Should I tell her mum/aunty? I don’t have their contacts so I don’t know how that will work. I feel guilty and as if I have destroyed my friendship and her life as well. I am very remorseful.

Anyone know what, if anything, is going on in the Adelaide group. I have a source who monitors movements and ins and out of the Adelaide building/s and usual haunts. They report that some of the regular people, seen coming and going everyday have not been seen for a couple of weeks. Also noting only a couple of new faces. Are they cracking? Are more people leaving than joining? I certainly hope so!