'The Church of God the Mother': Attracting followers like a multi-level marketing business
Recently, many orthodox religious dignitaries have spoken out against the actions that go against good customs and distort the Bible of the Church of God the Mother sect. Recently, the Ministry of Public Security has stepped in to investigate and warn about the illegal activities of this sect.
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| A gathering place that used to be a place to propagate the illegal Church of God in Phat Diem town, Kim Son, Ninh Binh. Photo: Minh Duc. |
clandestine operations
According to information from the Ministry of Public Security, the activities of the Church of God the Mother, also known as the Church of God (HTĐCT), have appeared in Hanoi since 2012. This organization does not have a hierarchical management but is organized into groups (Sion) of about 30 followers, without a common leader, followers with prestige or deep understanding of the religion will guide the religious activities of other followers. When there are enough numbers, a qualified follower will separate to form a new Sion and continue to attract followers.
Origins The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded in 1964 in South Korea by Ahn Sung-hung. In 1985, Ahn Sung-hung passed away, leaving the leadership to his wife and Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, the President of the Church. The representative council of churches in South Korea declared God the Mother to be a cult and warned people about this cult.
Members of these groups often attract followers, including followers of the Protestant Church (Church of God - orthodox) recognized by the State, educated people such as teachers, students, pupils of universities, colleges, and people when they have the opportunity to contact...
According to the reporter's investigation, members of these groups often use "junk" phone SIM cards and frequently change their phone numbers and locations when being inspected and handled to deal with the authorities. Currently, there are hundreds of Sions in Hanoi. Typical group locations include Sions in Mo Lao Ward, Quang Trung Ward, Duong Noi Ward (Ha Dong District); Cau Buu New Urban Area, Tan Trieu (Thanh Tri District); Duc Giang Ward, Viet Hung Urban Area (Long Bien District)... Previously, these groups rented large facilities for up to tens of millions of VND/month to operate Sions. However, they have now divided their facilities into smaller ones to easily move locations.
The Hai Phong City Religious Committee said that the HTĐCT has appeared in Hai Phong since 2015, with nearly 10 people secretly proselytizing. They mainly attract women, the elderly, and students, causing family conflicts (no marital relations), cultural conflicts (removing ancestral altars), and showing signs of attracting, profiting, and propagating superstitions (the end of the world, going to heaven early to enjoy happiness).
Recently, the authorities of Hai Phong city have continuously "exposed and dismantled" the operating locations of the above group of people. However, these people always find ways to resist, refuse to cooperate, constantly change locations, and secretly operate in Thuy Nguyen district, Tien Lang district and Kien An district.
According to the police agency's assessment, through verification of the complaint, the development of the HTĐCT sect in Hanoi, Hai Phong and many other localities is very complicated, with many potential risks affecting security and order.
Many families are confused and worried.
According to information from Quang Binh Provincial Police, since May 2016, members of the HTĐCT sect in other provinces have organized into a group of about 10 people led by Nguyen Tien Cong (born 1989) in Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh and his wife to operate in Quang Binh.
The subjects rented lodgings in various locations under the guise of being marketing staff, selling cosmetics and water purifiers. When working with the authorities, the subjects admitted to violating the Ordinance on Religious Beliefs and Decree 92/2012/ND-CP of the Government.
In Ha Giang, in 2016, Vi Hai Quang and his wife rented a house in Tran Phu ward, Ha Giang city and applied for a license to practice religion with 22 people with permanent residence in the provinces of Vinh Phuc, Thanh Hoa, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Nam Dinh, Ha Giang... However, the authorities of Ha Giang compared the provisions of the law and announced that HTĐCT was not part of the state-recognized sect of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam.
Although not accepted, this group still illegally organized proselytizing, so it was handled by the interdisciplinary force in Ha Giang, confiscating many propaganda documents...
According to our research, the "deacons" of HTĐCT recruit and develop followers in a way that is no different from a multi-level marketing business, collecting money every month at a rate of 1/10 of the monthly income of a follower who is working stably at an agency or company. Those who have been selected when coming to listen to the sermon must "voluntarily" put in an envelope printed with the words "Parents love you very much" given by the group leader's assistant, the amount of money is from 50,000 to 150,000 VND.
However, the followers never know how the money is used. This association's activities of recruiting and collecting money from followers can be considered a form of multi-level marketing where the product is a form of religion but is not recognized by the Vietnamese government.
Contacting and talking with some families whose children and relatives have "lost their way" into this organization, many people expressed their anxiety, confusion and frustration, fearing that their children were deceived and in danger. Many of them have sent petitions and requests to the police to urgently handle and prevent this heretical cult that is dividing many families, causing chaos and social instability.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Vu Dinh Cuong, Deputy Chief of Thuy Nguyen District Police (Hai Phong City), the activities of this cult are also linked to multi-level marketing activities: “Usually, they have a force to find gullible people to follow the religion. First, they persuade them to buy goods, do charity work, then they gradually bring people into this association. Once they have followed, if anyone wants to leave, they will call and control them…
This group especially targets students and people in difficult circumstances. Following this religion, children often drop out of school. When we rescued them, they were very weak and pale.