Refugee Review Tribunal

AUSTRALIA

RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE

Research Response Number: KOR35066

Country: South Korea
Date: 17 July 2009

Keywords: South Korea – Shinchonji

This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the
Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information
currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or
asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision
or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the
primary source material contained herein.

Questions
1. Please provide a background history of Shinchongji and Anyang Shinhakwon.
2. Please advise of the beliefs, the leadership.
3. Please advise where Anyang Shinhakwon is situated. Please advise if there have been any
media programs or reports of this group and incidents of injustice?
4. Please advise if there is any evidence of people formerly associated with the group being
threatened or killed by the group or its members?
5. If there is evidence, please advise of the police response and how successful the police/legal
system have been in prosecuting the persecutors and protecting those threatened.
6. What is the Korean Government’s view of this group?
7. Could you advise whether there is any report by the newspaper on this religion?

RESPONSE

1. Please provide a background history of Shinchonji/Shinchongji and Anyang

Shinhakwon.

English-language information on Shinchongji (mostly spelt Shinchonji) is mainly sourced to

the healingallnations.shinchonji.kr website (http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/) which also
provides for comments to be posted. Information for this response was accessed from the
healingallnations.shinchonji.kr website. This website describes itself as follows:

The name of this site, “Healing All Nations,” is a reference to Rev 22:1-2, which talks about
the reappearance of the tree of life. The tree is bearing fruit every month and its leaves are for
the “healing of the nations.” We, the members of Shinchonji, are these leaves that will heal all
nations, and we want to share God’s opened words of revelation with you (‘Welcome to
Healing All Nations:’ (undated), Healing All Nations website
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/welcome – Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment
1).

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Information on the Healing All Nations website states that the Shinchonji church is called
“Shinchonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony” (‘Shinchonji
Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All Nations
website, 1 August http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14
July 2009 – Attachment 2).

The Healing All Nations website information expands on the name of the church as follows:

“Shinchonji” is a Korean word that means new heaven and new earth. It is a reference to the
new heaven and earth in Rev 21. We are the “Church of Jesus” because Jesus is the Lord of
our church. We use the name “Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony” because we are
the place where the testimony about the fulfillment of the New Testament is being
proclaimed. The fact that we are the “Temple” is also important because a temple is a holy
place where God dwells.

While most churches in the world have concocted their names using their imaginations,
Shinchonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony and its
congregation members are prophesied in the New Testament (Rev 1:6; Rev 5:9-10; Rev
7:14). We are the new kingdom of God and the new chosen people of God. It was
approximately 2,000 years from Adam to Abraham (Physical Israel) and another 2,000 years
from Abraham to Jesus’ first coming. Today, it has been another 2,000 years since Jesus’ first
coming. There have been many transitions over the course of biblical history. The world of
Noah began when Adam’s world was put to an end. The period of the law (Physical Israel)
began when the world of Canaan – the descendants of Noah – was put to an end. The period
of the church (Spiritual Israel), during which the seed of the gospel of heaven was sown,
began when the period of the law was put to an end. Today, the period of the church has come
to an end and the time of harvest has begun. Indeed, the period of the 1,000 years of
Shinchonji Church of Jesus (New Spiritual Israel) has begun (‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus,
Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 1 August
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 2).

On the “new heaven and new earth” the Healing All Nations website states:

The new heaven represents God’s new tabernacle. The new earth represents the people of
heaven who are born again. The first heaven, first earth, and sea, that disappear and cease to
exist symbolize the tabernacle, its betraying congregation members, and the beasts
respectively (Rv 13) (‘The new heaven and new earth (SCJ)’ 2009, Healing All Nations
website, 27 March http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/343 – Accessed 14
July 2009 – Attachment 3).

Information accessed on the Healing All Nations website states that Shinchonji was
established in 1984:

SCJ was established in 1984 in South Korea according to biblical prophecy. Ever since SCJ
was founded and began preaching the revealed word of God, thousands of Korean Christians
have been flocking to SCJ…(‘Is Shinchonji Church of Jesus really a cult?’ 2008, Healing All
Nations website, 29 December http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/299 –
Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 4).

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The Healing All Nations website claims that “many Christians” have joined Shinchonji since
1990 after listening to its “revealed word”. It is also claimed that “This mass exodus” has
caused “Korean pastors” to call Shinchonji a cult:

Since 1990, many Christians have joined SCJ after listening to SCJ’s revealed word (i. e. the
word of revelation). This mass exodus of Christians angered many Korean pastors, and in
response, these pastors have held several meetings to work out strategies for preventing their
congregation members from leaving their churches. Ultimately, they decided to call SCJ a
cult to avoid losing any more congregation members (‘Is SCJ Church of Jesus really a cult?’
2009, Healing All Nations website, 27 April
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/359 – Accessed 16 July 2009 –
Attachment 5).

Information on the Healing All Nations website states that the Shinchonji Church of Jesus
comprises 12 tribes. It indicates that to become a part of the 12 tribes of the Shinchonji
Church of Jesus, “God’s kingdom here on Earth”, “you must be born again by sealing the
revealed word of the New Testament in your mind and in your hearts (Jas 1:18, Rv 7:3-4)”
(‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All
Nations website, 1 August http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 –
Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 2; ‘The qualifications for being part of Shinchonji
Church of Jesus – the kingdom of God’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 26 January
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/310 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 6).

The process for becoming a part of the church is outlined as follows:

…First, you must be evangelized with the revealed word and must carefully study the Bible.
This step, the elementary level, is compared to drinking milk in Heb 5:13. When you are
qualified, you will be given an interview at one of our mission centers. After passing the
interview, you will progress through three different levels of Bible study (i.e. elementary,
intermediate, and advanced), taking an exam before progressing to the next level. Each level
lasts about two months, making the whole course of three levels last roughly six months.
After this training course is complete there is a final exam of about 300 questions. You must
receive a score of 90% or above to pass. Finally, after graduating from the mission center, you
must pass a new comer’s training course that lasts between one and two months in order to
register as a member of SCJ (‘The qualifications for being part of Shinchonji Church of Jesus
– the kingdom of God’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 26 January
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/310 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 6).

Also on the 12 tribes:

The twelve tribes of God’s kingdom, which make up the Temple of the Tabernacle of the
Testimony (the new tabernacle), are created after the first heaven, the first earth, and the sea
disappear. We in SCJ Church of Jesus are testifying about the physical fulfillment of
Revelation. Come and see! Only those who receive the revealed word are able to know the
only true God, Jesus, and the one who overcomes. By knowing and believing in these entities,
you too can acquire eternal life and salvation (Mt 11:27; Jn 17:3) (‘The new heaven and new
earth (SCJ)’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 27 March
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/343 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 3).

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2. Please advise of the beliefs, the leadership.

According to information accessed from the Healing All Nations website Shinchonji is based
on “prophecies, their physical fulfillment, and faith in both”. The prophecies are said to be
revealed in sealed scrolls which are passed on to the “chosen pastor” who appears to be “the
Counselor – the spirit of truth”, now Manhee Lee. The website also states that the church was
founded by Jesus.

Other than Manhee Lee no information was found in the sources consulted on the leadership
of Shinchonji.

According to information on the Healing All Nations website “Calling a church the Church of
Jesus implies that Jesus is the founder and head of that particular church”. It has also stated
that the “founder of Shinchonji Church of Jesus (SCJ) is Jesus, but the founder of Calvin’s
Presbyterian Church is Calvin” (‘The founder of a church, the Counselor, and holy spirits’
2008, Healing All Nations website, 24 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 7; ‘The difference between SCJ and Calvin’s Presbyterian Church’ 2009, Healing
All Nations website, 17 January http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en
– Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 8).

The Healing All Nations website mentions that the “Church of Jesus is based on prophecies,
their physical fulfillment, and faith in both” (‘The founder of a church, the Counselor, and
holy spirits’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 24 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 7).

Sealed Scroll

The Healing All Nations website states that “the sealed scroll” contains the prophecies to be
fulfilled:

The sealed scroll contains prophecies that will be fulfilled in the end times of the given
generation (Hb 2:2-3). Prophecies are given to people so that they might believe in the
physical fulfillment of the prophecies when it arrives (Jn 14:29). Both the Old Testament (Is
29:9-14) and New Testament (Rv 5) are sealed. The sealed scroll in the Old Testament
represented the prophecies that had to be fulfilled at Jesus’ first coming (Jn 19:30), and the
sealed scroll in the New Testament represents the prophecies that have to be fulfilled at Jesus’
second coming (Rv 21:6) (‘What is the scroll sealed with seven seals in Rv 5:1?’ 2009,
Healing All Nations website, 4 April
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/350 – Accessed 16 July 2009 –
Attachment 9).

Other website information describes how the sealed scroll is opened and received by the
“chosen pastor”:

God opened the sealed scroll of the Old Testament at the appointed time (Is 29:9-13; Hab 2:2-
3; Ez 1-3) and gave the revelation to Jesus (Mt 11:27). God even prophesied a place for Jesus
to go and preach the revelation, and Jesus did so according to the prophecy (Mt 15:24). The
same strategy applies to the sealed scroll of the New Testament – the book of Revelation.
Jesus opens the sealed scroll (Rv 6; Rv 8) and gives it to his chosen pastor. The chosen pastor

4
 eats the scroll and is told to preach the revealed word to many peoples, nations, languages,
and kings (Rv 10; Rv 1:2). This is the route of passage of God’s revelation. God opens the
sealed scroll of the Bible at his appointed time, and he allows the chosen pastor to receive it
and preach its content to the people. Only those who receive this revelation can know God
and the one sent by God. Knowing the one true God and the one he has sent are the
qualifications necessary to inherit eternal life (Mt 11:27; Jn 17:3) (‘The revealed word and
commentaries’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 13 December
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 10).

On the importance of the sealed scroll the Healing All Nations website states:

Mastery of the words of the sealed scroll is the most precious and valuable work that has been
accomplished throughout the 2,000 years of New Testament biblical history. Ignorant people
who have received evil spirits might hate this work, but instead of “judging a book by its
cover,” all believers should realize that the word the promised pastor has received is the food
of eternal life. It is vitally important to each and every one of us. This testimony has become a
gospel of pure joy preached to people for the first time since the creation of the world. This
testimony of the revealed word will be the living water (i.e. the water of eternal life) to those
who understand it. This testimony is what the promised pastor has received from Jesus
according to the promises in Rev 2-3. We must not be like the priests or the devil who
persecute the truth. Let us pray and strive to have good and noble hearts so that we can
receive what is good and sacred (‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of
the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 1 August
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 2).

Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony

On the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony the Healing All Nations website states:

The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony is the place for all nations to come and
worship. This is the temple where the witnesses who have seen and heard all the events of
Revelation (including the events of Rv 13) at the location they took place have gathered.
After overcoming the beast in Rv 12, these witnesses have gathered before the sea of glass
and the throne of God, according to the promises in Rv 2 and 3.

Revelation 13 describes how the congregation members of the first tabernacle (the tabernacle
of heaven) betrayed God by receiving the mark of the beast and worshiping him. Revelation
12, on the other hand, describes how the salvation, power, and kingdom of God can exist
because people overcome the beast and the rest of the group of the dragon. In fact, this event
described in Rv 12 takes place after the events of Rv 13. After overcoming the beast, the
second tabernacle – the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony – is opened in Rv 15.
Revelation 16 describes how those who overcame and gathered at the second tabernacle,
together with the angels, judge the the (sic) betrayers and the destroyers. The betrayers are
judged because they were marked by the beast and worshiped him. The tabernacle Moses
built, as well as the first and second tabernacles in Revelation were all created on earth
according to what was in heaven.

The first tabernacle, however, acts as an illustration until the second tabernacle – SCJ Church
of Jesus Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony – is established. When the second
tabernacle appears, the time of the new order begins (Heb 9) (‘The Temple of the Tabernacle
of the Testimony’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 27 April

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 http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/358 – Accessed 16 July 2009 –
Attachment 11).

The Counselor

In respect of the Counselor the website information stated:

…Today, Shinchonji Church of Jesus, which was promised in the Bible, is a temple that has
been established in the name of God, in the name of Jesus, and in the name of the Counselor –
the spirit of truth…

…SCJ is where the Counselor, the spirit of truth who has come in the name of Jesus (Jn
14:26), can be found. Those who receive the word of revelation from SCJ will know God,
Jesus, and the Counselor so that they can have eternal life (Rv 1:1-3; Rv 10; Mt 11:27; Jn
17:3). People who do not know the Counselor have no truth, no eternal life, and no kingdom
of heaven (‘The difference between SCJ and Calvin’s Presbyterian Church’ 2009, Healing All
Nations website, 17 January http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en –
Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 8).

Information on the Healing All Nations website refers to “the Counselor” in the following
terms:

Where English Bibles use the term Counselor or Advocate, the Korean version uses the word
pohyesa, which is written with three Chinese characters. These characters mean protect,
grace, and teacher, respectively. Seen from this perspective, the Counselor is a teacher who
protects others with grace. He teaches and protects those who learn from him with grace and
truth. In Ps 2, God warns us that we must learn from the son. According to this word, many
people listened to Jesus’ words and learned from him, referring to him as their rabbi. Apostle
John also refers to Jesus as the Counselor, who spoke on behalf of God (1 Jn 2:1). Jesus spoke
on behalf of God (Jn 8:28; Jn 17:8; Jn 17:14) and he taught us and protected us with grace
after the holy spirit came to dwell in his flesh (Mt 3:16; Jn 1:32). All of these scriptures reveal
that Jesus was the Counselor in the time of the first coming. It is indisputable. Jesus received
the holy spirit of God and acted for believers as the Counselor. Before he left, however, Jesus
promised that he would ask the Father to send us another Counselor (Jn 14:16; Jn 14:26).

In Rv 19, the spirit of the angel reveals Jesus’ work to John. Receiving what belonged to
Jesus through the angel, Apostle John preaches Jesus’ words to believers (Rv 10). Aren’t
these actions of Apostle John the same as the actions of Jesus in the first coming? Doesn’t
Apostle John speak on behalf of Jesus just as Jesus spoke on behalf of God? Thus, the
Counselor is not an individual spirit; it is a position or role that must be filled. The Counselor
is the one who speaks on behalf of God or Jesus. The term “holy spirit” refers to a spirit that
is holy, but the term “Counselor” refers to a person with a specific appointed task. Those who
are ignorant of the Bible spread nonsense doctrines and deceit when they speak out ignorance
saying that the holy spirit of God is same as the Counselor (‘The founder of a church, the
Counselor, and holy spirits’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 24 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 7).

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The information on the Counselor continued and associated the Counselor with the promised
“the flesh (pastor)”:

The prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled when God came to his son, Jesus (Hos
2:19-20; Isa 19:1, 20; Mt 3:16; Jn 1:32). No one could understand the prophecies in the Old
Testament nor see their physical fulfillment until Jesus came and revealed them. In the same
way, the prophecies of the New Testament can only be fulfilled and revealed when Jesus, who
made the prophecies, comes along with the Counselor – the flesh (pastor) promised by
Jesus. Again, it is impossible for anyone to understand the prophecies of the New Testament
until they are revealed. It is, therefore, utter nonsense for anyone to act as if they understand
and that they are the only orthodox church prior to the fulfillment of the prophecies (‘The
founder of a church, the Counselor, and holy spirits’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 24
November http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14
July 2009 – Attachment 7).

The Healing All Nations website also mentions “a promised pastor” “who speaks on behalf of
Shinchonji”:

…The one who speaks on behalf of Shinchonji is not God or Jesus. He is merely a chosen
messenger of Jesus at the end of the age (Rev 1:2, Rev 22:16). He is the one who received the
opened scroll (Rev 10) and the one who overcame the enemies of God with the word of
testimony (Rev 12:11). He is God’s worker who has received the revealed words of the scroll
that was sealed – the words no one in the world was able to understand until now (Isa 29:9-
14; Rev 5:1-3). He has mastered the scriptures and has been teaching people the revealed
word. Something that doctors of theology, pastors, and the authority figures of each
denomination could not see has been made known to a man of lowly birth. All believers
should realize that this work has been accomplished by the power of God and should return to
him the glory he deserves. They should give glory to God instead of envying and persecuting
the messenger just because he has accomplished something that they could not achieve, which
is full mastery of the Bible. This person (i.e. the pastor like Apostle John) has been granted
the knowledge of the revealed word of heaven, which far surpasses the knowledge of the
world’s pastors and is, indeed, beyond their imaginations…(‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus,
Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 1 August
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 2).

According to website information for a person to receive atonement for one’s sins they must
meet the promised pastor:

In this world there is knowledge of the physical world and there is biblical knowledge of
heaven. No matter how many good deeds people do, they cannot be considered righteous by
their actions alone, nor are their sins washed away. Unless our sins are washed away, God
(the holy spirit), who is life, cannot be with us. No matter how hard they pursue it, it is not
wealth or authority that the sinners of this world really need. These things are nothing but
empty dreams. The only thing we really need is God. Therefore, our sins must be atoned so
that we can meet the necessary qualifications for God to dwell in us. To receive atonement for
our sins, we must meet the pastor promised in the New Testament. The way to meet this
promised pastor is recorded in the Bible. It is only when people look to the Bible that people
can see him and know him (‘True religion, the Bible, and a proper life of faith’ 2009, Healing
All Nations website, 6 May http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/360 –
Accessed 16 July 2009 – Attachment 12).

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Holy Spirits

Information on the website also refers to “holy spirits”:

The term holy spirit refers to a spirit that is holy. It is not restricted to the spirit of God
himself, but encompasses all the holy angels (spirits) in heaven (Mk 8:38; Acts 8:26; Acts
8:29; 1 Cor 2:10; Rv 17:1-3; Rv 21:9-10).

The spirits in heaven all have different tasks (Rv 4). They are all spirits in heaven, but each
one differs from the others in rank and role. The spirit of the Counselor is just one of the
thousands upon thousands and ten thousand upon ten thousand spirits in heaven. Just as Jesus
spoke on behalf of God (1 Jn 2:1) because he came in the name of God (Jn 5:43) at the time
of the first coming, the Counselor speaks on behalf of Jesus because he comes in the name of
Jesus at the time of the second coming (Jn 14:26) (‘The founder of a church, the Counselor,
and holy spirits’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 24 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 7).

Korea

The Healing All Nations website refers to the promised pastor in Korea:

What follows is a summary of the life of the promised pastor who received the words of the
opened scroll. He grew up in the poor countryside of Korea and later joined in the Korean
War effort. Although he did not attend church, he never missed a chance, morning and night,
to pray to God. He read one chapter of the Bible every night before going to bed. On Sundays,
he would climb to the top of a nearby mountain for his prayers. This man had the unique
experience of seeing stars in the sky during the day. At one point, during his prayers to God,
he saw these stars approaching him for three days in a row. From that time on, he began to
receive severe persecution, which led him to attend church. On the first day he went to
church, he climbed up a mountain and made a covenant with God, swearing by his own
blood. After that, the promised pastor met the Lord, who was walking among the clouds of
the sky, and he received an anointing from him. The Lord commanded him to write down
what he saw, what is now, and what will take place later in a scroll, and the promised pastor
obeyed by sending the letters to the seven messengers of the seven churches. After that, he
received the opened scroll from an angel and was commanded to go and preach to the
peoples, nations, languages, and kings held captive by Babylon. After receiving this
command, the promised pastor left his hometown and headed to the place he was told to go
and preach. Once there, he overcame all his enemies, and by overcoming, he was ordered to
create the 12 tribes of God’s kingdom. He has done all this according to the Bible. All of
these events are the fulfillment of the prophecies of Revelation. Just as the Jews at the time of
the first coming who did not understand the prophecies rejected Jesus, people who do not
understand Revelation today will not be able to believe in this testimony or this work. Only
those who sincerely try to obey God’s word will understand. They will verify for themselves
whether this testimony is true and will eventually believe it (‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus,
Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 1 August
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 2).

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Manhee Lee

On other website information it is stated that “the spirit of the Counselor” “is with Manhee
Lee”:

Roughly 3,500 years ago, a man named Moses appeared in Egypt (Ex 2). Many people
followed him because God was with Moses (Ex 3). Those who followed Moses were all
believers. Moses was harshly persecuted by the Egyptians and by gentiles from other nations
who did not believe in God (Ex 7; Ex 17). Roughly 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus
appeared in the nation of Israel (Mt 1). Many people followed Jesus because God was with
him (Mt 3; Mt 21). This is why Jesus was intensely persecuted by many Israelites (Mt 27; Jn
8). Another 2,000 years have passed since that time. Now, a man named Manhee Lee has
appeared in the nation of Korea. Because the spirit of the Counselor – the one who
comes in the name of the Lord and speaks on his behalf – is with Manhee Lee (Jn 14; Jn
16), many believers follow him. This is why he is being persecuted by a great number of
people in Korea (Rv 11; Rv 16) (‘True believers’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 30
December http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July
2009 – Attachment 13).

However, other Healing All Nations website information describes Lee Man-Hee as the
“Shinchonji chairman” (‘Persecutors who curse others and the savior who blesses’ 2008,
Healing All Nations website, 13 October
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 14).

Nevertheless, other information on the Healing All Nations website disassociates the church
from calling itself the “‘Church of Lee Manhee’”:

We do not belong to the Presbyterian Church of Calvin, who famously murdered those who
disagreed with them. We belong to the Church of Jesus. Why are people telling lies and
calling SCJ the “Church of Lee Manhee”? Please take a closer look at our official name…(‘Is
Shinchonji Church of Jesus really a cult?’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 29 December
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/299 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 4).

Book of Revelation

Of interest may be the attached ‘Book of Revelation’ in The Holy Bible: New International
Version 1986, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, pp.867-879 – Attachment 15.

3. Please advise where Anyang Shinhakwon is situated. Please advise if there have been
any media programs or reports of this group and incidents of injustice?

No information was found in the sources consulted on Anyang Shinhakwon.

According to Microsoft Encarta Interactive Atlas Anyang is a city some 20 kms to the south
of Seoul (‘Anyang’ 2000, Microsoft Encarta Interactive Atlas – Attachment 16).

9
4. Please advise if there is any evidence of people formerly associated with the group
being threatened or killed by the group or its members?
5. If there is evidence, please advise of the police response and how successful the
police/legal system have been in prosecuting the persecutors and protecting those
threatened.

Information accessed from the Healing All Nations criticises a “Mr. Shin” for leaving
Shinchonji Church of Jesus. However, no information was found in the sources consulted on
people formerly associated with the group being threatened or killed by it.

The Healing All Nations website refers to Mr.Shin as follows:

A man named Shin, who used to be a member of Shinchonji Church of Jesus (SCJ), chose the
wrong path out of his lust for power and authority (Jas 1:15). He wanted to take over SCJ
after getting rid of our chairman. He claimed that SCJ people should eat the flesh and drink
the blood of the SCJ chairman to have salvation. He claimed that we should pray in the name
of the SCJ chairman for for (sic) our prayers to be answered. Mr. Shin even suggested these
things directly to the chairman, but when the chairman rebuked him he formed his own sect
through a coup d´état.

As a result of these actions, Mr. Shin was expelled from SCJ. SCJ has established precise
regulations about maintaining its finances in a righteous way. All bank accounts must be
created under the name of SCJ Church of Jesus, not under the name of an individual. In spite
of this rule, Mr. Shin had created several bank accounts under his own name. In addition, Mr.
Shin’s sermons were based mainly on biblical commentaries instead of the revealed word. He
even encouraged other SCJ members to study the commentaries. SCJ educators teach only the
Bible and the revealed word. SCJ sermons are based only on the Bible, not on biblical
commentaries. Mr. Shin acted this way in full knowledge that biblical commentaries are
prohibited in SCJ. Can we say that his life of faith was carried out according to the will of
God?

These days, Mr. Shin is conducting seminars with the pastor responsible for the infamous
conversion education program. He has been speaking about the commentaries in those
seminars as well. Do you think the people who listen to his seminars, who drink that kind of
wine, can have salvation? (‘The revealed word and commentaries’ 2008, Healing All Nations
website, 13 December http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en –
Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 10).

It may be of some interest that information in the Healing All Nations website often refers to
Shinchonji members as being “persecuted”:

SCJ was established in 1984 in South Korea according to biblical prophecy. Ever since SCJ
was founded and began preaching the revealed word of God, thousands of Korean Christians
have been flocking to SCJ. This migration of Korean Christians to SCJ threatened the
livelihood of Korean pastors. Many of these pastors decided to hold several meetings to find a
way to deal with this situation. The strategy they designed to maintain their congregation
members included labeling SCJ a cult. Similarly, the priests of the time of the first coming
refused to go to Jesus themselves and blocked their congregation members from going as well
(Mt 23:13). They accused the OT prophets, Jesus, and the 12 disciples of being heretics and
eventually killed them. Today, too, one SCJ member was falsely accused of being a heretic
and was even persecuted to the point of death.

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 Jesus stated in Jn 16, “They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when
anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.” This very word from Jesus
was fulfilled in Calvin’s time, and it is also being fulfilled today. It is not God, but it is
today’s pastors who have determined to label SCJ a cult. Didn’t Protestants label Catholics as
heretics for a while when Protestantism emerged from Catholicism? In the same way today,
those same people are persecuting SCJ as a cult even though it is actually the kingdom of God
promised in the Bible. It seems as if these people were born to persecute and curse others; it
seems as if the only word they know is “cult.” This is a disease that cannot even be cured by
God’s word, which is spiritual healing medicine for us. The only thing these people are
enthusiastic about is posting slanderous words against SCJ on the Internet day and night. Is it
even worth talking to this kind of people?

Several years ago, I asked several pastors who were persecuting SCJ roughly 40 biblical
questions, but I still have not received any responses. If they cannot answer my questions,
how can they teach their congregation members? SCJ has the pastor promised in the Bible (Jn
14; Rv 10). SCJ’s name was also prophesied in the Bible (2 Pt 3:13; Rv 15:5; Rv 21:1). SCJ
has been fulfilling the Bible and acting upon the word (Rv 1-22). We have also mastered the
Bible and have been teaching people the revealed word of heaven (1 Cor 2:10; Rv 10). Come
and see for yourself! Where else in the world has the Bible been mastered?

Why are people persecuting SCJ without knowing the meaning of the Bible? No one who
adds to or subtracts from the book (the Bible) will be allowed to enter heaven. Instead he or
she will receive the plagues recorded in the Bible (Rv 22:18-19). Have you ever received
Jesus’ testimony from the messenger of the Lord in Rv 22:16? Today’s pastors have not
received any testimonies, nor have they learned righteousness. Aren’t their congregation
members doing exactly the same slanderous work and speaking the same kinds of evil words
against SCJ as the pastors who have taught them? Haven’t the insulting words people have
posted on the Internet revealed their true nature? (‘Is Shinchonji Church of Jesus really a
cult?’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 29 December
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/299 – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 4).

And:

Abandoning a proper life of faith, a group from Satan has been trying to destroy Shinchonji
by posting thousands of disparaging and defamatory messages on the Internet. The Korean
National Assembly should make such verbal abuse illegal. An unimaginable number of lies
about Shinchonji have been post on the Internet. Despite the fact that we hold to the truth and
the revealed teaching from heaven, we in Shinchonji are the most intensely persecuted in the
6,000 years of biblical history. It is not the Christians who have proper faith that are
persecuting us – it is the servants of Satan (i.e. the antichrists). Of course, those fail to act
according to the Bible have always persecuted those who do, but now their actions have
grown even more unreasonable (‘Religion and our life of faith’ 2008, Healing All Nations
website, 22 November http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en –
Accessed 14 July 2009 – Attachment 17).

6. What is the Korean government’s view of this group?

No information was found in the sources consulted on the South Korean government’s view
of Shinchonji.

It may be of some interest that Shinchonji has stated that the government should make verbal
abuse against Shinchonji illegal:

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 Abandoning a proper life of faith, a group from Satan has been trying to destroy Shinchonji
by posting thousands of disparaging and defamatory messages on the Internet. The Korean
National Assembly should make such verbal abuse illegal…(‘Religion and our life of faith’
2008, Healing All Nations website, 22 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009 –
Attachment 17).

7. Could you advise whether there is any report by the newspaper on this religion?

No information was found in the sources consulted, including The Hankyoreh (English
edition) http://english.hani.co.kr/kisa/section-014000000/home01.html, on reports on
Shinchonji. For information relating to Lee Man Hee see question 2 above.

Of interest is that information on the Healing All Nations website mentioned that the Korean
media has published several biased reports against Shinchonji:

Some Christian pastors have been falsely proclaiming that Shinchonji is a cult in
order to bring Shinchonji believers back to their own churches. By creating strife
within families these pastors deceptively direct parents to assault and forcibly confine
their own children. These crimes have created monumental family quarrels and have
even caused several young people to abandon their homes. Although these pastors
should be held responsible for all the consequences of their actions, they continue to
persecute us in an attempt to lay the blame at our feet. The Korean media has aired
several broadcasts biased against Shinchonji that included lies about these
incidents. For whom do you think these broadcasts were created? (‘Religion and our
life of faith’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 22 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009
– Attachment 17).

List of Sources Consulted

Internet Sources:
Google search engine
The Hankyoreh (English edition) http://english.hani.co.kr/kisa/section-
014000000/home01.html

Databases:

FACTIVA (news database)

BACIS (DIAC Country Information database)
REFINFO (IRBDC (Canada) Country Information database)
ISYS (RRT Research & Information database, including Amnesty International, Human
Rights Watch, US Department of State Reports)
RRT Library Catalogue

List of Attachments

1. ‘Welcome to Healing All Nations:’ (undated), Healing All Nations website

http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/welcome – Accessed 14 July 2009.

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2. ‘Shinchonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2008,
Healing All Nations website, 1 August
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/145 – Accessed 14 July 2009.

3. ‘The new heaven and new earth (SCJ)’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 27 March
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/343 – Accessed 14 July 2009.

4. ‘Is Shinchonji Church of Jesus really a cult?’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 29
December http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/299 – Accessed 14
July 2009.

5. ‘Is SCJ Church of Jesus really a cult?’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 27 April
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/359 – Accessed 16 July 2009.

6. ‘The qualifications for being part of Shinchonji Church of Jesus – the kingdom of
God’ 2009, Healing All Nations website, 26 January
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/en/archives/310 – Accessed 14 July 2009.

7. ‘The founder of a church, the Counselor, and holy spirits’ 2008, Healing All Nations
website, 24 November http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-
jesus – Accessed 14 July 2009.

8. ‘The difference between SCJ and Calvin’s Presbyterian Church’ 2009, Healing All
Nations website, 17 January
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009.

9. ‘What is the scroll sealed with seven seals in Rv 5:1?’ 2009, Healing All Nations
website, 4 April http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/350 – Accessed
16 July 2009.

10. ‘The revealed word and commentaries’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 13
December http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14
July 2009.

11. ‘The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony’ 2009, Healing All Nations website,
27 April http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/358 – Accessed 16
July 2009.

12. ‘True religion, the Bible, and a proper life of faith’ 2009, Healing All Nations
website, 6 May http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/lang/id/archives/360 – Accessed
16 July 2009.

13. ‘True believers’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 30 December

http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009.

14. ‘Persecutors who curse others and the savior who blesses’ 2008, Healing All Nations
website, 13 October http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/archives/tag/church-of-jesus
– Accessed 14 July 2009.

15. ‘Book of Revelation’ in The Holy Bible: New International Version 1986, Zondervan
Publishing House, Grand Rapids, pp.867-879. (MRT-RRT Library)

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16. ‘Anyang’ 2000, Microsoft Encarta Interactive Atlas. (CD ROM;

17. ‘Religion and our life of faith’ 2008, Healing All Nations website, 22 November
http://healingallnations.shinchonji.kr/page/4?s=jn&lang=en – Accessed 14 July 2009.

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