▲ Chairman Man-Hee Lee of Shincheonji Church of Jesus(Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony)

Sharp words on the close relationships between church and state regarding their vested rights
“Ban Ki-Moon-Shincheonji implication is an artificial plot”

“Shincheonji, despite being faultless– falsely charged being accusedof‘cult and anti-social’
Should see and listen in person, and then compare with the bible - instead of a mindless condemnation 

[Cheonji-ilbo(H.E. Times)=Kang, Su Kyung] Despite the Article 20 Paragraph 1 and 2 in constitution which states “Every people have the rights and freedom of religion, and politics and religion must be separated”the reality is all the politicians share the power with religious leaders of Christianity, and they too are obsessed with this privilege of power received from the politicians. This clearly violates the constitution in article 20, and also to the reason of both heaven and earth.The politicians should work according to the constitution, and religious leaders must act based on the scriptures.

Chairman Man-Hee Lee of Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony) has urged for self-reflection to those in politics and religion on the 25th during the New Year’s interview.Bearing in mind of the recent controversy, he asserted that “Shincheonji has done nothing wrong both spiritually and in flesh” and further suggested “It is a falsely made accusation against Shincheonjiwithout the base of bible, which is trulya lie, by the Christian Council of Korea, and there must be an objective examination based on the studies of bible before the people of the nation in order to determine who is truly the cult.”

- What is the reason behind for all these accusations on Shincheonji Church of Jesus by the organizations such as Christian Broadcasting System (CBS), the media backed Christianity community and their religious bodies?

This is truly a reality which has come into effect where persecution takes place only when the real God’s kingdom establishes as the bible states. From a personal perspective, this movement by those persecuting is done in order to protect and preserve their vested rights. They particularly feel Shincheonjito be their biggest threat because many of their believers are actually moving to Shincheonji as they’ve all discovered Shincheonjiis where God’s true words exist – and hence, the Christianity communities believe Shincheonji is a threat to their vested rights despite the fact that true God is with Shincheonji. The CBS has publicly declared war against Shincheonji in the aim to protect Christianity of Korea. However, one thing to note is that the CBS persecutes those who are not part of their organization without the basis of the bible. 

- The Democratic Party published a request for an explanation regarding an implication between former UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon and Shincheonji.The Democratic Party has asserted similar involvement between Saenuri Party and Shincheonji previously. What is your view on this? 

Such conduct by the Democratic Party has been happening on every election. On previous occasion was an artificial insistence to force involvement between Saenuri Party and Shincheonji simply because of the party’s name. And the recent implication between Mr. Ban Ki-Moon and Shincheonji, again, is an identical behavior of conduct that was aimed to receive votes from the vested and established Christianity community by holding in check on the former secretary general. Not only the Democratic Party, but almost all of the politicians who attend the debate at the CBS would all condemn Shincheonji in the hopes to please the CBS and win the votes from the community – it would be difficult for the politicians to simply ignore the votes of those of the majority established Christians – hence supporting the established Christians in persecuting Shincheonji.

Knowing that the Democratic Party politically cooperates with the CBS ‘No-Cut News’ historically since this article has always been pro-opposition party, it is not surprising to see such behavior of the Democratic Party. However, it is unacceptable to acknowledge such conduct of a public party of a country that unilaterally supports one side without checking the correct facts simply to receive more votes - despite the fact that politicians must work for the country and for the best interest of the people objectively. Being a representative of the people and congressmen of the democratic country – is it correct to threaten the people in a democratic nation with the rights received by its own people? Let us (CBS, opposition party and Shincheonji) all then speak directly before the people openly. If you are truly confident and convinced, you shouldbe able to come openly to speak with us in public. The religious leaders, media and political leaders must come out openly for conversation instead of persecuting like animals which don’t even search for basic objective facts from the first place.

- As a religious leader, what is your diagnosis on the relationship between politics and religion in the Republic of Korea?

Republic of Korea was once under Japanese Imperialism, and under harsh oppression. The Christians during that era (The Christian Council of Korea today) was so corrupted that they submitted, bowed down and praised the alien god of the Japanese, just like King Solomon did in the ancient Israel. An evidence is the Goshinpa(高神派), which has separated as a result of it. Ever since the liberation from the Japanese and the military coup, the conservative Christians were united to support the military regime of their constitutional amendment (election for the third term) in order to hold power in the religious world– and this was the core root and foundation of the Christian Council of Korea. With this, when Saenuri Party took power, the Christianity community shook hands with this party, and when the opposition party was superior in the National Assembly Election afterwards, the Christian Council of Korea colluded with the opposition party accordingly.

Article 20 Paragraph 1 and 2 in the constitution clearly states that every people have the freedom of religion, and that politics and religion must be separated. The politicians are obsessed in receiving more votes from Christianity community by trying to make them happy, and at the same time, pastors in the Christianity community are also so keen in having closer relationship with the politicians to preserve the vested rights. Religion and politics are both so corrupted that they have violated the laws of heaven and earth at the same time. Politicians must work and rule under the law of constitution whereas believers in religion must practice their religions according to their scriptures.

- Reports suggest that coercive conversion education has been taking place on many occasions towards those believers of minority Christian order such as Shincheonji. What is your opinion on this issue, and your hope from the government and judicial authorities?

Coercive conversion education for the purpose of earning money must be exterminated since this is clearly a violation of human basic rights. As mentioned that Article 20 states for the freedom of rights for all the people in this country, these innocent people are threatened physically and forced to convert their religions merely because these people are not in their Christian order – this is absolutely unacceptable. The government and judicial authorities must sentence strict punishment to those who have violated the freedom of religion and ideology as well as rights of physical freedom within the boundary of the highest law of constitution regarding the coercive conversion education.

However the reality is that the evil coercive conversion education pastors would take advantage of the families of the victims to avoid these laws in the slyest way by controlling the families to conduct such crimes on their behalf. The way these pastors are able to manipulate is because the Christian Medias such as the CBS would artificially plot a false image and impression on Shincheonji, and hence would create an air of anxiety to the families of the victims. With these false propagandas, coercive conversion education pastors would earn a lucrative amount of money, and the CBS and those churches which support such movements are all in coalition as a basis. The proper reaction and the need to handle this by the judicial authorities are imperative.

- The ongoing controversy of cult is a big fuss in Korean Christianity than elsewhere. 

The reality today is that the judgement of being a cult is purely based on political influence and the effect from the society as well as the number of believers of that church – not based on the scripture and the theological theories. The Communion of Churches in Korea (CCIK) has separated from the Christian Council of Korea (CCK) because of the difference of opinion on the judgement of being a cult. If anyone has helped the effort for election, he or she would have been removed from being a cult. In contrast, if the interest was different from the first place, then even the head of the emergency cult council would be declared as a cult. A good evidence of this is that a pastor, who was once declared to be a cult, now heads up the head of Shincheonji Emergency Council, which clearly shows the judgement of being a cult is purely decided upon those political influences as well as power. 

We Shincheonji Church have done nothing wrong both spiritually and in flesh. Those false accusations of Shincheonji Church being an anti-social and anti-national are pure lies fabricated by the pastors of Christian Council of Korea (CCK). Shincheonji Church has been created and established as according to the bible, and therefore, is not a cult. The qualification to determine and judge the cult is only applicable to the ‘Bible’ and ‘God (Juses)’ himself. Let us then take examination in public who is the cult according to the Bible’. Shincheonji is born by the seed of God, harvested and stamped, cleaned from the sins by the blood of Jesus, and became a family of the 12 tribes as fulfilment of the promise.

- Any wish you have from today’s Christians?

The believers of the New Testament must wish for the fulfilment of the Revelation sincerely, and must wait for it accordingly. And if fulfilment has come into effect, they must not just judge it as a cult, but must see and listen by comparing it to the Bible objectively. Today is the era of fulfilment of the Revelation, and also the end of the world. True believers of Jesus Christ must be harvested, stamped by the Words of God, and be part of the family in the 12 tribes – this is the promise of Jesus Christ. It is essential to check and believe the words of bible, not the words of the priest. The pastors must no longer provide false teachings, but should learn from the true teachings from Shincheonji Church, and then teach their own believers accordingly – the believers will be happy so much that they would not run away from their churches.

▶한국어 버전: [신년 인터뷰] 신천지예수교회 이만희 총회장 “누가 이단인지 성경 기준으로 확인하자”
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