Jordan is joined by World Mission Society Church Of God former members Anthony and Edgar to talk about the “new name” referenced in the book of Revelation and to explain why this is not a reference to Ahnsahnghong as the WMSCOG teaches.

Jordan and Anthony (former WMSCOG deacon) discuss the The World Mission Society Church Of God.

This article was submitted by a former deacon of the WMSCOG.

The World Mission Society Church of God claims that the truth of the early church has been lost and needs to be restored in the last days through their church.  The WMSCOG defends their theory in a study called Weeds and Wheat. The WMSCOG claims that the parable discussed in this sermon provides a way to “distinguish the true church from false churches” (Sermon Preaching III, page 43).

According to the above verses, weeds were planted by an enemy to harm the work of the farmer.  In the Weeds and Wheat study, the WMSCOG teaches that weeds look like wheat, and not even the farm workers can distinguish between them.  The WMSCOG also claims that weeds have strong vitality and will spread throughout the field.  In the above passages, the farmer ultimately wants to keep the wheat not the weeds, but will allow the weeds to remain until the harvest when the weeds will be burned and the wheat brought to the barn. The WMSCOG then proceeds to show Jesus’ words about the parable:

They then reference the NASB version to show that “doing evil” in verse 41 is translated as “lawlessness.” 

By referencing another translation that is more conducive to their doctrine, the WMSCOG argues that weeds represent the churches that disobey the “law.”  The WMSCOG then claims that since they follow the “law” they are the wheat, and therefore are the only way by which to gain entry into the heavenly barn. The WMSCOG goes as far as to say that “[t]hose who practice lawlessness will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Sermon Preaching III, page 44, emphasis added) – which they argue is only defined by the laws that the WMSCOG regulates.

The problem with the WMSCOGs interpretation is that this parable contradicts their story.  In addition to the sermon referenced in this article, the WMSCOG claims that the early Christian laws were lost for 1,600 years in sermons such as True Meaning of the Passover and God Who Built Zion.  

In the parable of the weeds and wheat, was there ever a time when the wheat was removed? From the moment the farmer (Jesus) sowed the wheat (the true believers), they were never uprooted – they were constantly there.  The wheat was sown first and existed in the field (the world) the entire time.  Has the “truth” of the WMSCOG existed from the time of Jesus until the end of the harvest (end of the age)?  No.  The WMSCOGs message is one that appeared later on, meaning it is a weed, not wheat. 

In order for the WMSCOGs version of early church history to be true, the parable would have to read that the enemy uprooted and removed the wheat (the true believers), replaced it with weeds (those who do evil or practice lawlessness), making it necessary for the farmer to return and replant the wheat (the true believers) just before the time of the harvest (the last days).

In fact, the story of the “lost truth” that only a small group will receive is a popular cult teaching and goes against the words of Jesus.

According to Jesus, the church He established through Peter will NOT be overcome. Yet the WMSCOG claims that Jesus’ statement was wrong because the church was overcome by Satan until Ahn Sahng Hong said we should keep the Passover, years after Armstrong proclaimed that message (see left, Sermon Preaching II, page 37).

Here it is proclaimed that there will be glory in the church for all generations. How could this happen if there was no truth in the churches for 1,600 years (many generations)? The above verse says “for ever and ever” – not “for ever and ever except for that period of time when there will be no glory in the church, until the glory is restored at a later time.”

Also –

This prophecy about Jesus coming as a type of King David explains that when he comes, he will be our King David from that time (the time of Jesus) on and forever.  Again, our King David’s reign never ended, never failed, and therefore will never need to be restored. Jesus will reign on this throne forever.

Ultimately, the World Mission Society Church of God (better titled The Cult of Zhang) wants to have their cake and eat it too, but they can’t have it both ways.  The WMSCOG teaches they are the “wheat” church because they follow a blend of new and old testament laws (those that serve the WMSCOGs means and generate profits). In order to believe the WMSCOG’s teaching, you would need to ignore the fact that the bible’s explanation of the church and Jesus’ reign being everlasting and uninterrupted, does not align with the WMSCOGs version of church history.  If you are still in the WMSCOG, it is time to leave that “weed” church, because it is not the church that Jesus established.

This article was submitted by a former deacon of the WMSCOG.

When I was a member of the World Mission Society Church of God, one verse in their doctrine was a pillar of my faith; Isaiah 25:6 (additional verses included for context). 

The World Mission Society Church of God interprets this verse to mean that in the future there will be a feast that contains wine that will swallow up death forever.  The WMSCOG says that this mountain is their definition of Zion, that this feast is their Passover celebration, and the Lord that prepares it is Ahn Sahng Hong.  It took about 8 years in the church for me to realize that perhaps these verses could be interpreted to be about Jesus at the last supper or the coming of the new heaven and new earth in Revelation. 

The WMSCOG teaches that the Lord in the above passage cannot be Jesus and must be Ahn Sahng Hong, because of the use of the word “aged.”  It is further taught that the wine was first opened at the time of Jesus, then sealed up for 1,600 years, from the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD until 1948 (although Ahn Sahng Hong did not begin to preach or observe the Passover until several years later).

Now, let’s get into the specifics of wine preservation. According to the WMSCOG’s interpretation, the wine was “opened” the first time at the coming of Jesus, then sealed, and reopened at the time of Ahn Sahng Hong. Therefore, this wine would be called “corked.”  After wine is opened, after about 5 days it begins to turn into a vinegar due to oxidation.  For wine to be aged, it should never be opened. Meaning, Jesus should never have served this wine that swallows up death. Once opened, it would undoubtedly spoil over the following 1600 years.

Now to understand the reason why this wine is called “aged.” It becomes a matter of translation and intent.  When you view the King James Version and several other versions, you see how this wine is meant to be described in more detail. In the KJV it is called “wine on the lees.” 

I once was teaching a WMSCOG bible study to a KJV-only person (if you are a member of the church and have gone preaching in the southern states of the US, you will know the type for sure) from the perspective that “it doesn’t matter which translation, they will all say the same truth I am delivering.” Then this verse came up and I had to do some fancy bible verse gymnastics in order to explain it away.  The phrase “wine on the lees” is uncommon and would make little sense to most people.

When wine is made, yeast is added to the grape juice, in order to convert the sugar in the juice to alcohol and carbon dioxide. Once the process of fermentation is complete, the yeast will drop to the bottom.  The sediment is referred to as gross lees which is made up of the yeast, grape skins, stems and other byproducts which are discarded. However, some of the yeast is very fine and takes a long time to settle to the bottom.  The flavor of the wine becomes increasingly richer the longer it remains in contact with the finer lees. That is where the expression, “aged like fine wine” comes from.

Subsequently, the wine in this verse can be interpreted in two ways. The wine is either aged, meaning unopened for many years, or high in quality.  The quality of the banquet is echoed several times throughout the verse. Note that the verse does not refer to “the most ancient of meats and the oldest of wines,” but rather emphasizes the quality. 

So let’s put on our thinking caps (or thinking yamakas) and take a deeper look at the original Hebrew text.

The Hebrew to English translation of Isaiah 25:6 can be found on BibleHub.

As you can see, the descriptive word for the wine in Hebrew is lees (or dregs in the Strong’s concordance). If you copy and paste the Hebrew word שְׁמָרִ֖ים into Google Translate, the result is yeast.

Although some translations such as the NIV simply describe the wine as aged, the emphasis is on the quality of the wine, and greatness of the feast that the Lord is preparing. There is no reference to a wine that swallows up death forever, being served and then remaining unused for any length of time. In fact, there is no direct link to the wine being what swallows up death at all. If this were to be the case, then the choicest of meats may also be credited to swallowing up death. If this is the case, then according to the WMSCOG’s interpretation, God would be serving us 1600 year old meat. Clearly, Isaiah 25:6-9 describes a banquet of the highest quality, and is not about how long this oxidized (spoiled) wine has been sitting around.

Reading further, it says in verse 7 that God will remove the shroud from all peoples (a shroud is a cloth that is used to cover the dead for burial) and wipe the tears from all faces.  What is important to remember here is that in the time of Isaiah, the Jewish people were the only ones known to be God’s people. But in the time of Jesus, a future event for Isaiah, we see all people being welcomed into God’s banquet and God removing death and sorrow from all nations. In conclusion, the scene in the above mentioned verses more accurately applies to Jesus at the last supper and to the saints entering Heaven (often compared to a banquet; Matthew 22:2, Luke 14:15, Revelation 3:20-21).

Republished with permission http://encountering-ahnsahnghong.blogspot.com/

One of the most impressive things about the Bible (for me, at least) is its record of fulfilled prophecy.  The fulfilled prophecies in the book of Daniel are especially intriguing.

The World Mission Society Church of God uses Daniel’s prophecies to amaze their new or potential converts.  What’s wrong with this?

First, to the uninformed person, it sounds as if the WMSCOG is sharing a spectacular revelation.  The hearer may think, “Wow!  If the WMSCOG can reveal something so amazing, what else can they tell me about the Bible?  Maybe I should listen to them.”  What the hearer may not realize is that this is NOT a revelation that originated with the WMSCOG.  Bible scholars for ages have written about Daniels fulfilled prophecies.

Second, the WMSCOG takes the fulfillment of these prophecies a step too far.  They have withheld the true facts of history in order to force the appearance of a fulfilled prophecy, and the WMSCOG is not the only group who has made this error.

I’ve already examined this at length regarding the claim that the Papacy is the Antichrist.  But with the WMSCOG’s “Evidence Book” in my hand, the errors are so glaring at me that I believe it needs to be revisited.

Many Bible scholars agree that the four kingdoms of Daniel are:

• the Babylonian Empire (head of gold)
• the Medo-Persian Empire (chest and arms of silver)
• the Greek Empire (belly and thighs of copper)
• the Roman Empire (legs of iron)

Note that some identify the four beasts of Daniel 7 the same way, but others divide the Medes and Persians for the second and third beasts, making the Greek Empire the fourth beast.  You can read about that here.  If you need to refresh your memory, here’s where you can read Daniel 2 (the dream of the statue) and Daniel 7 (the vision of the four beasts).

It’s when we get to the statue’s feet and toes partly of iron and partly of clay, and the ten horns of the fourth beast, with the little horn that comes up to subdue three horns… that’s where you see a few more differences among the Bible scholars, and that’s where the WMSCOG takes a definite wrong turn.

Let’s take a look into their “Evidence Book.”

On page 154, it says,

Rome exercised its power politically and religiously.  It was divided into ten countries until 476 A.D.
Lombards (Italy)
Franks (France)
Burgundians (Switzerland)
Visigoths (Spain)
Suevi (Portugal)
Alemanni (Germany)
Anglo-Saxons (England)
Vandals, Heruli, and Ostrogoths.

The Lombards did not cross the Danube into Roman territory until the 540s, and did not enter Italy until 568.  (My links for you are from Wikipedia for your convenience, but you can look up this information in any printed history book also.  I can refer you to some if you need it.)

This list of “ten countries” also ignores other tribal groups such as the Bretons, the Bavarians, and the Basques, who show up in various history books and maps, and does not mention that the eastern part of the Roman Empire was still alive and well.  So these “ten countries” are not as clear as they are presented to be.

Then moving on to page 158, we read,

After Rome was divided into ten countries from 351 to 476 A.D., Heruli was destroyed by the Papacy in 493 A.D., Vandals in 534 and Ostrogoths in 538.  The Papacy was established in 538 A.D.  The Papacy fell in 1798 A.D. (Pius VI was forced into exile when French troupes invaded the Vatican.)

The Evidence Book gives paragraphs of information about the end of the Heruli and the Vandals, but only one sentence about the Ostrogoths, on page 159.  It happens to be the line taken from the Wikipedia page about the year 538.

Why didn’t they say any more about the Ostrogoths?  Because they were NOT destroyed in 538.  Read about the Gothic War and you’ll see that the Ostrogoths put up a fierce and long resistance, and their last king wasn’t killed until 553.

Also, the Papacy was NOT “established” in 538, which you can read about here.  There is more information about the dates of 538 and 1798, and their error and misuse, here and here.

One last page to look at, page 175.

This page says that the remaining seven kingdoms accepted Catholicism and swore allegiance to the Pope.  What they haven’t told us is that:

• The Anglo-Saxons did not convert to Christianity until the 7th century.
• The Alemanni were conquered and incorporated into the Frankish kingdom in 496, and also did not convert to Christianity until the 7th century.
• The Lombards did not secure their kingdom in Italy until 572.
• The Burgundians were destroyed in 534, and were mostly Catholic by the time they were conquered.
• The Suevi were also eventually conquered in 585, after they had converted to Catholicism.

Therefore, by the time the Ostrogoths were destroyed (in 553, not 538), there were 5 kingdoms conquered, not 3, and one more if you extend the time to 585.

Then near the bottom of the page, under the title “The Dark Ages,” they tell us there was the “slaughtering of numerous saints.”  According to the WMSCOG’s own doctrine, this is impossible because they claim there were no saints during that time.

They also put the development of Protestantism after the supposed fall of the Papacy in 1798.  Protestantism, which began with the Reformation in 1517, was already well developed by then.

I know I’ve gone over all this in previous posts, but I thought you would like to see it with the pages from the Evidence Book for comparison.

It’s quite interesting to study what Bible scholars have to say about this part of Daniel’s prophecy.  But do not make the mistake of studying the false ‘facts’ of the World Mission Society Church of God.

One of the many characteristics of a cult is the incessant use of deception. Deception is initially used to recruit members and is required to retain and control them. One of the ways that cults accomplish this is by discouraging questions about the group’s foundation or the leader’s personal life, beyond what is established to be the approved narrative. But what happens when details about the group or its leader(s) that do not fit this narrative begin to surface? In order to keep the deception going, cults must adapt by changing the narrative or simply lying.

The World Mission Society Church of God has had to change their narrative numerous times over recent years in an attempt to maintain blind obedience from their members. This is largely due to the diligent efforts of former members and other concerned members of the public, to uncover information that the WMSCOG did not want their members to ever become aware of. The information was then made available to the public on websites such as this one, and on other platforms including YouTube, Instagram and Podcasts. In this article we will discuss how the WMSCOG’s attempts to do damage control have backfired, causing members to leave this cult speak publicly out about their negative experiences.

1. The Application For Tax Exempt Status Filed In California

In January 1999, the World Mission Society Church of God submitted their application for tax exemption to the IRS for their Los Angeles, California location. The application that the WMSCOG filed is riddled with information that is not only inconsistent with what members of the group have been taught, but also with what the group claims on its own website. The most glaring example is the WMSCOG’s description of how the organization was formed. The application which can be accessed here, reads as follows:

Firstly, it appears that the WMSCOG was not certain of the date that Joo Cheol Kim (WMSCOG general pastor) allegedly received this “divine revelation from God.” Nevertheless, the World Mission Society Church of God teaches that the church was established in 1964 by Ahn Sahng Hong, who they believe was the Second Coming of Jesus. Also noteworthy is the WMSCOG’s omission of Zhang Gil Jah, who they claim is “God the Mother.”

Secondly, included in their application submitted to the IRS was a budget for the pastor’s payroll. Members and former members who have read the application are particularly disturbed by this because the church teaches that no one in the WMSCOG leadership is paid. It is important to note that it is not being suggested here that church leadership should not be paid. In fact it is very common for pastors of Christian churches to receive a modest salary and in some instances even free housing. The issue here is that the World Mission Society Church of God chose to lie to their congregation about it.

2. Use Of The Courts To Intimidate Former Members & Other Critics

In attempts to silence former members and other critics, the World Mission Society Church of God has, quite unsuccessfully, pursued legal action in various States and in South Korea. The World Mission Society Church of God in New Jersey attempted to silence the creators of this website not once, but twice. The WMSCOG voluntarily dropped their own case in Virginia after receiving an unfavorable ruling from the Court, and the case that the WMSCOG subsequently filed in New Jersey was dismissed on summary judgement. The World Mission Society Church of God in California also voluntarily dismissed their own case against protestors after receiving an unfavorable ruling from the Court denying two of their motions. The World Mission Society Church of God in South Korea also unsuccessfully sued critics. More information and the rulings in those cases are available here.

Following the two failed attempts to silence the creators of this website, legal action was filed against the World Mission Society Church of God in New Jersey and is currently scheduled for trial in September of 2022. In 2014, a second former member filed a lawsuit against the Ridgewood, NJ location in Federal Court. The case is still pending.

3. Use Of Non-Disclosure Agreements To Silence Members

In 2018, yet another lawsuit was filed against the World Mission Society Church of God in Ridgewood, NJ by a third former member. As this written opinion issued by the Appellate Court of New Jersey outlines, various members of the World Mission Society Church of God’s Ridgewood, NJ location were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) under the threat of expulsion from the group (page 5). These NDAs, if enforceable, would prohibit members who signed it from ever discussing anything related to the WMSCOG or their experience with the group. In a lawsuit brought by a former member, a trial court in Bergen County, New Jersey declared the non-disclosure agreement unenforceable. In May of 2019, the trial court issued a comprehensive 52 page opinion in that case which is well worth the read and can be accessed here. The World Mission Society Church of God filed an appeal of the decision in that case which was denied and reads in relevant part:

Even the Court realized that the World Mission Society Church of God in NJ is, quite frankly, full of it. The Court’s ruling and written opinion are available here.

4. Attempt To Silence Critics On YouTube

In 2020, the World Mission Society Church of God in Ridgewood, NJ served subpoenas on YouTube and Zoom after critics used the platforms to publish a livestream video. The subpoenas sought to obtain communications and private information of nine WMSCOG critics, most of whom are former members (page 8 of the subpoena). A response to the subpoena from Google reads in relevant part:

In response, some of the former members and critics posted another livestream video. The video and more information on this epic failure by the World Mission Society Church of God in NJ to intimidate those who chose to speak out, is available here.

5. False End Of The World Predictions

Ahn Sahng Hong and the World Mission Society Church of God have erroneously predicted that the world would end numerous times. There is a Korean news broadcast about the WMSCOG’s false prediction in 1999 available here and you can read about Ahn Sahng Hong’s 1988 false prediction here. Of course the World Mission Society Church of God denies these claims. Yet, there is evidence that references to when the world would end have been removed from Ahn Sahng Hong’s writings. Many former members have come forward and admitted that the WMSCOG did in fact teach that the world would end in 2012. In the comments section of a recent YouTube community post on the Great Light Studios channel, a presumed current WMSCOG member named Melodie Martinez had this to say:

Setting aside the presumptuous nature of this comment, Melodie clearly implies that she believes that the world will end in less than one year (before the next Passover observance in 2023). Will the World Mission Society Church of God claim that Melodie is not a member, or that Melodie misunderstood the teachings of the group? Perhaps. What can be said with a high degree of certainty is that fear mongering and doomsday references have been a long standing part of this group’s modus operandi. Evidence of this can be seen in these World Mission Society Church of God recruitment brochures, and in this video of Joo Cheol Kim discussing disasters and supposed prophecies about the world being destroyed by fire. Instilling a sense of fear and dread in members is a common cult tactic. But the effectiveness of this tactic is often waning. When a group predicts that the world will end on a certain date or within a particular year, and it does not come to pass, at least some members will leave. Unfortunately, by this time members have lost years of their lives, donated their life savings, sold their property and belongings, lost contact with family and friends, dropped out of school, given up on goals for the future…the list goes on.

6. Lies About Ahn Sahng Hong’s Life

Prior to the surfacing of evidence to the contrary, members of the World Mission Society Church of God were taught that Ahn Sahng Hong preached his version of the gospel alone and while suffering in abject poverty. Members would later discover that Ahn Sahng Hong was married, had four children, would go swimming, enjoyed a 3-tier birthday cake and was buried in a shared grave next to his late wife, whom he never divorced.

The World Mission Society Church of God claims that Ahn Sahng Hong was baptized in 1948. That was proven to be false when Ahn Sahng Hong’s baptism record was published online along with a series of photos of the Seventh Day Adventist church where his baptism took place. Recently, former members have come forward and said that when they asked for proof of Ahn Sahng Hong’s baptism date, they were told by the leadership that the baptism records were destroyed in a fire. Despite the lack of evidence of a fire, if there had been a fire in the church where Ahn Sahng Hong was baptized, clearly the baptism book survived. Here, you can see photographs of the church and Ahn Sahng Hong’s baptism records which prove that he was baptized in 1954, not 1948. If you believe in the WMSCOG’s manufactured prophecies of King David and of the fig tree, Ahn Sahng Hong did not fulfill them simply because the math, which relies on his alleged baptism date, does not add up. Therefore, according to the WMSCOG’s own doctrine, Ahn Sahng Hong could not have been the Second Coming of Jesus.

7. Claim That Ahn Sahng Hong Believed In A “God The Mother”

If you insist on believing that Ahn Sahng Hong was the Second Coming of Jesus despite all of the evidence to the contrary, a plethora of evidence exists that proves that Ahn Sahng Hong never believed in a “god the mother.” In the Preface of his book titled “Problems With New Jerusalem, The Bride and Women’s Veils,” Ahn Sahng Hong writes:

Members claim that the book was written about Um Soon In and does not apply to Zahng Gil Jah. In addition to Ahn Sahng Hong clearly stating that what he wrote was “the unchanging truth,” his misogynistic views about women in general contradict the idea of a female deity and are made abundantly clear in Chapter 19 of his book.

Note that Ahn Sahng Hong said “the Devil will utilize women” not one woman, namely Um Soon In, as the WMSCOG would have their members believe. Not only has the WMSCOG claimed that Ahn Sahng Hong wrote this book about Um Soon In specifically, but also that the book only applied to the church at that time, and that the books were later destroyed. The World Mission Society Church of God calls this a special measures law, which basically means that they have the ability to make any of Ahn Sahng Hong’s teachings obsolete whenever they please. Ahn Sahng Hong also said “whenever a woman…” which proves that he did not intend for this teaching to be temporary. Add this to the long list of failures by the man that WMSCOG believes was “god” because we know that at least one copy of the book survived the alleged destruction. For further proof and more contradictions between Ahn Sahng Hong’s teachings and those of the World Mission Society Church of God, click here.

8. Deleted Chapters & Revisions To Ahn Sahng Hong’s Books

The World Mission Society Church of God frequently references verse Revelation 22:18-19, yet numerous revisions and deletions were made to Ahn Sahng Hongs books. In the “Mystery of God and the Spring of the Water of Life,” commonly known as “The Green Book”, references to Ahn Sahng Hong speaking about the Second Coming of Jesus in the “future,” were omitted. Therefore, Ahn Sahng Hong did not believe, and certainly did not intend for others reading his books to believe, that he was the Second Coming of Jesus. Ahn Sahng Hong’s book was so contradictory to the World Mission Society Church of God’s doctrine, that the WMSCOG would eventually remove three entire chapters from the original text. Chapter 1: Restoration of Jerusalem and the Prophecy of 40 Years, was removed because it revealed Ahn Sahng Hong’s prediction that the world would end in 1988 (pages 3-4). Chapter 36: Elijah Will Be Sent, was removed because it provided evidence that Ahn Sahng Hong believed that he was Elijah preparing the way for the Second Coming of Jesus and that Elijah would ascend alive into heaven with the 144,000 chosen ones. It is 2022 at the time of this writing and none of those things have happened.

9. Claim That The Passover Protects Members From Disasters

Potential recruits of the World Mission Society Church of God are pressured to be baptized shortly after the first bible study. Former members have reported that the church would teach recruits that they had to “be baptized immediately” in order to celebrate the Passover and be protected from disasters such as illness or death due to an accident, if they left the church without the participating in the ceremony. This belief was amplified during the coronavirus pandemic of 2020. Members of the World Mission Society Church of God took to social media to boast about their belief that Passover observance in the WMSCOG somehow protected them from the virus, and to mock the Catholic Church after news reports that members of the Vatican had become infected were released. These posts were taken down shortly after they were published, presumably because the members were rebuked for making such claims on public forums, but screenshots of the posts can be viewed here. Perhaps the World Mission Society Church of God leadership did not share the same conviction in their own doctrine.

10. Claim That Zhang Gil Jah Will Not Die

In 2013, a major news network reported that the World Mission Society Church of God claimed that Zahng Gil Jah would not die, and instead would ascend to heaven with her faithful followers. Former members have confirmed that the WMSCOG leadership taught that “mother would not die,” and that the 144,000 chosen ones that would not experience death would ascend along with her. The rest of her followers who do not make the cut, the great multitude, will experience death and ascend sometime after.

Evidence of this teaching can be found in older versions of the WMSCOG hymnal, the New Song book. The 2001 release of the hymnal included the words “only for the 144,000” on the cover. In the 2010 version, New Song 184 “My Home Is Heaven” has two lines that state, “Holding hands of one hundred and forty four thousand…” In the 2020 version, the same New Song, this time number 188, the aforementioned lines were changed to “Holding hands of my loving brothers and sisters…” See images below.

New Song 208, “O My Dear Heavenly Home!” says that Zhang Gil Jah “cannot go home before [s]he finds all [h]er loving children, the one hundred forty four thousand.” In the 2020 version, the same New Song, this time number 213, the aforementioned line was changed to “[s]he cannot go home until [s]he finds all [h]er loving children.”

New Song 205, “We Are Going to Heaven” was completely removed from the hymnal. The lyrics of this song say that “One hundred and forty four thousand will gather and go to heaven with our Mother.” The 2020 version’s table of contents is shown below and does not include a song called “We Are Going to Heaven.”

These changes and omissions provide evidence that the World Mission Society Church of God was aware of the problems that the teachings documented in these songs would cause when Zhang Gil Jah inevitably dies. The removal of the problematic songs and revisions of the related lyrics, allows the WMSCOG to deny that they ever taught that Zhang Gil Jah will not die. Gaslight much?

Here you can see that members in at least one location were instructed to destroy the old New Song books, though we suspect that in the spirit of effectiveness, this type of damage control was done in other locations as well.

In describing one of the many characteristics of a cult, Dr. Steve Eichel writes,

As evidenced throughout this article, the World Mission Society Church of God has changed their doctrine and policy numerous times over the years and undoubtedly will continue to do so. If you are a member reading this article, how much more of your time, energy and resources will you continue to give to the World Mission Society Church of God before you realize that this cult has everything to gain and you have everything to lose?

One characteristic of a cult is the use of loaded language. For example, the cult of Scientology has two dictionaries of words that have been redefined within the group. For example, Scientologists refer to critics as “SP’s” or “suppressive persons.” Groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses use loaded language that is similarly defined by other cults. Jehovah’s Witnesses, like the World Mission Society Church of God, are conditioned to refer to their doctrine as “the truth,” making it difficult for members to question inconsistencies in the group’s doctrine or the actions of the leadership.

Is every group that uses loaded language a cult?

You might be thinking, other groups such as college fraternities and the military have language that is specific to the members within those groups. The difference between those groups and cults are the reasons why loaded language is used as we explain in more detail below.

What does loaded language accomplish?

• redefines words
• shuts down critical thinking, also known as thought-stopping
• triggers emotional or psychological responses
• isolates the group, making it difficult to communicate with outsiders
• internalizes the ideology of the group

In the movie Ticket to Heaven, cult members of a group very similar to the WMSCOG, chanted “stamp out doubt” as a thought-stopping technique when they heard something negative about the group. World Mission Society Church of God members are taught to pray immediately if they experience any doubts.

What are some examples of loaded language in the World Mission Society Church of God?

*This is in not an all inclusive list.

Why is this important?

The use of loaded language can be an early sign that the indoctrination process is taking hold of the individual. Early detection is key in preventing someone from fully committing to membership within a cult, or other group that exerts undue influence over individuals’ lives. Because the newly recruited member wants to fit in and be able to communicate with other members in the group, he or she will adopt the cult’s loaded language relatively quickly. When a member first joins the World Mission Society Church of God, those closest to the member may begin to notice changes in their loved one’s manner of speaking. Indoctrinated WMSCOG members have been said to sound robotic. Members who’s first language is English, begin to sound like Korean members who speak English with a Korean accent. Members also presumptuously use the word “actually” quite often in conversation when speaking to those outside of the group. For examples of this, see long term members Rebecca Gardner and John Power‘s interviews with The Today Show journalist Ronan Farrow.

According to the World Health Organization, 264 million people globally suffer from depression. Depression is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2010, determined that in 2007 the United States national treatment rate for depression was less than 3%.

In a sermon titled, “We can do everything in God” presumably authored by WMSCOG pastor Joo Cheol Kim, dated August 18, 2012 (embedded below), he discusses depression among members, but begins with two versions the same infantile story about an “arrogant rabbit” and a “slow turtle” that engage in a race to the finish line. The turtle wins the race in both versions because the rabbit decides to take a nap halfway through. The moral of the more widely known version of this story is, never underestimate the weakest opponent. In the strange “new version,” according to Joo Cheol Kim, the “slow turtle” is bullied by other animals, and the rabbit, while remaining “arrogant,” develops a sense of empathy and purposely allows the turtle to win the race. In an even stranger segue into the topic of depression, Joo Cheol Kim suggests that the moral of this new version is that there is a “story behind the story” in the Bible.

It is not clear what the story about the rabbit and the turtle have to do with depression, but we will come back to this later.

What does the World Mission Society Church of God teach its members about depression?

As in any cult group, any feelings of unhappiness experienced by the member (or victim) are never the fault of the organization or leader. Instead, the blame is shifted solely onto the member‘s “doubts,” lack of faith, or other perceived weaknesses. A practice otherwise commonly known as victim-blaming. Clearly the World Mission Society Church of God is aware that some of their members are unhappy. So what is the WMSCOG’s solution to this problem?

What is the solution for depression according to the World Mission Society Church of God?

According to Joo Cheol Kim, the solution to depression and “all the problems,” is not to seek medical attention or psychotherapy, but instead to recruit more members for the organization. While the “high” induced by the love-bombing a member is likely to receive from the leadership as a result of successful recruitment of more members may provide temporary relief of depressive symptoms, underlying depression will not be cured by this so-called “spiritual serotonin.” Instead, if left untreated members may experience long term effects of depression. Depression not only increases suicide risk, but is a known risk factor for the development of physiological conditions such as coronary artery disease, diabetes and uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure).

Let’s Fact Check the “True Church”

While serotonin may be the neurotransmitter most commonly associated with depression, serotonin is only one of numerous neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, that may be “lacking” in someone suffering from depression. You would think that “god,” and “creator of all things” including the neurological system, would have informed Joo Cheol Kim of this fact.

The suicide rates reported by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2012 demonstrate that Lithuania had a higher suicide rate than South Korea in 2012. Surely the all-knowing “god” would not have to wait for a worldly organization such as the OECD to compile their data in order for the information communicated to members in the sermon to be accurate.

But what about the Rabbit and the Turtle?

After reading the above statement by Joo Cheol Kim, it becomes clear that the WMSCOG’s expectation is that the member sacrifice him or herself so that the organization “wins the race.” To do so is a demonstration of “that kind of faith” that requires the member to essentially ignore their own emotions.

In addition, Joo Cheol Kim provides yet another example of blame shifting. The statement above clearly implies that if a member is unhappy, he or she has failed to view their depression or “negative things” with a “positive point of view.” Therefore, by this twisted logic, if a member experiences depression, they have brought it onto themselves as a result of their own failing to follow the cult leadership’s instructions and demands.

Why is this important?

In essence, membership within a totalistic, controlling, coercive group such as the WMSCOG, creates the perfect storm for members who are experiencing feelings of depression. Lack of sleep, stress, adverse life events, such as unemployment, loss of a loved one, break up or divorce, illness or psychological trauma are just some of the contributing factors to depression. The World Mission Society has a long history of divisiveness among families, marriages, friendships and other types of interpersonal relationships. Members have reported sleep deprivation, stress and loss of employment due to the cult’s extreme demand for their time and energy. And yet the World Mission Society Church of God, amidst the internal chaos created by their own teachings, and in a blatant show of hypocrisy, urges members to “be joyful always.”  

If you or someone you know is dealing with depression, call 1−800−273−TALK (8255) to reach a 24−hour crisis center or dial 911. 1−800−273−TALK is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.