This is the first of a series of videos where we want to address the WMSCOG doctrine about Passover. The WMSCOG teaches that Passover is the “core of the gospel” and a requirement for salvation. In this video, Jordan, Jesse and Kelsey (a former WMSCOG member) address the “Seal Of God” study, which is one of their primary studies used to support their ideas about Passover.

The World Mission Society Church of God claims not to preach about disasters in order to influence its members to stay. Victor Lozada, current World Mission Society Church of God Missionary, published an article on June 2, 2016, addressing this issue on his blog “The True WMSCOG.” Mr. Lozada claimed that a news station in Mongolia aired a false report about the local WMSCOG. According to Mr. Lozada, the report claimed that the WMSCOG in Mongolia:

In previous articles, we have examined the WMSCOG’s obvious fear mongering tactics in their pamphlets about the Passover. Former members have spoken out in YouTube videos about being taught that the world would end in 2012. A news station in South Korea broadcasted an investigative report on the WMSCOG’s claim that the world would end in 1999. The World Mission Society Church of God has even shown this video about disasters to members in their congregation.

But what does Zahng Gil Jah say about disasters and the end of the world? Below is an 8 page sermon from Zahng Gil Jah, dated October 27, 2012. Here are some highlights:

• Like this, if we know that a disaster is coming, it is very important both physically and spiritually to warn people to evacuate. From now on, there will be more earthquakes, and people who survived in the last one might die in the next one.
• All the arrogant and every evildoer will be set on fire like stubble. The war that can burn them without leaving even a root or a branch is the nuclear war, the WWIII. The Bible records that there is definitely an appointed day when these things will happen.
• The only medicine that can heal us so that we can survive even in the nuclear war is the Passover bread and wine of the new covenant that Jesus promised us with His flesh and blood. Since God’s flesh and blood remain in us through the Passover bread and wine, the disasters can pass over us. Now the whole world is coming to our Church, being surprised by this news of salvation.
• How joyful will it be since only our members will live while all the other people die in the last days?
• No matter how much Gold tells them that what they are keeping is wrong, people do not listen to Him and they do not give their ear to His teachings. So as a result, they will receive a plague.
• In the Bible, the wind means “war.” Then when will the wind be released? It is when all the children of God are found. If all the children of God receive the seal today, that day will come today, and if they all receive the seal tomorrow, it will come tomorrow, if they all receive the seal next month, that day will come next month.
• If a nuclear war breaks out between Iran and Israel, North Korea will seize that opportunity and shoot what they have prepared. That day will come on an unexpected day. Since God told us to be ready, we must be ready. It is better to be ready in advance.
• We must flee to Zion before the disaster comes. Once the disaster comes, people will not be able to flee to Zion even if they want to. And just because we are safe from disasters, we must not sit back and do nothing, but we must lead other people as well so that they will also escape disasters. Then we will receive an award.

Zahng Gil Jah’s statements speak for themselves and her sermon makes it clear that the World Mission Society Church of God does in fact preach about disasters in a way that would promote fear in its members. In this sermon alone, the word disaster or disasters is found 36 times.

Let us fact check the “mother god”.

From now on, there will be more earthquakes, and people who survived in the last one might die in the next one.

“According to the Words of the Prophecies,” by Zahng Gil Jah, page 2

According to the USGS Worldwide Earthquake Statistics below, the total number of earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 were 2,383 and 2,481 respectively. After that, the total number of earthquakes have decreased NOT increased, and have remained below 1900 thus far. The total number of fatalities in 2010 and 2011 were 226,050 and 21,942 respectively. Subsequently, the total number of fatalities has dramatically decreased, remaining below 10,000. The data does not support Zahng Gil Jah’s assertions.

They killed up to 70 million children of God to change God’s commandments to the commands of men-from the Sabbath to the Sunday service and from the Passover to Christmas. It is 70 million officially, so they must have killed even more people unofficially. Babylon did this. Parents bear a grudge even if someone kills only one of their children. But Babylon killed 70 million children of God. That is why it says that their sins are piled up to heaven.

“According to the Words of the Prophecies,” by Zahng Gil Jah, page 7

The World Mission Society Church of God commonly refers to the Catholic Church as “Babylon.” Zahng Gil Jah is referring to the deaths that resulted from past actions of Catholic Church, such as the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades. The estimated executions in Spain during the Inquisition is about 32,000, the area most affected. The death toll from the Crusades is estimated to be from 1.7 million to as high as 9 million and included people of other faiths such as Muslims, Cathars and Jews. The available data simply does not support Zahng Gil Jah’s claim that 70 million “children of god” died as a result of the Catholic Church’s actions.

Where did we obtain this document?

This sermon was attached to an email from Daniel Lee, a.k.a. Dong Il Lee, pastor of the Ridgewood, New Jersey location to leaders of various WMSCOG locations.

Additional documents will be posted within the limits set forth by the Court in the following orders:

• NJ Court Decision Regarding The World Mission Society Church of God’s Documents
• NJ Court Grants The World Mission Society Church Of God Only Partial Injunctive Relief

Just as in Part 1 of this series, here is another brochure that the World Mission Society Church of God has utilized in their public recruitment efforts. At first glance, it appears to be a predominantly religious brochure about the Passover. Like the first pamphlet, there is a picture of Jesus at the Last Supper. Numerous Bible verses are seen throughout. Yet, a closer look at the pamphlet, reveals that this is nothing more than another piece of fear mongering WMSCOG propaganda.

Take a closer look…

“GLOBAL WARM…”, “CLIMATE AT RI…”, “THE HORROR THAT…THE COURSE OF WORLD…” and “FIRE FROM THE…” are all phrases that can be seen in the right upper hand corner of the pamphlet. What is seen at the bottom left hand corner? What appears to be a pile of dead bodies.

What is on the reverse side of the brochure?

The title of the brochure, seen on the outer fold of the pamphlet, reads “THE RESULT OF YOUR THOUGHTS.” The folded brochure opens to reveal the phrase “THE DIFFERENCE OF THOUGHTS BRINGS ABOUT OPPOSITE RESULTS.” These phrases communicate that your thoughts, even before you read this material, are wrong and are leading you on the wrong path. The yin and yang comparison contained in the image between the golden ladder to heaven, and the ladder that was destroyed by lightning, suggests that there is only a right or wrong choice to be made. The choice that leads to heaven, as the World Mission Society Church of God has conveniently positioned themselves to be, and the wrong choice that leads to “disasters.”

What is the purpose of these dark images?

The title of the inner section of the brochure is “The Passover is the Sign, Through Which We Can Escape Disasters.” From this title, and associated imagery, it is obvious that the WMSCOG has created a sense of fear and impending doom, while at the same time conveniently marketing itself as the only solution. How could the World Mission Society Church of God be the “true church”, as its members claim, if they have to scare people into joining?

Note that just as in the first pamphlet, there is no mention of Ahn Sahng Hong or Zhang Gil Jah.

It has been well established by a court in South Korea that the World Mission Society Church of God falsely predicted that the world would end in 1988, 1999 and 2012. Despite the evidence, the WMSCOG continues to deny that they ever taught the world was going to end in 2012. I recently came across a pamphlet that the World Mission Society Church of God circulated during public recruitment activities. At first glance, the brochure titled “Passover The Sign of Salvation” (scroll to the bottom for the full brochure) appears to be full of religious dogma about the Passover. But when you take a closer look, another message emerges.

“FIRE FROM THE SKY”, “AIDS”, extremely malnourished children, people who appear to be screaming and what is presumably a depiction of a nuclear explosion in the bottom right corner. The World Mission Society Church of God denies that they use fear to control its members. What other purpose could this graphic serve other than to instill feelings of fear in whoever reads it? Underneath the graphic, in large bold letters, is written:

In any age, God’s people who kept the Passover were saved, being able to escape disasters under the protection of God.

The obvious take away message here is that unless you take part in the Passover as a World Mission Society Church of God member, you will suffer through the disasters depicted on the pamphlet.

Doesn’t it say to fear God in the Bible?

It is true that there are various verses such as Luke 12:5, 1 Peter 2:17 and many others that say to fear God. But the Bible also says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7) and “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). Therefore, while the Bible says that you should fear God, your faith in God should not be motivated by, or based upon, that fear. If you are a member of the World Mission Society Church of God, seriously consider if what the WMSCOG teaches is faith based on fear instead of love for God.

Who is missing from this pamphlet?

It is interesting to note that there is a picture of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper, but there is no mention of Ahn Sahng Hong or Zahng Gil Jah on the pamphlet. Why was the man who the World Mission Society Church of God claims to have “restored the Passover” not mentioned on a pamphlet about the Passover? If faith in Zhang Gil Jah is required for salvation, why is she not mentioned on the pamphlet? Is it because the mention of the people that the WMSCOG believes to be the “father” and “mother” gods would raise red flags among any prospective recruits they may encounter and perhaps cause them to research the group before agreeing to join? Recruitment materials that contain these kinds of subliminal messages and selectively omit the true deities that the World Mission Society Church of God believes in, are egregiously manipulative and deceptive.

The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) core beliefs are:

• A Korean man named Ahn Sahng Hong, who died in 1985, was the second coming of Jesus Christ. During his lifetime, Ahn Sahng Hong fulfilled numerous biblical prophecies.
• A Korean woman named Zahng Gil Jah, currently living in South Korea, is “god the mother” and spiritual wife of Ahn Sahng Hong. 
• Ahn Sahng Hong designated Zahng Gil Jah as “god the mother” during the Passover observed in 1984.
• The WMSCOG is the one “true” church. 
• All other churches are “spiritual Babylons” and are filled with demons. 
• All other churches are heretical, blasphemers and liars.
• The WMSCOG’s Mission is to prove all other religions false.
• Salvation can ONLY be obtained through activities (works) including but not limited to, baptism into the WMSCOG, observance of all of their appointed holidays, tithing, recruiting new members and strict attendance.
• Saturday is the correct day to worship God and any church that worships on a Sunday practices paganism.
• Tuesday worship, also known as third day service, is also required.
• Men and women sit separately during church services.
• Women are required to wear veils during church services.
• The Passover is the seal of God and protects members from natural disasters.
• The WMSCOG is the only church that observes the Passover and other old testament feasts “correctly.”
• All humans are angels that sinned in heaven and are born on earth in order to earn their way back into heaven.
• Family and love are temptations from Satan.
• Crosses are a form of idolatry (even though this was not one of Ahn Sahng Hong’s teachings).
• The Pope is the Anti-Christ
• People who criticize the WMSCOG, especially family and friends, are “slanderers” who are being controlled by Satan.
• Anyone that tries to get a member to doubt or leave the WMSCOG is being used by Satan to take the member away from God.
• Members may only date with approval by the WMSCOG leadership.
• Some marriages are arranged by the leadership.
• Divorce is acceptable and may even be encouraged by the leadership if a member is divorcing a non-WMSCOG member.
• Members should avoid the Internet because it is the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
• Members can not socialize outside of the church because that is where Satan swells and will cause members to fight with each other. 
• Along with keeping every Sabbath and 7 feasts, members are required to bear 10 talents (recruit 10 members) in order to enter heaven.  A talent is a person they bring to the church who gets baptized, becomes an evangelist by preaching 8 times per month, tithes consistently for at least 3 months and bears a talent (recruits a member) of their own.
• Does not allow preaching to the homeless or disabled.
• Does not allow members of the LGBTQ+ community to be baptized unless they denounce their lifestyle and agree to remain single for the rest of their lives.
• The tithe, 10% of gross income from all sources including tax refunds, is the minimum rent that must be paid to God.  If a member does not tithe, they are robbing God and belong to the devil.
• Good will offerings are also required in addition to the tithe offering. 
• Parents must tithe on behalf of their children.
• Members must pray three times per day, at times designated by the WMSCOG.  
• Members must pray at 5am every day as God the Mother in Korea allegedly does.
• Attendance is tracked for each preaching meeting and sent to the General Assembly in Korea.
• Members who have no children must attend at least 8 preaching meetings per month to be considered an evangelist.
• Members who have children must attend at least 4 preaching meetings a month to be considered an evangelist.
• A member needs to be an evangelist before they can meet Zahng Gil Jah.
• Mondays are allocated for worldly responsibilities, such as laundry.
• The church buildings are to be cleaned on Fridays in preparation for Saturday services.

The World Mission Society Church of God claims that their founder “Ahn Sahng Hong, who restored the Passover of the new covenant, is the second coming Christ-God.”  Whether he was Christ, is another question, given that both his writings and his tombstone claim he was the Prophet Elijah (another spurious assertion dispensed with here), but what about the other churches that were celebrating the Passover before Ahn Sahng Hong established his church in 1964?  The Worldwide Church of God, established in the late 1930’s by Herbert W. Armstrong, was another SDA splinter group that not only celebrated the Passover, but all of the old covenant feasts.

How did Ahn Sahng Hong “restore” the Passover when it was already being celebrated in another “Church of God”?  By the WMSCOG’s logic, Herbert W. Armstrong should be the second coming of Christ because he “restored” the Passover about 30 years before Ahn Sahng Hong established his church.

The World Mission Society Church of God calls all of their churches “Zion”.  In an online sermon titled, “Let’s Aquire the Citizenship of Heaven“, the WMSCOG refers to Isaiah 33:20-22 and concludes that “We the people of Zion celebrate the feasts.  So it is clear that we have a heavenly citizenship.“  But what about Herbert W. Armstrong’s Worldwide Church of God?  They also celebrate all of the old covenant feasts.  Are all of Armstrong’s churches considered “Zion” as well?

Click below to watch a documentary about the Worldwide Church of God, and ask yourself how your experience with the the World Mission Society Church of God differs.

The World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG) claims that they are safe from natural disasters. Unfortunately for their claim, one of their buildings was damaged in the earthquake that hit New Zealand on February 22, 2011.

No Official Mention

I can find no official mention of the church being damaged on their official web site as of July 14, 2011.  Even the WMSCOG blogosphere seems to be unaware.  (This post has since been deleted.  Here is a screenshot from an Internet archive).

Earthquake Damage

These pictures come to us from our correspondent in New Zealand.  In her own words she writes:

As you know we are from Christchurch New Zealand here we have suffered some big earthquakes that have taken lives and homes and churches alike. After the 7.1 earthquake in September that devastated a lot of Christchurch’s churches, WMSCOG members were gloating that their church was not damaged, that “Mother” [Zhang Gil Jah] and “Father” [Ahnsahnghong] saved them, and that is why the other churches fell and not theirs, telling anyone who would listen they were saved by the heavenly mother…. However, we had another big earthquake on the 22nd of Feb this year and this was the result at the church they had recently purchased and done up.  The very place they were preaching that mother had saved…”

Just to let you know, no one was injured in the building that we know of.  Even after the damage was sustained that very day, they all rushed to the place straight after the quakes.  Meanwhile, we were still having violent aftershocks. We all thankfully escaped with our lives.  Many were not so lucky.  Christchurch lost 180 people that day and most of its business district.

The Location

This building is located at 4 New Brighton Rd, Christchurch New Zealand. You can see it on Google maps below. The street view image is old, but you can still explore the neighborhood.

And just in case you weren’t sure if this was a WMSCOG location, you can verify by looking at the same location in 2019, post earthquake repairs.

Safe or Not?

The WMSCOG preaches they are safe from disasters, but yet their church was damaged?  Shouldn’t the disaster have “passed over” them?  If they claim that:  “well no one was hurt”, then the other non-WMSCOG churches which suffered no casualties and no damage should also claim that they are the true church. Why weren’t the “Babylon churches” damaged by the earthquake?

If they claim that “well the members in this location were not celebrating the Passover correctly”, then again I’d have to point out all the Christians and non-Christians alike who don’t even try to celebrate the Passover and suffered no damage, but yet, the WMSCOG, try as they might, was still damaged.

I think it’s pretty clear that the WMSCOG’s claim to be safe from natural disasters just doesn’t add up.

Click here for the testimony of someone who had an encounter with the WMSCOG in New Zealand.

Our prayers go out to all of those affected by this terrible disaster.

The World Mission Society Church of God preaches that by observing the Passover, they are saved from natural disasters.  That’s quite a claim.  Let’s look at it in detail.

The Claim From Their Official Site

If you’ve spent any time in the WMSCOG, you’ve heard this claim in person, but just for those who haven’t, here’s some examples of the claim from their official site:

In an online sermon titled “The Passover and the Seal of God“, the WMSCOG states:

In an online article titled “Sacred Assembly Of The Day Of Pentecost 2010“:

In an online article titled “The Sacred Assembly Of The Passover 2010“, head pastor Joo Cheol Kim states:

Read anything related to the Passover on their official web site for ten minutes and you’re bound to come across something related to being saved from destruction.

The Claim From Their Official Videos

If you or anyone you know has spent any time in the WMSCOG, you’re well aware of the overly dramatic doom-and-gloom videos of death and disaster that they show their members. These videos are supplemented with messages that by sticking with the WMSCOG, you can be saved from disasters. This really plays upon people’s fear and anxiety. If you’d like to see what I mean, simply search for any of their videos on YouTube, and you’ll come up with videos like the one below:

Saved From Disasters?

That’s quite a claim coming from the World Mission Society Church of God.  Unfortunately for their message, WMSCOG churches do suffer during natural disasters–just like everyone else.  For example, click here to see their building that was damaged by an earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Celebrating Correctly?

WMSCOG members might be tempted to claim that WMSCOG churches destroyed in natural disasters were not “celebrating the Passover correctly”, but there are a couple of problems with this claim:

1. That would mean that you can be a member of the WMSCOG and still not be saved from natural disasters (which goes against their original message).
2. Why not just call Zahng Gil Jah (whom they believe is God) on the phone and ask her not to send the disaster?

In Conclusion

In my opinion, playing upon people’s fear of death and destruction is at best disingenuous, and at worst a proven mind control tactic.  When your churches are destroyed by natural disasters, then what?  Claim that they weren’t “celebrating the Passover correctly?”  So are members safe from disasters in the WMSCOG or not?  In the World Mission Society Church of God, members never really know whether or not they are saved.

Update 2020: WMSCOG members believe that they are protected from the coronavirus by the Passover.

The World Mission Society Church of God claims that eternal life will only be obtained by those who celebrate the Passover.  Regarding the Passover the WMSCOG says on its official website:

Was the Passover Observed by the Apostles?

In a discussion I had with a WMSCOG member regarding salvation by observing the law versus salvation by grace, I asked if there was any evidence to suggest that the Passover was observed by the apostles after Jesus’s Resurrection.  The WMSCOG member said “absolutely” and pointed to 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 as proof.

Is the apostle Paul here advising the church in Corinth to keep the Passover in this verse, or could it mean something else?

Paul Uses a Metaphor

If we read from the beginning of 1 Corinthians 5, we see that Paul is discussing sexual immorality and incest among the people in the church (v1).  In verse 7, Paul tells the Corinthians to “get rid of the old yeast, so you may be a new unleavened batch”.  Yeast is symbolic of sin in the Bible (Matthew 16:11, Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1).  In Old Testament times, the family was to rid their homes of yeast during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:19).  Taking into consideration that Paul was a teacher of the law prior to his conversion, and that his audience was certainly comprised of former Jews, we see how fitting it is for Paul to draw out this analogy, commanding the Corinthians to rid the church (house) of all yeast (sin) so that they “may be a new unleavened batch…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed”, as Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover because he was “lamb without spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19, Leviticus 9:3) and therefore “unleavened bread” (John 6:51).

This also helps explain why Paul clearly uses “heortazo” instead of “heorte”.  The entire series of verses is a metaphor, including verses 7-8.  Since Paul uses the abstract “heaortazo”, verse 8 is part of the metaphor, and does not indicate some sort of literal observance of the Law.

In conclusion, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 is not of any evidentiary value concerning the Passover, and does not support the WMSCOG member’s claims that Christians of the early church observed or were required to ceremonially observe the Passover.  This is just further proof of the WMSCOG’s consistent misinterpretation of Bible.