Korean Job Discussion Forums

[merkurix]

I am not sure if this topic has been discussed before, but I have been stopped recently by a religious group of Korean Christians called World Mission Society: Church of God.
I was on my way from work one Friday afternoon when all of a sudden a very well-dressed couple came and started talking to me in whatever rudimentary English they could. They asked me if I was a Christian. I said, "Yes, I am." I thought these guys were going to be your run-of-the-mill Protestant evangelicals going about their normal proselytizing business until they asked me in "Did you know?" fashion that there are two Gods; a male and a female one. I simply replied, "You don't say?" Then they proceeded to furiously flip through Bible pages showing me where there was proof of the existence of the "female" God ("Goddess" I suppose?). The girl had a pre-recorded theological sermon on her cell phone's speakerphone with a guy speaking in most perfect English. I wasn't too utterly surprised until they flipped to the end of their Bibles (at lightning speed, if I might add) and showed me some verses in the Revelation about Jesus' Second Coming. But there was a bit of a twist: they said that Jesus already came a second time--and he was actually a Korean man. His name was Ahnsanghong(?). He married and died in 1985. But his widow lives on and to them she is considered to be the female incarnation of God. They showed me a picture of what appeared to be a typical Korean old woman wearing a hanbok. They themselves in their best English pointed to this photograph and said, "This is Mother God; our heavenly mother; she lives among us." Interesting.
They seem to be extremely active nowadays and I am hearing stories of people getting stopped by them on the streets. Korean or foreigner, they don't discriminate. Has anyone else had a run-in with these folks? Share your stories.

[princess]

I hope I don't have a run-in with them. If I do, I will do a run away from them.

[pkang0202]

OMG, I got harrassed by them too.

I was just walking down the street when these 2 women just turned around and asked me something. I played the dumb foreigner card and said "Sorry, I don't speak Korean."

Next thing I know, they bust out pamphlets and flyers in English that talk all about the "Holy Mother." I kept trying to walk away but both of them would run in front of me and cut me off and keep telling me to read their brochure.

I figured I'll just read the pamphlet to make them happy and just go about my way. I read it, nod my head, hand it back to them and they start saying "Our church is right up the street, why don't you come with us for just a few minutes and drink some tea".

I had a brief vision of a room full of religious feminist virgins enacting exotic sensual rituals.

I shook my head and said no thank you and power walked as fast as I could in one direction. Unfortunately, it was in the wrong direction from where I wanted to go. I didn't want to run into those crazy cultists again so I had to take the long way around.

[swetepete]

There was an Ajumma prophet in "Akira" as well. She got squished by a few thousand tons of falling masonry, I think.

[Teufelswacht]

[merkurix]

[merkurix]

[ED209]

I met some. I was interested in what they believed so asked about the heavenly mother. Didn't take a leaflet. I keep forgetting how to say atheist in Korean. So I just shook my head and said there's no god. They looked confused and pointed at the sky, I said 'Those are clouds'. They were polite and left me alone when my friend came. I wasn't cruel to them, but I did want to at least try to let them know what my beliefs are and that I'm happy with them. I have heard of more pushy ones but in my experience, nice people but way delusional, wouldn't want to be friends with one.

[tomato]

Thank you, merkurix!

I have always been fascinated with unconventional religious groups.
You got me curious, so I did a 구글금색.

Here is a story about a man whose wife joined the church.
He became so angry that he physically beat her, confined her to a mental institution for 3 months, organized protests announcing that the church has broken up hundreds of families, and eventually got a divorce:

http://english.watv.org/news/news174.html

Here is a site which enumerates the church's doctrines.
As one might expect, Genesis 1:26-27 ("Let us make man in our image, in our likeness...") is used as a proof text.
That is why there are two genders in the world--
because the two genders resemble the two gods!
In reply to those who interpret the passage as applying to the Trinity,
why aren't one-third of us each fathers, sons, and holy spirits?

Isaiah 24:15-16 proves that the Second Coming will take place "in the east . . . from the ends of the earth". Korea is at the end end of Asia. Japan doesn't qualify, because it is an island chain--ha ha!

Also, there are a few doctrines stolen from the Jehovah's Witnesses.
Celebrating Christmas is a no-no, and using the cross as a symbol is a no-no.

http://text.watv.org/english/index.html

[Teufelswacht]

[blynch]

[wylies99]

Just another Korean cult?

[blynch]

[wylies99]

Agreed.


Do they get tax free status in Korea? The money is usually the motivation.

[butlerian]