Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

My girlfriend has fallen in with this Bible study group that she must meet with 4 times a week for 3 hours each session. This is in addition to attending church regularly on Sundays for several hours. She also works as an education consultant and tutor. The end result is, she lives 5 minutes away but I only see her 3 hours a week.

She's also a single mom. So, she has very little time for her son. Whenever I see her, she is exhausted. Virtually every conversation we have on Kakao involves complaints of ill health and tiredness. But still she MUST attend these Bible studies.

Apparently if she misses a class "she has to start over(?)".

Once she was quite upset because they criticised her for not having a paper copy of the Bible(?).

I asked her about S(h)inCheongJi about a month ago. I wanted to see if she'd heard of them and whatnot. I even showed her a video explaining their tactics of indoctrination. Her response was, "are there any other opinions?"

She first joined the group because an elderly woman she met through one of her students impressed her with her knowledge of classical music and then complemented my gf a lot on her appearance and intelligence, yada yada yada.

So, do you think I'm being paranoid or is she being indoctrinated?

[edited due to their/there... doh!]

[Qonny]

So she's spending 15 hours a week with church activities?
Cult or not, that's too much. Does she seem indoctrinated?

[nicwr2002]

I feel like there are a lot of cultist churches here, so you maybe justified in your thinking. I would try to get her out of that church. If they are taking time away from her son, then that is definitely strange.

[Captain Corea]

I don't think there's a set time limit on how much of something is good or bad, but if you feel it's damaging her, then that's a sign.

And if she's not open to a discussion about it, that's an even bigger sign.

[postfundie]

that many hours per week, and its taking a toll on her health..sorry but she needs to get the heck away from those people...if you haven't got your health, what have you got?

[cdninkorea]

Shinchunji is a (insert swear word for emphasis) scary cult. Google "Mannam World Peace Day" and read about it. I was there, in one of their sports events. The way everyone acted was super creepy, like something out of a dystopian science fiction movie. The scariest thing was when I went to leave and had trouble finding the exit, the person I asked for directions replied with "did someone say you could leave?"

If you care about this woman, persuade her that these people are dangerous. If she won't listen, get ready for her to break up with you- cults make members cut outside influences out.

[emetib]

I work in a Korean church...and have been involved with Korean churches since I came to Korea...

Is she a new church member? I've noticed that Koreans are very aggressive when it comes to aggressively pushing someone who is new to their church to come. They call them incessantly. They have newcomer groups that typically meet on Sundays, and often once during the week. THEN they have their cell groups which they are put in based on age, gender, and often location if they are at a bigger church. They often meet once a week outside of Sundays. There are the big prayer meetings...usually Wednesdays and Fridays. The one I had to adjust to was the dawn prayer. This happens daily, starting usually at 5:30 or 6 a.m.
All I can think of is..

A. She just joined the church and it is a special new-comer discipleship program she is in.

B. It's a special program in the church she has to follow in order to become a church member and a steward etc. (The more traditional Korean churches are insanely political and follow a sort of business structure. You have to put in time and complete stuff to move up the "ranks" so to speak.)

C. It is a very conservative, pushy church.

D. It is a "cult." There are quite a few out there these days. The biggest ones the churches here are struggling with are the Shincheonji and "World Mission Society Church of God."

IMHO-It's very unhealthy, and they're being extremely unreasonable.

[chaz47]

Thanks guys for all this advice and consideration. Next time I see her in person I'll ask her when the obligation for the Bible study (which is not related to her church) is supposed to end.

Another odd thing, they seem to focus a lot on the book of Revelations in her group... and you know, that's not spooky at all. heh,

[World Traveler]

http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/rev/intro.html

[maximmm]

considering that pretty much every church out there aims to 'clean' your mind of any reason and logic, aren't they all cults of sorts?

Just curious.

[Paddycakes]

Never stick your dick in crazy, dude.

[goreality]

She prefers spending time at bible study sessions over spending time with you. Tell her how you feel. Then you can admit to yourself you are being dumped for Jesus. Don't worry it has happened to many people. Mere mortals like us are powerless to interfere with the will of the Almighty. Don't waste too much time trying to save her, the church is at least 2000 years more experienced than you are at this.
Umm more time on Earth with your BF or eternal pass to paradise? Hmm...

[greatunknown]

My wife recently asked me if I wanted to go on a weekend trip to a mountain with some people. She was vague about where or with who. Turns out it a woman she works with is part of a group called Soka Gakkai or SGI. This woman had talked my wife into agreeing to go with them to some commune out in the sticks. The more she told me the stranger it all sounded. Eventually I got online and did some research found this ;

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soka_Gakkai

I got to the part where it stated they were having trouble due to their reputation as a "brainwashing cult" and.. well.. yeah, we arent going anywhere with them.