Is this a Cult?

[Shiloah]

I am new to this whole area of learning about and the Feasts/Shabbat etc.

Today I had two girls at my door, going from house to house, evangelising about becoming observant of the , and keeping Shabbat and Passover. They were from Korea and the church they attend was founded in Korea. It is called the (World Mission Society) Church of God. I was so surprised that there were people out there actually as missionaries speaking about these things. They wanted me to go to their church, but I explained that I would need to discuss this with my husband. They seemed okay with this. (They were just as shocked, BTW, that I even knew what Passover is!)

I looked them up on the internet, www.watv.org and was saddened to discover that although the two girls who had spoken with me seemed okay, it all sounded very cultish on the web-site. Things like believing themselves to be the only true church, and that they are themselves the 144,000 redeemed, and that you need to keep Passover on the exact right date (they claimed it was March 24th this year) to be saved and sealed from the wrath to come. Anybody heard of this group? Apparently they have followers in most countries.

I normally don't give door-knocking missionaries the time of day, but these girls seemed different somehow.
Ho-hum. It was kinda nice talking to some other people about the reality of Shabbat, and how the mainstream have just accepted that Sunday is the Christian Sabbath, and why we should re-examine our Jewish roots.

Shalom, Jenny.

[Chizuk Emunah]

Shalom Jenny,
I'm to say it, but it definitely sounds like a cult to me.

but Judaist turned away from God's will and enjoyed their vested rights as the ruling class.

They subscribe to Replacement Theology.

When the general public felt despair and anger to this, Jesus established 'Church of God' and began to spread new biblical interpretations and teachings. At that time, Church of God established by Jesus was a new religion.

It is a well known fact that Yeshua did not come to start a new religion, but in fact taught within the framework of the P'rushim.

And it is the common opinion among the Christians that the old covenant was abolished through the Cross, and that the new covenant-the New Testament-must be kept. So to accept and observe the teaching of the Old Testament at its face value is the act deserving to be separated from the grace of Christ.

Surprising that they keep Shabbat and Pesach, yet they declare all to be null and void. A bit contradictory, don't you think?

praying in the name of Ahnsahnghong.

They pray in the name of their founder? This is definitely not Scriptural. This is the final "nail in the coffin" so to speak. This statement belies their true intent.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

And it is the common opinion among the Christians that the old covenant was abolished through the Cross, and that the new covenant-the New Testament-must be kept. So to accept and observe the teaching of the Old Testament at its face value is the act deserving to be separated from the grace of Christ.


Surprising that they keep Shabbat and Pesach, yet they declare all to be null and void. A bit contradictory, don't you think?

They may not be expressing their beliefs. I think they are just communicating what main-stream Christianity believes as I believe the Church Of G’d keeps all the moedim as well as keeping the kosher laws. I think that they do have some cultish tendencies, but they are also introducing to a lot of people. Perhaps G’d is using them for a purpose. I think that because they are doing this, we should be slow to condemn them. I don’t agree with there interpretation of when Pesach was to be kept this year according to the “Aviv” principle as there is not clear instruction in scripture for their choosing to observe Pesach in March. I think that it would be better to find another Messianic fellowship where you live other than this organization, but if there is nothing else it may be a place where you can grow until something else comes about. I don’t recommend you doing anything without the consent of your husband. In regards to the quotes that were provided, they do greatly concern me. Could you provide links to the areas of the website where the quotes were obtained so that I may more closely look at them?

Shalom chaverim,

Reuel

[Shiloah]

Thankyou, Notzari Y'hudi and Reuel for helping me out here. I would, if I could, post links to the specifics on the website Reuel, but I'm afraid my 'puter skills aren't that hot! ;D

Like Notzari said, the praying in the name of their leader was the nail in the coffin for me too!

I guess I just wanted to share, how very unusual it was, for me as an at home mom to suddenly be speaking with 2 girls, out of nowhere, about , Passover etc in a Christian (or so I thought) context, to feel then let down by discovering it to be a cult.

Reuel, I should have said we have a Messianic fellowship but it is 40 minutes drive. I'm not sure how much you would describe it as a observant fellowship though. It seems more like a Christian church which says some prayers in Hebrew, has a strong desire to reach the Jewish people (To the Jew First), and includes Passover Feast but not strict about the exact day, that sort of thing. But it's the closest thing we have to what we need.

In no way would I go anywhere without my dh blessing.

And I certainly would not touch anything that claims to pray "in the name" of their founder.

BTW, just in case there was any confusion, this group don't appear to be related to the Armstrong C of G that was very active some years back. They seem to be a separate group founded by "Ahnsahnghong" in Korea.
They refer to god as "Father and Mother" which upon closer reading is "Father Ahnsahnghong" and "Mother Jerusalem" (whoever that is? a real person? a figurative term like we find in the book of Hebrews?)

I'm not touching these guys they are definitely a cult!

Shalom,

Jen

[The 614th Mitzvot]

Prayer and fasting is the only way to combat the evil perversions of the Truth of the scriptures. If they tell you they pray to someone else, then that is what they do and therefore do not believe in in G-d Ely-n.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

I agree, if they are praying to anyone other than YHVH, it is idolatry. But, I just wanted to see the actual place where this was stated to make sure that this is what is being stated. I am just trying to observe the following Biblical admonition with something that I have not seen before....

So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger
- Yaakov (Jam.) 1:19

Shalom chaverim,

Reuel

[Shiloah]

Thank you Reuel, you are quite right not to judge quickly, but to examine everything against scripture.

Here is the precise mention of praying in the name of their founder

english.watv.org/who/index.html

Look under Heading C. Church of God as a New Religion
point 3) A world religion based on Korea

I also found a photo section, and a history section, which makes mention of when their leader and founder Ahnsahnghong was baptised, died, and ascended

Deception indeed I am afraid.

Unfortunately yesterday I was so delighted to hear what these girls had to say, that I agreed to give them my phone number. One of them rang me tonight. I explained that I had talked with my husband, and prayed, and did not believe that we were meant to go to their church. She wanted to come to our house and speak with my husband. I said that no, we did not want further contact. She then said she could not understand, her english was not good, she would ring me again, and then hung up. I feel worried now that perhaps they are going to harrass us with phone calls. This has been a lesson to me, never to invite people who are pushing any sort of religion into my home.
Apparently this is a very fast growing church, which sounds as though it is preaching the truth about Sabbath and the Feasts. Brothers and sisters in Yeshua, beware! They claim to have established churches in New Jersey and California and other American cities. I live in Melbourne Australia, and as of May last year they planted a church in our own area.

Thank you for the support here, it has been of great assistance and I very much appreciate it, and your prayers that these people might forget about us!

Blessings, and Shalom

Jenny

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

Shalom Jenny,

I will be praying. Thank you for the link pointing me in the right direction. Man oh man, these people claim to follow , but their claims fly in the face of Yeshua's words...

"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Messiah, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Messiahs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.
For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
- Mat.24:23-27

Yes, I echo your warning. Beware those whom have a heart for . The organization found in this discussion is a deceiver. But, tempting for many as they preach part of a lost truth. This heresy is like rat poison in the sense that much of it is edible food. But, the small portion that is poison will cause your death.

Shalom chaverim b'Yeshua HaMashiach,

Reuel

[Shiloah]

Amen brother Reuel, I couldn't have put it better myself! Rat poison! Seems good, looks okay, "rediscovered truth" but deadly!!

Thankyou for your prayers and those of other posters.
It can be confusing especially as I am only starting out on this walk.

I feel much encouraged.

Shalom,

Jenny

[ibewpat]

I do believe that this is a cult. 2 of my oldest children are involved and have separated from my family, we have not seen our grandson in 6 months (he's now 18 mos. old). According to them, anyone who woships on Sunday is wrong and will go to hell. They believe that the man (deceased since 1985) who started this church is the second coming of Christ, they also believe that his wife (?) is also G'd, they call her "mother jerusalem". My husband and I are devastated that this has happened to our family. That's just the tip of the iceberg........

[Chizuk Emunah]

I'm really sorrry to hear that. We will be praying for your family.

[ibewpat]

I thank you for the prayers. I can't get past that they claim the founder is the second coming of the Messiah. They claim that it was prophecised that He would come from the east (),BUT....how many countries are East of Isreal? That is not very convincing. They claim that people of the Jewish faith are wrong on the passover date, that Easter is not a religous event, but a pagan event.....just my common sense at work. I don't buy it. Oh, here's a good one, my own children told me that my parents (who they were very close to and have both passed away within the last 5 years) are in hell. They also claim that the Pope, wears the mark of the beast.....this goes against everything they have been taught, everything I believe. This church has divided and separated my family. My daughter was in nursing school prior to this, she was such an intelligent young woman. Now she and my son are living a "sacrificial life" in other words not striving to better thier lives in any way except for getting into heaven....I just don't get it.

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

I certainly don't think you will go to hell if you worship on Sunday...you can worship any day of the week and should do so. Although, there is only one day during the week that our Heavenly Father has called us to meet with him and each other. It is up to each one's conscience whether or not they wish to be submissive to The Father in this area of their life. And, the salvation of an individual is between the father and the individual and cannot be determined by anyone but The Father.

There is solid Truth that we can rely on and this is in fact how we know the organization in question is not of The Father. Scripture says this regarding "Truth"....

"Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. Your is truth." - Tehillim (Psa.) 119:142

Just as with this Korean based organization and -any- organization (even Catholicism) we should not take the word of men as absolute truth. The Scriptures should be our only source for that truth. Just as Rav Sha'ul (Paul) had this to say about the congregation in Beroea....

"The brothers immediately sent Sha'ul and Sila away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." - Acts 17:10-11

So, as men (or women) come to us and say things that seem foreign to us, or even things we have come to accept, we should be ready to listen and also be diligent to test these sayings against founded scripture. The result should be that we discard lies and fallacies that do not line up with scripture and accept that which is truth, that which is accordance with our Heavenly Fathers (His Teaching). If they say the Biblical Sabbath is every 7th day on Saturday...test it by the scriptures. If they say that their leader should be worshipped, should be prayed to, and is Messiah...test it...if it does not line up with the scriptures, discard it and move on.

I hope this helps,

Shalom,

Reuel