New Heaven and New Earth: sometimes I wish it all real
TESTIMONY
A few days after leaving Shincheonji life felt silent. My phone was no longer buzzing with messages of life giving quotes, fruit updates and members texting ‘Amen’.
I was no longer going out to evangelize no cell meetings, fruit meetings, no center, no service just silence.
I remembered a time when I thought I’d never leave gods kingdom, I was ready to let go of everything else in the world. My family , my career , my future plans all meant nothing now that I was in heaven. The very thought of being chosen to be part of this work made me cry.
Honestly at that point in SCJ there was nothing a person could say or do to take me out of Shincheonji. NOTHING. I was devoted. (That’s why I don’t try to take people out of SCJ)
I imagined a world where there was no pain , no dying, no crying , no sorrow. A world that God wanted to dwell in and a world I wanted with all my being . I worked for that hope and I believed that it was near, that it was possible. The small suffering was nothing compared to that reward.
Even if I didn’t make the 144000, just being in Gods kingdom was sufficient for me.
What a bunch of Blizzards!! 😅 I’m glad I’m out, it’s good to have back the control of ones life.
But the world is a cruel place, there’s a lot of evil out there and that evil includes SCJ. I really wish that peaceful world was attainable.
Maybe God will do. But I know for sure that Shincheonji ain’t it!!
COMMENTS
I think what makes it hard to leave SCJ is the feeling that you were chosen and have this responsibility to save those around you so it stops becoming solely about your salvation but that of your loved ones. The instructors and advisors don’t fail to remind you that a lot is riding on your success in the church - to be sealed. For that reason I felt the need to stay because my life wasn’t the only one that depended on it :( Now, I feel sad because many of us learning have the same heart and being deceived is heart breaking.
I remember it was so nice to put my phone down for hours and then not see 300 new messages I used to think how amazing it was to be part of it all, how important the work was, how happy that I had been chosen, how much time and effort I put into that place. By the end everyday I would sob in my car over how stressed and anxious I was then walk into the church with a fake smile plastered on my face and tell everyone how happy I was and what exciting things I had done for God’s kingdom that day. Honestly I don’t recognise who I was in SCJ...
I'm glad you're out. I can definitely relate to your experience. I was very devoted as well and willing to sacrifice for the completion of the kingdom.
Until I start to see more and more contradiction between their teaching and action, it's painful to see members unknowingly doing lots of crazy things just to show their obedience.
I saw how a members who failed her uni course in order to participate in teacher's training, and unfortunately she didn't become a teacher with all these effort. and she had to repeat her uni.
Members who didn't have money to buy food, yet still come out to evangelise because leaders say so, in the end, they become sick and depressed.
Members asked to evangelise until 12am to complete SCJ weekly targets, even in very cold and rainy days.
30 mins of rebuking for 5mins late. I never imagine appalling words coming out of SCJ leaders, and later I found it's like second nature to them, along with lying.
Leaders texted 3-4 times a day, asking me where I was, what was I doing, why I didn't complete the tasks, come to the urgent meetings. If I didn't reply texts, they would call. I even received midnight calls.
We weren't allow to show tiredness, but must be cheerful especially during service and meeting with new recruits. Once I complained about tiredness, the leader rebuked me for spreading bad yeast.
Members get so used to saying "amen" even when instructors saying something unbiblical or even discriminatory, Members still yelled "amen".
When challenging SCJ teaching, they said our thoughts belong to Satan, Satan is very smart.
When a member left, they put all kinds of problems onto that person: relationship issues, money problems, antichrist, evil...anything they could think of.
The list goes on and on
For SCJ members, is this the new heaven and new earth, you are waiting for???
Thankfully I am out.
Just reading your comment gave me flashbacks. I’m glad you’re out , that place can be toxic in so many ways, and we’re supposed to just follow like mindless sheep. I’m sorry I couldn’t do it anymore
I remember one sermon the church head asked if we should follow the Bible or The promised pastor . People were hesitant but mostly said the Bible , ... he asked this over and over again until we had to all say the promised pastor.
He said yes, you follow whatever the promised pastor says over what the Bible said because apparently he is the new walking Bible.
I said no, no this can’t be right. But we all said a loud “Amen”.
I was so inspired by your testimony. I love Jesus and God but when I joined SCJ, i started to dislike the bible. They kept on telling us that we are in the new heaven but SCJ isn't heaven at all. It was so contrary to a place full of love and peace. When I was there , all i felt was pressure, stress and anxiety. Congrats you're now free to the true love of God. All chains are now gone
The hope for a better world is a remarkable thing and the devotion to pave the way towards it through sacrifice can only be described as selfless and noble.
This is the mindset of majority of SCJ members. People who give up their livelihood in order to bring more believers to their side. Yet the endless sacrifices turn their lives into a living hell. This then extends to the believers they have evangelised. The time of completion is vague and has in the past been somewhat untrustworthy. Most of the time the only thing you will ever hear is "work harder". Thankfully there are some compassionate members who you have to struggle alongside you.
SCJ may or may not be evil. But it causes a lot of suffering for those involved. Hopefully for a purpose that is not in vain. Yet if it isn't, that means a lot of people are going to hell.
