Chinanews, August 1 (Liu Cong) In the early morning of August 1, local time, a South Korean court approved the arrest of Li Wanxi, the founder of the "Xintiandi" church. The implementation of closed brainwashing education, mental and physical control, hindered government work and led to the outbreak of the new crown epidemic in South Korea... This "cult" under the guise of it may not be far from disintegrating now.

On March 2, 2020, people watched a live report on Li Wanxi, the president of the "Xintiandi" church at the Seoul Railway Station in South Korea.

Suspected of multiple crimes

"Xintiandi" president was arrested

　　On the morning before the Korean court issued the arrest warrant, Li Wanxi accepted the arrest warrant review.

　　"Lee Wanxi, the leader of the'cult', return my lovely daughter who ran away from home for 7 years!" A pair of parents shouted hoarsely outside the Suwon District Court.

On July 31, 2020, the South Korean "Xintiandi" church victim group requested the arrest of Lee Man-hee. Image source: Screenshot of South Korean Nucis website report

　　On that day, more than 30 "Xintiandi" victims held up banners and shouted loudly for the arrest of Li Wanxi.

　　On July 17 and 23, South Korean prosecutors summoned Li Wanxi for investigation twice. On the 28th, South Korean prosecutors formally applied for arrest on suspicion of obstructing the prevention and control of the epidemic and obstructing the execution of official duties.

　　"Xintiandi" and its founder, Li Wanxi, have been known for many years. In 2016, the Korean Christian Federation issued an announcement stating that the "Xintiandi" church was a "heresy" under the guise of Christianity, and required the followers to be vigilant.

　　Today, in South Korea’s ongoing struggle against the new crown epidemic, this mysterious church has once again emerged and has become a target of public criticism.

On February 27, 2020, a woman wearing a mask walks on the streets of Daegu, South Korea.

Detonated South Korea's epidemic

"Cult" becomes the target of public criticism

　　In February, a believer from the "Xintiandi" church became the 31st confirmed case of new crown in South Korea. Her appearance is like a "bomb" that completely detonated the country's epidemic.

　　At the critical moment in the fight against the epidemic, "Xintiandi" not only did not cooperate with the government to track the route of infection, but also tried every means to hide the identity of the believer, and instructed the believer to deny the situation of becoming a religion, "just say that he did not go to worship." Even the instigated congregation questioned government staff when they were suspected of joining the church, "What does the Xintiandi new crown epidemic have to do with me? Do you want me to get the virus too?"

As of July 31, 2020, the number of confirmed cases related to the "Xintiandi" church in South Korea has reached 5214. Image source: Screenshot of the website of the Korean Ministry of Disease Management

　　According to statistics from the Korean Disease Management Headquarters, as of July 31, South Korea had 5214 confirmed cases associated with the "Xintiandi" church, accounting for 36.45% of the country's cumulative confirmed cases.

　　Many former believers have revealed that the organization's closed, coercive, and concealed culture, as well as the obedience of believers to the church after being brainwashed, have made it a perfect hotbed for the spread of the virus.

    On March 2, Li Wanxi, the president of "Xintiandi", held a press conference. He knelt on his knees, publicly apologized, saying that he felt extremely guilty, thanked the government for fighting the epidemic, and asked for forgiveness, saying that he would actively cooperate with the authorities. jobs.　

On the afternoon of March 2, 2020, Lee Man-hee, the president of South Korea's "Xintiandi" church, knelt and apologized. Image source: Screenshot of Zhongxin Video

　　However, his so-called "active cooperation" is to collude with church officials to falsely report or omit the number of believers and the meeting place.

　　Daegu City found in an April investigation that the list of as many as 1,877 believers was inconsistent with the list submitted by the church or could not be confirmed. Among the 51 places discovered by the authorities, "Xintiandi" had previously reported only 42 places. Related victim groups also stated that the church has been deceiving the Korean Disease Management Headquarters. The 1,100 meeting places announced by the organization and the list of properties under the church's name reported at the annual general meeting have 429 discrepancies.

　　"In the eyes of officials and politicians, he is the culprit and the leader of a'cult', obstructing the South Korean government from containing the outbreak of the new crown epidemic." The New York Times commented on Lee Man-hee.

South Korean people posted on the Blue House petition website requesting the forced dissolution of the "Xintiandi" church. Image source: Screenshot of the South Korean Blue House petition website.

Closed brainwashing, mind control

Over a million people petition for mandatory dissolution

　　On September 15, 1931, Li Wanxi was born into a poor peasant family in Cheongdo County near Daegu. From a very young age, I prayed with my grandfather. On March 14, 1984, 53-year-old Li Wanxi founded the "Xintiandi" church. By the second half of the 2000s, the church began to grow rapidly, with the total number of believers exceeding 230,000 in 2019.

　　Although he was repeatedly entangled in lawsuits, protested, and accused of spreading heresy and breaking up his family, all these failed to "break down" Li Wanxi.

　　One victim said that Li Wanxi had been “brainwashing” the believers. He claimed that he was “the descendant of Jesus” and that he was “immortal”. He also told the believers that if he believed in him, not only would he not die, but their parents You can also enjoy happiness for thousands of years.

　　The practice of closed brainwashing education and mental and physical control is the habit of Xintiandi. They distribute leaflets, questionnaires, and engage in cultural activities to approach young people in their 20s and 30s, tempting them to join and brainwash them. In order to be "selected," some "Xintiandi" believers did not hesitate to run away from home, abandon their studies, quit their jobs, and divorce.

　　"(There) there are a lot of great people who love you, hold you, and care about you. They fill your emptiness." Stella Jiang, a former church member, said that she meets people from Xintiandi almost every day At the assembly, even if you are locked up by your parents, you don’t hesitate to jump out of the window to attend the service.

　　"At that time, to me, my parents were not my parents, but my enemies." Stella Jiang recalled that the church always reminded everyone to beware of everyone, including their relatives, lovers and friend.

　　"If the missionary results are not good or the party is dozing off, you will be punished in various ways on the grounds of'experiencing the experience of the suffering of Jesus'. I once took off my socks and stood in the snow for a long time in a cold day, with cold hands and feet." A former believer who has already withdrawn from the church said.

　　Such a church that is considered a "cult" has been questioned by more and more people. This time, because of hindering the epidemic prevention and control work, it caused public outrage. The public's demand for the government to force the dissolution of "Xintiandi" is increasing, and the number of petitions has exceeded one million.

Data map: A South Korean man wearing a mask walked past a branch of a "Xintiandi" church in Seoul, which has been seized by the government.

Fall into the "Altar",

Will "Xintiandi" collapse?

　　According to reports, the 12 tribes of the "Xintiandi" church in South Korea have been closed, and the secret recruitment and education of believers have actually been suspended.

　　As the prosecution's investigation began, several key officials of the "Xintiandi" General Assembly and the head of the Daegu Church (tribe chief) were detained one after another. The prosecution also arrested and prosecuted 3 church officials including the general affairs of the "Xintiandi" Gwacheon General Assembly headquarters. , Without arresting 4 cadres directly.

　　Today, Li Wanxi, who founded the "Xintiandi" church, has also been arrested. Korean media analyzed that the unity forces within "Xintiandi" will collapse, and the collective "escape" of believers may also become a reality, especially about 65,000 prospective believers. , Large-scale escape is inevitable.

　　The "Cult" organization "Xintiandi" Church may not be far from disintegrating. (Finish)