Ban Providence (Christian Gospel Mission) From Proselytising Around The World
Ban Providence (Christian Gospel Mission) From Proselytising Around The World
The Issue
[Watch: In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal]
What is Providence / Jesus Morning Star / Christian Gospel Mission?Providence is a quasi-religious organization that goes by many names — Christian Gospel Mission (CGM), Jesus Morning Star (JMS), 섭리 (sumni), 摂理 (setsuri), 摄理 (she li) and many more. Despite being labelled as a sex cult by the media, Providence has been rapidly expanding across the world under the guise of various parachurch organizations and local churches which may or may not declare their links to CGM directly.
CGM claims to have a worldwide membership from “over 50 nations, including the English speaking nations of the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.”
Exactly how many churches and members are there in the world? Where are these churches located? — No one knows. And that’s precisely what we want to find out.
Who is Jung Myung Seok?
Jung Myung-seok (Korean: 정명석; Hanja: 鄭明錫) is a South Korean religious cult leader and convicted rapist. He is the founder and leader of Providence, also known as Christian Gospel Mission (CGM) or Jesus Morning Star (JMS), a Christian new religious movement that is commonly referred to as a Christian sect or cult. He is currently awaiting trial for fresh charges from victims who have bravely spoken out.
Born in the remote mountainous village of Wolmyeongdong in 1945, Jung Myung Seok is known to be the Bible Teacher (Sunsaengnim/SSN), the Rabbi (R), Spiritual Mentor, Man-of-Mission, Central Figure, the Branch Entity or the Bunche of the Holy Son, the Last Adam, the Bridegroom, and of course,— you guessed it—the Messiah (our dear Lord) for this time period.
He is highly regarded and widely loved by members who seek his advice and directions for every aspect of their lives — from choosing a major to specialise at university, to getting matched with their partner for life.
Every word that Jung Myung Seok preaches is regarded as the gospel -- direct revelations from the Divine Beings of God, Holy Spirit, and the Holy Son. It can be in the form of a sermon, letters written by him, recorded video logs (called “R Vlogs”, which are subscribed from “Palm Station" or “PalmTV” by members for a fee), and paintings and calligraphy (signs) artworks that he produces and gifts individuals or groups from time to time.
Jung Myung Seok himself does not claim to be the reincarnation of Jesus nor to be of supernatural existence. Members would testify about how much Jung loves God and Jesus, so much so that he received the mission of being the Chosen One to bring about the Complete Testament time period of Brides because he is the first-ever human being to set the “absolute condition of love” before God as a counterpart.
And by the time you are reading this, you might already know — but we still want to remind you that he is a convicted rapist who was released from a 10-year prison sentence on 18 February 2018. This day is now celebrated as “Resurrection Day” for the entire Providence. You might also recognize him from the Netflix docuseries In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.
Members who are enamoured by his preachings have attempted to whitewash his prison sentence and claim it to be a wrongful trial. Through the process of indoctrination, newcomers are taught that this was a grave period where Jung had to carry the cross for the sins of mankind, especially for not believing in him. He went to prison in order to receive the Word about the Rapture and Second Coming for those he loved! He was absolutely innocent! Satan wanted to destroy God’s plans!
Jung Myung Seok’s birthday (16 March 1945) and the number ‘316’ also carries significant meaning for Providence members. They celebrate ‘March 16’ as the Day of Rapture (it was revealed that the original entity of the Holy Son ascended on this day in 2015 and brought the spirits of Providence members into the Golden City of Heaven). This revelation has become part of the bedrock of Providence doctrines and is often supported by “revelations” and spiritual sightings of the Rapture event which they claimed to have taken place spiritually. We are now living in what they call a “post-rapture” world.
In addition, Jung Myung Seok’s time in the prison has been romanticised to be one of such sacrifice and love for the followers. Members have even tried to “set conditions'' through kneeling and copying his sermons word-for-word in a confined space in order to receive Jung’s shimjung.
What exactly was his shimjung like in prison? Just what kind of letters was he writing to the tens of thousands of innocent disciples who were earnestly waiting for his release?
If you have any clues, please tell us about it.
Why should you be concerned?
Providence is a secretive but powerful quasi-religious organisation that is rapidly expanding across the globe under many disguises. Despite having been established for several decades and having hundreds and thousands of members around the world, little is known about their actual scale of operation and membership numbers.
Lack of Transparency & Accountability
They claim to have hundreds of churches in Korea and around the world, but are not willing to openly declare where these churches are located, who their church leaders are and how these churches operate. There is simply no way of ascertaining if every single church is in perfect compliance with local laws and regulations.
With a strong closed-door policy, it is also almost impossible to hold them accountable for any unethical or questionable practices that might perhaps even border on legality.
The materials containing the direct words of Messiah Jung Myung Seok are also kept strictly confidential within the organisation, with limited access even for ordinary members. This lack of transparency also makes it hard to hold Messiah Jung Myung Seok and Providence leaders accountable for the potentially controversial teachings that are taught, especially to underage members who are in the Milky Way or Shining Stars department.
Any constitutional right must be balanced against competing considerations such as public order and morality. However, because Providence is so secretive about their organisation, there has been no impetus for any action to be taken against them on the basis that their actions undermine public order. Without information about their misdeeds openly available in the public, it is hard for the authorities to justify constraining their constitutionally enshrined right to practice religion freely.
Powerful Backings
The pervasiveness of Providence’s influence is not to be underestimated. With ex-members constantly being harassed with threats of legal action against them, it takes a lot of courage to speak up as a mere individual against such a powerful organisation.
Providence has no lack of resources and manpower to silence any critics or entities that they identify as being potentially threatening to their existence and the narratives that they want to promulgate. With members who are willing to lay down their lives and dedicate all their resources to defending Messiah Jung Myung Seok and Providence, there is simply no way for survivors and those who have experienced abuse and unethical treatments to even speak up or demand for justice to be served.
Despite having media reports about their questionable practices, Providence has managed to continue operating under names that detract from their affiliations to CGM and/or Messiah Jung Myung Seok in many countries. This spells trouble for unsuspecting potential victims who may not be able to find out the true nature of that Bible Study session, dance class or seemingly innocuous “secular” event that they are invited to attend.
The Law is Not Enough
We find it concerning that an organisation as notorious as Providence is given free rein to operate without being held accountable by the authorities for any misdeeds or unethical practices.
The controversial method of recruitment, indoctrination and the lack of transparency and accountability within Providence are red flags that human rights groups, law enforcement and government agencies should be concerned about.
Their doctrines, secretive mode of operation, recruitment methods and allegations of sexual harassment and assault reek of heavy violation of human rights and abuse which cannot be ignored or sidelined just because they hide behind the facade of “legality”.
Due to the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of religions in many countries like South Korea, religious organisations are generally given the latitude to operate without much scrutiny from the authorities. With the current legal framework across many countries, there is little justification for authorities to intervene based on the formal provisions of the law.
However, what is legal may not necessarily be moral. In this regard, the public’s awareness and support are crucial in pushing for legislative reforms that will enable authorities to act.
Rallying the Power of the Public
Whether you are an ex-member, have a family member or a loved one currently indoctrinated in Providence, or are just a member of the public in general, we sincerely hope that this will inspire YOU to spark discourse about the manipulative tactics of Providence and other high-control groups.
If you are keen to advocate for victims of Providence, please sign this petition and spread the word for the safety and well-being of everyone around you.
[Read: Producer of Netflix's cult exposé asks how far religious freedom should go]
For more information and updates from @ex.providence:
Blog
Instagram
TikTok
2,040
The Issue
[Watch: In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal]
What is Providence / Jesus Morning Star / Christian Gospel Mission?Providence is a quasi-religious organization that goes by many names — Christian Gospel Mission (CGM), Jesus Morning Star (JMS), 섭리 (sumni), 摂理 (setsuri), 摄理 (she li) and many more. Despite being labelled as a sex cult by the media, Providence has been rapidly expanding across the world under the guise of various parachurch organizations and local churches which may or may not declare their links to CGM directly.
CGM claims to have a worldwide membership from “over 50 nations, including the English speaking nations of the United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.”
Exactly how many churches and members are there in the world? Where are these churches located? — No one knows. And that’s precisely what we want to find out.
Who is Jung Myung Seok?
Jung Myung-seok (Korean: 정명석; Hanja: 鄭明錫) is a South Korean religious cult leader and convicted rapist. He is the founder and leader of Providence, also known as Christian Gospel Mission (CGM) or Jesus Morning Star (JMS), a Christian new religious movement that is commonly referred to as a Christian sect or cult. He is currently awaiting trial for fresh charges from victims who have bravely spoken out.
Born in the remote mountainous village of Wolmyeongdong in 1945, Jung Myung Seok is known to be the Bible Teacher (Sunsaengnim/SSN), the Rabbi (R), Spiritual Mentor, Man-of-Mission, Central Figure, the Branch Entity or the Bunche of the Holy Son, the Last Adam, the Bridegroom, and of course,— you guessed it—the Messiah (our dear Lord) for this time period.
He is highly regarded and widely loved by members who seek his advice and directions for every aspect of their lives — from choosing a major to specialise at university, to getting matched with their partner for life.
Every word that Jung Myung Seok preaches is regarded as the gospel -- direct revelations from the Divine Beings of God, Holy Spirit, and the Holy Son. It can be in the form of a sermon, letters written by him, recorded video logs (called “R Vlogs”, which are subscribed from “Palm Station" or “PalmTV” by members for a fee), and paintings and calligraphy (signs) artworks that he produces and gifts individuals or groups from time to time.
Jung Myung Seok himself does not claim to be the reincarnation of Jesus nor to be of supernatural existence. Members would testify about how much Jung loves God and Jesus, so much so that he received the mission of being the Chosen One to bring about the Complete Testament time period of Brides because he is the first-ever human being to set the “absolute condition of love” before God as a counterpart.
And by the time you are reading this, you might already know — but we still want to remind you that he is a convicted rapist who was released from a 10-year prison sentence on 18 February 2018. This day is now celebrated as “Resurrection Day” for the entire Providence. You might also recognize him from the Netflix docuseries In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal.
Members who are enamoured by his preachings have attempted to whitewash his prison sentence and claim it to be a wrongful trial. Through the process of indoctrination, newcomers are taught that this was a grave period where Jung had to carry the cross for the sins of mankind, especially for not believing in him. He went to prison in order to receive the Word about the Rapture and Second Coming for those he loved! He was absolutely innocent! Satan wanted to destroy God’s plans!
Jung Myung Seok’s birthday (16 March 1945) and the number ‘316’ also carries significant meaning for Providence members. They celebrate ‘March 16’ as the Day of Rapture (it was revealed that the original entity of the Holy Son ascended on this day in 2015 and brought the spirits of Providence members into the Golden City of Heaven). This revelation has become part of the bedrock of Providence doctrines and is often supported by “revelations” and spiritual sightings of the Rapture event which they claimed to have taken place spiritually. We are now living in what they call a “post-rapture” world.
In addition, Jung Myung Seok’s time in the prison has been romanticised to be one of such sacrifice and love for the followers. Members have even tried to “set conditions'' through kneeling and copying his sermons word-for-word in a confined space in order to receive Jung’s shimjung.
What exactly was his shimjung like in prison? Just what kind of letters was he writing to the tens of thousands of innocent disciples who were earnestly waiting for his release?
If you have any clues, please tell us about it.
Why should you be concerned?
Providence is a secretive but powerful quasi-religious organisation that is rapidly expanding across the globe under many disguises. Despite having been established for several decades and having hundreds and thousands of members around the world, little is known about their actual scale of operation and membership numbers.
Lack of Transparency & Accountability
They claim to have hundreds of churches in Korea and around the world, but are not willing to openly declare where these churches are located, who their church leaders are and how these churches operate. There is simply no way of ascertaining if every single church is in perfect compliance with local laws and regulations.
With a strong closed-door policy, it is also almost impossible to hold them accountable for any unethical or questionable practices that might perhaps even border on legality.
The materials containing the direct words of Messiah Jung Myung Seok are also kept strictly confidential within the organisation, with limited access even for ordinary members. This lack of transparency also makes it hard to hold Messiah Jung Myung Seok and Providence leaders accountable for the potentially controversial teachings that are taught, especially to underage members who are in the Milky Way or Shining Stars department.
Any constitutional right must be balanced against competing considerations such as public order and morality. However, because Providence is so secretive about their organisation, there has been no impetus for any action to be taken against them on the basis that their actions undermine public order. Without information about their misdeeds openly available in the public, it is hard for the authorities to justify constraining their constitutionally enshrined right to practice religion freely.
Powerful Backings
The pervasiveness of Providence’s influence is not to be underestimated. With ex-members constantly being harassed with threats of legal action against them, it takes a lot of courage to speak up as a mere individual against such a powerful organisation.
Providence has no lack of resources and manpower to silence any critics or entities that they identify as being potentially threatening to their existence and the narratives that they want to promulgate. With members who are willing to lay down their lives and dedicate all their resources to defending Messiah Jung Myung Seok and Providence, there is simply no way for survivors and those who have experienced abuse and unethical treatments to even speak up or demand for justice to be served.
Despite having media reports about their questionable practices, Providence has managed to continue operating under names that detract from their affiliations to CGM and/or Messiah Jung Myung Seok in many countries. This spells trouble for unsuspecting potential victims who may not be able to find out the true nature of that Bible Study session, dance class or seemingly innocuous “secular” event that they are invited to attend.
The Law is Not Enough
We find it concerning that an organisation as notorious as Providence is given free rein to operate without being held accountable by the authorities for any misdeeds or unethical practices.
The controversial method of recruitment, indoctrination and the lack of transparency and accountability within Providence are red flags that human rights groups, law enforcement and government agencies should be concerned about.
Their doctrines, secretive mode of operation, recruitment methods and allegations of sexual harassment and assault reek of heavy violation of human rights and abuse which cannot be ignored or sidelined just because they hide behind the facade of “legality”.
Due to the constitutionally enshrined right to freedom of religions in many countries like South Korea, religious organisations are generally given the latitude to operate without much scrutiny from the authorities. With the current legal framework across many countries, there is little justification for authorities to intervene based on the formal provisions of the law.
However, what is legal may not necessarily be moral. In this regard, the public’s awareness and support are crucial in pushing for legislative reforms that will enable authorities to act.
Rallying the Power of the Public
Whether you are an ex-member, have a family member or a loved one currently indoctrinated in Providence, or are just a member of the public in general, we sincerely hope that this will inspire YOU to spark discourse about the manipulative tactics of Providence and other high-control groups.
If you are keen to advocate for victims of Providence, please sign this petition and spread the word for the safety and well-being of everyone around you.
[Read: Producer of Netflix's cult exposé asks how far religious freedom should go]
For more information and updates from @ex.providence:
Blog
Instagram
TikTok
2,040
Petition created on March 19, 2023