Jung Myung Seok

 

Jung Myung Seok
Hangul 정명석 Hanja 鄭明析 Revised Romanization Jeong Myeong-seok McCune-Reischauer Chŏng Myŏng-sŏk

This is a Korean name; the family name is Jung (정).

Jung Myung Seok (born February 17 1945) is a controversial Korean religious leader. He was born in the small village Wolmyeong-dong, located in Geumsan County, South Chungcheong province, South Korea. He is also known by the names of Joshua Jung, Joshua Lee Jung, Joshua Lee, and JMS. Members of his religion refer to him as President, sunsangnim (Korean for teacher), R (for rabbi), or Lord.

Jung has been wanted for several charges of rape since 30 June, 2001.^[1] He became wanted by Interpol in 2002.^[2] He was arrested in 2003 for illegal stay in Hong Kong but was released on bail and then fled.^[3] Jung is also wanted for multiple cases of fraud, sexual abuse, and embezzlement.^[4]

Jung was captured by Chinese police on May 1, 2007.^[5][6][7][8]

Early biography

After finishing elementary school he spent years living a secluded life of prayer in the mountain surrounding his hometown, known as places where people pray and fast. Jung says that during this period, he interacted with spirits and ghosts, as well as a carpenter's spirit who later revealed himself to be Jesus, who taught him many secrets and religious knowledge to prepare him for the mission he was about to receive. At the age of 21, Jung joined the Korean Army and later the White Horse Division, a Korean unit in the Vietnam War fighting against the Viet Cong.^[9]

At the age of 30 he returned to his hometown, where he visited Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church and learned its teachings. Jung worked as an instructor for the International Federation for Victory Over Communism,^{[citation needed]} a group formed in the 1970s by Sun Myung Moon. In 1978^[10] Jung broke off Unification Church ties and in March 1980^{[citation needed]} established (then called) Ae-Chun Church.

Jung and his religious movement remained mostly unknown until 1999. In January of that year, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) in Korea reported about a woman, Whang, who claimed Jung sexually abused her and many other women. This resulted in Jung fleeing Korea, a lawsuit pending against him, describing this as the start of the prophesied "grave period" that will last for three and a half years. Providence sued SBS as a result but later gave the suit up. Since then, several other women have sued Jung for rape and Jung has become an international fugitive wanted for several crimes.

Organizations under Jung

Main articles: Providence (religion) and Global Association of Culture and Peace

The religious movement founded by Jung is known by several names, the most known of which are Jesus Morning Star (JMS), Christian Gospel Mission (CGM), International Christian Association (ICA), Setsuri, 月明教會 (The Bright Moon Church), 攝理教會 (Providence Church), and Providence. Each individual group in an area has its own name, as well. Sometimes this name will only be given, and not the name of the religion. See Providence (religion) for more information about the religious organization.

Jung also encourages his followers to form non-religious organisations for the purpose of attracting young people without initially revealing the religious nature of the group or their real motives,^[11] in a practice which has been described as "fraudulent" by lawyers.^[12] Providence websites, however, deny this is the purpose of the organisations.

See Global Association of Culture and Peace for information and list of non-religious organizations used for recruitment.

Jung's organisations operate in about 20 countries in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania.

Jung’s teaching

Central belief

Jung's religion, Providence, is described as a denomination of Christianity by members, and holds to the leader's interpretation of the Bible. The introductory course, the 30 lessons, is built around a model based on the seven day week. The first four days, corresponding to the approximately four thousand years between Adam and Jesus, describe the period of time referred to as "the Old Testament". The next two days, corresponding to two thousand years, describe the time period labeled "the New Testament". Finally, the last day, corresponds to a thousand years starting roughly now, and said to be "the Complete Testament".^[13] It is taught that each time period has a major "Central Figure", or Messiah,^[14] and that heaven cannot be reached without this figure.^[15] He teaches that the new Messiah is Jesus' second coming, however, he will not come again as himself but "spiritually", that is, by influencing and talking through a physical person alive at that time.^[16] He will come with new "Word" (teachings), different to those of the "New Testament" and "Old Testament" time periods.^[17] The 30 lessons reaches its climax when Jung interprets certain Biblical verses that the Messiah will come from Korea, is alive now, and will speak words of truth that will be recognizable because they will answer deep questions and solve unexplainable mysteries concerning the Bible.^[18] It is not said who exactly this man is, however, an individual will not be considered to have passed unless he testifies that this man is Jung. While the order of the lessons can differ, this general sequence and climax remains. It should also be noted that the sequence is taught in more detail, with other related teachings, over a period of time like a couple of months.

Related teachings

The 30 lessons also put emphasis on reading the Bible figuratively to resolve problems relating it to common life, not accepting revelations unless they are confirmed by Jung, not dating until married (with a partner accepted or assigned by Jung), and that the original sin of Adam was sexual. It is also true that the 3 time periods are also described as the time of slaves, the time of sons, and the time of brides or lovers, in that in the current time the Providence members should see themselves as brides of God and Jung.

Like the Unification Church, Jung interprets the Fall of man as involving a sexual sin, but his teaching departs from Rev. Moon's on 2 key points:

1. it identifies Jung as the Messiah
2. it teaches that depravity, originating in intercourse with the devil, can be defeated by intercourse with the savior, in which connection it offers what it calls "lovers' education" to those judged worthy^[19]

Apart from these, critics say Jung's teachings are almost identical^[20] and pretty clearly derived^[21] from the Unification church. (See Unification theology, Divine Principle.) While Jung has multiple explanations of this, one is that Moon is to Jung what John the Baptist was to Jesus, in that Moon was supposed to come first and testify about Jung who was to come but failed to do so.

Rape allegations

Jung has been charged with multiple accounts of rape and has been accused of sexually abusing hundreds of his female followers.

According to former members, "in order to gain the likes of their religious leader, the followers choose tall, pretty and young female victims as ‘sexual gifts’" and sends photos of them to Jung. Jung then "systematically goes through a process of choosing the girls from the photos that pleases him and calls upon (these girls) from overseas to rape them."^[22]

According to Toyoshige Aizawa, a Christian minister engaged in weaning young people away from cults, Jung rapes them under the context "to atone for Adam and Eve's original sin, which was visited upon all mankind, it's necessary to engage in intercourse with the Lord."^[23] Afterwards, Jung's aides told them they would go to hell if they told anyone.^[2]

A former member said "I couldn't understand what was happening to me while I was being sexually assaulted, I was so messed up in the head, and couldn't resist whatever the guru did."^[2]

Former members have said, that when Jung was in Japan, "he stayed at his aides' homes in Osaka and Chiba prefectures, where he summoned up to 10 female followers almost every day and indecently assaulted them under the pretext of 'health checks'."^[2] In January 2007, police raided one such facility in Chiba, believing it to have been used by Jung to sexually assault female followers.^[24]

The majority of members do not believe Jung is capable of such acts, believing it is out of character, and therefore reject the rape allegations.

Controversy

Reputation

Jung's religion is seen as a serious problem in Korea and Japan^[11] and as one of Asia's most notorious cults.^[5] Jung and his religious organisation has a strong following of critics, which include former members, journalists, lawyers, and a non-governmental organisation (EXODUS) set up in response to the rape allegations.^[25] The rape allegations have been reported in national news sources in several countries inside and outside Asia.

Unorthodox teachings

Jung's assertion that he is the Messiah who has responsibility to save all mankind^[26], and has come with new teachings to finish the incomplete message and mission of Jesus Christ^[27] has been described as "blasphemous" and "flies in the face of sound biblical doctrine" by a Christian pastor who runs the website Providence Cult Watch^[28] among many other Christians. Jung responds to such claims of heresy with the argument that Jesus was too called a heretic by Jews who likewise didn't recognise him as the Christ.

Response of followers

In a statement published by American Providence, the idea that the allegations are fabrications of former members is alluded to. It justifies Jung fleeing from the law by arguing that he believed his arrest was "orchestrated by individuals with ulterior motives and devoid of concern for the due process of law." Furthermore it says "no witnesses or evidence has ever been presented".^[29]

Lawyers working with those who made the allegations have said "that they have testimonies from more than 10 women"^[30] and according to EXODUS, "there are several photos, letters and documents sent to these girls by Jung Myung-suk regarding the molestations that serves as definite proof".^[31] The trial can only commence after Jung is arrested.

Events since 2006

In April of 2006, a press conference was held by EXODUS in which four unidentified women accused Jung of organised sex crimes against themselves and other women.^[32] Two of these women, Gim (28) and Jang (21) said they were raped in group sex involving more than 50 women. While they were fleeing China, where Jung was, Jung's bodyguards tried to kidnap them at an airport, but they were saved by the police.^[33] They had bad injuries in the crotch^[33] and needed to go to a hospital to receive treatment.^[34]

Police raided a total of 8 Providence facilities in Japan on suspicion a senior member illegally obtained residence status.^[35] The senior member, 2nd in command of Providence's Japanese branch, fled to Taiwan according to law authorities. Taiwan has no criminal extradition treaty with Japan.^[36]

External links

General media

• 2,000 Japanese join cult led by suspected sex offender on the run from Interpol
• Editorial/ Another problem cult

Sites

• Providence Trial - American Providence website
• The JMS Cult Homepage
• Providence Cult Watch - A response to Jung's teachings by an orthodox Christian
• Apologetics Index - Jung Myung Seok entry
• Freedom of Mind Center
• The Rick A. Ross Institute for the Study of Destructive Cults, Controversial Groups and Movements
• Religion News Blog
• (ko) EXODUS - South Korean non-governmental organisation against Jung's religion, formed by former followers of Jung.

References

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