"Origin, the Place Where Our Local Church Is" Shinchonji Sermon Transcript Controversy

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ga-yeon] Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji) has denied having any affiliated churches in Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but suspicions that Shincheonji's explanation is false have been raised, sparking expected controversy.

The YouTube channel 'End Times Office' posted a video titled 'Request for Arrest and Investigation of Shincheonji Leadership' on the 26th.

In the released video, End Times Office claimed to have obtained a transcript of a sermon by the leader of the Busan Jacob Tribe, one of the 12 tribes under the Shincheonji General Assembly. The Jacob Tribe is headquartered in Saha-gu, Busan, and is known within Shincheonji to be responsible for managing regions including Wuhan.

On the 26th, a video titled "Request for the Arrest and Investigation of the Shincheonji Leadership" was posted on the YouTube channel 'Jongmallon Samuso'. Photo by YouTube channel 'Jongmallon Samuso' (screen capture).

According to the released transcript, the Jacob Tribe leader said in a sermon held on the 9th for believers, "You know the Wuhan pneumonia now? That’s where our affiliated church is."

The tribe leader said, "China now has over 700 deaths. There are more than 30,000 confirmed cases," and reiterated, "The origin of that is where our affiliated church is."

He claimed, "But not a single one of our believers has been infected." Following this, those presumed to be believers shouted "Amen" and cheered.

The tribe leader added, "Thank God. If we stand firmly, if we stand properly in faith, God will protect and guard us."

Earlier, on the 22nd, Shincheonji posted a statement on its official website denying the suspicion that "there is a Shincheonji church in Wuhan."

Shincheonji posted an article titled "Fake News Q&A Regarding Shincheonji Church and COVID-19," calling reports such as "Chinese believers visited the funeral of Chairman Lee Man-hee’s brother at Cheongdo Daenam Hospital" and "There is a Shincheonji church in Wuhan, China" fake news. They denied these allegations, stating, "These suspicions are not true."

Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on the 26th that Shincheonji members held meetings at the Wuhan church until December last year.

According to the report, there are about 200 Shincheonji members in the Wuhan area, and they stopped meeting only after COVID-19 spread in December last year. Most believers are said to have been quarantined outside Wuhan.

One Shincheonji member told the media, "Rumors about the virus started spreading from November last year, but no one took it seriously," and added, "It was only in December, when we realized COVID-19 was spreading, that all meetings were stopped."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.