Zone1 I have a friend who may be in trouble

[Foxfyre]

Well she isn't exactly a friend anymore as we have parted ways, but since she is a single senior citizen I check up on her now and then to make sure she is okay and notify her distant family of any concerns.

Well the latest concern is that I've been told I'm going to hell unless I get involved in the on line activities of the Church of Almighty God that she has apparently recently discovered.

I've been reading up on it as best I can--a search floods your screen with links mostly of the Church itself and also what I suspect are from the CCP who has banned the group and declared it terrorists.

Other opinions are all over the block such as this one from BBC:

The Chinese cult that kills 'demons'

The BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie on a secretive cult in China behind one of the nation's most notorious murders.

www.bbc.com

But other sites seem to describe the group as persecuted by the CCP and maybe is weird in their beliefs but are basically harmless.

I don't know what to think.

Do any of you?

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Clear your disc cache and run away as fast as you can.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

Normally I would say anyone can worship as they please.......but after a little reading it says the leader or founder of this so called religion is the only one with contact with God and has disappeared in the US.....sends up red flags, and even more red flags of what they do or believe, atleast according to your linked article and a few others I found in a search.

I would say to keep you & yours safe and as far away from your friend and this cult as possible. I don't know if there would be anything you can do to help your friend other than to pray for her to come to her senses.

 

[Foxfyre]

Clear your disc cache and run away as fast as you can.

That's what I suspect should be the correct choice to make. But seriously I never heard of this 'church' until she brought it up yesterday. Still trying to get good information on it but Google sure doesn't make it easy they way their search engine works. Opera and DuckDuckGo aren't much better.

 

[Foxfyre]

Normally I would say anyone can worship as they please.......but after a little reading it says the leader or founder of this so called religion is the only one with contact with God and has disappeared in the US.....sends up red flags, and even more red flags of what they do or believe, atleast according to your linked article and a few others I found in a search.

I would say to keep you & yours safe and as far away from your friend and this cult as possible. I don't know if there would be anything you can do to help your friend other than to pray for her to come to her senses.

Thanks, JAN. That pretty well confirms what I'm thinking too based on what I can dig out of the mess Google etc. throws up there on a search. And since my 'friend' has blocked me on Facebook and her phone, I won't make any effort to contact her. Her family has been made aware of the situation though so all I can do is pray.

I just would like to know a lot more about this in case I am given opportunity to pass along accurate information.

 

[Votto]

Well she isn't exactly a friend anymore as we have parted ways, but since she is a single senior citizen I check up on her now and then to make sure she is okay and notify her distant family of any concerns.

Well the latest concern is that I've been told I'm going to hell unless I get involved in the on line activities of the Church of Almighty God that she has apparently recently discovered.

I've been reading up on it as best I can--a search floods your screen with links mostly of the Church itself and also what I suspect are from the CCP who has banned the group and declared it terrorists.

Other opinions are all over the block such as this one from BBC:

The Chinese cult that kills 'demons'

The BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie on a secretive cult in China behind one of the nation's most notorious murders.

www.bbc.com

But other sites seem to describe the group as persecuted by the CCP and maybe is weird in their beliefs but are basically harmless.

I don't know what to think.

Do any of you?

It could be worse, she could be a democrat.

 

[Foxfyre]

It could be worse, she could be a democrat.

She is Staunch Biden supporter and rabid Trump hater. But she has been engaged in destructive lifestyle before 2020 so I can't blame this on one Biden and the Democrats.

 

[SweetSue92]

Well she isn't exactly a friend anymore as we have parted ways, but since she is a single senior citizen I check up on her now and then to make sure she is okay and notify her distant family of any concerns.

Well the latest concern is that I've been told I'm going to hell unless I get involved in the on line activities of the Church of Almighty God that she has apparently recently discovered.

I've been reading up on it as best I can--a search floods your screen with links mostly of the Church itself and also what I suspect are from the CCP who has banned the group and declared it terrorists.

Other opinions are all over the block such as this one from BBC:

The Chinese cult that kills 'demons'

The BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie on a secretive cult in China behind one of the nation's most notorious murders.

www.bbc.com

But other sites seem to describe the group as persecuted by the CCP and maybe is weird in their beliefs but are basically harmless.

I don't know what to think.

Do any of you?

The fact that she told you "You're going to Hell unless...." means it's a cult. IMO you are allowed boundaries. "I can help you, and I will, as long as you don't continue to tell me I'm going to Hell based on a website." etc

 

[Foxfyre]

The fact that she told you "You're going to Hell unless...." means it's a cult. IMO you are allowed boundaries. "I can help you, and I will, as long as you don't continue to tell me I'm going to Hell based on a website." etc

Maybe. She wouldn't be the first to tell me I'm going to hell. (Seriously some very rigid and inflexible Christians do seem to be convinced that if you don't belong to their particular denomination, you're doomed and hell bound.)

I have been trying to help this person avoid other on line scams as well as a compulsive order and hoarding syndrome but in the process I offended her and she has me blocked on FB and no doubt elsewhere now. So the line of communication no longer exists.

I still want to know the real scoop on this Church of Almighty God though because I never knew it existed until yesterday though it claims to have millions of members. This person has blocked me in the past and then unblocked me. So I want to be armed with the facts about it.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

Stay away from all cults, Christian or others, regardless of the size.

I have lost two dear friends to the Christian-Trumpist cults (God has sent Trump to save America stuff). They have ghosted me in life and online. Hopefully, they will find their way to reality.

I hope Foxfyre's friend finds her way back.

 

[Votto]

She is Staunch Biden supporter and rabid Trump hater. But she has been engaged in destructive lifestyle before 2020 so I can't blame this on one Biden and the Democrats.

Er............um.................never mind.

Find new friends/family.

 

[nomadic5]

Well she isn't exactly a friend anymore as we have parted ways, but since she is a single senior citizen I check up on her now and then to make sure she is okay and notify her distant family of any concerns.

Well the latest concern is that I've been told I'm going to hell unless I get involved in the on line activities of the Church of Almighty God that she has apparently recently discovered.

I've been reading up on it as best I can--a search floods your screen with links mostly of the Church itself and also what I suspect are from the CCP who has banned the group and declared it terrorists.

Other opinions are all over the block such as this one from BBC:

The Chinese cult that kills 'demons'

The BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie on a secretive cult in China behind one of the nation's most notorious murders.

www.bbc.com

But other sites seem to describe the group as persecuted by the CCP and maybe is weird in their beliefs but are basically harmless.

I don't know what to think.

Do any of you?

I am not getting this..

Could you re-word things? All I got was that your friend is into some weird religion... which is what happens when people don't have the TRUE religion Christ established (the Catholic one, which again, does not mean that "thing" called the Vatican... )

 

[Foxfyre]

Er............um.................never mind.

Find new friends/family.

I have many Democrats as friends and family that I absolutely adore, who are loving and supportive of me, who are good people. I have one Democrat relative who has done her damndest to make my life a living hell for years but even that person is now trying to do better. A couple of others are almost as bad in their rhetoric and behavior but I can pretty much ignore them. I do not choose my friends and family based on politics or religion but the substance of their character.

The (former) friend I refer to in the OP does not give me any grief over politics.

But her problems are threefold:
1. Chronic ordering/hoarding that has destroyed her finances and credit rating as well as quality of life.
2. Falling for well organized romance scams on the internet that has destroyed her finances and credit rating.
3. And now she's mixed up in the Church of Almighty God that I fear is likely another scam that she will fall for hook, line and sinker if it is not in fact dangerous. This is what I can't find much information on.
Also, while she was was honest and you could trust what she told you, like all addicts she has become a chronic liar even when there is no reason to lie.

It is heartbreaking when she will not believe very good information and counsel that all her former friends and now estranged family members have given her. I feel helpless myself but also angry at her for absolutely refusing to do anything to help herself.

 

[Foxfyre]

I am not getting this..

Could you re-word things? All I got was that your friend is into some weird religion... which is what happens when people don't have the TRUE religion Christ established (the Catholic one, which again, does not mean that "thing" called the Vatican... )

I don't want to derail the thread by getting into a discussion on religion. This isn't about religion but about information on an organization that calls itself "Church of Almighty God" that may or may not be legit. I have all sorts of red flags warning me that it is not.

 

[Foxfyre]

Stay away from all cults, Christian or others, regardless of the size.

I have lost two dear friends to the Christian-Trumpist cults (God has sent Trump to save America stuff). They have ghosted me in life and online. Hopefully, they will find their way to reality.

I hope Foxfyre's friend finds her way back.

I'm sorry but please do not attempt to redirect the discussion to your or others' TDS. Do have a pleasant afternoon and evening.

 

[zaangalewa]

Stay away from all cults, Christian or others, regardless of the size.

I have lost two dear friends to the Christian-Trumpist cults (God has sent Trump to save America stuff). They have ghosted me in life and online. Hopefully, they will find their way to reality.

Why do you think Donald Trump has anything to do with the Christian religion?

I hope Foxfyre's friend finds her way back.

 

[Arlette]

I have many Democrats as friends and family that I absolutely adore, who are loving and supportive of me, who are good people. I have one Democrat relative who has done her damndest to make my life a living hell for years but even that person is now trying to do better. A couple of others are almost as bad in their rhetoric and behavior but I can pretty much ignore them. I do not choose my friends and family based on politics or religion but the substance of their character.

The (former) friend I refer to in the OP does not give me any grief over politics.

But her problems are threefold:
1. Chronic ordering/hoarding that has destroyed her finances and credit rating as well as quality of life.
2. Falling for well organized romance scams on the internet that has destroyed her finances and credit rating.
3. And now she's mixed up in the Church of Almighty God that I fear is likely another scam that she will fall for hook, line and sinker if it is not in fact dangerous. This is what I can't find much information on.
Also, while she was was honest and you could trust what she told you, like all addicts she has become a chronic liar even when there is no reason to lie.

It is heartbreaking when she will not believe very good information and counsel that all her former friends and now estranged family members have given her. I feel helpless myself but also angry at her for absolutely refusing to do anything to help herself.

Not everybody can be helped.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

I'm sorry but please do not attempt to redirect the discussion to your or others' TDS. Do have a pleasant afternoon and evening.

You are in charge of no one but yourself. The point I made was to stay out of cults, including TDS. I have been a good day, and hope the same for you. I do hope your friend finds her way back.

 

[zaangalewa]

I'm sorry but please do not attempt to redirect the discussion to your or others' TDS. Do have a pleasant afternoon and evening.

This "sect" has for sure nothing to do with Jews, Christians or Muslims.

 

[Leo123]

The Church of Almighty God is also known as Eastern Lightning. A Chinese woman named Yahg Xiangbin ala 'Lightning Deng' is supposed to be God incarnate. The true leader is probably her 'high priest' and lover, Zhao Weishan who said Yang was divine.
What is the Church of Almighty God / Eastern Lightning? | GotQuestions.org

Yeah, it's a cult.