Zone1 I have a friend who may be in trouble

[Foxfyre]

Not everybody can be helped.

I know that. I've been trained to work with families of addicts and have done a lot of that over the years. I've seen some of what appeared to be the most hopeless cases of both addicts and co-dependents get well and some for whatever reason just remain hopeless.

But the hardest thing some of us will ever have to do is to realize and admit we can't help and walk away.

 

[Foxfyre]

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

I think you may be right. But I am having a hard time finding good information from trustworthy sources to know.

 

[Arlette]

I know that. I've been trained to work with families of addicts and have done a lot of that over the years. I've seen some of what appeared to be the most hopeless cases of both addicts and co-dependents get well and some for whatever reason just remain hopeless.

But the hardest thing some of us will ever have to do is to realize and admit we can't help and walk away.

That's true. You just don't sound like you are ready to walk away.

 

[Foxfyre]

That's true. You just don't sound like you are ready to walk away.

I have. But I couldn't not respond if at some point she does reach out for help and/or information. Which is why I want to be armed with facts and trustworthy information about this particular group. I have done serious study on other internet scams but those have been easier to identify and catalogue. This one hasn't been so far. And if she is being suckered into something sinister and/or exploitive, others may be enticed as well.

 

[Leo123]

I have. But I couldn't not respond if at some point she does reach out for help and/or information. Which is why I want to be armed with facts and trustworthy information about this particular group. I have done serious study on other internet scams but those have been easier to identify and catalogue. This one hasn't been so far. And if she is being suckered into something sinister and/or exploitive, others may be enticed as well.

More info: I posted this earlier.

What is the Church of Almighty God / Eastern Lightning? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Church of Almighty God? What is Eastern Lightning? Who are Yang Xiangbin and Zhao Weishan?

www.gotquestions.org

It's a crazy cult.

 

[Arlette]

I have. But I couldn't not respond if at some point she does reach out for help and/or information. Which is why I want to be armed with facts and trustworthy information about this particular group. I have done serious study on other internet scams but those have been easier to identify and catalogue. This one hasn't been so far. And if she is being suckered into something sinister and/or exploitive, others may be enticed as well.

What's the worst that could happen to her if she's praying to a Chinese Jesus?

 

[Foxfyre]

More info: I posted this earlier.

What is the Church of Almighty God / Eastern Lightning? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Church of Almighty God? What is Eastern Lightning? Who are Yang Xiangbin and Zhao Weishan?

www.gotquestions.org

It's a crazy cult.

I suspect so, but what do you base that opinion on? I need some good information on it.

 

[Foxfyre]

What's the worst that could happen to her if she's praying to a Chinese Jesus?

I'm not worried so much at who she is praying to, but what she might believe that they tell her. She has lost thousands and thousands of dollars to online scams and she is so caught up in this group, no telling what they will ask/demand of her.

 

[Leo123]

I suspect so, but what do you base that opinion on? I need some good information on it.

Just read this, (from the link I provided)

"The Church of Almighty God is also known as Eastern Lightning, a name based on Matthew 24:27: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” The group believes that God has again become incarnate, this time as a Chinese woman named Yang Xiangbin, who also calls herself “Lightning Deng.” Yang is the nominal head of Eastern Lightning, but the true leader is probably her “high priest” and lover, Zhao Weishan, the man who first began proclaiming that Yang was divine."
If that ain't 'culty' I don't know what is.

 

[Foxfyre]

Just read this, (from the link I provided)

"The Church of Almighty God is also known as Eastern Lightning, a name based on Matthew 24:27: “For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” The group believes that God has again become incarnate, this time as a Chinese woman named Yang Xiangbin, who also calls herself “Lightning Deng.” Yang is the nominal head of Eastern Lightning, but the true leader is probably her “high priest” and lover, Zhao Weishan, the man who first began proclaiming that Yang was divine."
If that ain't 'culty' I don't know what is.

Yes the concept of Jesus has returned in the form of a Chinese woman was my first clue that this was not an up and up group. I have this information but thank you. I do appreciate your contribution as this is a little different twist from what I have and each new bit of information helps. But I know people have investigated this group per the BBC article linked in the OP.

I am looking for other sources that can more or less be considered mostly reliable that can give me insights on whether this group intends to bilk people out of their money or perhaps take control of them via brainwashing/programming for other purposes. Or maybe they are just a weird religion that actually does no harm, sort of like the Flat Earthers. According to BBC they are dangerous, even deadly. But other sources--mostly I suspect put out by the 'church' itself--strongly deny that and say any such violence is not from them but from imposters.

 

[Foxfyre]

More info: I posted this earlier.

What is the Church of Almighty God / Eastern Lightning? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Church of Almighty God? What is Eastern Lightning? Who are Yang Xiangbin and Zhao Weishan?

www.gotquestions.org

It's a crazy cult.

I did see that particular source before I posted this thread. And it calls the group 'dangerous' but doesn't say why other than some really wierd theology. But if crappy theology was really dangerous, there's a lot of dangerous churches out there.

I have a pretty neat shirttail cousin who is a flat earther--can quote all manner of Bible verses PROVING the Earth is flat as well as a lot of 'scientific' proof. This woman is normal in every other possible way, is fun, funny, pleasant to be with, is certainly dangerous to nobody, is college educated, a retired registered nurse, but she definitely bought into the flat earth thing.

I'm just researching to see if this Church of Almighty God is just another weird religious thing or if it is a cult designed to bilk people out of money, property, use them for other nefarious purposes and capable of physical violence.

 

[JustAnotherNut]

I am having a hard time finding good information from trustworthy sources to know.

Then your only trustworthy source is the Bible......what does it say vs what this church says, does or is?? That will help you determine for yourself it's legitimacy, but may be difficult to convince your friend

 

[Dekster]

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?

Elderly women seem to get scammed a lot. I know one who is constantly sending money to a scammer whom she is convinced is some movie star who is going to come live with her as soon as he leaves his wife

 

[Foxfyre]

Then your only trustworthy source is the Bible......what does it say vs what this church says, does or is?? That will help you determine for yourself it's legitimacy, but may be difficult to convince your friend

Again I don't care whether it is legitimate or not. My own understanding of Scripture pretty much rejects what they are teaching. What I want to know is not their theology but their intent on snaring people into their 'church'.

 

[SaxonJackson]

Not enough details to comment on what to do about your friend and the cult she may be interested in. Without knowing her history and the reasons why you parted company, we can only speculate.

But humans seem drawn to cults for some, odd reason. The Church of Scientology, the Mormon Church, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and (in my opinion) the Roman Catholic Church, and an endless supply of so-called “Evangelical” churches seem to draw millions and millions of people to their doors. While biblical Christianity remains fairly obscure. Not much any of us can do about it. God's Word is free for the taking, but most seem disinterested.

 

[Leo123]

Yes the concept of Jesus has returned in the form of a Chinese woman was my first clue that this was not an up and up group. I have this information but thank you. I do appreciate your contribution as this is a little different twist from what I have and each new bit of information helps. But I know people have investigated this group per the BBC article linked in the OP.

I am looking for other sources that can more or less be considered mostly reliable that can give me insights on whether this group intends to bilk people out of their money or perhaps take control of them via brainwashing/programming for other purposes. Or maybe they are just a weird religion that actually does no harm, sort of like the Flat Earthers. According to BBC they are dangerous, even deadly. But other sources--mostly I suspect put out by the 'church' itself--strongly deny that and say any such violence is not from them but from imposters.

For goodness sakes, read the whole link I gave you which you said is the same one you found as well and you'll find this:

"There are disturbing reports of the group using sexual seduction, kidnapping, bribes, brainwashing, and blackmail to coerce new members into the group and keep them there."

"The group especially targets housewives, the poor, and house churches in China, first befriending believers and then slowly trying to convince them that Yang Xiangbin is God incarnate. In 2002, Eastern Lightning members allegedly kidnapped thirty-four leaders of an underground Christian network, the China Gospel Fellowship, and held them captive for two months. In August 2014, five members of the Church of Almighty God went on trial in Yantai, Shandong, for the murder of a 37-year-old woman in a restaurant—the woman was beaten to death for refusing to join their group. In February 2015, two of the five were executed for the crime."

If that friend of yours was my friend, I'd be very concerned, and I've never even heard of this church before reading your post today.

 

[Foxfyre]

Elderly women seem to get scammed a lot. I know one who is constantly sending money to a scammer whom she is convinced is some movie star who is going to come live with her as soon as he leaves his wife

Yep. This woman is absolutely convinced that she has had romantic on line relationships with Anderson Cooper of CNN, Yo-yo Ma the cellist, and that she is engaged to Sam Heughan star of "Outlander." Also Carol King the singer wants her to be her road manager and she can work from home. The friend is 66 yrs old, single, never married, lives alone in a high value neighborhood. Usual target for the scammers.

Nothing ANY of her friends or family can show her or tell her shakes her faith that these on line relationships are real. She has forked over many many thousands of dollars to these scams and put herself in serious financial jeopardy. She won't listen when we tell her not to give these people her SSN, bank account info, etc. I've showed her FBI investigations into these kinds of things and exactly how they work. She says I'm just being hateful, mean and unChristian.

So you can see my concern as to whether this 'church' is part of the same crime syndicate or what their intentions might be.

 

[Foxfyre]

For goodness sakes, read the whole link I gave you which you said is the same one you found as well and you'll find this:

"There are disturbing reports of the group using sexual seduction, kidnapping, bribes, brainwashing, and blackmail to coerce new members into the group and keep them there."

"The group especially targets housewives, the poor, and house churches in China, first befriending believers and then slowly trying to convince them that Yang Xiangbin is God incarnate. In 2002, Eastern Lightning members allegedly kidnapped thirty-four leaders of an underground Christian network, the China Gospel Fellowship, and held them captive for two months. In August 2014, five members of the Church of Almighty God went on trial in Yantai, Shandong, for the murder of a 37-year-old woman in a restaurant—the woman was beaten to death for refusing to join their group. In February 2015, two of the five were executed for the crime."

If that friend of yours was my friend, I'd be very concerned, and I've never even heard of this church before reading your post today.

Yes. I did see that. I am now trying to corroborate it with other sources as there are myriad links that come up denying that any of that is true and it is just malicious accusations.

 

[The Duke]

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?

Run away, run far, far away.

 

[The Duke]

I did see that particular source before I posted this thread. And it calls the group 'dangerous' but doesn't say why other than some really wierd theology. But if crappy theology was really dangerous, there's a lot of dangerous churches out there.

I have a pretty neat shirttail cousin who is a flat earther--can quote all manner of Bible verses PROVING the Earth is flat as well as a lot of 'scientific' proof. This woman is normal in every other possible way, is fun, funny, pleasant to be with, is certainly dangerous to nobody, is college educated, a retired registered nurse, but she definitely bought into the flat earth thing.

I'm just researching to see if this Church of Almighty God is just another weird religious thing or if it is a cult designed to bilk people out of money, property, use them for other nefarious purposes and capable of physical violence.

It is not legitimate.

This has many sources with information at the bottom.

Responses to Information Requests - Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

irb.gc.ca