Half of South Korea's coronavirus cases are linked to a controversial religious organization

[Judi Lynn]

One Covid-19 patient attended Shincheonji Church of Jesus services while she nursed a fever.

By Catherine [e-mail] Feb 22, 2020, 2:24pm EST

There’s been a rapid spike in coronavirus disease, or Covid-19, cases in South Korea, and about half of the 433 confirmed cases are linked to a secretive religious group often viewed with suspicion by more traditional religious sects.

At least 182 Covid-19 cases have come from the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the city of Daegu, which is the fourth-largest in the country. The group itself is often considered a cult in South Korea by mainstream churches: it was founded in 1984 by Lee Man-hee, who claims he is the second coming of Jesus.

Lee teaches he is the only person who can interpret the Bible and promises to take 144,000 people to heaven with him on the Day of Judgement. Despite its unorthodox background, the church boasts at least 150,000 members.

There is growing concern the current number of confirmed cases in South Korea — already nearly eight times what it was early last week — will rise. Currently, 6,037 people being tested, and more than 1,250 church members have reported potential Covid-19 symptoms.

More:
https://www.vox.com/2020/2/22/21148477/coronavirus-south-korea-shincheonji-church-jesus

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Makes one wonder what in the heck are these people doing? Having huge orgies or what? ...

I certainly wouldn't want to hang around people like this or that have bad health habits that could kill the rest of us, who obviously share their eating utensils, their needles, cough on each other, or live 50 to a communal tent/barracks, etc., something that is spreading this disease around. Maybe it is a message from God telling them something? Of course they won't read it that way. They'll read it that they're not doing what they are doing hard enough.

Perhaps they believe in a higher power, that's fine and their right, but at the way they are going, it looks like they're going to be seeing their maker long before a lot of us do, if so, please put in a good word for me.

One question I do have, if God told mankind to take care of their bodies, the human body being a temple and all, what in the world happened with this group? I don't understand these people's logic, and I really don't
want to know either. Filthy habits I'm sure aren't helping. Their health habits are obviously sorely lacking and that I don't think I would want to be in the same room as any of them are.

Sounds like a scam to me (like all of the others we've heard of in the past). They scam their followers, by robbing them blind, by brainwashing them, and then killing them accidently by drinking some poison or something while claiming that God will protect them, and they all accidently die. Hmmmm...