JMS 2nd Generation Who Could Not Leave the Sect, Internal Notice Released Online
"The Administrator Goes Around Asking 'Have You Watched the Documentary?'"
Christian Gospel Mission (commonly known as JMS), which has been continuously embroiled in controversy due to the Netflix documentary I Am God: The People Betrayed by God (hereinafter referred to as I Am God), is reportedly cracking down on its believers by issuing internal orders such as banning the viewing of the documentary and refusing external interview requests.
On the 18th, a post was uploaded on online communities by a user identified as A, who claimed to be a "second-generation JMS member," sharing updates on JMS's current situation.
At the beginning of the post, A explained, "I have been living quietly for well over 10 years but am not yet ready to leave, so I have not withdrawn. I want to share various information to prevent potential victims from joining," and added, "I will share information accessible to lay members and internal situations," starting the story.
According to A, JMS recently issued internal notices to believers such as "ban on watching the Netflix documentary (I Am God)" and "prohibition of external interviews." A said these notices are mainly delivered via Telegram. He reported JMS's internal situation, saying, "To prevent believers from leaving through the documentary, they not only forbid searching for anything related to viewing the documentary but also have administrators asking believers whether they have watched it."
JMS also instructed believers to be cautious by advising them ▲to prevent outsiders from following them into the church ▲to politely refuse interview requests from reporters or YouTubers on the way to church, and urged them to notify the security team in case of emergencies.
During worship services, JMS claims that "everything in the Netflix documentary is false" and asserts, "If we endure just one month, people's interest will die down, and we will win." There are even testimonies that internally they say, "This noise marketing will make us a global religion."
A also claimed that orders were given to re-educate and brainwash the youth. He continued, "Interviews that risk leaking internal information or breaking the brainwashing of believers are completely banned," and added, "If it becomes dangerous, they tell us to pretend. If asked, 'Are you JMS?' we are told to deny it and escape the situation."
JMS is a religious organization founded by Jeong Myeong-seok. When investigations by prosecutors began in 1999 in Korea on charges including sexual assault of female believers, Jeong fled overseas in March 2001 and committed similar crimes abroad. He was arrested by Chinese public security in May 2007 and repatriated to Korea in February 2008. In 2009, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served his term. However, immediately after his release, from February 2018 to September 2021, he was detained again last October on charges of forcibly molesting or quasi-raping a total of 17 times, including against female believers of Hong Kong nationality, at a training center located in Geumsan-gun, Chungnam Province, and is currently undergoing trial.
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