I thought it would be great to share this article to show Koreans here report the terrible things the church does as well. There aren’t only the good few reports the Church pleads to have written about them to make them look better.

https://news.koreadaily.com/2018/08/06/society/generalsociety/6440244.html

Input: 2018.08.07 11:37[Los Angeles]

"Doomsday Religious Group Accused of Forcing Abortions"

A well-known Korean religious group that previously preached doomsday predictions is now facing a lawsuit in federal court, filed by a female member who claims she was forced to have an abortion, causing her emotional and financial distress.

The religious group requested the court dismiss the lawsuit, but the judge rejected the request, signaling the start of a full-fledged legal battle.

Recently, the New Jersey Federal District Court (Judge John Michael Vasquez) dismissed the World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG)’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Ms. Michelle Ramirez. Judge Vasquez stated that the motion had "serious legal flaws."

The plaintiff’s attorney, Paul Grosswald, welcomed the decision, saying, "After over a year, this case is finally moving forward."

The lawsuit was initially filed in March 2014. Ms. Ramirez brought the case against the WMSCOG’s Ridgewood branch in New Jersey, along with Daniel Lee and Jang Gil-ja, seeking damages for emotional trauma and psychological distress.

The WMSCOG is a Korean-based religious organization. It currently operates under the name "Church of God World Mission Society" (formerly known as the Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong), founded by Ahn Sahng-hong, who died in 1985. The group now refers to Ahn's wife, Jang Gil-ja, as "God the Mother."

The Ridgewood branch, where the lawsuit is centered, oversees the WMSCOG's Eastern U.S. operations.

Ms. Ramirez claims, "This religious group used a form of brainwashing to distance me from my family and friends, breaking down my independent will." She also alleged, "In 2010, I became pregnant, and the church pastors pressured me to have an abortion, arguing that having a child would prevent me from remaining a faithful church member. This drove me to the brink of suicide."

The group is also known to have promoted doomsday predictions (claiming the world would end in 2012).

The lawsuit further accuses the WMSCOG of:

• Operating as a for-profit organization despite its nonprofit status,
• Encouraging members to marry Koreans,
• Engaging in illegal remittances to Korea, tax evasion, and embezzlement,
• Coercing donations, resulting in financial damages.

In response, on July 24, the WMSCOG released a statement saying, "The plaintiff’s claims are completely baseless," adding that the judge's decision to dismiss the motion does not validate the lawsuit.