
A recently opened church at Lotopa, Samoa, with links to a New Zealand church accused of being a cult, has denied the allegation.
The Zion Christian Mission Centre told a press conference, last week, it was part of a mega-church in Korea called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
Samoa Observer reports that stories published by Stuff in New Zealand, last November and December, had testimonies from former members who described how they were “trapped in a cult,” and were concerned that Shincheonji had charitable status approved by Aotearoa authorities.
The newspaper asked the Regional Instructor of Zion Christian Mission Centre, Mareko Taafua, about the accusations—emerging from New Zealand—of them allegedly being a cult…
“We know the stories that are out there and what people are saying about us, but the standard of truth is always going to be the bible,” Taafua said.
“Everything we teach has to come from the Bible and in Revelation Chapter 22, verse 18, it says that we shouldn’t add or take away from the word of God.”
The announcement of the new church in Lotopa early this week, has divided members of the public on social media with some questioning their expansion into Samoa, while others pointed out that the Samoa Constitution “mentions freedom of religion.”
Leatitoa Masoe said, in a comment on Facebook, “The Samoan constitution mentions the freedom of religion. You don’t have to like the idea of them expanding to Samoa; you just need to tolerate it. Don’t be bigots Samoa.”
Photo: Samoa Observer