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Indonesia is no stranger to religious movements that derive from Abrahamic religions. Here, The Jakarta Post delves into the origin of a religious movement ...

The organization has several requirements for a church to become part of the PGI: It must have at least 10,000 members, maintain good relations with the houses of worship and communities surrounding it, and it must have a letter of recommendation from other PGI members. And while Lenta was recently made aware of the controversies surrounding the group, the PGI has refrained from labeling Shincheonji as a cult. Although the Post also emailed follow-up questions as requested, the representative had not responded by the time of publishing. According to PGI executive secretary Lenta Enni Simbolon, while the PGI has no authority to declare a religious group as a sect or a cult, it is open to discussions over different interpretations of the Bible. Shincheonji was spotlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when it became the epicenter of the Korean outbreak. By March 18, 2020, Shincheonji was accountable for at least 60 percent of all cases in South Korea, reported The Olive Tree also spawned a variety of Christian sects in the country. (Pexels) (Pexels/Courtesy of Pexels) Some of these “messiahs” were detained for fraud and disgraced. It deviates from established Christian teachings in some aspects. Indonesia is no stranger to religious movements that derive from Abrahamic religions. Former local members also share their insights into the group, and how to protect one’s faith.