WARNING!: The Toronto Church of Christ
Jonathan Ching
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 96 19:48:20 EDT
From: Swee Chang Koo <sc...@chat.carleton.ca>
To: CCF-net <ccf...@sfu.ca>
Cc: Swee Chang Koo <sc...@wabakimi.carleton.ca>
Subject: TCOC (Part 1 of 4)
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I will be posting up articles in the CCF-net during the next 4 weeks
or so, regarding information on the Toronto Church of Christ [TCOC] (or the
International Church of Christ [ICOC] ), otherwise, known as the
Boston-Movement.
This is a first of 4 parts. This will merely be an overview and
introduction of this potentially dangerous cult movement.
The second part would be divided into 2 parts : (1) History and
(2) Comparison of Basic Doctrines and some of the Psycho-Dynamic
techniques used.
The third part would be testimonies and experiences by those who
were approached by TCOC.(including myself).
The fourth part would be Preparations that we can make and probably
more testimonies and experiences. If God allows, I would be able to finish
all of these by mid-August.
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INTRODUCTION :
The Toronto Church of Christ is one of the most attractive but
dangerous cult in Toronto (and probably to everyone, everywhere else) today.
Although ban from most Universities and Colleges around the Greater
Metro-Toronto Area, it is still very much alive in Campuses. For example,
the Univerisity of Toronto and in Ottawa, both Carleton and Ottawa
Universities.
They go under the name of Christian Advance, when on Campuses. They
are charming, intelligent and well-versed in the Bible. In addition, they
have their own biblical intrepretations. However, after having some
encounters with them, I found them very aggressive in their approach, when
they found out that I was from a different Church-denomination, other than
their own. More on that later.
Their method of approach is strictly psychologically based. The
use of "One-to-One discipleship" combined with Psycho-dynamic
techniques, ranging from "love-bombing" to "information-management
techniques", can have quite an influence on an individual's
emotion and perception of their family-members and friends. In addition,
their use of "love-bombing" allows for the isolation of an individual's
social-circle and induce a total dependency on the cult's group-leader.
More on that later.
AN EXAMPLE :
This is an example of how destructive the TCOC could be. A Karen
Mitchell (from Montreal), who was in the cult for about 6 months. According to
her testimony, she was recruited after spending about 8 months in Toronto, on
February of 1989.
Within 2 weeks, she was already volunteering to do the services of the
church. She would spend at least 3 to 4 nights a week with the church;
doing Bible-study, "social-nights" and Sunday services. Not long after,
she was baptized "in the bathtub of a believer's apartment". She totally
submitted herself to her discipler. She was indoctrinated with the idea :
"You're either with 'em or against 'em."
Her life began to take a downhill. She slept only 4 hours a night,
spending most of her waking hours praying, studying the Bible and winning
new souls. She went to such an extreme because her discipler kept telling
her that she "was a lazy Christian, because she wasn't praying enough,
because she wasn't bearing fruit by bringing in enough new members."
Instead of encouraging her and supporting her, her discipler was
putting more pressure on her, making abusive statements and putting down
on her by calling her "a lazy Christian", when she is only sleeping 4
hours a night.
Another area of control that her discipler took was her social
life. She was not allowed to see a non-believer friend from Hamilton and
was told not to go out with another TCOC member. When asked "Why?". She
was told that her discipler did not like her seeing him.
"Her discipler was also upset because Karen was still seeing her
family (who were unbelievers)."
The reason why she did not dare go against or even ask a second
time for a reason, was because she was afraid of being expelled. Being
expelled or walking away from them is simple walking away from God, and
would be sent to Hell, forever.
After 4 months, she was admitted to a Psychiatric Ward and
diagnosed with "borderline psychotic". However, she did not believe in
that diagnosis and plunged even deeper. Finally, on the verge of suicide,
(as well as thinking of killing her family), she called her family for help.
Karen Mitchell was brought back to Montreal and admitted to a
Psychiatric hospital for 6 weeks. There, she try to recover her old-self,
a self that has been de-programmed away, "under the burden of trying to be
the Christian she thought she should be."
The good news is that Karen Mitchell has recovered. The bad news
is that TCOC has just planted a new Church there in Concordia University
in Montreal.
The use of "Psycho-dynamic technique" is the main weapon of
TCOC/ICOC. However, it is one that should not be underestimate, especially
with those who are lost, the Seekers and those who are still young in
their faith. Therefore, we have to prepare and strengthen ourselves
properly by knowing and understanding the faith which we are believing in
ourselves.
End of Part 1 of 4.
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Brother-in-Christ,
Swee Chang Koo (aka Chuan Koo) < Carleton University >
Email address: sc...@chat.carleton.ca
"I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in it's
blessings." 1 Cor.9:23
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