CHIANG MAI, Thailand, May 15, 2002 — Thirty-three members of the China Gospel Fellowship (CGF) were reportedly kidnapped recently by members of the Eastern Lightning in China.
That word comes from the Director of Asia Harvest, Paul Hattaway, who described the victims as "top leaders" in the Chinese Christian Community, and The Eastern Lightning as a "Satanic cult". Hattaway says the cult believes Jesus has already returned, as a 30-year-old woman living in China's Henan Province.
"They specifically target house church Christians with twisted doctrine," he said. "If believers refuse to accept their teaching they often revert to kidnapping, beatings, torture, drugging, sexual entrapment, and intense brainwashing. There is credible evidence that dozens of Christians have been murdered by the Eastern Lightning over the years. Most are poisoned, making it difficult for the authorities to prove they were murdered. Many more house church Christians have simply vanished, (and it's) not known if they converted to the cult or were killed."
The kidnapping happened on April 19, when the house church leaders were gathered for leadership training. Thirty-five people were captured, but one immediately escaped, and went to the police. But by the time the police rushed back to the meeting place, the room was deserted, and there was no trace of where the other kidnapped had been taken. It is believed, however, that they have been scattered in different locations.
A second member of the CGF escaped sometime later, and made his way to Beijing on April 28. He hired a lawyer to represent the CGF to the Communist authorities. The government indicated they would cooperate, and that they've been trying to destroy the Eastern Lightning for years, with little success.
Hattaway said this kidnapping has shaken all house church believers across China. "They have been fighting with infiltration from the Eastern Lightning for more than 10 years, but never before has there been such a coordinated attack launched against house church leadership. Thousands of believers inside China are fasting and praying around the clock for God's intervention. They invite their Western and Asian brothers and sisters to join them."
Source: Bible Network News, with files from Assist News Service
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