Miviludes report finds rising sectarian-drift reports tied to evangelical churches in France

The Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and Combating Sectarian Deviations, known as the Miviludes, states in its latest report that 34% of the reports it handles concern cults. It notes a rise in reports concerning evangelical churches. The agency had already seen a disproportion between the number of reports and the number of evangelical people in France in December.

Etienne Jacob, who is interviewed on the subject, says the evangelical movement emphasizes personal encounter with Christ across about 2,700 places of worship. He cites megachurches among them, which he describes as attractive because worshippers affirm their faith in large gatherings with music. According to the report, sectarian drifts are more likely to develop in churches that escape the supervision of the Protestant Federation of France or the CNEF. Those groups, the report says, are organized around the ideology of a leader, a charismatic pastor regarded as the intermediary between God and followers.

Jacob links the spread of these practices partly to a search for spirituality in the present day, which he describes as a loss of faith in an anxious society. In his account, the charismatic pastor exercises a grip on followers, and young people are especially targeted. The report points to two specific structures, the ACER and the ICC. Jacob describes a form of coercive control in which, he says, everything is attributed to God, and followers are asked to cut off relationships with family and friends and to meet significant financial demands.

Jacob has studied the Shincheonji group, which is of South Korean origin and has a few thousand followers in France. He describes its process in phases. Prospective followers are invited to take biblical courses, during which, he says, the group gathers private information about them. They are then told that the pastor, Lee Man-hee, is the only person able to interpret the Apocalypse and transmit God’s word. After this indoctrination, he says, the group requires a major commitment and encourages members to break ties with relatives, end professional life and stop outside activities, a phase he calls isolation. Care for those most exposed to such pressure is central to the concern, as the vulnerable deserve protection (Psalm 82:3).

Jacob also addresses money. He says that some of the groups he has examined seek funds, and he cites victims who lost between 10,000 and 15,000 euros, including money used to finance buildings in South Korea. In his view, some movements have a strong desire for expansion that is not always well-intentioned, which creates an ongoing need for funds.

Asked about who is affected, Jacob says that everyone can become a victim of a movement at some point. He explains that everyone has vulnerabilities and can search for meaning, and that such groups collect personal information and know how to use it to cause harm. He concludes that not all evangelical churches are harmful, but that some of the mechanisms identified by the Miviludes can be extremely devastating.

Source: Read the original report (translated from French)