From Conversion to Coercion

Beginning around 2018, and reaching a peak in 2024, the Korean New Religion Shincheonji has entered the Australian cultural imagination as one of a number of sinister ‘Asian cults’ seeking to convert and ‘brainwash’ unwary young Australians. Various individuals and groups—including traditional anti-cult groups, former members, and Christian clergy—have appeared in the media warning about what they claim is the danger posed by this actively proselytizing group, with accusations ranging from deceptive evangelism and profiteering through to coercive control. Adopting a social problems perspective, this article documents the emergence of Shincheonji from an obscure Korean group with a small membership to a highly visible and actively proselytizing ‘threat’ currently experiencing considerable public scrutiny. It also shows how the developing media discourse around Shincheonji, drawing from classic ‘cult menace’ themes and online countermobilization by former members, has assisted in framing the public perception of Shincheonji as a sinister ‘cult’ and influenced wider moves toward further social control of the group.

Coercion (linguistics) · Evangelism · Framing (construction) · Media coverage · Perception · Public discourse · Public opinion · Social media · Japanese History and Culture · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Religious Studies and Spiritual Practices