Michelle Gebo, ‘21, was walking down to E.W. Fairchild-Martindale Library one evening when a woman stopped her near Packer Avenue.
“Do you have a minute to talk about how God is our mother?” the woman asked.
Gebo didn’t want to be rude.
“Okay. I’ll talk to them,” she thought.
Gebo said it had slipped her mind that she’d seen a message a few weeks before that warned students to “watch out” for solicitors on campus.
Several students have experienced—and some have reported to LUPD—being solicited for information by individuals sharing material about “God the Mother.”
“God the Mother” is the female image of God, as recognized by the World Mission Society Church of God, a Christian non-denominational church.
According to its website, the World Mission Society Church of God has registered members in 175 countries. The church believes in Elohim God—God the Father and God the Mother.
The religious movement began in South Korea when Ahn Sahng-hong, Christ Ahnsahnghong, founded the church in 1964.
The church made news when former member Michele Colon told People Magazine the World Mission Society Church of God was actually a cult.
The National Council of Churches in Korea condemned the World Mission Society Church of God as heretical.
More recently, students have seen posts shared on social media warning them of the church’s presence on college campuses.
Brett DeWeese, ‘21, had seen a warning post on Instagram over the summer, which was shared by a friend who attends Syracuse University.
When some of her Lehigh track and field teammates told her they talked to a “weird person” who mentioned “God the Mother” this fall, she remembered the social media post.
Another one of DeWeese’s teammates said she had talked to a woman sharing “God the Mother” information over the summer.
“(My teammate) said the woman was totally harmless,” DeWeese said. “She just really wanted my teammate to give her her number or go to a meeting to talk more about it, but she said she talked to her, and nothing came of it.”
Students on other college campuses across the country have been exposed to social media posts and encounters with individuals who seem to be associated with the World Mission Society Church of God.
LUPD Chief Jason Schiffer said his records show three reports of possible related incidents at Lehigh. For one of the instances, however, his department does not have enough information to directly connect the World Mission Society Church of God to the situation.
He said though there were three official reports, LUPD could have received more calls or tips, but the amount of detail given determines whether the instance culminates in a police report.
The three reported instances occurred during September and October this year.
Schiffer said Lehigh is a private property and does not allow solicitation from outside groups. An outside group can fill out the paperwork to register to hold an event on campus, for example, but it has to go through the proper channels.
“So what we tell anyone who is trying to solicit anything—if they’re trying to sell things to our students or solicit information or anything like that—(is) … they can do that stuff on the sidewalk off campus, but not here on our campus,” he said.
Schiffer said it is legal for individuals or organizations to stand on a public sidewalk off campus and talk to people as they pass by. If the behavior starts to cross into harassment, however, the situation could rise into criminal behavior.
Schiffer said it is relatively rare to have outside solicitation on campus.
Gebo said the “God the Mother” solicitor advised her to give her time to talk to others.
“She was saying, ‘If you ever run into people, you should give them 10 or 15 minutes of your time to talk to them,’” she said.
Gebo said the woman asked if she wanted to know more, and though Gebo said no, she assumes the woman would have asked her for her information if she had been interested.
Schiffer said if students question the legitimacy of an individual or group on Lehigh’s campus, they should call LUPD so the officers can take appropriate action. He said students should ask individuals if the organization they represent is authorized and connected to the university.
He said it is safer to ask an individual or organization for its contact information instead of giving out your own.
“Now, you can check up on them without giving your personal identifiable information away,” Schiffer said.
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17 Comments
This group is dangerous and self destructive and has its members cut off all relationship with family and friends who are not members of this cult they preach a dead Korean guy who stated this church in 1964 they claim he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ they insist that you keep the weekly sabbath and dietary law found in the ot book of Leviticus women must wear veils on their head in church women and men are seated separately in church they believe they must keep the 6 holy days of the Old Testament and all
The Old Testament comandments and keep the Passover to be saved the ignore the death and resurrection of Jesus on the cross or that you are saved by what Jesus did for us on the cross and we are saved by grace not the law
Apparently, I met a lady from the church today who wanted to “share the good news about the mother” with me. I thought she wanted to talk about the role of mothers and women in the Christian society. Then she started talking about a woman Spirit and how this is the way to be saved.
She also said we have to keep the sabbath and passover and that we are not saved fully yet. Meaning that what Jesus did is not significant. I was shocked. I made her realise the only way to be saved is through Jesus and what He did. His death, burial and resurrection.
She even said there’s a male God and a female God (who is the new Jerusalem) and believing in this is what brings salvation. hahaha.
I showed her John 3:16 again. The most common verse about our salvation. And even that we confess with our mouth and we believe with our heart that Jesus died, was buried and rose again for us and this is how we are saved. This is the gospel according to 1 Corinthians 15 :1-3 And that we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
She rejected all I had to say and even said I want displaying humility. She only mentioned the name of the church once and not again when I asked thereafter.
We She saw she couldn’t shake my belief, she said “God bless you and bye”.
sounds exactly what I encountered at Walmart this weekend in Tucson, Az. I Questioned her and let her know that she and her religion was Definitely wrong and that she should be spring the Gospel, not the Church she claimed was Christian non-denomination. I said, naw, you’re seventh-day w a twist or something new (cause if Never hearts of the Mother-God she approved with, saying the Bride is Not the “Church”….. they get angry pretty quickly like the J.W.’s too. 😆
Today I was on my break at work, sitting outside on a small stairs. I was approached by 3 women, but only one talked to me while the others stood by. She wanted to share the word about “God the Mother” and said “did you know that in the Bible, God is speaking in plural?” She then showed me Genesis 1:26 where it says “in our image” and saying how man is in Gods image and females are in God the mothers image. She didn’t take too much of my time and I just didn’t want to be rude, but I’m glad she wasn’t super pushy and asking for my own information (she didn’t ask for my number or anything). She did say that they have bible studies going on if I was interested, I explained I don’t have the time as I am a student and working. She said “okay, you can think about it when you hear about us again” and left me after that. Felt off especially since I’ve been hearing about “God the Mother” on TikTok and people trying to get peoples information.
If somebody would have invited you to a campus party you all would have gone blinded and wild out, but when somebody invites you to a Bible study you call the Police?? Really? These people are truly harmless and all they want is to show you verses from the Bible. If you would study a little bit you would understand much better about this world, about yourself and the future. But since you can make time to stay on Fb or on these websites to write and boast about it and not taking a little time to see whats going on you will never understand.
What if this is really the Truth and you treated it like this, what if these people are actually right and are trying to save your soul but you chose to stay in the dark?You go to church to receive salvation and go to Heaven ( I’m assuming thats the reason why you go to church, if you even go) but how do you know which one is the church that God will recognize? How can you even recognize Christ when he will come a second time when we couldnt even recognize him the first time, and we crucified him? Just saying..what if? T
you are a wmscog member, no doubt about it, eat from the fruit of good and evil, it will open your eyes, this cult has destroyed families!!!!
So much fear in these comments, America truly is a rigid patriarchal society and Christianity as it is practiced most often feeds into this and exacerbates this. Think about how Jesus related to women in His historical context, and have the imagination to follow through with what that means for our relationship with Him today. Of course God can be thought of as a mother and a father, S/he is our all in all. S/he created over 50% of humans to be female! S/he loves women, created everything that is beautiful, powerful and extraordinary about these ‘ordinary’ human bodies. Have a little wonder, have a little appreciation of God’s creation, open your minds to how God feels about women and how narrow and abusive our patriarchal society is. You will be much happier, and Christianity will blossom
It’s not fear. That’s disingenuous and you know it. Like characterizing pedophilia as fear or rigidity, lol. Nice try. God mandated patriarchy from the beginning and to deny that is to deny the authority of God. That’s all you’re doing. America was colonized and founded on Christian principles and came out of centuries of Christianized European culture. Calling it “rigid” is your own swipe and reveals your contempt for the traditional roles as decreed by God. Feminism is a denial of God’s authority. Equality didn’t exist before or after the Fall. Eve was created after Adam, in order to be a “helpmeet”, not an equal. She was made from one of Adam’s ribs, right? Unlike every other creature which were indeed created in pairs at the same time. After the curse it was affirmed and then reaffirmed many times in the New Testament. God is not unfair. Going against the proper order guarantees failure and since it’s began being practiced in the 1970s has done nothing but ruin families and our society in general. There is no mother of God. There is no Queen of Heaven. It’s not a s/he. Have a little reverence and respect for what God has revealed about himself.
yes understood, but they weren’t say what you’re saying. when I was approached I was told that it’s God the Father and god the mother and if we didn’t believe in her we’d go to he’ll. that it isn’t enough to just believe in Jesus. So all in all they’re teaching that Jesus isn’t the only way. He isn’t enough per them. I was sent a video explaining their beliefs. using 4 scriptures that they say back up their belief. which was very unclear. it was how they interpreted that scripture. I actually take the time out to listen to others beliefs. they also use the exact same Holy Bible and yet they’re telling people this. I was approached in Walmart and gave her my undivided attention. it was 3 of them and only 1 spoke. if they were even saying it the way you explained I could see. no different then when it speaks of men in the bible but it applies to women. I hope I was clear and you understand now what they teaching and preaching which is not ok
They tried to scam me today as I was going to my car. A man with two women asked me if I was a Christian and then began asking me if I’d heard of the “mother of god” that’s in the bible “that most Christians don’t know about”, lol. Well, of course not, since there’s no such thing in the bible. I waited patiently and politely for him to finish his sentence and then told him that he was deceived and spreading heresy. I said he needed to get out the cult he is in and stop helping to spread heresy. There’s no mother of God and they’ve been deceived. I said they’re not welcome and to get out of there and stop trying to deceive people. It’s the first I’ve heard of them. I should have asked what bible they were using. They reminded me of JWs but apparently are more along the lines of moonies. Remember them? It’s too bad they immigrate here to the US and then attempt to engage us in their satanic cult-of-personality fantasies. Everybody sees Americans as patsys because they abandoned the faith and became so naive. Even Christians don’t know their own faith. Anyway that’s one more bunch of antichrists among us.
the gentleman that approached my husband & me this evening in walmart used an NIV. he did not talk about mother god, but he did talk about bible prophecy – he did not seem to have a biblical worldview, which ended up bringing me here in research. we need to be praying for these people. he was a nice young man who is being misled.
They use the Holy Bible. I agree with you they’re spreading heresy. some really don’t realize they are being deceived. when I was approached at Walmart it was a young lady maybe early twenties, with an older lady mid forties and a little girl. they told me that all the other churches where wrong and that if you didn’t believe in ” god the mother” we’re going to hell. that its more than just believing in Jesus. they believe in the trinity but explain it as 3in1 and how they see it is off also. then they claim that there is a new Christ with some korean name. i feel so sorry for those that are being deceived. im trying help the young lady I met. wanted to have a sit down but she only can talk over the phone. Anyway God bless you.
The problem is that if you know the Word you would definitely know that there is no God the Mother. 1 John 5:7-8 says “For there are THREE that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word (Jesus), abs the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. There is NO God the Mother, this is a false doctrine like Paul warned about in 2 Timothy.
yesssss! Amen. I know you posted this a year ago. but I just encountered these people a few weeks ago. I’ve been communicating with one of the young ladies and really pray I can help her see the truth. I tried to meet with her at a Cafe but she can only talk over the phone. I allowed her to send me information because I like information and the bible says MY people US perish from a lack of knowledge. if we don’t know what else is going on in the world and how they try to deceive and warn others then we’re doing an injustice. I’m grounded and rooted and know that Jesus is the only way. they claim to believe all the same things we do and use the Holy Bible, accept they’ve decided to add this god the mother. so forget all the many scriptures that say Jesus is the the only way to be saved. they’re telling people you’ll go to hell if you don’t belive in this added heresy they’re preaching. Anyway God bless you and keep you
It is interesting that this article has produced more discussion than any other article in a long time. Could it be that everyone agrees that “weird person” is a appropriate descriptor? Beyond that it seems as though the commenters don’t agree on much in the religious realm.
god is fake lol
This group is no differnt than the Global Warming cult.
They suck you in, fill your head full of nonsense and then turn you loose on the world.