Association warns of heretic cults in China in wake of brutal killing

The China Anti-cult Association on Tuesday condemned the brutal murder of a woman in Zhaoyuan, Shandong province by six members of a religious cult and warned that 11 heretic religious sects are currently active in China.

A 35-year-old woman, surnamed Wu, was beaten to death by six suspects on May 28 in a McDonald's outlet in Zhaoyuan after Wu refused to give the suspects her phone number.

According to a police statement, the suspects were trying to recruit the victim for the Church of Almighty God. So far five suspects were officially arrested and one, who is under 14, remained detained for suspected intentional homicide.

The incident in Zhaoyuan was vicious and brutal and the public should fight resolutely against cults and protect life and human rights, said a statement released on the association's website.

The Church of Almighty God, a vicious and violent heretical organization, has made up many lies and heretical ideas like doomsday, the statement said. Its followers were told that they will be killed by lightning if they do not obey their "high priest."

The cult also requires its followers to "fight resolutely" if they encounter obstacles when "doing missionary work," the statement said.

As well as the Church of Almighty God, the association also listed 10 other heretic religious sects like the Society of Disciples, the Unification Church, Falun Gong and The Shouters, from which the Church of Almighty God was derived.

Like most of these cults, the Church of Almighty God claims to be Christian and follows God, but it has already been rejected by the Vatican.

"The cults are extremely harmful for social development and the public must study more science to avoid being used by them and call police as soon as possible on spotting illegal missionaries, gatherings or sending flyers about cults," said the statement.

The death of Wu has sparked national debate over the spread of heretic religious sects, which analysts attributed to the absence of spiritual support during the country's drastic social transition, the Global Times reported earlier.