The post simplifies a complex topic that many Koreans encounter daily, sparking relatable humor and discussion about the diverse (and sometimes controversial) religious landscape in the country. It taps into a common sentiment of bewilderment and occasional exasperation with the sheer number of Christian denominations.
South Korea has a significant Christian population, with a wide array of denominations ranging from traditional churches to large mega-churches and various smaller, often controversial, groups. The term 'saibi' (cult or pseudo-religion) is frequently used in public discourse to describe groups like Shincheonji, which are seen as deviating from mainstream Christianity.
A viral Korean post is making waves by attempting to simplify the incredibly complex world of Christian denominations, sparking a mix of humor and debate online. The original post breaks down the major splits, starting with the Roman Empire's division that led to the Orthodox and Catholic churches. It then moves to the Reformation, which saw Roman Catholicism and Protestantism diverge, famously over issues like the sale of indulgences.
The post highlights that Protestantism, with its emphasis on freedom, naturally branched into numerous denominations, even pointing out the Salvation Army as one such example. What makes the post particularly relatable and funny for Koreans, however, is the underlying exasperation with the sheer variety, often including groups that many label as controversial or even cult-like (known as "saibi" in Korea), such as Shincheonji. The comments section, in particular, dives deep into this uniquely Korean experience of a diverse and sometimes bewildering religious landscape.
Korean Netizen Reactions
8They didn't 'split off,' they were born separately! Since they don't even recognize Christ as the Messiah, they're not even Christian to begin with.
That's a cult, fam.
They see Jesus as just a prophet, not the savior, so they're not classified as Christian in the first place.
Please read the beginning of the post...
Nah, it's because it's a super thriving neighborhood that it has all sorts of stuff. If it were a failed neighborhood, it'd just be one small church, lol.
My neighborhood has Presbyterian, God's-something-or-other, Shincheonji-bling, Seventh-Day-something, Faith-and-English-something, Full-Gospel-something... all of them? Welp, guess my neighborhood is …
A holy land of cults...
It's always funny when people try to lump all Protestants together. Like, these guys broke off precisely because they *didn't* want to be lumped together, you know?