My name is Huo Ming (a pseudonym), and I am 61 years old. I am an ordinary farmer from Shawan Village in Sangong Township, Huocheng County, Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Besides farming at home, I also go to nearby construction sites to do odd jobs to support my family. My wife, Liu Lan, 57 years old, is widely recognized as a virtuous wife and a caring mother by our neighbors. She keeps everything in good order, both inside and outside the house. We have two obedient and diligent daughters. Our elder daughter already started working six years ago and often took her salary to support the family, while the younger daughter graduated from college with high academic achievements. In the eyes of neighbors, we have an enviable and happy family. However, ten years ago, the "Almighty God" cult nearly destroyed everything I deeply cherished.
Going astray: a happy life shattered overnight
Influenced by my mother since a child, I was a devout Christian. Apart from reading the Bible and praying regularly, I attended Christian activities in the county town almost every week. Over time, I became acquainted with a few close Christian friends with whom I often exchanged religious insights over the phone and occasionally visited each other at home. One of these friends, surnamed Chen, was particularly concerned about me. He frequently imparted religious doctrines and teachings to me, even gave me books and CDs for self-studying. Soon I placed full trust in him.
One day in July 2012, shortly after I returned home from the fields, Chen visited me with a stranger who was called "Christian Brother Liu." Chen said, "This is Brother Liu from the mainland, and he is much more knowledgeable than me. I specially invited him to preach the gospel to you." I was so excited that I hurriedly led them into my house. Liu said straight forwardly, "The Jesus Christ we used to believe in is not the living Jesus. His words have become invalid, and the Bible we read is also outdated. Christ will come again, rising from China in the east of the world. This is God's second incarnation, and is called 'East Lightning', also known as the 'Female Christ' or 'Real God.' The world will soon be destroyed, and the human race will face a great disaster. Only by following 'Almighty God' can one escape this catastrophe and lead a good life, with blessings for the whole family. Now people begin to believe in 'Almighty God'. I can see that you are an honest person with sincere faith, and that’s why I'm telling you all this."
Since then, the two of them kept indoctrinating me with the thoughts of "Almighty God", fervently preaching the idea that "God" was omnipresence, and that believing in "God" would bring benefits to the whole family. They even promised that "God" could help cure my wife's asthma. Although I had a lot of questions, I joined "Almighty God" muddle-headed. And I wrote a "pledge" as they required. After joining the cult, they told me that if I didn't really believe in God, I would be struck by lightning and, if I didn't complete the task of preaching, I would be severely punished by their "teaching laws". After joining the church, I frequently purchased books and CD-ROMs such as "Follow the Lamb to Sing a New Song" and "Almighty God Is Really Good" as required, read or watched them repeatedly. For a long time, I firmly believed in the doctrine of "Almighty God" and felt that only “God” could protect our family.
As time went by, I placed all my hopes in the so-called "God." I became obsessed with studying religious texts and "missionary" work, totally neglecting my family life. Following Chen's guidance, I frequently went out to "evangelize", sometimes for as short as three to five days, and other times for several months without returning home. I preached the omnipotence of "God" to our neighbors, trying to persuade them to join "Almighty God." However, they scoffed at me, saying I was mentally abnormal. My wife had been suffering from asthma for years, instead of taking her to the hospital for treatment, I insisted that she believe in "Almighty God," claiming that only "Almighty God" could heal her and protect us from disasters. I also neglected my two daughters' education, failed to provide them with study materials, and frequently scolded at them. Consequently, their school performance declined significantly. As my wife's condition worsened, and my daughters faced the risk of dropping out of school, our family life went from bad to worse. Yet, I remained stubbornly devoted to "Almighty God." In January 2013, Chen and I were arrested for participating in "Almighty God" activities, distributing cult flyers and spreading "doomsday" rumors. And consequently, we were punished by law.
Thanks to the government’s deprogramming efforts, I rebirthed and returned to normal life
During my detention, the instructors and police officers of the detention center patiently and meticulously explained to me that "Almighty God" was actually a cult, which had long been banned by the state, and cited numerous examples to prove the harms of "Almighty God." It was then that I suddenly woke up. "Almighty God" not only failed to protect me from disasters, but also distorted my thinking, destroyed my family, and almost killed my wife. At that moment, I deeply regretted what I had done.
When I returned home, my wife, who had suffered so much due to my neglect, always gave me the cold shoulder. And my children were no longer as affectionate as they used to be. The harmonious relationships with our neighbors also changed. They were worried that I might "preach" to them again, treating as "a rat crossing the street". I felt extremely miserable and spent my days sulking at home. After a period of time, I suffered from depression, and even thought about killing myself.
After learning about my situation, cadres from the township government, the village committee, as well as the volunteers visited me many times, talking with me heart to heart, making friends with me, and encouraging me to enjoy life. They assured me that as long as I stayed away from the cult, my life would gradually improve. Volunteers also reached out to the school, asking school authority to provide a favorable learning environment for my children, urging them not to discuss our family disputes concerning me. They even helped my two daughters obtain financial aid from school, and applied for a subsistence allowance for my wife, taking my wife to the hospital for medical treatment. As a result, my wife's health improved significantly.
In 2016, the village committee took the chance of the Affordable Housing Program, and applied for a house construction quota for me. We built an 80-square-meter house with government-subsidized support. Knowing that I used to be a construction worker, the village committee asked me to set up a construction team, leading more than a dozen fellow villagers to build houses and become rich together.
Now, my life is prosperous, and a harmonious relationship with my fellow villagers has been restored. And I know exactly that, these changes can only be made by staying away from the cult. So I call on people of the whole society to reject cults, advocate science, and be a good citizen who abides by law and disciplines.
