On September 10, 2026, the website of the American Christian Institute published an article by Warren G. Nozaki, a researcher at the institute, entitled "The Iron Rod of the Faux Almighty God." The article points out that "Almighty God," under the guise of Christianity, treats the pronouncements of a so-called "female Christ" as "divine pronouncements," using fallacies and heresies to control its members and incite hatred. From alienating relatives and abandoning families to intimidation, beatings, and even murder, a series of shocking cases and the indelible pain of the victims reveal the organization's cruel nature of destroying family ties and trampling on life.
▲ Screenshot of the website of the American Institute of Christian Studies (equip.org)
“From this moment on, my firstborn sons shall take up the iron rod and begin to exercise my authority over all nations and peoples, walking among them and exercising my judgment, justice, and majesty.” — The heretical doctrine of the “Female Christ”
"Almighty God," also known as "Eastern Lightning," is an extremely dangerous pseudo-Christian cult. This organization portrays a woman as the so-called "Female Christ," treating her pronouncements as "divine pronouncements" to control the thoughts and actions of its members. Driven by this distorted doctrine, members, in the name of "Almighty God," engage in threats, deception, robbery, manipulation, and abuse, disrupting family relationships, disturbing community life, and jeopardizing social stability. The following will reveal how these distorted doctrines fabricated in the name of the "Female Christ" fundamentally shape the violent tendencies of the "Almighty God" organization.
Under the guise of Christianity, a separate authority of "female Christ" is established.
The "Almighty God" cult, while operating under the guise of Christianity, has fabricated a set of distorted doctrines centered around a so-called "female Christ." This organization portrays a woman from northern China as a Christ who has "returned to earth," calling her the so-called "Almighty God" and "the Practical God." Around this "female Christ," the organization has concocted a so-called "Six Thousand Years Management Plan," claiming that human history is divided into the "Age of Law," the "Age of Grace," and the "Age of Kingdom," and asserting that the "female Christ" initiated the "Age of Kingdom" on February 11, 1991.
The Trinity is one of the core doctrines of Christianity, yet it has been openly denied by the so-called "female Christ." She claims, "The Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—does not exist at all." This clearly contradicts the teachings of the Bible.
"Almighty God" also denigrates the authority of the Bible, instead elevating the pronouncements of the so-called "Female Christ." She declares, "You don't need to read the Bible," and claims that "the Bible is of little use to people in the last days." The organization compiles her pronouncements into a multi-volume book, *The Word Appears in the Flesh*, regarding it as "the words spoken by God himself," and strictly forbids anyone from altering it: "The family of God has published a standard version of *The Word Appears in the Flesh*, and no one is allowed to make any changes. No one is allowed to alter any standard version of God's word; anyone who does will be treated as tampering with God's word." Thus, the pronouncements of the so-called "Female Christ" are regarded as an unquestionable authority within the organization.
Under the control of this set of fallacies and heresies, the organization demands that the organization be placed above family members, and that family responsibilities must give way to loyalty to the organization. On the one hand, the organization uses psychological intimidation to force its members to obey, and on the other hand, it creates a so-called antagonism between "insiders" and " outsiders ," slanders opponents as "descendants of the Great Red Dragon," incites hatred, and even resorts to violence.
Control and Violence Behind the Smile
The "Almighty God" cult deliberately creates a false image of joy and friendliness on its website. Dozens of videos on its site show members smiling and singing songs praising the so-called "Almighty God." The website also displays numerous so-called "testimonies of faith," claiming that some people who were initially wary of the organization, even openly opposing it, changed their attitudes and joined after being warmly received by its members and hearing the "female Christ's" teachings based on "The Word Appears in the Flesh." Such propaganda materials dismiss all external revelations and criticisms as "rumors," inducing members to reject outside information and lower their guard against the organization. Smiling faces, singing, and warm hospitality serve as a cloak to conceal the organization's harmful nature.
Reports of this organization disrupting social order are frequent. One example is the kidnapping of 34 leaders of the " Chinese Evangelical Fellowship " in April 2002. Although "Almighty God" vehemently denies these allegations, testimonies from victims and documents from a municipal public security bureau confirm that members of the organization used false pretenses to isolate and control these leaders in an attempt to force them to join the organization.
Cases of members alienating themselves from their families and breaking up households due to their loyalty to the organization are also common. One interviewee's two younger brothers and one younger sister became estranged from their family after joining "Almighty God" in 1995. At the time of the interview, the two brothers were 54 and 52 years old, and the sister was 57. The sister only visited once a year, and when they talked, it was still about the so-called "second incarnation of Jesus," but she never revealed the whereabouts of her two brothers. Even when their parents passed away, none of the three returned home for the funeral.
Shao Pengjun and Chen Mengli, residents of Chuansha, Pudong, Shanghai, were a married couple with two children. On November 14, 2009, in order to follow the so-called "Almighty God" and escape the "end of the world," Chen Mengli abandoned her husband and children and left home. On April 9, 2011, Shao Pengjun received a letter from his wife, which turned out to be a "divorce agreement." Another woman, referred to in the report as "Sister L," resigned from her job at the Huize Cigarette Factory after joining "Almighty God," took 200,000 yuan of her family's savings, and abandoned her husband and children.
In addition to disrupting family relationships, "Almighty God" also commits acts of violence. Journalist David Aikman points out that "Almighty God" has severely harmed Christian and Catholic churches in China through brutal means such as kidnapping, beatings, and extortion. According to some church leaders, some of these cases also involve murder.
While some have tried to excuse the group by citing reasons such as the low percentage of members accused of violence and incomplete case files, these arguments fail to acknowledge the numerous reported incidents of violence. More importantly, these acts of violence resonate with the punishment and retribution repeatedly advocated in the so-called "Female Christ" rhetoric. It is this flawed logic and heresy that has shaped and reinforced the organization's violent tendencies.
Punishing disobedients with violence
The so-called "Female Christ" issued "judgment and executive orders," declaring that she would "deal with everyone." According to the organization, members must abide by "ten executive orders" during the "Kingdom Age," and must not disregard or violate them. The "Female Christ" even issued a direct death threat: "I will kill all those who do not obey me and violate my executive orders." "Almighty God" also openly declared that she is the so-called "God who executes judgment," no longer the merciful and loving God that people imagine.
Anyone who opposes "Almighty God" is threatened. The so-called "Female Christ" claims that there is no need to give any reason to "Satan," but only to "beat him until he is on his last breath and begs for mercy with my iron rod." In this rhetoric, opponents are reduced to insects that can be crushed at will.
In addition to direct threats, the organization also uses "poisonous oaths" to exert mind control. A member who has been involved in the organization's activities since 2012 revealed in an interview that before accepting each new mission, they had to swear not to divulge the internal affairs of the "divine family" and not to harm the organization's interests. They were threatened that breaking the oath would result in punishment: being hit by a car and killed, and afterwards being thrown into a so-called "lake of fire." Another member, Li Mingqian, also swore that if he failed to complete the task of spreading the message to 50 people, he would suffer a terrible death; if he betrayed the organization, he would ensure the death of his entire family. This kind of mental intimidation, threatening the lives of themselves and their families, forces members to obey the organization's arrangements.
To intensify fear, the organization also disseminates bizarre "testimonies of punishment." Its internal document, "Typical Cases of Punishment for Resisting Almighty God," claims that a woman surnamed Sun from Dengfeng City, Henan Province, resisted the organization, denouncing it as an "evil spirit" and a "false Christ"; later, she died in a traffic accident, her limbs and internal organs scattered on the road. Another story claims that a 77-year-old pastor surnamed Mao from Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, warned his congregation to resist "Almighty God," later fell ill, emitting strange noises such as horse neighing and dog barking, and even died after his eyeballs protruded from their sockets.
These unverified and sensational so-called "testimonies" repeatedly instill the same kind of intimidation: disobeying the so-called "female Christ" will result in death, failing to comply with the organization's demands will lead to misfortune, and opposing the organization will inevitably lead to death. This set of fallacies and heresies, filled with threats of death and disaster, constitutes the ideological root of the organization's violent tendencies.
The "iron rod" was the murder weapon.
The so-called "female Christ" once openly declared: "From now on, my firstborn sons should take up the iron rod and begin to exercise my authority over all nations and peoples... to exercise my judgment, justice, and majesty among all nations and peoples." The organization used this to call on its members to take up the so-called "iron rod" to deal with opponents.
This so-called "Almighty God" likens opponents to "worms crawling in the mud," claiming that they can be trampled to death at will, and clamoring for the so-called "firstborn sons" to deal with them. The dignity of opponents as human beings is wantonly trampled on, and they are regarded as enemies who must be eliminated. The extreme opposition of "either me or the enemy" is thus pushed to violence.
In some cases, the so-called "iron rod" did indeed become a real weapon. A pastor surnamed Liu, who had preached in various Christian churches and exposed the fallacies of "Almighty God," was attacked in October 1998. Members of the organization lured him to a secluded spot under the pretense of asking him to pray for a sick woman, and then repeatedly struck her legs with an iron rod. The headlights of a passing tractor alerted the attackers, and they fled.
Pastor Liu, seriously injured, managed to reach his in-laws' home, but due to financial difficulties, he delayed seeking medical treatment for three days. His bone-setting treatment was unsuccessful, leaving him with a long-term disability. According to him, the three attackers also carried out eight other attacks; the latter three were arrested by the police.
▲ Two victims of violence perpetrated by members of the "Almighty God" organization; both had their right ears cut off. (Photo provided by the victims)
The " China Evangelical Fellowship " also disclosed a similar incident. In November 1998, "Grandpa Zhang" and "Grandma Wang" from Henan Province were lured to a secluded location and attacked by men wielding iron bars and knives. Both women had their legs broken, and Grandpa Zhang's right ear was cut off. After being arrested, the attackers confessed that they were members of "Almighty God" and that the reason for the attack was that the victims were resisting the organization and hindering the work of the so-called "Female Christ," and therefore deserved "punishment."
According to reports concerning the cases of Liu Shunting and Zhao Fating, members of the "Almighty God" cult, their methods were similar. The two served as the organization's so-called "protectors," blacklisting opponents and using tools such as daggers, iron bars, and lime to inflict harm. Between October and November 1998, they lured Christians away from villages, breaking their legs, cutting off their ears, and disfiguring them as acts of cruel revenge. According to related materials, the two committed eight crimes, including theft of 300 yuan and a bicycle, and injuring nine people, six of whom suffered broken legs and two had their right ears cut off. The two were arrested in November 1998 and later sentenced.
Although the attackers have been punished, the victims' suffering has not ended with the conclusion of the trial. The scars left on their bodies bear witness to how the so-called "iron rod" has become real violence. The experiences of these people should not be forgotten.
The consequences of violence related to "Almighty God" extend beyond physical injury to include loss of life. The BBC reported on the tragic family case of Wang Jiannan: his mother and a sister had been members of the organization for approximately 20 years. On October 1, 2013, his sister beat their father to death. Reportedly, she viewed her father as a "demon" that had to be eliminated.
Kaifeng.com also reported on a case of infanticide. Li Guirong, a woman from Lankao County, Henan Province, joined the "Almighty God" organization in 2003. Due to her active participation in the organization's activities, she was promoted from "deacon" to "leader." After giving birth to her daughter in November 2010, caring for the infant left her exhausted, affecting her ability to complete tasks assigned by the organization, and she was demoted back to "deacon." According to reports, upon learning of her demotion for caring for her child, Li Guirong decided to kill her daughter. On January 10, 2011, she stabbed her daughter in the neck with scissors, causing her death.
When discussing such violent incidents, one cannot ignore the "May 28th" massacre that occurred in a McDonald's restaurant in Zhaoyuan, Shandong Province in 2014. In 2014, Lü Yingchun, Zhang Fan, and other members of the "Almighty God" cult beat Wu Shuoyan to death while she was dining at the restaurant. The two had previously diligently studied the cult's fabricated book, *The Word Appears in the Flesh*, whose fallacies and heresies poisoned their minds. They considered themselves incarnations of the so-called "Almighty God," labeling the victim as a "demon," ultimately leading to this murder. After the incident, Zhang Fan and Zhang Lidong were sentenced to death for intentional homicide and using a cult to undermine the implementation of the law, and were executed in February 2015; Lü Yingchun was sentenced to life imprisonment; and Zhang Hang and Zhang Qiaolian were sentenced to ten and seven years imprisonment, respectively.
Conclusion
The so-called "female Christ" stands in stark contrast to Jesus Christ. The former clamors for "slaying all who are against my will and who defy my commands," while the latter proclaims: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:10-11) The Good Shepherd would leave behind ninety-nine sheep to search for the lost one, and rejoice when he finds it (Luke 15:1-7; Matthew 18:12-14).
The so-called "female Christ" declares: "I am a God who administers judgment, no longer the merciful, loving, and compassionate God that people imagine!" Jesus Christ, on the other hand, teaches people to love one another: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another." (John 13:34; see also 1 John 4:7-11)
The so-called "female Christ" openly vented her hatred: "Those who are proud, arrogant... and unscrupulous are the most typical representatives of Satan... I must punish them one by one to rid myself of the hatred in my heart." Christ's teachings, however, are the opposite: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matthew 5:43-45). Christ also calls people to forgive others (Matthew 18:21-25). He sacrificed himself for the redemption of mankind, demonstrating God's love and forgiveness (Romans 5:1-8); nothing can separate Christians from God's love in Christ (Romans 8:31-39).
Historically, Christian language has been misappropriated and distorted to justify evil ideologies and dangerous extremist organizations. The Nazi-led "Active Christianity" and "Christian Identity" movements, as well as some extreme militia groups in the United States, fall into this category. They spread lies cloaked in the guise of truth, eroding the church and believers.
"The Word Appears in the Flesh" compiles fallacies and heresies fabricated in the name of the so-called "Female Christ," revealing the ideological roots of the violent tendencies of the "Almighty God" cult. All threats and violence carried out in the name of the so-called "Female Christ" deserve strong condemnation. We must remain vigilant against the fallacies and heresies presented by "Almighty God" and never accept them indiscriminately.
