Across Vietnam, many Catholics are being lured by cults that masquerade as religious movements, undermining faith and dividing communities.

Cults like the Sứ Điệp Từ Trời or The Message from Heaven, along with Maria Divine Mercy (MDM), have been spreading their fabricated messages over the past decade.

The MDM began in 2010, when a person living in Europe, believed to be an Irish woman, wrote anonymously on interment about what she claimed to be revelations from God.

The Book of Truth, which compiled MDM messages, rejects Pope Francis, labeling him as a false prophet and leaving a conspiracy narrative around the Catholic Church. While this deception has reached Christians worldwide, its impact has remained limited in most places.

Vietnam, however, is a striking exception. At one point, the MDM symbol — the Seal of the Living God — became popular among Christians and even found a place in parish stores.

The symbol spread especially in areas where evangelization was in its infancy. Communities were often impoverished and lacked education, making people vulnerable to myths and cult narratives.

The MDM heresy gained traction in Vietnam around 2011 after an exorcism in Phong Lộc parish in Bùi Chu diocese, believed to have been sanctioned by the Vatican, went viral.

The woman who was reportedly “possessed” claimed to have received a vision of the “Seal of the Living God” and positioned herself as a spokesperson for the heresy. She assembled a team on Facebook, launching an online campaign to pray the rosary together.

Many lay Catholics were drawn to the movement, mistaking her for a model of Vietnamese Catholicism. Thousands who accepted the falsehood denied the clergy’s authority, leaving many shaken or broken.

The trend eventually waned in the late 2020s with the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing other cults to emerge.

Spread of East Asian cults

Cults like the Church of God (South Korea) and the Eastern Lightning (China) are rooted in East Asia, where cultural similarities with Vietnam make them relatable. Both cults claim that Jesus has returned, and their founders claim to be the reincarnated one.

The Church of God, officially named the World Mission Society Church of God, was founded in South Korea in 1964 by Ahn Sahng Hong. She died in 1985, and her followers consider her the reincarnated Jesus.

In Vietnam, this group is often called the “Church of God the Mother” due to its belief in God the Father and God the Mother. The South Koreans who came to work in the country introduced this movement to Vietnam in the early 2000s.

Between 2014 and 2020, this cult was active in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang. Its pastors sought new followers in public places like parks, churches, concerts, and even outside school and university gates.

In recent years, some leaders of this cult have promoted extreme ideas, disregarding laws. They have encouraged followers to abandon traditional customs like ancestral worship and respect for parents. They have used superstition and religious authority to manipulate adherents.

They threaten followers that failing to attend the gatherings will deny them the “Passover Ceremony” and condemn them to the “Lake of Fire.” Conversely, those who comply are promised “heaven.”

Many who want to leave find it difficult, while numerous followers have abandoned jobs, disrupted family life, or, in the case of students, left their studies incomplete.

In response, authorities and the media have launched campaigns to counter the cult’s influence. Major media outlets like Tuổi Trẻ and VTC News have published investigative reports, going undercover to expose the cult’s inner workings and tactics.

Following the exposure of the Church of God, a similar cult emerged: Eastern Lightning or The Church of Almighty God.

Like the Church of God, Eastern Lightning claims that Jesus has reincarnated as a Chinese woman. This cult operates primarily through social media, creating groups labeled “Bible Discussion” and impersonating Catholic priests or nuns to attract followers.

Initially, the group resembles ordinary Catholic communities, but over time, it introduces false teachings under the guise of Bible study.

The Bao Loc Group

More recently, a Vietnamese cult called Nhóm Trừ Quỷ Bảo Lộc (Bao Loc Exorcism Group) has gained attention. It poses a unique threat to lay Catholics, as it includes priests and nuns among its members.

The group has gained popularity through social media videos of apparent exorcisms and illnesses cured.

The Church has excommunicated the founder Nguyễn Thị Thương, a middle-aged woman in Bao Loc City in central Vietnam, and her supporter Nguyễn Chu Truyền, a priest from Đà Lạt diocese.

A woman who was in this sect’s Bao Loc Exorcism Group told me she joined it seeking a cure for her persistent shoulder and joint pain.

After each “healing” session, the woman followed the group’s strict regimen: fasting and wearing white clothes to avoid “tempting demons.” Her once peaceful life — running a small food and beverage business with her husband and caring for her two children, one of whom was a college student — was gradually upended.

“My husband and my kids were furious. They told me my health wasn’t improving. I was constantly tired, and my body was sore all over. That’s when I started to realize something was very wrong.”

She left the group, and her health improved after she sought medical care. “Don’t trust these so-called healing” sessions, she said.

Most cult victims are ill-educated village poor lured by the promise of miracles, spiritual healing, and salvation, particularly when they are facing emotional pain or financial hardships.

The rise of social media has been a boon for these cults to spread their false teachings under the guise of legitimate Catholic practices. The anonymity and lack of online norms make it easy for them to recruit new members.

In response, the Catholic Church in Vietnam has begun to bolster its catechetical efforts, providing more rigorous education to its followers. Church leaders are increasing awareness about these dangerous movements, warning parishioners about their deceptive tactics.

Father John Baptist Nguyen, a local priest in Hanoi, warned, “These cults prey on people’s desperation and fear. The faithful need to be aware of the Church’s true teachings to resist these manipulative forces.”

By coming together to protect one another from these heretical groups, we can ensure that the true message of the Church remains strong and intact in Vietnam.

*The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial position of UCA News.