Taiwanese cult leader predicts God's arrival and coming disasters
(12-24-97)In a story written by Barry Shlachter in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News on Christmas Eve, Hon Ming Chen, who leads the cult called God and Buddha Salvation Foundation, said that on March 31 in Garland, God will appear and assume the physical appearance of Chen himself.
In addition, according to the article, Chen said in January 1999, China will attack Taiwan. In February, another war in Korea will start, and in June or July, the economy in East Asia will fail. Chen predicts most of the Taiwanese people will die in three nuclear power plant explosions in
August, and the Middle East will be devastated by a nuclear bomb in October.
The Star-Telegram reported that Chen will willingly place his life in the hands of his followers and be "executed, stoned to death, or put on a cross" if his predictions fail to materialize.
Chen, 42, a social science professor, reportedly showed snapshots of jet contrails forming the "sacred" number code of "007" to prove his predictions. In the article, Chen, who taught at a university in southern Taiwan, said they are divine signs that no earthly aircraft could have made.
Members of the cult, most of whom have college degrees, agreed the photos prove that Chen's predictions are the word of God. The Star-Telegram said reporters were free to talk with any of the members. They told reporters they are worried about their relatives in Taiwan who don't believe their warnings about the nuclear destruction.
One member, reportedly an ear, nose and throat specialist who gave up his practice and sold his $330,000 home in Taiwan, said there's more to gain than lose. He said if Taiwan isn't destroyed, he will go back and start over, but, for now, nothing is more important than God's coming.
In the story, a Taiwanese-born branch manager of Texas First National Bank in Richardson, Texas said many of the cult members sold homes worth $500,000 in Taiwan before they came to Texas. They have purchased about 20 homes in Garland in the $120,000 price range.
Their new neighbors in Garland apparently didn't know about the predictions until a TV newscast, but didn't seem worried, according to the Star-Telegram. Chen and several followers said Garland was the spot chosen by God for the group because Garland sounds like "God-land," and it might be the safest place to be when apocalypse strikes Asia next year.
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