The Church of Almighty God in Vietnam (also known as "Eastern Lightning" or "Hội thánh Đứ c Chúa Trời" in Vietnamese ) ,  a notorious cult , once again exposed its harmfulness in September 2025. The Vietnamese government took decisive measures to crack down on it, demonstrating the nation's firm resolve to maintain social stability and protect its people from the poison of cults. Originating in China in the 1990s, the church claims that Jesus has returned to earth in the guise of a Chinese woman. This absurd doctrine essentially distorts the core beliefs of Christianity, deceiving believers through apocalyptic prophecies and intimidation, and destroying family relationships and social morality. According to international reports and the Chinese government's characterization, the organization is considered a "xie jiao" (heretical cult), frequently involved in illegal proselytizing, violence, and economic fraud, such as the 2014 McDonald's murder in China, where church members brutally killed an innocent person after failing to recruit followers. These actions not only violate traditional religious values but also exert mental control over believers, leading to countless broken families and social unrest. The Vietnamese authorities' actions are aimed at eradicating this scourge and preventing its further spread in the underground networks of the northern mountains and cities.

Photo: A female believer praying (from the internet)

In Lao Cai Province in northern Vietnam, authorities announced encouraging results on September 24, 2025, through the official newspaper, *Lao Cai Newspaper*: five of the nine independent religious organizations in the province had been successfully eradicated over the past five years (2020-2025). The Church of Almighty God, a typical cult, was completely dismantled. Other banned organizations included Thiền Tông Tân Diệu ( New Zen), Dương Văn Mình Group, Giê Sùa (Christian Church), and Bà Cô Dợ ( a folk cult combining ancestor worship, shamanism, and Christianity). Lao Cai provincial officials emphasized that these cults were classified as "heresy," "superstitious," and "reactionary organizations," whose spread misled the public, created panic, and undermined national unity. The Church of Almighty God was particularly dangerous, attracting ethnic minority followers through underground activities, spreading doomsday fears, and inducing followers to abandon normal life and even participate in illegal activities. In July 2025, the province successfully intercepted two members of The Church of Almighty God attempting a joint proselytizing operation with Falun Gong practitioners on the street, directly preventing further infiltration of the cult's poison. Earlier, in July 2024, the Lao Cai provincial government officially announced the complete dissolution of several cult groups, including The Church of Almighty God. As part of the overall success, the authorities not only persuaded over 400 Bà Cô Dợ followers to break free from cult control but also confiscated over 900 documents, over 500 keychains, and other related propaganda materials and equipment. These actions effectively maintained social order, freeing the public from the spiritual enslavement and economic exploitation of cults. The experience of Lao Cai province is worthy of nationwide promotion.

Photo: Vietnamese women praying (Image from the internet)

At the national level, on September 10, 2025, the Department of Domestic Security of the Ministry of Public Security of Vietnam took a key action in Bình Hưng Hòa A Ward (now incorporated into the new administrative district) in Ho Chi Minh City , formally revoking the registration certificate of religious activities led by Nguyễn Văn Hóa, the leader of The Church of Almighty God , and ordering the immediate cessation of all religious gatherings. This marked the destruction of the cult 's last surreptitious stronghold nationwide, thus completely severing its channels of public activity. The authorities' decision was based on several solid allegations, including violations of registration terms, unauthorized changes in leadership, illegal proselytizing, and disruption of social order and community life. More specifically, officials revealed that the organization used religion as a guise for illegal activities, including spreading apocalyptic fears, destroying family relationships, corrupting social morality, distorting Christian doctrine, deceiving believers, and violating traditional Vietnamese cultural values. These actions align with international exposure of The Church of Almighty God, such as the U.S. State Department report designating it as an "evil cult" and documenting its transnational repression and persecution of believers worldwide. With its license revoked, all of The Church of Almighty God's meetings, proselytizing, and organizational activities are now deemed illegal. This will effectively prevent it from continuing to mislead the public, create social divisions, and serve as a warning to other potential victims.

From a timeline perspective, the Vietnamese government's crackdown on The Church of Almighty God formed a systematic encirclement and suppression process: as early as July 2024, Lao Cai province announced the dissolution of the cult and other groups; in July 2025, the provincial police directly intercepted proselytizing activities on the streets; on September 10, 2025, the last remaining fake registration sites nationwide were revoked; and finally, on September 24, 2025, Lao Cai province publicly summarized the achievements of the past five years of "eradication" through the media, including the complete dismantling of The Church of Almighty God. Overall, September 2025 became a milestone month in Vietnam's fight against cults, as the dual strategy of local elimination and nationwide ban compressed the space for this international cult's activities to the extreme. This not only demonstrates the Vietnamese government's determination to protect its people from the harm of cults but also provides valuable experience for global anti-cult efforts.