Liz Cameron’s journey into the depths of a South Korean cult began as innocuously as any ordinary day. At just 18 years old, she was browsing a bookshop in the Canberra Centre when a woman approached her with a survey about Christian faith. Cameron, a Christian herself, was also grappling with loneliness and uncertainty about her future—conditions that made her an ideal target for the cult known as Providence, or Jesus Morning Star (JMS).
Over the next two years, Cameron was drawn into a new “family,” isolated from her own loved ones, and subjected to a systematic brainwashing process. Initially, she believed she was joining a supportive church community. However, she soon discovered the secretive and predatory nature of Providence, which operates in over 70 countries.
“I didn’t even know who this group was,” Cameron recalls. “For months on end, I had no clue who they represented, who they really were, because they concealed it. They lied to me in a very organized and intentional way.”
The Cult’s Manipulative Tactics
Cameron was initially “lovebombed” by her new friends, who showered her with compliments and a sense of belonging. However, the atmosphere gradually became oppressive. She was dictated on what to wear, pressured to maintain a certain weight, and punished for minor infractions. Unbeknownst to her, she was among many young women chosen for recruitment due to her physical attributes, which were favored by cult leader Jung Myung-seok.
By the time she visited the leader in South Korea, he was already imprisoned for sexual assault. Cameron’s health deteriorated due to controlled eating, stress, and anxiety, prompting her family to seek external help to extricate her from the cult’s grasp. This was in 2013, marking the beginning of her long recovery journey.
Understanding Cult Dynamics
In her memoir, Cult Bride: How I Was Brainwashed – and How I Broke Free, Cameron explores her experience and the psychology behind cults and coercive control. She will be discussing her book at the Canberra Writers Festival, alongside other memoirs and true crime books.
“People can be quite judgmental,” Cameron notes. “Eventually, it stopped affecting me because I recognized it as a lack of understanding of how cults operate.” She highlights the misconception that cults only target “stupid” people, when in fact, they often recruit intelligent, empathetic, and idealistic individuals.
“People who are recruited into cults are targeted often because they are intelligent, because they’re empathetic, because maybe they’re naive, but they’re very idealistic, potentially, they want to do good in the world,” she explains.
The Road to Recovery
Cameron was studying at the Australian National University when she was recruited. Her background in fundamentalist Christianity, combined with her intelligence and discipline, made her an ideal candidate. Reflecting on her experience, she acknowledges her relative fortune compared to others who remain trapped in such environments for decades.
“I’m so aware that I really had a fairly average cult experience, if not a lighter one than what many, many people experience,” she admits. “Time-wise, I was so lucky. I probably would have died in it if I’d stayed.”
Nowadays, Cameron works in the health sector and assists other recovering cult victims. She keeps a portrait from the cult in her living room as a reminder of her resilience and growth. The painting, given during the lovebombing phase, depicts her as ethereal and otherworldly—a stark contrast to the reality she endured.
Liz Cameron will be sharing her story at the Canberra Writers Festival, offering insights into the manipulative dynamics of cults and the path to recovery. Her experience serves as a poignant reminder of the vulnerabilities that can lead individuals into such perilous situations and the strength required to break free.
