It all began very naturally when the two men approached Fiona, asking if she wanted to know more about her Christian faith.

For Fiona (the character's name has been changed to protect her identity), a college student in Singapore, this is the situation that brought her to Tan Thien Dia, the cult being the focus of the Covid-19 epidemic in South Korea.

Last week, the Ministry of the Interior of Singapore (MHA) announced that Tan Thien Dia had a branch in the country and the ministry was investigating sectarian activities.

According to Fiona's account, on a Sunday afternoon last December, she met two men at Dhoby Ghaut station. They told her they were gathering information to study the Christian community in Singapore. The words they spoke seemed credible to Fiona, a Christian, so she decided to accept the invitation to meet.

When Fiona told her about meeting her friends, they advised her to bring her along. Fiona's mother agreed to go with her on her first appointment on January 11. During the talk, a man who identified himself as a pastor suggested that both Fiona and her mother study the Bible with him.

"He acted as if I did not understand the Bible fully," Fiona said. So, she agreed and 7 days later, Fiona sent the man a message to arrange the lessons. Fiona began to get caught up in the activities of acquaintances.

It was not until the morning of March 2, when Fiona's father sent her a newsletter about New Heaven, that she realized who she knew. Reading the news, Fiona saw exactly what activities she had experienced.

"Members are not allowed to communicate, are not allowed to bring books home. They are taught that lying for God is acceptable," Fiona said. "God, that's what I was taught!", She screamed in surprise.

On February 27, MHA said it was investigating the unregistered branch of the New Heavenly Sect in Singapore. According to the ministry's press release, Tan Thien Dia taught that deceitful service of God's will is completely acceptable. The members must not contact each other or tell their families about the cult, must strictly follow the instructions to hide the existence of New Heaven and their relation to the sect.

Founded in 1984 by cardinal Lee Man-hee, Tan Thien Dia has been described by many countries as heretic because of the unorthodox teachings they give, according to MHA. Lord Lee claimed to be the second Jesus mentioned in the Bible and will bring 144,000 believers to Heaven with him on Judgment Day.

Tan Thien Dia has more than 1,000 branches in Korea and hundreds of thousands of members worldwide. MHA believes that Singapore's Tan Thien Dia branch has fewer than 100 members, including locals and foreigners.

Fiona began taking private lessons with the pastor she met at the subway station in mid-January. They often meet at food courts or restaurants. After the 5th meeting, Fiona was asked to join a group with other students. Classes will take place within 4 months.

On February 10, she started studying with 8 others. The group meets for two hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings in the Marymount area. The venue didn't have a denominational nameplate, but Fiona didn't find it strange because she thought this was just a place they'd rented for a few months.

Each session begins with them singing a song praising God, then praying and listening to the preaching for about 90 minutes. They often delve into the parables in the Bible before finishing the class with a joint discussion.

During these sessions, Fiona and her classmates have to perform informal activities.

They were allowed to take notes but were not allowed to take them home. Instead, teachers will keep the books for them and return them before each lesson. They are asked not to tell anyone what happened during the lessons. Bringing new people to class is taboo.

During a class, Fiona was also asked to list reasons to tell others if they asked what she was doing to the group. Fiona said she didn't tell anyone about what happened in the classes.

"I feel uncomfortable but I accept because they convince me that I am doing God's will and that in order to continue my studies, I need to make sure that my relatives, family and friends do not hinder me." Fiona said.

Despite her anomalies, Fiona came to the classes three times a week. The teacher is sincere and interested. She is also at the stage of wanting to know what "the purpose of her life" is, Fiona said.

After reading the article from his father, Fiona went online and read what the former members of the Heavenly Yard from around the world shared about the cult. Faced with the truth, Fiona collapsed and cried.

"I feel betrayed," Fiona said of her anger at the cult leaders. She trusted the instructor to the point of being willing to share personal difficulties with them.

Fiona was also disappointed in the way she was deceived, but she was relieved to discover the truth earlier than many others. Fiona decided never to return.

"I'm looking for answers about Christianity and they seem to have a lot of knowledge and the answers I want to hear," Fiona said. "I did find the study group activities unusual, but I continued because I trusted them, believing they were God's faithful servants."

"I hope with the details I share ... my story will serve as a warning to make others question the origin of what they believe in," Fiona said.