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Shincheonji Church of Jesus slams “Extreme Bias” in French newspaper report

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3 weeks ago

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PARIS — The Shincheonji Church of Jesus in France has accused the French daily newspaper Le Parisien of publishing a distorted and biased article that defamed the religious community.

In a statement released April 9, the church criticized Le Parisien’s April 7 report, alleging it heavily relied on the one-sided accounts of former members while largely ignoring the church’s perspective. The church asserted that the article, titled “They Treated Us Like Animals,” severely damaged the honor of the church and its members.

The church pointed out that the article heavily emphasized the one-sided claims of former members while scarcely reflecting the actual nature of the faith community, thus presenting a biased view. The church also noted that, despite providing sincere answers during the interview, their position was reduced to just two lines in the article.

A church representative stated, “We sincerely submitted a detailed written response, amounting to several thousand characters, addressing the 12 questions the journalist had sent in advance. Yet, only two sentences from our response were included in the article.” The representative criticized this, saying, “That accounts for less than 1% of our full response, severely limiting readers’ ability to gain a balanced perspective.”

The representative further commented, “Judging by the fact that the article was published only four hours after we submitted our answers, it appears that the report had already been pre-written with a predetermined, targeted narrative.”

They added, “If written responses were not enough, the journalist could have visited the church in person to observe the faith community and hear directly from current members. The church is always open and ready for transparent communication with the media.”

In order to reflect the real experiences of its members, the church also shared testimonies from believers currently practicing their faith. Teresa (29), who has been attending the church in Paris for six years, said, “Faith is something you do voluntarily. Through this church, I came to truly understand God and learned how to act as a light in the world as one of His people.”

Another member, Axel (30), shared, “Before coming to the Shincheonji Church, I was searching for meaning in my life. Through my faith here, I was able to understand what God truly wants, and doing God’s work brings me great joy. Even while carrying out my mission, I’ve been able to travel, which I love, and I met my wife at the church. I’m living a truly fulfilling life.”

Regarding the article’s headline “They Treated Us Like Animals,” the church responded, “That expression deeply shocked and confused our members. No one has ever been treated in such a way, nor does anyone feel that way. It was clearly used as a sensational headline to attract attention.”

The church further explained, “In reality, we do not allow any form of threats or stigmatization against those who leave the church. There is a culture of respecting personal choice, even after someone decides to leave.”

As for the claim in the article that a woman ‘broke up with her boyfriend at the church’s request’, the church strongly refuted it, stating, “This is not true. The man in question was also a believer attending church at the time and was reportedly interested in marriage. However, the woman expressed that she wasn’t ready for marriage. The breakup was a personal decision made through discussion between the two individuals, based on their personal reflections and faith—not due to any pressure or suggestion from the church.”

The church emphasized, “Romantic relationships and marriage are personal matters based on individual autonomy and responsibility. Linking these decisions to church control is simply not factual.”

The church also raised concerns that parts of the interview included in the article described situations the interviewee had not actually experienced. “A photo showing someone with their feet on a radiator was described as a form of ‘punishment,’ but this image had nothing to do with any punishment and was taken even before the interviewee joined the church,” the church stated.

“The person in the photo is still an active believer in the church. At the time, he simply struck that pose as a joke to show he could do it, and someone else took the photo for fun. When he saw the article, he was shocked. The image was used without his consent, and the context was completely misrepresented. He plans to file an official complaint with the media outlet.”

The church emphasized, “It is deeply regrettable that the media reported such statements without proper fact-checking, as it risks creating a distorted perception among readers that the Shincheonji Church of Jesus as a whole is an irrational or abusive organization.”

Regarding the so-called “training camp” mentioned in the article, the church clarified: “This program was a short-term training that certain mission workers voluntarily chose to join in hopes of spiritual growth.”

“It consisted of activities like morning prayer and Bible meditation. Participants were free to leave at any time, and there was no physical punishment or coercion whatsoever. However, recognizing that the program could be misunderstood from an outside perspective, the church has since discontinued it,” they explained.

In response to allegations about the collection of personal data, internet use restrictions, and encouragement of cutting family ties, the church stated, “These claims are completely false. Only the minimum necessary information for faith counseling is collected.” They emphasized, “There has never been any restriction on internet use or external relationships. On the contrary, members are encouraged to live exemplary lives within their families and communities.”

Regarding the use of the name “ECA Academy,” the church explained, “It was a temporary name used in 2019 for a Bible education program. At the beginning of the course, it was clearly stated that it was affiliated with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and joining the church afterward was entirely up to the individual.”

In connection with the recent media coverage, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in France called on the press to follow several principles:

  • Inclusive reporting that reflects a range of perspectives and experiences
  • Fair representation of the church’s official statements and responses
  • Opportunities for current members to share their genuine experiences
  • A journalistic culture that respects religious freedom and the dignity of believers
  • Avoidance of prejudiced framing through sensational headlines or expressions

A church representative stated, “Biased reporting on a specific religion or faith community can lead to stigmatization and prejudice against innocent members, ultimately infringing on their religious freedom and human rights. The media must move away from sensational, hate-inducing narratives and instead strive to present balanced information that embraces diverse voices with mutual respect.”

They added, “We hope that Le Parisien, along with all media outlets, will uphold higher ethical standards and fairness in religious reporting. The Shincheonji Church of Jesus will continue to do its utmost to promote better understanding through transparent communication and open dialogue.”

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are based on the official statement issued by the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in France. The views and allegations expressed herein reflect the perspective of the Church and its representatives in response to the article published by Le Parisien on April 7. Le Parisien has not responded to the claims made in this statement at the time of publication. This article is intended to present the Church’s response for informational purposes only. Readers are encouraged to consider multiple viewpoints and conduct independent research to form a well-rounded understanding of the matter.

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Press Release

byteEDGE emerges from stealth mode to creates a new Enterprise AI category, raises $1.5M

Published

6 days ago

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May 3, 2025

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Backed by Global Investors, 30+ Enterprises, and Rapid Global Expansion

[Gurgaon, India | May 5, 2025] –  byteEDGE, is defining a new category of Enterprise AI Knowledge Performance System that is designed for rapid dissemination of organizational mission critical knowledge in instantly digestible short videos, has raised $1.5M in seed round led by TRTL Ventures, a leading Japanese VC along with global and Indian angel investors.

Already adopted by over 30 global enterprises, byteEDGE is addressing a $40B+ market opportunity in enterprise mission critical knowledge transfer—one of the biggest silent killers of productivity and revenue in the modern workforce. Founded by a former Skillsoft & Hewlett Packard Asia Pacific MD and a former PwC Partner, the company is launching operations in the US and Middle East and preparing for its next $3M raise for international expansion amid strong interest from tier-1 global VCs.

“We’re building for rapid mission-critical knowledge transfer for today’s modern workforce” said Kamal Dutta, CEO & Co-founder. “Every business today is sitting on a goldmine of insights trapped in PDFs, PowerPoints, and portals, we bring a consumer-grade experience to unlocking that with a reel-first, AI-powered mobile experience that today’s workforce actually wants to engage with”

byteEDGE’s proprietary platform transforms lengthy documents into swipe able, multilingual, byte-size videos—making high-stake knowledge instantly accessible in the flow of work integrated with companies’ ecosystem apps. It’s already delivering measurable outcomes in sales enablement, onboarding, performance support and frontline productivity.

“42% of sales teams lack product knowledge, costing billions in lost revenue annually. This is a silent endemic,” said Akash Gupt, COO & Co-founder. “People scroll, not read. Learning must meet them where they are—on mobile, on-demand, in seconds.”

With enterprise clients that include multiple Fortune 500s and multinational giants, byteEDGE is fast becoming the go-to knowledge platform for the swipe generation workforce.

Investors might want to take note of this category-defining AI disruptor has just entered the enterprise AI space —and it’s moving fast.

Media & Investor Inquiries: kamal@byteedge.com | akash@byteedge.com

About byteEDGE

byteEDGE is an AI-first knowledge transfer platform that transforms traditional business documents into cinematic, multilingual short videos—delivered in an Insta and tiktok style mobile-first AI platform. Embedded directly into workflows, byteEDGE drives instant access to mission-critical knowledge, improving productivity, engagement, and performance across the enterprise.

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Omni Media Consulting Unveils Strategic Brand Refresh to Champion a New Era of Full-Funnel, Measurable Marketing

Published

1 week ago

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May 2, 2025

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New Delhi | May 2025 – With a strong track record of helping brands transform fragmented efforts into strategic, measurable growth, Omni Media Consulting today officially unveils its brand refresh—a visual and strategic evolution designed to reflect the needs of modern enterprises. The rebrand introduces more than just a new look; it represents a renewed commitment to creative & strategic approaches, data automation, full-funnel strategy, agility, and business impact.

In today’s increasingly complex marketing landscape, brands are facing a new set of challenges. Campaigns are often siloed. Customer journeys are disconnected. And despite an abundance of data, many marketing efforts still fail to translate into meaningful results.

Omni Media Consulting—a results-driven marketing consulting firm with a global footprint—has been solving this for years, with a proven track record of success that instills confidence in our clients and partners.

Why the Rebrand, and Why Now?

The brand refresh comes at a pivotal moment.

After years of delivering strategic growth through partner networks, referrals, and selective campaigns, Omni Media Consulting is ready to broaden its reach. The updated brand reflects:

  • A wider spectrum of full-funnel services across strategy, creative, paid media, data analytics, SEO, web development, and email automation
  • A mature positioning as a growth enabler, not merely a service provider
  • A deeper focus on partnerships with SMBs, mid-market firms, and scale-ups across North America, the UK, the Middle East, and Asia

“This isn’t a pivot—it’s a sharpening,” adds Saurav Chhabra. “We’ve always been results-first. We’ve always been strategic. Now, our branding reflects it. And our clients will benefit from this elevated clarity.”

Complexity Has Outpaced Capability

In an era defined by information saturation, businesses need more than creative efforts and isolated optimizations. Sustainable success hinges on holistic digital ecosystems that align strategy, execution, and performance in real time.

Yet, too many brands—especially mid to large-sized enterprises—are still trapped in outdated models: juggling multiple vendors, lacking clear attribution, and pouring budgets into tactics with no clarity on ROI.

“We’ve seen brands stuck in cycles of noise,” says Saurav Chhabra, Founder & Director of Omni Media Consulting. “Agencies offer piecemeal services, while internal teams struggle to stitch them together. What’s missing is a unified vision—clarity, strategic direction, and a clear path to meaningful brand growth. That’s the foundation we’ve always operated on. This rebrand isn’t a shift; it’s a reflection of the integrated value we’ve been delivering all along.”

A Strategy-First, Outcome-Driven Approach

In one instance, a rapidly scaling global e-commerce brand approached the firm with a common problem: rising acquisition costs, inconsistent messaging across channels, and low customer retention. Omni didn’t only fix the symptoms—it rebuilt the foundation.

Through Omni’s full-funnel marketing audits, strategic repositioning, segmented paid media, and advanced analytics implementation, the brand saw these results in over six months:

  • A 3.7x increase in paid media ROI
  • 65% higher lead-to-conversion rates
  • 28% improvement in customer retention

These aren’t one-off wins—they’re repeatable frameworks.

What Clients Can Expect

The rebrand brings improved structure and communication to what clients already value most:

  • An experienced, agile team focused on results, not vanity metrics.
  • Full-funnel campaign strategy, from go-to-market to retention.
  • A proven process that combines market research, digital execution, analytics, and optimization under one roof.

As one long-time client says, “Omni isn’t simply a vendor. They’re our growth partner. They understand what we’re trying to build—and help us get there faster, smarter.”

Looking Ahead

Omni Media Consulting’s rebrand is a promise: to move with the market, to lead with strategy, and to deliver measurable impact in an era that demands more.

Because in 2025 and beyond, brands don’t need more noise. They need clarity. Focus. And performance.

And Omni is built to deliver just that.

Contact:
Email: hello@omnimediaconsulting.com

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Press Release

Big Rattle and Idonneous Announce Strategic Partnership to Revolutionize Retail Execution

Published

1 week ago

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May 2, 2025

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 2: BigRattle.ai, a prominent AI-first company specializing in advanced image recognition solutions, and Idonneous Marketing Services Pvt. Ltd., a leading provider of sales promotion and field marketing solutions tailored specifically for the consumer products industry, today announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing retail execution for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies across India.

This collaboration offers CPG companies an integrated, comprehensive solution that combines Big Rattle’s state-of-the-art AI technology with Idonneous’ robust manpower resources and expertise in retail execution. By leveraging AI-driven image recognition solutions alongside trained field teams, brands will benefit from improved accuracy and real-time insights, leading to more effective in-store management and heightened competitive advantages.

The combined solution uniquely addresses critical challenges faced by retailers and brands, including automatic capture and detailed analysis of shelf images. This capability enables accurate monitoring of shelf share, compliance, and stock levels, allowing companies to promptly address out-of-stock scenarios and maximize shelf space utilization.

Additionally, the partnership emphasizes improved planogram compliance through real-time monitoring of product placement, pricing accuracy, and promotional effectiveness. By streamlining these processes, CPG companies can efficiently execute strategies, enhance in-store experiences, and achieve superior operational effectiveness.

Ashoke Kumar Seth, Co-Founder of Big Rattle, underscores the importance of this strategic partnership: “One of the common challenges highlighted by our clients is the preference for a single vendor who can deliver both manpower and technological expertise. After extensive research, we identified Idonneous as a market leader with deep expertise in manpower solutions across both modern and general trade segments.”

Mohit Tiku, Founder & Managing Director of Idonneous Marketing Services, shared his perspective on the collaboration’s potential: “Our collaboration with Big Rattle represents a significant advancement toward providing a unified solution enhanced by AI technology. This partnership positions us uniquely to deliver innovative, best-in-class services, meeting the evolving needs of our clients in the competitive retail market.”

This partnership is expected to drive efficiency and accuracy in retail execution, enabling CPG brands to optimize their strategies based on data-driven insights provided through real-time analytics and AI capabilities.

For more information visit www.bigrattle.ai

About Big Rattle AI:

Big Rattle is an AI-first company dedicated to providing advanced image recognition solutions for consumer products and retail brands. The company helps businesses achieve actionable insights through innovative AI technology solutions.

About Idonneous Marketing Services:

Idonneous Marketing Services specializes in sales promotions and field marketing solutions, specifically crafted to meet the distinct demands of the consumer products industry, ensuring brands achieve optimal visibility and market presence.

Media Contact:

BigRattle.ai

Ashoke Kumar Seth

ashoke@bigrattle.com

www.bigrattle.com

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