J.Y. Park has spoken out again about the heresy controversy surrounding the religious group he leads, Firstfruits, asking critics to listen to his sermons before judging them — and arguing that humans and dinosaurs once lived in the same era.
The singer and producer, who also serves as co-chair of the Presidential Committee on Mass Culture Exchange, addressed the controversy in a November 8 video on the Firstfruits YouTube channel, titled “For Christians Who Have Not Received Salvation.” According to Asia Economy, Park said people might wonder which church is right and whether the group he leads is a heresy or a cult, adding, “I hope you will listen just once.”
Park said the group is becoming more widely known precisely because pastors keep warning that it is dangerous. He argued that as people examine different teachings for themselves, they will find someone who delivers the correct word.
In the same video, Park laid out his own interpretation of salvation, arguing that heaven and hell are not decided by how many good deeds a person has done, and that single Bible verses should not be read in isolation. Faith that leads to salvation, he said, is complete faith without doubt, received as a gift.
In a second video released the same day, titled “The Greatness of Complexity,” Park turned to the Book of Job, interpreting the animal Behemoth as a dinosaur. Citing the passage that compares the creature’s tail to a cedar tree, he said, “The only animal that comes to mind is a dinosaur,” and claimed that “humans surprisingly lived in the same era as dinosaurs.” “It is about choosing what makes more sense,” he added.
That claim runs against the scientific consensus: non-avian dinosaurs went extinct around 66 million years ago, while modern humans appeared roughly 300,000 years ago, so the mainstream academic view holds that humans and dinosaurs did not coexist.
Park had already raised the controversy in a video posted on November 3, saying the group had “now begun to face persecution in earnest.” The Presbyterian Church of Korea (Hapdong) is studying the heretical nature of Park and Firstfruits’ teachings, following a petition from the Busan Presbytery, with findings due at the General Assembly next September.
No official statement from Park’s representatives beyond the videos themselves was available at the time of publication. The denominational review will be the next milestone to watch.
