Responses to the March 1998 predictions · Hon-Ming Chen
Responses to the March 1998 predictions
CESNUR reports a television appearance on March 25, followed by an appearance in Garland on March 31, 1998.
Chen withdrew confidence in the later prediction · Hon-Ming Chen, through an interpreter, as reported by CESNUR
Reported outcome
CESNUR; page credits Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson, movement publications, and Massimo Introvigne interviews. · Attributed summary
CESNUR reports that the expected television appearance was not seen.
CESNUR's Watch Page of Chen Tao ↗ · Opening account, March 1998
Evidence edition and reuse
CESNUR historical watch page, March–April 1998 reports
Modern page and quoted 1997 book; no blanket reuse license established. Retain only the existing 15-word book quotation as anchor; new evidence is concise attributed paraphrase.
Response to the prediction
CESNUR; page credits Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson, movement publications, and Massimo Introvigne interviews. · Attributed summary
After March 25, Chen allowed dismissal of the March 31 prediction while retaining belief in God. The page subsequently reports a reinterpretation involving divine presence in members.
CESNUR's Watch Page of Chen Tao ↗ · March 25 response and March 31–April 1 reinterpretation
Evidence edition and reuse
CESNUR historical watch page, March–April 1998 reports
Modern page and quoted 1997 book; no blanket reuse license established. Retain only the existing 15-word book quotation as anchor; new evidence is concise attributed paraphrase.
Chen on 25 March 1998: “my predictions of March 31 can be considered nonsense”
retrospective response
On: God will appear at the referred time
Linked by Rainbow Watch. Chen withdraws “my predictions of March 31,” the appearance this passage promises, after the televised appearance of 25 March did not take place.
Source quotation · CESNUR, Chen Tao Watch Page, report of 25 March 1998; Chen’s words in English through a Chen Tao interpreter.
When God failed to appear on TV on March 25, Chen -- who was eagerly awaiting with his followers the historical event in Garland -- announced that: "Because we did not see God's message on television tonight, my predictions of March 31 can be considered nonsense". Chen (who speaks only Chinese and was translated by a Chen Tao interpreter) added: "I hope that everybody can still have the true belief in God, in the existence of God. Even though the image doesn't show on the television, I don't have any reason to doubt the existence of the supreme being, God."
Watch Page of Chen Tao: the 25 March 1998 statement · CESNUR (Center for Studies on New Religions), “Chen Tao Watch Page,” https://www.cesnur.org/testi/Chen.htm, opening report on 25 March 1998, two sentences from “When God failed to appear on TV” through “the supreme being, God.” Retrieved 2 October 2026; copied from the page text, spacing normalized. Chen’s words are given as CESNUR reports them in English through a Chen Tao interpreter.
Source reuse and transcription
© CESNUR. Two sentences (about 90 words) quoted for commentary on a dated statement; the page itself remains the source of the full report.
Community response to this revision: 0
Published revision history
2026-10-05T15:53:51+00:00
When God failed to appear on TV on March 25, Chen -- who was eagerly awaiting with his followers the historical event in Garland -- announced that: "Because we did not see God's message on television tonight, my predictions of March 31 can be considered nonsense". Chen (who speaks only Chinese and was translated by a Chen Tao interpreter) added: "I hope that everybody can still have the true belief in God, in the existence of God. Even though the image doesn't show on the television, I don't have any reason to doubt the existence of the supreme being, God."
What Chen expected people to see
background
On: I have the full faith to say that God will appear at the referred time.
Editorial paraphrase of the source · CESNUR’s Chen Tao Watch Page, crediting Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson; Chen’s 1997 book page 178 quoted through that account
The CESNUR account reproduces three sentences from page 178. After the assurance displayed here, Chen says that people will meet a figure with his appearance; he then adds, “I guarantee this on my life.” The surrounding account connects the appearance with 31 March 1998 at 10 a.m. in Garland, preceded by a television announcement.
CESNUR also reports a separate interview with spokesperson Richard Liu on 31 January 1998. Liu described God and Chen as two distinct persons and allowed for the possibility that God might not appear. In that event, he expected a revised divine plan to be communicated through Chen. That contingency is Liu’s explanation.
This context is based on CESNUR’s reproduced quotation and interview account, with its requested credit to Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson.
Watch Page of Chen Tao: God’s Salvation Church · Hon-Ming Chen, God's Descending in Clouds (Flying Saucers) on Earth to Save People (1997), quoted by CESNUR
Source reuse and transcription
Brief quotation.
Community response to this revision: 0
Published revision history
2026-09-11T05:43:37+00:00
The CESNUR account reproduces three sentences from page 178. After the assurance displayed here, Chen says that people will meet a figure with his appearance; he then adds, “I guarantee this on my life.” The surrounding account connects the appearance with 31 March 1998 at 10 a.m. in Garland, preceded by a television announcement.
CESNUR also reports a separate interview with spokesperson Richard Liu on 31 January 1998. Liu described God and Chen as two distinct persons and allowed for the possibility that God might not appear. In that event, he expected a revised divine plan to be communicated through Chen. That contingency is Liu’s explanation, not an omitted qualification within the quoted book passage.
This context is based on CESNUR’s reproduced quotation and interview account, with its requested credit to Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson. The complete original page 178 has not been inspected.
2026-10-05T15:53:49+00:00
The CESNUR account reproduces three sentences from page 178. After the assurance displayed here, Chen says that people will meet a figure with his appearance; he then adds, “I guarantee this on my life.” The surrounding account connects the appearance with 31 March 1998 at 10 a.m. in Garland, preceded by a television announcement.
CESNUR also reports a separate interview with spokesperson Richard Liu on 31 January 1998. Liu described God and Chen as two distinct persons and allowed for the possibility that God might not appear. In that event, he expected a revised divine plan to be communicated through Chen. That contingency is Liu’s explanation.
This context is based on CESNUR’s reproduced quotation and interview account, with its requested credit to Rodney Perkins and Forrest Jackson.