Trust is something that must be earned with time. It must be awarded to people based on merit, and nothing else. Unfortunately, religious people are often easily fooled, for when when people cloak their intention under the guise of spiritual enlightenment, they can easily override our instinct to reluctantly grant it. The result can often be tragic.

In Gwinnet County, Georgia, the community is reeling from the harrowing details of the torture and death of a South Korean woman at the hands of a cult called the “Soldiers of Christ”. Following a tipoff from one of the cult members (now in custody), the body of Se Hee Cho was found in the trunk of her car. She was emaciated and starved to a paltry 70lbs, and her body had been burned in an effort to conceal her identity.

Details are still murky, but it appears that the matriarch of the family, Mihee Lee, had convinced the victim to immigrate to the United States. Se Hee thought she was joining a religious group on a mission, but their only goal was to extort her for money, beating and starving her in the process. After coercing her into wiring them thousands of dollars, the cult ultimately killed her, and tried to conceal their crime.

As the trial begins, I’m sure more horrifying details will emerge (and I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open for more information). One thing is for sure, though: so long as religion is granted their underserved status, and automatic trust, more tragedies of this kind will continue to occur.