BEATEN TO DEATH FOR GOD Kyung-A Ha, a Korean immigrant to the U.S., was brutally beaten to death over a six-hour period, while her attackers videotaped her death. Two attackers struck her at least 50 times each, until she lapsed into a coma and then died. Her body was then left in an apartment for authorities to find the morning of Sunday, March 12. What sort of gang would do such a thing? The leader of the gang -- oops, church -- which caused her death, Ms. Eun Park, age 30, described Ha's death as "a victory for Jesus Christ." The beating was part of an exorcism requested by her family. According to family members living in Georgia, Ha moved to the U.S. two months ago and immediately began "acting strangely." They therefore contacted Eun Park, leader of the Jesus-Amen Ministries, to arrange for an exorcism. When Park agreed, they sent Ha packing to the Bay Area of California for the cult's ritual. On March 4 they were informed by Park that "some demons had been cast out." But on March 8, Park called a prayer meeting to deal with more "demons" in Ha's body. Five members of the church to which Ha belonged have been arrested and charged with murder. Throughout the Middle Ages, beatings were commonly used in Christian countries to "drive out devils" from the mentally ill. The religious theory is that the supernatural entity will experience too much natural discomfort to remain in the body of the victim. Sources: UPI, 3/16/95