The
Children of God (COG), later known as the
Family of Love, the
Family, and now The
Family International (TFI), is a
cultCult may popularly refer to a religious group with relatively few adherents whose beliefs or practices are regarded by others as strange or sinister.The term "cult" was originally used to denote a system of ritual practices...
, started in 1968 in
Huntington BeachHuntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in southern California, United States. According to the 2000 census, the city population was 189,594...
,
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
,
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was an offshoot of the
Jesus movementThe Jesus movement was a movement in Christianity beginning on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s and spreading primarily through North America and Europe, before dying out by the early 1980s. It was the major Christian element within the hippie counterculture,...
of the late 1960s, with many of its early
convertsReligious conversion is the adoption of new religious beliefs that differ from the convert's previous beliefs. It involves a new religious identity, or a change from one religious identity to another. Conversion requires internalization of the new belief system...
drawn from the
hippie movementThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world. The word hippie derives from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury district...
. The Children of God was among the movements prompting the cult controversy of the 1970s and 1980s in the United States and Europe and triggered the first organized
anticultThe "anti-cult movement" is a term used by academics and others to refer to groups and individuals who oppose cults and new religious movements. Sociologists David G...
group
FREECOGFREECOG, or Free the Children of God, originally named The Parents' Committee to Free Our Children from the Children of God was founded in 1971. Scholars consider it the first Anti-cult movement group...
.
Overview
As TFI grew and expanded around the world, so did its message of
salvationIn religion, salvation is the concept that God or other Higher Power, as part of Divine Providence, "saves" humanity from spiritual death or eternal damnation by providing for them an eternal life...
,
apocalypticismApocalypticism is the religious belief that there will be an apocalypse, a term which originally referred to a revelation of God's will, but now usually refers to belief that the world will come to an end time very soon, even within one's own lifetime...
, and spiritual "revolution" against the outside world, which the members called "the System", as well as resultant controversy. In 1974, it began a method of
evangelismEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
called
Flirty FishingFlirty Fishing is the name of a form of evangelistic religious prostitution practiced from around 1974 to 1987 by female members in the new religious movement, the Children of God, now known as The Family International....
, using sex to show God's love and win converts. It was also a means of raising money, as many of the women worked as prostitutes. Flirty fishing has been compared to
religious prostitutionReligious prostitution, sacred prostitution, or temple prostitution is the practice of having sexual intercourse for a religious or sacred purpose...
. The practice was discontinued in 1987. TFI's founder and prophetic leader,
David BergDavid Brandt Berg , frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the Cult religious movement formerly called Children of God, now called "The Family International".-Early years :Berg was born to Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev...
, who called himself "Moses David," communicated with his followers via
Mo Letters—letters of instruction and counsel on a myriad of spiritual and practical subjects—until his death in late 1994. After his death, his widow
Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
became the leader of TFI.
The group's liberal sexuality and its publication and distribution of writings, photographs and videos advocating and documenting adult-child sexual contact and the sexualization of children led to numerous reports of
child sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of CSA include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual...
. A number of judicial and academic investigations in the 1990s found TFI to be a safe environment for children, yet such investigations have also highlighted troubles in its past. TFI leadership, admitting only that some children were abused from 1978 to 1986, created policies prohibiting excessive discipline or any sexual contact between adults and minors. Those found to have abused children after December 1988 are
excommunicatedExcommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
from TFI membership, but no attempt has been made by TFI members to recognize or reconcile the abuse that took place during the previous 20 years. TFI requires individuals who report child abuse to a law enforcement agency or pursue legal action against an alleged abuser to leave the group's
communal homesA commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become important for many communes...
and move to a lower-commitment membership status until the matter is resolved, after which they must reapply for their former membership status if they wish to return.
Media attention was renewed by the January 2005 suicide of
Ricky RodriguezRicky Rodriguez, aka Davidito was a former member of the Children of God , now known as The Family International , who committed a murder-suicide in 2005.-Childhood and sexual abuse:Rodriguez was born in Tenerife, one of the Canary...
(who had also left the group several years earlier) after he murdered a former member, shocking both current and former members.
Beliefs
Theologians have placed TFI's basic
theologyThe term "theology" literally means the study of God, deriving from the Greek word theos, meaning 'God', and the suffix -ology from the Greek word logos meaning "discourse", "theory", or "reasoning"...
within the historical Christian tradition, although they have numerous unorthodox beliefs. To some extent, they identify with fundamentalist Christianity, though their more radical beliefs and practices are generally regarded as non-traditional, even heretical, by many conservative and liberal Christians.
TFI teaches that the
BibleThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
is the inspired Word of God and sacred revelation. Group founder
David BergDavid Brandt Berg , frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the Cult religious movement formerly called Children of God, now called "The Family International".-Early years :Berg was born to Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev...
is regarded within the group as the most important
prophetIn religion, a prophet is a person who has been contacted by, or has encountered, the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other humans...
of the
end timesThe End Time, End Times, or End of Days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
. He is regarded as a prophet in that he passed on the message of God, not because he could predict the future. Though he frequently attempted to predict future events, he was for the most part inaccurate. The group believes Berg's spiritual "mantle" passed to his wife,
Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
, at his death. The officially published writings of both David Berg and Karen Zerby are regarded as part of the "Word of God" which carries the same weight as the Bible since they are considered divine revelations.
They believe that the
Great CommissionThe Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing mission work, evangelism, and baptism. It has been a primary...
of evangelizing the world is the duty of every Christian, and that their lives should be dedicated to the service of God and others. They have several levels of membership, and the most committed, called "Family Disciples," live
communallyA commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become important for many communes...
. They also encourage having children. While birth control was initially highly discouraged, the choice is currently left to the individual and is not uncommon in practice, though it is still officially regarded as indicative of a lack of trust in God's plan.
A central tenet to their theology is the "Law of Love," which, stated simply, claims that if a person's actions are motivated by unselfish, sacrificial love and are not intentionally hurtful to others, such actions are in accordance with Scripture and are, thus, lawful in the eyes of God. They believe that this tenet supersedes all other Biblical laws, except those forbidding male
homosexualityHomosexuality is the romantic or sexual attraction or behavior among members of the same sex, situationally or as an enduring disposition. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is considered to lie within the heterosexual-homosexual continuum of human sexuality, and refers to an individual’s...
, which they believe is
sinSin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. Commonly, the moral code of conduct is decreed by a divine entity, i.e...
. Female
bisexualityBisexuality is sexual behavior with or physical attraction to both sexes , or a bisexual orientation. People who have a bisexual orientation "can experience sexual, emotional, and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex"; "it also refers to an individual’s sense of...
is sanctioned, though female homosexuality at the complete exclusion of men is not permitted. They believe that God created
human sexualityHuman sexuality is how people experience the erotic and express themselves as sexual beings. Frequently driven by the desire for sexual pleasure, human sexuality has biological, physical and emotional aspects...
, that it is a natural, emotional, and physical need, and that heterosexual relations between consenting adults is a pure and natural wonder of God's creation, and permissible according to Scripture. Teenagers from the age of 16 are allowed to have sex with other members under age 21. Since 1986, sex between minors and adults is forbidden. Adult members may have sex with any other adult member of the opposite sex, and are encouraged to do so, regardless of marital status, as a way to foster unity and combat loneliness of those "in need". This is commonly called "sharing" or "sacrificial sex". While TFI policy states that members should not be pressured to have sex against their will, numerous former members have alleged being coerced to "share" and subsequently cast as selfish or unloving when they did not.
They believe that they are now living in the time period known in the Bible as the "
Last DaysLast Days may refer to:*The Day of the Lord, another term for Rapture in Christian theology*The End times, a time of tribulation that Christians believe will precede the Second Coming of Jesus*Yawm al-Qiyāmah in Islam...
" or the "Time of the End," which is the era immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ. Before that event, they believe that the world will be ruled for seven years by the
AntichristThe Antichrist, according to Christianity, is one who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ while resembling him in a deceptive manner. "Antichrist" is the English translation of the original Koine Greek ἀντίχριστος, pronounced än-tē'-khrē-stos. It is made up of two root...
, who will create a one-world government. At the half-way point in his rule he will become completely possessed by
SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
, precipitating a time of troubles known as the Great Tribulation which will bring intense
persecutionPersecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are sexual persecution i.e.; persecution of women, religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these...
of Christians as well as stupendous natural and unnatural disasters. At the end of this period, faithful Christians will be taken to heaven in an event known as the
RaptureThe Rapture is a future event in Christianity relating to the return of Jesus. The primary passage describing the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, in which Paul cites "the word of the Lord" about the return of Jesus to gather his saints...
that is shortly followed by a battle between Jesus and the Antichrist commonly known as the "Battle of
ArmageddonArmageddon is the site of an epic battle associated with the end time prophecies of the Abrahamic religions....
", in which the Antichrist is defeated. Then, they say, Jesus Christ will reign on Earth for 1000 years, a period they call the
MillenniumThis article covers all forms of Christian and non-Christian Millennialism. You may be looking for the specific articles on Christian Premillennialism, Amillennialism or Postmillenialism....
.
TFI's official summary statement of their beliefs can be found on their
website.
Recent teachings
TFI's recent teachings center around beliefs that they have termed the "new [spiritual] weapons." TFI members believe that they are soldiers in the
spiritual warSpiritual warfare is the concept that demons attempt to thwart Spiritual warfare is the concept that [[demon]]s attempt to thwart Spiritual warfare is the concept that [[demon]]s attempt to thwart [[Good and the [[will of God]]...
of
good versus evilThe conflict between good and evil is one of the precepts of the Zoroastrian faith, first enchrined by Zarathustra over 3000 years go. It is also one of the most common conventional themes in literature, and is sometimes considered to be a universal part of the human condition...
for the souls and hearts of men. Although some of the following beliefs are not new to TFI, they have assumed greater importance in recent years.
Prophecy
- In TFI jargon, the popular definition of prophecy
A prophecy is the message that has been communicated to a prophet which the prophet then communicates to others. In general, this message can involve divine inspiration, revelation, or interpretation. More specifically, it may be a professed psychic prediction. Confusion often exists between the...
—a prediction of the future—has been expanded to refer to any message received from the "spirit world" from Jesus, deceased founder David Berg, or another "spirit helper" (see below). A great emphasis has been placed on each member regularly using prophecy to guide their daily lives. Although prophecy, also referred to as channelingChanneling, or channelling, can refer to*Channelling , the process that constrains the path of a charged particle in a crystalline solid....
, has been a part of the movement from the beginning, it has assumed greater significance under Karen Zerby's leadership.
Spirit Helpers
- These include angel
Angels are spiritual beings found in many religious traditions. They are broadly viewed as messengers of God, sent to do God's tasks. Traditions vary as to the precise nature and role of these messages and tasks...
s, departed humans, and even famous mythical characters, for example the goddess AphroditeAphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty and raw sexuality. According to Greek poet Hesiod, she was born when Cronus cut off Ouranos's genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the aphros arose Aphrodite.Because of her beauty other gods feared that jealousy would interrupt the peace...
. Spirit helpers are sent to give instruction and to fight in the spiritual warfare taking place in the spiritual dimension that TFI members believe is coexistent with the physical world that surrounds them. These helpers are believed to relay divine messages through prophecy and are also engaged in combat with SatanSatan is an embodiment of antagonism that originates from the Abrahamic religions, being traditionally considered an angel in Judeo-Christian belief, and a Jinn in Islamic belief...
and his demons. TFI members believe that referring by name to spirit helpers when calling on their help, or demons when rebuking or cursing them, affords greater power to their prayers. As a result, TFI regularly publishes names of individual, as well groups of, spirit helpers and demons, linking them with their respective areas of power within the physical world.
The Keys of the Kingdom
- TFI believes that the keys referred to in the Biblical passage "and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" , have assumed greater significance today. As such, TFI members call on the various Keys of the Kingdom for supposed extra effect during prayer. These spiritual keys are also believed to power various spiritual
The term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
spacecraftA spacecraft is a craft or machine designed for spaceflight. On a sub-orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters space then returns to the Earth. For an orbital spaceflight, a spacecraft enters a closed orbit around the planetary body. Spacecraft used for human spaceflight carry people on board as...
(known as Key Craft), and can turn into spiritual swords for the purpose of fighting demons and other negative forces.
Loving Jesus
- This is a term that TFI members use to describe their intimate, sexual relationship with Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth —also known as Jesus Christ or occasionally Jesus the Christ—is the central figure of Christianity. Within most Christian denominations...
. TFI describes the "Loving Jesus" teachings as a radical form of bridal theologyWithin the Judeo-Christian tradition, bridal theology, also referred to as mystical marriage, concerns the relationship of the believer, or body of believers and God, drawing an analogy with the natural husband/wife relationship....
. It is their understanding of the Bible that the followers of Christ are his bride, called to love and serve him with the fervor of a wife. They take bridal theology further than mainstream Christians by encouraging members to imagine that Jesus is having sex with them during sexual intercourseSexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which the male reproductive organ enters the female reproductive tract. The two entities may be of opposite sexes or not, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
and masturbationMasturbation refers to sexual stimulation, especially of one's own genitals , often to the point of orgasm. The stimulation can be performed manually, by other types of bodily contact , by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods...
. Male members are encouraged to visualize themselves as women, in order to avoid a homosexual relationship with Jesus. Additionally, TFI publications frequently liken prophecy from Jesus to receiving Jesus' semen, or "golden seeds," as a result of oral or vaginal intercourse.
TFI continues to stress the imminent
Second Coming of ChristIn most Christian theologies, the Second Coming of Christ is the return of Jesus from Heaven to earth, an event expected to fulfill aspects of Biblical Messianic prophecy, such as the general resurrection of the dead, the Last Judgment of the dead and the living and the full establishment of the...
, preceded by the rise of a worldwide government led by the "
AntichristThe Antichrist, according to Christianity, is one who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ while resembling him in a deceptive manner. "Antichrist" is the English translation of the original Koine Greek ἀντίχριστος, pronounced än-tē'-khrē-stos. It is made up of two root...
." Doctrines regarding the "
end timesThe End Time, End Times, or End of Days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
" influence virtually all long-term decision making.
The Children of God (1968–1977)
Members of the Children of God founded
communesA commune is an intentional community of people living together, sharing common interests, property, possessions, resources, work and income. In addition to the communal economy, consensus decision-making, non-hierarchical structures and ecological living have become important for many communes...
, first called "colonies" but now referred to as "homes," in various cities. They would
proselytizeProselytizing is the act of attempting to convert people to another opinion and, particularly, another religion. The word proselytize is derived ultimately from the Greek language prefix 'πρός' and the verb 'έρχομαι' . Historically in the New Testament, the word proselyte denoted a person who...
in the streets and distribute pamphlets.
New converts memorized
scriptureScripture is that corpus of literature deemed authoritative for establishing doctrine within any of a number of specific religious traditions, especially the Abrahamic religions.Such bodies of writings are also sometimes known as the canon of scripture...
, took Bible classes, and were expected to emulate the lives of early Christians while rejecting mainstream denominational Christianity. In common with converts to some other religions, most incoming members adopted a new "Bible" name.
The founder of the movement was a former
Christian and Missionary AllianceThe Christian and Missionary Alliance is an Evangelical Protestant denomination within Christianity.Founded by Rev. Albert Benjamin Simpson in 1887, the Christian & Missionary Alliance did not start off as a denomination, but rather began as two distinct parachurch organizations: The Christian...
pastor,
David Brandt BergDavid Brandt Berg , frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the Cult religious movement formerly called Children of God, now called "The Family International".-Early years :Berg was born to Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev...
(1919–1994), also known within the group as Moses David, Mo, Father David, and Dad to adult group members, and eventually as Grandpa to the group's youngest members.
Berg communicated with his followers through more than 3,000 published letters written over 24 years, referred to as "Mo Letters" by members of the group. By January 1972, Berg introduced through his letters that he was God's prophet for this time, further establishing his spiritual authority within the group. Nonetheless, Berg freely acknowledged his failings and weaknesses.
By the end of 1972, COG members had distributed approximately 42 million Christian tracts, mostly on God's salvation and America's doom. Street distribution of Berg's Letters (called "litnessing") became the COG's predominant method of both outreach and support for the next five years.
The Children of God ended as an organizational entity in February 1978. Berg reorganized the movement amid reports of serious misconduct, financial mismanagement, and established leaders having abused their positions (and others having opposed
flirty fishingFlirty Fishing is the name of a form of evangelistic religious prostitution practiced from around 1974 to 1987 by female members in the new religious movement, the Children of God, now known as The Family International....
). He dismissed more than 300 of the movement's leaders and declared the general dissolution of the COG structure. This shift was known as the "Reorganization Nationalization Revolution" (RNR). A third of the total membership left the movement, and those who remained became part of the reorganized movement, dubbed the
Family of Love, and later
the Family. Most of the group's beliefs, however, remained the same.
The Family of Love (1978–1981)
The
Family of Love era was characterized by expansion into more countries. Regular proselytization methods included "door to door", distributing tracts and other gospel literature, and organized classes on various aspects of Christian life, with heavy use of TFI music.
In 1974, David Berg introduced a new proselytization method called
Flirty FishingFlirty Fishing is the name of a form of evangelistic religious prostitution practiced from around 1974 to 1987 by female members in the new religious movement, the Children of God, now known as The Family International....
(or FFing), which encouraged female members to show God's love by engaging in sexual activity with potential converts. Flirty Fishing was practiced by members of Berg's inner circle starting in 1973, and was later introduced to the general membership. By 1978, it was widely practiced by members of the group. In some areas, Flirty Fishers used escort agencies to meet people. According to TFI, as a result of Flirty Fishing,
"over 100,000 received God's gift of salvation through Jesus, and some chose to live the life of a disciple and missionaryA missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith; someone who proselytizes. The word "mission" is derived from the Latin missioninimus A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith;...
." According to data provided by TFI to researcher Bill Bainbridge, from 1974 until 1987, members had sexual contact with 223,989 people while practicing Flirty Fishing. Flirty Fishing also resulted in the births of many children, including Karen Zerby's son, Davidito (aka
Ricky RodriguezRicky Rodriguez, aka Davidito was a former member of the Children of God , now known as The Family International , who committed a murder-suicide in 2005.-Childhood and sexual abuse:Rodriguez was born in Tenerife, one of the Canary...
). Children born as result of Flirty Fishing were referred to as "Jesus Babies." By the end of 1981, more than 300 "Jesus Babies" had been born.
In an official statement on its origins, TFI partly describes the practice of Flirty Fishing as follows:
In his judgment of a child custody court case in England in 1994, after extensive research of COG publications and the testimony of numerous witnesses, Lord Justice Sir
Alan WardSir Alan Hylton Ward , styled The Rt Hon. Lord Justice Ward, is a judge in the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and a member of the Privy Council. He is married to leading London divorce solicitor, Helen Ward , a partner in Manches...
said the following about Flirty Fishing:
A judge in Italy came to a different conclusion in 1991, deciding that Flirty Fishing was not prostitution (see Tribunale Penale di Roma (Criminal Court of Rome), November 15, 1991, re: Berg and others, and in the archives of the Criminal Court of Rome (RG 3841/84)). The judge concluded that it was only in "the last months of 1977 Berg started counseling the members that it was permissible for proselyting reasons to offer sexual contacts and services to perspective [sic] members, the more so when the latter were potentially good financial contributors to the cult." Among the Children of God, the judge argued, Flirty Fishing was not understood as prostitution but "as a personal contribution to the humanitarian aims that the sect always claimed to pursue."
Flirty Fishing was officially abandoned in 1987 in favor of other
witnessingEvangelism is the practice of attempting to convert people to a religion. The term is used most often in reference to Christianity's religions, since they mandate that their followers make efforts to recruit as many people as possible into their faith...
methods and also to avoid contracting
HIVHuman immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid,...
. In 1987, new rules were introduced that banned, under penalty of
excommunicationExcommunication is a religious censure used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
, sexual contact with non-members. However, the new rules also stated that exceptions to the rule would be allowed in certain cases. For example, one publication stated: "All sex with outsiders is banned!--Unless they are already close and well-known friends!"
The Family (1982–1994)
By 1982, more TF members had moved to southern and eastern parts of the world. At the end of 1983, TF was reporting 10,000 fulltime members living in 1,642 TF homes. Additionally, TF's Music With Meaning radio club had by this time grown to almost 20,000 members. According to statistics by TF, at this time proselytization efforts were resulting in an average of 200,000 conversions to Christ and distribution of nearly 30 million pages of literature per month.
Berg's writings continued to contribute to suspicions about the movement's care of their children. Berg claimed to be challenging modern-day taboos about adult/child sexuality, and many believe that Berg ignored society's boundaries. At least six women, including both his daughters, his daughter-in-law and two of his granddaughters, have publicly alleged that Berg sexually abused them when they were children.
A childcare manual published by the group in January 1982 described the education, home life, and care of
Ricky RodriguezRicky Rodriguez, aka Davidito was a former member of the Children of God , now known as The Family International , who committed a murder-suicide in 2005.-Childhood and sexual abuse:Rodriguez was born in Tenerife, one of the Canary...
, the son of
Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
, known as
Davidito. The 762-page book, which was intended to be an example of child rearing, also included at least a dozen photographs depicting the child's governesses performing sexual acts upon the child, particularly Sara Kelley (also known as Sara Davidito or Prisca Kelley). The group later ordered this book to be heavily sanitized and, eventually, destroyed completely. In the late 1990s, it was reprinted in sanitized form. Some pages from the original edition have been posted online.
According to TFI's account, reports of sexual abuse began to filter to the top of the group's leadership in 1988 . This prompted Berg to renounce his ideas regarding adult/child sex, writing:
"We do not approve of sex with minors, and hereby renounce any writings of anyone in our Family which may seem to do so! We absolutely forbid it! — Berg, 12/88"
In March 1989, TF issued a statement which stated that, in "early 1985" an urgent memorandum was sent to all of its members
"reminding them that any such activities [adult-child sexual contact] are strictly forbidden within our group." (emphasis in original). In January 2005, Claire Borowik, spokesperson for TFI, issued a statement that said, "Due to the fact that our current zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual interaction between adults and underage minors was not clearly stated in our literature published before 1986, we came to the realization that during a transitional stage of our movement, from 1978 until 1986, there were cases when some minors were subject to sexually inappropriate advances... This was corrected officially in 1986, when any contact between an adult and minor (any person under 21 years of age) was declared an excommunicable offense."
In December 1988, TF implemented a policy that forbade adult-child sexual contact on penalty of excommunication (expulsion from the movement). This policy was not retroactive. Members who file charges or pursue other legal action against those excommunicated for child abuse are required to leave TF or move to a different membership status until the matter is resolved, explained in the June 2003 Charter amendments in the Rights of Children (pg. 22) and the Right of Redress (pg. 51) sections.
In the 1990s, numerous allegations of child sexual abuse were brought against TF around the world, in locations including
ArgentinaArgentina, officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America, constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires. It is the eighth largest country in the world by land area and the largest among Spanish-speaking nations, though Mexico,...
,
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
,
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
,
PeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
,
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
, the
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, the
USAThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and
VenezuelaVenezuela , officially titled Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It is a continental mainland with numerous islands located off its coastline in the Caribbean Sea...
. TFI leadership has maintained that they did not sanction or condone the sexual abuse of children, and that government-led investigations and court cases did not find evidence of abuse in the 750 children they examined. Some court documents can be found in the Court Cases section below.
Karen Zerby, writing in a 1995 internal publication titled "
An Answer to Him That Asketh Us", stated: "Because of the insight Dad [Berg] gave into the Scriptures which granted us a great deal of sexual freedom, without clearly stated explicit restrictions that prohibited all sexual activity between adults and minors, it resulted in actions that caused harm to some children. He must therefore bear responsibility for the harm. ... As the author of the Letters, he accepts the blame, but this doesn't mean that everyone else is completely blameless. Anyone who attempted to use the Law of Love to justify any unloving, selfish or hurtful behavior is responsible before God for it."
According to
Eileen BarkerEileen Vartan Barker OBE, born in Edinburgh, UK, is a professor in sociology, an emeritus member of the London School of Economics , and a consultant to that institution's Centre for the Study of Human Rights...
's book
An Introduction to New Religious Movements, the group has been acquitted of all charges of sexual abuse of children. Other researchers have concurred that there is no evidence of greater sexual activity amongst teenagers in TF than in society at large.
Transformation in the 1990s
In the early 1990s, TF members took advantage of the newly opened Eastern Europe (following the fall of
CommunismCommunism is a socioeconomic structure and political ideology that promotes the establishment of an egalitarian, classless, stateless society based on common ownership and control of the means of production and property in general. Karl Marx posited that communism would be the final stage in human...
) and expanded their evangelisation campaigns eastward, alongside many other religious groups. The production and dissemination of millions of pieces of Christian literature earned them the colloquial name "the poster people."
The early 1990s also saw the launch of what TF terms their "Consider the Poor" (CTP) ministries. Expanding their outreach beyond proselytization, members began providing material aid to the poor and disadvantaged. TF members became active in disaster relief efforts, the provision and distribution of humanitarian aid, musical benefit programs for refugees, visitation to hospitals, and similar activities.
The Family (1995–2003)
After Berg's death in October 1994,
Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
, known in the group as Mama Maria, Queen Maria, Maria David or Maria Fontaine, took over leadership of the group. She then married her longtime partner, Steven Douglas Kelly, an American known in the group as Peter Amsterdam or King Peter (legally changed his name to Christopher Smith). He became her traveling representative due to Zerby's
reclusiveA recluse is someone in isolation who hides away from the attention of the public, a person who lives in solitude, i.e. seclusion from intercourse with the world...
separation from most of her followers.
In February 1995, the group introduced the
Love Charter, which defined the rights and responsibilities of Charter members and Homes. The Charter also includes the "
Fundamental Family Rules", a summary of rules and guidelines from past TF publications which were still in effect with the enactment of the Charter.
The Charter established a new way of living within the organization, allowing members greater freedom to choose and follow their pursuits. The rights referred to in the Charter were what a member could expect to receive from the group and how members were to be treated by leadership and fellow members. The responsibilities referred to were what members were expected to give to the group if they wished to remain full-time members, including
tithingA tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax or levy, usually to support a religious organization. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes could be paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
ten percent of their income to World Services, giving three percent to the "Family Aid Fund," set up to support needy field situations, and one percent to regional "common pots", which are used for local projects, activities, and fellowships. The Charter also states that it or any part of it can be revoked at any time by World Services. The Charter, presently in its second edition, has been subsequently amended over the years according to changes within the group.
In a 1995 court case,
the Rt. Hon.The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...
Lord Justice
Alan WardSir Alan Hylton Ward , styled The Rt Hon. Lord Justice Ward, is a judge in the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and a member of the Privy Council. He is married to leading London divorce solicitor, Helen Ward , a partner in Manches...
decided that the group, including some of its top leadership, had engaged in abusive sexual practices involving minors and that they had also engaged in severe
corporal punishmentCorporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to change an undesirable attitude or behaviour...
and sequestration of minors. However, he concluded that TF had abandoned these practices and that they were a safe environment for children. Nevertheless, he did require that the group cease all corporal punishment of children in the United Kingdom and denounce any of Berg's writings that were "responsible for children in TF having been subjected to sexually inappropriate behaviour."
Also in 1995, Karen Zerby introduced a new doctrine teaching all members as young as 12, but more fully from the age of 14, that Jesus wished to engage in a sexual relationship with them. This doctrine is known as the "Loving Jesus revelation". TF publications describe practicing this doctrine as optional to retaining membership, but stress that greater blessings and spiritual rewards are reserved for those who perform it regularly.
The Family International (2004–present)
In 2004, the movement's name was changed to The Family International. However, TFI homes were told that they could retain their former names so long as they do not conceal their affiliation with TFI.
In 2004, there were major internal changes in the group. Internal publications spoke of arresting a general trend towards a less dedicated lifestyle, and the need for recommitment to the group's mission of fervent proselytization. In the second half of 2004, a six-month renewal period was held to help members refocus their priorities. Membership was reorganized and new levels of membership were introduced. Members now fall into the following categories: Family Disciples (FD), Missionary Members (MM), Fellow Members (FM), Active Members (AM), and General Members (GM).
The
Love Charter governs FDs, while the
Missionary Member Statutes and
Fellow Member Statutes were written for the governance of TFI's Missionary member and Fellow Member circles, respectively. FD homes are reviewed every six months against an annunciated set of criteria.
According to TFI statistics, at the beginning of 2005 there were 1,238 TFI homes and 10,202 members worldwide. Of those, 266 Homes and 4884 members were FD, 255 Homes and 1,769 members were MM, and 717 Homes and 3,549 members were FM. Statistics on AM and GM categories are currently unavailable.
Child abduction
Since the late 1970s, there have been reports of children of former members being abducted and moved to other countries to prevent their parents, law enforcement authorities and child welfare agencies from finding them. An investigation into the whereabouts of four missing children, whose mother, Ruth Frouman, was expelled from the group in July 1987, eight months after being diagnosed with
breast cancerBreast cancer is a cancer that starts in the breast, usually in the inner lining of the milk ducts or lobules. There are different types of breast cancer, with different stages , aggressiveness, and genetic makeup. With best treatment, 10-year disease-free survival varies from 98% to 10%...
, and not allowed to leave with her children, resulted in police raids on ten TFI homes in Buenos Aires, Argentina in September 1993. Two of her children were returned to their father in May 1993. The other two abducted children were not reunited with their father and their other relatives until mid-1997.
Although official TFI spokespersons have rarely made any public statements about specific
child abductionChild abduction is the abduction or kidnapping of a child by an older person.Several distinct forms of child abduction exist:* A parent removes or retains a child from the other parent's care ....
cases involving its members, members of TFI claim that there is some evidence that the TFI's policies and practices regarding child abduction and child custody began to change in the mid-1990s. In February 1995, several months after the death of its founder, TFI introduced to its members a rule book known as the
Love Charter or the
Charter of Rights and Responsibilities. Section 60,
Permanent Marital Separation Rules, states that couples with children must come to a mutual written agreement regarding the separation and the custody of the children and that obtaining a legal divorce and child custody order is optional. This policy stated that it only applied to marital separations after February 1995. The June 2003 amendments state that if the parties involved cannot reach a mutual agreement and "opt to use the court system to settle the matter," they must "relinquish Charter membership until the matter is settled."
At least one TFI member, Peter Bevan Riddell, is known to have been convicted of crimes relating to child abduction. In 1984, the Australian government canceled Riddell's passport and he was deported from Japan to Australia, where he was convicted of committing forgery and making false statements to facilitate unlawful abduction. He later returned to Japan, where he continued working on behalf of David Berg and Karen Zerby in World Services. Another TFI member, Brian Edward Pickus, has been wanted for decades on an Interpol warrant issued by the United States and the state of Hawaii for kidnapping, burglary and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The second generation
Second-generation adults, adults who were born and/or raised in TFI, are known in the group as "SGAs" and have assumed many if not the majority of leadership positions in the organization. This includes chairmanships of international, regional, and national boards.
However, as with other high-commitment religious groups, many second-generation members have left to pursue secular careers or higher education, and raise their children in a drastically different environment than the one they were raised in. There is a great deal of anti-TFI sentiment amongst some of those who have left like Celeste Jones, Kristina Jones, and Julianna Buhring, including threats to legally pursue alleged physical and sexual abusers, who, some allege, have been shielded from prosecution by the group's leadership. TFI has claimed that
anecdotal evidenceThe expression anecdotal evidence has two distinct meanings. Evidence in the form of an anecdote or hearsay is called anecdotal if there is doubt about its veracity; the evidence itself is considered untrustworthy....
suggests most former second-generation members have chosen to remain publicly silent about their experiences in the group, and that this public silence suggests they have cordial relations with those still in it.
Many of these former
Missionary KidsMissionary Kids are the children of missionary parents, and thus most were born and/or raised abroad...
have returned to the country of their citizenship and have, thus, become Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Many have also kept in communication with each other. A notable example of this is their use of the site MovingOn.org, established by a former second-generation member in 2001(closed down as of February 1, 2009).
Many who have remained in the group have been vocal in their defense of TFI's lifestyle, for example at MyConclusion.com, a site established by second-generation members of TFI shortly after the January 2005 murder-suicide of Rick Rodriguez and Angela Smith.
Members of TFI are encouraged to maintain friendly relations with relatives who have left. However, they are also discouraged from associating with relatives that are considered enemies of TFI, and have in the past frequently appeared on television programs around the world to denounce their children and siblings who spoke against the group.
There are many former second generation members that have reported crimes to law enforcement agencies, testified against the group in court cases involving its members, and publicly expressed negative opinions about the group's members and practices. TFI uses the sociological/religious term apostates to describe these former members and has argued that their testimony is unreliable and less credible than that of current members. TFI has also argued that second generation members who alleged they were abused in the group are mentally unstable,
demonically possessedDemonic possession is often the term used to describe the control over a human form by a demon. Descriptions of demonic possessions often include: erased memories or personalities, convulsions, “fits” and fainting as if one were dying...
, or highly paid by the anti-cult movement to lie about TFI. Some second generation former members resent the apostate label, as most of them did not make the choice to join the group, and thus feel they cannot rightly be called apostates.
Secrecy
TFI members are expected to respect the legal and civil authorities of countries in which they live, and members have typically cooperated with appointed authorities, even during police and social service raids of their communities in the early 1990s. However, a controversial belief that is still taught and practiced by members of the group maintains that it is right to lie to non-members (or "unbelievers") in order to protect God's work. This belief is commonly referred to as "deceivers yet true".
A consistent trait throughout the history of TFI has been their aversion to government oversight and extreme secrecy surrounding leadership and finances. World Services (WS), the central administrative wing of TFI, continues to operate in seclusion, with very few members of TFI knowing their whereabouts.
It is not uncommon for senior leaders to legally change their names. There have been allegations that members of TFI, including senior leaders, have used forged or fraudulently obtained passports and other identity documents from Australia, Canada, the United States and other countries. Senior leadership typically still attempt to keep their legal names from common circulation, although this has become more difficult through the second half of the 1990s, due to legal action in many countries. In particular, a major court case in England brought to light many formerly guarded names of senior members.
In TFI's publications, printed photographs of WS members were typically censored by means of a rudimentary pencil drawing over the person's face. It was not uncommon in TFI-produced art for Berg's head to be replaced with that of a lion.
Following the death of David Berg in 1994, members of TF and the public were finally allowed to see up-to-date photographs of the organization's late founder. For many members, this was the first time they had seen a photograph of his face. In recent years, Steven Kelly has carried pictures of Karen Zerby with him on travels to show members, since most had never seen a picture of their spiritual leader prior to this. Although, by now, most of the group's members have seen photographs or video footage of Karen Zerby and Steven Kelly, their identities and location are still heavily guarded by members working closest to them. Recent photographs or video footage of Karen Zerby, Steven Kelly, and most WS members were not readily available even to full-time members of TFI until March 2005, when several recent photographs were leaked online. This marked the first time that recent photographs of Karen Zerby were made available to the public in nearly 30 years.
Finances
TFI finances are based on a system of
tithingA tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a voluntary contribution or as a tax or levy, usually to support a religious organization. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes could be paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
. Ten percent of all members' income is required to be donated to World Services. A further three percent is donated to regional offices for locally administered projects and a community lending program, and an additional one percent is given for regional literature publishing. Supplementary giving to TFI offices and leadership, beyond the typical 14% of income, is encouraged, and fairly common in practice.
Income to the group's members is primarily through individual donations which are solicited by the group with the understanding that the money will be used to help local charities. The percentage of donations used for local charities is not specifically tracked or published by the group. Additional sources of income are from selling products such as children's videos and music sold under a variety of names such as the Treasure Attic and Kiddy Viddy series. Posters have also been sold on the street for donations.
A study of how TFI channels funds around the world is interesting from a sociological angle since it depends largely on trust of carefully placed, non-senior members who typically manage bank accounts that contain organization funds in their own names. Despite this, very little graft has been experienced, and notable cases have involved insubstantial amounts of money.
Organization literature includes many discussions of impending global financial doom. As a result, TFI has gone to considerable lengths to avoid investments and actions that it deems unstable in the event of a financial crash. Typically, reserves are stored in Japanese yen, Swiss francs, or gold. TFI has consistently avoided property investments and stocks or bonds, believing them to be contrary to the scriptural requirements for Christian discipleship and their
end timeThe End Time, End Times, or End of Days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
beliefs.
Accusation of being a cult
The group has regularly been heavily criticized by the press and the
anti-cult movementThe "anti-cult movement" is a term used by academics and others to refer to groups and individuals who oppose cults and new religious movements. Sociologists David G...
. In 1971, an organization called
FREECOGFREECOG, or Free the Children of God, originally named The Parents' Committee to Free Our Children from the Children of God was founded in 1971. Scholars consider it the first Anti-cult movement group...
was founded by concerned family members of followers, including
deprogrammerDeprogramming refers to actions that attempt to force a person to abandon allegiance to a religious, political, economic, or social group. Methods and practices typically involve violent kidnapping and coercion...
Ted PatrickTheodore Roosevelt Patrick, Jr. is widely considered to be the "father of deprogramming." Some criminal proceedings against Patrick have resulted in felony convictions for kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.-Early life:...
, to "free" them from their involvement in the group.
Frequently, critics of the movement cite the writings of David Berg, as well as incidents of alleged criminal behavior by individuals. TFI members, meanwhile, argue that the entirety of Berg's writings do not reflect the organization's fundamental beliefs (contained in the "Statement of Faith") or policies (contained in the Love Charter, published in 1995). Likewise, they reject the concept of the entire group being blamed for the wrongdoing of individuals, even when involving members at the highest levels of leadership.
The controversy over the movement has generated strong feelings in both current and former members. An example of the contrasting interpretations of TFI life can be seen in the accounts of second generation members: former members at
MovingOn.org and (mostly) current members at MyConclusion.com.
Plagiarized art
TFI member Jan McRae (known as Tamar) was exposed in 2003 for plagiarizing artwork which was then printed in TFI publications. A Flash animation slide show demonstrates the similarities between the work of many artists, and subsequent works by McRae. Artists compared include
Chris AchilleosChris Achilleos is a painter and illustrator who specializes in fantasy artwork and glamour illustration. Born in Famagusta, Cyprus, his family emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1959, where he currently resides....
,
Julie BellJulie Bell is an American painter. A fantasy artist, she is a former bodybuilder and fantasy model for her husband, painter Boris Vallejo.-Artwork:...
,
Clyde CaldwellClyde Caldwell is an American artist. Self described as a Fantasy Illustrator, he best known for his portrayal of strong, sexy female characters.-Early life:...
,
Larry ElmoreLarry Elmore is an American fantasy artist, known for his work for Dungeons & Dragons, Dragonlance, and for his comic series SnarfQuest.-Biography:...
, A. Andrew Gonzalez,
Rowena MorrillRowena A. Morrill is well known in the world of science-fiction and fantasy illustration. During a career that has spanned over 20 years, her paintings have appeared on hundreds of book covers, on calendars, portfolios, trading cards and in magazines such as Playboy and Omni.Books of her own work...
, Alphonse Mucha,
Keith ParkinsonKeith Parkinson was an American fantasy artist and illustrator known for book cover and game artwork for games such as Everquest, Magic: The Gathering and Vanguard: Saga of Heroes.-Early life:...
,
Luis RoyoLuis Royo is a Spanish artist, known for his darkly sensual paintings of women and mechanical life forms. He has also recently started doing sculptures of some of his earlier art....
,
Boris VallejoBoris Vallejo is a Peruvian-born American painter. He emigrated to the United States in 1964, and he currently resides in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He frequently works with Julie Bell, his wife, painter and model....
,
Jim WarrenJim Warren is a U.S. artist known for audio album and book cover artwork.He has worked in surrealistic fantasy since about 1969. A self-taught artist, Jim uses traditional oil paint and brushes on stretched canvas....
,
Michael WhelanMichael Whelan is an American artist of imaginative realism, formerly working for over 30 years as an illustrator specializing in science fiction and fantasy before devoting all his work to a fine art career....
and unidentified artists. In many cases, her drawings were near-exact copies of the original works. McRae never credited any of the original artists.
The plagiarism is substantially relevant to the group's spiritual beliefs. Among members of the cult, "spirit helpers" and
demonIn religion, folklore, and mythology a demon is a supernatural being that is generally described as a malevolent spirit. In Christian terms demons are generally understood as fallen angels, formerly of God. A demon is frequently depicted as a force that may be conjured and insecurely controlled...
s are believed to be real, conscious entities. McRae had claimed that Jesus Christ and various benevolent spiritual beings had provided her with inspiration and "spiritual visions" to help her create accurate depictions of these entities. She also claimed that at times, Jesus had taken control of her hand in order to draw "for" her. However, many of McRae's descriptions and depictions of the entities had been based on the plagiarized artwork, down to minute details.
After the slide show was released,
Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
and McRae acknowledged that McRae had copied the work of others, and McRae admitted wrongdoing.
Programs, projects, and productions
TFI has numerous programs, local foundations, and projects through which it operates around the world. The largest of these are the "Family Care Foundation" (FCF), "Aurora Production AG", and "Activated Ministries". The lattermost of these is a
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
-based nonprofit organization which conducts
missionaryA missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith; someone who proselytizes. The word "mission" is derived from the Latin missioninimus A missionary is a member of a religion who works to convert those who do not share the missionary's faith;...
work.
Leadership and management
The leadership of TFI is headed by:
- Karen Elva Zerby
- Spiritual leader of TFI
- American
- Legally changed her name to Katherine Rianna Smith, 4 November 1997
- Aliases:
- Karen Elva Zerby
- Katherine Rianna Smith
- Maria David
- Maria Berg
- Maria Fontaine
- Mama Maria
- Queen Maria
- Steven Douglas Kelly
- Head leader of TFI
- American
- Legally changed his name to Christopher Smith
- Aliases:
- Steven Douglas Kelly
- Christopher Smith
- Peter Amsterdam
- King Peter
Under them, management is divided into
World Services,
Creations, and
Family Care Foundation. Each region is managed by a team of Continental Officers (COs), each team typically having five to seven members. The management structures beneath the CO team are more variable and their members are changed frequently.
Statistics
According to the Children of God, there were 130
communesAn intentional community is a planned residential community designed to have a much higher degree of teamwork than other communities. The members of an intentional community typically hold a common social, political, religious, or spiritual vision and are often part of the alternative society. They...
or "colonies" in 15 countries in 1972. In 1993, 7,000 of the 10,000 members were under 18 years of age. Recent statistics by TFI puts full-time and fellow members at just over 11,200 in over 100 countries (around 4,000 adult full-time members and 4,000 children). Some estimates have placed the total number of people that have passed through the group at 35,000.
Notable members (past and present)
- Jeremy Spencer
Jeremy Spencer , is a British musician, best known as one of the first guitarists in Fleetwood Mac.Spencer was born in Hartlepool, County Durham. He grew up in South London and was educated at Strand School, where he became known for hilarious impressions of the headmaster and several of his...
, renowned bluesBlues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
slide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide is in reference to the sliding motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides, which were the necks of glass bottles...
ist and a founding member of Fleetwood MacFleetwood Mac are a British/American rock band formed in 1967 in London, England.The only member present in the band from the very beginning is its namesake drummer Mick Fleetwood...
(of which he was a member until 1971), and a current member of TFI since 1971.
Raised in COG as children
- Celeste Jones, author of Not Without My Sister
Not Without My Sister is a 2007 book written by sisters, Juliana Buhring, Celeste Jones, and Kristina Jones. The book details their life, and eventual escape, from the Children of God cult.-External links:...
, an autobiography detailing the extensive abuse she suffered in COG. This book is used by the organization RAINNThe Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network , is the largest anti-sexual assault organization in the United States of America. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims, and to ensure that rapists are brought to justice.RAINN...
as a reference for child sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent abuses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of CSA include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure of the genitals to a child, displaying pornography to a child, actual sexual...
victims.
- Tina Dupuy, an investigative journalist, stand-up comic, and humorist, was born in the group and left when she was young.
- Christy Gibson
Christy Gibson is a Dutch singer of mor lam and luk thung prayuk, which are traditional styles of music in Thailand.-Biography:Gibson's family moved to Thailand when she was six years old. They lived in Korat, and then Bangkok...
and Jonas Anderson, famous primarily in Thailand as singers in the mor lamMo lam or 'Mor lam' is a traditional Lao form of song in Laos and Isan.Mor lam means expert song, or expert singer, referring to the music or artist respectively. Other romanisations used include mo lam, maw lam, maw lum, moh lam and mhor lum...
and luk thung prayukLuk Thung refers to the most popular form of a style of music found in Thailand. The term is short for pleng luk thung ....
styles.
- Susan Cagle
Susan Cagle is a singer-songwriter, known best for her self-recorded album, The Subway Recordings.The second-oldest of ten children, Cagle started performing in public stations in New York City, including Union Square, Grand Central Terminal and subway stations in Times Square...
, a pop-rock singer-songwriter signed to Columbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label founded in 1888.Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound, being the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. Columbia Records went on to release records by an array of notable singers,...
, left the group as a teen.
- JYNXT
JYNXT are an alternative rock band from London, England.JYNXT was founded in 1999 by Koa and Nathaniel Spencer. They were later joined by their half-sister, Tally. Their style is a fusion of rock/metal and drum n' bass themes...
, a musical group formed by three of Jeremy Spencer's children.
- Rose McGowan
Rose Arianna McGowan is an American actress known for her role as Paige Matthews in WB Network supernatural drama series Charmed, as well as for her roles in several major Hollywood films including The Doom Generation, Scream, Jawbreaker, and Grindhouse...
, an actress, described her childhood in the group in interviews with Howard SternHoward Allan Stern is an American radio and media personality most notable for his radio show which since January 9, 2006, has been broadcasting on Sirius XM, an uncensored satellite radio service...
and InterviewInterview is a magazine founded by artist Andy Warhol and Gerard Malanga in 1969. Dedicated to the cult of celebrity which fascinated Warhol, it featured cutting-edge graphics and interviews of celebrities. These interviews were usually unedited or edited in the eccentric fashion of Warhol's books...
magazine.
- Christopher Owens
Girls is an indie rock band from San Francisco, California. The band's lead singer, Christopher Owens, is a former member of the Children of God cult.The New York Times compared the band's sound to Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly, and the Beach Boys....
, lead singer of the indie rock band GirlsGirls is an indie rock band from San Francisco, California. The band's lead singer, Christopher Owens, is a former member of the Children of God cult.The New York Times compared the band's sound to Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly, and the Beach Boys....
. Left as a child.
- Actors River Phoenix
River Jude Phoenix was an American film actor. He was listed on John Willis's Screen World, Vol. 38 as one of twelve "promising new actors of 1986," and was hailed as highly talented by such critics as Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. He was also well known for his animal rights activism...
, Joaquin PhoenixJoaquin Rafael Phoenix, , , formerly credited as Leaf Phoenix, is a film actor, musician, and occasional rapper. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he lived for the first 4 years of his childhood. His family then moved to the continental United States, where he was raised...
, Rain PhoenixRain Phoenix is an American actress, musician, and singer. Phoenix has four siblings: two brothers, actors Joaquin and the late River Phoenix, and two sisters, Summer and Liberty.-Early life:...
, and Summer PhoenixSummer Joy Phoenix is an American actress and model. She is the youngest sibling of the late River Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Joaquin Phoenix, and Liberty Phoenix, and is married to Casey Affleck.-Career:...
, as well as sister Liberty Phoenix, were members of the cult from 1972–1978. River Phoenix, who died of a drug overdose in 1993, told DetailsDetails is an American monthly men's magazine published by Condé Nast Publications. The title has founded in 1982. Alan Patricof bought the magazine in 1987. Condé Nast bought the magazine a year later for $2 million. Its current format stems from an October 2000 relaunch of the title, following a...
magazine in November 1991 that "they're ruining people's lives".
- Ricky Rodriguez
Ricky Rodriguez, aka Davidito was a former member of the Children of God , now known as The Family International , who committed a murder-suicide in 2005.-Childhood and sexual abuse:Rodriguez was born in Tenerife, one of the Canary...
, subject of the suppressed manual advocating adult-child sexual contact, committed a murder-suicideA murder-suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons immediately before killing him or herself.-Combinations:The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
, killing himself and one of the women who raised and allegedly sexually abused him.
Media featuring the group
- Children of God: Lost and Found — 75-minute documentary by Noah Thomson, featured at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival
The 2007 Slamdance Film Festival took place in Park City, Utah from January 18 to January 27, 2007. It was the 13th iteration of the Slamdance Film Festival, an alternative to the more mainstream Sundance Film Festival...
- Slamdance, IMDB
- A 15th-season episode of "Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, which premiered on NBC on September 13, 1990. Created by Dick Wolf, the series is set in New York City, and follows the professional lives of several police officers and prosecutors who represent the public interest in...
", titled "Sects" (originally broadcast March 30, 2005), featured a group that was reminiscent of the Children of God, with an abusive female cult leader ("Mrs. Shelby," based on Children of God leader Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
and played by Deborah Hedwall). The episode also featured an adult child of hers who commits murder, based on the Ricky Rodriguez incident.
See also
- Groups referred to as cults in government reports
- Opposition to cults and new religious movements
Opposition to cults and to new religious movements comes from several sources with diverse concerns. Some members of the opposition have associations with cult-watching groups which collect and publish critical information about one or multiple groups they consider cults...
- Panton Hill, Victoria
Panton Hill is a town in Victoria, Australia, 32 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the Shire of Nillumbik...
is a location of one of the communes, where a large government raid took place, and many children were removed by social services
- Religious prostitution
Religious prostitution, sacred prostitution, or temple prostitution is the practice of having sexual intercourse for a religious or sacred purpose...
is a term which may describe Flirty Fishing
- Love bombing
Love bombing is the deliberate show of affection or friendship by an individual or a group of people toward another individual. Critics have asserted that this action may be motivated in part by the desire to recruit, convert or otherwise influence....
describes a manipulative recruitment style
- Comet Kohoutek
Comet Kohoutek, formally designated C/1973 E1, 1973 XII, and 1973f, was first sighted on March 7, 1973 by Czech astronomer Luboš Kohoutek. It attained perihelion on December 28 that same year....
was viewed by David Berg to be a prophetic sign of imminent disaster
- Unfulfilled religious prophecies
This page attempts to list time-specific historical predictions by claimed prophets or leaders within various churches whose predictions failed to happen. Biblical prophecy is not included, and is dealt with in separate articles...
describes Berg's prophecy related to the comet
- Jeremy Spencer and the Children
Jeremy Spencer and the Children is an album by British blues rock musician Jeremy Spencer, who was a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1967-71. Released in 1972, this is his second solo album although it was credited to "Jeremy Spencer and the Children", referring to his band made up of members of the...
is an album recorded by Jeremy Spencer early in his involvement with the group
- Flee
Flee is an album by British blues rock musician Jeremy Spencer, who was a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1967-71, and "The Jeremy Spencer Band" , with particularly strong input from Michael Fogarty...
is a later album by Spencer
- Jim Palosaari
James "Jim" Michael Palosaari was an evangelist and one of the leaders in the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and 1970s. Jim was a first generation Finn whose father emigrated through Ellis Island, N.Y., born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
co-formed the Jesus People Army, but left before the group joined the Children of God, and tried to convince Linda Meissner to not join.
- RISE International C.I.C.
This article is about the UK non-profit organization. For the US charity operating in Angola, see RISE International.RISE International C.I.C. is a UK community interest company founded in June 2007 to protect children from abuse in cults,, support those who seek justice for crimes committed...
is a UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
non-profit organizationA nonprofit organization is an organization that does not distribute its surplus funds to owners or shareholders, but instead uses them to help pursue its goals . Examples of NPOs include charities , trade unions, and public arts organizations...
whose executive directors include 5 former second-generation members of the Children of God.
Academic
- Chancellor, James (2000). "Life in The Family: An Oral History of the Children of God". University of Syracuse Press, Syracuse, NY.
- Bainbridge, William Sims (2002). "The Endtime Family: Children of God". State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-5264-6.
- Bainbridge, William Sims (1996). "The Sociology of Religious Movements". Routledge. ISBN 0-415-91202-4.
- Barker, Eileen. (1989). "New Religious Movements, A Practical Introduction". Her Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 0-11-340927-3.
- Barrett, DV (1996). "Sects, Cults and Alternative Religions". Blandford A. Cassell. ISBN 0-7137-2567-2.
- Boeri, Miriam Williams (2002). "Women After the Utopia: The Gendered Lives of Former Cult Members". Journal of Contemporary Ethnography 31(3), 323–360.
- Kent, Stephen A. (1994). "Lustful prophet: A psychosexual historical study of the children of god's leader, David Berg." Cultic Studies Journal 11 (2), 135–188.
- Kent, Stephen A. (1994). "Misattribution and social control in the Children of God." Journal of Religion and Health 33 (1), 29–43.
- Kent, Stephen A. (2000). "Brainwashing and re-indoctrination programs in the Children of God/The Family." Cultic Studies Journal 17, 56–78.
- Lewis, James R, and Melton, J. Gordon (eds). (1994). Sex, Slander, and Salvation: Investigating The Family/Children of God. Center for Academic Press, Stanford, CA.
- Lynch, Dalva, and Paul Carden (1990). "Inside the 'Heavenly Elite': The Children of God Today.". Christian Research Journal, pp 16.
- McFarland, Robert (1994). "The Children of God." The Journal of Psychohistory 4(21).
- Melton, J. Gordon (2004). The Children of God, "The Family" (Studies in Contemporary Religion vol. 7). Signature Books. ISBN 1-56085-180-5.
- Melton, J. Gordon and Robert L. Moore (1982). "The Cult Experience: Responding to the New Religious Pluralism". The Pilgrim Press, New York, USA.
- Palmer, Susan J. (1994). "Heaven's Children: The Children of God's Second Generation" in Sex, Slander, and Salvation, op. cit.
- Palmer, Susan J., and Charlotte Hardman eds. (1999). Children in New Religions (3rd ed.). Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-2620-5.
- Shepherd, Gary, and Lawrence Lilliston (1994). "Field Observations of Young People's Experience and Role in The Family" in Sex, Slander, and Salvation, op. cit.
- Shepherd, Gary, and Shepherd, Gordon (August 2005). "Accommodation and Reformation in The Family/Children of God", Nova Religio (Journal of the University of California)
- Shepherd, Gary and Shepherd, Gordon (Spring 2000)."The Moral Career of a New Religious Movement" The Oakland Journal.
- Wilson, Bryan and Jamie Cresswell, eds. (1999). "New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response". Routledge, London, UK.
- Wright, Stuart (1987). "Leaving Cults: The Dynamics of Defection". Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Washington, D.C., USA. ISBN 0-932566-06-5 (Contains interviews with ex-members of three groups, among others the Children of God)
- Van Zandt, David (1991). "Living in the Children of God". Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey.
- Young, Shawn David, Hippies, Jesus Freaks, and Music (Ann Arbor: Xanedu/Copley Original Works, 2005). ISBN 1-59399-201-7.
Journalistic and popular
- Category:Press - An archive of press coverage (hosted by xfamily.org)
- Television Coverage - An archive of television coverage (hosted by xfamily.org)
- Davis, Deborah (1984). "The Children of God: The Inside Story". Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-27840-6. (Davis is one of David Berg's daughters)
- Rivenburg, Roy (1993), "A True Conversion?" Los Angeles Times, March 21, 1993, p. E-1
- McManus, Una (1980). "Not for a Million Dollars". Impact Books. ISBN 0-914850-54-7.
- Williams, Miriam (1999). "Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years As a Sacred Prostitute in the Children of God Cult". Quill. ISBN 0-688-17012-9.
- "30 Members of Children of God arrested" (September 2, 1993). Washington Post, pp. A05
- "The Family" and Final Harvest" (June 2, 1993). Washington Post, pp. A01
- Goodstein, Laurie (2005), Murder and Suicide Reviving Claims of Child Abuse in Cult, New York Times, January 15, 2005, pg. A-1
- Ajemian, Sam (2005). "The Children of God Cult, aka The Family". ISBN 0-9774519-0-9.
- Lattin, Don (2007). "Jesus Freaks: A True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge". HarperOne. ISBN 0-06-111804-4.
Court cases
- Final Report on the Activities of the Children of God to Hon. Louis J. Lefkowitz, Attorney General of the State of New York — 1974-09-30
- A review of judicial findings on TFI by TFI.
- Krounapple v. Children of God, David Brandt Berg, et al. 77CV-11-4706. Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County, Ohio, USA. 21 June, 1979
- Judgment of the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Ward - 1995 judgment resulting from major custody case in the UK involving TFI.
- Cult Justice - France
- Brian Edward Pickus - Argentina Extradition Case — Court records and other information about the legal proceedings for the extradition of TFI member Brian Pickus from Argentina to the United States for the crimes of kidnapping, burglary and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
- Case 81/89 Cavazza, Juan C. and others, on Inf. Art.125, 139, 140, 142, Par.l, 142 bis, 210, 293 of the Code of Proceedings and art.3 of Law 23,592. Federal Court of San Isidro, 1 Sec.2 Office II, Reg. 443. Buenos Aires, Argentina — Court documents and other information related to legal proceedings in Argentina against 21 TFI members.
- Tribunal de Menores de Merecdes - Causa 32.202 - Court documents and other information relating to a complaint filed in Argentina on behalf of two U.S. citizens seeking the return of their four abducted children.
- Antecedentes de la Causa NDD en Argentina- Causa 32.202- menores Frouman E. y otros s/ Inf. Art. 10- Ley 10.067 by Hugo Gabutti. — review of the Frouman case and related legal action against the Children of God in Argentina by a former police detective assigned to investigate the organization and find abducted children. In Spanish.
- Richard Peyer vs Family of Love et al. 1CC00-0-063603 — Records of a civil suit against the Family of Love and other parties by a mother whose children were abducted in September 1980 and a man who was assaulted during the abduction. – Circuit Court (O`AHU - First Judicial Circuit), Honolulu, Hawaii. — 1980-11-26
- Candy Ann Pickus et al. vs Phyllis Gotwalt et al. - 1CC00-0-072110 — Records of a civil suit against Phyllis Gotwalt, Brian Pickus and others allegedly responsible for the abduction of the Pickus children. – Circuit Court (O`AHU - First Judicial Circuit), Honolulu, Hawaii. — 1980-11-26
- The Children of God/The Family Court Cases in Argentina, 1987–1995: A Documentary History
- The Children of God/The Family Court Cases in France, 1991–2000
External links
Official
Other
- xFamily - Wiki detailing TFI; includes large collections of multimedia, press coverage, and internal TFI publications.
- xFamily PubsDB - a near complete database of all writings by David Berg
David Brandt Berg , frequently known by the pseudonym Moses David, was the founder and leader of the Cult religious movement formerly called Children of God, now called "The Family International".-Early years :Berg was born to Hjalmer Emmanuel Berg and Rev...
and Karen ZerbyKaren Elva Zerby is the current leader of the group formerly called the Children of God, a new religious movement. The group is now called The Family International...
.
Sites by current members
- Deep Truths - Site about David Berg's writings, by a current member of TFI.
- My Conclusion - In defense of TFI, by current second-generation members.
Sites by former members
- ExFamily.org - Includes documentation, message boards, and an archive of over 4000 internal Family publications.
- MovingOn (archived) - Community site for people born into the group who left as teens or adults (closed 2/1/2009).
- Make Straight Paths - Site by former TFI members, comparing TFI doctrine with the Bible
- New Day News - Site for former TFI members, with message boards and photo collections.
- My Thoughts - Blog by Valerie Jones.