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College of Southern Idaho Library COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN IDAHO LIBRARY CHILDREN OF GOD Reprints published by The American Family Foundation P.O. Box 336 Weston, Mass. 02193 1986 fl UUII3IIOJ pi CtlU HI g Even prostitution can attract converts to cults by Kdihy Mehler. • . •' . Love describes how David Berg >'5ts scripture lows her evangelical calling. "If you don't knov and Christianity Into a cult that usr* prostitu- how to let these girys know that you neet ' InierVarsify Press publishes racks-full of tion as a form of winning convnts to the money, you ought to get out of the FF-lm. seemingly insignificant books on ChrisUanily Family. business! It's nice to win souls, but It's got t aiid what can be termed Christian culls. De- Berg's <|roup started as Teens for Christ, pay for Itself," Berg writes. spite their sue and price, these books make was dubbed Children of Cod in 1969 and later Another cult that uses the Bible to som valuable and interesting reading. became Family of Love in 1978. Berg also degree for its religious foundation was siarte> John Moriconi's Children of God, Family of changed his name In the process from David by Victor Paul Wierwllle In 1953. how, on ei: to Moses David and again to Father David. mated 20.000 to 100.000 Way member The book tells us that "much of the Family preach the Gospel according to Wierwille. of Love theology centers around the person of But there Is one glaring flaw In Wierwille' David Berg." The Family accepts his writing as "Christian" theology—he denies that Jesu- the word of Cod and it Is equal to the Bible In Christ Is God, the Son, although he acknow importance. But Berg is contradicting the Bible ledges that Jesus is a son of God. Wierwili by adding his extra interpretation of Cod's even wrote a book entitled Jesus Christ Is Me word John says In Revelations 22:18 that any- God. Perhaps he just didn't noUce John 10J( one who adds anything to the words of prophe- "I (Jesus) and the Father are one." cy in the Bible will be punished by the plagues In his book, Joel MacCollam writes the that are described in it Way members must pay $100 to attend . Berg also preaches that "we do not have to "Power of Abundant Living" program wher keep the 10 Commandments." So he con- they listen to 12 three-hour taped session cludes ihol sins, such as adultery, arc no longer given by Wierwille. "The highlight Is when TrY Children of God, FamOy of Love sins In fact. Berg says that sex can be an Doctor' (Wierwille) leaches his students how t •» John Monconi effective way to get new members. "He consid-> speak in tongues as an essential pan: of th- ers the physical attributes of the women in the more abundant life he offers." The Way of Victor Paul Wierwflle Family of Love to be the bait that will lure the Both Children of Cod. Family of Love an Joe! fish into the organisation," writes Moriconl. The Way of Victor Paul Wierwille are wort Press Beig has even written an ins'juction manu- picking up. For 50 cents a copy, they give 50 cents al on "Fluty Fishing" (the FF-er's Handbook) thorough rundown of what to expect fror Paperback that will guide the Family member as she fol- these two culls. 7/UL \CiluxM 'Help me rescue cult children' By LYNNE WATSON Hongkong resident Mrs Pat Fu£]jss "They are our business. "You wouldn't understand them. has been asked to help a grandmother in "How we bring up our family is our concern. Britain who is trying to rescue her grand- "But il will be with love." children from the Children£fjGod cult. However. Mrs McArdle told the SCM Pott: Mrt Furniu belongs to in organisation of "Eight children in Britain who were wards of British parent* whose children have been recruited court have been taken oul of the country by this b> this cult. cult. The Children o^God organisation, also known "We are heartsick," she continued, declining to at the Family of Love, began in California in the say what steps she and her husband will lake in an late 1960s bufTlow operates mostly outside the effort to retrieve their grandchildren from the cult. United Stales. In the Child Brides pamphlet. Father David as Hongkong is one of the Family's moil lucrative usual meanders on about his own prolific if bases, and a centre for its publishing empire (St* basically misogynlslic sexual history, ana adds: related article* <m Pag* It) "I've said before that I think the Lord must The sect maintains about 40 memben in have been in favour of marriage at about 12 or 13, Hongkong. New ones continually fly in to replace because you're first able to have children at that hose who may face visa extension problems here. age." Two yean ago Mrx Furniu freed one of her Father David, who was an impoverished evan- own daughters from a London home operated by a , gelist most of his life until he devued a new means Family colony. of ensnaring troubled and gullible youth, said he Last week the British anti-cult organisation wished that he had married when be was 15 yean phoned her and asked her to help supply inform*- old. ion on the sect to Mrs Maureen McArdle of Two ex-cultisu from the Hongkong branch Leeds. Yorkshire. who helped the SCM Post expose Berg s opera- She a freed to tend Mrs McArdle copies of tions here, said that the guru s approach to sei pamphlets — known as MO letters — written by education for children was what finally caused the cull's founder, David ("Father Moses") Berg them lo flee the sect. on the set lives of children. The most controversial practice of this cull a She posted a copy of Father David's 1977 that women and girl members must do "Flirtv pamphlet. Child Brides, lo Leeds. Fishing" — seeking converts and money by prosti- Parents raising children within the Family aire tution — a practice well-documented by former fleeing Britain rather Ihtn having to observe court members ana the cult's o»n internal liierature. orders brought by worried relatives, uy Mrs The Family children generally are not educat- McArdle and other British opponent! of the ted. ed outside their homes, and are used to help pass Mrs McArdle told the SCM Pott in a long- out leaflets and seek donations on the streets. distance phone call that her daughter Claire (24) They also are formed into amateur singing and son-in-law Jay Riley, of Canada, had left groups which are used as fronts to gain acceis to England in defiance of a High Court order. the media and businesses, and to lucrative sites for The order made Claire s two children, a girl begging, such as hotel lobbies and public parks. (IS months) and a boy (three months) wardt of Like other relatives worried about childrea the court, in a case brought by Mrs McArdle.- living in Family of Love homes, the McArdks She intended lo seek final custody of the babies sought court custody of their grandchildren when for herself and Mr McArdle. a 53-year-old con- the parents refused lo leave the cult. struction site foreman. We worry they are in moral danger," the said. Mrs McArdle said her two grandchildren were Mrs McArdle sought more documentation on made wards of court on November 20. and she Father David's teachings regarding the seiual had planned to seek custody herself ia Leeds on lues of children raised within the cull. December 16. Father David himself, now a millionaire, fre- However, the cult couple, Claire and Jay flew quently changes bases but is believed lo be in lo Canada qn November 27 with the two babies. Soiueriar.d. The Rileys were interviewed by the tabloid Mrs McAraie explained that she and !.er Daily Stir newspaper, one of several covering the husband became alarmed about possible abuse of custody battle. their grandchildren after reading cull liierature, Apparently interviewed by telephone from Jay meant for members only. Rilcy's home in East Vancouver, the young father The leed* grandmother confronted her daugh- told that newspaper: "I don't care what yoar ter, who replied that there was nothing wrong in English courts uy. Father David's unusual seiual recommendations, "I'm not prepared to discuss our beliefs' either for children or for adults. Among his admonitions is that female follow- ers should not use birth control. By DORIS SMITH empty bus seemed ;i A woman who escaped from a bizarre, mind-bending for which she cried in pathetic cult has revealed the .sordid and shocking details of life gr;i lit uric with a wandering band of followers led by a self-slyled "They had promised me ever- "Moses." lasting joy but all they ever de- Brainwashed, dirty and hun- had livered was hate," she said gry. Una Mc.Manus said the While.Una and the cult's hun- Children of God crossed coun- everlasting joy — dreds — or perhaps thousands tries and continents preaching — of followers lived in poverty, love and practicing evil. but all they ever their leaders lived in luxurious Prostitution, child sex. por- mansions. nography, white slavery were Nearly five years passed be- delivered was hate' fore Una saw a picture of the re- vered leader of the cult. Moses She lost her husband, her David. children and her self-respect.
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