#thefamilyinternational

[ex-cogtfi]

To close 2023, we're sharing this heartfelt poem by COG-TFI survivor E.S. @poetry_catharsis that traces the impact of psychological and emotional abuse inflicted upon children, the devastating repercussions, and the reclaiming and unlearning we choose as survivors. The choices we make each day to choose self love and freedom, to rewrite the messages ingrained in us. To take back what was stolen from us before we were born.

May 2024 be a year of continued healing and awareness, as we support survivors in telling their stories and healing, and shine a light on cults and cultic abuse.

[cultvault]

Coming Friday - a conversation with Whisper and Jemima about their Butterflies and Bravery Podcast. We discuss their experiences growing up in the Children of God/The Family International, what it took to escape and how they’ve each rebuilt their lives. Check out this special video message from Whisper 👇 THIS WEEK - Ep. 239 The Children of God with Jemima & Whisper from Butterflies and Bravery Podcast https://youtu.be/4TiP8V5Vecc #cult #cults #childrenofgod #thefamilyinternational #cogtfi #cog #cultleader #spiritualabuse #childabuse #podcasthost #podcasthosts #truecrimepodcast #truecrimecommunity #cultpodcast https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTvMG3orIL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[missanamony-blog]

#thefamilyinternational #childrenofgod #cult #cultkid #hackers #shrekislove

[ex-cogtfi]

TW child abuse, religious abuse

February 18th. On THE DATE that the cult of COG-TFI is still celebrating as the "birthday" of the cult and its late pedophiliac founder David Berg, COG-TFI survivors are speaking out in The Sunday Mail and on Episode 2 of the explosive documentary series Prayed Upon by the Courier Mail.

We are incredibly proud of these brave survivors for speaking out, as it is an emotionally intense, vulnerable, and demanding experience to go public with such personal and painful stories. Please support COG-TFI survivors and help us raise awareness by sharing this post and signing our petition to bring COG-TFI cofounder and current leader Karen Zerby to justice (link in bio).

[ex-cogtfi]

This is part two of a look at the context of the word “security” in the cult.

The Family International (formerly the Children of God and the Family of Love) have spent over 50 years avoiding prosecution for their crimes, conning donors, and developing and honing strategies to handle legal attacks and combat public criticism.

They’ve worked to create a carefully curated image of a wholesome missionary group, misunderstood by the public and maligned by detractors. Through setting up charitable fronts, befriending people with influence, and coaching members to practice the doctrine of “deceivers yet true”, TFI have attempted to publicly distance themselves from policies that resulted in the physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of children. TFI has been so successful in their rebranding campaigns and coverups that they were invited to perform at the White House during the administrations of two United States presidents.

Meanwhile, TFIs internal publications show that the cult’s leadership have no remorse for the harms they have and continue to cause. Internal documents by the current leader and co-founder Karen Zerby explicitly state that the cult still believes there is nothing inherently wrong with adult-child sex and adult-child sexual interactions.

(The content of these posts has been adapted and excerpted from articles on exfamily.org, especially “The Family - Official Policy on Lying & Deception”. Underlining is consistent with the original cult publications.)

[ex-cogtfi]

This post outlines COG-TFI’s long, consistent, and ongoing history of denying sexual abuse, including a public denial of child sexual abuse in 1988 that they were forced to walk back in 1994 when compelled by a UK court to acknowledge that because of cult teachings and writings, more children in the cult than outside it had become victims of child sexual abuse.

The cult’s campaign of denial and coverup included brainwashing and training children to deny the abuse perpetrated against them. With cult literature and comics that children were forced to read from a young age, children were taught to be watchful of their words around non-members to avoid disclosing abuse. Internally, COG-TFI continued to defend its sexual practices and sexualization of minors, even as it declared to the world that it had completely renounced such doctrines and strived to falsely portray such abuse as a thing of the past.

Moreover, little known to the public is the 2004 publication “Renewal: Amnesty” by current COG-TFI leaders Karen Zerby and Steven Kelly that proves ongoing sexual abuse in the cult and leadership’s awareness of it. In an effort to motivate members to confess to offenses including sexual abuse against minors, Zerby and Kelly enacted a period of “amnnesty” for excommunicable offenses including what in many jurisdictions is statutory rape, and the sexual molestation of minors. This "amnesty" also allowed excommunicated sexual offenders back into the cult. The cult’s awareness of the criminality of these offenses is seen in its statement in the aforementioned 2004 publication that this amnesty “does not absolve anyone from legal ramifications of breaking laws of the country in which they live”.

(The content of these posts has been adapted and excerpted from an article on exfamily.org: “The Family - Official Policy on Lying & Deception” and references the 2004 COG-TFI publication “Renewal: Amnesty” found at pubs.xfamily.org)

[ex-cogtfi]

TW: sensitive content

In this direct quote from a 2007 publication, Steven Kelly, the cult’s current co-leader, defends Flirty Fishing (FFing, aka religious prostitution). FFing was widely practiced in the cult from 1974 until 1987, when it was officially discontinued, due in part to the AIDS epidemic.

Under FFing, female cult members were pressured to be “God’s whores” and “hookers for Jesus”. Sex was given to strangers, purportedly as a means to show God’s love, in return for a donation or Escort Servicing fee. FFing was financially lucrative for the cult and increased cult membership due to the many children born from the practice (as the cult banned contraception), who were known as “Jesus babies”.

In 1995, Lord Justice Ward, who presided over a prominent court case involving the cult, condemned FFing: “[Berg] and his organization … were procuring women to become common prostitutes. They were knowingly living in part on the earnings of prostitution. That was criminal activity. Their attempts to deny this must be dismissed as cant and hypocrisy.”

Yet Steven Kelly persists in defending FFing and upholding cult teachings on the practice.

[ex-cogtfi]

The leaders of 'The Family International' cult redefined the word family to mean the cult. They systematically broke down family units and ensured individuals were unable to depend on siblings, parents or partners for support. This created an environment that was extremely difficult to leave as you wouldn't just be leaving the group but in many cases you'd be leaving the only family you'd known.

If you've ever experienced a similar environment or feel you can relate then please comment and share the post for others that reading it may help.

Note: This text was previously a caption for a post by @I Got Out for a focus of the month in October 2022.

[ex-cogtfi]

*** Trigger warning - this post contains references to sexual abuse ***

"Flirty Fishing" was a cult recruitment method started by cult founder David Berg in the 1970s to lure men into COG-TFI by prostituting female cult members. Cult members were indoctrinated into thinking they were making a spiritually significant contribution and receiving God's blessing by gaining converts with sexual services. The practice caused immeasurable pain and trauma to the women and their loved ones. While the practice was discontinued officially in the 1980s, COG-TFI leaders have never condemned the principles behind the practice.

Note: attached text was previously a caption for a post by @igotout_org for a focus of the month in October 2022.

[ex-cogtfi]

Children born into 'The Family International' (formerly known as The Children of God) were taught they were worthless and insignificant. We were taught to aspire to be like dust or a toilet as our only possible value was to be a mindless vessel for the cult.

This inspiring poem 'Dusting' by S.Angela has taken one of the publications created by the cult and turned it around into something of beauty. As survivors, instead of being the 'dust' we were raised to be we have shaken off the dust to discover we were diamonds all along.

[ex-cogtfi]

This heartbreaking and beautifully written piece is written by Joe Dageforde @theserenadeco , a brave survivor who escaped the 'Children of God' cult (currently still active under the name 'The Family International').

Please read and share and comment to show appreciation of this heartfelt poem.

[ex-cogtfi]

This moving piece of art and caption has been submitted to us by DJ Morrow. Please read and share so that others can appreciate this beautiful piece.

See more of DJ Morrow's work at balloonsinbold.com and @balloonsinbold

[ex-cogtfi]

*** Trigger warning - this post contains references to sexual abuse ***

The "Law of Love" - how the Children of God cult (The Family International) used Biblical scriptures to try to legitimize and promote sexual abuse and pedophilia within the cult.

CoG/TFI still operates today, under the leadership of reported pedophile/co-founder Karen Zerby.

Please sign and share our petition and help us hold Karen Zerby and the cult accountable for their crimes. https://www.change.org/.../bring-the-family-international...

Note: attached text was previously a caption for a post by @I Got Out for a focus of the month in October 2022.

[ex-cogtfi]

In this post we discuss the immense power of labels and loaded language when used in cults and coercive control environments. Labelling and loaded language were just some of the tools used to coerce and control members of, and children born into, 'The Family International' cult (previously known as 'The Children of God').

We hope you will engage with us by commenting with any thoughts on this topic or relatable experiences you may have had and by sharing our posts.

Note: This text was previously a caption for a post by @I Got Out for a focus of the month in October 2022.

[ex-cogtfi]

[ex-cogtfi]

Part 1 of the two-part Generation Cult podcast on COG-TFI is out now! Available on iTunes and Spotify!

This episode features Christina Babin.