Enigmatic_Continuum | 9 points
Family International
OK, I'll need help sifting through all of this information, and I don't believe it will be a waste of our time. (My words are in bold)
Family International operates as a global evangelical church. It has changed its name several times. While they claim to no longer promote sex with children, I have my doubts. Here is a link to the work they do in the US. It's strange how when I click on the link to their Puerto Rico church, it takes me to a gym's website. As you look through their photo albums, you can easily see that they like entertaining as clowns. Link to their mission with children: http://www.thefamilyinternational.org/en/children-hope-future/
Clowns entertaining again in Croatia with Tommy's Window, which is promoted on Family International's site: http://tommyswindow.com/en/
Now onto what Wikipedia says: From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_International TFI initially spread a message of salvation, apocalypticism, spiritual "revolution and happiness" and distrust of the outside world, which the members called "the System". In 1976,[1] it began a method of evangelism called Flirty Fishing, that used sex to "show God's love and mercy" and win converts, resulting in controversy.[2] TFI's founder and prophetic leader, David Berg (who was first called "Moses David" in the Texas press), gave himself the titles of "King", "The Last Endtime Prophet", "Moses", and "David". He communicated with his followers via Mo Letters—letters of instruction and counsel on myriad spiritual and practical subjects—until his death in late 1994.[3] After his death, his widow Karen Zerby became the leader of TFI, taking the titles of "Queen" and "prophetess". She married Steve Kelly, an assistant of Berg's whom Berg had handpicked as her "consort". Kelly took the title of "King Peter" and became the face of TFI, speaking in public more often than either David Berg or Karen Zerby.
David Berg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Berg He also claimed that black people were being used by a group referred to by him as the AC's (antichrists) in order to bring about the new world order. Berg was also believed to be a pedophile. He recalled in his letters how he was taught to masturbate in church by another boy his age. When his mother caught him, he was forced to masturbate in front of his father. Often times Berg would explicitly describe his sexual preferences and recalled that the one thing he regretted, was that he never slept with his mother.[5][6][7][8]
In a child custody case in the United Kingdom Berg's granddaughter, Merry Berg, testified that Berg sexually molested her when she was a young teenager. Another of Berg's granddaughters, Joyanne Treadwell Berg, spoke on American television about being sexually abused by David Berg. Berg's adopted son, Ricky Rodriguez, wrote an article on the web site MovingOn.org in which he describes Berg's deviant sexual activity involving a number of women and children. Davida Kelley, the daughter of Rodriguez's nanny, Sarah Kelley, accused Berg of molesting her in a June 2005 Rolling Stone article.[9] In the same article, a woman identified as Armendria alleged that David Berg sexually abused her when she was thirteen years old.
Berg also predicted several apocalyptic events that did not occur. His best-known prediction was that comet Kohoutek (1974) would wreak havoc and possible destruction.[10] Berg wrote or dictated nearly 3,000 "Mo Letters"[2] ("Mo" being abbreviated from his pseudonym "Moses David"), which typically covered spiritual or practical subjects and were used as a way of disseminating and introducing policy and religious doctrine to his followers. Due to his obsession with secrecy, until his death, any photos of him appearing in the group's publications had his face covered with rudimentary pencil drawings, often depicting him as an anthropomorphic lion.
River Phoenix's family was involved with the Children of God church, which is what Family International used to be called. His mother eventually left and criticized the church and their ways with children. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Phoenix In 1973, the family joined a controversial Christian new religious movement called the Children of God as missionaries.[9] The family had settled in Caracas, Venezuela, where the Children of God had stationed them to work as missionaries and fruit gatherers. Although Phoenix rarely talked about the cult, he was quoted by Arlyn Phoenix in a 1994 Esquire article as having said "They're disgusting, they're ruining people's lives."[10] In an interview with Details magazine in November 1991, Phoenix stated he lost his virginity at age four while in the Children of God, "but I've blocked it out."[11]
Arlyn and John eventually grew disillusioned with the Children of God; Arlyn would later tell a journalist that she and her husband were opposed to the group's practice of "Flirty Fishing", stating: "The group was being distorted by the leader, David Berg, who was getting powerful and wealthy. He sought to attract rich disciples through sex. No way."[12] In the late 1970s, Phoenix's family moved in with River's maternal grandparents in Florida. The family officially changed their name to Phoenix, after the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes, symbolizing a new beginning.[13]
What does Family International believe today? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_International The re-statements issued in 2010 express the need for tolerance toward varying sexual choices. Since 2010, the age of consent in TFI is determined by local laws and regulations. Since 1986,[20] sex between minors and adults has been 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 into sex against their will, numerous former members have alleged they were coerced to "share" or cast as selfish or unloving if they did not. These issues were also re-addressed in 2010, reflecting a need to change this aspect of TFI culture to respect personal sexual decisions and become more inclusive of differing personal views.[citation needed] Loving Jesus This is a term TFI members use to describe their intimate, sexual relationship with Jesus. TFI describes its "Loving Jesus" teaching as a radical form of bridal theology.[24] They believe the church of followers is Christ's bride, called to love and serve him with wifely fervor. But they take bridal theology further, encouraging members to imagine Jesus is joining them during sexual intercourse and masturbation. Male members are cautioned to visualize themselves as women, in order to avoid a homosexual relationship with Jesus. Many TFI publications, and spirit messages claimed to be from Jesus himself, elaborate this intimate, sexual relation they believe Jesus desires and needs. TFI imagines itself as his special "bride" in graphic poetry, guided visualizations, artwork,[25] and songs.[26] Some TFI literature is not brought into conservative countries for fear it may be classified at customs as pornography.[27] The literature outlining this view of Jesus and his desire for a sexual relationship with believers was edited for younger teens,[28] then further edited for children.[29]
Family International on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefamilyinternational Here we see the double heart in their photos: https://www.facebook.com/thefamilyinternational/photos/a.10153965652100058.1073741825.146546700057/10157484243800058/?type=3&theater
And last, but certainly not least, the site for ex members: http://www.exfamily.org/index.htm
This letter is especially interesting: http://www.exfamily.org/cgi-bin/gf.pl?fmt=dyn&t=articles&m=1&s=&r=art/exmem/ffing_ed.shtml In the very first Letter in his "FF series", entitled "The Night Crawlers!", Letter 501, paragraph 21 (written April 29, 1976), Berg made it clear that they should have sex with government officials in return for political favour and protection:
"Our message can no longer be limited to merely the poor young hippies but must now be spread also amongst their rich elders and influential businessmen, politicians and government leaders if we are to obtain their favour and protection and to continue to have opportunities to reach their young."
On Nov.25, 1976, in "Winning the System!", Letter 571, paras.15, 16, 28, 34 Berg further clarified their motives for giving sex to men of power and influence:
"Here we are reaching the city fathers, the leaders, the important men who are influential and essential to our stay here, is that clear? I don't want the girls dragging in little cotton pickers or poor students.
"I'm after the top brass here, and I mean it! Our major outreach here is to try to at least take some of the heat off us from the System. If we can't make friends out of them or convert them, at least we can make them tolerate us and try to keep them happy so they'll defend us. We need to get in touch with the guys who are running things, because we're very controversial and we need their friendship. So is that clear? "
In "The FF Explosion!" (Apr.6, 1977), Letter 576, paragraphs 11, 12, 16, 17, 116 Berg boasted about the success of FFing in Tenerife, Spain:
"FFing is really worth the price! We won owners of hotel chains, government officials, top police ... the rich and the powerful! We were reaching the leaders of the System. Do you understand? The head of the Mafia for all the [Canary] islands and Morocco was saved and would come here just to see me! Two of the top leaders of the Mafia!—Both of them two top policemen, police officials of the Island. We had such important people, such important men!
"Scores and scores of professionals, policemen and local officials were won! That's why locally there in Puerto they never bothered us. They loved us!—From the police chief, the mayor, and everybody on down the loved us!—And they wouldn't do anything against us."
OK, so there it is. A huge global arm of the octopus that involves Hollywood and politics that's certainly still operating today. As there are many, many angles to research, let's see where it goes...
Sorry, I guess this was more appropriate for r/Conspiracy. Can I move this to that subreddit?
Enigmatic_Continuum | 1 points
When Family International was known as The Children of God, it appears that the organization was too big to jail: http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/mind_control_cults.htm Remarkably, the Children of God organization has withstood several prosecutorial attempts, including one in 1974 by the New York Attorney General's office, which accused the cult of incest, rape and kidnapping. Incredibly, the case was dropped by order of the Attorney General, who made the amazing claim that the cult was protected from prosecution by the First Amendment! Could it be that the cult is protected by very powerful figures? Former Chilean dictator Pinochet and Libya's Muammar al-Qaddafi, allegedly have connections with this organization, whose choir even performed at the George Bush White House.
Some 170 children were taken into protective custody in 1993, after a police raid on an Argentinean compound of the Children of God church. The police claimed that the children had been sexually-abused by church members; cocaine and pornographic video tapes had been seized in a previous raid. Not surprisingly, perhaps, no charges were brought against church members.{5}
State Chief Inspector Rebolio, leader of the 1993 raid, claimed to have found evidence that the Children of God church was being funded by a global cabal of influential people.
Louis J. Lefkowitz was NY's Attorney General in 1974. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Lefkowitz
Enigmatic_Continuum | 1 points | Nov 11 2016 19:54:21
The Family International also operates as The Family Care Foundation. http://www.exfamily.org/the-family/Family-Care-Foundation-FCF.shtml In early 1997, FCF incorporated in California. During the application process, no mention was made of The Family and its support of FCF, nor that the President of FCF, Grant Montgomery, was the Prime Minister of The Family. To acknowledge any connection with The Family would have doomed the application. A few months later, the IRS granted FCF 501(c) 3 status.
Board of Directors
The Directors of FCF, with one exception, have always been trusted Family members. Some chosen for their ability, all for their tried and proven loyalty to Zerby and Smith.
FCF has also given money to an apologist for The Family, J. Gordon Melton. In 2000, FCF gave $10,065.83 to Melton, an academic who has defended The Family for years.
(http://www.thefamily.org/dossier/books/book1/toc.htm http://www.signaturebooks.com/children.htm http://www.thefamily.org/dossier/referrals/index.html)
J. Gordon Melton is an interesting character: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Gordon_Melton John Gordon Melton (born September 19, 1942) is an American religious scholar who was the founding director of the Institute for the Study of American Religion and is currently a research specialist in religion and New Religious Movements with the Department of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion.[1] He is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church, and he is affiliated with the New Cult Awareness Network,[2] an organization operated by the Church of Scientology.
He is the author of more than twenty-five books, including several encyclopedias, handbooks, and almanacs on American religion and new religious movements. He lives in Santa Barbara, California.
His areas of research include major religious traditions, new religions and alternative religions, occultism and parapsychology, New Age, and vampirology.
Here's what Melton thinks about ex-members of Family International: https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/J._Gordon_Melton "Ex-members, even those with righteous complaints, tend to reconstruct their experiences — ambiguous situations at worst — into totally negative encounters. They tend to demonize the leaders and turn the members into zombielike followers. Harmless comments are recast into sinister threats, group jargon into conspirational fantasies."
Checking out The Family Care Foundation's website, I wasn't surprised to find this: http://www.familycare.org/index.php?cID=1213
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