Children of God Cult
How did faith mask control and abuse in Children of God?
4.7 (10)
36 mins
Explore the rise of David Berg’s Children of God from counterculture roots to a global movement. Discover how strict control and radical beliefs shaped the lives of vulnerable followers and children. Learn about the lasting trauma and controversies shadowing the group’s legacy after Berg’s death.
Ep 1:
Birth of a False Prophet
David Berg turned hippie idealism into a nomadic cult empire, using Mo Letters and apocalyptic fear to control thousands of devoted followers.
Ep 2:
The Law of Love's Dark Truth
Berg's 'Law of Love' twisted sexual liberation into systemic child abuse, ritualized and justified as divine devotion within the Children of God.
Ep 3:
Repackaging Abuse in Feminine Robes
After Berg's death, Karen Zerby rebranded the movement under feminine leadership, but the same exploitative theology persisted beneath a softer facade.
Ep 4:
Famous Faces, Shattered Childhoods
River Phoenix and other second-generation survivors reveal the group's devastating psychological toll, fracturing families and fueling tragic, early deaths.
Ep 5:
Vengeance of Davidito
Ricky Rodriguez's shocking murder-suicide exposes decades of unacknowledged abuse, forcing a reckoning with The Family International's unbroken legacy of harm.
Discussions (18)
Emmanuel
Level 10 · 9 mo agoThey only banned Flirty Fishing because of the AIDS crisis. It wasn't about morals. 🙄
Dixon
Level 6 · 9 mo agoClaims they stopped in 86 are total bullshit.
Noah
Level 6 · 8 mo agoflirty fishing is a wild recruitment tactic, imagine trying to explain that on a resume without sounding insane
