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THE FAMILY INTERNATIONAL: A BRIEF HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW James D. Chancellor The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Introduction The Jesus People Movement began in the United States as a fusion of an evangelical Christian awakening and the youth counter culture of the 1960’s. The Children of God (COG), now known as The Family, was the most controversial group to arise out of this broader religious landscape. The call on young people to a life of radical separation from family and conventional society, the bitter denunciation of American values, and the confrontational style of the movement soon elicited considerable hostility from family members, government, and the media. David Brandt Berg, founding prophet of The Family, left the United States in 1972.1 He encouraged his followers to flee to more hospitable lands in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Within a few years, most of the disciples responded to this call. Those who remained went underground. The Children of God virtually disappeared from the American landscape. Though there were always a few communities in the United States and Canada, in the late 1980s, the North American disciples began to return home in large numbers. The Family had gone through radical theological, organizational, and lifestyle changes. This small, North American counter-cultural movement had grown into a worldwide religious subculture of some 10,000 people. History of the Family The COG begins with David Brandt Berg. Born in 1919, by 1944 Berg was in full time Christian service. He was ordained to the ministry
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Chancellor: The Family
in the Christian and Missionary Alliance and spent twenty years in and out of various religious positions. The Children of God: The formative years By the mid 1960’s, Berg saw himself as a uniquely called and gifted missionary to the lost and confused youth of America. In 1966 he and his wife and four children took to the road as an itinerant singing and evangelistic team. He added several disciples along the way, and in early 1968 Father David and his extended “family” settled into Huntington Beach, California. He and his children began a strongly youth oriented evangelistic ministry, and the first shot in the Jesus Revolution had been fired. Father David’s revolution was not only for Jesus. It was also against the “System,” the corrupt educational, political, economic, and religious structures of contemporary American society that were soon to be consumed by the wrath of God. Those young people who “received Jesus” were further challenged to “forsake all” by rejecting every tie to the evil System, commit fulltime as a disciple, and move in with Father David and his growing “family.” In April of 1969, Father David took his band of young charges on the road again. A young woman named Karen Zerby (Maria) joined up. She soon became Father David’s secretary, and they began a sexual relationship. The community settled temporarily at a campground in the Laurentian Mountains in Canada. Here Father David announced the foundational prophecy for the Children of God: “A Prophecy of God on the Old Church and the New Church.”2 God, in favor of His New Church, the Children of God, had rejected the old System Church. Father David also announced to his inner circle that he was separating from his Old Wife and taking his young secretary, Maria, as his New Wife. She gradually rose in status within the movement, and eventually inherited the mantle of leadership upon Berg’s death. Soon the disciples were on the move again, living off the land. They survived on gifts from their families, funds brought into the community when new disciples joined, and “provisioning” most food and necessities by appeal to the public. By February of 1970, they numbered nearly 200 and had settled on to a ranch in west Texas. During this phase, the basic patterns for COG life were established. The disciples established into a routine of Bible memorization, Bible studies developed by Father David, provisioning, jobs to maintain community life, devotional and fellowship meetings, training in witnessing strategies, and witnessing ventures. They continued to grow, and soon they were dispersed. By the end of 1971, 69 colonies were
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spread out across the United States and Canada with almost 1500 disciples. The summer of 1971 marked the beginning of FREECOG, the original anti-cult organization. FREECOG began a propaganda campaign accusing the COG of kidnapping, drug use, and psychological terror by hypnotizing and “brainwashing” innocent young people. These and other attacks only exacerbated a fortress mentality that already laid heavy emphasis on the otherness of the outside world. In this formative period, Father David received two revelations that would begin a series of “revolutions” within The Family. In December of 1970, he had a dream that led him to withdraw from personal contact with the disciples.3 He began to teach and guide them through his writing. From this point on, he channeled his charisma and authority through his correspondence, known as MO Letters. In the spring of 1972, Father David had a dream of mass destruction in the United States. He urged his North American followers to flee as soon as possible and to begin the missionary task of reaching the world for Jesus. They heard the call, and by the end of 1972 colonies had been established in much of Western Europe and Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and India. With the migration out of North America, the overtly confrontational, anti-establishment component of the COG message began to soften. This change in posture was consistent with an enlarged vision for a worldwide missionary enterprise. The explosive growth, rapid spread, and youth and inexperience of most disciples left the organization with serious leadership problems. In 1973, Father David attempted to slow the growth of the movement and develop more capable leadership. He also introduced a new strategy for getting out the message, the wide distribution of COG literature. This activity was termed “litnessing.”4 Since the literature was exchanged for “a small donation,” finances improved dramatically. Music was always a central aspect of The Family vision. Disciples have written hundreds of songs of protest, praise, and proclamation. By 1974 several COG bands had achieved wide public acceptance and popularity. In addition, numerous “Poor Boy Clubs” that featured dancing, recorded and live music, and dramatic skits were opened around the world.
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Chancellor: The Family
By the mid 1970’s, Berg had come to a new understanding of his own role in human history. He was not only God’s unique End Time Prophet, but also King of God’s New Nation. Some top-level leadership began to chafe at this new status. By contrast, he was concerned about the arrogance and harshness of many leaders, and their lack of concern for the welfare of the ordinary disciples. In the “New Revolution” of early 1975, Father David established a new “Chain of Cooperation” in an attempt to address these problems.5 Most of the leadership under the Chain of Cooperation came from the old guard, and the reform lacked effect. The Chain also further distanced Father David from the vast majority of young followers, and life for most of the ordinary disciples grew more difficult. In the early 1970s Father David began the most sensational aspect of his "Revolution," a complete transformation of sexual ethos. Shortly after taking Maria as a second wife, Berg began having sexual encounters with other female disciples in his inner circle. By the early 1970s, the top level of leadership was also experimenting with multiple partners. These activities were unknown to the vast majority of disciples, whose sexual mores continued to reflect their evangelical Christian roots. In March of 1974 Father David and Maria relocated to the resort of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. He gathered a small group of attractive female disciples to begin an experiment in a new witnessing strategy, which he termed “Flirty Fishing,” later shortened to “FFing.” The female disciples would use the full range of their feminine charms, including sexual intercourse, to witness for Jesus and to make supportive friends for the movement. Few field disciples were aware of the extent of this new strategy. In 1976 Mo Letters came out that described the FFing of Maria and others in graphic detail, set the model for the larger community, and encouraged the disciples to begin this new “ministry.”6 Acceptance was by no means universal. Many disciples had strong reservations, and a significant number left the movement. Flirty Fishing marked some significant changes. The confrontational approach was now gone forever, replaced by a strong emphasis on the love and compassion of Jesus. Additionally, the target audience had shifted almost completely away from “hippies and drop outs.” These and other substantive shifts in Family orientation brought serious internal conflicts. The Family of Love: Degeneration and regeneration By the end of 1977, a number of leaders began to question Father David’s status as God’s End Time Prophet. They also raised doubts regarding some of his teachings, particularly the radical shift in sexual
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mores. Father David became more aware that many leaders were abusively authoritarian, and were living in luxury by means of exorbitant “taxes” on field colonies. In January of 1978, Father David issued “Reorganization Nationalization Revolution”7(R N R), the most significant event in the history of the Children of God. The organization itself was dismantled and some 300 leaders were dismissed and either rejected or ordered into the streets as ordinary disciples. The movement was renamed “The Family of Love.” All those loyal to the King were welcome to remain directly faithful and responsible to the Prophet. There was considerable loss of membership in 1978, even with the birth of some 600 children. The Jonestown tragedy brought fears of anticult hysteria, and the disciples were urged to go underground. Many “went mobile,” traveling about in campers or caravans as itinerant missionaries, often not identifying themselves as Children of God. Their only direct connection to the movement was the MO Letters. Though the disciples continued to litness and witness, Flirty Fishing increased dramatically after the R N R. In some areas it became the primary means of witness and financial support. In the mid 1970’s, the sexual ethics of the COG grew increasingly liberal. The practice of multiple sexual partners (sharing) had filtered down from leadership to all of the field colonies. By 1978, Berg was strongly encouraging sexual experimentation and he freed the disciples from any leadership constraints. Nudity within the homes, and sexual liaisons between members became common practice Father David understood human sexuality as a beautiful, natural creation of God. In exploring how this principle might relate to children, he sent out Letters detailing his early childhood sexual experiences, and directives for adults to allow children the freedom to express their natural sexual inclinations. From 1978 to 1983, he and the entire Family were exploring the outer limits of sexual freedom. Most disciples were aware that sexual contact between adults and children was occurring in the Berg’s household. 8 Some disciples interpreted some of the MO Letters as allowing for sexual interplay of adults with minors. It is not possible to determine the extent or degree of this activity, but it was occurring in Family homes around the globe. By the end of 1980, The Family of Love was growing again. Dispersed throughout the world in small homes, most disciples were isolated and somewhat adrift. In 1981, Father David ordered the disciples to begin weekly fellowship meetings with others in their area.9
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Chancellor: The Family
A new hierarchical structure was established. Large homes, which functioned as national headquarters, were set up in each country. By the end of 1981, another significant transition overtook The Family. In 1981 there were 719 births. From this point on, children constituted the majority of members. The care, discipline, and education of children soon began to require an increasing portion of energy, time, and resources. The Family: Serving a sexy God From 1982 to 1984, The Family reordered itself back into a tightly knit organization. Many Disciples responded to Father David’s call to carry the message of Jesus to the "Third World." By the end of 1982, 34 percent of the disciples were in Latin America and almost 40 percent in Asia. By 1982 children were a majority of full-time members. The Family responded in several ways. Children began to play an even greater role in outreach ministries. An increasing amount of attention was given to child rearing. Most significantly, The Family began to see the youth as the hope of the future, the disciples who would carry the movement and the message to The End. The recruitment of new disciples continued, but the numbers fell considerably. The total number of full-time members reached 10,000 in 1983, and hovered around that mark for the next ten years, despite averaging over 700 births per year. Many of the new disciples proved to be short term, and as the first wave of children began to mature, The Family began to loose more people than were joining through evangelism and recruitment. The Family began to face a new and troubling phenomenon, teenagers. Several “school homes” were established for the education and discipleship of the growing number of teens. In 1983, Father David received disturbing reports of misconduct at one of the teen homes. He responded with strict guidelines for the youth, and high expectations for their personal conduct.10 By the early 1980s Flirty Fishing was widespread and becoming increasingly central to the life of many communities. “FFing” was originally envisioned and theological justified as a witnessing strategy, it was not a useful tool to recruit new disciples. However, it did serve another vital purpose. FFing had become a primary source of financial support and political protection. Many female disciples established longterm relationships with wealthy or influential men. These men often provided resources, helped in immigration, and protection against social and political repression. In some areas of Asia, Europe, and Latin
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America, female disciples went to work for escort services, providing sex for a fixed fee. 11 The issues of sexuality and their distinctive sexual practices were playing and ever increasing role in Family life. In the spring of 1980, Father David sent out “The Devil Hates Sex!--But God Loves It!”12 In his own “revolutionary” style, he made very clear that the disciples served a “sexy God” and that God loved sex and wanted his Children to enjoy it fully. But as nudity and open sexuality became more and more common, real problems were surfacing. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) began spreading through The Family. It was common practice to have a considerable amount of sexual sharing at Area Fellowships, facilitating the spread of STDs from home to home. In March of 1983 Father David issued “Ban the Bomb!”13 He halted sexual activities at Area Fellowships, and limited all sexual relationships to persons residing within the same home. Of course he exempted himself from this restriction. This is the first point at which The Family began to face the negative spiritual and social consequences of unrestricted sexual freedom. In December of 1984 Maria prohibited new members (Babes) from any sexual encounters during their first six months.14 The pendulum of sexual freedom had reached its apex, and began a slow swing back toward a somewhat more conventional sexual ethos. Also in 1984, Maria commissioned certain musically talented homes to produce a series of audiocassettes for the general public. The tapes were an immense success and soon became a central focus of outreach. They were also an additional source of financial support. As The Family reconfigured toward a more tightly structured organization of large communal homes, other problems developed. In 1985, World Services received reports of harsh and oppressive leadership practices in Japan and other areas. They responded with a flood of literature reasserting the hierarchical nature of the leadership structure, but also urging local and area leaders to carry out their duties as servants, dealing with disciples under their care with love and understanding. The Family was evolving and maturing. Since birth control was strictly prohibited, almost all homes included a good number of children. Given their strong communal lifestyle, parents were becoming increasingly wary of inviting total strangers into their communities. Family homes began requiring a six months probationary period for
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Chancellor: The Family
prospective members. The probation period has gone a long way toward stabilizing community life and eliminating short-term disciples. In the late 1980’s, a good number of former disciples began to return to the fold. Many were teenagers who were in need of spiritual direction and training. To meet this need, The Family established Teen Training Camps (TTC) in Mexico, South America, Europe, and Asia. While in the Teen Training Camps, several teenage girls reported inappropriate and uninvited sexual advances by adult males. When Maria became fully aware of extent of this problem, she responded. In August of 1986, she prohibited sexual contact between adults and minors. However, The Prophet had repeatedly affirmed sex to be enjoyed as fully as possible. Stepping away from such a total affirmation proved difficult. A short time later, adult sexual contact with minors was made an excommunicable offense, but as late as 1989 the problem still existed in some locations. The Family continued to place further limits on sexual expression. By the end of the decade, sexual activity among children or young teens was increasingly discouraged. Current policy forbids sexual intercourse between children under age 16. As might be expected, the policy is not uniformly kept, and sanctions are not severe. However, adult sexual contact with a minor is now a most serious breach of Family rules and results in automatic excommunication. By 1987, Flirty Fishing was central to the life of most communities, but it had become problematic. Many homes were overly dependent on it, primarily by means of influential supporters developed through longterm relationships. However, the AIDS epidemic was the primary reason for halting the practice. In the fall of 1987, a policy memo banned sexual contact with outsiders, except “close and well-known” friends who had long-term relationships with Family women. This policy is in force today, and there are very few women who continue in relationships with their “fish.” Beyond these, any sexual contact with outsiders is now an excommunicable offense. Throughout the late 1980’s, The Family continued to evolve. Education emerged as a top priority, with large school homes established in all areas. Teaching the youth became a primary Family concern. By the end of 1989 there were almost 100 school homes, serving over 3000 children. As the teens continued to gather in larger numbers, disruptive and destructive conduct increased. The Family responded with “Victor Programs,” which were periods of intense discipline, work, and spiritual oversight. In some places these programs were harsh and abusive. Many, if not most, of the first wave of teens rebelled and left. After a few years, Maria found certain aspects of the program far too harsh, and she ended
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it. She apologized and ordered the key adult leadership to apologize personally to teens they had mistreated.15 By the late 1980’s, India was the most fruitful mission field, with over 2000 disciples. Most were North Americans or Europeans, on tourist visas or in the country illegally. In 1988, the Indian government clamped down, and many were forced to leave. Confident that The End was near and persecution would greatly increase, Father David ordered the disciples in India to go home. By the end of 1989, over 800 disciples had returned from the East. The return of these battle hardened missionaries pointed up again the disparity in the “standard” of Family life. In an effort to create an End Time Army ready for the final tumult, World Services suspended all homes in North America and Europe until they could be reviewed and re-certified as legitimate Family communities. Many failed the test. A new category of membership was established, TRF Supporter (TSer). These were persons who wished to remain connected to The Family, but were unable or unwilling to maintain the standard of disciple life. 16 In 1989 almost 1400 were “Tsed,” essentially kicked out. Regular disciples were prohibited from direct contact with them. However, they were encouraged to remain loyal to the Family vision, and were viewed as partial members if they continued in their financial support. Many were TSed as family units, but there were a number of situations where spouses were separated, and in some cases parents were separated from their children. From 1989 to 1994, the total number of disciples remained at approximately 12,000, but the percentage of those on TS status increased from approximately 10 to 25 percent.17 After 1993, the attitude toward TSers softened considerably. Currently termed “Fellow Members,” they enjoy fellowship with Disciple Homes and take a much more active role in support of Family objectives. After 1989, The Family began to focus on newly opened mission fields in the former Soviet Union and Africa. Hundreds of disciples, mostly second generation young people, now work in Eastern Europe and Africa, almost all as underground, unregistered missionaries.
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Chancellor: The Family
The Family: Persecution and maturation At the close of the 1980’s, The Prophet was tired, ill, and aging. He essentially retired at the end of 1988. Maria assumed the role of spiritual leader and guide. Peter Amsterdam took over administrative control of The Family. This was never formalized or announced. Few disciples were conscious of the change, though all knew that Father David was grooming Maria, allowing her ever greater latitude and authority. In October of 1994, David Brandt Berg passed away. Shortly after his death, Peter Amsterdam and Maria were married. They now lead as a team. However, Father David still speaks regularly and guides The Family from heaven. While various internal forces worked to constantly reconfigure the community, forces from the outside fostered a significant shift in the early 1990s. The disciples had always faced strong and often hostile opposition. They have been harassed, kidnapped, and assaulted by religious opponents. They have been intimidated, arrested, and imprisoned by law enforcement authorities. Virtually all opposition was interpreted as religious persecution. When persecution came, they suffered, sought the assistance of “friends,” and went underground or moved on to more receptive fields. But when their children became the target, attitudes changed quickly. Beginning at the end of the 1980’s, persons within the anti-cult movement, supported by the testimonies of a number of ex-members, laid charges of child abuse and sexual molestation against The Family in Europe, Australia, and South America. The various attempts to take away the children dramatically changed the way The Family related to the outside world. Father David instructed the disciples to stand and fight for their children. Disciples all over the world began active protests against the governments that were attacking their communities. Sometimes The Family took preemptive measures, inviting in law enforcement and social services agencies to conduct investigations of the children. In addition, Family leadership opened their communities to legitimate scholarly inquiry, confident they had nothing to hide. 18 But the movement had been forever altered by these experiences. The event that most rocked The Family came in 1993, in England. A wealthy widow, whose adult daughter had joined while on a religious quest in Nepal, filed suit in British High Court seeking custody of the daughter’s infant son. The judge conducted a lengthy inquiry, not only into the actual circumstances of the child in question, but also into Family history, ideology, and moral conduct. The anti-cult establishment became actively involved, and the case lasted almost three years.
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Throughout the process, Family leadership was required to come to terms with the past; to explain passages in their literature that did condone sexual contact with minors; to respond to the testimony of numerous former members who had been mistreated and abused. The closet doors were kicked open. In the midst of the whole painful process, Father David died. In order to close out the case, Peter Amsterdam was required to write an open letter to the judge that admitted the policies and practices of The Family had, in some instances, been harmful. The letter identified Father David as a root cause of some of this destructive behavior. It was a painful, but necessary catharsis.19 Though finally admitting the extent of past abuse, Family disciples have successfully defended themselves against all charges of current sexual misconduct with minors, or any form of child abuse or neglect. Worldwide, over 600 children have been removed from their homes and examined by court appointed experts. These experts have detected no abused children. Without question, there are numerous incidents of child sexual abuse in Family history. They have attempted to put these things behind them. To date, no adult has been found guilty of misconduct. But attempts will surely continue to bring offending individuals and Family leadership to justice over this sad and bitter aspect of their past. Though the 1990s were a time of renewed “persecution” and a time of winnowing out the uncommitted, The Family began to mellow. Father David set himself and his followers against the Church, “the god damned, hypocritical, idol worshipping, churchianity of the System.” 20 But in late 1991, he began to encourage disciples to visit and perhaps even fellowship with open-minded congregations. In general, this has not worked well. More significantly, he directed the disciples to send their many converts toward local churches for care and training in the Christian life. 21 This proved to be a temporary strategy, but is clear evidence of an attempt to lower tension with the outside. Attitudes toward members who left were always negative and strained. But by the late 1980s an increasing number of teens were leaving. And many parents wished to maintain a good relationship with these departing children. The Family has made an about face on this sensitive issue. It is now recognized that only a few of the children will remain committed. Efforts are made to prepare the others for life on the outside and parents are encouraged to keep the relationships strong and the lines of communication open. This softened attitude has extended to all former
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Chancellor: The Family
members. From 1994 on, The Family has committed to a “Ministry of Reconciliation.”22 Peter Amsterdam has taken the lead in attempting to reach out to ex-members around the world in an effort to heal old wounds and establish friendly relationships where possible. These attempts have met with some success, though small cadres of former members still remain hostile and aggressively opposed to The Family. This shift in attitude toward the outside is also evidenced in a transition in the approach to social ministries. Since the beginning, the disciples were concerned almost completely with the spiritual salvation of potential converts. But in 1992, Father David directed his followers to begin helping the poor and the helpless, “like Jesus did.”23 Almost immediately, Disciples started ministries to prisons, street gangs, illegal aliens, unwed mothers, drug addicts, refugees in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, and abused children all over the world. Social ministry has taken root very quickly and is now central to the life and practice of most disciples, particularly the second generation. The Family: The Post Prophet Era David Berg died in the fall of 1994. The transition of authority had been ongoing for a number of years, and his mantle fell easily on Maria and her consort, Peter Amsterdam. While the transition went quite smoothly, The Family changed dramatically in 1995. World Services implemented the “Charter of Rights and Responsibilities.” The Charter contains the movement’s basic beliefs and details the fundamental rights and responsibilities of the disciples, as well as the rules and guidelines for communal life. Queen Maria and King Peter retain overall and supreme authority, but day-to-day life is far more democratic. The disciples are strongly encouraged to live “according to their own faith” with a minimum of supervision and direction from a radically altered leadership structure. Smaller home size is mandated, and most significantly, disciples have the absolute right of mobility. Recently, The Family has moved toward a “Board Vision” in which the various aspects of communal life and ministry will be under the direction of a wide and popularly elected board of directors.24 The Love Charter greatly improved the life experience of most disciples and has led to greater contentment and happiness. It went some way toward curbing the mass exodus of young people from the movement. But it has not been without its problems. The Family has struggled to find its way under the kinder and gentler approach to leadership. Toward the end of the 1990’s, Maria and Peter were becoming increasingly concerned with the lax attitudes and low productivity of many disciples. In a take off from the Y2K phenomenon,
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they issued S2K – Shake Up Two Thousand. 25 Discipline and community standards were reaffirmed, and those unwilling to conform were strongly encouraged to become Fellow Members, or leave the movement completely. This purge has been ongoing, and some 1500 disciples have been pushed out into the world.26 The quest has been to create a leaner and more productive Army of the Lord, more prepared to carry out the mission, and to face the tumult of the end of days. The two most significant changes in The Family since the death of Father David are in the areas of spiritual life and community vision. Interaction and communication with the Sprit World has been a feature of Family life from the beginning of the movement. Disciples were open to the possibility of prophetic experiences and guidance from those who have gone on. But the vast majority of substantive communication came through Father David. Not long after his death, Maria opened up the channels in several significant ways. Father David continued to lead and the guide the community from the Spirit World, by “speaking” prophetically through Peter Amsterdam and several other receptors in the central household. This quickly expanded, so that Jesus, Father David, the apostle Paul, and any number of other persons now regularly communicate directly with The Family. Much of the guiding vision and strategy now comes directly from above, and the substantive portions of the Letters are direct utterances from the Spirit World, most often from Jesus and David Berg. In conjunction with this shift, the disciples themselves are strongly encouraged to develop the prophetic gift within them. Most have. Direct revelations and prophecy is now a normal feature of disciple life, either in private experience or community prayer.27 The vast majority of disciples now look to prophecy to guide decision-making in virtually all aspects of their lives. The shift seems to have created a greater sense of ownership in their various ministries, confidence, and a sense of shared vision. The disruptive potential for such openness to prophecy within a tightly structured community is obvious. To minimize this potential, Maria has retained the role of “Wine Taster,” essentially holding the keys to the kingdom. All prophecy that might impact the broader community in any way is subject to her evaluation and validation. 28 An equally significant shift has occurred in the conceptualization of the purpose of The Family. From the very beginning, witnessing for Jesus and the spiritual salvation of as many souls as possible before The End has been the essential task of Family life. To that end, Family
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Chancellor: The Family
disciples have been highly mobile, and generally not geared toward the spiritual development and care of converts. The development of followup literature, the involvement in social ministry, and the encouragement of coverts toward outside churches represent the beginnings of a shift. But at the opening of the 21st Century, a fundamental reorientation has occurred. The “Activated Program” has been developed and implemented worldwide. 29 It is not an option, but rather the new Family vision. Considerable resources have been poured into developing quality educational materials for new converts. And Family disciples are strongly encouraged to settle down in one place, focus their evangelistic efforts, and work at developing what are essentially congregations that will be directly related to local disciple homes, and look to those disciples as spiritual mentors, guides, pastors. Analyzing the motivations for significant shifts in movements like The Family is no easy task. Two factors seem to be at work here, both growing out of an apparent delay of the Second Coming of Jesus. To date, The Family claims to have led more than twenty three million persons to pray the salvation prayer and receive Jesus as their personal savior. However, that is simply a number on a piece of paper. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the disciples have had little or no contact with these “converts.” For most of their history, The Family lived in high expectation of an immediate end to human history as we know it, and the singular task was to get as many people saved as possible. The care of souls was a low priority, if at all. It seems clear that the Activated Program represents the beginning stages of an accommodation to the possibility of a much longer than expected mission in this world. Beyond that, many of the disciples are beginning to age. Given their strong apocalyptic bent, most have made no provision at all for an extended life. That is changing. Family leadership is quite open in describing the Activated Program as the potential retirement package for faithful disciples.30 It remains to be seen how well the “radical revolutionary Children of God” can sustain this shift toward more conventional religious life. There are real challenges, especially the degree to which outside members can participate in some of the distinctive aspects of the Family ethos. But, the Activated program seems to be catching on, particularly in certain areas of Latin America and Asia, where the disciples have generally been more geographically stable. Though the number of committed, fulltime, communal disciples is down somewhat, the overall “membership” is expanding quickly into the tens of thousands. It seems clear that Queen Maria and King Peter are leading The Family on a journey from “cult” to “sect.”
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Theology of The Family While The Family can be viewed and examined from many perspectives, it is essentially a religious movement grounded in a clearly articulated belief system. The Family boasts an extraordinary range of educational, religious, cultural, ethnic and national backgrounds. Even so, the disciples are guided and sustained by a common vision and a coherent set of theological commitments. This theological system has developed and evolved through the years, but is grounded on the twin rocks of Biblical authority and the prophetic office of Father David. The Christian Bible was the sole source of religious authority at the beginning of the movement, and disciples remain deeply immersed in the sacred text. However, Father David adopted a position of “progressive revelation,” which keeps open the possibility of revision or change, and placed his writings on an equal footing with the Bible. 31 An exhaustive analysis of Family doctrine is beyond our scope. 32 I will attempt to explore the core beliefs that are central to The Family experience. These core beliefs center on Jesus and human salvation, Father David as God’s Prophet, the Spirit World, the End Times, the System and the sexual ethic.
Jesus and Salvation Human salvation through faith in Jesus Christ as the only Savior is the cornerstone of Family theology. The disciples generally share an understanding of Jesus Christ that is consistent with Evangelical Protestant Christianity. Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for the sins of the world, rose from the grave, and is returning soon to this earth. All people are “lost” and without hope in this world. However, eternal salvation is available to all who will, in faith, simply repeat a short prayer inviting Jesus to come into his or her life as personal Savior. Once an individual repeats this prayer, that person is saved and has secured an eternal home in heaven with Jesus. “Witnessing,” or the attempt to get as many people as possible to pray this simple prayer, has been the central task of discipleship from the beginning. Paradoxically, Father David taught that in the end, all creation would be reconciled to God. Nevertheless, this universalism has
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Chancellor: The Family
set very lightly on the disciples and never dampened their evangelistic fire. The Prophet In the early days, David Berg claimed no special status or office. However, as the movement developed, he came to a radically different self-understanding. By the end of 1970, Father David had emerged as God’s Prophet for the End Time. He quickly established his absolute authority over the disciples. His claims of divine appointment and absolute spiritual authority roughly coincided with his withdrawal from direct contact with the disciples. He channeled that authority through the MO Letters, affirming them as “new Scripture” that clarified or superseded the Bible, and was more likely to be of immediate value. At times, Father David’s claims to divine insight and authority seemed almost limitless.33 And though he consistently emphasized his own humanity and fallibility, he remained throughout his life (and beyond) as the divinely anointed leader and spiritual guide for the Children. He also claimed the title of King of God’s New Nation, with all the political authority and homage due their rightful King. After the necessity to win souls for Jesus, Father David’s claim as Prophet and King is the most consistent theme in Family life and literature. The full acceptance and affirmation of The Prophet’s role and status was a central component of the socialization process. Disciples could remain in The Family harboring “doubts and struggles” over some of his more extreme claims, some viewing him as both a prophet and “a weird old man.” Yet, no open challenge to his position or authority was possible. Many of the disciples, particularly the females, developed an extraordinary emotional bond as well. If anything, Father David’s status has been enhanced by his death. And though Maria and Peter now rule over The Family as co-regents, Father David now sits at the very right hand of Jesus, in a much stronger position to lead and guide the Children. The Spirit World The work of Father David in the heaven is consistent with longestablished Family theology. Father David’s direct encounters with the Spirit World began in 1970, when the spirit of Abrahim, a fourteenthcentury gypsy Christian, entered his body and began to speak through him. This was a watershed event for the Children of God.34 The reality
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and immediacy of angels, spirit helpers, and dark spirits became an everincreasing dynamic of Family life. Virtually every disciple regularly prays for and receives comfort, assurance and guidance from God through dreams, visions, or experiences of “prophecy” in a context of person or communal prayer. Encounter with the Spirit World seems to have escalated in the wake of a terrible tragedy that struck The Family in the summer of 1995. A van full of young people was involved in a serious accident. Five teenage girls were killed. Voices from the Spirit World responded. Father David, Jesus, and the apostles Paul and Peter spoke in prophecy through several members of Maria’s personal household. Soon, the spirits of the five young women began to communicate from the Spirit World to other disciples, offering forgiveness to the driver and expressions of joy and ecstasy at being in heaven with Jesus and Father David. Even before this incident, many disciples recounted moving and profoundly shaping experiences of visions, dreams and encounters with the Spirit World. However, the Spirit World also has a dark side. The Devil and his demons are ever present and actively at work in the world. The primary target is God’s own special End Time People. Opposition and persecution, physical illness, community discord, lack of disciplined behavior in children, and personal failures of all types are primarily conceptualized as the result of Satan’s attacks. The disciples are humorous people, with a wonderful capacity to laugh at themselves. But one never hears joking or in any way making light of evil spiritual forces. Nevertheless, Father David clearly taught that Satan has no ultimate power over them. The disciples are confident that God is with them and that adequate spiritual power is accessible to eventually thwart any attack from the Dark Side. In keeping with their understanding of spiritual forces, disciples practice a form of spiritual healing common to the Pentecostal wing of Protestant Evangelicalism. Conventional medical care is uniformly supported and disciples who pursue treatment for medical problems are not viewed as spiritually problematic. However, the fundamental cause of illness or physical affliction is most often understood to be spiritual. Thus it is reasonable and prudent to seek a spiritual cure as a first response. The Children generally conceptualize problems, difficulties, and human weakness in distinctly spiritual terms. A significant number of
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young adults still carry unresolved resentment related to the dealing with typical childhood misbehavior as spiritual problems. However, most disciples are strengthened and empowered by their access to spiritual resources and power. The disciples interpret life as a profoundly spiritual adventure. This adventure is both personal and cosmic in scope. The End of Days Millennial expectation is a central focus of theology. David Berg taught that human history would climax in a worldwide political, economic, and moral meltdown. The Antichrist will arise to save the world and for 3 1/2 years will establish his reign as a wise and benevolent leader. Then, his true nature will be revealed. He will declare his divinity and require the world to worship and obey him, persecuting unto death all those who refuse. Satan, acting through the Antichrist, will have almost total control of the earth. All people will be required to carry the “Mark of the Beast” as a control mechanism. The Great Tribulation will last for 3 1/2 years; then, Christ will return for his Church. The Antichrist will be defeated in the Battle of Armageddon, Satan will be bound, and Christ will establish His Millennial Reign on earth. At the end of a thousand years, Satan will be released for one final confrontation. At Satan’s ultimate defeat, the Kingdom of Heaven will be established forever, and God’s Children will live with Him in the Heavenly City.35 This overall construct is generally consistent with beliefs that are held in substantial sections of the Christian Church. What distinguishs Family theology is the special role they will play in this grand drama, and the intensity of their conviction that the End Time is near. The disciples do not “believe” The End is near, they know it. And they live out their lives accordingly. Early in the movement there was considerable hope that 1993 would be the time, and there was considerable disappointment as the year past. Since then, The Family has been reluctant to set specific dates. But the knowledge that each day is lived in the shadow of the End remains a powerful dynamic and informs life at all levels. It continues to serve as the primary motivation and justification for the life of sacrifice and hardship. Until very recently, Family disciples have been loath to make long term plans for life in this world. Disciples do not plan for the future. The decisions they make are profoundly informed by the imminence of the End. The depth and intensity of the End Time Vision clearly sets them apart. There is also a firm conviction that their separation from the world, absolute dependence on God, communal lifestyle, suffering, and
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hardship will uniquely prepare them both to survive the Great Tribulation and lead other faithful Christians through those very dark years. The System Family disciples have a strong sense of special status with God, a status that sets them in full and deadly opposition to the world that is under the control of Satan, The System. The System is evil, dangerous, corrupt to the core, and forms the fundamental “other.”36 The disciples maintain as much distance from the System as possible. They hold passports, obtain drivers licenses, and get legally married when necessary. But they operate on the fringe, with as little interface with government or any other System institution as possible. They do not participate in civic life at any level. They educate their own children. They intentionally insulate themselves as much as possible. In general, this insulation extends to Christians outside the movement, especially the institutional church. This position has moderated over the last few years, and the disciples are much more open to working in cooperation with Christians outside their community. However, they generally do not identify or “fellowship” with outsiders, and the basic view of the Church as part of the System remains. Their special status with God carries a high price. The disciples live in an almost continual crisis environment. To survive and complete the assigned mission requires absolute dedication and requires a level of unity and discipline that can be only achieved through a structure of authority similar to that of a military establishment. Though authoritarianism has softened and the leadership structure is more open and democratic under the Charter, participation in God’s elite End Time Army still requires total obedience to God, and to the structures of authority God has ordained in Father David and the leadership of that Army. When questioned about the problems arising from the authority structure, many are quite open. Several themes consistently emerge. The era prior to 1978 is the Dark Age of the abuse of power. The disciples believe that changes in policy and spirit have worked to minimize the potential for mistreatment and abuse. However, the R N R did not alter the basic orientation that requires an authoritarian system of community organization and control.
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Chancellor: The Family
Generally, the disciples hold a complex and somewhat ambivalent appreciation of the authoritarian nature of their movement. They accept the necessity of discipline and clear lines of authority. They are aware of trials, trauma, and abuse. Yet, even in the face of serious abuse and profound personal loss, disciples consistently attribute these difficulties to the character flaws of individuals. They do not find fault with the nature of the community, and especially not the vision or leadership of Father David or Maria. Radical commitment to Jesus, the Prophethood of Father David, communion with the Spirit World, and the End Time Vision inform every facet of Family life. The Children have also retained their early vision of “Revolution for Jesus.” No aspect of their shared experience has been more “revolutionary” than the total restructuring of the sexual ethic. Sexual Ethos The renunciation of the “System,” interplay with the Spirit World, and authoritarian leadership structure has set The Family off as an unusual and distinctive religious movement. However, it is their “revolutionary” theology of human sexuality that has marked them, in the minds of many observers, as a “dangerous cult.” It is the single most distinguishing mark of this most unusual community. The sexual lifestyle of The Family is grounded on two assumptions that flowed straight from the mind of the Prophet. The first premise is that sex is not only a clean and pure God given gift, but also a basic human need, essentially no different than the need for sleep, food or water. Therefore, it is not only acceptable, but a Christian duty to meet the need of a brother or sister. The second premise flows out of the special nature of the time and the people. Father David taught the disciples that the close of the age required new and innovative understandings of God’s purposes and His will. As well, the Children were God’s Chosen End Time Army, and as such had received a special dispensation, freeing them from some of the legal and ethical constraints that are normative to the less committed Christian community still operating in the System. This is “The Law of Love.”37 Sexual purity was a key element of the early COG lifestyle. However, when the “revolution” came, it came swiftly and fully. Many could not make the adjustment and left. Those that stayed made the adjustment, and the new sexual ethos spread rapidly throughout the worldwide community. We have already addressed the three principle
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components of the revolution; sexual sharing, Flirty Fishing, and childhood sexuality. Sexual sharing had a two-fold purpose. The first was the straightforward enjoyment of sexual pleasure and fulfillment by as many disciples as possible. The other purpose was to break down old System loyalties and allegiances in order to establish primary loyalty to The Family and to the Prophet. By the early 1980’s, The Family had reached a level of sexual freedom and experimentation rarely imagined, never mind practiced by most human beings. Nudity was a common feature of home life. Father David laid open the possibility of lesbian intimacy, though he maintained a strong aversion to male homosexuality. Flirty Fishing was ubiquitous, and the vast majority of women were having regular sexual encounters with both strangers and long term “fish,” in order to fulfill the mission and support the home. Sexual sharing with multiple partners became so commonplace that in some areas the home leader would post “sharing schedules” on the bulletin board. Twelve year-old children were considered “adults” and often sexually initiated into the group. Sexual interplay with even younger children was never officially sanctioned, but was modeled in the Prophet’s household and did occur from time to time and place to place. However, this almost limitless freedom came with a heavy price. We have already addressed the dangerous, and then life threatening spread of STDs throughout the movement. Beyond that immediate threat, it is not hard to imagine the strain such activity placed on normal marital and family relationships. Then there are the children. They suffered not only from direct sexual encounter, but also from the instability of family life, never being quite sure whom their mother might be sleeping with the next night. It is little wonder that very few of the first wave of children remain in The Family. In time, Family leadership became cognizant of these issues and began to address them. Flirty Fishing was halted and all sexual contact with the outside world was banned. 38 Strictly enforced limitations were placed on the sexual experience of children, and fixed age limits were established for any sexual contact. The practice of sexual sharing has cooled off considerably since the wild years of the early 1980s. For one thing, the first generation is beginning to gray, and it is hard to imagine them keeping up the pace. Then, the second generation paid the price for such rampant promiscuity. They are not anxious at all to head down that
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Chancellor: The Family
road. In general, the younger generation is considerably more conservative than their parents. However, the essential theological convictions on which the sexual ethos is grounded remains in tact. Though Flirty Fishing was halted, it was never repudiated. Quite the contrary, it is still viewed as a valid and proper technique for the times. Some women are nostalgic for the old days. The Law of Love remains in force, and sexual sharing is still a significant component of The Family lifestyle and an essential aspect of communal bonding. Maria has actually found it necessary, on several occasions, to admonish the older teens and young adults to be more sexually active, participating more fully in the “sexual fellowship” of the community.39 The continued prominent place of sexuality in Family ideology is clearly demonstrated in the most recent sexual innovation, the “Loving Jesus Revolution.” Maria and Peter received revelations from Jesus that he was most pleased with their commitment and fulfillment of their mission, but was not fully satisfied with the level of their devotion and the expression of their love for him. Jesus wants it more clearly understood that the Children are his Bride, and he is their Husband.40 To that end, in 1996 The Family began to incorporate the sex act into their private worship of Jesus. This is done though auto stimulation, or during sexual intercourse with a partner, imagining that partner as Jesus and expressing love for the Lord through the sexual partner. The Loving Jesus Revolution, like many of the innovative practices of The Family, was too much for some disciples, and they moved on. In general, the revolution has been accepted and is now a common feature of the disciples’ devotional life. There is a place for “Loving Jesus” within group devotional experiences, but not in the presence of children. The disciples have experienced any number of undulations in their sexual lifestyle. But there is little doubt that the “revolution” begun by Father David in the early 1970’s lives on, and remains integral to Family identity. The Broken Ones Beginning in the mid to late 1980’s, hundreds of older teenagers and young adults began leaving The Family. A good number, but by no means all, had been hurt, and some terribly scarred, by their experiences in The Family. They had suffered hardship, dislocation, broken families, deprivation of adequate educational opportunities, and serious emotional and sexual abuse. As these young people have matured, many have struggled deeply to overcome their past. Over the past few years some have attempted to loosely organize some type of united effort in coping
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with the past and seeking justice and compensation for the wrongs they suffered. For its part, The Family continues to offer general apologies for past wrongs, with the hope that everyone involved would forgive and forget. Most of the aggrieved ex-members are profoundly unimpressed by these efforts. The cause of these young people has been energized by a terrible tragedy. In January of 2005, Ricky Rodriquez, the oldest child of Maria who had departed the movement in 2000, murdered Angela Smith, Maria’s long time secretary. He then took his own life. His intent was to torture Ms. Smith to learn the location of his mother so that he might kill her as well. For a short time, this tragic event focused intense media coverage on The Family. Several active ex-members are now attempting to gather affidavits with the hopes of a class action suit against The Family and criminal proceedings against guilty parties within the group. Their efforts are frustrated on several fronts. Most of their parents are either still in The Family or so conflicted about their own complicity in the abuse that they will not cooperate or testify. Most of the criminal conduct occurred outside of the United States and was many years ago. Civil action is complicated by the difficulty of even finding “The Family,” and the lack of substantive financial resources to go after. This whole process is ongoing, and it is difficult to predict where it might all end. It is almost certain that new and more lurid accounts will appear in the future. The trauma and harm these people suffered is not self-mending, and their efforts to retaliate and seek some form of justice will surely continue, and most likely intensify. Conclusion: The Future of the Family It seems clear that the golden age of the “radical, revolutionary Children of God” is behind them. The disciples have matured considerably in the expression of the revolutionary components that remain. The “Consider the Poor Ministry,” the large number of the second generation leaving, and the more recent Activated Program are clearly blurring the once very sharp lines between discipleship and the System. The continual reduction in tension with the outside world is evident in many areas. However, the disciples still understand themselves to be God’s unique End Time Army. The Family would like a truce with the greater Church, but has no interest in joining the team.
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Chancellor: The Family
Surely the greatest challenge facing The Family is an internal one. Their unique role in God’s Mission remains justified and energized by the passionate and unequivocal expectation of the imminent End of Days. Like many movements before them, they will have to come to terms with an extended stay in human history. However, if The Family is anything, it is flexible. They have demonstrated a remarkable capacity to survive repression, persecution, monumental leadership failures, and radical theological restructuring. They have survived the death of the Prophet, and come to terms with the loss of many of their youth. Given their eccentricities, it is doubtful The Family will ever become a large movement. Nevertheless, they are a people filled with energy, confidence in their calling and mission, and above all hope. That hope has carried them though many dark nights and there is no reason to believe that it will not carry them well into the future.
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1
“The Great Escape!” Mo Letter # 160 . Zurich: World Services.
“The Old Church and the New Church!” Mo Letter #A, August 1969. Zurich: World Services. 2
“I Gotta Split?” Mo Letter # 28. December, 1970. Zurich: World Services. 3
“Shiners? – or Shamers!” Mo Letter # 241. Zurich: World Services. 4
“The Shake – Up! – or Reorganization – The New Revolution Part 3 – The Chain of Cooperation. Mo Letter #328C. February, 1975. Zurich: World Services. 5
“The Family of Love – Sin or Salvation?” GP # 502R. Zurich: World Services. 6
“Re-organization Nationalization Revolution.” Mo Letter # 650. January 1978. Zurich: World Services. 7
8
The Book of Davidito. 1982. Zurich: World Services.
“Fellowship Revolution..” Mo Letter # 1001. April, 1981. Zurich: World Services. 9
10
“Teen Terrors!” Mo Letter # 1512. Zurich: World Services.
“The Seven Fs of Ffing.” Mo Letter # 1083. January 1983. Zurich: World Services. 11
“The Devil Hates Sex! –But God Loves It!” Mo Letter # 999. Many 1980. Zurich: World Services. 12
“Ban the Bomb!” Mo Letter # 1434. March 1983. Zurich: World Services. 13
“Sex with Babes?” Mo Letter # 1909. December, 1984. Zurich: World Services. 14
“Discipleship Training Revolution.” Mo Letter # 2677. Zurich: World Services. 15
“WS Advisory: “Tightening up our Family.” July, 1989. Zurich: World Services. 16
“!994 Family Statistical Report.” January, 1995. Zurich: World Services. 17
“PEN – Persecution End Time News.” October, 1993. Zurich: World Services. 18
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See “BI Case” in Chancellor, James D. 2000. Life in The Family: an Oral History of the Children of God. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press. Pp.133-134. 19
“The Old Church and the New Church!” Mo Letter #A, August 1969. Zurich: World Services. 20
21
“Go to the Churches.” Mo Letter #2867. Zurich: World Services.
“The Ministry of Reconciliation.” New Good News, no. 653, October, 1995. Zurich: World Services. 22
“Consider the Poor! – Our New Ministry in the U. S. to the Poor!” Mo Letter #2755, March, 1992. Zurich: World Services. 23
“The Board Vision.” GN #949 CM/FM. August, 2001. Zurich: World Services. 24
“The Shakeup 2000 – The S2K!” GN # 3257. September, 1999. Zurich: World Services. 25
“Coming Persecution: Conviction versus Compromise Part 1.” GN 957 CM/FM. September, 2001. Zurich: World Services. 26
“Understanding Prophecy!” GN 876 CM/FM. January, 2000. Zurich: World Services. 27
“Three Gifts of the Lord’s Love!” Mo Letter #3005. March, 1995. Zurich: World Services. 28
“Heading into 2002!” GN 3382A CM/FM. December, 2001. Zurich: World Services. 29
30
Personal interview with Maria and Peter Amsterdam. October, 2002. “The Word, The Word, The Word!” Mo Letter #2494. November, 1988. Zurich: World Services. 31
See Chancellor, Appendix A for the complete “ Family Statement of Faith.” 32
“A Psalm of David!” Mo Letter # 152. January, 1972. Zurich: World Services. And “The Laws of Moses!” Mo Letter # 155. February, 1972. Zurich: World Services. 33
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“Abrahim The Gypsy King: The True Story of Our Spirit Guide.” Mo Letter # 296. April, 1970. Zurich: World Services. 34
See Chancellor, Appendix A, Section 29, “Eschatological or Prophetic Considerations. Pp. 267 – 270. 35
“A Prophecy Against Our Enemies!” Mo Letter #188. October,1972. Zurich: World Services. 36
“The Law of Love!” Mo Letter # 302. March, 1974. Zurich: World Services. 37
“The Ffing / Dfing revolution – The Book is the Hook!” Mo Letter # 2313, March, 1987. Zurich: World Services. And “Moma on the New AIDS Rules – its Come to That!” Mo Letter #2346. September, 1987. Zurich: World Services. 38
39
Personal interview with Maria and Peter Amsterdam. October, 2002. “Loving Jesus Revelation!” Mo Letters #3024 and 3025. July, 1995. Zurich: World Services. 40
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