Born into the Children of God: My life in a religious sex cult and my struggle for survival on the outside

As I read this book, I became more and more enraged. Natacha Tormey was not a naïve person who joined this pernicious cult, as were her parents. She was born into it. She had no choice in the matter. She relates how the so-called Children of God, nowadays sanitized (following scandal) and renamed The Family International, routinely separated children from their parents, abused them physically, cut them off from the outside world and filled their impressionable heads with dangerous and frightening nonsense. People outside the cult were Antichrists; Armageddon was near; members would be required to fight a tremendous battle in the End Times and would then go to a glorious heaven. Members of the cult were obliged to live in penury and to collect money, nearly all of which went straight to the man at the top, the nebulous Grandpa or King David, while children survived in hunger and poverty and without proper medical care in military-style closed communities. Moreover, the cult practised nothing short of prostitution, so-called “flirty fishing”, whereby women would extract money from unsuspecting men, lure them into the cult and produce still more babies to swell their numbers. We learn how couples engaged in sex in the presence of children and children were sexually abused by adults. Tormey describes the psychological damage that these appalling practices did to her, and also to her siblings. Her extraordinarily irresponsible parents had twelve children (if I have not miscounted), not all of whom survived and not all of whom escaped. And all this was done in God’s name.Tormey has forgiven her parents. She is a brave woman. What can have possessed them to join such a sect, or, having joined, to remain in it? And how is it that cults like this can grow and take root internationally? The power of brainwashing on lonely, naïve, unthinking individuals searching for a direction in life should never be underestimated, and there will always be cynical “leaders” who will exploit them. But to be born into such circumstances leaves scars for life on those who would never, given the choice, have wished to live in such a hell on earth. It is a relief to learn that Natacha Tormey did finally escape and is living a different life as best she can. But how many others are still physically or mentally imprisoned? Many have already committed suicide.With the help of Nadene Ghouri, this book has been written in a vivid and lively style that carries the reader forward quickly with growing horror. While it shocked me, it did not come as a complete surprise, as I had done some research into the cult a number of years ago when its members were very active in Paris, presenting themselves to the public as smiling young Christians, brimming with love and sincerity.It needed to be written. I hope it will have the success that it deserves.

Cults have been with us since time immemorial. Natacha was born into one, thanks to her parents, and suffered abuse for several years. Somehow, she's managed to extricate herself from the horrors and looks forward to a brighter future. This could never be described as an easy read, but it should be available for every teenager in the world as a warning about what perils lie in wait for the unwary.

The Children Of God cult leadership had a very strict way of keeping " the family " in line and fixated on Moses Berg or Mo the " King. "The beatings on the end time army was harsh and unduly severe. When the cult heads wanted to brainwash the followers into Mo Letter's doctrines it went too far and was extremist fundamentalist ideology run wild. Looks as though Moses David was idolized to the point of being Jesus or god to the children.Dangerous sexual immorality dressed up in new language as flirty fishing and sharing was nothing less than fornication and adultery and orgies spun around the followers mind. The Antichrist was the controling factor to keep the members on their toes so the Family could continue it's anti - system teachings against systemites and their literature appears to be pornographic and idolatrous. This e book shows what a cult is like beneath its skin and behind the " Love " and " Armagedon " spin.Let no one deceive you.Jesus said beware of false prophets.Test the spirits.Love is not rude.

This is a shocking story but it is told from a viewpoint of innocence and without recourse to salaciousness. It shows the profound effect these cults can have upon formative minds. Natacha accepts her suffering as the norm and only when she finally escapes the clutches of the cult does she realise how difficult her upbringing was. More disturbing stories lie behind hers, for example that of the girl who was adopted by the cult founder and mistreated into insanity.Everyone should read this, if only to learn to beware of narcissistic leaders. The parents were so brainwashed by the cult they thought they were doing their best for their children, and the moment they start to realise the cult's cruelty is a chilling one, when they realise they have set their own trap. Natacha must be a very strong person to have redeeme herself. Not all of her siblings were so fortunate.

This brave brave woman. Reading this book, it’s almost too hard. I hope she reads this and knows how immensely proud she should be of herself!

Although I'm not a dedicated reader to novels, this book was recommended and I made a start and found that I could not put the book down. The story gave an insight into a young person's life which was rather disturbing and provided an experience which I have never come across before. Natacha must have been deeply affected by her early years but as I have read through the novel, it has shown that she has overcome her fears and is able to share her story with the outside world. Natacha has now been redeemed and she is now sharing her life with her husband in order to build a new stage in her life from which she can enjoy a brand new start. Throughout the novel, the story was quite intense, not knowing that cults like these exist and what goes on inside the inner circle. Towards the end of the book became a bit of a tear jerker, which filled me with immense emotion and feelings. This novel is highly recommended and should be made into a film!