Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 1, 2006, Page 28
that his statistics point very clearly to more fundamental differences than similarities
between The Family members and GSS respondents.
At the outset of the book, Bainbridge asserts that his work is ―fair-minded and objective‖ (p.
xii) but, unfortunately, at times he appears to take on an advocacy role for the movement,
hence forsaking impartiality. Nonetheless, within the context of all literature on COG/The
Family, Bainbridge has taken research on the group in a new direction by supplying
researchers with an abundance of new information that addresses some new and previously
unexplored facets of the group‘s beliefs and practices.
The Children of God: “The Family” (2004) by J. Gordon Melton
At only 62 pages of full text, and 27 pages of appendices, J. Gordon Melton‘s The Children
of God: “The Family” (2004) provides a concise history of the movement.12 Despite the
brevity of the book, Melton touches on most of the pivotal points in the group‘s
development. Beginning with a discussion of COG/The Family‘s evangelical foundations,
Melton not only covers some familiar ground, but also injects some interesting historical
information about the development of American Protestant fundamentalism during the early
and mid-twentieth century and its relationship to the Jesus People movement from which
COG/The Family emerged.13 He proceeds to discuss the group‘s development from its
foundations through various organizational evolutions, and he posits that the Reorganization
Nationalization Revolution (RNR) ―disbanded the Children of God‖ (pp. 9, 16). Certainly,
Berg removed many of those leaders who were abusing their positions of power but, as
Melton states, ―most of the deposed leaders became members again‖ (p. 8). Hence, it might
be more accurate to say that, while the group went through a period of restructuring
(including name changing), a complete disbandment overstates the extent of the changes.
Melton then tackles sexuality in the movement, tracing the development of Berg‘s
prescriptions and proscriptions for the disciples‘ sexual relationships. He describes how one
of the key Mo Letters, ―Love vs. Law,‖ presented Berg‘s nascent sexual tenets as the
antithesis of Mosaic Law. In this way, Melton illustrates Berg‘s intent that the group‘s
doctrines based on ―The Law of Love‖ integrate sexual freedom with Berg‘s interpretation of
Christian scripture. Although Melton articulates that love rather than lust was the guiding
force for the group‘s sexual ethos (pp. 15–16), he acknowledges that lust became a factor.
Melton raises the issue of rape, stating merely that Berg ―condemned‖ it (p. 16). Contrary
to this assertion are Berg‘s own words in a Mo Letter simply titled ―Rape!‖ In this
publication, Berg warned female disciples that FFing might lead to rape or attempted rape.
In addition to saying that forced sex garners women no respect from God (Berg,
1974:3825), Berg stated, ―THE GIRL WHO DOES ALL THE REST AND THEN SUDDENLY
DOESN‘T WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY, IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE NOBODY BUT HERSELF
TO BLAME‖ (Berg, 1974:3821). Actual incidences of rape while FFing are undocumented (as
far as I am aware), but even the idea that women should accept it and take blame for it is
abusive.
Melton proceeds to a brief overview of the proliferation and subsequent decline of FFing,14
the increased need for organized childcare (p. 17), Berg‘s views on child sexuality (p. 18),
the group‘s views on teen marriage (p. 19), and the implementation of the video ministry
(including the controversial images of children engaged in sexually provocative veiled dance
routines) (p. 20). Melton has been a prominent contributor to research on the group in the
past, and academics that study COG/The Family are aware of his involvement in projects
such as the volume that he co-edited with James R. Lewis, Sex, Slander, and Salvation:
Investigating the Family/Children of God (1994). Much of his discussion of sexuality in this
latest book (2004) is a reiteration of his contributing chapter, ―Sexuality and the Maturation
of The Family‖ (1994b) in the earlier one. In this most recent work, Melton reframes an
earlier conclusion: ―In a decade‘s worth of writing on child and youth sexuality, Berg had
that his statistics point very clearly to more fundamental differences than similarities
between The Family members and GSS respondents.
At the outset of the book, Bainbridge asserts that his work is ―fair-minded and objective‖ (p.
xii) but, unfortunately, at times he appears to take on an advocacy role for the movement,
hence forsaking impartiality. Nonetheless, within the context of all literature on COG/The
Family, Bainbridge has taken research on the group in a new direction by supplying
researchers with an abundance of new information that addresses some new and previously
unexplored facets of the group‘s beliefs and practices.
The Children of God: “The Family” (2004) by J. Gordon Melton
At only 62 pages of full text, and 27 pages of appendices, J. Gordon Melton‘s The Children
of God: “The Family” (2004) provides a concise history of the movement.12 Despite the
brevity of the book, Melton touches on most of the pivotal points in the group‘s
development. Beginning with a discussion of COG/The Family‘s evangelical foundations,
Melton not only covers some familiar ground, but also injects some interesting historical
information about the development of American Protestant fundamentalism during the early
and mid-twentieth century and its relationship to the Jesus People movement from which
COG/The Family emerged.13 He proceeds to discuss the group‘s development from its
foundations through various organizational evolutions, and he posits that the Reorganization
Nationalization Revolution (RNR) ―disbanded the Children of God‖ (pp. 9, 16). Certainly,
Berg removed many of those leaders who were abusing their positions of power but, as
Melton states, ―most of the deposed leaders became members again‖ (p. 8). Hence, it might
be more accurate to say that, while the group went through a period of restructuring
(including name changing), a complete disbandment overstates the extent of the changes.
Melton then tackles sexuality in the movement, tracing the development of Berg‘s
prescriptions and proscriptions for the disciples‘ sexual relationships. He describes how one
of the key Mo Letters, ―Love vs. Law,‖ presented Berg‘s nascent sexual tenets as the
antithesis of Mosaic Law. In this way, Melton illustrates Berg‘s intent that the group‘s
doctrines based on ―The Law of Love‖ integrate sexual freedom with Berg‘s interpretation of
Christian scripture. Although Melton articulates that love rather than lust was the guiding
force for the group‘s sexual ethos (pp. 15–16), he acknowledges that lust became a factor.
Melton raises the issue of rape, stating merely that Berg ―condemned‖ it (p. 16). Contrary
to this assertion are Berg‘s own words in a Mo Letter simply titled ―Rape!‖ In this
publication, Berg warned female disciples that FFing might lead to rape or attempted rape.
In addition to saying that forced sex garners women no respect from God (Berg,
1974:3825), Berg stated, ―THE GIRL WHO DOES ALL THE REST AND THEN SUDDENLY
DOESN‘T WANT TO GO ALL THE WAY, IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE NOBODY BUT HERSELF
TO BLAME‖ (Berg, 1974:3821). Actual incidences of rape while FFing are undocumented (as
far as I am aware), but even the idea that women should accept it and take blame for it is
abusive.
Melton proceeds to a brief overview of the proliferation and subsequent decline of FFing,14
the increased need for organized childcare (p. 17), Berg‘s views on child sexuality (p. 18),
the group‘s views on teen marriage (p. 19), and the implementation of the video ministry
(including the controversial images of children engaged in sexually provocative veiled dance
routines) (p. 20). Melton has been a prominent contributor to research on the group in the
past, and academics that study COG/The Family are aware of his involvement in projects
such as the volume that he co-edited with James R. Lewis, Sex, Slander, and Salvation:
Investigating the Family/Children of God (1994). Much of his discussion of sexuality in this
latest book (2004) is a reiteration of his contributing chapter, ―Sexuality and the Maturation
of The Family‖ (1994b) in the earlier one. In this most recent work, Melton reframes an
earlier conclusion: ―In a decade‘s worth of writing on child and youth sexuality, Berg had
