Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 49
Book Reviews
Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed
Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, and Juliana Buhring, HarperCollins UK. 2007. ISBN-
10: 0007248067 ISBN-13: 978-0007248063 (hardcover), $24.95 ($18.21
Amazon.com). 416 pages. HarperCollins UK. 2008. ISBN-10: 0007248075 ISBN-
13: 978-0007248070 (paperback), $13.95 ($11.86 Amazon.com). 432 pages.
Jesus Freaks: A True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge
Don Lattin, HarperOne. 2007. ISBN-10: 0061118044 ISBN-13: 978-0061118043
(hardcover), $24.95 ($18.21 Amazon.com). 256 pages.
Two books published in 2007 and written by authors outside academe provide an in-depth
understanding of life in The Children of God, a new religious movement started in the 1960s
by evangelical preacher David Berg. This group was popularly recognized as a cult. The
Children of God were later called The Family and are now known as The Family
International.
Both books provide evidence of the group‘s leadership encouraging and engaging in sexual
activities with children. Such accounts are disputed in scholarly publications and dismissed
by some scholars as exceptions or exaggerations. Both books, however, depict much
academic research as inadequate, misguided, or misrepresented. Although the authors of
these two books provide shocking details about growing up in The Children of God, the
honest discussion of respected research is perhaps the greatest impact they will have on the
academic field of cultic studies.
The first book in this review, Not Without My Sisters, is a memoir. Popular media reviews of
the book focus on the ―horrific detail‖ in the lives of the authors, who were ―treated by their
'guardians‘ as sexual beings.‖ Some academics who label appeals to mainstream values as
―moral panics‖ that are beneath the objective perspective of scholarly research dismiss such
shock tactics by publishers and marketers. In some corners of academe, these supercilious
scholars are regarded as ―experts‖ in their field, but those dark corners are becoming
increasingly exposed by books such as this one. In my opinion, the major contribution of
Not Without My Sister to the field of cult studies is its insights into the processes and effects
of brainwashing (a.k.a. mind control or thought reform), a disputed concept in academia.
There are differences of scholarly opinion regarding memoirs written by former members of
such groups as The Children of God/The Family. Although these differences exist on a
continuum, the extreme on one side includes the apologist scholars of cults who claim that
memoirs are self-accounts distorted by personal biases, and on the other side academics
who claim the apologists—those scholars who debunk anti-cult allegations—promote
perspectives distorted by hidden agendas. The apologists have labeled these scholars ―anti-
cultists‖ because they typically present data, analysis, and findings that are less than
favorable to cults and often based on interviews with former members or memoirs by
former members.
As a memoir writer and academic, I am familiar with both sides of the debate. As a former
member of a cult and researcher, I can identify the blind spots and pretense of scholars who
claim to remain objective, as well as those of the individuals who, influenced by their life
experiences in a cult, write with righteous indignation. I have tried to maintain neutrality,
but I suspect that both sides will challenge some of my views and critiques.
Not Without My Sisters is about growing up in The Children of God. The authors of this book
are two biological full sisters, Kristina and Celeste, and their half sister, Juliana. They all
Book Reviews
Not Without My Sister: The True Story of Three Girls Violated and Betrayed
Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, and Juliana Buhring, HarperCollins UK. 2007. ISBN-
10: 0007248067 ISBN-13: 978-0007248063 (hardcover), $24.95 ($18.21
Amazon.com). 416 pages. HarperCollins UK. 2008. ISBN-10: 0007248075 ISBN-
13: 978-0007248070 (paperback), $13.95 ($11.86 Amazon.com). 432 pages.
Jesus Freaks: A True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge
Don Lattin, HarperOne. 2007. ISBN-10: 0061118044 ISBN-13: 978-0061118043
(hardcover), $24.95 ($18.21 Amazon.com). 256 pages.
Two books published in 2007 and written by authors outside academe provide an in-depth
understanding of life in The Children of God, a new religious movement started in the 1960s
by evangelical preacher David Berg. This group was popularly recognized as a cult. The
Children of God were later called The Family and are now known as The Family
International.
Both books provide evidence of the group‘s leadership encouraging and engaging in sexual
activities with children. Such accounts are disputed in scholarly publications and dismissed
by some scholars as exceptions or exaggerations. Both books, however, depict much
academic research as inadequate, misguided, or misrepresented. Although the authors of
these two books provide shocking details about growing up in The Children of God, the
honest discussion of respected research is perhaps the greatest impact they will have on the
academic field of cultic studies.
The first book in this review, Not Without My Sisters, is a memoir. Popular media reviews of
the book focus on the ―horrific detail‖ in the lives of the authors, who were ―treated by their
'guardians‘ as sexual beings.‖ Some academics who label appeals to mainstream values as
―moral panics‖ that are beneath the objective perspective of scholarly research dismiss such
shock tactics by publishers and marketers. In some corners of academe, these supercilious
scholars are regarded as ―experts‖ in their field, but those dark corners are becoming
increasingly exposed by books such as this one. In my opinion, the major contribution of
Not Without My Sister to the field of cult studies is its insights into the processes and effects
of brainwashing (a.k.a. mind control or thought reform), a disputed concept in academia.
There are differences of scholarly opinion regarding memoirs written by former members of
such groups as The Children of God/The Family. Although these differences exist on a
continuum, the extreme on one side includes the apologist scholars of cults who claim that
memoirs are self-accounts distorted by personal biases, and on the other side academics
who claim the apologists—those scholars who debunk anti-cult allegations—promote
perspectives distorted by hidden agendas. The apologists have labeled these scholars ―anti-
cultists‖ because they typically present data, analysis, and findings that are less than
favorable to cults and often based on interviews with former members or memoirs by
former members.
As a memoir writer and academic, I am familiar with both sides of the debate. As a former
member of a cult and researcher, I can identify the blind spots and pretense of scholars who
claim to remain objective, as well as those of the individuals who, influenced by their life
experiences in a cult, write with righteous indignation. I have tried to maintain neutrality,
but I suspect that both sides will challenge some of my views and critiques.
Not Without My Sisters is about growing up in The Children of God. The authors of this book
are two biological full sisters, Kristina and Celeste, and their half sister, Juliana. They all
