Hookers For Christ - Free Love Among the 'Anointed'

(Cross-posted at God is for Suckers)

I just recently recalled seeing a reference to 'Hookers for Christ' in a book I read a few years back (that's how middle-age hits ya - little memory flashbacks outta the blue - I think it was a Stephen King novel), and so, armed with little more than Google and my wits (no wise cracks from the peanut gallery, puh_LEAZE!), I dredged up this little pearl:

"Children of God

"The Children of God (COG), later known as the Family of Love, the Family, and now the Family International, is a new religious movement, widely referred to as a cult by the media and some government organizations, that started in 1968 in Huntington Beach, California, United States. It was part of the Jesus movement of the late 1960s, with many of its early converts drawn from the hippie movement. It was among the movements prompting the cult controversy of the 1970s and 1980s in the United States and Europe and triggered the first organized anticult group (FREECOG)."

There's something about former stoners - they mostly seem to go religious as a rule. Maybe it's one too many rollercoaster rides on the Blue Bus, is my guess.

"As it grew and expanded around the world, so did its message—salvation, apocalypticism, spiritual "revolution" against the outside world that they called "the System"—and resultant controversy. In 1974, it began a method of evangelism called Flirty Fishing—using sex to show God's love and win converts and support. The practice was discontinued in 1987."

Obviously, they dumped the Old Testament, and cherry-picked their doctrine (no entendre intended). Why 1987? It's probably unrelated, but it may have something to do with this - but that's a guess, so don't quote me on it. As we are about to see, the Sexual Revolution has had some impact on this:

(Snip)

"The group’s liberal sexuality and its publication and distribution of writings, photographs and videos advocating and documenting adult-child sexual contact and the sexualization of children led to numerous reports of child sexual abuse. A number of judicial and academic investigations in the 1990s found the Family to be a safe environment for children, yet such investigations have also highlighted troubles in its past. Family leadership, admitting only that some children were abused from 1978 until 1986, created policies prohibiting excessive discipline or any sexual contact between adults and minors. Those found to have abused children after December 1988 are excommunicated from Family membership. The Family requires individuals who report child abuse to a law enforcement agency or pursue legal action against an alleged abuser to leave the group's communal homes and move to a lower commitment membership status until the matter is resolved, after which they must reapply for their former membership status if they wish to return."

And I gotta ask: where those excommunicated members Catholic?

"The Family International claims the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and sacred revelation. Group founder David Berg is regarded as the most important prophet of the end times. He is regarded as a prophet in that he passed on the message of God, not because he could predict the future. Though he frequently attempted to predict future events, he was for the most part inaccurate. The group believes Berg's spiritual "mantle" passed to his wife, Karen Zerby, at his death. The officially published writings of both David Berg and Karen Zerby are regarded as part of the "Word of God."

Yeesh - and they say atheism requires a lot of faith?

(Snip)

"A central tenet to their theology is the "Law of Love," which stated simply claims that if a person's actions are motivated by unselfish, sacrificial love and are not intentionally hurtful to others, such actions are in accordance with Scripture and are, thus, lawful in the eyes of God. They believe that this tenet supersedes all other Biblical laws, except those forbidding male homosexuality, which they believe is sin. Female bisexuality is sanctioned, though female homosexuality at the complete exclusion of men is not permitted. "

Three guesses who let the lesbianism slide? Obviously written by men.

"They believe that God created human sexuality, that it is a natural, emotional, and physical need, and that heterosexual relations between consenting adults is a pure and natural wonder of God's creation, and permissible according to Scripture. Teenagers from the age of 16 are allowed to have sex with other members under age 21. Since 1986, sex between minors and adults is forbidden. Adult members may have sex with any other adult member of the opposite sex, and are encouraged to do so, regardless of marital status, as a way to foster unity and combat loneliness of those "in need". This is commonly called "sharing" or "sacrificial sex". While Family policy states that members should not be pressured to have sex against their will, numerous former members have alleged being coerced to "share" and subsequently cast as selfish or unloving when they did not."

Ain't that just...charming (he said with a moue of distaste twisting his lips).

For the most part it's yada, yada, same old noise, JAY-SUS will descend from on high, wrestle down ole pesky Scratch hisself at the End of Days - but of course, some New Age spins on the old yarn surface:

"Spirit Helpers

These include angels, departed humans, and even famous mythical characters, e.g. goddess Aphrodite, who are sent to give instruction and to fight in the spiritual warfare taking place in the spiritual dimension that Family members believe is coexistent with the physical world that surrounds them. These helpers are believed to relay divine messages through prophecy and are also engaged in combat with Satan and his demons. The Family believes that referring by name to spirit helpers when calling on their help, or demons when rebuking or cursing them, affords greater power to their prayers. As a result, the Family regularly publishes names of individual, as well groups or breeds of, spirit helpers and demons, linking them with their respective areas of power within the physical world. "

Oh, and not only 'spirit helpers':

"The Keys of the Kingdom

The Family believes that the keys referred to in the Biblical passage "and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:19), have assumed greater significance today. As such, Family members call on the various Keys of the Kingdom for supposed extra effect during prayer. These spiritual keys are also believed to power various UFOs and other spacecraft (known as Key Craft), and can turn into swords for the purpose of fighting demons and other negative forces. "

UFO swords?!?! I think some of these folks have been playing one-too-many first person shooter games. To paraphrase George Carlin in the film, 'Outrageous Fortune', the 60's were way too hard on these people.

But wait, there's even more! (Just when you thought it couldn't get any wonkier!) Time for the 'money shot':

"Loving Jesus

This is a term that members of the Family use to describe their intimate, sexual relationship with Jesus. The Family describes the "Loving Jesus" teachings as a radical form of bridal theology [2]. It is their understanding of the Bible that the followers of Christ are his bride, called to love and serve him with the fervor of a wife. They take bridal theology further than other Christians by encouraging members to imagine that Jesus is having sex with them during sexual intercourse and masturbation. Male members are told to visualize themselves as women, in order to avoid a homosexual relationship with Jesus. Additionally, Family publications frequently liken prophecy from Jesus to receiving Jesus' semen, or "golden seeds," as a result of spiritual oral sex."

Wow, I'm betting we won't be seeing that film on the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, or anywhere else besides pay-per-view.

Religious porn. Yeesh, these people get their fingers into everything.

Thought I'd share that with ya.

Now, let the innuendos and entendres begin.