Customer Reviews

Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years As a Sacred Prostitute in the Children of God Cult

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This is a fascinating and sad account of the author's journey from being a rebellious teenage intellectual to being caught up in a suffocating cult. The pseudo-Christian organization, known as "The Children of God" claimed 20,000 adherents at it's peak. The book details her slow realization of the web of deception and depravity that ensnarl her and describes her journey back to a life of appropriate human relationships.

Semantic snapshots include the rebuke she received from cult leaders for the sin of having a difficult labor and delivery; her cult directed descent into "flirty fishing", perhaps better described as "hooking for Jesus", and the bizarre manner of the cults leader and founder, "Mo" David.

David lead the cult from it's founding in the mid-60's until his death in 1994. From the book I can only conclude that the reason he did not die at a younger age was the time it took to construct a special place for him in h! ell.

There has been written many books about Children of God/The Family but this is certainly the best I have read. It is nuanced, and gives a very convincing picture of the life in this group. It is free from the stereotypes in much anti-cult literature - the author describes humans caught up in a bizarre and abusive cult but she doesn't demonize them, not even the leaders. The book is valuable for anyone interested to learn about abusive cults, but even to those that want to learn about preserving human dignity in an abusive environment. It can highly be recommended.

The Children of God, one of the more bizarre semi-Christian cults out there, makes for some of the most interesting reading in comparative religions. This autobiography details one woman's descent into one of the cult's weirder periods. There is much here for students of cultism and religion -- the man who headed the religion sounds like a complete fruitcake, so half the "fun" is figuring out what possible appeal his philosophies could have for anybody remotely normal. Miriam tries to answer that question, and I think she did a good job of it.

Miriam's story is filled with regret and apologies for her involvement, but it is honest. I about cheered for her when she finally stood up for herself and her family and said "I'm out of here!" She joined as a high schooler and was in the cult for 15 years. Though only a few years of that were spent as an official prostitute, the entire story reads as one long journey of sexual repression at the hands of a group that seems more obsessed with deviance the further along it gets (something else she addresses quite well). Sadly, at its end, Miriam herself is a damaged-but-recovering soul, frayed around the edges as so many ex-cultists are regardless of what cult they've left, and uncertain how to approach religion. This, too, is good information.

I think this book would be worthwhile for any student of religion or anybody interested in cults. I don't think it would be appropriate for underage readers, but it's safe reading for those who get ruffled easily. There's nothing too graphic in it.

I thought that it was brave of her to write that book, she shared such detailed information from her life. The book is not badly written as some stated. I found this book interesting enough to start and finish it. It was very interesting how her life unfolded; she never really stayed in one place, always moving around, always something is happening, so there was always something to read. I heard of cults, but this was something. I never knew that people could fall into such shameful life, so willingly.

It was interesting that she was first felt ashamed after she received money for sleeping with a man. But before that, many nights in bed with many different men, did not shame her. I was interested in her thought process, as you read it, you think, how can she possibly do this, and then, what else is there that she will fall into. And then you have their main leader, when I think of him, reminds me of people such as Hitler. Both got people to follow their crazy ideas. But this guy was something, exremely selfish, insane maybe.

She got my attention when she mentioned that those who used to be very conservative, strict Christians, and then crossed over to their cult. It was them who were most wild in their family after being so conservative. Personally I don't get it why some people found it to be boring, it was her life that you read about, as it was. And trust me, her life was not boring. It was anything but boring. How can you be bored in that kind of life?

At the end you admire her for what she overcame, and then became successful.

Well, this isn't your usual book about religion. Miriam was a young lady just out of high school and planning to attend college and then she decides to join a religious cult called "The Children of God" and later "The Family".

To learn more about this cult, do a Google search where you can find much more about this group.

Miriam's book is interesting in that it illustrates that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and just because it's done in the name of GOD doesn't mean that it's not corrosive to your spirit.

Many younger readers may not realize the "free sex" of the 60's or the hippie and drug scene that existed at that time and the drug scene and therefore not understand how a cult could establish itself and find willing members, especially pretty young female members who would be willing to share their bodies with other members and even to go out ffishing for new members and raising money for the cult through sexual activity.

Perhaps some readers will recall the cults such as the Hari Krishna's who's members hung out at American Parks and air ports and begged for money.

The members of the Children of God went out into the public selling the writing of their Leader, "MO", and each member had quota's that they had to meet or they were penalized in one way or another.

In addition, the cult developed and encouraged some of the talents of their members by using them to perform musical events in Paris and also in Southern France. Appearently, Miriam was quite a singer and dancer and as an attractive and young woman, her value to the cult was all the more so she could attract the attention of "high value" men such as Salim who she writes about as one of her customers.

The cult would not allow their women members to use birth control and as a consequence, Miriam had five children. Some of the cult members contracted STD's due to the restriction on protection.

A husband was chosen for Miriam against her own will as they were for other members and she never felt love for this man all though he dearly loved her. Later, he decides to marry another woman and Miriam shares her husband with another "wife" who eventually steals her husbands complete attention.

Eventually, Miriam decides to leave the cult after they begin to promote sexual relations between adult members and children. She returns to the U.S. to live with her mom and returns to academia and earns her B.A., Masters and eventually her PHD. She is a professor at Kennesaw University just North of Atlanta and I wish her well.

It is wonderful that this lady was able to discover her right path and turn her life around and away from the false message of the cult that had attracted her during her youth.

It is becoming more and more clear that women have been treated as second class citizens by many major religions, not just cults, even blaming "Eve" for the original sin.

Along the same vein, I suggest the following book as well:

A Thousand Splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini.

This book is a very frank and very brave sharing of one woman's horrific life in a cult that promised complete happiness. My jaw dropped countless times over Williams' descriptions of the constant and extreme emotional abuse inflicted on her and other cult members. Unfortunately, many Baby Boomers find a lot of familiarity in Miriam's life as in their own experiences, as many in that generation found themselves unintentionally living a seamier life.

The only problem I found with this book was its misleading title. Williams was in the cult for over fifteen years, but clearly spent only three of those living in Monte Carlo as a high class prostitute ('flirty-fishing,' as it was called by the Children of God). This is not to say her experience was any less horrific and painful, but isn't that a sort of false advertising?

There is a lot to like about this book: It delves sensitively into the author's life as a cult member, brain washed follower, struggling parent and wife, and seeker of truth, meaning and belonging in a world appearing to be more hostile than welcoming (alcoholic, sexually abusive home in the midst of the 60s societal confusion).

Furthermore, she takes responsibility for her choices, and portrays herself as a willing participant rather than a mere victim. As far as the less documented facets of this popular cult go, she cites sources for her claims from its demented leader's own writings. She is less of a first-hand witness to some of the more horrifying accounts of sexual child abuse, but she always makes clear her degree of knowledge and first-hand experience.

I like the fact that she recounts events without reviling the participants needlessly. The story clearly speaks for itself. I for one, found it horrifying and revolting to the point of having to put the book down for awhile before finally completing it.

It is regrettable that she mixes her cult experience with references to a legitimate (albeit conservative) Christian religious upbringing, claiming that this would in fact have allowed her to drift into cult extremism. Also, she is rather ungrateful to some of the Christian friends who helped her reestablish herself and her family after leaving the cult ("fundamentalist purgatory"--give me a break!). Along the same lines, she seems to have embraced a fairly self-centered spiritual vision since, composed of social science, pop spirituality and a self-absorbed, soul-worshipping "inner light". It is truly harrowing to witness yet one more example of the depths at which cults harm a person spiritually, robbing them of all hope for a legitimate experience of God, Truth and healing Christian community. The author seems to be continuing to be a spiritually seeking (albeit deeply hurt) person--attributes a loving and caring God never fails to honor.

Having recovered so much, I for one am rooting for a full spiritual recovery for Ms. Williams. Thank you for sharing your story and so much of yourself!

I loved this book.I was touched by it deeply.It was fascinating to see the inner workings of the cult back in the 1970's.I found the spiral of Miriams surrender to and escape from the cult to be riveting.

This book is a real eye opener for those that are unfamiliar with religious cults, it explains many different reasons as to why one would join one and why they would stay. This books gives a personal account for how and why one can be easily persuaded to join a cult, it also gives great inspiration for those that are trying to re-connect with society after being a part of a communal cult for many years. I really enjoyed this book and admire the author for telling her story! This book is a great journey into one's self discovery and triumph!

This book is almost unbelievable. This cult started during the sixties when so many people were searching for more meaning in their lives, but the group, as so many others did, turned out to be far from anything many of it's members wanted or expected. A great book for anyone interested in the psychology and inner workings of cults.