Noah, my parents joined the Children of God in 1968. I was 2 years old and had an older sister that was 6. My brother was born 4 years after me. I have 2 younger sisters. One was maybe 3 or so and the other was an infant when my parents chose to leave in 1978. I heard it could have been because they were scared after Jonestown and the cool aid killings/suicides but it also could have been because of the Ffing. I was beat with a wooden paddle that had holes in it, with switches cut from trees that had the outside layer stripped off so when you “swished” it through the air it may a really big hissing sound. Was also beat with belts, hands, etc. If I didn’t scream and cry, I was beat more. Got to the point that I refused to cry which pissed them off even more (I’m stubborn). Had my mouth washed out with soap and when that wasn’t enough, I was forced to bite and swallow the soap. I was abused sexually and constantly. Children didn’t live with their parents. Girls were pulled on bunk beds that were three or four tall. I always chose the 4th one because it was closest to the ceiling (hoping I would be less of a sexual target). That didn’t work out so well for me. I just want you to know that there are so many of us out here. We really should start a FaceBook group called ex-members of the Children if God. I got a note in my mailbox within the last year. An abuser (luckily I’ve blocked him from my memory) tracked me down and wanted me to contact him because he’s sorry. Needless to say, I did not contact him but it scares me that I was able to be found. I had a different first and last name then. Regarding your parents, I don’t know that mine actually believe what I’ve told them of the abuse (physically, sexually or psychological). I’ve even given a name of someone (who came to live with us for a while with his wife and kids and crawled into my bed as I pretended to be asleep!). These are the the things that still haunt me. I will be 54 soon enough and I try to forget but some days it all comes rushing back. Just know, there are so many of us out here who completely understand and wish we could start our childhood over again and not in that cult! We lived in Texas, Washington and most of my memories are from Florence, Italy, Massa, Italy, Rome, Italy, Villa Poggio Secco and Zoagli, Genova.

The film gets a 5 star rating because it is done by a novice. So with no film experience, he did okay. I guess what was disappointing to me, and maybe this is because I grew up in religion, walked away from it but spent years with an abusive man based on my upbrining is that Noah did not confront his mom. He asked everyone else to put themselves out there and confront the family but when it came to his mom, he backed down. He didn't say how could you abuse me, period, he still felt the need to say I love you mom. My father was abusive to others, thankfully I was the youngest and my mom left him by then. I confronted him about it, his sister who stood up for him and pretty much his entire family. I rarely, if ever talk to them. I decided to let them go. I don't know if that came in time with Noah. His mother is not worthy of his love to me, period. My father gets nothing, he has never seen his behavior as an issue and he's now in his 80s. In the end, this is his life, and his documentary so it had to be his own, not mine. It's just a personal disappointment to me that he didn't tell his mom that what she was doing was wrong period. She even had the nerve to tell him she'd forgive him. In my mind he should have said mom what you did is not love. Because it's not. What my dad did is not love. What my ex husband did, is not love! How dare someone say they love you when they have driven you to the edge, that's not love!!!! Anyway, rant over. I guess I need to make my own documentary if I want to rant. For anyone who has been abused, you can relate, it'll make you mad at times but it just helps you to hear other people trying to work their way through it. I'm still stuck in this broken brain, not sure I'll ever get out. I got this line out of the film and I think I"m starting to understand just how broken my husbands thought process was "I have a girlfriend and I want to punish her the way I was punished. Because she's not doing the right thing". I don't understand it at all, I've tried. That's what he did too. I guess the brain is stuck in a loop? He's so damaged his brain doesn't work? He's not smart enough to see how scary that it? But then I wasn't smart enough to leave after all my brainwashing. I'm going to have to process that line for a few days now which happens to me once in a while.

Wonderful that Noah was brave enough to make this trek. I liked experiencing the trek and it's problems via the movie. It wasclearly a true representation. I clearly recall all the recruiting in CA in the 60's & 70's from cults, the "Flirty Fishing", scientology, Krishna's etc. We were bombarded when we were not with anyone older. I genuinely believe that converts had good intentions but the leaders manipulated them gradually to a place, far away from everything, and a practice that eventually seemed correct because that's all they knew. Berg was especially adept at breaking the normal protection that a parent has for their child by breaking up families as selfish. But in doing so he also allowed his converts to act without an adult feeling of responsibility for children. It seemed like experiences changed for different age groups of children as time went on. Yet, even the children at age three knew it was wrong. What was heartbreaking was even a decade out of the cult, the grown children still needed mothering and they clearly would never be receiving that. The fathers were rarely mentioned. I wish they learned what not to do for a good life and based their search for resolution in that rather than trying to extract normalcy, apology and love from people that can't provide it. That was clearly the conclusion of the piece, as sad as it was. But that is a life lesson beyond just the issue of cults. Beautifully and hopefully done by Noah. Despite his upbringing, he had this touching journey to share with the world and it's brave that he did so.

The biggest thing I took away from this documentary was concern for Noah Thomson. This film may be a help to others who have suffered sexual abuse. I feel like it is really Noahs personal journey trying to sort out what happened to him and how to deal with it and have a healthy life. How do you try to maintain or create a healthy relationship with someone close to you who has also damaged you or allowed you to be damaged instead of protecting you. As a Christian, it sickens me to see what some people do in His name that really perverts and messes up peoples' identities. As a Christian, I believe we find out who we were uniquely created to be by getting to know the One who created us. When people allow perversion in His name, it makes it hard for those violated to understand how much God cares for them. Children are a gift from God and should be protected from perversion. I hope that Noah continues to find his way through what has happened to him and that others that have suffered this way will do the same.

whomever led me to believe there was no ending, and you had no connection with the players should be ashamed of themselves. Yes, I would have enjoyed more in depth character development and would have really likes a more centralized focus on a topic- molestation, subordination, isolation, separation- but there was all of it, and he was not capable of doing this I feel.
Those parents who led their children into this cult and stayed there after they left the cult and told their stories of abuse are monsters. I cannot understand Noah's need for acceptance from his mother after all the FF'ing she had done apparently, all the abandoning, and all the head turning. She seems like a wackjob. And he just wants her to be a normal mom. Sorry, she cannot be- She will never be- I think she is mentally ill. ANYONE involved in this incentuous abuse of children and brainwashing has mental instability and the children, though not children any longer, need counseling or their fate is unknown.

Really, I am writing this review to, Noah. Wish there was an update or a way to see how him and his brothers are doing now.
It is crazy how much power parents have over their children, manipulating them even after we are all grown up. That is what sucks about having sick parents. I hope that trip helped heal those boys and gave them more to look forward to in life (then to think it could all have be ruined by his sick mother.)
This "family" using Jesus to abuse the most innocent is a horrid, heinous act and just like the Catholic church these people should be penalized to fullest extent of the law. Actually, for the priests and men-castration/ the women a hole to die alone in.

This is an excellent documentary on The Children Of God cult that ran under the guise of being a church . The story is told by a former member who was raised as a child in this cult that regularly practiced sex with children and horrific punishments. It introduces you to children who have left the cult and their struggles to learn to live in a world they never knew. And it includes the thoughts of family members who remained behind in the cult.

Noah, I hope that you are finally free of the grip of the woman (who calls herself your mother). who pimped you out as a child. I was not sure about the documentary until I heard her respond to your voice on the phone. When you asked her why she did not protect you from being sexually abused her response was a classic "blame the victim"---"Well why didn't you tell me about it when it was going on". A loving, responsible parent would have said--RIGHT AWAY "I AM SO SORRY--HOW CAN I HELP YOU"?. THROUGHOUT THE FILM SHE BLAMES YOU, LIES TO YOU, AND LEADS YOU ON. Your film was a raw view into a secret, abusive cult. You and your brothers and sister are brave and deserve a good life. Stay away from your parents==clearly they don't know or care about the difference between good and bad.'
I URGE ANYONE INTERESTED IN CHILD WELFARE AND SEXUAL ABUSE WATCH THIS DOCUMENTARY---IT IS COMPLETELY FROM THE CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW--AND THAT IS RARE".