Comments on: Children of God film to premiere September 6 on HBO.

Children of God film to premiere September 6 on HBO.

k8t — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:55:21 -0800

Children of God film to premiere September 6 on HBO. Filmmaker Noah Thomson goes in search of the young adults who have made a life for themselves outside of the controversial Christian cult "The Children of God." [previously] Many children of this cult have failed to thrive in the outside world and committed suicide, unable to adjust to life in a society indifferent to their abuse as children. Premieres Thursday September 6 on HBO. Link to trailer (sound is low). Jane Magazine has an article on the group and Noah Thompson in its June/July issue. [link to text and PDF scans].

By: East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94

East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:07:32 -0800

Film at 7 Looks good, thanks.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:11:13 -0800

I remember reading about the documentary's premiere this past January. Documentary Screening Ends in Melee

"While the net[work] has not threatened legal action, insiders say HBO will not be shy about pursuing the protesters if they try to disseminate pirated material or interfere with pic's release."

By: parmanparman

parmanparman — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:12:44 -0800

Thanks for the post. I am going to see if there's anyone we can get on my show around the same time.

By: Kadin2048

Kadin2048 — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:15:21 -0800

@ericb: I don't really understand that article. What "pirated" material was HBO talking about? One of the cult members was apparently wearing a microphone, but I don't get what they were recording. The audio from the film? The Q&A? It just seems really odd all around.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:16:35 -0800

ABC: Former Children of God Member Seeks Revenge - Part 1 | Part 2.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:18:54 -0800

ABC: To Bring Her Children Home - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:20:26 -0800

What "pirated" material was HBO talking about? I have no idea -- unless the discovery of the microphone made HBO think they may have also been filming the screen during the premiere -- with the intent of lifting footage and replaying it in a rebuttal. Who knows?

By: k8t

k8t — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:21:36 -0800

Here are some World of Wonder (production company) blog posts about the Slamdance Festival encounter with current members. [1] [2]

By: The Straightener

The Straightener — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:38:55 -0800

Female bisexuality is sanctioned, though female homosexuality at the complete exclusion of men is not permitted. Of COURSE not.

By: vsync

vsync — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 12:42:53 -0800

Is this in any way related to Chuck Palahniuk's book Survivor?

By: Baby_Balrog

Baby_Balrog — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:22:41 -0800

Children of God was and remains an absolutely terrifying organization - especially because of the way it treats children and parenthood. David Berg was an unstable (to say the least) pedophile with a profound messianic complex. He sort of typophies the charasmatic Christianist IMHO. Anyway - there are many interesting links at the bottom of the Children of God wikipedia article - especially xFamily, a wiki covering Family activity.

By: SweetJesus

SweetJesus — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:05:07 -0800

Members are encouraged 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. If there's one thing Jesus hates...

By: Twang

Twang — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:11:44 -0800

from Wikipedia: "Members are encouraged 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." That first time with the J-man must be a penetrating experience ... suppose he's into end times?

By: progosk

progosk — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 16:09:39 -0800

The YouTube channel recently started has some pretty unsavoury stuff. (As well as the coda to the Shillander story ("ABC: To Bring Her Children Home"): five years later the husband moved to the U.S and the mother returned custody of the children to him, as per their request. Francisco/Tito appears in the other ABC piece, telling a different story about their early childhood this time; it seems Caleb committed suicide last December (there is a site and a blog of sorts).

By: Hal Mumkin

Hal Mumkin — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 19:15:56 -0800

Strangely, I had a roommate a couple of years ago who grew up in the family. She staunchly denies that anything bad ever happened to her (anything sexual that is, she's got some interesting other stories). Her sister is apparently a vocal critic of the cult and I think does claim to have been molested, but my roomie more or less just labelled her as a troublemaker and a liar. I do think it's interesting though that my roommate has some kind of deathly fear of gynecological exams (moreso than the regular displeasure of the whole experience) and apparently always freaks out when it's time to have one. Always made me wonder....

By: Brian B.

Brian B. — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 21:54:36 -0800

River Phoenix.

By: null terminated

null terminated — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 00:18:01 -0800

Jesus is coming again!

By: asok

asok — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:35:40 -0800

Flirty fishing for kicks.