March 13 In History: Indonesia Banned Children Of God, A Cult That Legalized Sexual Harassment And Incest
JAKARTA - The Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) officially banned the teachings of Children of God on March 13, 1984. Children of God are widespread in the world, even entering Indonesia with beliefs about the justification of incest and other deviant sex.
At that time Ismail Saleh was still the Attorney General of the Republic of Indonesia. He stated that these cults could no longer spread teachings in Indonesia.
Prior to Ismail Saleh's announcement, the police arrested two members of the Children of God sect in Indonesia. Both are subject to subversion articles.
Members of the Children of God who were arrested are foreign nationals (WNA). One Italian, the other United States (US).
Karenina Sunny Halim, Miss Indonesia 2019 is said to have a connection with Children of God. Quoted from Medcom.id, Karenina's mother from Montana AS is a member of a movement called The Family International.
This suspicion emerged after Karenina's interview with The Jakarta Globe in 2009. The sister of the soap opera actor Steve Immanuel admitted that she and her family were active in The Family International movement.
The woman who was born on June 13, 1986, called The Family International a social institution that helped the victims of the Aceh tsunami in 2004. According to historical research, The Family International is a derivative of Children of God.
Since its founding in 1968 in Huntington Beach, California, USA, Children of God had continued to change their name. First, in 1977, where they changed their name to The Family of Love. The name The Family of Love was used until 1981.
Subsequently, from 1982 to 1994, the sect changed its name to The Family. The name The Family International has been used by followers of the Children of God sect since 2004.
About Children of God
Children of God is a sect that was founded in 1968. This sect was originally known as a religious group. They taught the values of love and freedom.
The founder of this sect was David Berg. To his followers, Berg passed down the concept of worship that God is love. And love is sex.
Berg then further interpreted the concept of worship by "legalizing" sexual relations with children, even members of their own families. Incest was widespread among Children of God.
In his initial concept, Berg was actually trying to reinterpret the teachings of Christianity. But Berg's interpretation is peppered with fear of an imminent apocalypse.
Therefore, Berg emphasized that the laws of the world were no longer important. The important thing is to believe it and what it says.
Children of God is believed to have a global membership of up to 25.000 at that time, of which around 15.000 were children. Verity Carter is one of the children who grew up in the environment of Children of God.
Carter called this cult life "hell on earth." Written by the BBC, Carter said that she was abused by many members of the Children of God, including her father since she was four years old.
Carter's father Alexander Watt was later convicted in February 2018 of four counts of sexual abuse against Carter and another child in Renfrewshire and on Scotland's east coast in the early 1980s. "He wasn't the only person who did a lot to me when I was growing up", Carter told BBC Scotland's Kaye Adams program.
"I have had far worse done to me by many others ... There was a bit of closure in him gaining confidence but at the same time it felt like I wanted more", Carter added.
Carter expressed hope that what the world saw about her abuse case, even about her father, would encourage others to uncover other acts of worship in Scotland. The hard days in the cult must end, says Carter.