24 Apr Flirty Fishing
In 1968, during the height of the hippie and sexual liberation era, a group of Jesus Freaks began baptizing new converts near the Huntington Beach pier. Four years later, by 1972, the Children of God had moved to Laurel Canyon and expanded to include 130 communes around the world. At its peak it claimed eighteen thousand members.
How did they grow so quickly? Part of their recruiting method was sending missionaries to foreign countries, part was proselytizing in the streets and selling pamphlets, and part was a form of religious prostitution called “flirty fishing.”
The cult was headed by charismatic leader, David Berg (1919-1994), who liked to be referred to as Moses and communicated with his followers in a series of three thousand “Mo Letters.” His teaching was a bizarre mix of Christian fundamentalism and unconventional (to say the least) sexuality. Until the late 80s the Children of God openly advocated prostitution and incest with minors, believing that children should be initiated by adults, often their parents.
Female members of the Children of God were expected to raise money for the cult and gain new converts by having sex with them. In addition to the term “flirty fishing,” this was called “Hooking for Jesus” or “God’s Whores.” The flirty fishers “practiced their ministry” in the hippie community, in stores, discotheques and clubs. Women were expected to have sex daily with different men in and out of the cult, even if they were married. Contraception was forbidden, so many children referred to as “Jesus babies” were born. Flirty fishing was discontinued by the church in 1987 due to the AIDS crisis and the ensuing worldwide-changed attitude toward casual sex.
Famous members of the Children of God were Rose McGowan, two early Fleetwood Mac members, and the family of River and Joaquim Phoenix. River Phoenix was an Academy Award-nominated actor who died of a drug overdose in 1993 in front of the Viper Room at the age of 23.
The cult changed its name to The Family International in 2004 and is headed by Karen Zerby, Berg’s widow. It currently has 1700 members in 80 different countries. The website states, “Although we no longer practice FFing [flirty fishing], we believe the scriptural principles behind the ministry remain sound.”
The Laurel Canyon compound of The Children of God was at
1821 Oakden Drive, Los Angeles. 90046
This is an excerpt from Catherine Auman’s book Guide to Spiritual L.A.: The Irreverent, the Awake, and the True
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