From Phil, China’s older brother.

Personally, I don’t want to get into a tit for tat argument over what has been said. I don’t want to get into detail the accounts that took place in my life when my parents decided to place me and later my brother in public elementary school. I do not need to harp on the fact that my daughter is loved and cared for, and is in a perfectly safe environment. I also know and still know how much my sister, China, loves my daughter—and how much it would pain her to see my daughter get hurt or even taken away from us, she has told me this so many times. I also don’t want to get into the fact that China told our uncle that she did not believe it was premeditated suicide that took my brother’s life. We all know how much Abe loved us, and how he would never do anything to hurt us or our parents. How many times Mom had helped China through her difficult times of her marriage is uncountable. My mom’s never ending patience and love is what has helped their marriage come this far. (more…)

Dear Dr. Phil,

I just would like to respond to your show that was recently aired “The Family Cult”, and let you know how extremely disappointed I was to know that you would air such things without researching or looking at the other side of the story.

My name is Abi Orcutt and I also grew up in The Family, or the Children of God, or as you put it “The Family Cult.” I was born in 1980 and have lived in a lot of different countries and have been in many of our “communities” around the world, so I can say I’ve seen a fair bit of what happened back then. (I want to add here that I have never seen anyone abused, raped, or mistreated in the Family). I know that everyone is entitled to their side of the story and so I wanted to include mine as when reading what you have posted on your site made me question just how much of your “inside scoop” you really did get. (more…)

I was a difficult child. I caused a lot of heart ache to my mom and those who cared for me. But it was their love and patience that won me, not beatings. If I had grown up anywhere else but The Family I would probable have be sent to a detention center.

What is abuse? Teaching a child right from wrong? No, I was not beaten or abused! I was encouraged to find my path in life in spite of being difficult. When others would have given up on me, my parents and caretakers gave me love and consistency, that’s why I am who I am today, a dedicated missionary who lives to help others. (more…)

My name is Nina Moore. I am a 30 year old mother of three children. I grew up in the Family and am still a member.

I am writing in response to the accusations against us from former members on the Dr. Phil show. (more…)

My name is Connie Braaten and I am a second generation member of the Family International, although judging from your program I am quite sure, that you don’t care who I am or whether I was abused or not. In fact I doubt you care at all what I have to say. It’s not as exciting as me telling you that I was raised in a sex cult and now I’ve escaped. Pause… (Emotional music plays in the background)… Feel the moment. Here we go again. You’ve heard this all before from our side and we’ve heard these same old allegations before, frankly it’s getting a bit tiresome to hear the same old stuff recycled and then being passed off as some new thing. But I guess that’s the way it goes, history repeats itself. (more…)

As a current member of The Family International I just wanted to comment on a few things. I’ve actually have read one of your books once, I believe it’s called “"Self Matters"….Creating your life from the inside out” and rather enjoyed it as I’m someone who believes you are in control of your life and can change it at anytime. Reading your life story of your father expecting you to have a certain career and deciding to instead do what you want was interesting. (more…)