Something Somebody Stole - Softcover

Connolly, Ray

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1460922549 ISBN 13: 9781460922545

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2011

Synopsis

"The Children of God" were one of the most radical groups of Jesus Freaks spawned during the sixties. They later morphed into a headline grabbing cult known as "The Family" known for strange mixture of evangelism, doomsday prophecies and unusual sexual practices taught by their founder, David Berg. This book is the story of one person's journey into the movement, several decades of life within the movement, and the struggle to find a path to recovery in the decades since. The author spent over 20 years in the group (much of it in leadership positions), living in over 20 countries, while parenting 17 children with 2 remarkable women. Through personal reflection and reference to a great deal of research into thought reform and spiritual abuse, the author offers insight into the world of cults, and sheds light on the issues encountered upon leaving a totalistic group. There is a particular effort made to examine issues of personal responsibility and spiritual recovery. One reader comments "informative and entertaining, refreshing in its honesty... not what one comes to expect from a former cult member, and ultimately a message of hope in the midst of difficulty and tragedy. Rich spiritual wisdom available regardless of whether readers have been involved in a cult or not."

About this title

About the Author:

The author was a pretty typical young hitchiker in the late sixties whose journey took him into a radical communal offshoot of the Jesus Movement known as The Children of God. He spent the next 20-plus years with the group, and experienced the many changes it went through as the teachings became more bizarre and its hold on its followers grew ever stronger. Ray traveled with the movement, and his ever-growing family through over 20 countries, eventually parenting 17 children with 2 remarkable women. Much of this time was spent in positions of leadership, and this perspective leads to a lot of reflection on the dynamics at work in the world of cults, and the challenges one experiences when departing from one. The struggle to make sense of the experience led to Ray's involvement with the cult recovery community, which is the source of much of the research cited in his book. Through it all, Ray remains a deeply convinced Christian. His love of reading feeds into his reflections on the crisis of faith one faces in the wake of intense spiritual abuse. He and Stephanie, his wife of 40 plus years live in Massachusetts and delight in their large and loving family of kids, grandkids and in-laws.

About this edition

• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1460922549
• ISBN 13: 9781460922545
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 236