With thanks to Natacha for taking part! m.facebook.com/tormeynatacha/ twitter.com/natacha_tormey instagram.com/natachatormey

I love the interviewer's reactions. it feels like a normal conversation and not like someone's interviewing...very genuine

I had a friend who was born into that cult sadly she took her life hope this lady finds peace ❤

I am absolutely shocked and appalled that this cult is still around and that it’s perpetrators aren’t internationally being sought for.

Love this interviewer, really hits the spot and lets the guests speak, ladbible killing it with these podcasts. Great thing to nod off to

Natasha is such a strong survivor. As a survivor of an end times cult, Sam Fife’s Move of God, I relate to her a lot. I’m thrilled to hear her here. Bravo. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I hope everyone reads her book.

I worked as a victim's advocate in a domestic violence shelter in Southeast Texas. I tried to educate police officers, but mostly, they looked at me like i had 3 heads. Not really their fault because it is a social norm in Texas. I truly believe it has a lot to do with our country western music culture and our religious background. It is very difficult for people to understand the way people are raised in shame and abuse which leads to almost helplessness. I applaud this woman's determination to choose life. To choose her babies despite her culture. Culture is almost as strong as DNA. Pefhaps it becomes part of your DNA.

Yup. I had a friend in that cult. I didn’t know what it was. He was so sweet and kind. He killed himself many years ago. Later I found out about it on the internet. I’m 72.

Incredible story and excellent interviewer. Natacha is amazing and incredibly brave and the interviewer navigated the conversation with empathy, grace and curiosity, allowing Natacha to share her story. just awesome!

A brave woman who has such strength and courage to speak out and try to help others despite suffering such trauma herself. I really hope these survivors get the justice and acknowledgment they deserve. Thank you for this podcast

They recruited good people under false pretenses, brainwashed them and got them hooked, and started blackmailing other people via escorting to join the community. Great interview.

I so appreciate Natasha's sharing her story, and her courage. When so many of your peers die under the weight of the pain and struggle of survival outside of the cult, it must be very lonely to have the courage to go on every day, but I'm so glad she does. There are many people out here who care about your story and see what great value you offer the planet as a human being. Thank you. One day at a time, my friend. You're not alone. Keep fighting the good fight.

I was born and raised in a cult. I’ve also sadly lost a loved one myself to a large well known cult that is notorious for attacking people. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced. The damage cults you live with for the rest of your life 😢

This is my favourite podcast. I love the empathy that the interviewer exudes. Natasha is a strong survivor, I wish her the very best!

She is absolutely correct that there should not be a statute of limitations on abuse. I would say even if it began in adulthood. Anyone who gets manipulated into this sort of abusive relationship should at least be heard out, unless they become perpetrators as an adult then that would change it. For sure, children will need into adulthood to be able to remember and process such craziness.

I've watched and read for many years content about cults, this survivor is so well spoken and straight to the point that this is hands down the best evidence against the family, and the damage of all cults on their people.

Fascinating! Bon courage to all cult survivors who escape and educate us about some of the vicissitudes of these monstrous places. Deep gratitude.

Balance between fearing doctrines vs trusting your judgement is extremely important. And if a child is not raised right, you can start seeing the consequences of this imbalance.

One can feel the self confidence in her voice. Nobody will mess up with me again kind of voice. I trully admire her 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

My family were raised in this same cult. The trauma is still felt to this day by many

This my favorite channel. Literally giving people a chance to tell their story. Bless everyone ❤

Fantastic Podcast, Natacha speaks so clearly about this subject. Thank you for talking so candidly.

Very brave, most people dont talk about being in a cult. The fear of being hurt and killed.

What an amazingly strong woman! Unfortunately the government agencies are often complicit.

I remember reading her book and it was fascinating and heart wrenching! She talks about everything in a lot more detail! Highly recommend! What an inspiring woman to overcome all that trauma!

What a lovely respectful interviewer.

I used to know 2 people who were in the cult for a short time when it was very new in the late 60s. They were my boyfriend and his friend and they were only 16 when they were recruited in Dallas. Their parents gave permission for them to travel with the COG thinking it was a Christian group. Some of the things they told me is that they had to eat cooked milo which was something fed to chickens and old food that supermarkets were discarding while "Uncle Dave" lived in a trailer with his wife and sexy secretary who would later become the leader and ate normal food. They also said there was no getting close with the opposite sex at that time unless you gained favor and got permission to marry someone. Also that they trained the children to follow commands perfectly and like to demonstrate that by giving commands like sit, stand, turn around, etc and the children would obey perfectly. Finally my boyfriend's friend ran away and went back home. Then my boyfriend was arrested in New Orleans and the police asked him if he wanted to go back to the cult or go home. He chose to go home.

Thank you Nathasia I joint the COG when I was 17 in 1978.I still have problems with the things I did and was done unto me.I left after a year and it was hard to leave because of the doctrine.hope that Karin Zerby one day will be brought to justice be convicted and serve years of imprissoment for what she did.Peter Amsterdam was also one of the leaders that should be arrested.I heard from a reilable source that they first were in hidding in Zwitserland but that they now are living in Honduras in a beautifull mansion.The family international is still recruting in South America and the Filliphines.They are organising parties and performances,and still try to take the money of poor people.

Just like the film Red State, realising this happens all over the world and sharing stories like this is a brave step to recovery 👌 be proud of your strength Natacha

Please keep up with the good work . These podcasts are so insightful and informative .

That cult had a house near where I grew up in Limerick, Ireland. They kept a low profile. It only became known years later when one member, the cyclist Juliana Buhring, talked about it. I never heard anything about it at the time.

i knew a few ex members from the family, here in south america. a couple of them unalived themselves and all of them had addiction and mental health issues. some of them were sa'd as children (in shared rooms full of other kids their age, with jesus imagery on the walls) and i remember there was even biological paternity questioned.

This is so interesting because just yesterday I also listened to another podcast of this woman (I forget her name) who also shared her story of being in the “children of god” cult and released a book talking about her experience too! I hope all of these people heal and may peace and love be brought into their life! 🥹

Wow what a great Interveiw, Natasha is so knowledgeable.

Natacha has so much dignity ..a great interview and these interviews teach us so much ....Thank you .

🤗 My good wishes for COG TFI Survivors, the organization Natacha mentions! She and Ben Powell-Jones have had an excellent talk recorded in this video. 🏅

Need to get the “don’t f*ck with cats” crew on this.

In 1976 when w were 16 I had a friend at boarding school in Maine who ran away to Canada. I got 1 letter from her that said that she had joined the children of god. Her name changed and I never heard from her again.

Thank you, Natacha, for sharing your story. How very lucky you were born with the intelligence and wisdom to become aware of those facts which you endured while sensing/understanding/intuiting which were EVIL and HORRIBLE and perpetrated on yourself as well as others. My parents, narcissistic mother, sent me to live with my aunt who was a life log member of Emissaries of Divine Light. It's a cult, too. Thank goodness I was only a visitor. Cults certainly destroy any and all individuality a person may possess by collectively indoctrinating each person with an unnatural passion. Easy to buy, very difficult to reject. Well-done, YOU did it!!!!!!!!!

Extremely brave girl. Well proud of you and your courageous escape from cult. May you have a wonderful, peaceful life. May universe watch over you.

Natacha is an amazing person. I'm so glad I've heard her interview. It makes me feel that my life has been easy. I've been watching the channels which have been covering Scientology and the similarities between these 2 cults are really strong. As a Christian, it saddens me that people use the Bible and pervert faith into such devastating groups. Keep strong Natacha and may you be blessed with a happier life!

This sounds a lot like David Koresh, or the offshoot sects of the LDS extremists who allowed children to become wives of the leaders who has multiple children by multiple women. Somehow, in these cults, women and children are often victimized sexually. That leaves huge emotional scars. It's still hard to understand how people get in the cult, and don't leave immediately, but Natasha explained it better than many I've heard. I was raised in a pretty strict Christian home, but my parents were very social people, and we had a lot of extended family members who were different levels of Christian. By that I mean that we had the very liberal ones who only attended church on holidays, to my parents who went nearly every Sunday, but would sometimes "skip" summer Sundays to go to the lake. I think that "normal" religious upbringing kept me from being swayed by anything I heard about that was a little off. As I got older, I was very interested in cults from a psychological viewpoint, from small ones to large scale ones, and what made them successful. It seems that most crumble in the end, but almost all extremism does damage to their members. It saddens me that parents wouldn't run immediately when child sexual abuse was made the norm. I can't imagine not being the one who raised my children, or having them grow up apart from one another. Our children are very close, and always have each other to talk to if there's something they don't want to talk to us about. One day, we'll be gone, but they will still have a strong bond and get through the loss with the support of each other. I want to thank the interviewer, and especially Natasha for sharing her story. I hope she is close to her siblings or has a good group of friends. I wish her the best of healing and success in whatever she wants to do. 💗

She gave a shocking interview. I'm appalled by these monsters. It seems every cult is all about sex, power and control, just like an abusive relationship. 😢 Thank you 🙏 to her for being so honest. I hope she's doing well. Bless her.

Best interviews on youtube....sad but extremely well done. Subscribed yesterday 😊

This very fluent account of what goes on behind closed doors of any cult system is horrendous! The unfortunate children who have to grow up because of the bad decisions of their parents are either left to suffer the consequences of their upbringing or be strong enough to break away from a catastrophic system. Shame on cult leaders and their followers to desecrate the name of God with their own evil interpretation of what God expects from us! I have great admiration to those who have found their way out!

River and Joaquin Phoenix, they were in this cult with their family. It is common knowledge.

No, no, NOPE! Even in a high pressure group if someone told me that abusing children was an experiment at best and doctrine at worst I would WALK to the nearest city with the embassy from my country and by hook or by crook I’d get myself and my children out if there, even if I had to walk 200 miles and beg for food on the way. Women have done a lot worse than that over history….. it would be the absolute WORST if I ever touched a child. The pain of actually abusing a child would be like irons of fire at my feet all of my life, the physical pain of walking away would never even equate to that! What is WRONG with people?

this is scary, i was bought up in africa and the way she's describing her bringing up sounds exactly like my childhood

She's so eloquent. Thank goodness she escsped & is now helping others to recover

I pray that people who abuse children will be called to justice, how they can even stand to live with themselves is beyond my comprehension.

1:14:18 Fleetwood Mac's Jeremy Spencer is still in the group per a 2023 interview. "The couple remain devoted to The Family (as the Children of God became known in 1978) and work for its publishing arm"

My best friend was in this cult. Her parents joined and she and her brothers and sisters had no choice as they were young children. Luckily she is doing well now her family are out

Such an interesting show - thanks to you both! ❤

In the late 60's and 70's the children were raised directly and daily by their parents with support from others when needed. The 'group' didn't just spread throughout the world because they were running away from criticism but also because it was based on the teachings of the Bible which says to 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature'. Things changed immensely in the late 70's and early 80's, extremely veering away from Biblical teachings and becoming a full blown cult based on sexual perversion and absolute control.

So interesting. Thank you for sharing this. I'm glad you are doing well. You are so brave.

This is the BEST podcast on utube

Do they have any type of organization set up to help those who have left or are wanting to leave? She speaks several times of how difficult it is to assimilate into society, understandably. So what is being done to help these people?

I was Born in this cult and we left when I was 8, I never Remember a time that I did'nt know about sex, sex was the most hi way tò show love and Jesus Is love, at 7 years old an "uncle" abused me, the fact Is that when you enter the cult you change your name so you never knew the real identity of nobody...

I live in Latin America. 20 years ago I was approached by some American girls who gave me a brochure. It said “The Family International”. I wonder if they have changed the name.

WOW! Amazing woman. Wishing her strength, healing and ultimately peace ♡♡♡

I am also a victim of the OTO centered in L.A. Your story is so sad I am sorry you were born in it. My parents were unalived by them. I intend to get Justice. Halaluja 🎶 Amen. Thank you I'm starting a podcast on my story of how what, etc. I have video of the actual sacrifice! Come see Im starting and any support is greatly appreciated ❤

The guy had a wholesome life only by commanding people to obey and act like lunatics. Really surprised me the lengths this cult has servived for.

A cult tried to recruit me in Glasgow around 2008/9. The leader had members follow me and approach me, surround me and pray for me while the lead member injected me with something in my shoulder (got it checked, needle mark but no trace of any drug in my system when I got checked out) and I cried because I was vulnerable, lonely and drugged. I wanted more, and wanted to join. Thankfully somebody made me see sense. They're tricky organisations, and they can sense vulnerability from a mile away. I went to a 'community event' that was just a way for the leader to suss out vulnerable people.

This is heartbreaking i feel sick to me stomach youz evil bastards doing this to kids and woman be brave and leave these monsters cowards

What a brave lady.

Great interview!

Kallmekris just did a breakdown on this particular group. She gets way more granular, going back through the personal history of the leader, the David dude, and his wives, etc.

Awesome video, Natasha is awesome, thank you.

Much respect to you both for this interview. My ex and Dad of my Children is a Child who never knew his Dad who was in this cult in Australia and apparently moved to Switzerland after he was conceived. The only information I have is His name is Mark and he is German. It is extremely difficult finding any information on people who have been in the cult. The website x family is very resourceful to see where they are currently operating under many different names.

You are very brave and wise woman. Congratulations 👍

thank you! I learned a lot

Incredible. Thank you. 😊

😇thank you for the heads-up oxoxoxox careful out there guys and gals .God will keep us safe

You have to condemn the parents of the children that chose to expose their kids to this charlatanry. There can be no forgiveness for them.

Much love to her & all victims ❤❤❤❤

Reminds me of the abuse and control over people of Masonic families as well. Stress, fear, gossip, reprimand and controling. So much not discussed. God bless this lady for speaking out ♥ 🙏

While this video might shock most Christians, for me this cult just seems like the opposite side of the same coin as purity culture. Control. Both are deplorable. Maybe equally deplorable in my view. 😢

The Family International had a youtube account for anyone interested in what Karen Zerby looks like.

I looked up the Les enfants de dieu Paris Show Group. They look so free and happy and like any other music group of that time. Crazy.

Welldone Natasha for sharing your story and for leaving such a terrible lifestyle.

Fascinating but horrendous! So glad she got out and in one piece. So strong and together. Wonder about her views on God now though...

Natacha is a hero.

This WAS an interesting & engaging interview! I’d have thought this group had gone the way of the hippies once the media exposed it decades ago, which I DO remember from some news-magazine broadcast of the networks, 60 Minutes, 20/20 or some similar program of the 90s-00s. It seemed quite dangerous from a law enforcement/social services perspective-even then! The video materials were hokey, tawdry, & could only have appealed to someone using a variety of drugs-was my thinking at the time. “Flirty Fishing” was horrifyingly frightening and simultaneously goofy at the same time. I always wondered what became of those naïve & gullible children in that video!! The TV program DID seem to present a narrative of “cults past,” so it probably did dovetail with the passing of David Berg and the ending of the Marshall Applewhite saga, along with several other reported cults being covered by mainstream media of the era. It may have been intended as some PSA “warning” in the wake of the well-documented Ruby Ridge & Branch Davidians massacres, but always these same “lone nut” tropes are used to convey that sense of “problem-solved here, & we move on to reporting ‘normalcy,’ “ AS IF they’ve all gone now, when you can learn right here that the opposite is true, then and today. I disagree somewhat with the profiling answer, only in that I DO see a common link in people joining cults: Societal Vulnerability, & the perceived “need” to be a part of something greater than oneself. Though these have no specific personality traits in people-anyone at any time CAN fall into the condition-it’s important to specify the emotional basis so that people can have the choice (even if limited) to raise their guard especially at such moments in their lives. What’s most perturbing about all cults isn’t how far they go in exerting sadistic domination over people. It’s how little the law enforcers see fit to shut them down completely & to convict their leaders of criminal activity. Not merely a function of “separation of church from state,” viewed judicially, but a tacit (or outright) NOD to the importance of such orgs in bringing “order” to the general populace, as RELIED on by their own governments. A truly independent govt would hardly tolerate the trafficking of children, the illicit sex crimes, the racketeering & extortion of funds to boost-up & to prop-up potentates, the lack of certified education, & the brainwashing mind-controlling & surreptitious manipulation that goes on in such groupings & assemblies if they were carried-out by persons migrating from rival governmental powers. Why do so in the name of “church?” It’s bad enough that permits have been govt-issued for those tax-exemptions!! But holding them to 0 accountability afterward is a complete abdication of all societal responsibility, which government itself is meant to enact and to maintain. Some building or some temple-structure MAY have a steeple. It may have hymn books, pulpit, organs, carpeting and stained-glass windows, to be sure. But what its congregants are being led to do under the banner of “Religion” deserves just as much scrutiny as COINTELPRO & other government branch initiatives directed against Civil Rights organizations in the 1950s and 1960s-which conducted no such organized crimes yet reported & probably never documented, either. The result: in 2024 there are millions of cult-followers afoot in the USA-concept, being led astray, misguided, misinformed, & manipulated into False beliefs, which they strongly believe are true, without any evident reason to believe the lies & fallacies they are being fed. They can continue doing nothing as they’ve done for approximately 40 years, “exposing” cult after cult after cult, all proliferating in the media reports. But logically, the Outcome cannot possibly be expected to yield any materially Constructive Results, except in rare cases, such as Ms. Natacha Tormey’s. She’s intelligent, articulate, & able to comprehend the circumstances of her environment much better than most in her position. I wish her continued happiness & success in life. But mostly, I pray for her continued inner Peace. Outstanding interview by Mr. Jones. MORE like this one are truly needed-not merely in Religion anymore, as Ms. Tormey has warned. 🌷🌿🌸🌱🕯🌿🌷🪷🌼🌱☮️🕯

Such a brave lady to tell her story.

I’d be interested to hear how it they were able to stay in Thailand for a decade and basically move around Asia given that you typically need visas and resident permits to stay beyond 90 days

I sadly have to admit: the older I get the more I realize how disgusting and cruel human beings are and how dangerous „life“ is. The more I realize this, the less I want to continue to live. Living in such a world makes me NOTHING but feeling frightened, disgusted and lonely and therefore suicidal.

What is the name of the documentary Natacha mentions at 51:10?

Omg..my heart goes out to you Natacha... but at 00:30 there's her name on screen. But her last name is spelled the wrong way... Just wanted to tell you @LADbible

Brave Natacha.

Great interviewer.

What an amazing woman!

Very interesting. There was another off shoot of this group who were simply called "The Christians" who's leader was (still is?) David McKay who was involved with the Chiildren of God previously.

Thankfully, when I was younger, I joined a few organizations that were becoming cult like and eventually I always started to question what the hell was going on and got out. Some were religious, some were political. Now, in middle age, I’m so freakin skeptical that I don’t trust groups at all. Zealous groups are very dangerous in my opinion now. People who are way too passionate about specific ideologies and follow leaders without question make me uncomfortable. I feel lucky that I eventually figured out I was susceptible and seeking them out, I guess I wanted meaning in life. Now I know that we make our own meaning and no one knows what they’re doing. lol. Gurus are always fake charlatans. I am thankful that my parents were always patient with me and gave me a place to land. I can’t imagine what it was like to have parents who supported the cult. Anyone who gets out with no support from family are the strongest people, truly inspiring. And I hope the ones who didn’t survive are now at peace.

Ive been hearing this mans voice lately alot in the background of my life .I feel safe when listening to you.Calming voice calming words I am so grateful for you and your voice.My life has been changing in a positive way I think of Jesus when I hear your voice its a warmth that takes over.Im sure Jesus is the right choice for me I feel scared when I'm practicing properly and safe when I pray in Jesus name

I really appreciate this interviewer and the survivor. You speak well and explain things without smiling like the Scientology people. It’s odd to me that when interviewed they are smiling while speaking of it, which I don’t unserstand

Great interview. Just a heads up about your sponsor. Your ad promotes therapy. BetterHelp is another thing altogether. There are a lot of complaints. It's inexpensive only if they match you with a competent therapist with the education and experience to help, which is unlikely. Users pay hundreds in advance for a promise that may go unmet.

Brave!!

The control in this group sounds similar to something the world just went through where some countries put in place more hard fast rules then some other countries that didn’t. Does anyone else remember this? What was it?

Wow 😮

Didn’t River and Joaquin Phoenix parents raise them in this cult??