Joaquin Phoenix Discusses Growing Up in the Children of God Religious Sect

[rug]

Nov 12, 2014, 1:13 PM ET
By LESLEY MESSER

When Joaquin Phoenix was a child, his parents briefly joined the Children of God religious group, which some critics have called a cult.

However, Phoenix said that his time living with the group was brief.

"My parents had a religious experience and felt strongly about it. They wanted to share that with other people who wanted to talk about their experience with religion. These friends were like, 'Oh, we believe in Jesus as well,'" he told Playboy magazine. "I think my parents thought they’d found a community that shared their ideals. Cults rarely advertise themselves as such. It’s usually someone saying, 'We’re like-minded people. This is a community,' but I think the moment my parents realized there was something more to it, they got out."

Children of God, now called The Family International, has been criticized by former members, including actress Rose McGowan, for sexual misconduct, including child molestation.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/joaquin-phoenix-discusses-growing-children-god-religious-sect/story?id=26859988

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_International

[shenmue]

1. Good Lord

How scary.

[cbayer]

2. That's surprising.

He seems to escaped relatively unscathed.

Great actor and seems to have a wonderful attitude towards others.

Did you see "Her"?

[rug]

3. No I haven't. Is it worth seeing?

I wonder if his late brother River was old enough to be involved as well.

[cbayer]

4. Absolutely worth seeing.

Would love to know what you think of it.

[rug]

11. It's one of the movies On Demand this month.

A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/

Spike Jonez is an added bonus. Even though Scarlett Johansson is in it, I'll force myself to watch it this weekend.

Thanks for the tip!

[cbayer]

14. You don't like Scarlett Johansson?

Well, you won't have to ever look at her, just hear her voice, lol.

Watch with an open mind. It's sounds corny but it's not.

[rug]

15. I shall avert my eyes but listen closely.

[cbayer]

16. You will not need to avert your eyes as she never appears.

But do listen closely.

I am guessing that you really do like her.

[rug]

17. What! She's not in it?

OK. Guardians of the Galaxies goes first.

[cbayer]

18. Yes, she is in it! But you will never see her.

She plays the OS and you only hear her.

She is very, very good, but you will not be able to gaze upon her.

[cbayer]

6. This will tell you a little about these parents. These are the names of the children.

Joaquin Phoenix, River Phoenix, Rain Phoenix, Summer Phoenix, Jodean Bottom, Liberty Phoenix.

Not sure where the Jodean Bottom came in, but I bet it's an interesting story.

At any rate, I suspect these parents tried out lots of different things, lol.

[yeoman6987]

19. I saw "Her" in the theater

It is a very dark disturbing movie. I was sorry I went to see it.

[rug]

20. Damn, now I'm intrigued.

[yeoman6987]

22. I say see it if you are interested

I go to the movies a lot and sometimes go with friends. Many times I will love a certain movie and my friends look at me like I must have watched a different movie and vise versa. Lots of different tastes for everyone. I wasn't a fan of "Her". But you may be. Enjoy!!!!

[cbayer]

21. Oh, I am sorry to hear that

I found it very provocative and somewhat dark, but that's my kind of movie.

Clearly not for everyone.

I watched a Mike Batiglia stand up special last night which was hilarious. You might like that.

[Mnemosyne]

5. They came to my small town in 1974, iirc. There were two men, about 19 - 22, and one

woman, maybe 18?, or so. Came from Texas, they said. They were extremely efficient shoplifters and did not consider it criminal as they only ripped off corporations.

The guys names were Noah and Jabock(sp), can't remember the woman's name.

They didn't want me for some reason. I was 16. I am very strong minded and apparently not good brainwash material. However, an acquaintance of mine, age 15, did leave with them. I don't know if she ever came back.

I received 'Mo' letters for a few years.

[cbayer]

7. Ok, I had to look up 'Mo' letters and this tells the story:

[Mnemosyne]

8. A deeply disturbed bunch indeed. nt

[rug]

9. I only knew them from afar.

I always associated them as one branch emerging from the hippies. The mind control didn't come out for several years.

[Mnemosyne]

10. Do you happen to know when the mind control became a part of it?

I actually felt a bit hurt they wouldn't take me, I was a beautiful intelligent teen.

[rug]

12. Not really. It was probablt present from the beginning and became more prominent as it grew.

There were a lot of cults floating around then.

I remember seeing the "13 year old Perfect Master" Guru Maharaj Ji at Hunter College. After about 20 minutes people started yelling and actually throwing things at him. He was quickly taken from the stage by some burly followers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divine_Light_Mission

As to the Children of God, young women were always prominent. It was a very effective recruiting method. Count yourself lucky.

[Mnemosyne]

13. As I got older and did some research on them, I felt very fortunate to not have hooked up

with these people. The use of young women to bait young men in through sex sickened me in the 'Mo' letters; seemed like prostitution to even my young self.

Scary bunch, still...