A woman has revealed how she escaped from child sex cult Children of God when she fell pregnant with an outsider, saying she ‘didn’t want to bring up a baby in that hellhole.’
Christina Babin, 43, from Louisiana, was forced into Children of God as a child when her mother joined the group, which has been accused of promoting child labor, rape, exorcisms and horrific physical, mental and emotional abuse.
It still exists to this day, although it changed its name The Family International in 2004.
Christina told Take A Break magazine that she finally found the courage to escape from the cult at the age of 21 after falling pregnant with an outsider, saying she refused to bring a baby into ‘that hellhole’.
Christina Babin, 43, from Louisiana, revealed she found the courage to leave the Children of God after falling pregnant with an outsider
Christina joined the hippy evangelist cult along with her mother, and said she faced years of sexual abuse in the group
Babin’s mother was convinced into joining the hippie evangelist cult that several other families were a part of and appeared honorable to outsiders.
The sect was established in the late 1960s by late minister David Brandt Berg.
Originally known as Teens of Christ, Berg soon changed the name to Children of God in the hopes of appealing to a wider crowd that included vulnerable youths looking for a support and comfort
Christina was forced to take on adult-like responsibilities such as caring for other kids and waking up in the early hours of the morning to work and recite morning prayer.
The Children of God group were established by late minister David Brandt Berg (pictured) in the late 1960’s
She revealed sex attacks would occur regularly and bedtime stories were terrifying ‘tales of an oncoming apocalypse.’
Christina was taught not to cry, and the children who did were tormented.
By the time she was 12, she and her older brother were sent to a camp in Japan for two years without their mother.
They were banned from going outdoors most days, she said, and were convinced into thinking their lifestyle was holier than those not apart of the cult.
Christina, pictured here with one of her siblings David, said she was raped by adults and ordered not to smile during her time in the group
Christina joined the group with her mother when she was just 11-years-old and said she was raped countless times as a child
During her time in the group, she revealed she was raped by the adults and ordered not to smile.
She has now revealed how she bravely escaped after falling in love with an ‘outsider’ who was considering joining the group.
She said she was 19-years-old when they met and he toyed with the idea of joining the cult.
Despite his decision against it, they continued to see each other in secret and over time, he introduced her to the outside world.
Berg was the founder and leader of the new religious movement initially called Teens for Christ, then later The Children of God, now called The Family International
Christina revealed she managed to escape after she fell in love with an outsider, who took her for dinners at his parents house and showed her life outside the group
He even took her to meet his parents over a dinner party at their home.
She admitted she was stunned by the experience at the time, saying: ‘It was glorious chaos – nobody was watching what they said or worrying about stepping out of line. They were free.’
Months later, she found out she was pregnant, and called it a turning point in her life in the cult.
Knowing that her child would be subject to the type of suffering she had faced, she said: ‘I didn’t want to bring my baby up in that hellhole.’
The 43-year-old said she will always remain grateful to her former husband for helping her escape her former life
She was 21 when she found the courage to leave the cult, and went on to marry the man who helped her escape.
She revealed: ‘Although the marriage didn’t last, we remained on good terms and I’m grateful for him helping me to escape.’
The cult, founded in California, has frequently been at the center of physical and sexual abuse claims and infamous court cases.
It’s current mission statement is ‘sharing the message of God’s love for humankind, promoting personal spiritual growth and enhancing the quality of life of the disadvantaged.’