Daily Mail: Free the children from this evil cult

Free the children from this evil cult

The Daily Mail/1994-11-01

Hundreds of British boys and girls are enmeshed in an evil cult.

This sect, spawned in the 60s by Californian David Berg as the Children of God is currently operating here under the alias of The Family of Love. For three years its activities have been investigated by Scotland Yard. The police are profoundly concerned about what they have discovered. They fear for under-age youngsters reared by this cult.

Scotland Yard's confidential report is now with the Government.

What are the Ministers going to do about it?

The emotional reflex is an outraged demand to have the cult 'banned'.

Would that it were that easy.

Wherever in the world this unwholesome movement has taken root there have been accusations of sexual abuse and brainwashing. What has been notoriously difficult is to make any criminal charges stick.

The most effective way to free the children from such an insidious trap is to insist that they be taught, not in enclosed groups by members of the cult, but in properly inspected schools where they can study and play with other boys and girls.

If the Secretary of State Gillian Shephard can show that these children are being denied the education that is their statutory right, then assuredly she has the power to break the cult's hold over them.

Once she has read the police report, she will not need this newspaper to tell her how imperative is her duty to fight and win this good fight.