This is not the easiest subject matter at all.
As some of you may suspect I love to study the bible the most. However, for some reason I study different religions and also study different cults.

After studying the cult Children Of God I've found out that the peers of River who went through the same horrors claim there have been 35 suicides. The so called church claims there have "only" been 10.

The "son" of David Moses ended up killing one of his nannies, although it wasn't the one who spent the most time with him, and then ended up killing himself. His desire was to kill his own mother to find some kind of justice after all the years and years of abuse.

I mean these people were so very, very sick. They were really some kind of monsters I think. But especially the founder of the COG who was an alcoholic and a card short of a full deck. He planned his weekends around orgies, with his kids being involved. He made a booklet about his "son" called Davito; who was conceived while his wife was doing flirty fishing or sleeping around to show the love of God; and it is documented evidence of sexual abuse by his nannies and family.

Any organization in business or jobs or religion is highly influenced by the leadership. Things don't usually come from the bottom up, but from the top down. And this leader of the COG has a strong influence on his cultish religion. Considering he was just full of cruelty, immorality, and basically spiritual death it was not healthy for any one. But especially the defenseless children.

My point being I'm afraid the COG may have caused River to feel so boxed in he may have had a kind of helpless death wish.

I hope I have not offended any one here whom I consider friends. But I would be interested in opinions of other's about that. If only a person feels comfortable about that that is.

I posted a message here a while ago about a documentary id seen about Rick Rodrigez or, 'davito'. In the documentary there was a scene from a yearly memorial service the child 'survivors', now adults, hold to remember those who have died (to their minds from the effects the cult had on them, OD's/suicides) River's name was mentioned when the list of otherwise faceless names were read out...so the other ex-members concider River's death to be down to his association with the cult.

I dont know, towards the end of River's life he started to publicly talk about the cult- when he made the statment that he lost his viginity at the age of 4 and said "their ruining people's lives". after River died David Berg (the leader) rejoiced in River's death stating in his 'manuals' (propaganda sermons sent out to every commune the cult has in the world) that it was down to River taking part in a 'homosexual film', that God was punishing him for falling that way (seems in the children of God screwing children was okay but homosexuality was completely not) He wrote many things about River following his death, almost obsessive, that if he had stayed with the cult he would have lived as god would have protected him from the bad gay men- alot of it reads extremely angrily (i suspect it was more to do with River publicly slamming the cult than his dealings in drugs and playing a gay character) Berg, of course, even went as far in his bid to salvage the name of his 'religeous group' as to conduct an interview with River from beyond the grave- where, appropriatly, River took back everything he had said, procliamed he was disgusted he took part in 'my own private idaho' and praised Berg and the cult by saying he wished his family had never left them. All of this led to the conspiricy theory that it was, in fact, the COG that had bumped River off for being a 'trator'.

'The family' as they are now known- conveniantly choose to forget their sordid past. On their website they talk of their charity work abroad, the care they take in bringing up their children with good education and morals and their wonderful leader David Berg who made it all possible. A whole page dedicated to Berg chooses to completely erase his orders of 'flirty fishing' his guides in 'how to fu@k your kids', his requests for video tapes of his younger (child) disiples (dirty) dancing for him- all of these things that make up a good 20 years of the cults history have just vanished into thin air. also, the majority of the money they raise for 'charity' these days- goes towards the day to day runnings of their communes- which of course is left out also.

The man was sick. twisted beyond all recognition of a human being. I wish Rick had gotten to him with that gun first. Of course their is no 'proof' as such that River was in fact molested- especially since he took back what he said and fobbed it off as a 'joke'- but if he was? I would imagine being in those surroundings, for even a short space of time, would be enough to fu@k a person up for a life time. And lets not forget that John Phoenix was 'archbishop of venezuala' within the cult- a memeber of the 'higher archey'...wouldnt his family, above all, be expected to follow the rules set by Berg? (im thinking aloud here now folks!) did the children of God have a hand in River's death? id say, yes- probably. But what i will always wonder about (just a little, little bit) is did the Children of God really have a direct hand in River's death?...Berg was a friggin maniac... and with a huge grudge, so you never know.

Thank you so much for your comments Rikki. Its seems like once more you and I are on the same page once again. I can't help but say it...I think you're terrific.

Just in case readers on this blog didn't know it the bible says "pure religion is undefiled." And that pure religion is supposed to be in service for the helpless, sick, poor, and hurt. Not taking advantage of the helpless, sick, poor, or hurt which can be what so many religions or cults or about. Just because something is under the banner of "religion" doesn't mean it has any thing to do with the love of God. Or that He would ever approve of it.

Its just incredible that those morons can imply they were on God's side when accoring to the bible their actions would mean they are actually enemies of God.

Yes, their so called spokes person of the Cildren of God says its against their policy to do the things they did in the past. Oh, like that absolves them from all blame. There is no redemption there from what they have done. Just because a cult points out what wonderful works they are doing in the book of Romans it says to sacrifice for other's is just a reasonable service not an unusual thing for those who love God. A person is supposed to do good things and keep quiet about them. Not blab them all over like the COG does. They are so corrupt while trying justify themselves. The policy supposedly solves every thing. And yet the son of David Moses before he killed himself; in his final video tape; said it still went on regardless of their "policy."
I despise the actions of people who abuse children. I can't think of many crimes that are worse then that. Those dirty rotten monsters....Really I shouldn't insult monsters because they aren't as bad as those COG idiots.

The only thing is I believe there will be justice one day. Every person has an appointment with death, and after that is the judgement...not just revenge like I sometimes have done...But true judgement.