Episode Details

Welcome to Cult Week on You Can't Unhear. Over the next seven days, we'll explore some of the most disturbing cults in modern history, examining how charismatic leaders manipulated belief, isolated followers, and turned faith into a tool for control. We begin with one of the world's most infamous groups: The Children of God, later known as The Family International.

Founded in California in 1968 by David Berg, the movement grew into a global organization with tens of thousands of followers, including thousands of children. Behind its promises of love and salvation were allegations of widespread abuse, psychological manipulation, failed prophecies, and exploitation that reached countries around the world, including Indonesia. Decades later, the organization still exists under a different name, making this one of history's most unsettling cult stories.