Joaquin Phoenix Confirms Family's Involvement With Cult That Used Sex to Evangelize; Actor Says Children of God Not Just a Religious Community
Joaquin Phoenix recently addressed his family's brief connection with the Children of God religious group, explaining his parents' desire to belong to a community who believed in Jesus.
The "Inherent Vice" star said that his experience with the religious group as a child was only fleeting and that his parents had wanted to belong to a group of people who shared their faith in Jesus Christ. However, Children of God has a long history of sexual exploitation. It first formed in Huntington Beach, Calif. in 1968 and consisted mostly of converts from the hippie movement. With an initial message of salvation and spiritual "revolution," the group later began using a method of evangelism known as "Flirty Fishing," which uses sex to exhibit God's love and win converts.
"My parents had a religious experience and felt strongly about it," Phoenix told Playboy magazine. "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.' I think my parents thought they'd found a community that shared their ideals."
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After reports of serious misconduct, financial mismanagement, and accusations of leaders having abused their positions, including complaints from those opposed to flirty fishing, COG ended as an organizational entity in 1978. A third of the total movement left, but the remaining members renamed themselves The Family of Love.
Today, after more reorganization, the group is known as The Family International. In recent years, many critics have called the religious sect a cult. While Phoenix did not specify the timeframe of his involvement with COG, the actor went on to recount his parents' realization about the group.
"Cults rarely advertise themselves as such," he said. "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."
Fortunately, Phoenix said he and his family never witnessed sexual contact between adults and minors or polygamist activity, which, similar to flirty fishing, the group renounced during a realignment in the 1980's.
"As I understand it, you're on the outside of that group until you're accepted," Phoenix told Playboy. "I don't think we ever got to that point, because frankly, as it got closer, I think my parents went, 'Wait a minute. This is more than a religious community. There's something else going on here, and this doesn't seem right,' so they left very early on."
The Golden Glove Award-winner went on to defend his parents against the negative light of COG.
"When people bring up Children of God, there's always something vaguely accusatory about it," Phoenix stated. "It's guilt by association. I think it was really innocent on my parents' part. They really believed, but I don't think most people see it that way. I've always thought that was strange and unfair."
Meanwhile, Phoenix's three siblings include the late actor River Phoenix as well as sisters Liberty and Summer Phoenix, who are both actresses.
