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June 27, 2025 88 mins
CW:  CSA, SA, ChiId Trafficking- David Brandt Berg, also known as King David, Dad, or Grandpa to followers, was the founder and leader of the cult generally known as the Children of God.  In 1968 it began as a new religious movement focused on spreading the Christian message.  As the decades progressed, the group targeted vulnerable people and devolved as a counter to purity culture in which Berg pushed the idea that God is love, and love is sex, therefore members should have sex with everyone.  COG attracted the attention of the international media, and a British court case would find the group to be an authoritarian cult which engaged in the systematic physical and sexual abuse of children, resulting in lasting trauma among survivors.  Today’s guest, Serena Kelley, was born and raised in the cult, and along with her mother, Sara, were two of the select few people in David Berg’s inner circle.  When Ricky Rodriguez (another chiId within the cult) was ten months old, Berg asked Sara, one of Ricky's nannies, to start creating a document titled "The Davidito Book" (also referred to as "The Story of Davidito"). The book contains descriptions of adults CSA-ing Rodriguez, describing this ab*se in a "celebratory" tone.  Serena’s mother would end up writing the horrific CSA handbook for the Children of God Cult, and was even proud of the fact, becoming known as “Sara Davidito”.   Serena recounts what it was like growing up in the cult, alongside her brainwashed mother, facing constant mental, physical and sexual abuse, while being forced to appear in CSA videos, and how at the age of 3, Serena was “given” to Berg as a chiId bride and told she was going to be his forever.   Click here to watch on YouTube Watch pt 2 of Serena’s interview Serena dives further, answering your questions LIVE Find Serena: IG: @serkelley Substack: https://substack.com/@serenakelley YT:  https://www.youtube.com/@serkelley Website: https://serenakelley.com/ We want to meet you in real life!  Come adventure with us on our 2nd C2C VACATION!  Click here to go to the official booking page Subscribe to our C2C "CLIPS" Channel! Support C2C - Any donations are welcome and appreciated to support the making of this podcast. Find our FULL (uncensored) merch store here! Patreon https://www.patreon.com/cultstoconsciousness Venmo @sheliseann Find us on Social media! Instagram @cultstoconsciousness  Host Instagram @sheliseann  Co Producer / Host @jonathan.rosales_  TikTok @cults.to.consciousness  Twitter @cultstocon  **Disclaimer: Thanks for joining us at Cults to Consciousness. This storytelling podcast is meant to be for entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for medical advice. We may discuss triggering topics and we ask that you make your personal mental health a priority. Lastly, the opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host.** Chapter Marks 00:10:45 CW: CSA, Serena Explains Children of God CSA Origins & Practices 00:15:26 CW: CSA, Serena Shares her mother's involvement with creating a CSA Manuscript 00:20:00 CW: CSA, SA, Serena Shares Her Earliest Memories in the Children of God Cult 00:26:53 CW: CA, CSA, Serena Shares About Constant Fear and Her Engagement as a Toddler 00:32:09 CW: SA, CSA, Homophob*a, The Children of God's Bizzarre S*xual Practices & Beliefs 00:36:07 CW: Incest, CSA, C recordings, Serena Shares about Cover-Ups and Beginning to Doubt 00:40:36 CW: CA, ChiId Traff*cking, Serena Shares About Her Time in the Japan Commune 00:48:32 CW: ChiId Traff*cking , Serena Talks about the Fear Tactics Used and Being Traff*cked 00:51:42 CW: CSA, Serena's Transition from Japan to Brazil 00:55:23 CW: CA, Serena Shares About Her "Celebrity Status" and Being Trained to Lie 01:02:52 CW: CA, Bullying, Berg's Death & Cult Leadership Makes Serena's Identity Public 01:10:59 CW: CSA, The Cult's New "Rules" About S*x  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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