The Children of God is a religious movement, or more properly cult, founded by the late David Berg in 1969 after supposedly receiving a revelation from God that California was about to be devastated by an earth quake. The cult uses David Berg's own interpretation of the bible and insists that all new members sever all ties with their families and surrender their worldly belongings to the group and become full time evangelists. Berg introduced free consensual sexual activity among the membership encouraging fornication, adultery, lesbianism and incest with children as young as 18-months being sexually abused, with the approval of the cult.
In 1985, David Berg's daughter Deborah Davis published the book 'The Children of God: The Inside Story' in which she described how she and her sister had been sexually abused by their Father, and revealed some home truths about the cult. Cult members are forbidden to read the book, but many have and subsequently left the cult. Other strange ideas among the cult are that children are raised in groups by foster parents, the man being referred to as the 'shepherd', and the female children being encouraged to regularly perform oral sex on him. Women in the cult are forbidden to shave any part of their body, and all members are limited to three minutes shower time. Members are severely restricted in the possession of money, and denied access to newspapers, and television with occasional video rentals limited to 'approved' films. Members failing to speak in tongues are punished, leading many to learn gobbledegook and pretend to speak in tongues. Research Children Of God
The Groenendael is a breed of Belgian shepherddog developed both for herding and as a guard dog. The Groenendael has a long black coat, stands about 65 cm tall, and is protective towards its owners though wary of strangers. Research Groenendael
The Laekenois is a breed of Belgian shepherddog developed in Antwerp to guard linen that was left to bleach in the sun. The Laekenois is similar to the Groenendael, but fawn in colour with black markings on the face. Research Laekenois
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog or Great Pyrenees is a large shepherddog bred from mastiff stock in the Pyrenees to guard sheep against wolves and later used to smuggle contraband across the mountains. The Pyrenean Mountain Dog stands about 70 centimetres tall, has a thick, shaggy coat generally white in colour, and is good-natured though wary of strangers. Research Pyrenean Mountain Dog
David Allan was a Scottish painter. He was born in 1744 and died in 1796. He studied in Foulis' academy of painting and engraving in Glasgow, and for sixteen years in Italy; finally establishing himself at Edinburgh, where he succeeded Runciman as master of the Trustees' Academy. His illustrations of the Gentle Shepherd, the Cotter's Saturday Night, and other sketches of rustic life and manners in Scotland, obtained for him the name of the 'Scottish Hogarth.' Research David Allan
Sir Edward Shepherd Creasy was an English historian. He was born in 1812 and died in 1878. He was educated at Eton, and at King's College, Cambridge, of which he was elected a fellow in 1834. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1837, and was for about twenty years a member of the home circuit. In 1840 he was appointed professor of history at the London University, and in 1860 was made Chief-justice of Sri Lanka, receiving also a knighthood. His principal works are: The Rise and Progress of the British Constitution, and The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World. Research Edward Creasy
Giovanni Battista Guarini was an Italian poet. He was born in 1537 at Ferrara and died in 1612. After having studied at Ferrara, Pisa, and Padua, and lectured in his native city on Aristotle, he entered the service of Duke Alphonso II of Ferrara, who sent him on various important missions. Having lost the favour of the prince he retired into private life, but was recalled in 1585 to the office of secretary of state. Two years after he retired a second time. In 1597 he entered the service of Ferdinand I, grand-duke of Tuscany, a post which he soon resigned. His propensity to litigiousness necessitated his residence at Venice, Padua, and Rome. In 1605 he went as an ambassador of his native city to the court of Rome, to congratulate Paul V on his elevation. Guarini is one of the most elegant authors of Italy, as is especially shown in his Pastor Fido (Faithful Shepherd), a famous pastoraldrama. Research Giovanni Guarini
Hermas was one of the so-called apostolic fathers, generally supposed to be the person mentioned by that name in Romans XVI 14, though others maintain that he lived much later, he is known as the author of a work entitled the Shepherd, circulated at Rome early in the second century, and for which a place in the canon was even claimed. Only a few fragments exist of the Greek original, but the Latin translation, made at a very early period, appears to be complete. Research Hermas
The Hycsos (Hykshos) or Shepherd Kings, were wandering tribes of Semitic descent who conquered Egypt in 2100 BC and were driven out some five hundred years later. The only detailed account of them in any ancient writer is a passage of a lost work of Manetho, cited by Josephus. Their epoch covers the 13th to the l7th dynasties. Research Hycsos
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
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