Sex Cult Nun

By: Faith Jones

Narrated by: Katherine Fenton

Length: 16 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

‘Sex and sexuality were our gifts, not our shame, and sharing them was not optional. No one discussed power imbalances, exploitation, or rape. To do so would have been seen as rebellious, or worse, heretical.’

Faith Jones was raised to be part of an elite army preparing for the End Times. Isolated on a farm in Macau, she practised devotions and read letters of prophecy written by her grandfather, the leader of the now infamous cult The Children of God. A direct decedent of the founding family, Faith featured in international media coverage - she was celebrated as extraordinary and then published doubly as a sharp reminder that she was not.

With indomitable grit, Faith created a world of her own, pilfering books and educating herself in secret. At the age of 23, she escaped, abandoning her history, her inheritance and her legacy. While her childhood friends succumbed to addiction, suicide and prostitution, Faith fought her way into Georgetown University and went on to establish a successful career in law.

Sex Cult Nun is an enthralling coming-of-age story that gives fascinating insight into the closed and complex world of extreme belief. Exploring the issues of psychological and physical control, Faith draws on her hard-won insight to interrogate the binaries of good and evil, and shed light on the insidiousness of oppression. At its heart, this extraordinary story is a stark warning about the consequences of surrendering our rights and responsibilities.

©2021 Faith Jones (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

Critic reviews

"Jones not only shined a marvelous light on the criminally destructive nature of religious cults but how the effects of abuse and mind control permeated every aspect of the followers’ lives. Sex Cult Nun also provides a narrative of triumph that one could escape an egregious cult and create an authentic life free from abuse. As Faith Jones has done for herself, may her life story be a testament to the power of determination and the quest for freedom at all costs." (San Francisco Book Review)

"Faith Jones offers a powerful memoir full of childhood joy yet rooted within a world where abuse is rampant and happiness cannot last. An accessible story about a woman who liberates herself from the binds of an abusive, patriarchal cult, Sex Cult Nun will keep readers turning pages." (Donna Freitas, author of Consent)

"Both inspiring and disturbing, Sex Cult Nun unravels Jones’ complicated upbringing, the trauma she endured as a result and her eventual path to liberation." (Time)

Powerful account of an alternative life

Such a powerful account of Faith Jones' life growing up and out of a life in the Family of God, told in a way the listener feels they are right there with little Faithy.

I felt like I was at the farm in Macau, and understand how she and others believe what they believe/d and interpret the passages the way they do, made even more compelling by the constant references to Bible chapters and verse numbers before the quotes.

I'm fascinated by cult stories, and this is one of the best ones I've come across yet. If you're reading this review to decide if you should listen to this one, you should. It's definitely worth hearing.