What is the purpose of your collection?

RE: Looking For Publications


Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

Basically, I would like to start a collection for archiving, educational, and research purposes. Although there have been "Lit Purges", I'm sure that there are still original copies out there.

Also, I've been toying around with the idea of producing a full-length documentary on the subject. Since there has been a great deal of press exposure in since the Ricky Rodriguez incident, I feel that an accurate account needs to be made of the history of this group. It has a history spanning back almost 40 years now, and it's still an acting group. I feel that it needs it's own place in history, and the stories from both sides deserve to be told.

I am not affiliated with the "Family" in anyway, I just think that starting a collection of these publications would be a way to archive all of their teachings, which future generations will be able to look at, and know that part of the 20th Century and beyond.

Thank You

I too have started a collection. However I like information put to use, so it's available for all at http://www.xfamily.org ;-)

I am personally opposed to the private collections I have seen. Too many people are trying to hoard these documents and I work toward divulging the information.

To others:

Don't contribute to a private collection, help us make this information available instead. That way all can benefit.

Right on, Cra-ven
That's why I'm sending my collection to Peter so he can put it on this site. The world needs to know.

We too seek to divulge as much info as we can concerning CoG/Family as we can.

We are particularly interested in Audio Visual materials. These we place on the internet on the CoG/Family link on our website.

We are also seeking info from anyone who actually knew Berg about the man himself, rather than the myth created about him by the Family publications.

RE: Looking for Publications
I suppose I didn't make my intentions clear.

In addition to collection purposes, they're also for research.

I agree that this site is a valid channel to divulge information regarding "The Family", but it is limited in scope, because only people who are looking for information may find it, and the publications you've scanned and listed here are for the most part only excerpts and quotes, which don't fully show the scale of what's contained within them.

I plan to use publications aquired as a reference basis for any audio/visual programming that may be produced from them. In order to create an accurate and definitive portrayal of this sect's history (and future), direct referencing must be made, and using information from websites which feature incomplete information as the only means of research will not allow the accuracy I am going for.

Prior to any production, I would most definitely ask for assistance from the online resources such as xfamily.org for information, but would also prefer to have my hands on the actual documents so they can be verified and catalogued to both ensure accuracy as well as satisfy legal requirements when creating a documentary.

I hope you can understand this. In fact, even if those publications were "borrowed" rather than purchased, I would be satisfied with that. After the information has been gathered, those publications would be returned to the person(s) who lent them out.

Again, I thank you for your time.

RE: Looking for Publications


I never met the man myself, but know people who knew him in the beginning. I also know some of his grandchildren via "Hosea".

This is partly why I became interested in learning more about the group, and am interested in documenting it.

This is only because we just started this site (back in January). Out goal is to be encyclopaedic. That is, we fully intend to post anything and everything, including entire documents, not just excerpts.

I still recommend, as Craven did, that everyone send their information to us. We will post everything we have immediately (time permitting). Also, since most of the editors grew up in this group, we are better equipped to explain and present the information. Of course, that doesn't mean others can't or shouldn't. The more avenues the general public has of obtaining information on this group the better.

From what I have seen, this is by far the most comprehensive source on this subject, and these editors are taking a very balance, thorough, and sane approached to gathering and oganizing, and diplaying the material, offering a forum for all points of view. Not only, are their own archives quite extensive, add to that the links to other relevent sites, and the whole story is laid out. I personnly, being a ex-cog, find the foundation that has been set here to be of the most potential for best relaying this information, and I feel most comfortable sharing any material or information that I may have, here, more than any other place that I have seen.

Re: Right on, Cra-ven


Thanks, Acheick. I will be scanning everything she sends me and putting it on online. Initially it will be in PDF images but as time permits it will be OCRed and converted ito searchable text (this part will take longer as it is a much more labor-intensive and time consuming process). After that is done, there are plans to send it to a university library where it will be professionally archived and hopefully available through ILS or something similar so other researchers can have access to these materials in their original form.

I also have most COG publications from 1970-1978 which I intend to eventually finish scanning and uploading. Some of it is has already been added to the archives at Category:Family Publications. Many of these publications (such as the FF letters from Vol. IV) are not even available to Family members anymore as they were completely purged.

Exfamily.org also has an extensive collection.

Once I'm done with the scanning I plan to dispose of this stuff and hopefully never have to see it again as I really hate having Mo Letters and other Family publications in my home. While I could add it to another private collection, I think it would be better for it to go to a university library that can easily make it available to other researchers.

WagesofSIn, please contact me if there is anything specific you need for your project. I can provide photocopies and/or high-resolution scans. I may also be able to loan you originals that have already been scanned (although obviously I can only loan you publications from my own collection and not anything which is on loan from a third party).
I have also heard that Powell's bookstore in Portland, Oregon has (or did at one time) a collection of Mo Letters for sale.

The advantage of having it kept at a university is it will be available for research and it will be kept in an air conditioned room under conditions to preserve the paper, etc. The students will index them and categorize them.

PS to the editors
regarding Wages of Sin's comments - I suggest stating whenever possible that whatever is posted on this site has been taken from the original publication(s) either acquired by XFamily or on loan to XFamily. That could be some sort of disclaimer or oath of validty, something like that. That would be some sort of statement or oath so no one can claim that someone just typed that stuff up. Am I making any sense?

Re: PS to the editors


That makes sense. Although their authenticity is implied, perhaps we can add something to the family-disclaimer template. WagesofSin mentioned satisfying "legal requirements when creating a documentary." I think these requirements, whatever they are, would easily be satisfied by an affidavit (or several) attesting to their authenticity and provenance to the best of the affiant's knowledge. They may want to go a step further and get an expert (maybe someone who worked in the production of these publications) to certify authenticity.

As far as I know, COG/TF has not disputed the authenticity of any publication claimed to be one of theirs since 1977 (the "Goodbye leaflet").

The more sites that can publicise CoG/Family materials the better.

If one site gets shut down the others can still be out there.

One anti cult site was recently taken over by the scientologists, and is now a cult apologists site.

If you are talking about Cult Awareness Network (CAN), that is a pretty complicated matter. Here is an article about it on the Rick Ross website:

http://www.rickross.com/reference/newcan/newcan15.html

RE pub authenticity
how about scanning the TOC from the book each pub is from and stating that this is the book the pub was found in. There is a copyright to The Children of God in each TOC. Then it could be stated that these pubs are now in place at a research library and then name the university they are being stored at. That should settle any legal disputes because anyone seriously concerned can then go to that university and verify the pub.

RE: Looking for Publications
Hello Again Everyone,

Thanks for the replies. I do agree that if further efforts are made to validate authenticity (affidavits, detailed publication information for excerpts, etc) would make it a lot easier.

Personally, I wanted to make it as easy as possible to research these documents, and be able to verify which books they came from, etc. That's why I initially thought of starting a collection I could reference. Having them scattered around everywhere, or in multiple archives makes it harder, and adds many days, months, years, etc to any effort I undertake. Getting them into a University would take a lot more time than I can commit to this project.

In order to produce an accurate documentary, it's necessary to verify all research materials, so that no one can come along and attempt to discredit them. (Which seems to be the manner in which the Family tends to spin things to look cleaner than they are) If I take steps to produce said documentary, I wouldn't want to have to spend the next 5 years trying to verify stuff I read on the internet. Hear-say, opinion, and speculation are not legitimate standards for verifying materials. Although these can be included in the documentary in interviews, statements, etc, they cannot be the basis for research.

Also, photographs, images, posters, illustrations, and the like would need to be copied in a very high quality to be included in the production. Most of what is available on these sites isn't quite what's necessary. (I'm sure that some people would be willing to help get hi-res scans, etc on those when the time is right)

Thank you again for your replies.