Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

Sex Cult Nun by Faith Jones

43 reviews

howlinglibraries's review against another edition

dark reflective sad slow-paced

2.0

 The more I think about this book, the more frustrated I feel by it, and while I have a general rule of not giving low ratings to memoirs (because, as many other reviewers have mentioned, it feels odd to "rate" another human being's life experiences!), I have to make an exception for SCN.

First, let me get the obvious bit out of the way: Faith Jones' childhood was a horrifying example of what happens when religion and rape culture mix, and my heart aches for her and every other person who has been through similar experiences. I commend her on the courage it must have taken to write this book in the first place.

Now, I'm going to be brutally honest: this book was a chore to read and I felt like it was never going to end. The writing is dry and sterile, the dialogue is stilted, and at risk of sounding unkind, it felt to me that Jones attempts to control the narrative by sweeping things under the rug that she doesn't want to focus on.

The book starts off with Jones telling us that she has forgiven her parents and has a good relationship with them today, and as the book goes on, that introductory piece feels more and more defensive as her parents are revealed to be incredibly abusive people who never actually seem to understand where they went wrong. Maybe I'm too hung up on one particular incident, but am I actually supposed to feel an inkling of empathy or kindness towards two adults who literally had sex in front of their toddler to "teach" her about "God's love"?

That complaint leads me to my next point, which is that the child sexual abuse in this book is presented in the worst, most graphic way. I have no issue at all with survivors recounting their experiences in matter-of-fact ways, but the way Jones dwells on the most graphic elements of these memories felt unnecessary and I was immensely uncomfortable reading them. I saw one reviewer say that it read less like a memoir and more like an evidence file at these times, and I agree with that sentiment.

Finally, this is the part of the review I'm most hesitant to write because I know Jones is the heroine of this story and we're meant to be amazed by her endurance and courage in the end, but it's very difficult to enjoy reading Jones' narrative when she comes across as such a judgmental, arrogant individual. Examples:

• she clearly others the people of many of the locations she has lived in around the world and has a "savior" complex

• judges her college friends for not being as studious as she is (and therefore "lazy") because they smoked pot

• obsessively fat-shames a former partner (and was so unkind to him while they were together that he admits to developing severe anorexia after their relationship - I'm not saying anyone is to "blame" for another person's mental health struggles, but this is a screaming red flag to me)

• is very judgmental towards individuals struggling with drug addictions

• brags about how "difficult" she was as a student because she was convinced that she deserved only perfect grades

• overall has a very "bootstraps" mentality towards her college years despite the fact that she was given money, cheap or free housing, and a multitude of opportunities by family members, friends of family, etc. throughout the entire process

All of that culminates in the final section of the book, where she talks about healing and overcoming her trauma, which had some really powerful and inspirational moments that would have hit me a lot harder if she hadn't also spent that section defending some elements of the abuse she underwent (such as the "child sex games", which she essentially states weren't abuse because the kids consented to each other's advances, despite the fact that children can not consent, period, and having small children engage in sexual activity isn't less abusive just because they had fun doing it!).

To bring it all around, I'll say it again: I'm glad that Faith Jones got out of this horrific cult and it breaks my heart that she underwent such terrible abuse. I simply think that this book would have benefited tremendously from being written as a biography instead of an autobiography, perhaps with a middle person between Jones herself and the writing to step in from time to time and hold the reins back a little. I don't recommend this book and honestly regret picking it up, if only for the way some of the CSA depictions in the writing triggered me and will unfortunately stick with me for a long time to come. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Rape

Moderate: Suicide, Murder, Racism, and Racial slurs

booksbubblesbrews's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Slavery, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual harassment

smilagros's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

I feel very odd rating someone’s story. This is not fiction. This actually happened. I think that is what is so terrifying. I do want to acknowledge the bravery it must have taken to write this book. The story telling made me forget at times that this is someone’s life. Cults fascinate me but I also think it’s important to acknowledge that even though they fascinate me, it still is someone’s life. As someone who works with children, I flinched and semi yelled whenever an abuse was about to occur. I wanted to protect Faith and her siblings. I truly believe that everyone should read this because it gives a bigger perspective on the meaning of religion, power and the need to abuse people.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Pregnancy, Rape, Incest, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Classism, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

kbweis's review

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

2.5

i respect that the audiobook wasn't narrated by faith herself, but i think i lost a lot of her tone and sincerity because of it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Adult/minor relationship, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal death, Murder, and Suicide

Minor: Addiction

deepcurvesahead's review against another edition

dark hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Eating disorder, Medical content, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide and Murder

camsara99's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, Pedophilia, Infidelity, Rape, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Religious bigotry, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Incest

librarymouse's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.0

Faith Jones's perspective on the Children of God cult, with the conflicting and wildly varied emotions and memories she has of her time there. Her story is unique as she comes as it through the lens of how she viewed the incidents at the ages they were occurring. She brings the reader along with the journey of her struggles, joys, and the ways her perspective changes as she ages and learns. Her need for proof and desire for knowledge and understanding is deeply understandable and admirable as she breaks away from the way she was taught to unquestioningly believe what those in positions of power say. As she notes, she is astoundingly mature and innocent in equal measure, and her capacity for forgiveness is admirable. It makes sense that she didn't break her personal relationship with God after her break with organized religion. The title Sex Cult Nun is also quite interesting, as she both devotes herself to God with a vow like a catholic nun, but she also proselytizes and attempts to spread her beliefs by living the ideals she'd been taught as a nun would.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Grief, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia

alicefaye_'s review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Incest, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Drug abuse, Addiction, Drug use, and Suicide

strawberrybookess's review against another edition

4.5

The end of this book made me weep. Going through a faith crisis & leaving a high demand religion feels like the foundation of your life is crumbling under your feet. It’s the most freeing & terrifying process that has truly defined my life. I would not be where I am today without the stories of others who have gone through similar things. Reading this book broke my heart & healed it at the same time. 

“I have not finished my quest for truth. It is continuous & joyous. Old ideas crumple as new truths are revealed through rigorous questioning.” 

“All things did work together for my good, but not automatically. I had to choose to create good from it & turn my traumas into strength.” 

“Our susceptibility to cults comes from our desire to have a source; an authority to tell us what to do & what is true.” 

“I’m doing this for those who have been oppressed, manipulated, & abused & need the words to stand up for themselves.” 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Suicide, Sexual violence, Trafficking, Violence, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Misogyny

onecrab's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.0

What a story.  Definitely taking a minute here to be born into a pretty normal family.  

I really disliked the shade Ms. Jones threw at what I assume is Monterey Peninsula College.  Like it may be a community college but it did advance your learning and goals.  Save that shade for the pedophilia ring that called itself christians.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Sexism, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Sexual content