Dr. Phil

Are My Children in a Cult?

James says his estranged wife, Jennifer, is being controlled by a religious group that he calls a cult, and he fears his four children may be in danger. He says that after moving their family to Missouri two years ago to join The Fellowship of the Martyrs (FOTM), Jennifer developed an attachment to the ministry’s leader, Doug Perry -- who claims to hear the voice of God -- and their marriage fell apart. James says he soon came to believe that the growing FOTM community was unsafe for his family. He says when Jennifer refused to leave with him, he took their children and left in the middle of the night -- a decision that landed him in jail on kidnapping charges, and the kids back with his wife. Now, out of jail and no longer a member of FOTM, James says he’s fighting for custody of his kids -- and hoping to save his marriage. Jennifer insists that FOTM is not a cult, and she believes that Doug is a prophet of God.