George Feigley
A self-proclaimed messianic figure whose leadership of a Pennsylvania commune masked decades of systematic sexual abuse and criminal manipulation.
1940–2009 (age 69)·American church leader·Birthday: June 23·The Silent Generation
Biography
George Feigley's story is a dark chapter in the history of American cults. In the late 1960s, he founded the 'Church of the Savior' in rural Pennsylvania, attracting followers with a blend of apocalyptic Christianity and communal living. He declared himself 'The Light of the World,' demanding absolute obedience. Behind this religious facade, Feigley operated a brutal regime, systematically raping and assaulting children and women within the group, crimes he justified with twisted theology. His reign of terror was interrupted in 1975 when he was convicted and sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Paroled in the 1990s, he shockingly reconstituted his group and resumed his abuses before being returned to prison in 2004, where he died. His case remains a stark study in the exploitation of spiritual authority for predation.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
George was born in 1940, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When George Was Born
The biggest hits of 1940
#1 Movie
Fantasia
Best Picture
Rebecca
George's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1940Born
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1945Started school
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1953Became a teenager
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Could drive
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1958Could vote
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Turned 21
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1970Turned 30
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 40
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 50
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 60
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Died at 69
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Founded and led the 'Church of the Savior' commune in Pennsylvania.
- Was convicted and served over 32 years in state prison for a series of sex crimes against children.
- His case involved multiple prosecutions, spanning from the 1970s to the 2000s, after he re-offended following parole.
Did You Know?
His commune was located on a farm in Union Township, Pennsylvania.
Feigley was a skilled carpenter and built many of the structures at the commune himself.
He was originally sentenced in 1975 to 11.5 to 23 years, but his total incarceration ultimately spanned over three decades.
“I am the Light of the World, and you must obey my every command without question.”
