NOM

https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/ ... tes-cults/

From a reddit post the other day I learned of this TV series. They are currently in their second season and you need a network login to view the older episodes. I have only seen the first episode of season 1 so far, but, HO. LEE. CRAP.

A manipulative and skillful Christian pastor, Tony Alamo, along with his wife, starts a new church with what seems to be good intentions. But as the church grows they move to a small compound and start a new city. Members care for members and the whole community thrives. But over time more oppressive teachings start to come out. Members are daily threatened with hell if they ever leave, and the faithful are worked to the bone for the leadership, building modest homes for members, and mansions for those at the top.

Eventually, Tony's wife dies. He prophesies that she will rise from the dead, but never does, and the failure is blamed on the members. Shortly after that Tony receives revelation that polygamy, as practiced by Abraham and others, is ordained of God. He begins taking multiple adult wives, but quickly starts marrying girls as young as 15, 12 and eventually 8.

The girls themselves and even their families are promised salvation if they marry him. Parents consider it an honor to have their daughters chosen to become wives of the prophet. The girls themselves feel trapped. They are beaten, verbally and emotionally abused. They are unable to leave and scared to even really consider it because it means eternity in hell for both them and their families.

Modern Mormonism is lucky to exist. It was a cult that somehow got lucky enough to morph into a pseudo-viable religion. By all rights, it should have died out 180 years ago.

That's a crazy story. So many wackier ideas might have come out of Joseph Smith if had survived Carthage and gone west. This could have included further expansion of a female priesthood, more temple rites, scriptures like the Book of Joseph, more sections of the D&C, the official garment pattern for women, and we can only guess the number of wives he might have had if he had lived a few more decades.

I many ways Joseph really hit the martyrdom sweet spot for creating an organization that would stick around, building a legacy of people that love him, but still ticking off enough other people to cause his martyrdom/lynching. He died young enough that we only have pictures of the youthful, handsome Joseph. Photos of modern prophets in their 90s are not nearly as flattering as the idealized paintings and sculptures of a late 30s Joseph Smith.

Rule #1 - never join a compound

From the Wikipedia page on his Alamo Christian Foundation:

He worked in Hollywood as a pop singer under the names Mark Hoffman[...]

bold and italics added

Coincidence??????

Linked wrote: ↑Thu Jun 27, 2019 1:54 pm Rule #1 - never join a compound

From the Wikipedia page on his Alamo Christian Foundation:

He worked in Hollywood as a pop singer under the names Mark Hoffman[...]

bold and italics added

Coincidence??????

LOL! That is quite a coincidence! So much so, that it must in fact be divinely appointed. I'm just not sure what it means.

We need more creative individuals to interpret... Anyone?

Just watched it. Wow. So many similarities to Mormonism. Money, United Order, Polygamy, sex, guilt, shaming, obedience, control...makes me want out so bad.

I started watching Season 2 Episode 4 from this series, titled "The Sinful Messiah". This episode focuses on a doomsday cult known as "The Work" which was founded by Julius Schacknow.

Julius was born to a Jewish family in 1924 and later converted to Catholicism in his 20s. At the age of 45 he attended an outdoor revival meeting in Connecticut and declared himself a prophet. He picked up a very devoted following very rapidly.

His teaching was an mixture of Jewish and Christian theology and new-age ideas, using ordinances and doctrine almost at random from both religions including laying on of hands, anointing with oil, faith healing, calling twelve apostles , etc.

Within a few years he had amassed hundreds of followers who gave up everything to live near him and hear his teachings. Sermons would last for up to 6, or even 12 hours at a time and included teachings about distant, yet-to-be-discovered planets including Apollo. According to Julius, Apollo is a planet large enough to hold hundreds of earths and was essentially God's home.

Rules governing clothing, jewelry, and makeup were established to set his people apart. Individuals were given a new name which forced them to develop a new sense of identity through the lens of cult doctrine.

Eventually he begins to refer to himself as Jesus Christ reincarnate, "The Sinful Messiah" and starts teaching about the imminent end of days. In order for members to prove faithful to him they must surrender their wives and daughters to him "to be intimate with God." To show his own commitment, he gives his own wife to his lead apostle.

He formed a publishing company and began printing books and material for spreading his word. But eventually, facing financial trouble, the apostles take charge of finances and found a real estate and construction company, staffed by cult members. They start to bring in huge amounts of money which all goes to the leadership who would then give money to members based on presumed need (law of consecration anyone?). Many members go without food while leaders buy new homes, cars, and even planes.

Eventually a member discovered that Julius was basing most of his teaching on the Urantia book (wiki) which convinces him, but not his wife, of the fraud. Families begin to be split up by differing beliefs, more often women staying with the cult. Julius begins to take these extra women as additional wives and concubines, some of them as young as 15, and 11. Mothers view it as a privilege to give their daughters to "God." One of the young girls abused was the daughter of the second in command Sidney Rig... no wait, lead apostle Paul Sweetman.

Julius avoids criminal prosecution due to statute of limitations when cases are brought to light, which the remaining followers attribute to his "righteousness." Eventually Julius died of natural causes at the age of 71, after which the lead apostle took over the cult, until his shady business practices came to light and he was arrested and eventually murdered by some followers.

*sigh*

If JS had been born a hundred years later. This church would never have survived the first decade or two.

edit: I Just realized how often I was switching between past and present tense in this write-up. I'd fix it, but that seems like a lot of work so, sorry.

THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SATAN'S IMITATIONS OF THE TRUTH!!!

He wants you to read this stuff so you will compare it to what Joseph did (in complete righteousness) and begin to lose faith in him.

Remember, Satan is very, very crafty and smart and stuff. Don't be fooled.

Palerider wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:58 pm THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SATAN'S IMITATIONS OF THE TRUTH!!!

He wants you to read this stuff so you will compare it to what Joseph did (in complete righteousness) and begin to lose faith in him.

Remember, Satan is very, very crafty and smart and stuff. Don't be fooled.

Oh man! I almost fell for it!

Thank you Palerider!!

Wow, I need to watch this. It looks like you can watch the first season free on the website, but you need to pay for season 2. This channel might start providing content for HULU soon. I don't see it on Netflix or Amazon Prime. (It is on amazon but you need to pay)

oliblish wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:16 am Wow, I need to watch this. It looks like you can watch the first season free on the website, but you need to pay for season 2. This channel might start providing content for HULU soon. I don't see it on Netflix or Amazon Prime. (It is on amazon but you need to pay)

Most episodes/cults have very strong parallels to early mormonism. I just wrote about the two that (so far) have stood out to me the most. If you only have access to the first season, I'd still recommend that. Please note though, it is not lighthearted television.

græy wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:09 am

oliblish wrote: ↑Fri Aug 16, 2019 9:16 am Wow, I need to watch this. It looks like you can watch the first season free on the website, but you need to pay for season 2. This channel might start providing content for HULU soon. I don't see it on Netflix or Amazon Prime. (It is on amazon but you need to pay)

Most episodes/cults have very strong parallels to early mormonism. I just wrote about the two that (so far) have stood out to me the most. If you only have access to the first season, I'd still recommend that. Please note though, it is not lighthearted television.

I just tried to watch the first episode but even though it says you can watch it FREE on the website, they require you to login to your cable/satellite service to watch. So it is not actually free after all. I don't subscribe to any of the required TV providers.

Palerider wrote: ↑Thu Aug 15, 2019 4:58 pm THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES OF SATAN'S IMITATIONS OF THE TRUTH!!!

He wants you to read this stuff so you will compare it to what Joseph did (in complete righteousness) and begin to lose faith in him.

Remember, Satan is very, very crafty and smart and stuff. Don't be fooled.

You dirty dog...