I love watching these crazy cult shows. It baffles my mind how someone can be completely insane and yet they find others who look to them for leadership! This cult is definitely up there on the "dumba**" scale. A brain-fried alcoholic McDonald's worker decides to proclaim she is god and, through the power of the internet, manages to gather a following of other emotionally broken, mouth-breathing layabouts to help her fund her Amazon addiction. This chick is (was) part Team Swan, part Marshall Applewhite and maybe a little part Manson. She claimed she was god, cleopatra, Marilyn Monroe, and Quanon....oh, and also Robin Williams psychically guided her! You can't make up this level of bat-s**t!
32 Reviews
Is This Fake?
macseanny28 November 2023
There were several times I had to ask, is this a spoof series? Like 'This is Spinal Tap' for cults. It's sad that these are real people living life so poorly.
But, somehow, it's compelling to watch. How? How do people get this lost? I hope the rest of the series takes a dive into these lives (rather than the crazy clips) and how they became so broken. Trauma, obviously, but it's got to be more than just that.
As a parent it's a nightmare to think your kids might end up so astray in their lives. We'd like to think we'll be there for them and have given them enough tools. Sometimes it's still not enough. It's easy to call these people absolute morons. Outliers. Anomalies. Freaks. Is that in any way helpful, or preventative? I hope the rest of the series veers a little more in that direction.
But, somehow, it's compelling to watch. How? How do people get this lost? I hope the rest of the series takes a dive into these lives (rather than the crazy clips) and how they became so broken. Trauma, obviously, but it's got to be more than just that.
As a parent it's a nightmare to think your kids might end up so astray in their lives. We'd like to think we'll be there for them and have given them enough tools. Sometimes it's still not enough. It's easy to call these people absolute morons. Outliers. Anomalies. Freaks. Is that in any way helpful, or preventative? I hope the rest of the series veers a little more in that direction.
Definitely interesting
rbrtgrc21 November 2023
Just watched this documentary. I don't think I've ever seen a more gullible, imbecilic group of people in my life. To blindly follow a childish, narcissistic, alcoholic, believing all the time that she is the embodiment of God on earth. Well, what can I say there's a sucker born every moment. Compassion is one thing. I have that for all of them. They have obviously had very messed up lives, but the levels of ignorance and sheer naïveté are just astonishing here. No one featured on this documentary should ever ever ever reproduce and yet several of them did, and, of course Abandoned their children.
Yet another drug-addled cult but with a twist
dfloro14 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Amy Carlson, a pretty teenager and young adult born in a small town near the center of the U. S., quickly rose thru the ranks at her McDonalds job & she soon started experimenting with alcohol, cannabis, ecstacy, marijuana and mushrooms. At some point, her obsession with various spiritual sects on the Internet led her to be the central, founding figure in her own cult: "Love Has Won." This, in turn, led her to adopt the persona of the "universal mother," "Mother of all creation," and ultimately, "Mother God." That's right: not just a goddess, or "a fallen angel now on the Earth," but the literal female incarnation of Jesus Christ. If you know anything (or have seen any or all of then other docuseries on cult leaders like Rev. Jim Jones or David Koresh), you don't have to imagine where the story goes: to an unnecessary and ultimately tragic ending. Even after viewing another documentary like this, I still can't wrap my head around believing these often elaborate, but usually clearly ludicrous shared delusions (even the Qanon and Trump as chosen messiah conspiracies are mentioned in passing). Why are people, many of whom seem otherwise normal, so willing to accept these things (the Earth is flat, many clouds are "cloaked" UFOs, etc.) ?!? 6.5/10 stars.
Almost had to turn it off
mariahmmonet12 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
These people killed her. At the end, they were moving her from bathtub to shower knowing she was dying. She was literally blue. And when she died, it seemed like they were playing with the corpse. They were also filming it, and taking pictures and the entire time. This is inconceivable, I understand people are insane, but you, as a human should know what death looks like. It is natural for a corpse to be revolting to a human. I just can't believe people could think and do these things out of pure ignorance or insanity and honestly they should have been charged with desecration of a corpse or something similar . A lot of the people who join the cult were broken, that plays a lot into the minds of someone who can do this.
Overall it was a good documentary, Im just disgusted at the cult members.
Overall it was a good documentary, Im just disgusted at the cult members.
Chicken Parmesan!
mrjeffmoore12 January 2024
This was definitely a strange documentary, but it was interesting, often funny (unintentionally), and even sad at times. But when a wasted Mother God asked for Chicken Parmesan and was given meatballs, one of the funniest things I've ever seen in a documentary happened. I can't really repeat it because of all the cussing, but her delivery of "Chicken Paremsan! I love meatballs.... but that's not what I wanted! CHICKEN PARMESAN!.... and then something along the lines of "I get dumber every moment I'm around you stupid people" with much more cussing and swearing.... I mean, seriously? If this was real, who would actually think this was a God-like figure who just drank all day long and swore all the time??? If you like bizarre, this one is for you.
Insightful
reganj-4576715 December 2023
I think this documentary is well done in the sense it seems pretty unbiased and just presents the story as it went. Doesn't add too much unnecessary shock value, good production quality, and keeps your attention. Worth a watch if you heard about this story in the news and are curious. I'm glad some of their families came on to speak about her, it gave an insightful and humanizing view.
It's really easy to see why people write off the members as dumb addicts, but I think it's very important to keep in mind that in the right scenario and struggle, anyone can be indoctrinated into a cult. This documentary was really able to show the community aspect of the group, and how that in itself was such a breeding ground for substance abuse, shared delusion, and toxic relationship hierarchies.
My takeaway: I highly encourage people (and wish the education system would teach), to be careful of conspiracy theories, learn about the BITE model, and really read the physiological effects of every drug on the brain before you partake. Spiritual psychosis is very real and studied.
It's really easy to see why people write off the members as dumb addicts, but I think it's very important to keep in mind that in the right scenario and struggle, anyone can be indoctrinated into a cult. This documentary was really able to show the community aspect of the group, and how that in itself was such a breeding ground for substance abuse, shared delusion, and toxic relationship hierarchies.
My takeaway: I highly encourage people (and wish the education system would teach), to be careful of conspiracy theories, learn about the BITE model, and really read the physiological effects of every drug on the brain before you partake. Spiritual psychosis is very real and studied.
I really think you had to be there.
quarkpusher29 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I tread very carefully here, knowing that I'm kinda going on a limb, but I have to say, after watching this, I have some serious doubts that Amy Carlson was god.
There I said it.
It's a precarious position, given the credibility and perceptive, critical thinking of these people. Perhaps it was because I sat on a couch munching mad Fritos, watching at a distance, in Cartesian space.
My dog definitely looks at me with disdain, like "human, you are wicked lower vibration."
I mean when it comes to 3-D, I really don't think you get more 3-D than me. I'm not proud.
Hannah Olson lets these modern-day apostles tell their story in their own words, and I really applaud her for letting these folks express their thoughts in their own words, because what I really expected was yet another tedious smear campaign against one of the many gods walking around on the surface of the earth.
This is told as narrative; the documentarian doesn't try to tell us what to think, and I appreciate it.
Anyway, one day I hope to raise my vibrational frequencies to somewhere near where these folks are at so I, too, can experience a true incarnate god or goddess (the latter more likely as the gynocracy continues to consolidate power over this plane).
As for the daddy gods (a lot of gods here), I'd have to see side by side footage of them walking on water, compared with playing hacky sack in a Phish concert parking lot, to really decide what the deal is.
And that business about colloidal silver turning you blue -- I mean, maybe. I've met enough crazed libertarians to know this is possible (always chase it with raw milk, guys).
But could the skin color change on Mom also be indicative that she is reincarnating as Krishna?
No. I just don't buy it. Sorry folks, I'm just deeply downstat these days. It's the colloidal silver. I WANT TO BELIEVE.
The documentary or theological epic (depending on how you take it) is definitely worth a watch.
Your heart will be filled with sympathy and compassion for these folks.
There I said it.
It's a precarious position, given the credibility and perceptive, critical thinking of these people. Perhaps it was because I sat on a couch munching mad Fritos, watching at a distance, in Cartesian space.
My dog definitely looks at me with disdain, like "human, you are wicked lower vibration."
I mean when it comes to 3-D, I really don't think you get more 3-D than me. I'm not proud.
Hannah Olson lets these modern-day apostles tell their story in their own words, and I really applaud her for letting these folks express their thoughts in their own words, because what I really expected was yet another tedious smear campaign against one of the many gods walking around on the surface of the earth.
This is told as narrative; the documentarian doesn't try to tell us what to think, and I appreciate it.
Anyway, one day I hope to raise my vibrational frequencies to somewhere near where these folks are at so I, too, can experience a true incarnate god or goddess (the latter more likely as the gynocracy continues to consolidate power over this plane).
As for the daddy gods (a lot of gods here), I'd have to see side by side footage of them walking on water, compared with playing hacky sack in a Phish concert parking lot, to really decide what the deal is.
And that business about colloidal silver turning you blue -- I mean, maybe. I've met enough crazed libertarians to know this is possible (always chase it with raw milk, guys).
But could the skin color change on Mom also be indicative that she is reincarnating as Krishna?
No. I just don't buy it. Sorry folks, I'm just deeply downstat these days. It's the colloidal silver. I WANT TO BELIEVE.
The documentary or theological epic (depending on how you take it) is definitely worth a watch.
Your heart will be filled with sympathy and compassion for these folks.
"ARE YOU SMOKING???? We are on a Stage III Fire Alert!"
aarpcats14 December 2023
Losers tend to be full of themselves, but what sets Amy apart is just how full of herself she was. She needed drugs, alcohol and colloidal silver, not food and water like normal people. She was a very sick girl.
Sick people attract people as sick as they are, and Amy collected a dozen of them. Together they didn't try to feed the hungry or clothe the poor. They got high, had sex, abandoned their children, and scammed people out of money with snake oil remedies.
These people were imbeciles, junkies, felons and fools. They needed psychiatric help, and, instead, got drunk and took drugs. The result was the stupidity you would expect, but at least this cult didn't kill Sharon Tate. That's about the only good thing to say about them.
My heart goes out to both the families of these people, and to the people of Crestone, who had to put up with them.
Sick people attract people as sick as they are, and Amy collected a dozen of them. Together they didn't try to feed the hungry or clothe the poor. They got high, had sex, abandoned their children, and scammed people out of money with snake oil remedies.
These people were imbeciles, junkies, felons and fools. They needed psychiatric help, and, instead, got drunk and took drugs. The result was the stupidity you would expect, but at least this cult didn't kill Sharon Tate. That's about the only good thing to say about them.
My heart goes out to both the families of these people, and to the people of Crestone, who had to put up with them.
A View into the New Agers Reality
jewetth-9874530 November 2023
I've seen a lot of people thinking the people in this are faking, but I found it to highlight really well the mindset of a lot of people who go down the rabbit hole of new age/ "lightworker" thinking. This highlighted one group under one leader, and I wanted it to go more in depth on certain aspects of their beliefs because there is so much going on that those unfamiliar with this world is going to be confused. I appreciated how this documentary let these followers of Amy talk directly about their beliefs because it truly can be something that you have to hear directly from believers to even begin to comprehend that there are people who truly believe these things.
It is a sad story overall, but I think is important for people to watch to understand that there are lots of people mentally living in an entirely different reality from actual reality. Again, I wish this documentary went in a little more detail and could've used an extra episode, but overall reccomend watching.
It is a sad story overall, but I think is important for people to watch to understand that there are lots of people mentally living in an entirely different reality from actual reality. Again, I wish this documentary went in a little more detail and could've used an extra episode, but overall reccomend watching.
From McDonald's manager to cult leader
paul-allaer16 December 2023
As Episode 1 of "Love Has Won" (2023 release; 3 episodes ranging from 54 to 58 min. Each) opens, it is "Creston, CO, April 29, 2021" and the cops are descending on the home of a small cult group, where they find the mummified body of Amy Carlson, a/k/a Mother God. We then go back in time as we learn of Amy's upbringing, a young mom with 2 kids and managing a McDonald's in Dallas. How did that turn into becoming a cult leader? At this point we are 10 minutes into Episode 1.
Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director Hannah Olson ("Baby God", "The Last Cruise"). Here she reassesses the life and times of a woman who at age 30 decides to leave her existence as she knew it then, and ends up proclaiming herself Mother God: "God is on the planet and she is a woman!", as the group called Love Has Won proclaims. Of course Love Has Won is awash in multiple conspiracy theories. And then just when you think that things can't get any weirder, they do. Olson mostly lets the members of Love Has Won tell the story. No need for Olson to correct anyone, I mean you can't make this stuff up! Bottom line: this is fascinating viewing, and these 3 episodes just flew by. Over the end titles of the last episode, we hear "Love Is Strange", the original 1957 version by Lonnie Donegan, which I had not heard before (I am familiar with the 1972 version by Paul McCartney & Wings). Great tune. Last but not least: the correct title of this mini-series is "Love Has Won", period. No sign anywhere in the series of "The Cult of Mother God" that many sources have added to the original title for no apparent reason.
"Love Has Won" recently premiered on HBO and is now also streaming on Max, where I caught it. I watched all 3 episodes in a single setting. If you have any interest in how a seemingly very ordinary woman changes her life from being a manager at McDonald's to becoming the leader of a small cult, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion,
Couple of comments: this is the latest documentary from director Hannah Olson ("Baby God", "The Last Cruise"). Here she reassesses the life and times of a woman who at age 30 decides to leave her existence as she knew it then, and ends up proclaiming herself Mother God: "God is on the planet and she is a woman!", as the group called Love Has Won proclaims. Of course Love Has Won is awash in multiple conspiracy theories. And then just when you think that things can't get any weirder, they do. Olson mostly lets the members of Love Has Won tell the story. No need for Olson to correct anyone, I mean you can't make this stuff up! Bottom line: this is fascinating viewing, and these 3 episodes just flew by. Over the end titles of the last episode, we hear "Love Is Strange", the original 1957 version by Lonnie Donegan, which I had not heard before (I am familiar with the 1972 version by Paul McCartney & Wings). Great tune. Last but not least: the correct title of this mini-series is "Love Has Won", period. No sign anywhere in the series of "The Cult of Mother God" that many sources have added to the original title for no apparent reason.
"Love Has Won" recently premiered on HBO and is now also streaming on Max, where I caught it. I watched all 3 episodes in a single setting. If you have any interest in how a seemingly very ordinary woman changes her life from being a manager at McDonald's to becoming the leader of a small cult, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion,
This is not a cult, it's an anti cult...of dorks.
Lord-Voltemort4 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Ok so this gal does ecstasy once and friggin loves it so much that she starts banging the old guy that gives her dope and names her self god. Then a few hippies show up over time and are like ,"hey are you god?" and she's like "sure I guess, wanna get hammered?" They do. So they all get hammered, a lot. Especially the god lady. Pretty sure she didnt even care-nor want to be a cult leader. She just wanted to party. Naming herself god right out of the gate was a bold move because that was the most effort she put into any sort of brain washing or cult leader type behavior the whole time. She let that one move carry her on for years. Then she dies from alcohol poisoning a few years later, as you do when you pound screwdrivers 12 hours a day and blast LSD to the dome constantly. The best part was the first feller that showed up to meet her after she left the old guy giving her drugs. He clearly was not the type to be into this sort of natural mystical thing but there he was. Shortly after they started selling hippie type products on Amazon and used her hippie god persona as the main means of marketing. Clearly this was all his idea and she was like probably like, "will it make us enough money to buy more shrooms?" And he was like, "yup!" And she said, "Im totally in" and then it went from there. Every video of them all congregating around the cult clubhouse, dressed in tie dye and smoking the peace pipe and this guy is in the corner dressed like an accountant running sales numbers on his laptop and I said, that guy's definitely grifting and gonna steal all the money. Guess what happened in the end, he stole all the money. Actually he didnt steal all the money, everything was in his name so the money was his the whole time. I wish they'd do a doc on him and how he conjured up this whole scheme. Anyways, that's it, that's the movie. It's very mediocre.
I need to start a cult....and so should you.
steveleegray28 November 2023
A good way to make money, have a bunch of hippie chicks wait on me hand and foot. Don't need the Anthony Kedis wannabe cramping my style. Sorry this D-bag is a mental criminal who should be jailed n prison. These people are absolutely insane. All are broken people, grasping at anything to give themselves validation. You look at the interviews and just tell there is something not right.
I loved how the Hawaiian people we not putting up with this. A snapshot of what is wrong with people. All are making excuses and pointing fingers as who they s crazier. Here's an idea, drink a bunch of toxic materials to see if a space ship will pick you up.
I loved how the Hawaiian people we not putting up with this. A snapshot of what is wrong with people. All are making excuses and pointing fingers as who they s crazier. Here's an idea, drink a bunch of toxic materials to see if a space ship will pick you up.
I hope
Ripshin28 December 2023
Warning: Spoilers
...that most of the non-interview footage was shot by the members, and not the film crew. If the the producers were actually watching this happen, then it would make them complicit with the insanity., and the result.
The cult was populated with seriously mentally disturbed people, and of course Mother was quite unstable.
I somehow managed to sit through the three episodes, feeling queasy watching any of it. I hoped to glean SOMETHING from all of this, but alas, no.
I am fascinated by the cult documentaries, and have watched many of them, but non quite this bonkers. Everyone in this small group was/is troubled. And even after everything that happened, those interviewed appear to express no "rethinking," of what happened.
This was not the typical "brain-washing" cult, but merely a gathering of people who apparently needed psychological assistance from an early age.
It just made my skin crawl.
The cult was populated with seriously mentally disturbed people, and of course Mother was quite unstable.
I somehow managed to sit through the three episodes, feeling queasy watching any of it. I hoped to glean SOMETHING from all of this, but alas, no.
I am fascinated by the cult documentaries, and have watched many of them, but non quite this bonkers. Everyone in this small group was/is troubled. And even after everything that happened, those interviewed appear to express no "rethinking," of what happened.
This was not the typical "brain-washing" cult, but merely a gathering of people who apparently needed psychological assistance from an early age.
It just made my skin crawl.
Well done job not "The Vow" but worth watching
quicksilversurf24 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
As someone that's been around my share of cults I enjoyed this for many reasons. High entertainment but also sad that nobody took her to the hospital when clearly she was sick and could have been treated and not died so young. Although I'm sure her liver was done from all the vodka either way a well done show and hope these people wake up to their delusions. It's always funny how people think they would.never fall for this and yet they live their own lives within culture and many cults being a "vegan" is part of a cult or being a sports Fan (short for Fanatic) is another smaller cult, much less your religious group etc all worth looking at before pointing at others imho, either way good to watch these shows and be able to recognize the signs of narcissistic tendencies and stay safe and enjoy!
Like a murder/suicide in slow motion
ellysaleuthold3 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This was more disturbing than other cult documentaries I've seen because of the deteriation of Amy's body...the documentation of that... and that her own teaching came back to essentially kill her.
In the end, she wanted to go to the hospital, but they stuck with her teaching and wouldn't take her. The line of victim/abuser became very blurred compared to other cults, in my opinion. And that made it more disturbing than intriguing. There wasn't anyone to root for or really feel sorry for. Like I said in the title, it was like watching a slow suicide/murder of the leader, which is unusual.
Also... A lot of cult leaders abstain from this amount of mind-altering substances. It was especially difficult to watch her slowly die... blue and hardly responsive. And then what happened after. It felt so yucky that I said a prayer. I really hope they all get the help they need. Rip, Amy.
In the end, she wanted to go to the hospital, but they stuck with her teaching and wouldn't take her. The line of victim/abuser became very blurred compared to other cults, in my opinion. And that made it more disturbing than intriguing. There wasn't anyone to root for or really feel sorry for. Like I said in the title, it was like watching a slow suicide/murder of the leader, which is unusual.
Also... A lot of cult leaders abstain from this amount of mind-altering substances. It was especially difficult to watch her slowly die... blue and hardly responsive. And then what happened after. It felt so yucky that I said a prayer. I really hope they all get the help they need. Rip, Amy.
A unique and balanced look at this group
dudleykv2 December 2023
Olson has provided a very balanced and energetic look into this unusual group. The series allows the watcher to make their opinion without being it being preachy and heavy-handed. I could see the allure and magnetism of the group while still being horrified by the results. Another plus is that this documentary goes back after year and talks to several of the participants and their families. I would love to see a follow up on these individuals in say 5 years or so. Episode number two was the strongest but all three we're engaging. The question is left open how a person can become this type of Guru and why others choose to follow them in the face of alternate facts. I highly recommend watching this and doing so with members of the younger generation.
Stunning but Not Complete
thalassafischer9 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
The Love Has Won cult of Amy Carlson is stunning in that the group never had a conscious goal to achieve anything. Even the remaining members of the Manson family still have this whole seed preservation thing they do for environmental conservation, Squeaky Fromme continued with that theme back in the mid-70s when she attempted to assassinate Gerald Ford over the degradation of the redwood forest. Prior to that...well, you know, they thought they had to start a race war and killed a bunch of innocent people. Jonestown and Heaven's Gate thought they were all going to go somewhere like heaven and be swept up in a rapture. What is strange about Love Has Won despite their lack of scary violence or sexual predation is their sheer lack of object other than to worship and to care for Amy.
Beyond that - they did seem to care about transcending the illusion of modern capitalist society and using natural medicine instead of pharmaceuticals, but really not much came of that. You watch the documentary and they go from performing "light healings" through the Internet and selling hair, skin and spiritual herbal products ...to once again, just living to serve Amy. It's so deranged. Especially once she starts drinking heavily, how did so few of the cult members begin to doubt her? How can you watch a woman talking about love and spiritual transcendence and natural medicine devolve into the one of the worst alcoholics I personally have ever seen in my life. And once she died, they held on to this woman's dead body for WEEKS, and had no sense of mission or purpose. They simply had no idea of where they were supposed to go from there as a group. I've never seen anything quite like this before.
But some things are lacking from this documentary that you really need to see for yourselves on YouTube or by other means. Amy in the documentary is portrayed as quickly going downhill due to her horrific drinking problem, anorexia and colloidal silver intake - but you have to dig around on-line to see JUST HOW BIZARRE THIS REALLY IS. Because Amy became mean, cruel - totally delusional, screaming at her followers, insulting them, berating them ....her followers on-line scattered and lost interest because it escalated to a level that she was screaming at and insulting people during livestreams of what were previously regarded as light healings. I feel that aspect should have been emphasized in Love Has Won as a documentary. You can't REALLY see how crazy this all is until you witness first hand how insanely and abusively Amy Carlson was behaving towards the end. This is "Mother God"? And the stuff about Robin Williams....just yeesh, just wow.
Wow.
Beyond that - they did seem to care about transcending the illusion of modern capitalist society and using natural medicine instead of pharmaceuticals, but really not much came of that. You watch the documentary and they go from performing "light healings" through the Internet and selling hair, skin and spiritual herbal products ...to once again, just living to serve Amy. It's so deranged. Especially once she starts drinking heavily, how did so few of the cult members begin to doubt her? How can you watch a woman talking about love and spiritual transcendence and natural medicine devolve into the one of the worst alcoholics I personally have ever seen in my life. And once she died, they held on to this woman's dead body for WEEKS, and had no sense of mission or purpose. They simply had no idea of where they were supposed to go from there as a group. I've never seen anything quite like this before.
But some things are lacking from this documentary that you really need to see for yourselves on YouTube or by other means. Amy in the documentary is portrayed as quickly going downhill due to her horrific drinking problem, anorexia and colloidal silver intake - but you have to dig around on-line to see JUST HOW BIZARRE THIS REALLY IS. Because Amy became mean, cruel - totally delusional, screaming at her followers, insulting them, berating them ....her followers on-line scattered and lost interest because it escalated to a level that she was screaming at and insulting people during livestreams of what were previously regarded as light healings. I feel that aspect should have been emphasized in Love Has Won as a documentary. You can't REALLY see how crazy this all is until you witness first hand how insanely and abusively Amy Carlson was behaving towards the end. This is "Mother God"? And the stuff about Robin Williams....just yeesh, just wow.
Wow.
Pretty wild!
cb_whitewood11 April 2024
I've seen videos on this cult before, but once this came out I hunkered down to binge the whole thing. Love Has Won is a deep dive into the beginning of the cult and its growth, with interviews with (former?) members of the cult sharing their views and experiences.
Honestly, I think this is one of the better cult documentaries I've seen. For once, there isn't insane child abuse, but what went on is still undeniably wild! The first episode was a bit slow for my tastes, but the last two were shocking. Seeing how deep the delusions of LHW run, hearing their beliefs, and the sheer amount of substance abuse going on has me baffled as to how they functioned for so long. I think this might be a great example of spiritual psychosis leading to the exploitation of other, more vulnerable people.
Highly recommend if you have an interest in this sort of thing.
Honestly, I think this is one of the better cult documentaries I've seen. For once, there isn't insane child abuse, but what went on is still undeniably wild! The first episode was a bit slow for my tastes, but the last two were shocking. Seeing how deep the delusions of LHW run, hearing their beliefs, and the sheer amount of substance abuse going on has me baffled as to how they functioned for so long. I think this might be a great example of spiritual psychosis leading to the exploitation of other, more vulnerable people.
Highly recommend if you have an interest in this sort of thing.
Interesting and a little terrifying...
pinksockrock1 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This documentary is definitely interesting in its examination of the modern day cult. What's terrifying is how it shows how easily people are drawn into the cult mentality and lifestyle, no matter how far from reality the ideologies are. What's fascinating is that even after Amy's death, many of her followers are adamant that she is God and that they did the right thing by denying her medical care and overdosing her on colloidal silver. And they still believe in her! They even have these largely dilated pupils all throughout their interviews. I don't know if that's a sign of psychosis or not, but I found it quite curious. All in all the cult seems like a mixture of stoners, swindlers, and mentally unstable people who somehow found each other. I think the real dangerous person is Michael, the guy who manages the money. I think he saw Amy and realized she was extremely mentally ill and chose to exploit her and her ignorant followers until the very end. He always seemed a bit estranged from everyone and at the end hadn't spoken with Amy in a few months before her death. He's the true evil.
damn
hankstheman13 April 2024
Warning: Spoilers
This for sure was an emotional roller coaster. I kinda feel sorry for a lot of the members. But it sure was an interesting watch. Hope they are all okay(ish)
i wonder if one has to do like a silly amount of drugs to become convinced they are god, cleopatra, marilyn monroe and that they are guided by trump adn robin williams, or what it is caused by. Or is one really convinced about it? Are they just putting on a show but get sucked in too deep to escape? I did begin to feel a little sorry for her when she got so ill and wanted to leave but got sucked right back in by her chosen "family". I wonder if it would have gotten this back if that horse looking guy didnt cross paths with them.
Three episodes were enough
mdb-0653028 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
We can all be grateful that it's over. I have to admit, for me it's those moments to see when people make that turn. Meaning, when was the moment they uprooted their lives and why? We find that out fairly early, given that it's only three episodes, then begins the blind following. Trying to capitalize on other cult series like The Vow, also on HBO, and it's "companion" series on Starz about the same NXIVM cult. Love Has Won isn't so much a cult as it is just a group of people that found each other via the internet. They don't do the classic recruiting or the loring of people to join them. They just hock their junk in order to feed moms ego. Did you know that God (mom) needs a go-cart? Who knew?
Part 3 is basically us watching mom slowly die as the rest of the "cult" help her along by poisoning her with Colloidal Silver. In fact one of the members tries to claim that all the experts are wrong about Colloidal Silver, that it doesn't turn you blue. Guess what happens to "mom", yup she turns blue.
Whether you believe Love Has Won is a cult or just a group of people that have common interests, the end result is the same. When they find themselves leaderless they suddenly have no direction, so they split up. Some can still be found online trying to sell their art, etc. I would wish them luck, but I don't like any of them, they were all complicit in her death if you ask me.
Part 3 is basically us watching mom slowly die as the rest of the "cult" help her along by poisoning her with Colloidal Silver. In fact one of the members tries to claim that all the experts are wrong about Colloidal Silver, that it doesn't turn you blue. Guess what happens to "mom", yup she turns blue.
Whether you believe Love Has Won is a cult or just a group of people that have common interests, the end result is the same. When they find themselves leaderless they suddenly have no direction, so they split up. Some can still be found online trying to sell their art, etc. I would wish them luck, but I don't like any of them, they were all complicit in her death if you ask me.
somewhat funny but pointless
aafleming-1956914 November 2023
Nothing new here. If you are unfamiliar with cults there might be some educational value in this program, but most of us have read about and heard of numerous cults. The only reason we ever heard about this one was the business with the mummified corpse and the Christmas lights. If you don't know what I am talking about that might be a reason to watch this because it is funny in a sick way. The footage of the police going into the house and finding the lit-up mummy is priceless, but the rest of program devotes an excessive amount of time to cult members explaining that it is the rest of the world that is crazy. Most cult leaders have some skills, such as in persuasion or manipulation, but this woman was just a jerk, a nasty and abusive alcoholic without an ounce of charisma, so the tried and true explanations that are offered as to why people join these absurd cults are even less convincing here.
Good Production, Lacking Story
evanspaulalex24 November 2023
I feel like the thing that made the Vow, Going Clear and similar great cult documentaries compelling is the way they showed how normal people were drawn into organizations under the false pretenses of simple self improvement and were slowly indoctrinated until they allowed horrible things to happen. Love Has One, on the other hand, is essentially the story of a bunch of out of control hallucinogen users/mentally ill people spewing spiritual words about a woman who who was also mentally ill and addicted to hallucinogens (and alcohol). Given a bus, a bag of weed, and a couple of hours anyone could roll into Humboldt county or Portland and come out with a dozen "Mother Gods" with no trouble. I think the documentary crew did the best they could but the story wasn't there.
Don't do drugs kids!
jurgzgirl15 January 2024
This is what drugs do to your mind. This is sad as well as scary. I feel so bad for these people and how lost they are. How did their lives take such a terrible turn? The fact that they never have glimpses of reality once they start into doing drugs is what is so scary. The internet is a dark dark place for many lost souls and this "documentary" is proof. I found it to be informative as well as unbelievable that so many people can get caught up in this way of thinking, or should I say lack of thinking. This should be shown in every high school classroom to make young people aware of how they can be brainwashed in today's society.
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