Love Has Won
Love Has Won (LHW)[a] is a new religious movement which was led by Amy Carlson[b] (November 30, 1975 – April 2021), referred to within the group as "Mother God". The group has been described as a cult by ex-members and media outlets. The group had between 12 and 20 full-time members who lived with her at the time of her death.[4]
| Love Has Won | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | LHW |
| Type | New religious movement |
| Theology | New Age |
| Governance | Founder-leader |
| Leader | Amy Carlson ("Mother-God", "Mom", "Momma G") |
| Region | Colorado; Hawaii and California (temporarily, 2020–21) |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | Crestone, Colorado |
| Founder | Amy Carlson |
| Origin | c. 2006 United States |
| Separations | Joy Rains[1] |
| Members | 12–20 (full-time residential), 26+ ambassadors internationally[2] |
| Tax status | U.S. IRS 501(c)(3)[3] |
| Other name(s) | Galactic Federation of Light, The Church Ministry of Mother of All Creation, 5D Full Disclosure |
| Official website | (dead, archived copy) 5dfulldisclosure.org |
Origins Edit
According to her family, Amy Carlson grew up in Dallas, Texas, and was a "straight A student". In Carlson's early adult life, however, she began to talk increasingly about "outlandish concepts" such as starships.[5] During the mid 2000s Carlson developed an interest in New Age philosophy, and became a regular poster on the forums of the website Lightworkers.org. On the forum, she met Amerith WhiteEagle, who convinced Carlson that she was divine, and Carlson began to claim to experience paranormal phenomena.[6] In late 2007, Carlson left her third husband, her children, and her job as a manager at McDonald's,[5][7] and ceased contact with most members of her family,[5] and joined up with WhiteEagle in Colorado.[6] The group was originally known under the name "Galactic Federation of Light".[8] The group posted their first videos to YouTube in 2009.[6]
Doctrine and beliefs Edit
The theology of Love Has Won has been described as fluid, combining New Age spirituality, conspiracy theories, and elements from mainstream Abrahamic religions.[9][10][11] The group proclaimed that Carlson was a divine, 19 billion year-old being who had birthed all creation. Carlson claimed she had been reincarnated 534 times, including as Jesus, Joan of Arc, Marilyn Monroe and Cleopatra, and would lead 144,000 people into a mystical "5th dimension".[4][5][12][7] Carlson had several romantic partners throughout the group's history, beginning with Amerith WhiteEagle, who were referred to as "Father God", and who played a counterpart role to Carlson in the theology of the group.[4][13][6] The group also adopted elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory.[13][11][14]
The group claimed that Carlson was the queen of the lost continent of Lemuria,[13] and the group incorporated the belief that Lemurians live within Mount Shasta in California.[10] Carlson had stated that Donald Trump was her father in a past life, and that she had spoken to the spirit of deceased actor Robin Williams, who she claimed was Archangel Zadkiel.[13] The group's theology also included references to the concepts of Atlantis, the Anunnaki and "reptilians".[13] They believed that the world was run by a "cabal" determined to keep the planet in a "low vibration" state.[13]
Structure and abuse allegations Edit
A core group of 12–20 members lived with Carlson in Crestone, a small town in Saguache County in southwestern Colorado.[4] The group did daily livestreams on YouTube in order to recruit more members, solicit donations, and promote New Age products[7] and vitamin supplements.[15] The group offered "etheric surgery", which cost $88 per session, claiming that it could remove sickness and "negative energy" from the body.[8]
The group has been described as a cult by ex-members and numerous media outlets.[7][13] Ex-members accused the group of physical abuse and sleep deprivation, with members allegedly only being allowed to sleep for 4–5 hours a night.[7] The Saguache County Sheriff's Office reported that they had received "many complaints" about the group from families, about "brainwashing" and fraud.[16] In May 2020, a member of the group was found wandering the wilderness disoriented, naked, and dehydrated, after being described by the group as lacking the "right energy" and being on "the wrong side of the mountain."[8] Despite the group banning drink and drugs for members, Carlson was accused of drinking large amounts of alcohol and subsequently behaving abusively.[4] The group featured on an episode of Dr. Phil in September 2020, where Carlson and two members were confronted with claims of abuse, which they denied.[17] Recordings which were produced by the group show its members making antisemitic and racist remarks.[18]
History Edit
WhiteEagle left Carlson around 2014. Carlson gained her first follower, Miguel Lamboy, the same year. Miguel would serve as the manager of the group's logistics and finances. The movement began to grow from 2014 onwards, mainly by the internet.[6] The group travelled between Colorado, Oregon, California and Florida prior to 2018, before moving to Moffat, Colorado.[8] Jason Castillo would gain the position as the final "Father God" in 2018.[6] The group briefly moved to the island of Kauai in Hawaii in August 2020, where they were met with hostility from locals after Carlson publicly proclaimed that she was the Hawaiian goddess Pele.[19] A multi-day protest ensued, with protestors lighting driftwood fires and chanting Hawaiian prayers around the rented property the group were staying in.[19] Video footage provided to The Denver Post by Love Has Won member Lauryn Suarez showed eggs and rocks being thrown at the house, as well as the broken windows of the house and the SUV parked in the driveway.[20] The mayor of Kauai, Derek Kawakami, intervened to negotiate the departure of the group from the island.[20] They subsequently flew to Kahului Airport on Maui, but were convinced to fly back to Colorado in September 2020.[21]
In September 2020, it had been stated that Carlson was in poor health and was paralysed from the waist down, with Carlson herself stating that she had cancer.[17][20] In early April 2021, the group was located in an RV park in Mount Shasta in northern California, but were asked to leave due to overcrowding.[15] Carlson was last seen alive by someone outside the group on April 10, 2021.[1]
On April 28, 2021, the mummified corpse of Carlson was discovered in the mission house near Crestone. Its state of decay suggested that she had been dead for several weeks. She was 45 at the time of her death. The body was found in a sleeping bag wrapped in Christmas lights, the face covered in glitter and the eyes missing, in what authorities stated was a makeshift shrine. Seven members of the group were charged with abuse of a corpse as well as child abuse due to the presence of two children in the property.[4][22] A photo from a few weeks before she is thought to have died shows her appearance to be emaciated, with thinning hair and discoloured skin with a purplish hue.[4] According to Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin, Carlson had been ingesting large amounts of colloidal silver, which the group had been promoting as a COVID-19 cure, and had received a warning from the FDA for promoting.[23][24] Consuming colloidal silver over a long period of time can lead to blue-grey discolouration of the skin, as well as seizures and organ failure.[4] An autopsy report released in December 2021 revealed that Carlson had died from "global decline in the setting of alcohol abuse, anorexia, and chronic colloidal silver ingestion."[25] On May 5, Deputy District Attorney Alex Raines announced plans to upgrade the abuse of corpse charges to the more serious charge of tampering with a deceased human body, the group members were reported to be facing a mix of charges of child abuse, abuse of a corpse, tampering with deceased human remains, and false imprisonment.[26][27] The charges were later dropped.[28]
Authorities stated that Carlson had not died at the property, but in California; her body was subsequently transported back to Colorado.[26] After Carlson's death was publicised, the group's Facebook page stated that she had "ascended", and the website Lovehaswon.org was taken offline.[26][29] The group renamed their Facebook page and YouTube channel to "5D Full Disclosure",[8] and launched a new website, 5dfulldisclosure.org.[18]
In the aftermath of Carlson's death, the group splintered, with the most recent "Father God" Jason Castillo forming the separate group Joy Rains with a small number of followers.[1]
Television Edit
In June 2021, HBO ordered a docuseries about the group and its leader Amy Carlson, with Hannah Olson set to direct.[30]
Dateline NBC aired a two-hour documentary about the group on October 15, 2021.[31]
Notes Edit
References Edit
- ^ a b c Vallejo, Justin (June 10, 2021). "'They become re-wired, a different person': Inside the fight to deprogram Love Has Won cult members". The Independent.
- ^ . Love Has Won. 2021. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "LOVEHASWON on the Colorado Secretary of State Business Database Search". www.sos.state.co.us. EIN: 83-3069157. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h Graziosi, Graig (May 4, 2021). "What we know about the Love Has Won 'cult' whose leader was found mummified in Colorado". The Independent. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Iati, Marisa. "'She didn't deserve to die the way she did,' says family of cult leader found dead and mummified". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Moyer, Christopher (November 26, 2021). "From 'Mother God' to Mummified Corpse: Inside the Fringe Spiritual Sect 'Love Has Won'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Watch Our New Documentary About 'Love Has Won', a Group Former Members Call a Cult". Vice. March 23, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Phillips, Noelle (May 16, 2021). "How a Texas mom left her family to become "Mother God," leader of Colorado's Love Has Won cult". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
- ^ Nevett, Joshua (May 10, 2021). "Love Has Won: Family's grief at death of mummified cult leader". BBC News. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
- ^ a b Graziosi, Graig (May 13, 2021). "Amy Carlson: The life of Love Has Won cult leader 'Mother God'". The Independent. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
- ^ a b McKeen, Alex (February 27, 2021). "The rise of 'conspirituality': When 'spiritual' people embrace conspiracy theories, it can spell trouble". Toronto Star. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
- ^ Peiser, Jaclyn (May 5, 2021). "She told followers she was 'Mother God.' Her mummified body was found wrapped in Christmas lights". Washington Post.
- ^ a b c d e f g Scofield, Be (July 23, 2020). "Crestone Cult Love Has Won Leaves Man to Die in Desert". The Guru Magazine. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Bunch, Erin (April 15, 2021). "How QAnon and the Wellness World Became Entangled". Well+Good.
the Love Has Won cult has become internet famous for combining their belief that their leader is a God with their belief that QAnon describes a divine plan.
- ^ a b Kinkade, Skye. "Spiritual group accused of cult-like activities may be planting roots in Mt. Shasta area". Mount Shasta Herald. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ Arnold, Amanda (May 5, 2021). "A Cult Leader Known As 'Mother God' Was Found Mummified". The Cut. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ a b Yuhas, Alan (May 5, 2021). "7 Arrested After Police Find Mummified Body in Colorado Home". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Sallinger, Rick (May 20, 2021). "'Love Has Won' Cult Reappears Online Under New Name: 5D Full Disclosure". CBS Denver. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
- ^ a b Bodon, Sabrina (September 4, 2020). "Residents protest Love Has Won". The Garden Island. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ a b c Tabachnik, Sam (September 11, 2020). ""Cult-like" Colorado spiritual group met with violent protests during Hawaiian sojourn". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "Police say Colorado-based group, Love Has Won, has departed Hawaii". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September 7, 2020.
- ^ Phillips, Noelle (May 3, 2021). "Mummified remains of Love Has Won cult leader found in group's Colorado home". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ McKinley, Carol (May 3, 2021). "'Mummified' Cultist's Corpse Found With Glitter Makeup but No Eyes". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ "Gaia's Whole Healing Essentials Warned for Colloidal Silver Coronavirus Claims". ConsumerLab.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ "Alcohol, anorexia, colloidal silver dosing killed Love Has Won cult leader". The Independent. December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c Phillips, Noelle (May 5, 2021). "Love Has Won followers face more severe charges in connection with cult leader's death". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
- ^ Vallejo, Justin (May 26, 2021). "Love has Won cult member Christopher Royer appears in court". The Independent. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ "Charges related to death of spiritual leader dropped". AP NEWS. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ Kinkade, Skye. "Authorities don't know where Love Has Won leader died. Could it have been in Siskiyou?". Mount Shasta Herald. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- ^ Petski, Denise (June 11, 2021). "HBO Greenlights 'Love Has Won' Docuseries Directed By 'Baby God' Helmer Hannah Olson". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Phillips, Noelle (October 15, 2021). "Colorado's Love Has Won cult to be featured on "Dateline NBC" : The two-hour documentary will look at how Amy Carlson became Mother God to her followers". DenverPost.com. The Denver Post. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
External links Edit
- on the Internet Archive
- Love Has Won YouTube channel