Trust Me: The False Prophet (Netflix)

[TheGirlOnTheLanding]

Has anyone else watched this 4 part documentary about two documentary makers going undercover in an FLDS sect to bring the ‘prophet’ to justice? I ended up binging it yesterday and would love to discuss it. Cults/sects are grimly fascinating to me as an outsider who has never been involved or lost a family member to one, but I think this was one of the few documentaries that treated the women caught up in it like complicated human beings rather than just as victims, for reasons that became clear. I found the lack of police action really shocking and enraging - especially that the documentary makers had to continue to put themselves in danger to get sufficient evidence instead of authorities taking over.

I binge watched this as well - absolutely horrified at the lack of action from the police but what amazing women Christine and Julia were. If you haven’t watched it, the documentary series about Warren Jeff’s is on Netflix as well - Keep sweet and obey. Even more horrific, and well worth a watch to add context to this one.

Those fathers that basically sex trafficked their own underage daughters as a trade off to sleep with other girls...often in the same room! I rhink it's the most disturbing thing i've ever seen.
Not sure i have much sympathy for Julia..she may have had a crisis of conscience but she still let it happen. I cannot get my head around it.

Near the beginning some of the FDLS women were saying they wouldn’t even listen to accusations against WJ because they reflexively discounting any criticisms of him as an attack by Satan. It’s very hard to get past that cognitive wall.

I found it fascinating that it was only when the underage girls had been separated, and placed into foster homes that they were able to break free of the brainwashing and recognise what had happened to them. Despite having lived through it, having experienced it. It’s really hard to fathom how powerful their conditioning throughout their lives actually is. They were all locked in to that mutually reinforcing reality.

A part of the story they left out of the documentary (I think) was that Sam’s first wife divorced him to protect their daughter from him.

Even though the community were primed not to believe anything bad of their prophet, it was probably known to some extent that Sam was a paedophile. Presumably that’s what drew the other three men to him - not his prophesies and revelations, regardless of what they claimed

Nomz has been on TikTok a lot posting her thoughts about things - she seems to have completely seen the light and moved away from it all.

Mainstream Mormonism really shouldn't be lumped in with offshoot sects like FLDS. The majority of Mormons abhor fundamentalist practices and teachings. Not saying the mainstream isn't without its issues but hardly equivalent to radical Islamism.

Nomz has posted on Instagram some beautiful photos of herself and the son of Warren Jeffs looking very much in love (@nomzia_b). What a transformation.

It really was quite surreal - from them being driven around in flatbed trailers, to them singing in distress.

Was all the money (for 2 houses, Bentleys, warehouse, feeding and clothing 25+ people) from the other 3 paedophiles?

With the wives incarcerated was it clear how one was transition from victim to perpetrator?

I was struck that there were not that many babies given the number of young girls. And also the Q - what happens to most of the other males if some of the males take all of the females.

It was absolutely very gripping - if it was a fiction movie you couldn’t make it up.

Nomz and a couple of others became perpetrators because they actively assisted in getting the young girls (children) who were in the care of the state to escape.

The other men were very powerful and wealthy, all their money went to “the prophet”.

The younger boys/men who weren’t married off were exiled. Just put out on the street outside the community.

I’m currently 3/4 episodes in of Keep Sweet, Pray & Obey which is the story of Warren Jeffs and his rule over FLDS. It’s also on Netflix and works as a kind of prequel to Trust Me. Worth watching.

It is an excellent documentary. The investigation and being able to ingratiate herself within the sect and raise absolutely no flags was an incredible piece of journalism. The strength it must have taken to be around these girls and women and not break character - I couldn’t have done that for so long.

I thought it was particularly well done in the way Naomi’s story was told (I won’t elaborate to avoid spoilers!)

10/10.

The white leather jacket absolutely killed me

Here’s Nomz talking about the “$15,000” leather jacket!!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXvBA16zrL/?igsh=MXNlZ243b3M5MnhrNw==

Just watched the NF doc on Warren Jeff’s, Sam Batemans predecessor prophet who is in jail (Keep Sweet, Pray, Obey) - it was deeply disturbing.

I thought it was really good but found it challenging that the child abuse is the only abuse that the men are legally charged with. The abuse of the young women is legal.

Also although Julia was brave, she was a committed FLDS member so ok with the polygamy generally just not child abuse?

I found the images of him surrounded by young women so repulsive and immoral. But the programme, the police and the FLDS accept this as 'cultural'. The line is only crossed if they're under 16. 17 year olds in polygamous relationships are fine though?

I felt Julia's commitment to polygamy was skated over.

Also it didn't address what happens to the boys in these communities. They don't want lots of men so the boys are either used as slave labour or abandoned.

Child abuse is not the only abuse in these communities.

Seemed to me like she would have been ok with the child abuse if she really believed that guy was the "prophet". She seemed fine with Warren Jeffs and didn't condemn his actions at all.

Yes Julia she was a believer in the FLDS and polygamy, and presumably still believes Warren Jeffs was the prophet.

She just didn't like the sexual conduct in this scenario. Why? How was it different to Warren Jeffs?

I presume the 'marriage' of underage girls is accepted and prolific in the FLDS, it's just these 2 high profile men got convicted and documentaries.

But the documentary suggests Sam is an outlier from the otherwise wholesome FLDS.

I did think it was fascinating to observe how brain washed young women can be to accept abuse or even just awful choices.

I don't think fear or coercion is the main or only driver. I think when relationships, sex and children are the only ways to gain status or power women will use this within whatever system is available to survive.

I think many of them really believed this was success for them. Wife of a 'powerful' man.

Also the drive to have a baby is so strong and when this is presented as the only route to that i can understand why they accepted it.

Hell, lots of women accept crappy men because they want to settle down and have a baby!
Maybe not quite this bad though!!