Cultish

Trust Me the False Prophet: Cultish Reaction

Mar 24, 2026
They react to a new Netflix documentary about Sam Bateman and FLDS succession claims. They question how filmmakers got close-up leader footage and recall interviews with former insiders. They trace Mormon restorationist roots and map polygamist offshoots in Utah. They examine authoritarian theology, legal consequences for Bateman, and recurring patterns linking him to Warren Jeffs.
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INSIGHT

Successor Prophets Recreate Old Abuses

  • Netflix's Trust Me I'm a Prophet revisits FLDS-style succession, showing Sam Bateman claiming prophetic authority after Warren Jeffs' imprisonment.
  • The trailer highlights patterns: spiritual marriages, underage exploitation, and a leader asserting exclusive revelation to control followers.
ANECDOTE

Interview With Warren Jeffs' Former Wife

  • Jeremiah recalls interviewing Brielle Decker, Warren Jeffs' wife number 65, who processed trauma live during their early Cultish interview.
  • He admired her courage as she described grooming by Jeffs and ongoing processing in real time on their show.
INSIGHT

Postmodern Shift Fuels Fundamentalist Splinters

  • Fundamentalist splinter groups arise as mainstream LDS becomes more postmodern, leaving a vacuum for restorationist claimants.
  • Leaders like Warren Jeffs (and Bateman) exploit restorationist theology to justify absolute authority and abusive practices.
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