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Love Has Won

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Love Has Won
Caption of Love Has Won
AbbreviationLHW
TypeNew religious movement
TheologyNew Age
GovernanceFounder-leader
LeaderAmy Carlson ("Mother God")
LeaderJason Castillo ("Father God")
RegionColorado, Hawaii, and California (temporarily, 2020–21)
LanguageEnglish
HeadquartersCrestone, Colorado
FounderAmy Carlson
Originc. 2006
United States
SeparationsJoy Rains[1]
Members12–20 (full-time residential), 26+ ambassadors internationally[2]
Other name(s)Galactic Federation of Light, The Church Ministry of Mother of All Creation.
Successor groups include Joy Rains and 5D Full Disclosure
Official website

Love Has Won (LHW), also known as the Galactic Federation of Light and Joy Rains, is an American new religious movement which was led by Amy Carlson until her death in 2021. Carlson was referred to within the group as "Mother God", who described herself as, among other things, the creator of the universe. The group has been described as a cult by many, including ex-members and media outlets. The group had between twelve and twenty full-time members who lived with Carlson at the time of her death.[3]

Origins

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According to her family, Amy Carlson (born November 30, 1975) grew up in Dallas, Texas, and was a "straight A student". Her mother, in the HBO documentary Love Has Won, clarifies that she was a good student who earned As and Bs. In Carlson's early adult life, however, she began to talk increasingly about "outlandish concepts" such as starships.[4] Sometime between 2000 and 2007, 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 (Robert Saltsgaver), who convinced Carlson that she was divine, and Carlson began to claim to experience paranormal phenomena.[5] In late 2007, Carlson left her third husband, her children, and her job as a manager at McDonald's,[4][6] and ceased contact with most members of her family,[4] and joined up with WhiteEagle in Colorado.[5] The group was originally known under the name "Galactic Federation of Light".[7] The group posted their first videos to YouTube in 2009.[5]

Doctrine and beliefs

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The theology of Love Has Won has been described as fluid, combining New Age spirituality, conspiracy theories, and elements from mainstream Abrahamic religions.[8][9][10] 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, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Marilyn Monroe and would lead 144,000 people into a mystical "5th dimension".[3][4][11][6] Carlson had several romantic partners throughout the group's history, beginning with Amerith WhiteEagle, who were all referred to as "Father God", and who played a counterpart role to Carlson in the theology of the group.[3][12][5]

The group claimed that Carlson was the queen of the lost continent of Lemuria,[12] and the group incorporated the belief that Lemurians live within Mount Shasta in California.[9] 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.[12] The group's theology also included references to the concepts of Atlantis, the Anunnaki and "reptilians".[12] They believed that the world was run by a "cabal" determined to keep the planet in a "low vibration" state.[12]

The group also adopted elements of the QAnon conspiracy theory.[12][10][13] Members have routinely expressed speculation that the COVID-19 pandemic was planned and that the Sandy Hook massacre, 9/11, and the Holocaust were all hoaxes. They claim that what society has been taught about the Holocaust is suspicious and that Adolf Hitler's intention was to "serve the light." This was continued by the claim that "[Jews] wanted everyone else to do the work and they would take the money…. The idea behind the concentration camps was to teach them to work.”[14]

Structure and abuse allegations

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A core group of 12–20 members lived with Carlson in Crestone, a small town in Saguache County in southeastern Colorado.[3] The group did daily livestreams on YouTube in order to recruit more members, solicit donations, and promote New Age products[6] 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.[7]

The group has been described as a cult by ex-members and numerous media outlets.[6][12] 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.[6] 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".[7] Despite the group banning drink and drugs for members, Carlson was accused of drinking large amounts of alcohol and subsequently behaving abusively.[3] The group was 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 reportedly show its members making antisemitic and racist remarks.[18]

History

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WhiteEagle left Carlson for another lightworker he had recruited from New York 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.[5] The group travelled between Colorado, Oregon, California and Florida prior to 2018, before moving to Moffat, Colorado.[7] Jason Castillo would gain the position as the final "Father God" in 2018.[5] 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, Carlson reportedly was in poor health and was paralyzed 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, 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.[3][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.[3] According to Saguache County Coroner Tom Perrin, Carlson had been ingesting large amounts of colloidal silver, which the group had been previously promoting as a COVID-19 cure, even receiving a warning from the FDA.[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.[3] 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]

In the aftermath of Carlson's death, the group splintered, with co-leader (Father God) Jason Castillo forming the group Joy Rains.[1] A faction of opposing members that had control of the group's online activities, renamed the Facebook page and YouTube channel to "5D Full Disclosure"[7] and launched a new website, 5dfulldisclosure.org.[18]

Television

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Dateline NBC aired a two-hour documentary about the group on October 15, 2021.[30]

An HBO documentary series, Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God directed by Hannah Olson, premiered on November 13, 2023.[31][32]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Mother God's Ambassadors – Mother GOD is Here on Earth". Love Has Won. 2021. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Nevett, Joshua (May 10, 2021). "Love Has Won: Family's grief at death of mummified cult leader". BBC News. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Peiser, Jaclyn (May 5, 2021). "She told followers she was 'Mother God.' Her mummified body was found wrapped in Christmas lights". Washington Post.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Virginia Pelley (September 7, 2021). "How a Former McDonald's Manager Convinced Millennial Women She Was God". Marie Claire Magazine. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Arnold, Amanda (May 5, 2021). "A Cult Leader Known As 'Mother God' Was Found Mummified". The Cut. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  17. ^ 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.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ a b Bodon, Sabrina (September 4, 2020). "Residents protest Love Has Won". The Garden Island. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  20. ^ 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.
  21. ^ "Police say Colorado-based group, Love Has Won, has departed Hawaii". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. September 7, 2020.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ McKinley, Carol (May 3, 2021). "'Mummified' Cultist's Corpse Found With Glitter Makeup but No Eyes". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  24. ^ "Gaia's Whole Healing Essentials Warned for Colloidal Silver Coronavirus Claims". ConsumerLab.com. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  25. ^ "Alcohol, anorexia, colloidal silver dosing killed Love Has Won cult leader". The Independent. December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ Vallejo, Justin (May 26, 2021). "Love has Won cult member Christopher Royer appears in court". The Independent. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  28. ^ "Charges related to death of spiritual leader dropped". AP News. September 21, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  29. ^ 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.
  30. ^ 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.
  31. ^ Petski, Denise (June 11, 2021). "HBO Greenlights 'Love Has Won' Docuseries Directed By 'Baby God' Helmer Hannah Olson". Deadline Hollywood.
  32. ^ "HBO Original Documentary Series 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God' Debuts November 13". Warner Bros. Discovery. November 8, 2023. Retrieved November 8, 2023.
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