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The truth is often stranger — and darker — than fiction. Join us as we count down our picks for the most revealing documentary films and docuseries that pull back the curtain on some of history's most disturbing cults! From Jonestown to NXIVM, these films expose the manipulation, devotion, and devastation left behind. Which of these cults frightens you the most? Let us know!
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00:00I always thought it was weird that my dad is my mom's uncle.
00:05Welcome to Miss Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 documentary films and docu-series
00:11that provide insight into cults.
00:13I didn't really realize the gravity of what I was dealing with. At the time there was just so much
00:19that I didn't know.
00:22Number 20. Trust Me, The False Prophet.
00:25Everybody in a fundamental Mormon group want to be associated with the prophet.
00:31They want to be the right-hand man of the prophet. They want to be the wife of the prophet.
00:36It's like being the wife of God.
00:38Sometimes the most shocking cult stories are documented in real time.
00:43Trust Me, The False Prophet follows cult expert Christine Marie and her husband as they go undercover inside a breakaway
00:50sect of the FLDS community.
00:52What they uncover is Chilling, a self-proclaimed prophet, Samuel Bateman, who claimed divine authority while secretly abusing women and
01:01underage girls.
01:02We weren't living very far from the police station. I could have simply walked over there.
01:08But I just kept thinking, will they hear one woman's cry?
01:13Using hidden recordings and first-hand access, the couple gathers evidence that eventually helps federal authorities build a case, leading
01:21to Bateman's conviction and a 50-year sentence.
01:24What makes this documentary different is its proximity. You're not just hearing about the cult, you're watching it be exposed
01:30from the inside.
01:31I had been lied to my entire life. I was born in lies.
01:36Number 19, The Way Down.
01:38You might ask how all this came about, but it's a long story of mistakes and trials, hardships, and finally
01:46victories.
01:47Now that I look back on it, this is what God was preparing me for even early in life.
01:53It began as a weight loss program and turned into something far darker.
01:57The Way Down follows Gwen Shamblin Lara, who built a devoted following by linking dieting to spirituality through her Weight
02:05Down workshop.
02:06It reveals how over time, the program became the Remnant Fellowship Church, where former members say Shamblin tightly controlled relationships,
02:14finances, and daily life.
02:16In May 2021, a plane crash killed Gwen, her husband Joe Lara, and several members of her inner circle, prompting
02:24others to speak out.
02:25It all just went on as if the plane crash never happened, which was to those of us, you know,
02:31in my family who all knew about it, that just seemed strange.
02:35Using that tragedy as an ending point, the series moves backward through years of testimony and unseen footage.
02:42Among the darkest threads lies the case of two remnant members convicted of killing their own son.
02:48The EMTs that first responded, they talked about it being such a bad case that they had ever seen.
02:54Number 18, Shiny Happy People.
02:57And there are more families who are getting their own reality TV series.
03:00Well, at the same time that that's happening, there's more and more evidence coming out of just the pandemic of
03:06abuse that is happening everywhere this culture touches.
03:09For over a decade, the Duggar family built a brand on wholesomeness.
03:13Through shows like 19 Kids and Counting, they presented a picture of faith, discipline, and traditional family values to millions.
03:20But cracks began to show when scandals involving Josh Duggar surfaced, changing public perception overnight.
03:27Shiny Happy People takes things further.
03:30I see my housemate with a big knife to her throat.
03:35She's like, the Bible says that it is better to put a knife to your throat than to be a
03:40glutton.
03:41Wait, what?
03:42What?
03:42And their connection to the Institute in Basic Life Principles, a powerful religious organization led by Bill Gothard.
03:50The series reveals how strict teachings around obedience, gender roles, and authority shaped not just one family, but an entire
03:57movement.
03:58So I open my eyes, and when I do, he's looking at me.
04:04His eyes are open.
04:06It was kind of like, you know, looking the devil in the eye.
04:10Number 17, Leah Remini, Scientology and the Aftermath.
04:14Mike started a foundation for a Scientologist who are leaving because very oftentimes we've heard,
04:20I didn't believe I had anywhere to go.
04:23I mean, literally, like, I don't know actually where I would sleep tonight.
04:26For years, Leah Remini was one of Scientology's most recognizable members, until her very public exit in 2013.
04:33Her departure raised eyebrows, but what followed shook the church more.
04:38Remini began speaking out, questioning leadership, and alleging internal abuse,
04:43including the policy of disconnection, where members are required to cut ties with family and friends.
04:49The 2015 documentary, Going Clear, Scientology and the Prison of Belief, had already laid the groundwork,
04:56offering insights into the church's origins and inner workings.
04:59I don't know who these people are.
05:01I don't know what they're capable of.
05:03And now that I have my son, I have a little Louisville slugger I keep next to me.
05:11It's been non-stop onslaught.
05:14Leah Remini, Scientology and the Aftermath, picks up where that conversation left off.
05:19Through interviews with former insiders, it becomes a collective testimony, with each account adding weight to the next.
05:25And having Scientologists as all of your family, all of your friends, you usually work for Scientologists.
05:33You have no education.
05:34A higher education is...
05:36Heavily dissuaded.
05:37Number 16, Blessed Child.
05:39What happens when you're raised inside a belief system you're never allowed to question?
05:43That's the reality explored in Blessed Child.
05:46Filmmaker Kara Jones revisits her childhood inside the Unification Church, often referred to as the Moonies.
05:53Members were expected to follow strict doctrine, including mass wedding ceremonies,
05:58led by founder Sun Myung Moon, a ritual Jones herself experienced.
06:02Our feet were a little bigger than Korean women's, so they got us men's rubber shoes.
06:07So we're coming down the aisle, 77 brides and grooms from 30 different countries.
06:14Using never-before-seen footage from within the church, alongside intimate family home videos,
06:20the documentary feels less like an expose and more like a deeply personal reckoning.
06:25Jones' parents remain devoted members, and much of the film's emotional impact comes from watching her confront that divide.
06:31Through candid conversations, she explores the complicated ties between love, loyalty, and belief.
06:38It just took me longer because of that early experience, and I'm sorry.
06:43I'm so sorry, honey.
06:44I could have saved you a lot of pain.
06:48So please forgive me.
06:50Number 15, Escaping Polygamy.
06:52When Paul would come over, my mom would make a special meal.
06:55Everything was perfect, and he only came over when she was having a baby or when it was time for
07:03her to get pregnant.
07:04In polygamist communities tied to fundamentalist Mormon sects, leaving can mean losing family, identity, and security.
07:11Former members Andrea, Jessica, and Chanel Lee escaped the Kingston clan, a Salt Lake City-based polygamist group,
07:19and later began helping others leave similar environments.
07:22In the order, marriages are arranged.
07:26If I get married to the person they want me to, he's 19, and he's my cousin.
07:32Escaping Polygamy follows their efforts as they assist people trying to break free from isolated groups shaped by strict obedience
07:39and arranged marriages.
07:41Each case highlights the emotional toll of leaving and the control mechanisms that keep many members trapped.
07:47While some viewers criticize the series for feeling overly dramatized or staged, others felt the core stories and trauma remains
07:54genuine.
07:55Overall, it's an intense, eye-opening docuseries.
07:58The circumstances changed a lot, and it just, it started diverting from what we knew it to be us.
08:06He took games out of our lives.
08:08Number 14.
08:09Q Into The Storm
08:11Followers shared a desire for revolution, that all of the ills of the world were on the brink of being
08:17cured.
08:17The phenomenon of QAnon has been discussed widely across online platforms and in extreme political echo chambers,
08:24but the deep crevices of its beliefs were largely nebulous to the average person.
08:28That is, until 2021, when HBO released this six-episode docuseries exploring both the rise and impact of the far
08:36-right movement.
08:36People are always saying like, oh no, you're promoting QAnon by writing about it.
08:39At the same time, it's a real thing, you know, and like stuff is happening because of it, you know,
08:44I mean like the guy shut down the bridge by the Hoover Dam.
08:46QAnon might not be a cult in the traditional sense, but its most indoctrinated believers do exhibit an extreme belief
08:53system,
08:53some even carrying out radical real-world acts.
08:57Though unconfirmed, Q Into The Storm implies the true identity of Q in its final episode,
09:03a secret that has been closely held since QAnon's inception on 4chan.
09:07Writing,
09:08All that was done in darkness must come into the light.
09:11All of those who enabled Q must be investigated.
09:15Number 13,
09:16Seduced,
09:17Inside the Nixxiom Cult.
09:19The very first thing that a predatory group will do is to separate someone from her friends and family.
09:24Because once she's deprived of that frame of reference, of that perspective, then the manipulation becomes easier.
09:31Before it collapsed in scandal, Nixxiom presented itself as a self-help empire,
09:36promising personal success through executive success programs.
09:40Led by Keith Raniere, the organization attracted high-profile members,
09:44including actress India Oxenberg, whose mother helped push for her eventual escape.
09:49Over time, allegations emerged of branding ceremonies, coercive control, and a secret inner group known as DOS.
09:57He was able to get into the cracks of their lives and where they felt insecure and make them feel
10:05that they were part of this new family.
10:07This four-part Starz docu-series tells the story through India's own voice as she processes her seven years inside
10:14the organization and rebuilds her life.
10:16Unlike outside investigations, this series focuses on the psychological pull of the group
10:22and how difficult it was for members to recognize what they were a part of until it was too late.
10:27It was only after Allison was arrested that she actually reached out to me for the first time.
10:33It was very tentative, but it was a beginning.
10:36Number 12. Escaping Twin Flames
10:39Jeff and Shalaya Devine built Twin Flames Universe online, promising followers they could manifest their perfect soulmate through spiritual guidance
10:48and self-work.
10:49But former members later described something far more controlling.
10:53Pressure to cut ties with family, adopt assigned partners, and reshape their identities under strict teachings.
11:00Some even recount being encouraged to stalk the objects of their affection, all framed as spiritual devotion.
11:06It was like a memory that was sort of planted inside of me.
11:10The map process started the whole, like, process of not really wanting to be around my family.
11:18The Netflix docu-series Escaping Twin Flames is the result of a three-year investigation
11:23by the Emmy-nominated filmmaking team behind Seduced Inside the Nixxiom Cult.
11:28It follows survivors and families as they describe losing loved ones to the group's ideology
11:33and the online system that helped expand its influence worldwide.
11:37They didn't have a choice either way, because if they didn't accept it,
11:43that means they would get kicked out and lose everything that they had worked towards.
11:47Number 11. Love has won. The cult of Mother God.
11:51Those were Mom's main ambassadors. They were with her all the time.
11:55That's Saint Germain, and that's obviously Robin Williams.
11:59Every person in this picture is no longer alive, but they're on Mom's etheric team.
12:05A former McDonald's manager named Amy Carlson eventually began calling herself Mother God.
12:11She then convinced a small group of followers she was a divine being, leading humanity towards spiritual ascension.
12:17That belief system was the foundation for Love Has Won, a Colorado-based movement that live-streamed constantly,
12:24sold spiritual healing products, and followed Carlson as she spiraled deeper into extreme New Age ideology.
12:31And traumatized them by putting them in a closet with a closed door like this.
12:36What we were doing is experimenting. They weren't locked in a closet. They were put in timeout, Dr. Phil.
12:43When authorities found her mummified body in April 2021, followers were still awaiting her evacuation by UFO.
12:51The HBO docu-series Love Has Won, The Cult of Mother God, tells the story largely through the group's own
12:58live-stream footage
12:59and interviews with followers conducted shortly after Carlson's death.
13:03The result is an intimate and deeply unsettling portrait of cult psychology, devotion, and manipulation.
13:09I'm glad she's not in pain, because she was in a lot of pain when she was here.
13:15So I'm just, I'm glad that she's not in that anymore.
13:19Number 10. Manson.
13:21Over the decades, several documentaries and fictional works have been made regarding the Manson family cult.
13:27He's been in jail every three weeks since he's been out of jail, and that's why we were hiding for
13:31so long.
13:32Now throwing us in jail is nothing. We'll die for each other before you can separate us.
13:37The real-life story of Charles Manson is truly stranger than fiction.
13:40In 1967, the criminal mastermind started drawing together a group of impressionable people, mostly women.
13:47They would eventually kill many people, including Sharon Tate.
13:51These seven incredible murders were perhaps the most savage, bizarre, nightmarish murders in the recorded annals of crime.
13:58Manson, released just a few years after the crimes, seems to have been the first big documentary about the cult.
14:04Including footage from their home at Spahn Ranch, and interviews with everyone from members, to one of the convicted woman's
14:11cellmates, to legal figures.
14:13The film is direct and disturbing.
14:14The girls, to get him out of jail, decided to commit copycat killings, with writing on the wall and the
14:20whole thing.
14:21You know, multiple stab wounds, and thereby letting the police believe that the killer was still at large.
14:29Its chilling opening sets the scene for a documentary that's sure to draw you in with its valuable insights.
14:36Number 9.
14:37Holy Hell
14:38In 1985, when he was 22, Will Allen joined an alternative community in West Hollywood.
14:44It would come to be known as Budafield, and Allen basically became the group's documentarian.
14:49This is what led me to my huge adventure.
14:52This is my story about what happened to me, on my 22-year search for the truth.
14:57Decades later, he left the cult and used his footage, as well as some new recordings, to create Holy Hell.
15:03Budafield's leader, Michelle, aka Jaime Gomez, is said to have been abusive.
15:08He spoke as if he had gone into the cosmos and come back, and was here to tell us about
15:12it, and take us there.
15:17Have you made contact with the Eternal?
15:20Or are you still obsessed with the momentary?
15:23Throughout the documentary, direct scenes from Budafield then and now are included,
15:28giving viewers lots of first-hand information about the cult.
15:31We also hear from old members with valuable insights.
15:34There was a phenomenon attached to this now.
15:37It's not just these good feelings I'm having.
15:40Now there's this, like, flashing light happening inside me.
15:44Budafield is still an active cult in the United States today, but Holy Hell certainly made more people aware of
15:50its practices.
15:51Number 8.
15:52Keep Sweet, Pray and Obey
15:54Warren Jeffs, convicted criminal and head of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
16:00has been the subject of several books and documentaries.
16:04One of the most well-known and deftly executed is Prophets Pray.
16:07Young people need to be protected from evil influences, so that when they face evil, they already have a natural
16:15love for the truth.
16:17However, we want to discuss the docu-series, Keep Sweet, Pray and Obey, which allows us to hear from the
16:22victims, especially the women coerced by Jeffs.
16:25For those of us who remember life prior to Warren Jeffs,
16:29We remember the good times.
16:35People who cared about each other, that were working together.
16:38Their stories are harrowing, but the program shows just how much they endured and how strong they were in their
16:43ultimate defiance.
16:45Keep Sweet, Pray and Obey also explores the media's role in investigating the cult,
16:49delving into how Jeffs manipulated people and the disturbing techniques and rules he used to do so.
16:55I couldn't believe that one man, one so-called prophet, would have all this power.
17:01And so I started digging into it, seeing what was going on.
17:05Number 7. Jonestown, the life and death of People's Temple.
17:09The phrase, drinking the Kool-Aid, became largely linked to what happened to members of the People's Temple cult in
17:15Jonestown.
17:15While often treated as a joke, what leader Jim Jones did was no laughing matter.
17:21Nobody joins something they think's gonna hurt them.
17:24You join a religious organization, you join a political movement, and you join with people that you really like.
17:31This documentary focuses on how Jones persuaded people to head to Guyana,
17:36where they were convinced to consume poisoned flavor aid.
17:39It features testimony from former members, a couple of whom were survivors of the Jonestown tragedy,
17:44and family of deceased victims.
17:46On the night of the 17th, it was still a vibrant community.
17:51I would never have imagined that 24 hours later they would all be dead.
17:56Their stories are harrowing, to put it mildly, but also shed valuable light on the situation.
18:01Also included are clips of Jones' preaching and so-called healing,
18:05and a look into how he convinced so many people to give up their rights.
18:09If you take too many luxuries, like sleeping, you tend to not really think for yourself.
18:15And I did allow Jones to think for me, because I figured that he had the better plan.
18:21I gave my rights up to him.
18:24Number six, Heaven's Gate, the cult of cults.
18:27Heaven's Gate is one of the more well-known cults in pop culture.
18:31In the latter half of the 20th century, people became fascinated by the UFO worshippers and their tragic end.
18:36These people spent 22 years preparing for what they did,
18:41and I wish people would examine that 22-year period instead of just examining their method of leaving.
18:46Rather than focus solely on what happens to the followers, this docu-series tries to humanize them.
18:52Featuring exclusive footage of Heaven's Gate,
18:55it details how co-leaders Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles
18:58tricked people into believing that humans could essentially become aliens.
19:03What intrigued me was this statement.
19:07If you ever entertained the idea of a physical level above the human level,
19:16you will want to attend this meeting.
19:18We also learn what the early years were like,
19:21and explore the darker parts,
19:23such as how members were largely unable to speak to their families.
19:26The four episodes do not make for easy viewing, but they are important.
19:30It's difficult for our friends and our relatives who really do love us
19:34to understand that it's us who really want to do this,
19:38and they might think that it's better for us not to do this endeavor.
19:43Number five.
19:44Waco, the rules of engagement.
19:46The Branch Davidians are a cult with apocalyptic beliefs.
19:50In 1993, the now well-known Waco siege was conducted on their compound.
19:55We believe that this thing had to be brought to a logical conclusion at some point.
20:00We never fired one single round of ammunition.
20:04Was this 51-day standoff between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
20:08and the Davidians, in which the FBI ultimately got involved, justified?
20:13That's one question that director and co-writer William Gusecki's documentary seeks to answer.
20:18There was an element in the press conferences every day to demonize David,
20:25and it was through the language, you know, cult leader David Koresh.
20:29A mixture of Davidian clips, FBI tapes, interviews with those directly and indirectly involved, and more.
20:35Waco, the rules of engagement presents both sides,
20:38but it is implied that the Branch Davidians' rights were impeded on.
20:42Interestingly, various cuts of the film were made, but only one seems to be accessible.
20:46The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects.
20:53Ironically, a charred copy of the very amendment was found in the debris at Waco.
21:00Number four, The Deep End.
21:02This free-form docuseries follows Teal Swan,
21:05an influencer with questionable healing strategies for both her large online following and close-knit group of companions.
21:12Because when I'm dealing with somebody up here on stage, it does relate to you.
21:16The question is, how?
21:18The series was filmed over three years, and uncovers the harmful nature of Swan's teachings.
21:23For example, she's seen encouraging her devotees to attempt to access traumatic, repressed memories,
21:30a therapeutic process that is unconfirmed to be effective, particularly considering that Swan has no credentials.
21:36I'm going to ask you, for this week, you start looking at the world through the lens of trauma.
21:43What do I mean by that?
21:45The question is not what's wrong with you, it's what happened to you.
21:50More controversially, a number of her cohort of believers have cut ties with family members
21:55as a result of Swan's quote-unquote treatment, a practice heavily associated with cult mentality.
22:01This documentary will definitely have you re-evaluating exactly who you're following on social media,
22:07and takes an investigative look at the underbelly of this massive community.
22:10She really is building this brand and connecting with people through her YouTube videos and her Instagram posts.
22:17But who regulates this stuff?
22:20Sometimes the easiest thing to find online isn't the best thing to find.
22:25Number three, The Vow.
22:26In or around 2007, Jahan Najam decided to try and film a documentary about Nixxiom,
22:33where she took classes from what she believed was a self-help organization.
22:36They begin to really see themselves for the first time.
22:40And when they really see themselves, they don't see what they thought they wanted to see.
22:46And these people want to leave the program right away.
22:49When access became an issue, she abandoned the idea and didn't pursue long-term membership.
22:54Then, in 2017, she learned about the true nature of Nixxiom.
22:58Nujame and others documented their findings in The Vow.
23:01A combination of archival clips, tapes of now-incarcerated leader Keith Raniere and others,
23:07and interviews with survivors reveal how women were coerced.
23:10There's a lot of things I'm starting to see about the organization.
23:15It's just not right.
23:18I'm cautious talking with you about it because I know you do believe in Keith's good intent.
23:23Divided into two seasons, the first half focuses on Nixxiom and its victims,
23:27while the second is centered on court proceedings.
23:29Due to the docu-series' sensitive nature,
23:32various people and organizations were enlisted to help,
23:34and this thoughtfulness shows in the final product.
23:47While the Source family does explore the titular cult,
23:52it's sad that it also doubles as a look at manipulation techniques.
23:55As soon as you wanted something, it was there.
24:00And you were there with the most beautiful young women in the world.
24:07It was truly utopian.
24:09However, some have accused it of not delving deeply into the harm
24:12that founder and leader James Baker, aka Father Yod, caused.
24:17Nevertheless, directors Jody Willey and Maria Demopoulos
24:20incorporated things like old photos, videos, and interviews
24:23to detail the life that Father Yod and his so-called family lived.
24:27I realized I had to do it on my own.
24:30I had to get my own children.
24:35Because I believed that he was prevailing through me,
24:39and that's what he wanted me to do.
24:41The documentary also explores the family's band, Yohawa 13,
24:45even incorporating their music.
24:47Baker apparently framed himself as the father his followers wanted and needed,
24:51and linked intimacy, illicit substances, and rock and roll to divinity.
24:56The Source family's focus on archival material
24:59allows viewers to go deeper into the world that he created.
25:01The teachings on health were, in many cases, I think,
25:05very progressive and very advanced.
25:07Some of them, I thought, were really irresponsible.
25:09For example, we completely abdicated the right to use medicine
25:14for any reason whatsoever.
25:21Before we continue, check out this single from Sound Mojo's audio,
25:26Songs from Iran, reimagining Persian melodies as modern rock,
25:30metal, and pop songs.
25:31Check out the full track and album below.
25:48Number 1. Wild Wild Country
25:50The people in the community of Antelope, Oregon lived simple lives.
25:54That was true until the members of Rajneeshi Commune moved in
25:58and created the town of Rajneeshpuram.
26:00We wondered, you know, who these people are, why are they here,
26:05how long are they going to be here, you know, what's this about?
26:10Antelope residents were fascinated by, and then distrustful of, their new neighbors.
26:15The FBI soon gets involved,
26:17and incriminating evidence implicating the cult in things like sham marriages comes to light.
26:22Meanwhile, the behavior on display gets increasingly disturbing,
26:26with threats of violence, plans to tamper in elections, and more being explored.
26:31Voter turnout this morning was running 120%,
26:34and the number of registered voters was changing as quickly as the score in a basketball game.
26:38The docuseries finds a way to tackle all of this, and the aftermath,
26:42and shows that everyone has a story to tell.
26:45At the same time, it has been called out for failing to include key facts about things like
26:50assaults that repeatedly took place.
26:52Which of these cults scares you the most?
26:54Let us know in the comments section.
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