Gwen Shamblin has gone down in history for her promotion of a very specific Christian lifestyle. One that included harsh discipline in daily life. The kind of discipline that caused eating disorders and child abuse in members of this church.
10:38-17:10 Daniela discusses her experience growing up with ties to Gwen’s teachings—unbeknownst to her.
17:11
A lifestyle and brand built on being thin and sin-free emerges.
Gwen’s adjusts her life to better suit her image for the brand she was building in the church.
18:38 The church had money from all the businesses that sprang up around it to support this specific lifestyle. Gwen's daughter suffers a great loss when her son passes away from SIDS, rather than support, she was met with shame and guilt due to the toxic teachings.
Gwen’s son Michael does not fit the mold and is ejected from the picture, his presence onstage was no longer required. Michael holds bitterness against the church from his traumas.
21:24 Ex members speak up about their experiences in the church. The fear-based control allows for Gwen’s rise to the top, prophet-tier.
22:17 Members are negatively impacted by the rules of the church—a murder is linked to the church however it’s only fuel for her mission as she defends her teachings. 8 year old Josef Smith was found dead, having been beaten and left in a box for hours in the Smith family home October 2003.
Rather than show remorse, Gwen and her church backed the family and paid for lawyers.
This is what got the public’s attention, placing this cult in the spotlight of the media. The group played it as “their church being persecuted”.
26:03 Joe Lara plays the role of Gwens husband almost too well and they are rolling in their “blessings” when their lives end in an accident.
As she enjoyed her peak, she fell from grace, along with her empire. What will the future hold for the church?
Resources Hotlines:
https://www.thehotline.org/resources/what-is-spiritual-abuse/
https://www.tearsofeden.org/
https://forensiccounselor.org/?Topics_of_Interest__Cults_and_Support_for_Former_Cult_Members
https://www.peopleleavecults.com/
https://www.aetv.com/shows/cults-and-extreme-belief/exclusives/cults-and-extreme-belief-resources
https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/#rfr-welcome
https://www.reclamationcollective.com/
Sources:
https://allthatsinteresting.com/gwen-shamblin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwen_Shamblin_Lara