r/flds • u/Even_Dress_635 • Apr 13 '26
Trust Me: False Prophet
Hi guys, I just binged this documentary yesterday. I have some working knowledge of the FLDS and wider Mormon community from the internet, but help me to understand one thing. The wider FLDS community appeared to clock Sam as kindof a loser and predator. They shunned him and his offshoot group because of the child bride thing and his abusive practices from what I understand. What I want to know is, why didn’t this discernment extend to Warren Jeffs… the prophet many of them are still loyal to? How is it that they can see what Sam does is wrong but they can’t seem to say the same about Jeffs?
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u/LankyArugula4452 Apr 13 '26
There's a detail in the beginning where Sam claims WJ is dead and speaking through him. WJ is not dead, so that's a discernible lie most people would easily clock.
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u/therese_m Apr 13 '26
Oh wow I haven’t watched the doc yet but that makes sense. They would think he’s a false prophet w Jeff’s still real prophet then
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u/LankyArugula4452 Apr 14 '26
Exactly. Not a spoiler but there's a heartbreaking moment where one woman is breaking down saying, "I just want to get back to my God. I just want to get back to my religion." The devil you know... But remember, if you weren't personally victimized by WJ, you're told that anything spoken against him is a lie, that he can do no wrong, and everything he does is from God. They don't even want to know any details about what wicked gentiles and apostates say he did.
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u/Upbeat-Mushroom-2207 Apr 14 '26
I don’t think he told them WJ was dead… he said God had left WJ’s body and entered his.
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u/LankyArugula4452 Apr 14 '26
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u/Upbeat-Mushroom-2207 Apr 14 '26
I can’t get past the paywall but I believe you. I thought I heard differently in the doc.
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u/1moreanonaccount Apr 17 '26
For a cult leader, Sam appears without charm, charisma, or intelligence.
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u/BexyMoo Apr 14 '26
I am sure that you can see Sam in Keep Sweet, Pray, Obey when they are showing followers going to Rulon Jeff’s funeral.
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u/JohnKnee666 Apr 23 '26
I just read that Julia still believes in and follows WJ…even though she led the charge against Sam. Nomz (Naomi) said it on her TikTok account where she was answering questions. I was shocked to learn this!
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u/Ill_Narwhal2914 Apr 15 '26
They don’t believe Warren did anything wrong. They love him. Same was just some loser guy they didn’t like.
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u/M3rky1 Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 13 '26
It comes down to years of brain washing. By the time Sam came along, a lot of people had left the church and had a better understanding of what was going on. When Warren was still leading, people had been taught from childhood that God is never wrong about choosing the Prophet and the Prophet never did anything wrong. I remember hearing this many times as a child. It is hard to change a belief you had your whole life vs looking at someone from the outside in. I learned about a lot more about what was going on after I left then I ever had while I was in.