Most people have heard of the Fundamentalist Latter-day Saints (FLDS), an offshoot of the mainstream LDS Church that practices polygamy and was led by Warren Jeffs.[2] Fewer are familiar with the Samuelites, a more recent splinter group founded in 2019 by Samuel Bateman and featured in the Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet.[3]

Warning: This post contains triggers, and I encourage you to tread lightly, especially if you are a religious abuse survivor. I write extensively about Bethel in this blog. I grew up in a charismatic home, and while I don’t necessarily identify as charismatic these days (I’m non-denominational), I do believe in spiritual gifts and the supernatural. Over the years, I’ve taken hard looks at people in the charismatic movement, especially those who proclaim that they are prophets or divine healer

Have you ever watched a YouTube video or read an article and wondered, “How did that YouTuber/author find out all of that information, and how do I know if what they are saying is true?” If so, you’re not alone, and I’m here to help. One of my favorite things in life is research. I’m truly not kidding. I’m fairly certain I’ve always been like this, especially when it comes to religions, cults, and secret societies.