The Millionaire Preacher With A Weight Loss Cult | Gwen Shamblin Documentary
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- Опубликовано: 26 июн 2024
- This documentary is about Gwen Shamblin, who was hailed as the go-to diet guru for decades before becoming a disgraced pastor. This story contains real-life Stepford wives, a multi-millionaire preacher, a failed reality show, a beauty queen who won’t go down without a fight, Tarzan (aka The Sugar Baby), a whole lotta hair and even an FBI investigation. This true story is about success, lust, greed, betrayal, and crime - This is the Rise & Fall of Gwen Shamblin: The Millionaire Preacher With A Weight Loss Cult.
0:00 Intro
1:36 The Weigh Up
10:03 The Prophet Profits
20:35 The Real Housewives of Remnant Fellowship
37:15 Tarzan & Trouble
52:02 Conclusion
Please do not send hate to anyone mentioned in this video.
For more info on Joseph and Sonya Smith: www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17842789
SUPPORT: / notthegoodgirl
Researched, written, and edited by: NOT THE GOOD GIRL
SOURCES:
docs.google.com/document/d/1k...
CONTACT:
josie@josienaikoi.com
Thanks for watching!
#churchtoo
Quick correction: Natasha Pavlovich was crowned Miss Yugoslavia and Miss Beverly Hills, and was a finalist in the Miss California-USA pageant (I accidentally stated she won Miss California). Who should I cover next? Video chapters below. Happy New Year! ❄️
0:00 Intro
1:36 The Weigh Up
10:03 The Prophet Profits
20:35 The Real Housewives of Remnant Fellowship
37:15 Tarzan & Trouble
52:02 Conclusion
Jim Jones or the Amway founders 🤓
The paparazzi stuff is still unfolding… I know you would do an amazing job covering it
real housewife erika jayne and her husband stealing money from the families of hundreds of plane crash victims?
Just stumbled apon your channel.... awesome work 👏
I'd be really curious to know all the intricacies of the Love Has Won cult !
If you want a cult that no one has really looked into on RUclips, look at the Lev Tahor. They're an ultra-orthodox Jewish cult that has a history of child abuse, physical abuse, subjugation of women, & more. They were in Canada & got in trouble with the government, so they moved to Mexico to a compound.
Have I ever heard of this woman? - No
Will I watch a 1h long video about her downfall - Absolutly.
😂😂😝😝😝😩😆🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Totally agree
Lol
Same
Same here lmaooooo
It was the HAIR for me! Her hair was like a visual of her ego. As she became more self absorbed and maniacal, her hair grew bigger and higher! Fascinating
Same here! That f'ing do is a do not!!!ಠಿ_ಠಿ
If you had to fight a Karen in a boss level she would be it.
maybe she thought it would bring her closer to God? 🤦♀️
Reminds me of a cartoon parrot lol
I think of Mean Girls “ her hair is so big because it’s full of secrets “
Another thing about the over-the-top hair is that the hair being so big made her look skinnier in comparison. This is important for the leader of a weight loss cult.
Yup! That’s exactly what I thought.
Hmmm interesting…that makes perfect sense…her hair at its peak made her look so shriveled/sucked in
Maybe the hair made the plane, just over the weight limit.
The Con Woman was on her way to see a Con Man in Florida, that makes sense. I am sure her daughter learned all the ticks of the business as to how to be a Hypocrite.
After watching this I went and watched the HBO documentary. It was lame, drawn out, and full of fluff. This was sharp, to the point, and far superior, and it was free to watch! Well done.
Oh good to know, I’ll be sure to skip it
The Lifetime movie was kind of fun.
The Con Woman was on her way to see a Con Man in Florida, that makes sense. I am sure her daughter learned all the ticks of the business as to how to be a Hypocrite.
Saw the movie...good. story is sad at the end.
"She regularly got her hair and makeup done for free by church members." I'm guessing those church members passively- aggressively hate her, LOL. 😂
she looks like that psychic but I forgot that psychic's name. the psychic had a tv show a few years ago. I think she was italian/hispanic and mostly she could see ghosts in haunted places. it was a well known tv show.
@@sequoiany3078 Long Island medium
Yes, there is malice lurking in that hair. Both in preparation and expression. And by the wearer too.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Best comment ever Melissa.
@@sequoiany3078 Kim Russo, the medium.
I love how her hair represents her descent into insanity
with its own corresponding ascent.
I thought of it more in a Biblical way: her hair was like Samson's. The more hair, the more power she had. It seems like she started off with good intentions, but she liked the attention and power, and it took over. Her good intentions were soon gone and it was all about her.
@@BonnieHalfElven Money, its the root of all evil. Once you hit a certain wealth level your mindset will change I guarantee it. A lot of the time they dont even realize what they are doing is wrong even if their past self would have known.
It's probably getting hard to find her in there by now.
@@robgillan2493 money is necessary,it´s fun and it means PEACE OF MIND! you can sleep spundly when you have all your bills payed! OF COURSE THESE PREACHER SCAMMERS NOW WHAT THEY are doing ! the only ones who don´t is their gullable public.
Telling someone "It's not your place to decide what to pray for" has got to be a new record in the narcissism competition. Good grief.
I just got through saying that - she's a clear A Narc.
My gaaaad when did it all go so wrong for her hair! I mean she went from a sort of typical affluent 90s southern lady with a full bodied southern style bob, and turned in to something from the Munsters 😂😂😂
Don't you dare disrespect the Munsters
@@lonelycatlady2844 🫢oops 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The hair grew together with the inflated ego.
“In an ironic twist of fate, it was said that the plane went down because it was overweight in capacity.”
This is the greatest documentary I have ever seen. Period.
Hilarious!
It's such poetic justice! While these people may have been super skinny, they compensated by buying too much stuff and were just as attached to it as people are physically attached to their bodies, no matter what they weigh.
@@seektherapydontseekme Same.
Her husband was probably the pilot of the plane
One..didn't expect the end....🎉🎉big hair,tons of gaudy make up...(the good old days)lol gr8
docy..😮Yoh what a scammer.got give her credit ..she know how to hustle...rip jane.
This woman was dangerous. I thought about joining this nut clump once and my uncle who’s a preacher told me god didn’t care what size your body was he cared what size your heart was. Best advice I was ever given
Sounds like your uncle is one of the few real deal Christians and I'm glad you are too. God doesn't care about people's money either. Why would he if the streets in heaven are really paved with gold?
@@whoever6458 there are a lot of real deal Christians, we sadly get clumped together with all the bullshit homophobe idiots all the time. these days being a Christian is 80% distancing yourself from other so called "Christians"...
Nut clump! love it!
Exactly Very wise words 🙏
God doesn't care about your weight but I'm sure he doesn't want you to be unhealthy
Gwen said as she spoke about greed in the end, “ God will not be mocked!”So true!
Oh dear lord, the engagement video....i just can't 😂😂😂😂
Imagine being told to stay with a lying, cheating husband because "divorce is wrong" just for your "pastor" to then get divorced and remarried within 60 days because now "in some instances its okay". Absolutely not.
If u change pastor in ur statement 2 prophet & say d story like it didnt happen 2 u, I would have thought u were describing Islam
@@clarkporter1340 Damn
Paula White ran off with her married pastor and bankrupted her first church🤷🏼♀️
Hypocrisy at it's best! So upset when I saw the foolishness. Smh
Pretty much ike the Catholic church .anto gay but priests are pedophiles
Ex-Mormon here. I cannot get enough of these "cult downfall stories". I've watched this one a half-dozen times, and I always make sure I have tons of snack food on hand. In fact, I just had a huge piece of chocolate cake! My only regret is that I couldn't share it with anyone of you wonderful folks, especially you, Miss Not-The-Good-Girl. You deserve a corner piece for all these amazing documentaries you've been producing! 🍰💗
Aww 🥰 bless your heart 💓 and I mean that in a good 😇 way, not the southern way 👿
I'm curious about why you like it so much...is it because you can relate to the flock, victimized and terrorized [IMO] by the mountain of hair ogress? 👹🤭
@@caraislabonita5209 I think that's what it is. Having been born and raised in the Mormon "church", I can relate to the sheer hypocrisy, the favoritism, the insanity behind the curtain, the "never good enough" mentality, the "Do as I say and not as I do" nonsense... All of these so-called faiths pretty much follow the same template, and it makes the unveiling and downfall that much more delicious, pun intended here. 😊
Also, because I have a mean streak, I find myself smirking over the final act. It didn't seem that Gwen, her Boy Toy, and her child-beating minions benefitted from any "divine protection" on that plane ride. 😈
You know that’s a great idea. We should have RUclips downfall watch parties. Virtual or in person don’t matter. We donate to Ms. Good girls patreon if she has one and just have a gay Ol time.
Don't forget the Catholics who are in the world's biggest cult with tons of made-up stuff not in the bible at all. You can always get large groups of people to "drink the Kool-Aid."
@@kellysmith2273 I'm an exMo too and also found this podcast fascinating because of how crazily similar a lot of it is to Mormonism. Did the Joseph Smith name coincidence make you do a double take too? Is that name cursed??
As a Tennessean living just around an hour from Brentwood I WAS SHOCKED that I had never heard of Gwen before. I even talked to my mother about her (born in 1966 , also born in Tennessee) and she had never heard of Gwen either. Thank you for this great documentary. It has really been eye opening!
I've lived in Tennessee for 10 years, in Murfreesboro. I never heard of her either! The documentary makes me wonder who would follow this nut.
"Overweight in capacity." Hilarious 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣💕 AND she died before her message about greed was finished.
Careful now. How is anyone going to get their work done while thinking they are grown ups only becuase they can laugh a lot while looking forever cheerful. Like that character called Jabba the Hut who was forcibly confining princess leia. Should I let RUclips confine me all day instead of getting anything achieved which I can profit from too as if RUclips is Jabba the Hut whom I am not strong enough to leave as if I am chained to it? I got rid of my T.V. Now when being often told that I cannot succeed without a computer to succeed it was not until meeting another student without one who lived close enough to the school who was succeeding without her own computer anyway it was then that I finally figured out that those little black boxes which are often seen on the corner of T.V. screens had only moved to computer screens. Another thing I have realized over time while working for a non-profit providing emergency services to people living in rural areas for 3 years is that rich people spend very little time watching T.V. At the same time they limit their time in front of computer screens while contracting that kind of work out. Guess who among them often end up doing the lions share of the charitable unpaid work done?
"GOD SHALL NOT BE MOCKED"
I can’t get over how normal and pretty she looked at the start and how insane she looked by the end. She obviously knew how to do good hair and makeup evident by the videos of when she was younger, how did she end up with that mess? Looks like she let a 5 year old child do it.
Well, she did start to let her cult members do her hair and makeup for her, and I guessed it turned into an emperor's new clothes situation, where no one dared say she looked like a yard sale Barbie doll towards the end.
I had an instructor in cosmetology school who wouldn't actually tell us to be quiet; she'd just start fluffing her hair and it'd get bigger and bigger until somebody noticed and told everyone else to shut up.
This woman looks like no one's been listening for an hour.
More like a giant birds nest sitting on top of it hatching eggs under that side bang 😂
@@AJDaniels5298you do not understand how much I love that visual! What a funny idea
Trust me a 5 Year Old wouldn't even do that!! Children have way MORE sense!!!
My favorite part is when Gwen pretends to be surprised by the engagement like she didn't just plan this whole production 🤣🤣🤣
And purchase the ring! 🤣 I have zero proof of that, but her rock was *huge* and didn't seem like something Joe would or could buy, especially since at that time he and his mother still lived in the house Natasha bought. 🤦🏾♀️ Scandalous.
@@notthegoodgirl "I am so surprised. I am shocked and amazed." 💀
Right !!😂😂😂
She even acted surprised by the fireworks lmao
@@CheerfulChelsea_ 🤣🤣🤣
Off topic but this is an excellently made documentary. I've already watched this like 2-3 times and it never stops being interesting.
This channel is a great reminder to be wary of influential leaders and to think for yourself!
Holy Hairspray... Jennifer Grey's portrayal of Gwen was spot on. I watched THIS first then went to Hulu for the movie. I remember the Weigh Down Workshops. I did it briefly after my baby was born. I had no idea what became of her.
I never heard of this woman Gwen. I bet Jennifer Grey would be great playing her on a film. Would love to see the movie.
There is a Hulu movie??
Hulu account *activated* 🙃
Holy hairspray!!! My new slogan!
Can't believe I've never heard of her till now. Fascinating story.
Same here
Same ☺
Me too
Same
Me too.
"Gwen saw Joe, and Joe wondered how much cash was hiding under all that hair"😂😭
Lol 😂😂😂😂
All of it
And he s as high as a kite
youtube.com/@UNFFILMStvyoutube.com/@UNFFILMStvruclips.net/user/shortsJULL8jFKoPc?feature=share
I wonder if it was a "transactional marriage" He fitted the image she wanted to portray over her 1st husband. In return she gave him the wealth and lifestyle he craved.
Thank you for this. I followed the Way Down Diet in the 90's and it worked and brought me closer to God. But then when she said the The Holy Spirit and Jesus were not God, our church stopped the weekly classes. And we never had anything to do with her again. I did not know much of all the horrific things that went on in her Cult, or that she died. Thank you for making this.
The plane was overweight. That's just too funny
I was a member of this cult for over 11 years. This is an extremely well done documentary. Excellent work!
Was the tone of her voice like being hypnotized? As in, did it make people surrender their natural instincts to what she said? I have noticed manipulative people use a kind of voice innotation that makes people throw away their own best judgement.
@@velvetbees very much so. Her voice had several ranges, tones and modes to convey what she needed / wanted out of someone or something. She could’ve easily taught a master class in verbal and emotional manipulation.
@@theworldisastage5400 Stop with the transphobia of trying to equate transgender people with evil people.
The video never said WHY she divorced her 1st husband, which I thought was strange. Do you know why?
@@theworldisastage5400 that was one thing that kept bothering me through the whole video. There was something odd about her figure, and the way her clothes fit [or didn't].
The other thing that was hard to believe sometimes was the horrible makeup job - never mind the hair. How does she look in the mirror with that tragic mess, and go "yup, I'm ready to go public now."?
That one interview is an unsung hero. Her repeatedly lying and then going "well actually here's the transcript of a phone call where you said to do exactly that" was Chris Hansen To Catch a Predator level greatness.
Also as an ex Jehovahs Witness I couldn't help throw my hands up a few times. The parallels are ungodly.
100 percent. My uncle is an elder and he worked hard to recruit me. I see so many similarities here and none of them are good. Im so glad you were able to get out!
@@NotoriousEmu Only took me getting Disfellowshipped during covid and a year or so to wake up to do it. A painful journey of which I blame fully on them
I knew Chris Hansen. A great reporter, sad how his career ended like it did
@@patriciamay6396 Chris Handsome *
@@redfox83bc31
I am so sorry that you were put through that abuse. I hope you have a good support network around you now and are living the happy life you deserve.
I just found these series and I am absolutely hooked. True talent for story telling, so thanks so much!
This documentary is making me hungry!
There's only one southern woman with big hair that's protected by God... I'm of course speaking of our national treasure Dolly Parton.
🤣
She sold her soul
And Tammy Faye Bakker, another light upon this earth
Aaa-men
@@leener8587 I heard that too is it true?
"Gwen saw Joe and Joe wondered how much cash was hiding under that hair" .....ok that's comedy gold right there 🤣
😆 🤣 😂
💯😂😂
Lol the fact that he left his wife for her, in his case. Money did buy his love lol 😂😂🤣🤣🤣
That made me lol as well 😂
@@colinschafer5453 that's because it was hilarious
Gwen SHAMblin-the name says it all! 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Josie your videos are so factual and enlightening. Thank you for your time and efforts you place in these videos. Your work is up there with productions like “Dateline, etc.”
Happy New Year to you and I look forward to more videos.
You can tell she got her hair done for free. They must of hated her lmao.
She took “the higher the hair, the closer to God” seriously, lol.
@@pvanpelt1 @Naija Cat Absolute TRUTHS. LOL
I think she has to do that because it's so thin and unhealthy from lack of proper nutrition.
I think you're right. I would have worn that rat's nest in a pony tail. What a mess; just like the rest of her life!
@@fbiagentfrank the Amy Winehouse situation.....but similar.
To encourage parents to abuse their children is just plain evil
That couple shouldn’t still be in prison. They killed their son but not in a premeditated way. I know Gwen said ok death is no big deal but still, I think if anything it was insanity that drove them to abuse that boy to death. 10 years should have been the sentence
ah no@@psalmreader8049
@@psalmreader8049bullshit. They’re exactly where they belong.
They were consistently abusing and torturing those children, how is that not premeditated?
Those children didn’t get a chance at life, so neither should they.
You are a liar she did not encourage abuse! The Bible said “spare the rod and spoil the child”
@@jovitavillalpando9127 that witch is lying to you n many more who will follow her cult, these Bibles were created by many men who worshiped at their convenience. We are supposed to teach the young when they make mistakes, they watch us and believe me they hold the love, parties, Dad tossing the ball ,those memories help them fall to sleep at night but the there's that rod you mentioned that parents should beat their children with, children can't understand because they have alot of learning to accomplish, so maybe ur in a cult where u can't think for yourself but remember, there are many religions,I have allways believed that evil spirits can be in a church crowd just to confuse them, beat the demo s with that rod, not the children n babies
The music when Tarzan popped up in the story! 😂💯 The chapter headings 😂💯! This doccie is so well put together
Exchanging one addiction for another. Horrifying. She claimed these women were a slave to the refrigerator and she made them slaves to the obsession with being thin.
Welcome to the premise of 12 step....
Yup I said it
She only made them slaves to herself. The refrigerator was just a prop.
@@vissitorsteve Nailed it.
@@efolinsky thank you, I have been saying this forever pissing people off
@@efolinsky Are you referring to the AA program?
My heart breaks for the little Smith boy who died in the hands of his parents. I can’t imagine the many times he was physically and verbally abused by the people he thought was supposed to love and protect him. Until that moment where his body cannot take it anymore. I couldn’t imagine his cries and pleading for mercy. I can’t. My heart is breaking knowing that he was not the only one being abused because of the horrible teaching of that “church”. Terrible people!
The world is full of abused children....abused by adults who blame others for their actions. The smiths were murderers regardless of who told them it was ok to be so.
So heartbreaking. I hope she’s burning in hell.
I love my baby boys too much to do such horrible things to them on the name of discipline 🫢🫢🫢🫢🫢
When you see street gang thugs performing criminal acts, and wonder 'where are the parents?!', remember this. Sometimes the kid really is better off on the streets than with the parents.
Ditto those 2 were monsters That poor child 💔💔😭
thanks Josie for this channel, i love the stories and the presentations you give to these stories. Thank you 🥰
i wish people more understood the role our body plays when it comes to weight gain. i COMPLETELY lost my appetite because of epilepsy, which resulted in me losing 20-30 pounds. people kept telling me how jealous they were even though i wasn't healthy. it's not fun to eat when you don't enjoy food literally at all. the only thing i can stand sometimes is mashed potatoes.
so yeah, there are a lot of reasons why people or too thin or too heavy, and very few of those have to do with self-control
this is easily the most outlandish and unbelievable story ive ever heard. the scandal, irony, the deaths, THE HAIR it’s like a real life willy wonka
Leave willie wonka out of this 🤣
🤭😂😂
That was clearly a wig or hair extensions. 😉
Right now she in that place where she choose to be...I wonder how people cld follow these cult blindly. God left the word of God for us...read it and asked him for understanding. She robbed the poor killed and murdered now look at what happened to her...what u sow u shall surely reaped
Reminds me of Tammy Fae Baker
i can't believe i watched this for free, it almost feels criminal. this is the first video on your channel that i've seen so far and i subscribed within the first 15 minutes haha; this is so well put together! thank you for sharing your research with us in such a cool way
My 1st too and I totally agree some of these RUclipsr’s are way to good and need more recognition there’s a lot of shows on tv/mainstream that suck and stuff like this should take there place
Me too !!!
Same here!!
indeed. Corporate media spends millions to produce docs that aren't this good.
@@BestIsntEasy Finally!! Someone quoting scripture that actually has something to do with the video. Well done.
I just can't stop watching your brilliantly edited and well put together documentaries! You are extremely talented! Thank you for sharing these!!!
I didn't know anything about Gwen personally, but our church hosted her program "Weigh Down" and I did the first few sessions. I remember being excited about learning to "wait for true hunger" to eat. It was freeing. It took me a couple days to get actually hungry. Eating from smaller plates works. Cutting your portion from the restaurant in half ahead of time also works. While that all works, that is all I remember about it. It is too bad she herself wasn't good.
The best deceptions have nuggets of truth.
It's common sense. You don't need to pay a swindling, preaching quack thousands of dollars to know that information
@@RlRdHd Well put. When there are pieces of believable truth in what someone says to you, and if they manage to teach you something that you didn't know or provide you with some kind of guidance in even a small way, then you're more likely to trust the other things that they tell you. If someone teaches you how to perfectly manicure your own nails at home, and it works miracles, then you might believe them later when they tell you to put yogurt on your hands.
This is the kinda sht *fatphobia* will have y'all doing. Starving yourself for days. Restricting half your food from yourself. I thought Christ came to "give life and life more abundant" -- how did that get twisted into "betray the temple that is your body and follow a restrictive diet plan"? To Love is the greatest commandment -- would you take the plate of someone you love, cut it in half and say they only get half of it?
@@RlRdHdSure, but that's not really relevant here. This is clearly a no-nugget meal. "Shrink thyself" is not a nugget. Self-restricting food for the sake of shrinking is disordered eating.
I'm a Pentecostal Christian who struggles with severe depression and anxiety AND I DEFINITELY TAKE MY MEDICATIONS. So scary for me to see people encouraged not to take their medications. I can't even talk about the little ones who suffered and even died from the treatment these Church leaders encouraged. Heartbreaking.
When medication helped my wide range of anxiety disorders from agoraphobia to claustrophobia with panic attacks and depression and I was recovering, my husband began demanding I quit the therapy and medications. He wanted control over me that my recovery had lost him.
God bless you Janet.
@@carolsummers8734 That's interesting🤔. And that can really be a reason.
U need a therapist for real!!
Even if the members were secretly taking their medications, that was probably dangerous in and of itself because she was forcing them
to fast all the time. As someone with mental health struggles I can definitely say that taking those medications and not eating is not good for you and can make you feel so much worse
Just wanted to give some credit to Josie (the creator of this documentary) Josie, you outdid yourself. This was incredibly well done! You clearly took your time and put in plenty of effort! Don’t be surprised when Netflix comes knocking on your door! Keep up the hard work, it does not go unnoticed!
@Vickie Lopez thank you so much for the kind words. I'm trying to up my editing skills, lol. Thanks for the support! 💜
Agreed! Josie you are doing fantastic work
@@notthegoodgirl I totally agree. Very well done.
@@notthegoodgirl , as a former broadcast Radio and Television producer and editor, you have done an extraordinary job. Non-linear editing is a cross between tech know-how and artistic interpretation of your story or message. I started off on Beta Max III, S-VHS and DV-CAM, with jog /shuttle wheels and start-stop-record for a final cut. The transition to Adobe NLE and Final Cut Pro with the incorporation of moving graphics and plug-in was nerve racking. Basically, the struggle was real. Your final product is broadcast ready. As another commenter stated: "Dont be surprised if Netflix or Hulu comes knocking. Well done!
@@notthegoodgirl , Sorry, Post Script: Subscribed!!! 👍🏾
I’ve seen the documentary and the movie with Jennifer Grey - didn’t think I needed anymore details but this was recommended in my feed so I watched it and really glad I did! So interesting!!
This was an amazingly well done documentary! I can’t wait to check out more
I was in the Remnant Fellowship for a short period. My aunt was full on in the church, got married to a guy in church, was abused by him, had an eating disorder and had to work through a lot of trauma from being in the church for years. I went to Gwen’s house in Tennessee for Passover in the early 2000’s and I will say, it was definitely creepy and misogynistic the way they treated women in the church. I left the church shortly after that.
Just out of curiosity, I am asking this: how could she convince your aunt about a logical connection between weight and Christianity? I come from a country where cults are very rare and I really can't understand why people see a skinny lady and believe she is a profet. I mean no judgement or anything, I just can't understand.
Thank you for sharing your insights into this crazy subject.
I think love bombing and trickery. Getting you to believe you are trapped afterwards.Just like an abusive relationship.
@@mitzabiciclista1 Just like every other cult. It dosnt have to make sense. They manipulate you, love bomb you, make you feel awful if you leave or are not as active. They prey on very specific people. People who don’t have a faimly/friends, who may be going through a hard time or just got done with one, people that are missing something in there lives, they make you believe that there way is the only right way. They are really sick people who are brain washed to brain wash others. It’s like a never ending cycle. There are some religious cults that actually make you go to training for months before you can start recruiting other members, but they will refer to us as “saving/teaching” others. Usually the beliefs don’t start off as extreme but they slowly become more and more.
@@bisexualfrenchfry1953 thank you for explaining it to me. I think I get it. They hunt the emotionally vulnerable, right?
Was her hair really as big as it looks?
My mother was convinced she really knew her stuff. She got me to do it which resulted in an eating disorder that almost killed me dead. It took me 12 years to recover from it.
😭💔🥺 I'm sorry for the truama that she helped cause you. I'm glad you're doing better. Wishing you the best 🤗❤️
OMG I'm so sorry you went through that. Having an eating disorder is hard enough, having it encouraged and introduced by a parent must have made it so much harder to process. From one ED survivor to another, I'm so proud of you for working towards recovery!!
I pray you find true healing from the trauma you experienced.
What about it almost killed you?
She's a horrible parent. Sorry to hear that, thankfully you beat it.
Loving your documentary videos! They are perfect for the train ride to/from work.
Great footage,some of the best I’ve seen, thank you!!😃
The before and after of this woman is drastic. The hair and makeup definitely shows her descent into insanity. I never heard of her until she passed.
Agreed. She actually started off kind of normal, a great success story, honestly. But then as she starts getting more power-hungry, so does her hair!
You can tell that she was in heavy denial about growing older. I bet her marriage to Joe and their extravagant wedding was partly an attempt to feel young and pretty again.
The fact that she claimed she was a profound Christian and was so obsessed with her looks is such a red flag. The Lord accepts you no matter what you look like and if you based your degree of faith on your degree of looks, she absolutely wasn’t doing God’s work. She was a narcissist concerned only about her looks. How ironic, because she was not a good looking woman. She was horrendous.
@@delilahrainelle7158 Her appearance is a red flag? There were more red flags around her than at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony. Her name was SHAM-blin. If it were fiction the editor would say it is too much. Her ugliness on the inside seeped out- it always does. As did Lara's ugliness. He looked positively maniacal and creepy with those botox dead eyes and toothy grin. Men his age can still be sexy (only 58) and was drop dead gorgeous in his youth. But at 58 the ugly seeped out, and he was as sexy as a smiling corpse. Thank God they didn't steal that sweet little girl from her beautiful mother.
Her book and the church meetings for the program really did help a lot of people with weight loss through faith. My sister is one of them .
As a Registered Dietitian and a Christian, this makes me sick to my stomach. Thank you for sharing! I do remember hearing about this program growing up but I had NO IDEA.
@@theworldisastage5400 what?
Hummmm not to follow her philosophy
They Want money
I think the world dodged a bullet with this crazy bulimic walking skeleton.
@@theworldisastage5400 😂😂😂 but it’s definitely NOT Optimus Prime!🤟
Dam you are doing a great job on these documentaries!!
Keep up the great work!!
I remember my aunt had her book and was pushing it on us when we were younger. Once Gwen got all crazy, she backed out and called it a batshit crazy cult. This woman unironically believes giants exist, so for her to call that out? That stuck with me.
Giants DID exist.
i feel like i live under a rock because i can't believe i have never heard of gwen/this story before. this documentary is honestly award-worthy; thank you so much for taking the time and energy to make this.
Same, never heard of her, and I watch a lot of scam videos & podcasts. Gwen is like a more twisted version of Tammy Fae Bakker.
@@mitchb2305Jan Crouch....
I remember taking this class at a church and just being, struck after about four lessons, with the realization that this lady was a false profit and frankly dangerous. I am a nurse and was alarmed she was telling people to stop their medicine. I never went back to the class and now I know I was right
Think you meant so that she's a false prophet but since virtually every single one of these kind of televangelist/megachurch cult leaders are faking their beliefs in order to profit from the weak the false profit you said kinda fits..
I too had a similar experience with this workshop. When I asked the women who lead the meetings who did single women submit to other than God they said the elder men of the church. We got up and left. I went home and researched the church Remnant Fellowship and a warning came up immediately about this being a cult. I’m glad my sister and I had enough sense to dodge that bullet. Lol
Yep. I remember being horrified when she wanted me to stop taking my antidepressant. And I became hypoglycemic from using her program.
prophet. She created profit for herself ! English, my dear......did you miss out of these classes ? nurses know basic english.
@@linanicolia1363 agree, a nurse that can't spell basic words... red 🚩
Came here while researching for a paper. Thank you so much this was a fantastic resource.
I’ve rewatched this a few times, your voice is so soothing
Moral of the story: people with hair like hers should be put on an FBI watchlist immediately
🤣😂🤣
Stop 💀💀💀🤣🤣🤣
I never thought I'd see someone with that much hair.. rock a comb over. It's very confusing. It's like she parts her hair at her ear. 😕
Yooooo nice profile pic
Remember Tammy Fae Baker,Her makeup and hair was frightful too
Omg I went to her cult for a project in college. They called and messaged me for MONTHS despite me being very honest about why I was there. It was a two and a half hour Saturday service with almost two HOURS of testimony about how her book changed their life. And at one point she banned ALL her followers from listening to any music not written and produced by her son! I grew up at the mega church around the corner and it was wild how no one knew about her
If that isn't a cult, I don't know what is.
Glad you survived.
Word on the street is her son has cut all ties with Remnant.
I heard that, too
Mega churches are also cults tho
Power literally did go to her head!😮 Thanks for a great video! I live close to Memphis, but had never heard of her!😊
LOVE your videos! Thank you SO much for sharing this story. WOW.
As a Christian I just want to thank you for exposing this charlatan.
or in other words, exposing the whole religion of christianity as a charlatan.
@@AsifKhan-hf9zybitter becky😂
@@AsifKhan-hf9zyactually no. . What this woman taught was not what the Bible teaches at all… if she was teaching the complete opposite how is that the whole religion? Thats just ignorant to say, I understand why someone who hasn’t taken doctrine or theology classes to really understand the Bible would possibly think that? But let’s use common sense to know that actual Christian’s disagree with this type of person and actually further proves that God (YHWH) will not stand to have His word twisted. So in the most respectful way, you’re incorrect. 💓
@@user-me4pg4du4s thank you 🙏🏿 because one person does something they wanna blame everyone without reading or doing their research.
@darrenrichards3100 but it isn't ONE person is it; it's systemic
*The biggest surprise to me* is the fact that the lady actually divorced her husband as opposed to him suddenly “disappearing/dying” under mysterious circumstances. Shocked she was willing to endure the shame & embarrassment!
Good observation
…but I don’t think she felt any shame or embarrassment. I think she was a sociopath who believed SHE WAS GOD! God wasn’t humored by her it appears
There was a case in Kenya (2007/2008-ish), where Televangelist Bishop Margaret Wanjiru's estranged cobbler husband "died" after he opposed her trying to marry her Reverend South African fiancé. Her & her 1rst husband got married through their tribes customary law, someone else also appeared and said that he was actually her legal husband.
An excerpt from an article : " Bishop Wanjiru dismissed Mr Kamangu, saying she had no liaison with the man she described as a jigger-infested. She went on to state that she would not entertain nonsense from the man, saying she would wring his neck and follow it with burial sermon should he continue with his claims."
Her friends & supporters even protested outside the courthouse, while her two sons kept distance from their alleged father in front of the court.
After his "death," she got married and in her words; " got to wear the longest train in Kenya". She's also a politician.
WOW!!!! These so-called religious leaders will twist God's Word to meet THEIR desires!!!!
Narcissists do not feel shame or embarrassment
Thank you very much for your really good WORK:)❤
She looks like a real-life version of how toddlers draw people.
I feel guilty watching this quality documentary for free. Incredible research and such a pleasant voice to listen to!
Yeah! Me too!!! So well done.👍🏻
Cheers from Berlin, Germany
I feel guilty too - you have a great talent there @notthegoodgirl I hope to see you grace the Documentary Filmmaker Stage....just not in a Culty way!!
+Patricia B INDEED.
SHARING the video gives more room for higher payment by the Tube to the channel. Hope you share the vid to support financially.
@@larosey811 "send her a cashapp or zelle " I knew that this was coming.
The hair and the shoes were huge! She got more dead looking as the years went on as she got more evil. She looked like an anorexia victim with the big hair and the big shoes and the dress that looks like it's wearing her! Amazing! I tried to do that weigh down diet years and years ago probably around 1996. I tried so hard and felt so guilty the book made you feel like if you couldn't lose weight that way you were shameful. I prayed and prayed and prayed that I would have the strength to do what she said I could do, but the Lord was gracious to me, he told me in my heart that my worth was not judged by her and her diet. I really admired her, I never heard this stuff until now. I can't believe what she ended up looking like at the end it was just awful like she was a mannequin. The corruption just really showed on her.
The wages of sin are always Death to the body as well as the soul.
She looks like a demon inside a person and the person meat suit is melting away!!!
I am a Dietituan/Nutritionist and I too wondered about her. Initially I looked @ her program but last year bought her book @ the library sale. As she progressed she became her own God and strayed from the TRUTH. Many cults start this way. The love of the WORLD (pride and $$$) makes it easy to make yourself a God.
This is unfair to anorexics. This woman and her daughter look like zombies.
I've noticed that a lot of these grifters and cult leaders have something really Off about their look. Like it takes somebody who's really delusional to decide that's their Thing and go with it. Gwen's hair, Trump's hair, Teal Swan's eyebrows...
The part where the plane was found to be "overweight with capacity " made me laugh out loud.
Ironic isn't it 😊
That does not make a plane crash 10 or 15 minutes after takeoff
37:05 Love the music when Tarzan is introduced 😂that was hilarious
Well done! I'm a Christian, and I love seeing these "Christians" being exposed. My God does not like manipulation or abuse. Whenever you see communities acting this way claiming they are Christian, it just isn't so. People will always use the name of a higher power to try and wield power over you, but in the end, they get what they deserve. Greed is truly hideous.
Wise as serpents, gentle as doves, this is how we are called to be. For this reason, I am in agreement with you, calling out the falsity within any institution, government, agency and, sadly so, even the churches... and there be many yet to be called out.!!
WE are the church, the body, not some building decked out in expensive furnishings and lined with pricey carpets ... the same types of buildings that our Savior would likely have been barred from even entering, for the blood and dirt on HIS feet might stain the carpets.!! Our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, he spent his time with "the least of these"(as the world sees them), not at all spending that time accumulating wealth, treasures or properties. He perused people, not things.
The best thing today's Christian could do is to leave the church they attend... come out of her my people.!!
Lord have mercy, we have such great need of it. We are each of us fallen, each of us flawed, each of broken and in need of saving. Thankfully, we were blessed with the perfect Savior, our Lord of lords and King of kings, Jesus of Nazareth, Yeshua Hamashiach. 💗
Satan is most happy when people hide behind God to do his bidding. Terrible!!!
Almost every "evangelical" leader is leading a whole lot of people straight to hell.
@@MiaMia-rx9dw indeed
Yeah I agree with you in this. I pray that I become a good witness for people
Just an addition, when Natasha Pavlovich learnt of the plane crash, she called 911 to find out if her daughter was on the plane, to which she could not get an answer. She had emailed Lara I upon learning he had plans to take their daughter on the plane and she forbade him from doing so. According to news reports Lara had left their daughter with his mother and she was found in her care at a local MacDonald’s safe and sound.
Thank God, that was the first thing I wondered about. Thank you.
Thank goodness
Thank God. I was wondering if she was on the plane too.
Praise be God! Hie heard her prayers for her daughter’s safety and life fur filled yet on this earth! JMJ Amen 🙏 ✝️❤️
Wow if I didn’t believe in a god before I sure do now. The whole situation was hard karma for the evil doers
I live in Middle TN. I am actually not far from where the plane crashed. I used to live in the subdivision across the street from Gwen's house and keep my horses at a house across from where the church is now. (in the 80's). Of course I knew nothing of this (I guess my head was in the sand). I remember the plane crash but didn't "dig" into it. Someone posted a current news article on FB earlier this week and I've been down the rabbit hole all week.
I've watched the HBO/Cinemax documentary, The Lifetime Movie and now I'm on RUclips. You did an amazing job. I went to News Channel 5's website to look up old stories and the church is on the front page today!!!
I just wanted to say that I think you did a great job. It is so odd how it is so close to me (by where I grew up and the crash is close to where I currently live) but I knew nothing about it.
I love your choice of music for the engagement video lol
"In an ironic twist of fate, it was reported that the plane went down because it was overweight and at capacity." I shouldn't laugh, buuuut....☺️ Lines like these are pure Gold! You have done a fantastic job with this video. Looking forward to more documentaries on cults and exposing such horrible people. You really do these superbly!
@renurose Thank you for watching! 🛩️
Can't make up stuff like that!
You know egos can be very heavy
@@Rainia29 very true 😁
Check out Probable Cause- Dan Gryder RUclips channel. He lives in Tennessee and made several videos about the church and the plane crash. She lied to the congregation, imagine that.😂
It amazes me how people get sucked into cults. If a church is ruling how you look, who you associate with, in the middle of your marriage, etc you need to run!
And religions aren’t cults?
@@chgofirefighter I'm a member of a religious denomination. They do not tell me what I can and cannot do, who I can and cannot associate with. They don't force me to give them money. . They try to provide guidance but it's up to us if we choose to follow it. And you can leave at any time. Many cults do not make it easy to leave. And yes, some religious organizations are cuts. People need to avoid them at all costs.
some people grow up in it…
don’t most of not all religions do this? lol correct me if i’m wrong i’m not very religious myself
It's the same as how people get stuck in abusive relationships. Cults use the same exact tactics. I certainly don't victim blame people who have experienced domestic violence, and I think it's wrong to victim blame people who get trapped in cults too.
Wow! This was a wild ride, a great documentary . Thanks
Just discovered your channel. I know it’s been two years but as somebody who lost three family members-one of those members being our cat, Argento, condolences on your loss RIP Zeus. ❤
She took “the higher the hair the closer to God” to a whole new extreme. It makes The Nanny’s hair look subtle
Cannot STAND her.
At least Fran Drescher rocked it way better than her.
@@TheJinx1441Fran is a fashion icon ✨️
Shocking. It’s almost like hitting your children for having emotions doesn’t fix anything.
My mom was given a Weigh Down membership as a gift sometime in the late 90's early 2000s. She didn't take it too seriously, but remembered the basics. When the documentary came out, she was in total shock about all the shit that was going on. We watched it a few days later and called her to talk about it, because she loves true crime and crazy stuff like this. That's when we found out she was in the program. She didn't know about the child abuse and said she was glad she never bought into it fully. She said at one point 'I like to eat, im a fat girl, praying wasn't going to make me not want ice cream.'
Did anyone notice that she was born flipping everyone off lol (the baby in the beginning) 😂
"He wondered how much cash she was hiding under all that hair" sent me into a giggle fit!
All your content is great, and your full length docs, like this, really shine. These people do real harm, and I appreciate you not losing the nuisance of the victims in raising awareness, if that makes sense.
Edit to add: R.I.P. to Zeus, and sorry for your loss
Judging by the uneven back combing I would say she did it herself & likely wouldn't allow anyone to do it for her. I can just see her having her hair done and redoing it herself 🤣. Her hair is part of her icon, the bigger the hair the skinnier she looks.
Lol 😂
Me too!
When you said she died in a plane crash, I think my jaw hit the floor. What a crazy story. Great video! Well done!
Not me reading this 5 min in
I played it over twice to make sure I heard right
Yes, and get this...the plane crash was caused by too much weight in the cargo hold. Imagine that!! The plane was too fat!!
@@personalchefservicesofsues4362 ironic 😂😂😂
Ditto....I had to rewind that part to make sure I heard correctly. 😏
Did anyone else find it ironic that the cause of their death/plane crash was because they were overweight?
She's like a real-life South Park character.
lol accurate
😅😅😅
She IZZZ...so true.
I worked through this program back in the late ‘90’s. I lost weight and learned some things, then moved on with my life. I had no idea she went off the rails. This is insane!
Yeah I was referred to her for weight loss and bought her book but, never followed the program
Sally Brown, I did too back in the late 1990's. Last year a small article popped up on Yahoo about Gwen Shamblin and I had to do a double take, she looked hideous! Her hair was huge and her make up made her look like a ghost, and she was bone thin. I listened to an interview with her and her husband and their explanation of God was He just wants us to have fun. It made me sick. I really don't believe Gwen Shamblin ever had an over eating problem, she may have loved God at one time but her love of money took over.
It seemed to me in the beginning her wisdom and insight was spot on ,then her pride or greed destroyed a good thing
Same!!!! I was the smallest I had ever been....zero idea she went bonkers!!!
Yep, me too. It was a shock.
Your narration of their ending cracked me up
Amazing video!!
I love how her hair got bigger the worse she got and how lifetime used the same tactic in their Gwen movie to show she was becoming more powerful/evil. I wonder how much damage Gwen’s hair routine alone caused the ozone layer. Science should get on that, we need answers.
Her horns grew bigger.
It's like the guy on ancient aliens.
@@funkyweapon1981so she grew out the hair to cover them up?? LOL:)
I always jokingly say the bigger the hair, the closer to jesus. She apparently took it literally
it was actually more of of a pinocchio thing. the more money she garnished, the more her hair grew.
Locking a child up in a room for three days is torture.
Watching this on my lunch break eating a Big Mac lol I was born in 95 but I believe that if I was older at that time I would of probably fell victim. Reminds me of the beginning of Instagram when everyone promoted Fit tea/tummy tea or whatever.Almost fell victim to that but quickly realized most of those beautiful ladies were surgically altered & heavily filtered…Great video ❤
I love this doc, I’ve watched it several times ❤
I am loving your documentaries. No unnecessary drama or theatrics - just facts stated in such an interesting manner. You are covering so many important cases (and charlatans) that some know all about, but others don't (including me). It's like attending a really good sociology/criminology/anthropology class in college! Thank you!
@BlancheDevereaux that means a lot, thank you! 💛
Agreed 👍🏽
BlancheDevereaux I’m loving your name!! 💯
@@barrett7893 Thank you! Major GG fan here!
❤️
EDIT: This happened back in the late 1990s, so I'm all good now! Thank you everyone for the kind words!
I was in high school when the church my family attended offered Gwen's weight loss course. Every week a small group of women with their daughters, including my mom and myself, met at some one's house to watch her videos, fill out the provided journal, and confess to one another all of our shortcomings as to why we were fat. I remember every week my shame, my hatred towards myself, my absolute disgust for my body grew stronger. I finished that course not feeling inspired, but feeling absolutely hopeless that I would ever measure up to other people's expectations. I had completely forgotten about it until this video showed up in my recommendations. And I'm so glad it did. Thank you for providing a bit of closure to that dark time in my life.
I get you. Even though I'm still not content with my body, I understand that it's MINE, and I must care for it and myself
You are and always have been beautiful.
Honestly most cult always have a dangerous diet and prays
Dear Lyra, I'm so glad that you're a winner over this trash! It breaks my heart that trash like this rides on the Jesus - Card to play the blame and shame game on innocent people. No two people are the same, there is too much involved to loose weight and do it successfully. Rest assured, there is a special place in Hell for this trash. Stay strong, my Friend.
I did the program over 20 years ago. I agree with you!!
Great reporting!!!
Is like the 6th time I watch this
Omg is so funny
Btw you are great on this!
❤
I actually preferred this RUclips style of documentary about Gwen Shamblin over HBO’s “The Way Down” exposé about her cult. While I did like the HBO docuseries and look forward to its final episodes, HBO’s storytelling is choppy and jumps around all over the place. This RUclips documentary explains the details using a more linear timeline from beginning to end, is more concise and easier to understand. Overall, it’s shocking how many people got sucked into Shambin’s bizarre cult.
When you are naive or just trying to survive on your own in the world, you can be susceptible to these types of wolves in sheep's clothing. A LOT of religious groups out there meet the criteria as cults, sad to say.
Well a lot of people are addicted to food and basically what she did was originally a good idea. However the more you got into the program the more you became dependent on it to the point of being another addiction. Basically addiction is about making lifestyle changes and living a life where you become more moderate in your behavior. One of the hardest problems news addicts have is what to do with their time and the boredom that come with it. Well her program was not about just taking a few classes but over time it was about joining her Groups. Basically the more you went, the more you got away from addiction to food to finding a new mental and emotional relationship to her and her church and programs. Overtime she built not only a church but almost everything these people did, like having parties, who your friend were,, how you child behaved. Lot of new addicts need that support in the beginning but they usually do not require you slowly hand over your life. For example a 12 step program you go to as many meeting as you want. Then as you get to know people you find someone who has some good soberity time and ask if they will sponsor. If it does not work out you find another. You sponsor many time become a tough love friend who should help be a voice of reason before you fall into something that is not the best because when you first get sober it is easy to feel this high because you feel better physically but the issues that caused the addiction is still there qnd so is the thinking. It takes time and work to change your thinking and views about someone relationship to whatever theybwere using to deal with negative emotion we all feel at some time. American fall for addiction because society tells us we are always suppose to feel a certain way. So if someone is sad we encourage people to stuff it or take something to settle the person down instead of feeling those emotions and understand that emotion can be control qnd will not kill us. This black and white thinking is very much taught in religion ( of course there are always exceptions with these standards, when they apply to the leader.. For example, no excuse for a divorce, but is OK for her to do. What she did was get these people who had a addiction personality ( and probably did not have a very good feeling of self worth either ) to feel better emotionally, but did everything mentally to help them get addicted to her advice ( not just from food but even how to raise your children). The more money and fame she got the more she probably believed her own false message that God agrees with her plan since she is doing so well. Well like most people in high places they like to surround themselves with only people who see them as someone who is great and who do not have the courage to tell them the truth because of fear. Well overtime they are surrounded with yes people who allow the person to think everything is great. Unfortunately when they find out they maybe in a situation like Saddum Hussain who did not even know American troops were in the country when they were practically in his back yard because no one wanted to give him the bad news.