Gwen Shamblin Lara | Pseudo-Christian Cult Leader or Weight Loss Pioneer?
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2024
- This video answers the questionS: Can I analyze the case of Gwen Shamblin Lara? Was her weight loss system legitimate? Was her church a pseudo-Christian cult?
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“She bought 40 acres of land and donated it to the church.”
You mean she found a loophole to get out of paying taxes? Got it.
Oh wait you are fighting for the government to collect more taxes right? Let me ask you what exactly do you need the gov to give you that those taxes will help you with??
Oh nothing!!??
Listen whenever the government has the people getting upset that the gov is not collecting enough taxes they have to you bamboozled! Taxes started at a 1% and 5% level when it started! Today wages are taxed multiple times at earning at spending dollars earned are taxed multiple times currently!
Here’s you clue dimwit start fighting for the government to stop the spending like a drunk sailor before you mention a word about collecting more taxes idiot!
Wise up!!!
@@terryfonz4603 I’m not sure how illiterate you are but nothing I said stated that I believe the government should be collecting more taxes. I’m a libertarian. I am simply pointing out exactly what this woman did in order to keep more money. Go take a Xanax.
Nothing wrong with getting out of paying taxes.
@@haleytruslow7200 he replied like that because your being sarcastic and it seems like you had a problem with someone finding a way to pay less taxes
@@haleytruslow7200 🤣🤣🤣
Good rule of thumb - If someone tells you they know something that God forgot to tell everyone else, CULT.
I'll tell you...... For money
🤣🤣🤣
On point 👉
That's amazingly said!! 🙌 I never thought of it this way. Thank you so much for sharing. ❤️
Lots of love 🌟
If anyone tells you that "God" told them anything, it's probably kindest to humour them, whether it's your friendly parish priest or a stranger ranting on a street corner.
Her appearance later in life seemed to indicate a lack of self awareness, she looked crazy.
Yes. She looked malnourished, clearly affecting her brain.
Yes....that hair. Plus she was skin and bones and looked older.
Their 11th commandment: Thou shalt not have mirrors before thee.
12th commandment thou shalt not covet a size 0@@johnbauman4005
"Oh, haven't you heard? Jim isn't coming anymore, seems he had the mark of the beast." You are good for my soul, Dr. Grande! Laughter is the best medicine. ❤️🙏
I marveled that he explained all this deadpan.
Gwen but you can see his eyes twinkle here and there!
Just when you think you've heard it all, someone starts the First Church of Caloric Deficit
Hahahaha I actually lol’d
Better than the Anglican branch chain amino acids
🤣
Haaaaaaah! And I’m convinced we live in the movie “Idiocracy!”
You win best comment award. 👍👍👍 First Church of Caloric Deficit.
My mother used to say "Don't worry. We're all a size 1 in our graves."
Boney Maronie 🦴
Funny Mom! 🤣
😳
And then a size zero
@@nd612
🎵🎤All we are is dust in the wind 🎶⁉️
Actually, we are spirit!!!! 🌅✝️⚛☮☯️
That's absolutely BRUTAL.
I'm writing that one down.
I was given a copy of her book when I hit puberty. They may have been teaching me that my only value was as a very skinny, obedient woman. I am in remission for bulimia.
So sorry! May you grow in health!
God loves all sizes but does want us healthy. God bless.
She got what she deserved
❤❤😢😢 I'm so sorry that happened to you!!😢😢❤❤
Interesting that you didn’t mention the “divorce and remarriage” being adultery preached by Mrs Lara’s church, until she divorced and remarried. I guess she found new, updated, get with the times, teachings of god (with a little g.)
Hahahaha…. False teachers have a funny way of stepping in hypocrisy
This sounds like someone who was able to practice and monetize her eating disorder publicly.
Yes. In one picture she appeared to be anorexic.
Kind of reminds of that cult what is it “love has won” or whatever it was where she basically found a way to get her cult members to financially support her drug/alcohol addiction!
Another would be 'All In' by Teddy Mellencamp.
I went to her main church years ago purely out of curiosity because I had heard so much about it and lived nearby. At the time I was anorexic, I was so underweight that I would get dizzy just from standing up and it was very obvious. They fawned over me, kept telling me how "cute" and "beautiful" I was. I'm lucky that I went into it knowing what they had going on. It definitely didn't discourage my behaviors or lead me towards recovery but I knew what they were about. If I had actually gone there because I wanted to join, I probably would've gotten worse. What they're doing is dangerous.
@@unicorn-glasses my sister belongs to that church...and my sister is a kook! She sent me a video of the Weigh Down Workshop for my kids! My kids were all thin. I never even watched it...I and the rest of my siblings all knew it was a cult.
Ugh, I went through this with my mom. Her church suggested the Weigh Down thing to its members and my stepdad is kind of a pig (seriously, this was like the 12th diet he put her on) so of course he wanted her to try it. I took Mom out for her birthday and she flat out told me she couldn't eat until her stomach growled and then she'd cut her meal in half so she wouldn't eat so much. And she was telling me this like it was perfectly normal, like obviously the church was involved in her diet and pretty soon she'd drop the weight and everyone would be able to tell she was saved because she was thin. She quit doing that eventually (her thyroid was crapping out, making it nigh on impossible to lose any weight), but she's been on diet after diet since. I don't expect her to love her fat, but I wish she could accept that she's never going to fit into her wedding dress again, no matter how holy she is.
Don't mind me, just breaking into a psychologist's YT comments to talk about my mother.
I hope your mom is out of the church. Mine... If she eats and when she eats it's all sweets and junk, which Gwen promotes.
That's terrible. Is she still under pressure from your stepdad?
@@thatsalt1560 I don't know, honestly. I think he may have decided to lay off after he had a heart attack a few years ago. He's still kind of an ahole, but he's just the regular kind of ahole.
Thanks for sharing. It sounds like your mom is yo yo dieting. When someone eats too little, it makes their body adjust to less calories, so the weight comes back and more when normal eating is returned to. It is a vicious cycle.
I hope your Mom gets better. My own father died of bulimia. He also controlled my diet. After he passed away, I weighed 98 pounds. I'm a plump 140 now, and ok with it.
As a 40 year student of theology I didn't expect to find an accurate description of what a pseudo- Christian cult is here, but you did it. The only other marker they have that wasn't mentioned here is that a cult leader will often find a single verse in Scripture and twist the truth, forming an entire cult around it, mostly about automatic health & wealth in the last two decades. Gwen took a bit of truth (that chronic overeating is wrong for many reasons) and ended up making her own law the way people are prone to do, starting with the pharisees. There are people who are 100 lbs heavier than they would be if they didn't have true hormonal abnormalities, brain function issues or taking life saving medications such as Cortisone.
Indeed this is what we call eisegesis, which is the formation of doctrine based on the reading of one or more individual verses out of context, as opposed to exegesis, which is the interpretation of scriptural verses based on the context provided by
scripture as a whole. Most
Psuedo Christian cults including The Weigh Down, Christian Science, Seventh Day Adventists and others base their theology on eisegesis
Right. The Bible was not written in verses. The verse numbers were added for reference. Nearly every time someone pulls out an individual verse it's for the purpose of taking it out of context and lying about what the Bible says.
When God gave His Word to His Prophets, He made sure to spread the truth through out the entire Bible, so that no one could take away any one part of it out of His book. That is why you have to read the entire Bible to get the entire message from God.
According to the correct definition of a cult, Christianity is one as well. It was sort og based on Judaism.
I am a Tennessean and came across her book in the 90's when she was just promoting weight loss. I never could latch onto her reasoning. I saw her one day at an upscale restaurant in Brentwood with her groupies who all seemed enamored by her. Fast forward 10 or 15 years later. A new coworker disclosed that she was a member of this church. She was overweight again after having lost alot of weight through Weigh Down. She indicated that she was getting alot of pressure from Gwen to lose the weight or else. I started doing research to see the way this program evolved into a cult. Gwen's ideas were ludicrous and dangerous. I am not surprised by her death. Sad situation for all involved.
Why were you not surprised by her death?
a Christian weightloss program, that's the most American thing ever lol
Americans can use religion especially Christianity to sell anything.
It’s the most SOUTHERN American thing you will ever see! That hair! That judgement! All that goin’ to hell!
There's a diet based on the Bible and what they ate back then, which is somewhat like a Mediterranean Diet.
@@tamib64 Looking at it objectively though, they ate what was available at the time.
I wonder how many eating disorders sprung from this here Religion...
Sadly I fell for Weigh Down and eventually joined Remnant. I was rescued by former Remnant/WD members- Thank God. Her story/life is full of caution for us all. Be careful- run at warning signs.
I am glad you got out.
@@lbu9542 Thank You!
I'm glad you made it
@@proanimaluver6487 Thank You!
@@elizabetha2056 🤗
can appreciate that "pseudo-Christian" term, even as an atheist. there are good, loving, tolerant, welcoming Christians. And then there is this mess. 😬
Dr Grande needs an award for saying deadpan “Jim’s not here in Bible study…he has the mark of the beast…who knew”? I had to rewind that 8 times and busted up laughing each time! 🏆 😂
Whenever someone, in this case big hair Lara, tells you that God gave them a message for you...RUN. God knows your address. If He has a message for you, He knows where you are.
Whenever someone, in this case big hair Lara, tells you they are a prophet...RUN...as fast as you can.
EXACTLY!
That's right. Think for yourself. Your ok. Your just fine. God doesn't make mistakes.
Big Hair Lara and Lori Vallow Daybell must have drank water from the same fountain of "I'm a Prophet." 🤯 Lol
@@faithfulgrl God is a psychopath; just look around.
God sure uplifts the hair while speaking to prophets
The higher the hair, the closer to god. She’s obviously very close to god.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Now, more than ever.
the blonder the hair, the more it reflects light
🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
lol I wrote the same thing 🎯
I just cannot understand how anyone can take advice from a person so deluded she wears her hair and make-up like that. None of us can help how we look as far as facial features, body type, often even our weight if we have eating disorders... but make-up and hair styles are a choice. To look that way she was clearly surrounded by people who just told her what she wanted to hear and she had a very distorted self image.
I find it hilarious that someone who taught against gluttony and greed would die in a private jet crash. Oh the irony.
False teachers have a funny way of stepping into hypocrisy
The cause of the plane crash, weight exceeded capacity. Now that's ironic.
Karma is a bitch....they were flying to a tRump rally in Florida
While on their way to a Trump rally.
Did a spit take when I read that the plane was over weight when it crashed!😳
How I screamed when you said you’d have to lose weight to fit through the gates of heaven, you crack me up!
@L Train45 he’s too much lololol
He actually cracked a smile...
I stay on my toes these days when I watch the Dr. for the Mean Girls-level torching eminating from this logical, serene, stoic presence and I'm here for it.
Narrow is the gate....
Thats was good,,,that was a good one. We know this guys next gig, comedy writer.
In defining a cult, you perfectly described Scientology. Chilling.
Totally agree with you! Had that experience when I was 18, got away quickly!!!! Ugh
Exactly Scientology!
She tried to find out how they made money
Yup! My thoughts exactly….
Shamblin got the Scientologists in to help her increase her revenue stream ... true info.
I was a weigh down student. Yes you are correct. A cult leader describes her perfectly. I attended in the late 1990s before she started her church. She had not married Lara yet. We got a box of videos and watched them. She did guilt the students into not eating. I was losing 5 pounds a week! Hallelujah! It was mind control. I survived. I felt brainwashed. It was an effort. I had to break away. Anyhow., I didn’t morn her loss. Many others weren’t as lucky as I was in trying to break away. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
I grew up in a 70's Doomsday Cult. Her message may be different, but trust me, she is/was a Cult leader. I watched this documentary and it was all too familiar.
On behalf on all Tennesseeans such as myself; we are not this wacko.
🙌
No worries... Nate Bargatze is a great comedian from Tennessee and he's awesome. 👍👍
You don't need to say that. Don't apologize for things you're not guilty of. If someone thinks this woman represents you, they're bigoted against you, and you should never beg for their approval.
Only the current governor.
Zack Leon...Wacko? Only the current governor.
Love that pic of Kenneth Copeland. It makes him look honest and modest and not even a little bit crazy...
He looked like what I’d think a real demon looks like. 🥺
He is very creepy and I am deeply disturbed that I have a sister who thinks this man is if God following His ways donating her money to his false causes that SHE needs herself!
LOL
😆
I thought the pic was of one of the hyenas from The Lion King. He looks demented.
Thanks for the back story on the folks involved in this tragic crash.
sorry, hate to say it, but i wouldn’t call this tragic. two pilots who shouldn’t be flying that plane? and i don’t think she’s much of a loss to our society.
just an aside - it would be great if all these not nice narcissists would all be together in the same afterlife.
Dan's video was saying Tarzan was a paid actor playing the part of an out of work pilot and flim flam man
@@feralbluee loss of life is always tragic -these people were still somebody’s parents, siblings, and children.
Also as aviators, we don’t scoff at the mistakes of others and talk about how much better we are than them. Dying in a high performance jet airplane is never more than just one or two little mistakes away. It could just as easily have been us or one of our dear friends.
Thanks for your great channel and insight, Juan.
@@feralbluee The death of 7 people regardless of their Christian beliefs is a tragedy. Dr Grande neglected to mention many Christian denominations consider gluttony one of the 7 deadly sins and all of Lara's Churches "cult-like behaviour" is just bog-standard evangelism taught to tens of millions of people around the world.
It really wasn't just "eating less." Her ideas were around seeing how little you could eat. If you look at photos of her through the twenty-five years, you'll see how she herself got thinner and thinner and weirder and weirder as her hair got crazier and crazier as did her personal life and her position of ultimate authority within her self-created church. If anyone reading this wants to get a very good look at just how weird she had become, watch her engagement and/or wedding videos here on CZcams. It's undeniable that she and her faithful followers believed she deserved some sort of Disney Princess world in which to live. Fascinating.
Eat when hungry. Enjoy your food. Stop when full. Take your emotional problems to God rather than stuffing your feelings by eating. She made lots of sense to me. She did go nuts.
Another gem from you tubes most consistent creator.
The crazed Kenneth Copeland picture was a nice touch. Had me cracking up.
@@chad3232132 Yes, that was a particularly bad shot of him.
Me thinks Gwen's ego was too fat to get through the pearly gates.
Tom here in Belfast she's getting in bundy getting in wtf 😳
That hair, though!
😂🤣
Eating less is definitely not "common sense" in the USA.
I bought into her diet plan... it worked but when I learned all the leaders for the diet club had to move to Tennessee and live near Shamblin-Lara then I knew it was a cult.
Also, the diet was fine but then I was being flooded with messages about their church. I told the group leader I already belonged to a church. I got out.
This was ALL about $$$ Fat was sinful apparently GREED was ok. Just look at her clothes, lifestyle and make up...Tammy Faye all over again. I am sorry she died but glad the deception has ended. Their church had no crosses... Another sign of a cult. And her books were all about God and Jesus was just a really neat guy. Not the Savior of the World. That's the true definition of a cult. No Cross, No Jesus, No Trinity. Just Gwen!
YES! I’m so glad you’re going over this, Dr. Grande. About 5 or 6 years ago I met a girl in Nashville who was extremely involved with the Remnant Church in Brentwood, TN. She took me there for what she said would be a regular service... the ENTIRE thing was about this Weigh down program and how much it was per month (every person in there paid a certain amount a month for this women’s stupid app!! Like an iPhone app!). Anyway, since my new friend was so involved in the church, I was introduced to a LOT of people. They all seemed very nice, but almost too nice... it was weird!!! It was soooo cultish (this was before I knew ANYTHING about this place’s history...). After the “service” about 10 or 12 of us went out to dinner afterwards. All in all, I never went back and when I told this new friend of mine that I was not interested in joining that church which I now know to be a cult, she unfriended, unfollowed, and completely just deleted me out of her life. I soon figured out that place and Gwen’s teachings have lead to multiple children dying!!! From what I know it was from punishment’s such as locking a kid in the closet, but these were things the church goers learned from this crazy Gwen cult woman. A nightmare and I’m soooo glad I never went back!!!! I had such an icky feeling there.
Thank you 🙏🏼
Explain the KIDS DYING
@@marciasloan534 The murder trial of a Georgia couple accused of whipping, confining and then beating their son to death shines a spotlight on the child discipline practices of a controversial Brentwood church.
Josef Smith, 8, died in 2003 on the day he was whipped with foot-long glue sticks, locked in a closet and told to pray to a picture of Jesus. Ex-members of the church say the punishments were in line with the discipline advice they heard while attending Remnant Fellowship Church.
@@marciasloan534 A judge said he wanted to set an example Tuesday when he sentenced a suburban Atlanta couple to life plus 30 years in prison in the beating death of their 8-year-old son.
Superior Court Judge James Bodiford handed down the sentence against Joseph and Sonya Smith in the death of their son Josef, a case that prompted authorities to raid the parents' church because it supports corporal punishment.
"I think it's serious enough where you should receive the maximum punishment and it should be on top of life," Bodiford told the couple.
The Smiths, both wearing orange clothes marked "Cobb County Jail," looked at each other but said nothing as Bodiford imposed the sentences.
About two dozen supporters, some of whom are members of the Remnant Fellowship Church, were in the courtroom but displayed no emotion when the sentence was announced.
@@ladybuggs11 That poor little boy!
“If god doesn’t want me to be a false idol and cult leader, may he strike me down!”
there you go
🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌪🌪🌪🔥🔥🔥🔥
False prophets clearly have a purpose also.All in good time Glurt!
DOH !!!
🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩⚡🌩get at it I have a list for striking I'm kidding no I'm not!
I disagree. I think she started out with very good intentions. I took her classes back in the 90s. She was very passionate but not crazy. What I think happened is, all the fame and money changed her and she became obsessed with the power and fame which turned into a crazy lady later in life. But she didn't start out that way.
Simple, power corrupts.
The documentary seems to support this view.
Reading the book now and it’s not even a little bit weird. Very encouraging and solid. Too bad she went crazy.
Dr. Grande: you hit yet another case out of the ballpark!
Many of the cases that you examine I've never heard of. However I'm very familiar with every serial killer case you've covered as I am a true crime buff, with many books about individual serial killers around the world.
It's cool that you analyze cases I'm unaware of, 'cause I never grow tired of learning about the legalities and psychological aspects of criminal behavior. Plus, your presentation "style" is laidback and evenhanded, but never boring.
Gwen gave Matthew 9:13 a whole new meaning. "Enter by the narrow gate..."
😁😁😁
😅😅😃👌
Lol
😂🤣😂
🤦🏾♀️😅
Oh lawd I'd be doomed on all fronts. Dr. Grande, you are the only person I know who can take such a bizarre topic and make it funny (still giggling over "you sit next to a guy for years studying the bible and then BOOM! Spawn of Satan") and compassionate. I have thought for years that the subject of nutrition was equally controversial as the subject of religion. I had no idea somebody had actually combined the two! Terrifying.
Its quite interesting how guilt is used in both and somehow the solution (to both) is YOUR money...
@@jloren4647 and that there is only ONE RIGHT WAY and all other ways are wrong!
@@Jinxiefoo Guess it all comes down to the idiocy of temporal beings telling people how to "live for the future" when they don't know as they haven't even completed living 101 themselves and even if they could, the circumstances were incredibly different.
@Jinxie Foo, I had to rewind that bit to hear it again! Dr G is too funny! 😂😂😂
@@jloren4647 Yes, YOUR💰
Must Become THEIR 💰 !!
The Weigh Down philosophy simply was, 'wait till you are genuinely hungry, and when it hits, eat what you want, but eat until you were sufficiently satisfied', I think it was, 'wait for the growl' in your stomach. It works, but one really needs to be sensible, and with any diet, requires discipline, perseverance and commitment. I honestly think Gwen Shamblin lost her way due to greed and ego.
Back when I worked for Papa John's, I delivered many a pizza to her church, and her giant house in Brentwood. At the store, we'd always refer to her orders as "the cult". But I'm not gonna lie, they were great tippers. Another driver and I once delivered 200 pizzas to the church. We BOTH got $100 tips. Even though we always made fun of them, we personally loved delivering to them because you'd always get (at the very least) a double digit tip, even if it was just a single pie.
Grande is owning the shade, as always.
Soooo goooddd 🤣🤣🤣
I here for it!😂
He throws so much shade that if he were a tree, he would be a redwood! 😆
Thank you for doing this. Our society needs to be more aware of the dangers of cults and organized religion as well. Separation of church and state is good but allowing religious organizations to control and abuse people in the name of religious liberty is certifiably insane.
She was one of those so called Christians...like Trump's lady guru.
What would you suggest, we allow the government to break up and refrain people from getting together and worshipping, regardless of creed? Who decides which organization is valid? Freedom is freedom, you can’t become an authoritarian and dictate what people believe. Crazy will exist forever.
Masks are completely pointless in regards to viruses and the gov forces that nonsense on everyone so the gov can easily abuse power...
@@felipetejeda7545 I agree. In one sense banning cults sounds like a good idea, but defining what is/is not a cult is very tricky once you get to the specifics. Almost anything you want to ban would violate the beliefs of one faith or another, or would come close enough to scare all religious faiths into joining together to oppose it. Like it or not, Americans are guaranteed the right to believe any crazy thing they want. 😊
@@felipetejeda7545 When any organization breaks the law, then it is the government's duty to enforce the law and protect the victims. So much abuse, physical, sexual, and emotional, has been carried out by religious organizations under the cover of religious freedom. You can believe anything you like, but you cannot harm others or break the law. We have a right to assemble but we do not have the right to create disruption to society. Freedom is not limitless, something people seem to have forgotten. Yelling "fire" in a crowded building or committing suti used to be two examples of the limits of freedom that no one seems to be taught anymore.
I refuse to laugh at your dry humor doc but the "fit thru the gates of heaven" bit had me cryin' 😭😭😭. Keep up the good work !
I love your dry sense of humor. Matter of fact your sense of humor along with your factual content is the main reason I am addicted to watching your videos.
BUT that picture that you chose of Copeland sent me spraying coffee out of my nose. Lmao. He looks like a crazy 🤪 man.
Thank you so much for the laughs.
In Australia they are strict on fraud Copeland would be investigated
Who else laughed out loud at the Kenneth Copeland picture?
I mistakenly thought I clicked on a horror film review !
Absolutely terrifying picture 😂
Nervous laugh....that is the creepiest picture ever!
@@imasheepbahbah3591 He looks like on of the hyenas from The Lion King.
Many have suggested its not The Lord behind those eyes but another force
The way Dr.Todd throws shade so subtly gets me every time
Charles Manson once said, "You have to keep people in a constant state of fear."
".. everybody has to lose weight in order to, I guess, fit through the Gates of Heaven". Too hilarious.
Not being disrespectful but by looking at her she not only had an eating disorder but promoted it as well...
I can tell just by looking at that lady she was certified nuts; her husband latched on because she was hauling in the cash. Another scammer / con lady in the name of setting up as a church.
She was so gaunt and unhealthy looking. Loaded. Much younger former-struggling-actor husband.
spot on
He was 8 years younger I believe- but her 1st husband was “HUSKY” & she had the desire for TARZAN😉.
Hail Bisacodyl.. And eliminate all impurity.. She claimed.. And do not flush..
😂
She developed a cult that was part Mormon part Scientology and part Jehovah Witness, and a whole lot of her own brand of crazy, but not one once of Christian.
I love your sense of humor, you say things “without skipping a beat “ ha ha love it , I enjoy your work!
My Mom would drag me to the weigh down workshops at church when I was young teen. My mom has remained thin but I’m pretty sure she has an eating disorder now. The meetings were intense, lots of guilt and pressure and emotional “testimonies” and they also did weigh in days in front of everyone. I remember talking about food as an Idol and verses like “he must increase, I must decrease” were prooftexted to make women think they needed to be small.
Well, she did not live it. That part about decreasing is about the ego and pride, and she was all about that. It is evil to lead others astray for millions of dollars and abusing others in God's name.
Tom here in Belfast y not say no
@@debbiemcglade6363 because I was 12.
She used humiliation and shame as "motivation".
As a retired duetitian , Christian and member of overeaters anonymous.OA is the one addiction 12 step program thar also accepts eating disorders too. My higher power is Jesus. Abstinence for me is not eating my binge foods. I do advocate and eat a healthy diet. Covering ICUs for tube feeding needs I preferred 10 lbs overweight.
I lost 50 pounds many many years ago through this program. I was even a group leader in my church. When she started to go the other way in her teachings and her ideas, I had a meeting with our pastor, and it was decided, after sharing my concerns, that we would no longer utilize this program. That was years ago. I didn’t follow anything about her for over 25 years until the crash. It really saddens me that she went this far this way. My heart hurts for all the people affected by this. And praying that eyes will be opened.
Congratulations on your weight loss, Debbie. I remember when her book came out & churches were offering classes. Discernment allowed you to see the errors in her thinking....
@@normacook8325 thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately, I have regained my weight. But I don’t feel condemned by it. It’s just very sad this whole thing. I hadn’t followed her since we discontinued the program. I pray for eyes to be opened. God bless you.
@@debbiemaughan4004 I also took a few of her classes and bought a book. Then like you heard about some of her beliefs and dropped the program and that was it, hadn't heard of her since just a few days ago. I think she might have been sincere at the beginning but then something happened to her, for she looked a whole lot different before her crash, anorexic. I almost didn't recognize her. She didn't dress like that before and the make-up, so pasty. So sad.
@@debbiemaughan4004 …Christian guy here. Check out Dr Jason Fung. He’s the go-to guy on intermittent fasting.
I’ve lost 35lbs, another friends lost 40 and still another close friend has lost +60lbs.
@@theyangview1898 He's excellent! I follow him on CZcams and bought one of his books: "The Obesity Code." I have lost 40 pounds already.
Thank you Dr. Grande, I like much your assessment of people, cults, sound doctrine, reason, & good Christian faith. What is healthy is more important than mere weight measurement because we look at physical & emotional/mental components. We should all focus on what we as individuals are called to do, not discerning others callings. To be obsessed & fixated on appearance, is unhealthy. To love others unconditionally, & want for their genuine best, is paramount.
The orange tone, the hairspray, the lavish homes, the "I'm the only one" messaging, total obedience, shady real estate deals and grifting all sound vaguely familiar for some reason.
Orange hair, hair spray, lavish penthouse, jets, malignant narcissist, faux Christian and sociopath Donald Trump.
@@deanne9266 < you believe your father 👹 remember he is a liar but what would one who serves one know? Stop following the MSM cult!!
@@vernpierce8836 What! You believe your father? Have no father he died from cancer. I am an educated Professor in Political Science, Economics and History. Unfortunately, you are the one in a cult. I do not live in the USA and only watch BBC, CTV, News. In Canada are tv stations are regulated and would never allow a tv station like Fox News. Rupert Murdoch Empire owns Fox and he ensures Fox News via Hannity and Tucker spew lies to make people hate Democrats because they represent democracy. If you prefer to believe in conspiracy theories QAnon bs and lies do not cry when America is under fascist authoritarian rule. Hope you are extremely wealthy because if you are not you will be living in a country like Venezuela, Russia, Belarus or Brazil. Two classes the wealthy or extremely poor. It is so easy to con brainwash ignorant and uneducated.
Yes sounds exactly like the Biden family.
@@deanne9266
Great definition of cults. Sounds like alot of religions I know. When you explain things it makes them SO clear & absurdities very obvious! Thanks for all you do Dr G🤗💕💟
sounds a lot like politics right now
@@jellyfishi_ - it's great, especially if you need to justify killing someone or bedding someone younger than 10
Agreed! I love how concise Dr. Grande is. Oh! And I recommend “Cultish” here on CZcams. They explore all the different cults out there and it’s quite fascinating.
@@jessitabonita Sounds neat...Will check it out. Thanks!!😊👍
12+ hrs of theology and best mainstream I've found as far as logic and actually addressing human suffering constructively is Buddhism. But again, that's part of why some practitioners refuse to call it a religion, it can be practiced fully secularly . In its purist form, original canon and other records believed to be teachings of Siddartha Gautama, it's just a simple life philosophy.
Interesting that her previous husband David, lost his weight after she divorced him. Anyone else notice this? My heart does go out finally to those in her family that lost loved ones in this entire tragedy. I hope the remainder of the Church people are helped to deprogram! So sad! Excellent analogy!👍
I didn't know he lost weight. It was shocking to me, after hearing her preach against divorce for so long no matter how tough the circumstances, and then suddenly to hear announce she would be remarried within the same year she was divorced. As a Catholic, naturally I believe Marriage is a Sacrament and doesn't end until the death of one of the spouses so I had a lot of respect for her going against the popular Protestant grain of divorce anytime for any reason. She missed it big time with denial of the Holy Trinity & the Holy Eucharist, so I never could get fully on board with her Teachings.
It is almost impossible to find info on Dave
The cult is still packing them in with Gwen's kids, Elizabeth and Mike, taking over the stage and fleecing the rubes. Too bad that jet wasn't big enough for them too. Mike would have left years ago had his music career taken off, and Elizabeth looks like a grave robber's trophy, so no telling how long they'll be able to ride the gravy train. They both should just shut it down and be happy with their enormous inheritance.
@@CatholicHousewife2017 the only reason she preached against divorce was that it was bad for their Stepford Wives image and it invariably led to losing future cultists in custody battles. That's also why she paid the lawyers on behalf of the remaining partner in custody cases where one partner left the cult. Got to keep those kids brainwashed to grow the cult.
what you could hold in your hand, will never last, what you hold in your heart will last for ever
She learned about weight loss but such a shame she couldn't learn about hair and make up and what it really means to serve the Lord.
My church actually embraced this back in the day and I remember very heavy people losing a ton of weight-- I had no idea the backstory! Thanks for educating us on everything from Britney Spears to cults. 👍👍
I came across the materials for the weight loss, nothing "off" noticed, glad I didn't look for the author
Right, and shame on Thomas Nelson and Christian publishers for bringing her into mainstream churches, when all along she believed in heresy.
Sam I think it was after she decided that The Trinity is not true that a lot of Churches distanced themselves from her and the program.
@@carolinemcgovern8059 right
I remember this as a child as well.
She might have missed the fine print of Matthew 15:11 What goes into a man's mouth does not make him `unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him `unclean.'"
And, there is always atonement, redemption and the state of being born again!
AMEN!
She took that out of context like she took verses out of context about who God is and what it means to be saved.
I got to hand it to you dr. Grande your sense of humor never gets old! Before I die, I will have to have breast reduction surgery so that I can easily squeeze through the Gates of heaven! Never heard of this woman the Tarzan guy or that diet plan either as I never had any desire to lose any weight or become part of some religion. My life Quest has been to be as strong tone and muscular as possible without going to the gym or working out.
I'm a Christian and I can't stand these horrible people. They've done everything they can do to destroy Christianity.
Ever notice the religions that ostracize members when they begin to think for themselves? FLDS, Scientology, Amish and now Skinny Lara
Or change their hairstyles!
All of them.
Yes
I believe those are better known as “cults.”
Actually, I personally know people who left the Amish that are welcomed and still associate with their families and treated civilly by the community.
"Faith-based wieght-loss" lol what a bunch of lunatics
It works. Try it.
They're not lunatics. Misguided maybe. I think some compassion is in order.
Asking God to help you eat right and gain control of areas of your life is a good thing, and that gained (sorry LOL) discipline can help in other areas of your life. Apply true Christine faith and doctrine, not a cult of following personalities who teach pseudo-Christianity!
@@Ellen-hs7zb Christianity, by definition, is a cult of the undead.
@@nonprogrediestregredi1711 Look up the definition.
Saturday.
Having a Dr. Grande video binge-watch.
It was neither planned nor scheduled.
Another great video. As a Christian I appreciate the way you covered this. God bless you Dr. Grande.
Jan Crouch's hair had an illicit relationship with a can of aquanet and look what was wrought
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🙂
Oh Yeah!! I used to smoke and dry my hair at the same time, while teasing my hair with Aqua-net Super Hold. I'm lucky I survived the 80's!! Yes, I quit my addictions a Long Time ago...both the smoking, and (more importantly)...the Dreaded Aqua Net!! But Damn, I Rocked that Big Hair....
Ren17X BRILLIANT! lol
At Least Jan was a really good person, helped slot of people.
Lolll..!😀
All jokes aside this lady was dangerous
She absolutely Ruined families & lives
Very.
@Tiffanye Young Where can we see the movie, what is it titled? 😊
@Seven Inches of Throbbing Pink Jesus The nature of man. You are right.
A child died because of her teaching that you must show your children who's boss by abusing them into submission
The dry humor in this cracks me up ❤️😂
I always enjoy your videos, great insight and information-never stop. I always enjoy your subtle dry humor too!
Tarzan series actor Joe Lara- In other words- not well known. Gotta love it because it’s true. Never heard of this woman either.🤠
I knew who he was, but seeing past interviews, with him, I would never taken him to become evangelical. Plus it looks like he messed up his looks. He was gorgeous back in the day!
@@msrain1235 If he was malnourished.I effects one’s thinking logically. People who work-out a lot and then start seeing body fat, when it is exaggerated, counting calories,etc, I can see how he would make it a religious routine.
@@judytullos9889 , you think that he saw body fat? From what I remember, he was always thin. Unless after he stopped acting he got fat.
Lara's acting resume was pretty pathetic. I'm a big film buff, but looking at his acting roles, I've heard of almost none of his films. Nearly all are direct to video. His one Tarzan movie was titles "Tarzan in Manhattan," with was a low quality made for TV movie.
@@chad3232132 , Tony Curtis is the one that sells the Manhattan movie. He was hilarious in it. Joe Lara was more of eye candy in it. His Tarzan show is where he shined. IMO, he was good in it
Funny how ones anointed status in a so called church couldn’t save them from a terrifying death falling from the sky.
Right
Or god sent a message. Either way doesn’t prove her point.
God loved them so much that he called them home early.
@@danoc51 😅😅😅
Um, Jesus died on a cross
With every piece of my being , thank you for choosing that picture of Kenneth Copeland
Cult never believed they are cult; their actions & excessive need to control defines them!! She was one!!
Ironic how she would tout weight loss when her hair had 40lbs of product in it.
Her face had double.
So my Dad was raised in a cult.. and no matter how many times I read or tell him the definition of a cult.. NEVER have any of him or his siblings admitted its a cult. Guess that is part of the programming?
Is he still in it?
@@danacampbell5982 no he left it to get married. N now there are very few of the old but from what I am kinda seeing seems there maybe a new branch. They called themselves Israelites n they ended up in Beton Harbor Michigan if your at all interested in seeing if you can learn much. As a grandchild I have not been allowed much info crazy huh?
@@blazinvenus3914 Wow! I woke up at 4 AM and saw your response. I ended up reading a really interesting article about them. There was a lot of good info, even though the title was definitely sensationalistic: Benton Harbor remembers cult destroyed by sex scandal. They were remarkable people. Very successful in spite of being different from everyone around them. There are even a couple of members left.
@@danacampbell5982 yes as a matter of fact the big house called Jerusalem was just tore down like 2 or 3 years ago. Wonder if you found information I don't know?? I have a channel only because I have premium. Would love to hear what you found. Thank you for this!😊
@@blazinvenus3914 Just did a google search using Benton Harbor. Several things popped up!
Hello Dr.Grande I just read about this gal a couple of days ago and you came up in my feed.I havent watched TV.In yrs .So I donnot keep up with the latest.I can only speak for myself, test the waters so to speak.If someone says oh yeah that lake water is warm.I may not take his word for it.I may have to go stick my foot in the water to see for myself because the water may actually be to cold for me.So now I know for myself.What is good for one person may not be good for me.Instead of just going with the flow test the waters so to speak and find out for yourself.Anyways Dr.Grande always good to hear your professional opinion.Much Love to you and yours.💜
With more than 45,000 denominations in the Christian religion, it becomes clear that the word Cult can be thrown about in a seemingly haphazard fashion and yet never be overused.
The picture of Kenneth Copeland you included in the video, along with the Bible Study/Jim scenario gave me my laugh for the day. You're awesome, Dr Grande, don't ever change!
Finding a crazy picture of Copeland is low hanging fruit.
@@jamesblahut5008 haha true
That photo looked like what concept artists reference when art directors ask for war-hardened orc warriors in their project.
I was in the Weigh Down Workshop for a long time, but never joined the church. The Workshop started from a very good place and was very effective for me. It was not a cult at that point. But Gwen started to take her own fame much too seriously, founded the church, and it all descended a cult.
All along her beliefs were heretical. I met her back then and told her she was wrong about God. I wrote about it all on my FB wall, which is public under Dwayna Litz. Yes, her program began in all of the churches, but she was a heretic all along before she began the cult.
@@DwaynaLitzMusic I'm sure you're correct, but understand what this poster was saying. I participated in a local weigh down workshop 20 years ago (when Gwen still looked human) and we learned some worthwhile things.
The weight loss program was effective-but then she went off the rails
My wife and I did weigh down. It was very effective, I got down to 198 pounds (I am 65 inches tall and athletic). That said, after the first course, I was very surprised to see her going in a goofy religious direction. She departed from Orthodox Christian teaching with a "oneness" doctrine which she seem to want to push to separate her followers from other churches. Of course we left the program and watched the flame out from a distance.
Another good analysis. Similarly, I'd be interested to know what Dr. Grande thinks about extreme weight loss programs such as "The Biggest Loser. "
She clearly didn’t know the difference between dieting and fasting.
Cult= blind worship of grandios narcissism on a mass scale. Most of the victims have deeproted trauma and are co-dependents.
Damn. That's got to be the best description I've seen.
Trauma but shouldn't people show them more compassion then I'f they went thru trauma
@@reg8297 Cult leaders are grandiose narcissists. Amain trait is the lack of empathy and compassion. And co-dependents lack the abillity to see the narcissist " as they are", that is they are addicted to their personality/carisma= Brainwashed. Others in the group around the leader ( psycofants) are maby machiavellian and simply dont care. Or psycopatic who are sadistic and cruel. The victims who are traumatised from before have personality traits who make them suceptible for for abuse ( the lack firm boundarys, and a clear understanding of redflags). I read on another post that having trauma or beeing co-dependent is like having red glasses on. When healthy and " functional" people see the clear or many redflags, all the traumatised/co-dependent see are " flags".
Most of those people grew up on hardcore religious fanaticism in the first place. That's traumatic enough and the main reason they were susceptible to Gwen's BS. She didn't recruit them from Episcopalianism or Lutheranism or some moderate Christian sect. Can anyone imagine a Unitarian falling for that crap? Watch the HBO documentary "The Way Down". She was trying to create a mix of Gilead, Stepford and Jonestown.
Nonsense. Those people weren't traumatized, except by their previous wackadoodle religions, until after they got involved with that cult. It's the kids who took the brunt of the abuse and trauma. Watch the HBO documentary.
I do remember my mom doing the Weigh Down program. Didn’t know it was such a controversial backstory to it. I think the group at our church disbanded and I don’t remember anyone losing much weight.
You missed the whole child abuse aspect (essentially, they were extremely pro child abuse to the point that two of their members killed their son after consulting with leaders)
If she was a true Christian, she’d know God only cares about your soul, not your body.
That is not true. God cares about all aspects of our lives. God wants us to be happy
and He knows there will be suffering in ALL of our lives from time to time.
@@smpeace2683 this is why I pray to the rock god. He’s really a solid dude.
No He cares about our physical bodies also,having created them.But your point is right the soul is eternal and who,we really are.
@@ethan8804 Jesus is the ROCK and on Him I stand and in Him I am hidden !
@@cht2162 Those are Catholics.
Although, this is a real tragedy, with so many loosing their lives; Its a given where I come from, never trust a preacher with big hair.
Where I come from we don't trust preachers, period.
@@marcdraco2189 Being a Texan I grew up around children who were forced by their families to be part of one religious cult or another...I heard a sermon at one of these types of churches at the age of six as a guest of the family of a playmate...screaming angry faced fiery brimstone man yelling and contorting his face and body like a horror movie character that anyone who wasnt saved better come on down and accept him as their savior....or else in the fires of hell they would burn...I sat glued to my seat terrified of the man...These people are a dime a dozen.
Starving for Jesus? ...I thought I had heard everything!
@@latinaalma1947 America really is screwed. The founding fathers escaped a king, but brought his bible with them... so really they are no better off and in some respects, they're rooted in a belief system that most of Europe has abandoned.
No kidding!
This is actually an excellent weight loss approach. I learned a lot from her, about eating and God
Funnily enough I did her workshop here in little ole New Zealand, I actually thought it was quite good at the time too, 25 years ago!!!! ....but I didn't know this fascinating but tragic back story...
Bravo Dr. Grande. So many struggling and hurting people out there, they don’t need to fall into traps set by these hypocrites.
Shamblin? More like Shambles...
* dad laughter commences *
😂😂
😅🤣😂
Not bad, dad...not bad.
@@MelissaGal1 Thanks for that, lad... thanks for that.
That was a goid one!!!!
Probable cause of crash: The plane was overweight.
Metacause: God went 'old school' and removed them from his earthly realm.
Best Comment Award Winner, folks!!!
🏆
Seriously I snorted OUT LOUD at this! 🐷
A second snort here!!! 😂😂😂😂 hilarious
Tripple SNORT !!
The plane was overweight 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Quadruple snort 😂😄😆😁
She used Christianity churches to promote her weight loss business. When i watched this programme i wondered what weight loss had to do with Bible studies. If you see church leaders living the luxurious life you need to see that as a red flag
Thank you for the analysis Dr it is much appreciated.
This is so sick. As someone dealing with Anorexia Nervosa most of my life, I KNOW what I'm looking at. She needs help. And she's pushing Anorexia Nervosa on others. I know the hell she's going through, I feel for her... Up until she tells OTHERS to pray when they're hungry. SHE HAS A SEVERE EATING DISORDER. Ugh.
She died in the plane crash and I believe she’s had to answer for her actions....because no one gets to use God inappropriately without consequences. But, yes, I think she probably did cause many to be misled and damaged.
@@tonia.5861 you are 100% correct; I wrote this before I was aware. I JUST found out.
Yes, was thinking the same, severe eating disorder, pressing on others by making them feel guilty and scamming their money,abusing God, her next and herself.
She definitely has to answer!!
I was thinking the same thing. She has a lot of ED concepts in her theology.
She HAD serious problems. She’s Dead now!!!! …so she doesn’t really need help anymore.
Where's the part where she got the lead role in "The Dark Crystal"? She has to be the most successful Muppet of all time!
👌😂
🤣
😂🤣🤣🤣😂Couldn't unsee the likeness to the Gargoyle King once you said it😂
You are delightfully excellent at your profession. I love your intellect and humor.
How to recognize trouble? Add power+ $$$ + fame = trouble.