Common Sense Media Review
By Stephanie Morgan
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cult docu depicts extensive alcohol and drug use, a corpse.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God
What's the Story?
LOVE HAS WON: THE CULT OF MOTHER GOD is a short docuseries investigating the Love Has Won cult and the death of their leader, a woman named Amy Carlson who members called Mother God. Members, who were attracted to Love Has Won through its online presence, not only believed Mother God was a divine entity on Earth who ascended to another dimension after her death, they went so far as to continue living with her corpse in their home after her passing.
Is It Any Good?
A jarring docuseries that serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse, the dark side of early internet culture, and the loss of personal autonomy to cult dynamics. Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God portrays a group of young people whose beliefs are so bizarre that they almost seem like a parody, claiming connections to mostly dead celebrities and political figures as part of their doctrine. Things become all to real, though, as viewers see how effectively the group uses the internet to recruit followers -- some of whom came to them with young children in tow. The series is an eye-opening look into a convoluted world where cult mentality, internet influence, and addiction intertwine.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what makes a group a cult. What are the common characteristics and how do cult leaders get others to follow them blindly?
Discuss the documentary maker's decision to include the footage of Carlson's remains in the opening scene of the series. What do you think their motivations were? Do you agree with their decision to show the body? What's the difference between story-telling and making decisions simply to grab the viewer's attention.
Talk about the role of alcohol, drugs, and alternative medicines in this story. What was the purpose of the focus on them? What (if any) consequences are there?
TV Details
- Premiere date : November 13, 2023
- Cast : Amy Carlson
- Network : HBO
- Genre : Reality TV
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 6, 2024
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