In November 2023, HBO released a gripping documentary titled “Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God,” which delves into the bizarre and tragic tale of Amy Carlson, the leader of a fringe spiritual movement in the United States. Born in Kansas in 1975, Carlson led a relatively conventional life as a mother of three and McDonald’s manager until a deep dive into New Age spirituality in the mid-2000s altered her path irrevocably.
Her transformation began after meeting Amerith WhiteEagle online, who convinced her she was a divine being. In 2007, she abandoned her family and job to join him in Colorado, where they established the “Love Has Won” cult. Carlson claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and other historical figures, asserting she was a 19-billion-year-old entity known as “Mother God.”
The cult blended New Age beliefs, conspiracy theories and elements of mainstream religion. Carlson’s followers believed she was guided by “Galactics,” a group that bizarrely included figures like Steve Irwin, Robin Williams, and even Donald Trump. She claimed to heal diseases using “love energy,” supported by a self-administered regimen of alcohol, drugs, and colloidal silver.
The regular ingestion of colloidal silver—a substance widely rejected by medical professionals—led to a condition called argyria, which turned her skin a bluish-grey. Her physical deterioration, including dramatic weight loss and loss of motor skills, was interpreted by her followers as a spiritual sacrifice.
In April 2021, Carlson died in Ashland, Oregon, at age 45 from multiple organ failure caused by chronic alcohol abuse, anorexia, and silver poisoning. Her followers, refusing to accept her death, wrapped her body in a sleeping bag adorned with fairy lights and glitter, and transported it across five states to Colorado. They kept the corpse for nearly two weeks before a concerned member alerted authorities.
An autopsy confirmed there was no trace of cancer, contradicting Carlson’s claims. Seven followers were charged in connection with the mishandling of her body. The documentary exposes not just the surreal beliefs of the cult, but the human cost of spiritual delusion and manipulation.
