Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe (TV Mini Series 2023) Poster

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8/10
One of the Weirdest Cults I've Ever Seen
thalassafischer10 October 2023
People usually join cults because they think there's some kind of higher religious purpose and cult leaders have repeatedly used this as an easy way to sexually abuse members. What makes the Twin Flames Universe so weird is that romance and sex are the entire premise - essentially Jeff and Shaleia promise spiritual fulfillment by finding your "twin flame" - a person more intense than a soulmate, who you've known throughout lifetimes. Whether you believe in this concept or not, the subsequent cult that evolved from this concept couldn't be more obviously toxic or wacko if it tried.

Shaleia was an insecure young woman who had new age spiritual beliefs when she met charming malignant narcissist and possible sociopath, Jeff, a young man hoping to own his own business. It's fairly obvious she's under the spell of an attractive narcissist, and that he's thrilled to have constant narcissistic supply in the form of a compliant and obedient woman conforming to traditional gender roles. They couldn't be more reflective of manic street preacher and quiet wife in church if they were evangelical Christians. The way she silently nods or murmurs yes in reply to his ravings and rantings on YouTube would be comical if they weren't so creepy.

These two lovebirds take advantage of emotionally unstable and obsessive love/sex addicts by literally encouraging them to stalk people who rejected them or broke up with them. They claim they'll get the person back if only they accept responsibility for manifesting the situation with a mirror exercise. The elements that really take the cake, though, are that Jeff and Shaeia claim to get messages from God about who someone's twin flames are and even pressured people into gender roles and sex changes in an attempt to conform to their cult's ideology.

Seriously, people, if a religious leader tells you stalking someone who never wants to see you again is God's will, it's a cult.
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8/10
Look Inside "Twin Flames"
Sarah42310 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Jeff and Shaleiha Divine didn't invent the idea of soul mates or twin flames. However, they became the face of the movement thanks to forming the "Twin Flames Universe and Church of Union" and turning it into a profitable business.

The core group of believers are given training (read: indoctrination), love bombed, encouraged, and supported. Classes cost money, but when named as a coach you become part of the pyramid (and, thus, incentivized.)

The documentary outlines what seems to be a pyramid scheme.

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On top of financial motivations, I'm amazed at the documentary showing well known brainwashing/influencing practices so openly used on members.

First we get the group think and control.

Then we get to Elle's story, for instance, where she is told to"believe that she was" in a relationship in spite of boundaries and restraining orders.

Up is down. No is yes.

Shanise is told whatever she has to do trumps everything, in spite of her supposed twin flame having moved on and having a baby with another woman.

Any sort of doubts are stifled and anyone who doesn't truly believe in the messaging lives in fear of having negative consequences, according to the series.

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In spite of this, members do leave the group as the mini series wears on. But even with their testimony, even with the filings of restraining orders from outsiders targeted and stalked, these "gurus" still teach on.

According to the Divines, the group of believers isn't a cult. Further, they claim that those who question the community are distorting their aims and misrepresenting members being coerced or influenced.

Netflix covers this possibility with a title card drop at the end. However, the rest of the episodes give a pile of recordings and interviews that are pretty convincing, well organized, edited and presented.
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8/10
The Making of a Cult!
hannahdarling-8949313 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
You get to see how a cult is formed. Starts out as a scummy scammer who charges people to heal their ailments, even cancer and then grows into an abusive, exploitive cult that promises love. Instead, it coerces men to abuse and rape their partners and brainwashes the women into complying. It also forces people into stalking and being aggressive towards exes or their crushes in order to "get them". If all this wasn't bad enough, they coerce people to change their gender and sexuality! What's next? It's too scary to imagine!

Jeff and Sheleia prey on the vulnerable and lonely people. First, they provide them with an online community of "friendly", like-minded people and promise them that they'll find something better than fairytale true love and wealth. Then, they start controlling them - for people who don't know, it is HARD to get out of such abusive and controlling relationships. Save people from joining this group by letting more and more people see who and what this cult truly is.
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10/10
Glad They're Exposed!!
pdx-1073729 October 2023
Am a twin flame. Years ago right off the bat, I saw Jeff & Shalia were scammers. I met my twin flame in 2017 and didn't understand it so searched on the internet for answers.

Jeff & Shelea's youtube videos popped up but their messaging didn't align with REAL spiritual leader messaging. Twin Flame is a type of spiritual awakening NOT a relationship goal. Twin Flames pop into your life for spiritual advancement NOT romantic union. It is incredibly rare for twins to come into "harmonious union". Twins trigger & mirror core wounding to cause exponential spiritual growth. 9 times out of 10 this is the case.

Jeff & Shelia warped Twin Flame messaging, they manipulated people, they pretended for money, and they will reap the karma they have sown. This documentary exposes their BS and goes in depth at the levels of manipulation especially Jeff shows - his narcissism is a trip.
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Content is good but the red hair girl talk is unbearable
flOrlando114 November 2023
Overall pretty good content. Better than the Netflix one I think. Although I watched this after the Netflix docuseries. But I can't listen to the main reporter presenter. At times it's way too nasal and like high school talk. Takes away from credibility. It seems like it was amateur reporting.

Otherwise good content although at times one sided. Didn't seem to show a neutral view from the presenter's side, the best part is when wintnesses spoke.

Otherwise good content although at times one sided. Didn't seem to show a neutral view from the presenter's side, the best part is when wintnesses spoke.
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9/10
Brilliant comedy
benjaminlupton15 December 2023
One of the best comedies I've ever seen. Every single moment is a face palm. Every character is a quack. The journalist found the goldmine.

We have a black American who thinks her blackness is loneliness while believing every person is lonely and depressed, the irony and offence escapes her. We have a taro reading transgender woman who is obsessed a conservative man, again the irony.

What they all share in common, is that they all identify as "spiritual" people who believe in "energies" and believe that with enough obsession (choosing love) then their idol (twin flame) will reciprocate their obsession and they'll manifest each other as each other's super spiritual soul mates who will complete each other, all by paying a monthly subscription that they can't afford, and delegating their autonomy to some cult leaders, who they worship because the leaders embrace their cashcows, are attentive, and speak the same mumbo jumbo the subjects believe but with conviction instead humility; which for people who only have the facade of confidence, means and is the world to them.

They are moths who are drawn to the flame, and then blame the flame. Don't be a moth, and you won't worship the flame. Don't idolise, and you won't worship false idols. Don't believe everyone is secretly flawed like you, and you'll start becoming someone worth being.
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2/10
Long, Repetitive and Self-Pitying
kiga-125 November 2023
The whole documentary could have been done in an hour. By making it almost three hours the implication is that this is going to be an epic story with lots of twists and turns.

No twists and turns, but a lot of self-pity in this the same old story of people making a fortune off of others' vulnerabilities.

Other than a few modern day spins to the story you won't find anything new here.

The talking head experts offer no new insights and all sound like school children doing book reports.

The lead reporter on the case, Alice Hines, has this valley girl "up-speak" delivery that is really annoying. She didn't exactly do any rigorous reporting since all the tapes were there for her to see.

Some of the victim's stories are very touching, so that warrants 2 of the 10 stars.

But basically, this is another spin on the "Compliance" type scam where people so gullible (and even stupid) fall for another charlatan.

Says more about the dumbing down of our society then the motives of a con man.
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1/10
Don't waste your time on this garbage
new85916 March 2024
This garbage wasted 3 hours of my time. So little content has been stretched into 3 hours. Many meaning less talking. The so called cult is such small group that is not worthy to be reported. This is no story here. There is no crime here. No drama. No twist. No surprise. The two leading roles are not worthy to be called "cult leader". They don't have any charisma, which is pretty essential to be a cult leader. They don't have intelligent. Their followers are obviously not smart. Kind of below average. There are big robberies out there, while you report on petty theft. Why? I can feel the carelessness of the makers of this TV series. They just want throw in all the trashy footages they have to make it three hours long and get paid.
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