Thread by @carolinefan

I do not understand how Missouri is known as the Show Me State when we play host to all kinds of religious quacknut cults.

This state is deeply fertile territory for grifters and religious con men. #thread

1) Disgraced 80s televangelist Jim Bakker set up shop at a former ren fair in Ozarks, turning it into a planned community called Morningside.

He sold condos to senior citizens w/ clause that it reverts on death, waited for them to die, then resold.

thedailybeast.com/jim-bakkers-pr…

This is also where he launched his COVID-19 snake oil cure which got him investigated by state & local authorities.

I guess if you need to churn property, might as well kill off your followers faster, & make a quick buck doing it.🤯

(What is w/ cults killing off followers?)

Like I get that it speeds up this death cult's profit cycle but unless follower acquisition rate > prepper death rate, then you find yourself short of ppl & money.

Anyways, me questioning biz model of a cult is also why I'd nvr live in a recreation of interior of Paris casino.

2) Owen Benjamin's Unbearables (the alt right needs to stop taking innocent animals & turning them into dastardly memes) are apparently moving into 2 communes in MO.

They pose as conservative Christian homesteaders but are really all about filthy lucre.
reddit.com/r/missouri/com…

They're moving into Ava and into a 180 acre lot in Cabool.

Unfortunately, Benjamin is a charlatan: a Hollywood comedian who went alt right then white nationalist & is here to profit off of gullible Midwesterners.

(After all, you can only be a prophet to strangers.)

They call themselves Bears. The disgraced lead Bear was involved in a zoning dispute over 10 acres in Idaho bc locals were afraid he was setting up another deadly Ruby Ridge paramilitary disaster.

So Missouri could be looking at a much larger Waco.😬
dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9…

Which brings up the question of how many of these cult compounds also have militias?

Is this why the Gov sponsored a "minuteman bill" last year to allow private militias to operate as arms of the state, bypassing paying sales tax on weapons, ammo, & gear?!? 🤔

For all the campaign rhetoric on both sides about Missouri farmland being sold to Chinese investors/ companies, there seems to be mighty little investigation or vetting of cult communes that might be setting up or harboring insurrectionist militias.

Domestic terrorism much?

3) The Kingdom of God Global Church recently bought Nelly's old mansion in Chesterfield.

Unclear if alleged cult is child trafficking (30 young boys, trucks transporting kids) &/ or land grab (9 properties...)

They also run a dream interpretation line
riverfronttimes.com/news/more-on-t…

Fyi: The "cult bought Nelly's house" and "they run a dream interpretation hotline" - is all #SoStLouis, I'm just waiting for the child labor farm which produces artisinal crosses and dairy products part to drop.

Or that they have a no-bid contract with the state. 🙃🥴