Lara Sophia 
Mary Cosby can’t escape the allegations; she’s a cult leader.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star is accused of running an alleged cult by her former Faith Temple members. She is also charged with instilling fear in anyone who attempts to leave the religious sect.
According to The Daily Beast, former church members claim that Mary operates the church like a “cult.” Not only does Mary allegedly refer to herself as “God,” but she also tells members they will be “condemned to hell” if they don’t listen to her.
They also allege that the reality TV star encourages members to work for free or minimum wage at her family’s numerous businesses and berates church-goers from the podium, which fans have witnessed first-hand in an unearthed video from 2020.
“I think it’s an abomination,” Mary’s uncle Ernest Walton said while referring to his niece’s Utah church as a “cult.”
“Everything’s coming out into the light now, and everything’s coming down,” he added.
“It’s not a joke,” a former church member named Abby said. “She’s got these people terrified. That woman is the most evil thing that ever walked this Earth. You have no idea, all those smiles, and s–t — that is not real.”
One former church member who spoke to the publication said that Mary “brainwashes” members of the congregation “on the regular.”
Former member Ralph Arnold Jr added: “She preaches that she is God on Earth.”
“The church has gone to ruin, and most everyone has left because Mary has no anointing whatsoever when she preaches,” Arnold said. “She just screams at her members and mentally abuses them into submission. [She] brainwashes them on the regular, not to mention the utterly flamboyant and hypocritical life she lives.”
Another former male member, who requested to remain anonymous, added, “It was all about money. [There would be] grueling hours and hours of people badgered” for donations.
“They would sit and demand money until they got a certain dollar figure, whatever [sum] was in their head before they let people go,” he claimed. “Now, that didn’t mean they had guns to your head, but they would shame you if you left. They would shame you if you didn’t give enough. So, it was a form of mental manipulation.”
Mary has denied claims that she’s running a cult or using money from her congregation to fund her lavish lifestyle.
In January 2021, Mary defended herself during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, saying: “Clearly I’m not gonna get on national television, be a Housewife and be in a cult.”
“Like, come on. I believe in my church. There’s no cult. My church members, they know those are false allegations. Those are ridiculous. It’s the people that are looking for fault,” she continued.
The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
Thoughts on this all? Do you think Mary is a cult leader? Sound off below!
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