A few weeks ago, we reported on the rumor that Leah Messer has joined a cult.
Now, that may sound like an outlandish sentence, but it’s important to bear in mind that not all cults involve goat sacrifices and ritualistic drug trips.
Some of them are disguised as self-help groups or therapy programs, and many fans of Leah’s were concerned that she’d fallen prey to just such an organization.
Leah has pushed back against claims that she’s keeping company with a dangerous crowd, but now, it seems that her Teen Mom 2 co-star and BFF Kailyn Lowry is desperate to rescue her friend from this sketchy collective.
Take a look:
Troubling Signs
Recent social media posts from Leah Messer have led fans to worry that the Teen Mom 2 star has fallen victim to a cult. And now, it looks as though Kailyn Lowry shares those concerns.
Drinking the Kool-Aid
According to an October report from Radar Online, the West Virginia native has joined Mastery in Transformational Training, an organization that’s allegedly just as culty as it sounds.
Beam Her Up
Fans were reluctant to believe the news at first, as Leah is commonly regarded as one of the more down-to-earth members of the Teen Mom franchise.
Fellow Cultists
Back on October 1, Leah posted this picture of herself with a bunch of randos. The tweet raised questions with fans because seriously … who TF are these people?
Cult Culture
And then there was the caption: “A powerful, strong, trusting force we are! I love each and every single one of you!!” Messer wrote under the pic. “You can count on my word!”
ALL-CAPS EXCITEMENT!
“Each one of you have changed my life and we will forever be connected!!,” she went on. “I AM A POWERFUL, CONNECTED, INSPIRATIONAL LEADER! I LOVE ALL OF YOU!†Needless to say, she’s really into this.
Upsetting Tags
It was worrisome enough that Leah had started attending secretive conventions with a new group of friends. But soon after the situation became even more troubling, as she started launching weird Twitter tirades, using hashtags like “MITT16Heaven” and “mitttransformationâ€Â.
Cringey Stuff
“We the powerful, authentic, revolutionary leaders of LP16HEAVEN are committed to creating a world of LOVE, FREEDOM, and UNITY!†Leah tweeted. She added the hashtag, “lp16Heavenâ€Â. Now that’s terrifying!
Recruitment Time
The many celebs that Leah tagged in her tweets did not respond to her recruitment tactics. And so, on December 1, Leah set her sights a bit lower by attempting to lure her Instagram followers into MITT.
Committed to the Cause
Leah began calling and texting fans who had expressed interest in the program, and one such follower, a woman named Rachel Chitwood, initially developed a fascination with MITT.
Bizarre Behavior
“She had called but it was from a blocked number,†Rachel told Radar Online. “She started telling me about the program and stuff. And we brought up the conversation about how people thought it was a cult.â€Â
Sticking to the Script
“Then she asked me what I thought the organization was about and so I had no idea what it was about,” Chitwood added. “I was just like ‘is it about leadership and coming together?’ And she just took what I said and ran with it, telling me ‘yes that’s exactly what it is.’â€Â
Word Gets Around
Rachel told Radar that she posted about the program on her Instagram page, Leah reposted it — and that’s when all hell broke loose.
A Concerned Co-Star
“Leah then reposted it to her Instagram and that’s when Kail reached out to me warning me,†Chitwood said.
Serious Stuff
“Kail tried warning me and I kind of blew her off about the whole thing. But then I had to apologize when I realized this is serious,” she added.
The Hard Sell
Chitwood has since shared select screenshots from her conversations with both women. “She would tell me there was training and they train you to be the best person you could be, but she wasn’t telling me how,” Chitwood said of Leah’s recruitment process. “She wasn’t going in depth with anything. It was about $600.â€Â
Mean Messer
Rachel says she soon realized she would not be able to attend the next MITT conference in January, and that’s when Messer “got mad and became mean.â€Â
Kail Intervenes
Kail revealed to Rachel that she had attempted to “save” Leah from MITT, but her efforts were unsuccessful.
Saving the Day
Now, she’s attempting to save other young moms from pouring their life’s savings into what Lowry believes is a shady organization.
It Gets Worse
And there’s more than money at stake. Kail told Rachel that several people connected with MITT have lost their lives.
Sad But True
“Unfortunately those types of programs target weak people who can be manipulated,” Kail said at one point in a less-than-flattering assessment of Leah’s mental state.
The Dark Side of Leah
“She literally mocked me when I said it and told me that if people are weak and can’t handle being called out then it’s not good for them,” Kail admitted to Rachel.
A Tough Spot
“I don’t want to lose her as as friend but I also don’t think any of this is ok,” Lowry concluded.
Feeling … Achieved?
Leah tweeted and deleted this mini-rant about Radar’s article. Needless to say, we think she wasn’t a fan of the piece.
What Comes Next?
Obviously, Leah feels betrayed by Rachel. She made no mention of Kail, but we think it’s safe to assume they’re not on the greatest terms these days.
Clearing the Air
As for Kail, she took to Twitter to acknowledge the situation and clarify her intentions in reaching out to Rachel.
The Best Intentions
“Just wanted to tweet that even though there’s some stuff going around about Leah & myself, I truly came from a good place & expressed my concerns to HER. We worked it out & this will not affect our friendship,” she tweeted.
The Path Forward
This situation might not be a deal-breaker for Kail and Leah, but we think it’ll be quite some time before they embark on another family vacation together.