333 episodes
- ⚠️ **TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of physical child abuse and religiously justified corporal punishment. Please watch with care.**In Part 2 of our reaction to "Secrets of the 12 Tribes", we explore one of the documentary's most disturbing topics: the physical punishment of children and how religious teachings are used to justify it.As former members of the FLDS and mainstream Mormonism, we discuss what happens when religious beliefs are used to defend harmful practices, especially when children are involved.We also take a deeper look at FOUR law enforcement raids involving religious communities—two involving the Twelve Tribes and two involving the FLDS. We compare how these raids were carried out, the different approaches authorities took, and the consequences for the families and children involved.But this raises an even bigger question: "What actually makes a raid successful?"Is success measured by arrests, removing children from potentially dangerous situations, holding leaders accountable, or creating lasting change without causing additional harm?Join us as we unpack these difficult questions and discuss the complicated balance between religious freedom, protecting children, and government intervention.💬 "What do you think makes a law enforcement raid successful when children are at risk?" We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.#SecretsOfThe12Tribes #TwelveTribes #FLDS #GrowingUpInPolygamy #DocumentaryReaction #ReligiousAbuse #ChildProtectionIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamywww.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.comCreate Shorts Easily like us with Opus Clips: https://www.opus.pro/?via=SamandMelissa
Why Are Third Wives So Important, Yet So Often Overlooked? | Sister Wives S21E2 Reaction
14/10/2026 | 31 mins.The Sister Wives are coming together again in Season 21 Episode 2, but can they really build new relationships after everything they've been through?
In this episode, we react to the women getting together to share old pictures and reflect on their lives in polygamy. We dive into the unspoken hierarchy of wives and compare it to Sam's experience growing up with four mothers in the FLDS.
Why are third wives so important in plural families, yet so often overlooked or disregarded? We also discuss the infamous picture showing the wives' positions and how much has changed now that these women are independent and finally have the power to say NO.
But just because they're no longer sister wives, does that mean they can become friends? Or are their personalities simply too different?
Join us as we break down Sister Wives Season 21 Episode 2 from our unique perspective of growing up in Mormon communities!
#SisterWives #SisterWivesSeason21 #Polygamy #GrowingUpInPolygamy #ChristineBrown #JanelleBrown #MeriBrown
If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org
At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."
If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy
Insta: @growingupinpolygamy
www.growingupinpolygamy.com
Theme Song created by @artcowles
Please feel free to reach out to us!
growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com
Create Shorts Easily like us with Opus Clips: https://www.opus.pro/?via=SamandMelissa- We're only halfway through *Secrets of the 12 Tribes*, and we're already seeing some surprising similarities between the Twelve Tribes community, mainstream Mormonism, and the FLDS!
In this reaction, we explore the shared beliefs and practices of restorationist religious movements, including missionary work, receiving new names, dusting off one's feet, and the belief in the literal gathering of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
We also discuss how the Twelve Tribes' communal lifestyle, close-knit communities, and separation from mainstream society remind us of Sam's experience growing up in the FLDS.
Although these religious groups have different histories and teachings, some of the similarities are hard to ignore.
Join us as we react to the first half of *Secrets of the 12 Tribes* and share our perspectives as former members of fundamentalist and mainstream Mormonism.
💬 **What similarities surprised you the most?** Let us know in the comments!
#SecretsOfThe12Tribes #TwelveTribes #FLDS #Mormonism #GrowingUpInPolygamy #DocumentaryReaction
If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org
At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."
If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy
Insta: @growingupinpolygamy
www.growingupinpolygamy.com
Theme Song created by @artcowles
Please feel free to reach out to us!
growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com
Create Shorts Easily like us with Opus Clips: https://www.opus.pro/?via=SamandMelissa - Sister Wives Season 21 is officially here—and there is A LOT to unpack from Episode 1!We react to everyone finding out that Kody and Robyn will no longer be filming Sister Wives and what their reactions might tell us about how things ended behind the scenes.We also dive into the Coyote Pass “back door deal” and whether Janelle and Meri actually got the closure they deserved after everything they went through with the property.And what about David? We talk about why we think he may have gotten a pretty rough edit in this episode—and why he could be coming across as much less supportive of Christine than he actually is.Join us as we break down the Sister Wives Season 21 premiere from our perspective growing up around polygamy and Mormon fundamentalism.#SisterWives #SisterWivesSeason21 #KodyBrown #RobynBrown #CoyotePass #TLCIf you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.orgAt Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamyInsta: @growingupinpolygamywww.growingupinpolygamy.comTheme Song created by @artcowles Please feel free to reach out to us!growingupinpolygamy@gmail.comCreate Shorts Easily like us with Opus Clips: https://www.opus.pro/?via=SamandMelissa
We Found SO MANY FLDS Parallels in Just 90 Seconds | Twelve Tribes Trailer Reaction
03/10/2026 | 26 mins.We're reacting to the trailer for the new Twelve Tribes documentary — and the parallels to our own experiences hit hard.
Sam grew up FLDS and Melissa grew up mainstream LDS, so we both know what high-control religious groups look like from the inside. As we watch the trailer, we talk about a community built around one man who claims to speak for God, we compare the group to the FLDS world Sam grew up in, and we get into the heartbreaking stuff: families torn apart, children being harmed, and the way abuse gets swept under the rug in closed-off communities.
We also talk about why these same patterns show up again and again — the control tactics, the isolation, and the pressure to stay silent.
A quick note: this is our reaction to the trailer, and we'll be back with a full reaction once we've watched the whole documentary. Everything here is based on what's shown in the trailer, public reporting, and our own lived experiences. We'll always try to be clear about what's an allegation, what's been reported, and what's just our take.
If you've been affected by a high-control group, you're not alone. Thanks for watching — like, subscribe, and tell us in the comments what stood out to you.
#TwelveTribes #CultDocumentary #ExFLDS
If you or someone you love has left polygamy and needs assistance, please reach out to "Holding Out HELP" at 801-548-3492 or visit their website at www.holdingouthelp.org
At Growing Up In Polygamy our mission is to "Create compassion for communities that have been misunderstood, marginalized and/or abused by their leaders, and to empower those who have left by giving them a platform to share their stories with the world."
If you would like to DONATE to this cause you can do so here: https://donorbox.org/growing-up-in-polygamy
Insta: @growingupinpolygamy
www.growingupinpolygamy.com
Theme Song created by @artcowles
Please feel free to reach out to us!
growingupinpolygamy@gmail.com
Create Shorts Easily like us with Opus Clips: https://www.opus.pro/?via=SamandMelissa
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About Growing Up In Polygamy
Sam sharing what it was like growing up in the polygamous FLDS group, his experiences leaving the group when he was 18 and his journey to where he is now. His wife Melissa is his co-host, asking the questions that everyone from the outside is thinking.
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