I am starting to "see" the defence going with the "religious takover" as being the real killers............ And I think they are protecting the LDS Church quite well as they do this..
With Melanie G, and Zulema just "playing dumb" when they were both into the "religious takover" as well, they are just feeding the defence.
I remember very very early on, I felt they had to make the main focus the money, not the religious crapola.
I am not saying I am right, because really I'm just saying what I think about the witnesses thoughts are and were. But I don't agree that either Zulema or Melanie are playing dumb. And I don't think the religious stuff was crapola to either of them in 2019, although it may be somewhat crapola to them now, in varying amounts. They both testified that they believed it. I believe them that they believed it.
What I don't entirely believe is the influence of the religious crapola is all in the past.
I also believe they were very much victims of spiritual abuse- all of those "Arizona witches." (The only thing I like about Julie Row is that characterization, even if it is the pot calling the kettle black.)
First, as I believe Indicolite said, and possibly others, that they were already looking for something more or a deeper faith or whatevs, and they were all in on doing far more than ordinary food storage like average LDS people. They were deep into prepping, Zion, and on believing that the end was near. They already were sucked into Julie Row and talking to spirits and possibly past lives for some and energy healing.
They believed that Chad truly had a thin veil. Chad was so good at dividing and conquering silos of his life, and charming them all. He was popular at church and had callings, responsibilities with bishops, etc. He was popular with the community. He was popular on AVOW. He was popular at PAP conferences. His parents loved him and he had turned them against Tammy. His children are (or were or appeared) creepily loyal.
The people that were in the inner circle- the people whose names are being mentioned in court- believed that Lori and Chad were extra important in all phases of existence as believed by the LDS church. There wis nobody more flattering to give blessings and talk about how special they are and how important they will be during end times. (This really irks me- like god would be cool with the others dying in pain. I hope they at least believe they get peace after their painful deaths)
Could you imagine having someone who actually spoke with Jesus Christ (pretend you think he's all that if you don't) and who actually speaks with Heavenly Father standing right next to him, speaking through Chad that you are on your way to godhood? It's the ultimate spiritual love of god bomb. The pres. of the LDS church is supposed to be the only one with that access. But, as I said before, the people following Lori and Chad were already looking for "more" than the LDS church.
Now, after believing all that, trying to cast people dead, or cause traffic accidents, etc. imagine what it feels like in June 2020. Lori and Chad had been getting harder and harder to defend for the last 6 months, sunning in an expensive resort in paradise while everyone else the USA- perhaps the world- were worried about the children. Then, as all feared and all hoped was not going to be the outcome, the children were unearthed. As details emerged, it became clear that they were not treated well in burial.
And Zulema and Melanie have to cope with their awful behavior. In Melanie's case, her awful behavior is also connected to her career- publishing her book and still doing circuits. I can only imagine she still speed vapid and has fake insight. Hopefully I'm wrong.
I quite disliked Melanie in 2020-21 in media appearances and police interviews. She seemed to be very much a liar, and to me it was because she really couldn't go to acknowledging her bad acts. (not sure if she did illegal acts, btw, aside from some apparent lies when under oath.) I think she really wanted to be the spiritual Melanie, closer to Jesus than average, and able to tell Lori and Chad were deceived by Satan, and she had better- discernment - I think they call it in LDS. She wanted to pretend she had had better discernment all along, but she didn't always follow it. She wanted to believe that she was never involved in horrific crimes, even if not criminally involved. She appears to me to be unable to handle all of the shame that she would have to feel if she really faced her part. And thus, she forgets for real because it's still to traumatizing to recall, she forgets in convenience, to avoid the unbearable shame, and at times she lies. Even about the dumbest things. In her interviews with Nate Eaton, she seemed fake and vapid or not forthcoming a lot. But when she spoke about her grief for Lori being incarcerated- she nearly cried and that was real IMO. I know it's infuriating that she was sad about THAT of all things, but it was easier to let herself feel that sadness because it didn't come with shame. Any part she may have played in Lori's getting arrested did not make her feel ashamed.
As for Zulema, I think she both always believed and needed the God-bombing more than average, and I suspect it's possible she had a 2nd anointing before the Chad and Lori murders. So she was already used to being in the celestial champagne room (my fav from Kresha) and living her life without murdering or thinking she had no rules now. She liked being in this very special group and being treated as very special, but she also was somewhat more in control of her moral decisions while getting sucked in. She has to deal with basically wishing death and fasting and casting for it- letting words like "I'll just put pills in his water," slide by her. She ignored them IMO because this was an extremely validating circle. Especially Chad- but not always Lori. She seems to me sincerely to be dealing with the intense shame she should feel. I believe her description of her brain like a fish tank with the gravel stirred when the subject came up. I'm painfully ashamed of some things I have said, but I never said anything as terrible as she did about Tylee being dealt with. (BTW it might be she meant she will have to be casted; I kinda doubt it, though. I think she meant the worst, but was a disassociated from her old self after being hazed by Lori's hot and cold, and manipulated by Chad. Not an excuse, but I don't think Zulema thinks it's an excuse, IMO.)
Zulema seems to me to be dealing with un-indoctrination better than Melanie IMO.
I don't necessarily like Melanie at this point, but I am very glad for her testimony. I wish she'd come cleaner. I think I could come to like her and forgive her for taking a long time, if she could face up to shame. I even think her response about Lori knowing about the life insurance could just be because she was discombobulated. That was weird, but so is Melanie.
Off topic I think it's peculiar that she and Lori seem to have so much more animosity than she and Zulema in court. Melanie because of her memory issues is less damaging on the stand. Zulema is more credible, IMO. Maybe Melanie and Lori each feel more betrayed by each other. I think Zulema is truthful when she testified that she told Lori that Melani's money was Melani's and she needed a job. They didn't have mean girl dates stealing trucks and hiding undies.
Now: does that mean all that religious crapola and their becoming disassociated from themselves is an excuse for their casting, etc.? No. Does it mean that Lori being manipulated with religious crapola is an excuse for murder, etc? No.
And it was not insanity or religious delusion to the point of her not having criminal responsibility in 2019. It is obvious in videos in police stations and body cams that Lori knew what to say to keep herself out of legal trouble. She may have told Charles that she was translated and could kill him with powers and nothing would happen to her. But she certainly knew better than to say that to LE. She was "interrogated" as she told Z, and it was deemed self defense- ugh. Lori and Z both were casting, of course. Lori always knew that laws and that she was breaking them. The religious crapola doesn't take away from that.
MOO
