@LDS social scientist
In regards to what
@Campizi67 said in the very well organized post about the beliefs and the operating concepts behind Lori/Chad and such group - I found that post to be VERY accurate, and reflected a lot of my own thoughts as I have heard from various people inside those groups lately.
I especially found it valuable that this overview explained who some of these people are because the non-LDS folks would have a tough time understanding a whole cast of scriptural characters and what they mean to LDS people if they have never read the Book of Mormon. (I don't expect anyone to read that for the sake of this story!)
Regarding the "going dark" or "zombie" references - I had the exact same thought long ago towards the beginning when we first began seeing references to their beliefs in the concepts of "going dark" or "dark spirits" or even the spurious "zombies" reference. It's a dehumanizing tactic that makes it a lot easier to take a life. This is a tactic that almost all serial killers use in various forms. The dehumanization of victims makes the killing so much easier and empowers the killer to take that life because in their mind they have already reduced the victim(s) to sub-human and therefore not worthy of any real remorse.
This is part of why I really do think the kids are gone. I will be DELIGHTED to be wrong if that is the case, but they stood in the way of this "all important mission", and just like Charles, why would there be any hesitation to find a way to dehumanize and be rid of any baggage so they can focus on this glorious mission of theirs?
**PTZ refers to a forum/website name "Pathway To Zion" run by author HS primarily. I've seen leaking from this already that has really opened my eyes to some things, but even more so on a level from inside membership of the LDS church. PTZ members seem to be a lot more homogenous regarding these belief systems whereas AVOW is very diverse with the surface preppers and then the sub-group operating from inside. They are fracturing big time.
*** I also do know that the leaked information I have seen is not allowed on websleuths. I'm not posting it here, and not going to discuss it until or unless it's in MSM or LE reports (doubtful).