RHOSLC star Mary Cosby was accused of running an alleged cult by her former Faith temple members instilling fear in anyone who attempts to leave.
According to The Daily Beast, former church members claim that Mary operates the church like a “cult” telling them they will be “condemned to hell” if they don’t listen to her.
Mary, 44, took over the reigns at the church in 1997 after her grandmother Rosemary “Mama” Redmon Cosby passed away.
She married her widowed step-grandfather Bishop Robert Cosby shortly after her grandmother’s death, which she previously claimed was the only way to keep the church in the family.
GRANDMOTHER’S WISHES
The pastor revealed in a previous episode to castmate Heather Gay her grandmother’s wishes to take her place.
She told Heather: “My grandmother in her will, she wanted me to take her place.”
The mother of one then added as she spoke to producers: “Basically my grandmother passed everything on to me – literally – and she also wanted me marry her second husband, which was my step-grandfather.”
When Heather asked if he was her “blood grandfather,” she said no and explained: “It was weird. He is not my blood at all.”
Mary began to cry then and explained that she “did marry him.”
She said: “I didn’t want to, Heather. I didn’t want to. That’s weird to me, but she wanted it. She really did and so, I obeyed her because I trusted every word.
“If she managed to bring this church so far, then she has to be right and look at my life – You think I’m this high fashion … Louis Vuitton?
“And maybe I am because I chose right. I chose that the man upstairs told me to do.”
She then explained to producers: “It took us two years to get married. The reason why it took me two years, I had to be certain. As it went on, I decided to pray and seek a higher self and when I did, I was certain and I married him.
CHURCH MEMBERS CLAIMS
However, her commanding position at the church has stirred some trouble among former members who claim she has transformed the religious sanctuary into a cult.
The members also allege that she refers to herself as “God,” encourages members to work for free or minimum wage at the family’s numerous businesses, berates church-goers from the podium, and forbids anyone to leave for another church or they will be “condemned to hell.”
One former church member who spoke to the publication said that Mary “brainwashes” those in the congregation “on the regular.”
The Celeb Report has reached out to Mary Crosby’s rep for comment, but did not hear back.
Mary denied claims that she’s running a cult, recently defending herself to 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 claims are addressed in the series’ second season as some of the cast express their suspicions that Mary is a cult leader.
In the trailer for the new season, which kicked off earlier this week, Lisa Barlow spoke to a man who tells her: “Is it a cult? Yes. Does she call herself God? Yes.”
FANS BLAST BRAVO
Fans shared their concerns on social media, blasting the network for allowing Mary to return for the new season.
Comments flooded a fan account for RHOSLC who shared a post on Instagram that filming was underway for season 2.
One person wrote: “I can’t believe they kept Mary. She is a garbage person.”
Another added: “Mary needs a life.”
A third chimed in: “I can’t believe they brought Jen and Mary back smh.”
Fans continued to slam Bravo for bringing back the reality star, as another social media user wrote: “Whyyy is Mary filming”
An additional person added: “Oh crap! I was hoping they would replace boring a** grandpa f**ker Mary.”
A following fan asked: “Even Mary??? She doesnt make sense when she talks!”
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City airs on Bravo on Sundays at 9:00 pm EST.
