Dancing for the Devil viewers reveal “biggest red flag” about 7M TikTok cult

Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult has garnered a strong reaction, with a number of viewers pointing out what they argue is the “biggest red flag” about the controversy. 

Netflix’s new true crime docu-series delves into the various allegations of 7M Films, the LA-based TikTok dancer management company owned by Robert Shinn, who also happens to be the pastor of Shekinah Church.

Former members appear in Dancing for the Devil to claim Shinn upheld control over the dancers, coercing them into donating a large portion of their earnings to the church. As said by director Derek Doneen, “His brand of manipulation and control is typical of many other cult leaders.”

While there has been plenty of discussion about the various details revealed in the Netflix docu-series, one in particular has been highlighted: the concept of “dying” to themselves and their family. 

The topic of conversation is brought up in Episode 1 when discussing Miranda Derrick, a 7M star whose concerned family first accused the company of being a cult in 2022 when they posted a plea on social media. 

In the clip and the docu-series, Miranda’s parents, as well as her sister Melanie Wilking — who was part of the Wilking Sisters TikTok dancing duo with her sibling before she joined 7M — describe how Miranda refused to attend her grandfather’s funeral.

The reason is said to be because she had “died to herself,” with former 7M dancer Aubrey Fisher explaining, “Dying to yourself means that whatever you want or whatever you need, die to it, because whenever you die to something, it’ll come back to life and resurrect.”

An audio clip of one of Shinn’s sermons then plays, in which he states, “When God said, ‘Love one another, your family, your sister,’ it doesn’t mean love with human love. It’s ‘love with God’ kind of love.

“You’re not Jesus’s disciple until you’ve died to your loved ones.”

Kylie Douglas, who also parted ways with 7M, adds, “One of the main things we learned is that you have to die to your family in order to save them. And by ‘save them’, I mean them going to heaven one day.”

Shinn later went back on this when 7M dancers started to leave the company. A number of viewers found this tactic particularly disturbing.

On Reddit, one wrote, “When he made them all ‘die’ from their family, then when the families kept fighting for them he changed his mind and said ‘spend time with your family,’ did they not think he was wishy-washy and weird?”

Another agreed, “There were so many red flags, but that ‘die for your family’ sh*t is the biggest one. Their families would go to heaven for one day if they stopped communicating with them? That doesn’t make any sense!”

“That was so twisted,” added a third, while a fourth pointed out that separating members from their loved ones is a “very common practice in cults.”

Another said, “That’s why isolating them is an abuser’s first priority. It’s complete and total brainwashing. I just finished watching it and my heart is so completely broken for the families.”

Others are disturbed by the fact that so much of the dancers’ wages are sent to the church. 

“The money floored me,” said one. “A 10% tithe and then a 10% offering and then another 10%… That was in addition to the 20% management fee and the fee for production. And all that was before taxes. These kids were making so much money and seeing none of it.”

“And the rent they pay to live in one of Robert’s houses,” said another, while a third stated, “Exploitation at its finest.”

Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult is streaming on Netflix now. For more true crime, find out about 50 Cent’s P Diddy documentary, how to watch the Burning Sun documentary in the US, and whether Ashley Madison’s Sam and Nia Rader are still together.