Title: Revealed: How a TikTok Dance Dream Became a Nightmare in the 7M Cult
HUGGING sister Miranda for the first time in over a year, Melanie Wilking was shocked by her cold response and the “glazed” eyes she got in return. The talented pair who found fame as dancers on TikTok had been inseparable before Miranda was sucked into a mysterious religious group which Melanie claims isolated her from her family and took over 70 per cent of her online earnings.
And worse was to follow when Pastor Robert Shinn – the self-styled “Man of God” behind the Shekinah Church in Los Angeles – was accused of sexual abuse by many of the female members. Melanie and her family believe 7M, the company Shinn set up to ‘manage’ the careers of up-and-coming TikTok stars, is actually a ‘cult’, and they have been fighting to get Melanie out of Shinn’s clutches since she joined in Autumn 2020. In a new Netflix documentary, Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult, Melanie reveals the shocking encounter with her sister, after a dance show, which left her devastated.
‘Curing’ sins
“Miranda and I knew that we always wanted dance to be a part of our lives,” says Melanie, who had a happy childhood in Detroit, Michigan, with loving and supportive parents, Kelly and Dean. “Growing up, Miranda was incredibly talented and creative and, as her little sister, that was something I wanted to do. I just wanted to be like her.” The girls took part in dance competitions, performing together and when Miranda moved to California to pursue her dream, Melanie later joined her, auditioning, touring and doing music videos. As social media grew, the girls became popular online, particularly when TikTok was launched and they created the Wilking Sisters brand, posting dance videos and fun blogs with them chatting, having fun in each other’s company, and even doing DIY together. “When we got a manager and saw the money that was to be made in this industry, there was no looking back,” says Melanie. The online dance community in California was a tight one and Miranda started dating the talented James Derrick, known online as BDash. Through another dancer, named Isaiah, James was introduced to his pastor father, Robert Shinn.
‘Financial and sexual abuse’
As more dancers began to attend his church sermons, Shinn listened to James talking about the difficulty promoting dance videos and suddenly announced, “You know what? I’m going to start a management company and I’m going to call it 7M.” Shinn’s promise to make them rich was to lure many of the young dancers into his ever-tightening grip on their lives. They were given rooms in one of his houses that they paid rent for, complete with studios and rehearsal rooms. The videos attracted more attention and landed some of them lucrative advertising deals. But former followers claim they never saw any riches. According to the documentary, a minimal salary was paid into their accounts and then withdrawals would be taken for rent, 20 per cent management fee to 7M and at least 30 per cent to various aspects of the Shekinah Church, including to the Man of God – Robert Shinn.
‘Brainwashed’
As Miranda became increasingly distanced from her family, the girls’ beloved grandfather passed away in January 2021. “Thirty minutes before we were leaving for the airport to go to his funeral, Miranda rang to say she had Covid and couldn’t come,” says Melanie. “It was so strange. I said, ‘This has nothing to do with Covid, does it?’ and she just started bawling. Subsequent messages to Miranda and James went unanswered, as she cut off all contact. Increasingly worried, Kelly and Dean managed to track her down in California and spoke briefly to her. “She kept saying she would have to ask if she could come to the funeral,” says Dean. “When we asked who she had to get permission from, she said, ‘Somebody closer to God than you.’ And that triggered in my head, “She’s gone.”’ But the family were determined to get their daughter back. After Melanie’s heartbreaking encounter at the dance show in December 2021, Kelly and Dean also managed to meet her when they told her that they had something important to say.
‘Controlled’ contact
Kelly reached out to other parents who were experiencing the same trauma of losing contact with their children and the family posted a video online in February 2022 that rattled Robert Shinn. They publicly announced that it was Miranda’s birthday but they say they were not allowed to contact her because his organization had forbidden it. The dancers at Shekinah/7M also saw the video and began to quietly question whether they were being controlled. They knew that Robert had told them to cut their families out of their lives so that they could ‘save’ them and they could go to Heaven. Robert told them Miranda left of her own choice and that her parents were wrong. He allegedly got them all to sign NDAs but, by now, several people were coming forward with claims about Robert and the church, saying it was a ‘cult.’ While many left, Miranda stayed and continued posting dance videos online along with messages, seemingly relaxed and happy, denying she was in a cult.
Conclusion
The Wilking family say they are determined to bring a criminal case for sexual assault and abuse. They have encouraged several women to give statements to the police but he has denied all charges and no arrest has been made and he continues to run his church and management company. “My sister will not come back unless Robert is put behind bars,” says Melanie. “I miss my sister so much. I still love her but it just feels so different, like it was Miranda and I together on this journey and now I’m alone.” Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult is released on Netflix on May 29.
How to stay safe from cults
Cope with stress? When stress is getting the best of us, we are more likely to be “seduced” by someone selling “happiness.” If you are having difficulty coping, seek help from reputable, trustworthy persons. NEVER be afraid to question. ALWAYS be wary of anyone who tries to discourage or prevent you from questioning. Learn to recognize common cult recruitment tactics and situations. Be wary of: People who are excessively or inappropriately friendly, People with simplistic answers or solutions to complex world problems, People with invitations to free meals, lectures, and workshops, People who pressure you to do something you don’t really want to do, People who are vague or evasive. If they are hiding something, it’s usually because they don’t want you to know! People who claim to be “just like you.” This is often a device aimed at disarming your vigilance. People who confidently claim that they can help you solve your problems, especially when they know little about you, People who make grand claims about “saving mankind,” “achieving enlightenment,” or “following the road to happiness,” People who promise quick solutions to difficult life problems, People who claim they or their group are “really special.” Arrogance is much more common than genuine superiority. INFO from International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)