On Apr. 14, Dekalb County Police took an accused cult leader into custody.
This cult leader is a 40-year-old man, Eligio Bishop, who refers to himself as “Nature Boy” and “3God”.
According to the Dekalb County Police Department, authorities arrested him on charges of rape, false imprisonment and three additional counts of “prohibition on nude or sexually explicit electronic transmission.”
The leader was arrested after a former member told police that he posted revenge porn after she left the group.
According to the former member, she claimed that Bishop posted four explicit videos of her on Twitter. She also mentioned that Bishop ordered other women in the group to hit her after attempting to run away on multiple occasions.
The alleged cult Bishop runs called Carbon Nation initially centered around sexual and naturalist themes but has now gravitated towards worshipping him and proclaiming him as the “Messiah.”
His followers posted a video of a jail cell call in response to his arrest, where he says he is “simply misunderstood” and is “trying to help people.”
“They want to crucify me. They want me dead, [and] there’s hate that surrounds me. You can feel it, just like any other prophet — only me, I’m the return of the Christ,” Bishop said.
The group in nudism, polygamy, refraining from bathing, veganism, and even defecating on trees. Bishop requires all members to surrender their credit cards, bank account information, and money.
The group frequently uses the number 3 in its imagery, and his followers call him God.
“3 God is a very loving being, he is very caring, and he is very holy,” said one female member of the group in response to his arrest.
The group’s followers were also very vocal about the charges brought against Bishop.
“We teach sexual education, and we believe in nudity, and so that’s why the charges that are trying to be brought against my chief is for revenge porn.”
“[However]. the female that was here gave consent actually to release it for sexual education. It’s not just like porn; it’s for educational purposes. This is yet another targeted attack against 3God,” a male follower said on the charges brought against Bishop.
In December 2019, authorities kicked the group out of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama after being labeled a “threat to national security.”
However, the group was soon banned from boarding a flight to the US because of their body odor. Carbon Nation’s YouTube channel has almost 85,000 subscribers and features music videos, spiritual videos, and sermons from the group’s leader.
Bishop also boasts a following of nearly 25,000 under the username The33God on Instagram.
Bishop was arrested at the group’s home in Decatur. SWAT Team members broke down the front door and were met by 14 other followers, including a child, before arresting Bishop.
After police interviewed the group’s followers, they were given the opportunity to leave the premises if they wished.
While it remains unclear how the charges brought against Bishop will play out, his followers continue to support Bishop.
