On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

On Belief: A Podcast About Cults

We all would like to think that we're immune to being persuaded, but were that true, advertising wouldn't work, the best candidates would always get elected, and our personal relationships would always be equitable. On Belief examines why, with so much information available to us to dissuade us from joining harmful groups. I ask people who have had first hand experience with harmful groups and sects how they were seduced, how they were tricked, and how they got out.

Episodes

Episode 318: Neurodiversity and Cults

February 22, 2022 • 62 mins
In this episode, we discuss: Why she found herself in a high demand group How she felt targeted racially and because she was neurodivergent How decision making played into why she stayed What it was like to go from one group to another And more... Priscilla's website: https://whova.com/web/icsaa_202207/ The ICSA website: https://www.icsahome.com/
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Episode 317: Unification Church

September 14, 2021 • 17 mins
In this episode, we discuss: * The basic beliefs of the Unification Church * What it's like for kids * What are the rules, and are they different by gender? * What is the companion book to the Bible that the Unification Church uses? * What are the political beliefs of the church? * And more...
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Episode 316: Cult City Tours

August 16, 2021 • 18 mins
In this episode, we discuss: How much real estate the church owns in Clearwater What the Scientologists do there What happens when David Miscavige comes to town The influence the church has over local politics What happens when they get heckled And more...
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Episode 315: Matthew Remski

June 21, 2021 • 17 mins
Matthew shares his wealth of knowledge in this week's episode and we discuss what the heck "Conspirituality" is. Find Matthew's podcast here: https://conspirituality.net/ And Matthew's website here: http://matthewremski.com/wordpress/
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Episode 314: Janja Lalich

April 12, 2021 • 14 mins
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Episode 313: Bikram Yoga

March 3, 2021 • 14 mins
In this episode, we discuss: * What drew her to yoga * What it costs to do the 2 month intensive * What happens at the 2 month intensive * Why vegans began to eat burgers * Why white instructors spoke in put-on "Indian" accents * And more...
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Episode 312: The Salvation Army

February 17, 2021 • 16 mins
In this episode, we discuss: What are the core beliefs of the Salvation Army? Is it really organized like a Military? What are services like for kids? What is the leadership path like? What kinds of ceremonies are there? Where does the Bell Ringer money go? What's the Salvation Army stance on the LGBTQ+ community? And more...
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Episode 311: Growing up LDS

January 28, 2021 • 18 mins
In this episode, we discuss: What kinds of demands are put on children in the church from an early age How activities were sex segregated What rules her parents followed What happens to children of divorce in the LDS church What it's like to go to BYU What it's like to question at BYU All about the honor code And more... For more about The Modesty Talks, visit: https://themodestytalks.com/
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Episode 310: Jehovahs Witnesses and Growing Up

January 6, 2021 • 17 mins
My guest joins me to discuss: Being born into the Witnesses What Jehovah's Witnesses believe about parenting What her mother believed about parenting What an average week looks like for a Jehovah's Witness kid What happens when your mom is disfellowshipped And more...
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Episode 309: Church of Christ

November 25, 2020 • 17 mins
In this episode, we discuss: How the Church of Christ differs from 'mainstream' Christianity How her parents, wanting her to have some religious education, inadvertently changed her trajectory in life What the main teachings of the church are What happens when you have a chastity doctrine at a highschool with boarders What the church camp experience is life And more...
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Episode 308: Conspiracy Theories

October 14, 2020 • 17 mins
Subscribe to Right Richter here: https://tinyletter.com/rightrichter Read Will on The Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.com/author/will-sommer Will Sommer has been covering conspiracy theories since the inception of Pizzagate. He joins me to discuss what drives people to believe seemingly incomprehensible conspiracy theories. In this episode, we discuss: What is the genesis of Pizzagate? Why did people believe and amplify Pizz...
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Episode 307: The Human Potential Movement

September 15, 2020 • 17 mins
In this episode we discuss: What was Esalen? How did the Human Potential Movement begin? What made the Human Potential Movement so appealing? Which groups sprung out of that movement? Which forms of untested therapy became popular from the movement? And more...
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Episode 306: Gender Critical Movement

August 26, 2020 • 15 mins
In this episode, we discuss: What is the Gender Critical movement? What are the fundamental beliefs vs what they claim the beliefs are? Where did my guest find out about Gender Criticism? Are most of the leaders of the Gender Critical movement trans? Who are the celebrities who are involved in this movement? Why the 'science' Gender Critical people cite is erroneous And more...
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Episode 305: Men's Rights Activists

August 4, 2020 • 16 mins
In this episode, we discuss: How someone finds MRAs online Where the most active members hang out What kind of moderation MRA forums have Can you see people being radicalized in real time? What drove my guest deeper What family members and women told my guest when they were involved When they started to question their views And more...
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Episode 304: Independent Fundamental Baptists

July 21, 2020 • 17 mins
On this episode, we discuss: What it's like growing up with a fire and brimstone church at the center of your life What kinds of topics were taught in Sunday school Evangelical home schooling What a child understands about a sermon on homosexuality What Bible camp is like Why Bible College doesn't always make pastors And more...
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Episode 303: Zendik Farm

June 9, 2020 • 16 mins
In this episode we discuss: What is an intentional community? What made Helen decide to join Zendik? What was it like moving in? What are the major beliefs of the group? What was the Zendik approach to sex and dating? How did the Farm make money? What was the group's approach to working through trauma? And more...
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Episode 302: The Inner Matrix

June 3, 2020 • 17 mins
Guest Katie Mount joins me to discuss her time both studying The Inner Matrix and joining the company, working for its founder. In this episode, we discuss: What brought her to study The Inner Matrix What you study in their courses Why she decided to join the organization What she gave up to work for Joey Klein Whether the office lived by the principles it espoused Why some women in the office were treated d...
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Episode 301: 60s Political Cults

May 26, 2020 • 19 mins
In this episode, we explore 3 political cults: The Weather Underground, Ayn Rand's Determinists and The JOhn Birch Society
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Episode 228: Conversion Therapy

April 15, 2020 • 15 mins
In this episode, we discuss: How Matt got involved in a Facebook group that 'supported' men who wanted to overcome Same Sex Attraction How groups recruit vulnerable men to join bootcamps What happens at bootcamps that promise to help you 'pray the gay away' What kinds of activities and 'therapy' happen at Conversion Therapy bootcamp Why he sat in a room staring at a candle Whether Conversion Therapy works W...
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Episode 227: The Troubled Teen Industry

April 7, 2020 • 17 mins
In this episode, we discuss: What kinds of kids get sent to these institutions What kinds of rules are there at these places What kinds of punishments happen How everyone is turned into a snitch What kinds of regulations govern these places What recourse kids have if sent there And much more Links from this episode: Troubled Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/2FUqbPy2iHM5zMcZllJKMN) Troubled podcast on social media: @talktr...
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