🌕 Lisa Kohn spent her childhood inside the Moonies cult (Unification Church) and reveals what really happened behind closed doors.
In this shocking conversation, Lisa exposes the truth about life inside one of America's most notorious cults:
🌕 Mom married a stranger with 2,074 other couples at Madison Square Garden
🌕 At 10 years old, she begged her mom to abandon her children for "God"
🌕 She was taught that missing her mother was literally "breaking God's heart"
🌕 Best friends with cult leader Reverend Moon's daughter until she was banished
🌕 The bridge where she almost ended her life rather than leave the cult
The programming was so deep that Lisa couldn't say anything negative about Moon until 2018 - decades after escaping.
From surviving extreme childhood trauma to becoming a successful leadership coach, Lisa's story of healing will change how you see resilience.
Key revelations:
🌕 How cults use "heavenly deception" to recruit new members
🌕 Why she couldn't say anything negative about Moon until 2018 (decades after leaving)
🌕 The moment she realized it would be "better to die than leave"
🌕 How loving yourself first becomes the ultimate shield against manipulation
Chapters:
[00:00] Introduction & Hosts Preview
[02:50] Meet Lisa Kohn
[04:11] What Are the Moonies?
[06:07] How Lisa's Mother Got Recruited
[08:25] First Meeting With Reverend Moon
[09:34] Believing Moon Was the Messiah
[11:08] Satan Inside You If You Question
[12:16] Telling Mom to Abandon Them for God
[14:12] Love Bombing and Self-Love as Protection
[16:14] Childhood Trauma Before the Cult
[19:09] Lost in New York City at Age 8
[23:02] The Slow Process of Leaving
[26:27] Standing on the Bridge, Ready to Jump
[29:06] The Bizarre Marriage Rituals
[30:40] Why Cults Feel Amazing
[32:12] Dad Steps In During Anorexia
[34:27] Finding Healing and Purpose
[39:53] How Cult Recruiting Really Works
[45:23] Working With Corporations Now
[48:38] Speaking Circuit and Future Plans
Lisa now helps leaders and organizations through her coaching practice and powerful keynote speaking. Her book "To the Moon and Back: A Childhood Under the Influence" has helped countless cult survivors find their path to healing.
Website: LisaCohn.com | Book available at MainPoint Books
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com