Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan

Growing up in the Assemblies of God, the second-largest Pentecostal denomination in the United States with approximately three million members, Paul Jensen witnessed firsthand the controversial culture and beliefs that define this religious movement. Founded in 1914 and initially considered a fringe group by mainstream Protestant denominations, the Assemblies of God gradually gained acceptance. However, as Paul discovered, this movement’s high-demand and questionable history are often concealed from public scrutiny. He shared his journey of discovery after growing up in the Assemblies of God, the world’s largest denomination of the Pentecostal and Charismatic “Spirit Led” movement. He reveals the little-known authoritarian cult roots of the Assemblies of God and how the church has created an official narrative that conceals its true history. Unfortunately, the protections of law that prohibit religious groups from engaging in supporting political campaigns has been sidestepped in the USA, so understanding the fraud used to control members and their beliefs that they “hear from God” has caused intense polarization with all who do not subscribe to their “certainty” of commitment. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a world marked by political extremes, high-control groups, and the Influence Continuum, the story of Rich Logis stands out as both compelling and enlightening. Formerly a true believer pundit for the MAGA movement, Rich’s transformation offers a deep dive into the mechanics of belief, mind control, the allure of belonging, and the power of self-reflection and transformation. Rich Logis was a podcaster and deeply committed MAGA activist. His journey resonates with what I’ve observed repeatedly: deceptive recruitment, emotional manipulation, and information control that exploits the deep-seated human need to belong and make a difference. Yet, the moment of awakening and subsequent transformation makes his narrative genuinely captivating. Now, as he says, he’s working to bring good news to the afflicted and to help others leave MAGA and exit the closed system of demonizing all opponents. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Large Group Awareness Trainings (LGATs) bill themselves as transformational multi-day workshops. You often feel pressured to attend, perhaps by your corporation or a family member or friend, and you are deliberately not told what will happen there. These workshops often utilize eight to twelve-hour marathon sessions to wear down a person's identity. According to research by South African Dr. John Hunter, they artificially create bipolar states in participants. Hunter offers a fresh and unique analytical framework to explain the highs people experience at the end of a "training." He is a researcher and lecturer based in Johannesburg. His interest in large group awareness trainings – and their impact on mood and psychosis – is grounded in his personal experience of bipolar disorder and his participation in an LGAT in 2010. Dr. Hunter put forward the Dopaminergic-Defense Hypothesis, which offers insights into both (i) the "transformational" experiences associated with LGAT participation and (ii) the common claims of psychological harm and problematic behavior associated with LGAT participation. In 2022, he published an article summarizing the mechanism behind the dopaminergic defense in the Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion (Hunter, 2022). Hunter and I believe the stress and hyperarousal methods occur in many different environments including authoritarian cults and religious groups. This interview is fascinating. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Esther Friedman is an expressive therapist and former five-year member of the Odyssey Study Group (OSG), a secretive cult utilizing the Gurdjieff ideology. Her excellent book is The Gentle Souls Revolution: A Secret Cult, an Open Rebellion, and Lessons in Protecting and Honoring Your Gentle Soul. This memoir and guide offer valuable insights and guidance for survivors of narcissistic abuse. It serves as a roadmap for those seeking to heal and rebuild their lives after leaving a cult. Through her personal experiences and professional expertise, Esther provides practical tools and strategies for navigating the complex emotions and challenges that arise after undue influence. The Gentle Souls Revolution also emphasizes the importance of self-expression and creativity in healing. Esther encourages survivors to explore their artistic side through writing, painting, music, or other creative expression. By engaging in these activities, survivors can tap into their inner strength, process their experiences, and find a sense of empowerment. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the hottest topics in modern psychology is utilizing psychedelics to aid psychotherapy. Research is being conducted on the potentially beneficial use of substances like psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and MDMA in a controlled environment. In recent years, it’s gotten attention for its efficacy in treating treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life anxiety. Related to this is the psychedelic underground, a movement that similarly wants to use these substances to improve lives but takes a different, more spiritual approach. I spoke with Rachel Harris, who has experience in both, about this exciting world. Rachel is the author of Swimming in the Sacred: Wisdom from the Psychedelic Underground and Listening to Ayahuasca: New Hope for Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Anxiety. A psychologist who has been in private practice for 40 years, she spent ten years in an academic research department where she published more than 40 scientific studies in peer-reviewed journals and received a National Institutes of Health New Investigator’s Award. Join us for the fascinating interview! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramadan was freed from prison on March 15th 2023, after 51 years of incarceration by the parole board and finally Governor Baker who commuted his life sentence. A Vietnam vet Shabazz suffered PTSD and drug addiction upon his return from service and got involved in armed robbery that resulted in the deaths of two innocent people. He was initially sentenced to death. Ramadan Shabazz is a rare success story and a model that proves a person who commits a horrible crime can reform and truly become a model citizen. In 1983, he began his 40-year association with the Parker family. While incarcerated, Ramadan earned his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Boston University. He also participated in programs to assist other prisoners with mental health struggles. Ramadan Shabazz and my friend, Dr. Richard Parker, joined me on the Influence Continuum podcast this week to discuss his life journey and the phenomenal effort to help him be a free man today. This is a heartwarming story which brings much needed light on a prison system that deserves reformation. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Scientologist celebrity Danny Masterson being sentenced to 30 years in jail for brutal rapes recently, I want people to hear from a woman who was forced to grow up in this notorious cult., Katherine Spallino, the author of a new book, The Bad Cadet: Growing Up in the Church of Scientology’s Sea Organization, has had quite a life journey. Katherine grew up on a secluded ranch within the cadet org, Scientology’s Sea Org school for children. At a young age, Katherine began to journal about her day-to-day life, capturing the thoughts and experiences of a child coming of age in a cult. Katherine’s background offers the rare opportunity to tell the story of the hundreds of children who rarely saw their parents and were indoctrinated to become future Sea Org members. The Sea Org is considered the “elite” part of the cult, and members are made to commit to a billion-year contract. In other words, this lifetime and many future lifetimes. Potential Sea Org members take part in both manual labor and indoctrination classes. Katherine’s book is unique because it is told by someone who journaled as a child. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I speak with the acclaimed psychiatrist and my mentor, Robert Jay Lifton, M.D., about his new book, Surviving Our Catastrophes: Resilience and Renewal from Hiroshima to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Lifton’s research on thought reform and the psychology of totalism, specifically his study on “brainwashing” in China, has been widely regarded as groundbreaking. His book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1961) was used in my deprogramming. It was Lifton who encouraged my career which has spanned 47 years. In this new book, Lifton delves into “Survivor Power” and the transformation from victimhood to survivorship. He emphasizes the importance of drawing on the knowledge and wisdom gained from surviving traumatic experiences to continue living meaningful lives. The book takes inspiration from historical examples of survivors who have endured unimaginable suffering and trauma. Lifton highlights the remarkable responses of individuals who, in the face of unspeakable horror, have created activist movements, converted their experiences into art and literature, and demonstrated the resilience of the human spirit. From the people of Hiroshima, who responded to the atomic bombing by creating an activist “city of peace,” to the survivors of Nazi death camps who combated mass killing and showcased their healing through art and literature, these examples serve as beacons of hope. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I talk with the forensic psychiatrist and an internationally recognized expert on violence who edited the best-selling book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President. Years after she and other mental health experts warned Trump was unfit and a danger to the public, we continue to see vivid proof that the public has suffered by censoring experts! Her recent book is Profile of a Nation: Trump’s Mind, America’s Soul. What was behind the mainstream media silencing of credible experts like Dr. Lee and myself? We discuss this and many important topics like the “duty to warn” and the importance of mental health, especially in people who are supposed to be public servants. We discuss the 25th Amendment of the Constitution and how it could be bolstered to prevent anyone who is so grossly incompetent from coming to the Presidency again. We also discuss the corrupt and authoritarian family court system in the United States- the subject of a forthcoming book. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control was translated into Chinese and used by Chinese netizens during the November 2022 protests in China against the zero covid lockdown policy? This week’s fascinating interview is with Matt Bywater, who lived in China for years teaching English and who is now on a quest to do a PhD to create a new internationally recognized human right: Freedom of Mind. Matthew Bywater learned about Freedom of Mind from a statement on the World Mental Health Coalition founded by forensic psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee. Dr. Bandy X. Lee edited the best-selling book, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, with 37 experts weighing in on Trump. This work seeks to establish a political and legal framework for incorporating freedom of mind within the international human rights architecture. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my book, The Cult of Trump, I identify many groups who are deeply involved in politics and influence believers to vote according to the leader’s direction of who is “godly.” Here to discuss his experiences with this and his evolution away from religion is Dr. Darren M. Slade, a graduate of the controversial Liberty University’s seminary and apologetics program. Darren is a professor of history and comparative religion in Denver, Colorado. He specializes in the socio-political development of religious belief systems. He serves as the Director of the North American Committee on Religious Trauma Research. He is also the President of the Global Center for Religious Research (GCRR.org) and Founding Editor of the peer-reviewed academic journal Socio-Historical Examination of Religion and Ministry (SHERMjournal.org). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pam is a 70-year-old Boise, Idaho resident, who, while recovering from cancer treatment traveled to Washington, DC and was arrested, charged and sentenced for her connection to the January 6th 2021 attack. Hemphill pled guilty and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, 36 months of probation and fined $500 in restitution. Jack Smith has now announced that Trump has been indicted and faces four counts of Federal charges for his activity regarding the insurrection attempt. Pam Hemphill has been active calling out Trump and the MAGA cult for using her for propaganda on his Truth Social platform. Hemphill chose to plead guilty and has said the Capitol police saved her life from being trampled. I hope many more ex-members will speak up and renounce the Cult of Trump. Pam and I talk about her being harassed since speaking out, strategies for messaging and healing techniques. Join us for this fascinating conversation. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelvin’s father, Dr. William Pierce, was a notorious white supremacist and founded the National Alliance, a prominent hate group. Dr. Pierce wrote the novel The Turner Diaries, which racists widely cite as inspiration for their racist beliefs and actions. Kelvin was subjected to physical and emotional abuse and was taught to believe that Jews and non-whites were responsible for society's ills. Despite the personal abuse he suffered, Kelvin accepted his father's teachings and held onto these racist beliefs as he transitioned into adulthood. It shaped his worldview and interactions with others, even though he didn't openly broadcast these beliefs. Kelvin was able to shed his indoctrination, create the charitable organization "Divine Child Foundation" to help orphans in Georgia, publish his memoir, and live a life of activism and inspiration in fighting racism and extremism. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gun-related deaths are already over 17,000 as of May of this year. In 2021, they were at their highest ever at almost 50,000 murders, suicides, and accidental deaths involving firearms. These statistics are personal to me due to my experiences in the Moonies cult with the Rod of Iron Ministries, Kahr Arms, the AR15 factory, and two compounds (TN and TX) training people for civil war. I spoke with expert Jonathan Lowy who told me he successfully sued Kahr Arms. Jonathan founded Global Action on Gun Violence, a nonprofit working with the international community to stop gun trafficking and violence through litigation, human rights, and other strategies. He has been litigating and advocating against gun violence for over 25 years. He helped win over $100 million for victims in verdicts and settlements, created the precedent that holds gun companies accountable and reformed dangerous gun industry practices. His articles include “The Right Not to Be Shot.” He has been named one of the 500 leading lawyers in America for over ten years by Lawdragon magazine. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Under the Yoga Mat: The Dark History of Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga, is a new book that helps expose the destructive authoritarian cult of Yogi Bhajan, Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization (3HO). When allegations of half a century of concealed abuse and criminal actions by Bhajan and his associates came to light in early 2020, which impacted the lives of hundreds of his followers and their children, Els Coenen, Ph.D., felt compelled to stop teaching and promoting kundalini Yoga and wish to help reveal the facts. In 2021, she created the website Abuse in Kundalini Yoga, a platform aimed at exposing and addressing sexual abuse, child abuse, homophobia, exploitation, business fraud, and drugs and arms trafficking within the community. If you have ever seen white-turbaned people calling themselves Sikhs, done yoga, or gone to a workshop, you will be educated about the reality of this billion-dollar corporate empire. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michelle’s memoir, Forager: Field Notes on Surviving a Family Cult, showcases her life growing up on an isolated mountain in California as part of an apocalyptic cult and how she found her way out of poverty and illness by drawing on the gifts of the wilderness. Michelle was raised on a mountain in the Angeles National Forest, where she learned to identify flora and fauna, navigate by the stars, forage for edible plants, and care for the earth. A highly accomplished journalism professor and contributor to many top national publications, she was the 2022 Faculty Lecturer of the Year at Chaffey College. She founded the award-winning literary journal and creative collective, The Chaffey Review, advises Student Media, and teaches poetry and critical thinking in the California Institutions for Men and Women in Chino. Interestingly, former Manson follower Leslie Van Houten assisted her courses for incarcerated women. We discussed her and her hopefully impending release from jail. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Breach: The Untold Story of the Investigation into January 6th is former Republican congressman Denver Riggleman’s book as a senior technical advisor for the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the US Capitol. Denver Riggleman has served for over two decades as an intelligence officer, NSA adviser, federal contractor, research and development technology lead, and successful CEO of support companies for the Department of Defense. A veteran of the Global War on Terror and multiple worldwide operations, he served honorably in the US Air Force for nine active-duty years. We discuss his exit of the LDS (Mormons) and being shunned. Also his conviction to stand up for his values and to put his country over his party. This was a truly fascinating conversation. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are few people in the field of forensic psychology with the training, background, and experience of Dr. Steve Eichel. In 1975, almost a year before I was deprogrammed from the Moonies, he decided to do his dissertation research on my former cult. He has had a long distinguished career, serving as the President of the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA), and remains an active member of their Board of Directors. He has been published extensively in the field and has served as an expert witness on undue influence in many cases. I asked him about his experience working for the defense in the case of DC sniper Lee Boyd Malvo. Steve joined the podcast to discuss these experiences and his expertise in therapeutic hypnosis. He was one of the experts I interviewed in researching my last book, The Cult of Trump. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Trump’s Indictment, the GOP is being described as the Cult of Trump, and the other GOP candidates are scrambling to figure out how to position themselves. Come listen to a fascinating talk with the award-winning documentarian Jen Senko on her film, The Brainwashing of My Dad, and the book based on it. Jen Senko’s experience with her father, Frank, hits close to home for many Americans today. Frank was a happy-go-lucky progressive Democrat when he came across a talk radio show hosted by Bob Grant. He started being more critical of Democrats and was somewhat combative about it. When he fully retired, he discovered Rush Limbaugh and listened to him for three hours daily. Then he started watching Fox News. At that point, his personality changed. He was always angry and couldn’t have discussions with his family anymore without them turning to politics. She delves into the experts who use social psychology to recruit and indoctrinate people. The good news is her father comes back to himself—a fascinating interview. Of course, as the author of the Cult of Trump, I weigh in. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Parental alienation is a highly destructive form of undue influence where one parent systematically manipulates their children to reject the other parent. This damaging form of psychological abuse not only disrupts family dynamics but can also leave lasting emotional scars on the child, potentially impacting their development, mental health, and future relationships. Often, children are not only alienated from their mother or their father but the entire side of the family, traumatizing all who are related. The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control can be used to analyze any case. I have previously done multiple blogs on this topic. Dana Laquidara, a professional author and writer, brings a unique perspective as an adult survivor of parental alienation. Through this memoir, she seeks to raise awareness and support parents and children ensnared in this devastating form of mind control and abuse. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Austin and Dr. Bock are accomplished Christian scholars with extensive experience in ethics and philosophy. Although I am Jewish by faith, I support the principles of Christianity and all major religions that promote truth, peace, love, and forgiveness. Their collaborative work, QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross, is a compendium of essays exploring the rise of conspiracies like QAnon, an online conspiracy group I wrote about in my book, The Cult of Trump. Their book raises awareness about the allures and pitfalls of conspiracy theories and draws upon Christian principles for discerning truth from misinformation and fostering productive dialogues. Anger and fear are potent emotions that tend to override our critical thinking and common sense, sometimes leading to falling out with loved ones who have an opposing view to our own. Accepting a conspiracy theory as fact does not make a person weak, stupid, or gullible. This is an extremely important interview that I believe everyone would benefit from listening to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elizabeth Holmes, founder and CEO of Theranos, was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 11 years in jail. Her company claimed to be able to determine health issues from merely a pinprick of blood. She conned many famous, educated people, and the company was valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. Dr. Dennis Tourish is a Professor of Leadership and Organization Studies at the University of Sussex Business School and wrote a journal article on Theranos as an authoritarian corporate cult. Dr. Tourish was himself involved in a left-wing political cult and wrote the book On the Edge: Political Cults on the Right and Left with Tim Wohlforth. In 2023, understanding how corporations can act like authoritarian cults is vital for everyone to understand. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For anyone interested in understanding why religious extremism has such a large influence in America, this fascinating interview focuses on an elite group of Catholic Bishops who oppose the current Pope and his policies of wishing to move the Church away from its abusive authoritarian past. Want to understand more about our current Supreme Court and why they demonstrated that they lied during their confirmation hearings when they said that Roe v. Wade was established law after fifty years. As soon as they had the majority, they showed their true allegiance, and it wasn't to the law and the majority of the American people. Mary Jo McConahay is a Catholic journalist who takes the position of supporting the changes in Vatican 2, which included allowing the mass to be given in languages other than Latin. Vatican 2 stated categorically that Jews were not Christ-killers but affirmed God is Almighty and that His promise to Abraham was eternal. We discuss the Manhattan Declaration which was signed by Catholics and Protestants to work together to undermine gay rights, and women’s right to choose and to promote the freedom to religious impose their version of religion on all others. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The term ‘gaslight effect’ was introduced by Dr. Robin Stern in her 2007 book to describe the long-term consequences of persistent gaslighting, a subtle and often hidden form of emotional abuse. Gaslighting is a devastating form of undue influence. It occurs when an individual manipulates another person by distorting, twisting, and dismissing their experiences, making them question their memories, perceptions, and reality. Gaslighting can occur in a romantic relationship, among family members, in the workplace, within mind control cults as well as by politicians. Robin Stern, Ph.D., has been a practicing psychoanalyst for over thirty years and is the co-founder and associate director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She’s the author of The Gaslight Effect and the newly released The Gaslight Effect Recovery Guide. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA) is a widely recognized Christian organization with around 20 million members worldwide. However, many of its beliefs and practices fall under my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control, which I developed to evaluate control of Behavior, Information, Thoughts, and Emotions. To gain more insight into this organization, I invited Dr. Steve Daily, a former pastor of the SDA, to share his valuable personal and professional experiences. Dr. Steve Daily is a licensed psychologist, church historian, and accomplished author who has written 28 books, including 11 on Seventh-day Adventism and its founder Ellen G. White. He grew up in an Adventist home and received his education from Adventist institutions. In 2010, Dr. Daily left Adventism and went on to work as a psychologist at UCLA. Since then, he has become an outspoken critic of founder Ellen G. White and the Adventist Church, authoring Ellen G. White A Psychobiography. The book explores whether the accusations of fraud and pathology leveled against her over the years stand up to historical and psychological scrutiny. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know most people need 7-9 hours of quality sleep to function optimally? Sleep deprivation is one of the most common and powerful techniques for weakening psychological defenses. It is one of the most significant policies in the Behavior Control criteria of the BITE Model of Authoritarian Control. I recently had the opportunity to interview sleep expert Dr. Lauren Broch to gain a deeper insight into prevalent sleep issues that individuals face and to explore effective sleep hygiene habits that can help to overcome these obstacles. Dr. Lauren Broch is a clinical psychologist, nutritionist, and sleep disorders specialist who takes a holistic approach to address various sleep, mood, and health issues. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International corporate attorney and strategic business advisor Faith Jones is a phenomenon. She authored two books: Sex Cult Nun and I Own Me. She explains her model for utilizing the law regarding undue influence in a great TEDx talk: I Own Me: Understanding Our Property Rights to Our Own Bodies. Faith Jones is an inspiration to all women and especially to those born and raised in authoritarian cults. Join us for a fascinating discussion. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shepherding/discipling Bible cults like the International Churches of Christ have an authoritarian structure with the “apostle” or “prophet” being the person closest to God and everyone else having a human to disciple over them all the way down. It is patently abusive by its nature as it is based on submission of one’s own conscience and following directions of a person who is in the “role of Jesus” over them. Lawsuits are being filed on behalf of those victimized in the cult, some of whom were sexually assaulted in the group and no responsible action was taken. Over one million people have been involved with this group, most of whom have exited. Most have never spoken out about the abuses they experienced- including breaking sessions, excessive pressure to donate money, or the loss of their personal autonomy and sense of self. If you are interested in legal issues or have been in a controlling Christian group of any kind, you will want to listen to this fascinating episode. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Jehovah's Witnesses have millions of members and are well-known for their door-to-door solicitation and distribution of materials, such as their Watchtower and Awake! magazines. However, most people do not realize the authoritarian BITE Model policies that affect their believers. Former elder Isaac Carmignani, a friend and colleague, shares the critically important facts about the Jehovah's Witnesses. Did you know they have prophesied at least 4 times that Armageddon would occur in a particular year? Or that Bible scholars say their version is wrong? Or that they practice corporal punishment? Prohibit blood transfusions? Shun former members? Or that they have had a huge pedophile problem for many decades? They are very nice, hard-working people, but involvement in this group has caused much suffering and harm worldwide. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the ethical side of the Influence Continuum, we invite an expert to discuss preparing how to do ethical parenting. Julie Hartman is a Certified Birth Doula, Certified Lactation Counselor, and New Parent Educator. She supports families in the perinatal period through support groups and teaching classes on living with a newborn. Most importantly, she is the mom of three adult children and can connect with the people she works with through shared experiences. We discuss what a doula and lactation counselor is, as many people are unaware. Julie tells us a birth doula is often confused with a midwife, but they are different. Whereas the role of a midwife requires formal medical training, birth doulas support the family before, during, and after birth. They assist the family in empowering and speaking up for themselves so that they can advocate for their needs in the birthing process. Birth Doulas also help educate families on the decisions that could need to be made during a hospital birth so there are no surprises and families can think those options through before they are in the heat of the moment. Julie shares her expertise in ethical, positive parenting techniques. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working with people in cults or who have escaped them requires much empathy, compassion, and knowledge. Rachel Bernstein has all those and more, which she’s used for the last 30 years in her work in cult intervention and re-acclimation. I have known and worked with Rachel for many decades now. Bernstein is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) from Los Angeles, California. She is the host of IndoctriNATION: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control, where she has interviewed hundreds of cult survivors, journalists, and experts. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rachel Maddow’s podcast, Ultra, is about Nazism in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s. She based her podcast on the scholarly work of a Jesuit historian Professor Charles R. Gallagher, and his award-winning book. I was fascinated to learn more and discovered that he teaches at nearby Boston College. So we met for lunch, and he kindly consented to this fascinating interview. I learned that the Nazis sent agents such as Charles Scholtz to Boston to recruit and radicalize Americans. These agents wanted to prevent the United States from coming to the defense of the United Kingdom and other European countries. The Nazis did not want America to help Jews who were persecuted and exterminated. Father Charles Coughlin was a Roman Catholic priest and radio personality with a listenership of 30 million people. He was a vocal supporter of the Christian Front. He praised Hitler’s efforts to combat communism and advocated for a similar approach in the United States. Coughlin also used his radio broadcasts to spread anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and to attack Jewish people and Jewish-owned businesses. Coughlin also supported fascist regimes in Europe. In the 1940s, Coughlin and some of his followers began to plot a violent coup to overthrow the US government. The Nazis are still actively promoting violent fascism. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An international researcher and author, Chloe Combi, is a leading authority on Generation Z (those born between 1999 and 2009). Having interviewed over 10,000 members of Gen Z, she provides invaluable insights into what the next decade and beyond will bring. The digital age has brought about a massive change in the way we think, feel, communicate, and behave. For young people born and raised in a digital world, being online for an average of eleven hours a day affects not only their brain development, such as shortened attention span, ability to concentrate, social skills, and mental well-being. As well as this, young people’s need for connection and belonging is being exploited by unhealthy ‘influencers’ online, who are using the internet to indoctrinate and radicalize them. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to know more about the Moonies? This week, we talk with Elgen Strait, who was not only born into the Moonies but participated in an arranged mass marriage ceremony (the so-called “blessing”). His parents were active members when I was in the cult in the 1970s. He’s a fellow survivor. Strait hosts Falling Out with Elgen Strait, a podcast focused on the experiences of second-generation survivors of the Moonies. This episode goes into not only the abuse of children but also the trafficking of people. There are many “second generation” cult members now exiting and speaking up. This is a valuable episode. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wish to learn more about the psychology of Elon Musk and Aspergers Syndrome? In this episode, I am honored to interview Dr. Tony Attwood, one of the world’s foremost experts on Autism Spectrum Disorder. His first book, Asperger’s Syndrome: A Guide for Parents and Professionals, is widely considered the foundational book on the subject. In past decades, I have had many clients who were on the spectrum and I long ago realized they are particularly vulnerable to authoritarian cults, as well as being radicalized online to do acts of terrorism. Years ago I taught an online webinar to warm folks and their families about their vulnerability to undue influence. Folks on the spectrum can be absolute geniuses and over the centuries have made major contributions. That said, these gifts can be manipulated and abused to harm or help others. Join me in this incredible learning experience. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever heard of the Council for National Policy? Wish to understand this alliance of far-right wealthy donors and operators (which includes my former cult, the Moonies)? For everyone who cares about America and democracy worldwide, this interview is vitally important. Anne Nelson talks to us about this and more, including her book Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right. Nelson is a prize-winning writer, contributing to the New Republic, the Washington Spectator, and the Times Literary Supplement. She is also a research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whistleblowers often suffer consequences for speaking out, and our guest Dr. John Dehlin knows that first-hand. A 6th generation member, he was excommunicated from the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) for speaking up about gay rights and the suicide problem within the LDS church. They didn't like him raising those issues, but he persevered and is now helping others find their way out of religious faith crises and transition to a free life. Dr. Dehlin holds a master's degree in instructional technology and a Ph.D. in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. His interests revolve around the nexus of religion and mental health, emphasizing navigating religious faith crises and LGBTQ religious identity conflict. He is the CEO of the Open Stories Foundation. Yes, The BITE Model fits the LDS Church. The FLDS is much more destructive and extreme on the Influence Continuum. This is a blockbuster interview! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 20th, 2023, Larry Ray was sentenced to 60 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy, violent crime in aid of racketeering, extortion, sex trafficking, forced labor, tax evasion, and money laundering offenses. Daniel Barban Levin escaped the cult and used writing to process his mind control experience. He also wanted to do something to help his friends, who were still psychologically imprisoned. His memoir, Slonim Woods 9, published in 2021, was a revealing and poetic description of his time in a mind control cult. Hulu releases its docuseries this week–Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that current American law looks at children as property? Even though we know corporal punishment has been banned by most civilized countries, it is legal in the USA due to the religious lobby. Hamilton is a law professor as well as the Founder and CEO of CHILD USA, www.childusa.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit academic think tank dedicated to interdisciplinary, evidence-based research to improve laws and public policy to end child abuse and neglect. She is the author of God vs. the Gavel: The Perils of Extreme Religious Liberty, (2009, Cambridge University Press), Justice Denied: What America Must Do to Protect Its Children (2012, Cambridge University Press), and co-author of Children and the Law (2017, Carolina Academic Press). This is one of the most important interviews that I have ever done with one of the great activists of our day. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Herself a former cult member and accredited psychotherapist in the U.K., is an international speaker, director of Hope Valley Counselling and author of the new book, Walking Free from the Trauma of Coercive, Cultic, and Spiritual Abuse: A Workbook for Recovery and Growth. Most people require specialized counseling to recover from an experience of cult indoctrination. But many therapists that work with former members are not trained to help with the after-effects of mind control and cult-related problems, such as the formation of a pseudo “cult identity.” Inspired by her experience of encountering unethical and inexperienced therapists, Gillie created an approach to counseling former members, which she calls Post-Cult Counselling (PCC), that brings together ethical therapy and the knowledge of cults. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Rediger, MD, MDiv, is a board-certified psychiatrist, best-selling author, and popular speaker. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and has served as Medical Director of McLean SE Adult psychiatry and Community Affairs at McLean Hospital for many years. He has spent years researching cases of what doctors call “spontaneous remission” and what others call “miracles.” We discuss the terribly broken medical care system that fails to see a whole person rather than a set of symptoms or diseases in “silos.” He talks about specific scientifically validated cases where people were given a terminal diagnosis and yet, lived. He focuses on the immune system and not only eliminating what is sabotaging it (lack of sleep, sugar, refined foods, and more) and what we can do to help ourselves heal ourselves. This one you won't want to miss! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yasmine was raised in an extreme Islamic household and was married to a man who turned out to be an Al-Qaeda terrorist. She is a tireless human rights campaigner advocating for the rights of women living within Muslim-majority countries as well as those who struggled under religious fundamentalism in general. She is the founder of Free Hearts Free Minds, an organization providing mental health support for members of the LGBTQ+ community and free thinkers living within Muslim-majority countries where both “crimes” can be punished by execution. I wish to support women’s equal rights everywhere, and please join me for a very important interview on her book and her work. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The host of the Mea Culpa podcast and author of the #1 best-selling book, Disloyal: A Memoir, and now with his latest book Revenge: How Donald Trump Weaponized the Department of Justice Against His Critics. So much has happened that is timely with the 2nd anniversary of the Jan 6th violent attempted coup. His latest book is an indictment of Trump weaponizing the Department of Justice, headed by AG Bill Barr. Putting Cohen in jail- solitary confinement for 51 days! Learn more about this horrendous abuse of power. This is a great interview! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being raised in an authoritarian cult and exiting is usually a very difficult and traumatic experience. Many people have learned about the cult of Hubbard, Scientology, and Aaron Smith-Levin signed a billion-year commitment when he entered the SeaOrg- the elite troops of the cult. There have been many books, podcasts, and documentaries about Scientology. Aaron started a very successful YouTube Channel Growing up in Scientology and is the vice president of the Aftermath Foundation, a non-profit aimed at helping former members to recover. Three former Sea Org members who were inducted as children are currently suing the cult and David Miscavige, its head, for labor trafficking. Join us for this fascinating interview! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My interview with the founder of the non-profit DialogCentre UK, Christian Szurko, shares his decades of experience helping people involved with abusive, controlling cults and relationships since 1973. A former member of Yogananda (Autobiography of a Yogi), Christian was mentored by a pastoral counselor, moved to England, and has been actively helping people reclaim their personal power and reenter society. This is a fascinating interview, and we cover many essential topics, from the need to focus more on helping people recover from authoritarian cults and not just “get them out.” We discuss the need for active listening, developing accurate mental maps, radicalization online, and the activism some of us have done over many decades offers a unique perspective to providing solutions. Join us in this fascinating discussion! Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A very important conversation with one of the top skeptics in the world about his new, excellent book, Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational. Dr. Shermer is the Founding Publisher of Skeptic magazine, the host of the podcast The Michael Shermer Show, and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University, where he teaches Skepticism 101. For 18 years, he has been a monthly columnist for Scientific American. In this interview, you will learn about the biology that motivates people to believe in conspiracy theories as well as understand there are, in fact, actual conspiracies. The important thing is understanding what one needs to consider in order to accept a belief about a conspiracy as “true.” Shermer gives very practical, good advice on how to interact with folks that mirrors my work of what is effective. Most importantly–being willing to be curious, respectful, ask good questions, don’t be emotional or attack the individual and much more. Please check it out. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Come join me in this fascinating interview with Frances Peters who lives in the Netherlands and has a coaching and counseling practice serving people who are former members of a large variety of authoritarian cults, including the one she was raised in. The journey out of a cult for someone raised in it differs from working with someone recruited later in life. This conversation will be of interest to all, but especially to second-generation cult members as well as counselors, spouses, and anyone interested in different approaches to helping. Working with former members is a unique specialization and Frances Peters has a wonderful reputation. I am so pleased to share this interview with her. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Republican congressman and Tea Party advocate, Joe Walsh discusses his realizations about Trump and how he has been dissed by the MAGA powers in the GOP. He started “Center Street Pac” to help elect any politician devoted to putting country over party, in service of freedom. Joe has a podcast of his own, “White Flag with Joe Walsh” where he talks with progressives as well as GOD folks willing to discuss what has happened to the United States. Joe and I discuss Twitter, free speech, and libertarianism, and agree we all need to lower the temperature and get more people talking together to each other. Our current system is broken with dark money and bad actors manipulating the media and politics. So it is a fascinating important conversation that offers some ideas and directions for hope. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For anyone with a background in Evangelical Christianity, Francis Schaeffer is regarded as royalty. He has written books that sold many millions of copies and two films were made by his namesake son to promote them. This interview is one of the most important ones for people to listen to if they really wish to understand what has happened to Christianity in America. Frank Schaeffer, a New York Times best-selling author, and host of the podcast, In Conversation… with Frank Schaeffer, was homeschooled and raised in an evangelical/fundamentalist home and bears firsthand testimony of how his father’s life work was corrupted into a movement that wishes to secure political power, money, and control over people’s lives. Frank Schaeffer is a brilliant, creative man who truly cares about people and improving the world. Come listen to this incredible interview! Learn more about Frank at www.lovechildrenplanet.com. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel Shaw is a psychotherapist in New York City, and author of 2 books on the subject of traumatic narcissism. He left the Siddha Yoga cult in 1994, after more than a decade of living and working for it. In this interview we discuss his concept of the relational system of the traumatizing narcissist, that explains the psychology of cult leaders and abusers and helps survivors of narcissistic abuse in their recovery. There are many “experts” on narcissist abuse but this framework is uniquely helpful. Learn more about Steven Hassan and Freedom of Mind Resource Center. Visit freedomofmind.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices