Let's Talk About Sects

Guinevere Turner grew up in The Lyman Family, a group she now understands was a cult, but at the time was the only family she knew. Guinevere has recently released her memoir When the World Didn't End. In it, she recounts her childhood experiences, including the abusive family situation she found herself in when she was pulled out of the cult. She spoke with Sarah about her book, as well as the work she's doing now to help others who have exited cults.Full episode page here. You can buy Joe Gould's LTAS soundtrack album Nobody Joins a Cult here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Links:When the World Didn't End — (via Amazon) by Guinevere Turner, Penguin Random House, May 2023When the World Didn't End — (via the publisher) by Guinevere Turner, Penguin Random House, May 2023My Childhood in a Cult — by Guinevere Turner, The New Yorker, 29 April 2019The Lalich CenterIf you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with, or donate to, Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia, and you can find resources outside of Australia at icsahome.com and The Lalich Center.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at iasp.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gloriavale Christian Community has been in the news recently in New Zealand for court cases around labour and servitude, and there are further cases happening as well. To understand more about the history of the organisation, you can listen to our 2-part episode about the group. Rosanna Overcomer recently celebrated 10 years out of Gloriavale, at the end of March 2023, and shares some of her story and the work she does now to help support others.Full episode page here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Links:The Gloriavale Leavers' Support TrustThe Olive Leave Network — Lindy Jacomb's new organisationThe Lalich CenterIf you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support with, or donate to, Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia, and you can find resources outside of Australia at icsahome.com.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention website at iasp.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Divine Madness Running Club boasted some spectacular results in ultramarathons and became known for their excellent support teams and low-impact style of running. But the Boulder, Colorado based group was also notorious for their strange ways, whereby members were expected to follow the directions of their teacher in all aspects of their lives.UPDATE: Deru Youmans had a more recent experience with Marc Tizer (Yo), through a listing for 'The Retreat' they came across on the WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) website. They shared their experience here, and unfortunately, it seems like things haven't changed a great deal. Full research sources listed here. You can pre-order Joe Gould's LTAS soundtrack album here. You can support us on Patreon or with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.Links:A Leader's Long, Strange Trip — by Jere Longman, The New York Times, 28 July 1997The Long, Strange Trip of a Running Guru — by Bruce Schoenfeld, Sports Illustrated, 4 August 2003A Divine Madness? — by Andrew Murr, Newsweek, 17 August 1997Community or Cult? — by Clay Evans, Daily Camera, 5 October 1997My spiritual odyssey: A work in progress — blog by Alexander Cassady, undatedRun Ragged — by Clay Evans, Daily Camera, 7 March 200442 Miles to Enlightenment — by Daniel Glick, Women Outside, Fall 1999Running Like Hell — by Michael Finkel, Women's Sports and Fitness, Nov/Dec 1999ULTRARUNNING; Runner's Death Places Sport Under Scrutiny — by Jere Longman, The New York Times, 7 March 2004A Spiritual Community in Reserve Is Also An Ultramarathon Powerhouse — by Leslie Linthicum, Albuquerque Journal, 21 May 2006 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carolyn Millemon learned about a form of meditation called ‘Ascending’ at a weekend workshop in Western Australia when she was 21. A couple of years later, in North Carolina, she decided to dedicate her life to the teachings. A decade later, some of the behaviours of her own teachers weren’t sitting so well with her.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show!Links:MSI and the Ishayas — posts by user ‘scribe’ archived from now defunct FACTNet forum, late 2004 to early 2005The Ishaya’s Ascension — by MSI, Sedona Journal, May 1997First Thunder: An Adventure of Discovery — by MSI, 1996Group Claims TM Movement is a Cult — by Phil McCombs, The Washington Post, 2 July 1987Para — by R. Vaughn Abrams, Seven Suns Publications, 1986, The University of Sydney Rare Books & Special Collections listingThe Society for Ascension — North Carolina Secretary of State listing, accessed March 2023The Bright Path Ishayas + Maharishi Krishnananda — Cult Education Institute forum, includes post by user ‘FlatEarthRound’ which shares an email circulated to teachers in 2008, posted 19 July 2020the bright path — Cult Education Institute forum posts from 2009The Bright Path — official websiteThe Lineage — page on The Ishayas’ Ascension website, accessed March 2023 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Klein’s story is featured on the podcast Inside the Tribe, and Matt sat down with LTAS for a chat about what he learned from his time in the Twelve Tribes, and what he thinks society could be doing about organisations like this.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:Inside the Tribe — podcast by Tim Elliott and Camille Bianchi featuring Matt's story and those of the other people he mentionsI Catch Killers with Gary Jubelin — podcast mentioned by Matt, who will feature on an upcoming episodeCult Information and Family Support (CIFS) — Australian volunteer-run support service Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Brisbane Christian Fellowship sounds like a fairly innocuous name for a church. But the BCF and its network of organisations across Australia have been the subject of a Four Corners investigation and a detailed book, speaking with former members who have numerous stories of families being torn apart as a result of their involvement. Author Morag Zwartz wrote that this ‘church’ “is every bit as pernicious and harmful as the Exclusive Brethren.” Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show!Links:Apostles of Fear: A Church Cult Exposed — by Morag Zwartz, Parenesis Publishing, 2008Who Are the Brisbane Christian Fellowship? — by David Holden, Aletheia Publishing, September 2008 (3rd Ed.)Open Letter to Melbourne Christian Fellowship (MCF) — blog by Paul ‘Kovaks’, accessed January 2023Issues Arising from Four Corners Investigation into Latter Rain Movement — Immanuel Website Article by Brian Rensford, undatedThe God of Broken Hearts — Four Corners, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 23 June 2008Streetcar Forum — Support forum for those affected by “the teachings and behaviours of RFI leaders”, accessed January & February 2023Melbourne Christian Fellowship – Why I Left It. — by Roger Williams, 27 June 2008The Brisbane Christian Fellowship – A Government Sponsored Cult — by Chrys Stevenson, Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear blog, 30 April 2010Fired pastor sues church — by Toni Mcrae, The Courier Mail, 27 March 2010 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MOVE Philadelphia made headlines in 1978, when police and MOVE members ended up in a prolonged siege and a gunfire exchange that left a police officer dead. They hit the headlines again in 1985, when a confrontation with the authorities became even more deadly after an explosive device was dropped on their property. The events led many to understand the organisation as a Black liberation group who were the victims of a racist system. The latter is hardly debatable, but credible stories from a multitude of former members portray MOVE as never truly being about Black liberation at all. Instead, they characterise it as a cult. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:What the survivors of MOVE deserve — by Kevin Price, Leaving MOVE blog, 22 October 2021Help Maria Start Over After MOVE — GoFundMe fundraiser for Maria Hardy, formerly Maria Africa, to help with general life expensesHelp June (Pixie) and kids resettle in hiding — GoFundMe fundraiser for June Stokes, formerly Pixie Africa, and her children to help with general life expensesThe Invention of John Africa — by Kevin Price, Leaving MOVE blog, 15 September 2021Move: An American Religion — by Richard Kent Evans, Oxford University Press, 2020Who was John Africa? — by Craig R. McCoy, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 12 January 1986Murder at Ryan's Run — podcast series about MOVE Philadelphia, 2021 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a group in regional Queensland that claims to have no name. Members meet in each other’s homes on Wednesdays and Sundays. They don’t have any of their beliefs written down, though they do sing hymns from a particular hymn book. A lot of what they follow sounds incredibly similar to a group that also claimed to have no name but was often referred to as the Two by Twos or The Truth. This one doesn’t have pairs of ‘workers’ who travel around and stay with community members, however. That job was left up to its founder, a man named Robert Barlow. If you're a member or former member of Bob Barlow's 'church' who would like to get in touch with Candice Curran, you can email [email protected]. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:Two by Twos / The Truth — sources for previous LTAS episode about the Two by Twos / The Truth available here, October 2020Family history research service — Queensland Government, searched November 2022David’s Rape of Bathsheba and Murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 11-12) — The Theology of Work Project (TOW), accessed November 2022If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Credits:Written and hosted by Sarah SteelMusic by Joe GouldEdited by Matt Brazel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniella Mestyanek Young was born into the Children of God, as was her mother before her. She left as a teenager and put herself through school and university, then decided to join the military. Her fantastic book Uncultured explores many of the parallels between the cult and the armed forces. The New York Times called it, “A painful and propulsive memoir delivered in the honest tones of a woman who didn’t always think she’d live to tell her story."You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show!Links:Uncultured — by Daniella Mestyanek Young, Macmillan, 2022Daniella Mestyanek Young — official websiteDaniella's Twitter, Instagram and LinkedInLost In Translation — Daniella's TEDx Tacoma talk, 20 December 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many people around the world would have come across the food produced by the Twelve Tribes through their Common Ground market stalls and bakeries or their Yellow Deli cafes. A post from 2011 on the popular Weekend Notes website says, “The Common Ground Café has had its share of media-related controversy as it is run by a religious community, whose mysteriously stand-offish ways freak some people out. Do not be deterred by that, as no one will try to convert you and the food is truly delicious. If you are curious, just ask them.”It might be worth listening to award-winning journalist Tim Elliott’s new podcast, Inside the Tribe, before you follow this advice.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:Inside the Tribe — podcast by Camille Bianchi and Tim Elliott, out Monday 28 November 2022Have a tip or information about Twelve Tribes? You can email ITT at [email protected] great escape — by Tim Elliott, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 April 2007Sect woos recruits among the fairy floss at Easter Show — by Tim Elliott, The Sydney Morning Herald, 24 March 2008Secrets of the family — by Tim Elliott, The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 December 2013Common Ground Café — review by Nekoburro, Weekend Notes, 21 February 2011Farewell to the Father — by Tim Elliott, Picador Australia, 2016 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Logos Foundation was often described as ‘mysterious’ in media coverage, but became a part of the religious right that published full page newspaper advertisements encouraging the electorate to vote on ‘moral’ issues at Queensland state elections in the late 1980s. Its embrace of the Shepherding Movement led many to consider it incredibly cult-like, and certain facets of the religious right today can trace a direct lineage to its teachings. Founder Howard Carter’s hard-line approach to sinful behaviour would prove to be hypocrisy-ridden for almost the entire time his organisation existed.Guest: Esther (not her real name) Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:The Logos Foundation: The Rise and Fall of Christian Reconstructionism in Australia — by John Harrison, University of Queensland, 2006Sex Scandal Divides The Bible Belt — by Greg Roberts, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 October 1990The Promised Land — by Melanie Myers, Kill Your Darlings, 12 November 2018The Story — by David P. B. Orton, Lifemessenger, date unknownGod in the Suburbs and Beyond: The Emergence of an Australian Megachurch and Denomination — by PhD thesis by Sam Hey, Griffith University, 2011The Shepherding Movement: Controversy and Charismatic Ecclesiology — by S. David Moore, Bloomsbury Academic, 2003 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anke Richter is an international journalist and author based in NZ. Over time she’s found herself covering more and more cults, to the point where she recently published her first book about the subject: ‘Cult Trip’. Anke is also a member and co-founder of FACT Aotearoa (Fight Against Conspiracy Theories). Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. Thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 at Audio-Technica’s Australian store for 10% off and to support the show! Links:Cult Trip: Inside the World of Coercion and Control — by Anke Richter, HarperCollins, 2022FACT Aotearoa — Fighting Against Conspiracy Theories (New Zealand) official websiteankerichter.net — Anke Richter’s official websiteRabbit Hole Resistance — Facebook groupBert's Labyrinth — by Anke Richter, North & South, September 2015Fire and Fury — documentary by Paula Penfold & Louisa Cleave, Stuff Circuit, August 2022Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism — by Amanda Montell, HarperCollins, 2021Departures — by Anke Richter, New Zealand Geographic, Issue 155, Jan-Feb 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathleen Oh is a rare breed: a wellness coach who is cynical about wellness and the coaching industry. She works with clients across integration and psychedelics education. Kathleen is trained in Internal Family Systems (also known as IFS Informed or IFSCA), which is a trauma-informed approach, and comes from a background of trauma herself. Kathleen was once an anti-vaxxer, and her community embraced all kinds of magical thinking and conspiracy theories. Over time, she realised that her own coaching may have involved undue influence, and through the words of a dear friend she recognised that a lot of her perspectives were rooted in white privilege.You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 for 10% off their Australian store, and to support the show. Links:Coach Kathleen Oh — Kathleen’s websiteOh My Heart — Kathleen’s Substack (we spoke about her Psychedelics, Cults and Predators article in particular, from 13 July 2022)The Real Coach Oh — Kathleen’s InstagramPsychedelics, Politics and Predators with Kathleen Oh — Free Your Inner Guru podcast episode, 28 March 2022Cover Story: Power Trip — New York Magazine podcast series from Lily Kay Ross and David Nickles about the psychedelic underground, November 2021Dr Janja Lalich’s websiteTake Back Your Life Recovery — Dr Janja Lalich’s courses that Kathleen mentionedGerette Buglion’s website#igotout — Gerette Buglion and Lisa (anonymous activist)’s movement for cult survivorsLaura Tucker’s website — host of the Free Your Inner Guru podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Janja Lalich is a Professor Emerita of Sociology at California State University, Chico. She has written multiple world-renowned books on cultic studies, and is soon to launch the non-profit Lalich Center on Cults and Coercion. Dr Lalich offers resources to help survivors of coercive groups, as well as courses for therapists and social workers to help them understand the issues involved in treatment. She was once a member of a cult herself, and rose to a leadership rank. She has spent her life since using her experiences to educate and assist others. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Use promo code LTAS10 for 10% off their Australian store, and to support the show. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or find resources at janjalalich.com. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Janja Lalich's websiteLalich Center on Cults and CoercionTake Back Your Life Recovery — resources and coursesTake Back Your Life — by Janja Lalich & Madeleine Tobias, Bay Tree Publishing, 2006 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When widespread abuse is uncovered at a New Zealand cult, a family must turn to the legal system in an effort to save themselves and their community from the all-powerful leaders. Filmmakers Noel Smyth and Fergus Grady documented the impact of the civil action, and of the cult itself. Their gripping expose on New Zealand’s most infamous and secretive religious group, founded by Australian evangelist Neville Cooper, has quickly become New Zealand’s highest grossing local documentary. It is out in Australian cinemas on 3 November, with festival screenings from 22 October and Q&A sessions with the filmmakers around the country. To find your nearest screening, visit gloriavale.com/screenings. Guests: Noel Smyth & Fergus GradySupport the work of the Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Aussie listeners can win some Audio-Technica goodies here! If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia. Links:To find your nearest screening of Gloriavale: New Zealand's Secret Cult visit gloriavale.com/screeningsFacebook: facebook.com/GloriavaleDocoInstagram: instagram.com/gloriavalefilmHashtag: #gloriavalefilm Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Twin Flames Universe promises devotees a path to ascension through finding their ultimate lover, and building a permanent, harmonious union. But former followers have accused the organisation of exploitative labour, encouraging people to stay in abusive relationships, and pressuring members to undergo gender reassignment. Guest: Kara Brodsky Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Aussie listeners can win some Audio-Technica goodies here! Links:“Everywhere I Went, They Went With Me, Because They Were on My Phone”: Inside the Always Online, All-Consuming World of Twin Flames Universe — by Alice Hines, Vanity Fair, 3 December 2020This YouTube School Promised True Love. Students Say They Got Exploited Instead — by Sarah Berman, VICE, 6 February 2020Accused Cult Leader Threatened Ex-Members After VICE Investigation — by Sarah Berman, VICE, 12 March 2020Twin Flames Universe — official website, accessed September 2022Church of Union — official website, accessed September 2022EndersAdventures.com — 2012 archived snapshot of former website of ‘Lifestyle Design Entrepreneur’ Ender Ayanethos (later Jeff Ayan)Warrior Forum — posts from Ender Ayanethos, May to December 2012Keely Griffin on Twin Flames & Other Dumpster Fires — A Little Bit Culty, 14 February 2022Twin Flames: Finding Your Ultimate Lover — by Jeff and Shaleia, September 2015The Mirror Exercise (OFFICIAL) | The Only Tool You'll Ever Need — Twin Flames Universe YouTube video, 10 February 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2018, Avi started seeing a new psychologist in Melbourne, Australia. She'd experienced childhood trauma, and wanted to get some help with managing panic attacks. The registered psychologist she found seemed to be a great fit.But a couple of months into the 2020 lockdowns, Avi realised that her life had become completely entwined with her psychologist’s. Over time, Avi came to understand that her psychologist had been trying to groom her into a cult.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.EPISODE LINKSThe Other C Word – by Her, 28 February 2021Register of Practitioners – Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samael Aun Weor claimed that he could remember his own birth, and had identified the only true path to spiritual development. Crucial to his religion was a sexual practice that involved couples never reaching orgasm. Though many who follow his belief system understand sickness to be a result of one’s own karma, their master died of stomach cancer in 1977. He claimed that when he died, he would be resurrected. Guest: Lynn Short Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 5 of Let's Talk About Sects. Aussie listeners can win some Audio-Technica goodies here! If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Three Mountains — by Samael Aun Weor, Glorian Publishing, 2008Samael Aun Weor — New World Encyclopedia, accessed July 2022The Social Christ — by Samael Aun Weor, 1964Inside the Vestibule of Wisdom — by Samael Aun Weor, 1953Lynn Short - The New Gnostic Society, Sexual Alchemy, & Lucid Dreaming — Trust Me podcast, 6 April 2022Former member of Circle for Investigation of Gnostic Anthropology Aust (CIGA) and Gnosis in Australia — Name Withheld, entry on the CIFS website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Edmondson is an actor, voice over artist and activist who spent 12 years in NXIVM, rising from student to coach to eventually running her own center in Vancouver, Canada. After becoming involved with its secret society, DOS, she managed to escape and alongside her husband Anthony ‘Nippy’ Ames, became a whistleblower on the cult and worked with the FBI to expose Keith Raniere’s crimes. Today Sarah and Nippy make the fantastic podcast A Little Bit Culty, in which they speak with some incredible guests including other former cult members and experts in cult dynamics. Guests: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony ‘Nippy’ Ames Full research sources listed on each episode page at www.ltaspod.com. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now. If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, you can find support or donate to Cult Information and Family Support if you’re in Australia (via www.cifs.org.au), and you can find resources outside of Australia with the International Cultic Studies Association (via www.icsahome.com). Links:A Little Bit Culty — Sarah and Nippy’s podcastUncover: Escaping NXIVM — CBC podcast featuring Sarah EdmondsonThe Vow — HBO series featuring Sarah EdmondsonResources — a collection of useful resources on cults at Sarah Edmondson’s websiteScarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life — by Sarah Edmondson with Kristine Gasbarre, Hardie Grant, 2019Take Back Your Life — by Janja Lalich & Madeleine Tobias, Bay Tree, 2006, audiobook narrated by Sarah EdmondsonNippy’s Instagram, Sarah’s Instagram and Twitter, and A Little Bit Culty’s Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is published by Pan Macmillan Australia, and out on 28 June 2022. It will be available in audiobook, ebook and paperback. This is chapter 1, read by Sarah for the audiobook release."In times of uncertainty when you long for simple answers and have a deep desire for community, you can find yourself incrementally handing over your agency to a charismatic but authoritarian and manipulative leader or group-think. In this book Sarah Steel has brilliantly charted how this happens in all sorts of ways and for all sorts of people; it provides an invaluable map to navigate this dangerous terrain." - Reverend Tim Costello AO"This book is a most comprehensive and studied look at cults, the leaders, and perhaps most importantly the survivors. Sarah Steel has given the world a real gem - one that will not only educate but also help to destigmatize those who have been harmed by cults and con artists. Bravo!" - Dr Janja Lalich, Professor Emerita of Sociology, Co-Founder of Take Back Your Life Recovery LLC, International Authority on Cults & Coercion"Sarah uses the stories of survivors to tease out the common threads of coercive control shared by cults and found in other parts of society. The result is a much-needed spotlight on the behaviours and personalities we are likely to encounter even if we never go anywhere near a cult." - David Gillespie, bestselling author and lawyer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lisa Kendall spent the ages of 9-19 in The Move of God, Sam Fife's Apocalyptic cult. Today, she devotes her time to working on policy changes that will help former cult members and children in high-demand organisations. For this bonus episode she speaks about her work with Counter Cult Coalition, the organisation she founded alongside spiritual abuse expert Kent Burtner.From its Facebook page: “Counter Cult Coalition's mission is to raise awareness of issues related to involvement in coercive groups known as cults and to improve public policy in order to protect and provide for children harmed by group involvement.”Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.EPISODE LINKSCounter Cult Coalition – Facebook pageTo support Counter Cult Coalition, you can donate via PayPal: [email protected]; or via Venmo: William Burtner (phone confirmation number: 3429) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

KwaSizabantu means “the place where people are helped” in Zulu. Erika Bornman spent most of her childhood years at the KwaSizabantu Mission. Her memoir Mission of Malice is about her childhood, and about her life since leaving. It’s an incredible read. Daniel Schricker is a composer and writer based in Adelaide, South Australia. He also spent his childhood and teenage years in KwaSizabantu, and has written a series of articles entitled Scaring the Hell Out of You, “A 4-part examination of the role of fear in the theology and practices of KwaSizabantu and the psychological implications for children”. This bonus episode is an interview with Erika and Daniel, who were kind enough to share their insights, including why they have doubts that KwaSizabantu is capable of changing for the better. Guests: Erika Bornman & Daniel Schricker Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Mission of Malice: My Exodus from KwaSizabantu – by Erika Bornman, Penguin Random House South Africa, August 2021Scaring the Hell Out of You – Part 1: Fear of God, Part 2: Fear of Authority, Part 3: Fear of Self, Part 4: Fear of the Outside World – by Daniel Schricker, 18 September 2021Mission of malice by Erika Bornman: A reader impression – by Daniel Schricker, LitNet, 20 August 2021Devotion KwaSizabantu Mission – 9 September 2020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Freeman was handed over to Anne Hamilton Byrne at the age of two, when he went to live with the other children at The Family’s Lake Eildon property. It took 12 years before he was rescued by the police, and given his freedom. At 15, he vowed not to tell anyone about his childhood in the notorious Victorian cult, and it was a promise he kept for 25 years. Guest: David Freeman Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Deprived of his childhood in a notorious cult — by Einar Þór Sigurðsson, Fréttablaðið, 5 February 2021 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gloriavale Christian Community is recognised around New Zealand for the distinctive dress of its members, especially the women, who wear headscarves to denote submission to men, and a neck-to-ankle garment designed by the group’s Australian founder, Neville Cooper. Some say the community represents a pious life set up around ideals of sharing everything, but others say the way it’s set up is breeding predators. Guests: Hannah Harrison, Liz Gregory Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Gloriavale Christian Community — official website, accessed March 2021Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust — official website, accessed March 2021The Christian Church Community Trust Charities Services Investigation — 22 December 2016, supplied under the Official Information Act to Newsroom and published 28 March 2017Lilia Tarawa — official website, accessed March 2021Who was Hopeful Christian and how did he rise to notoriety at Gloriavale? — by Brad Flahive, Stuff, 15 May 2018Gloriavale: A World Apart — directed by Amanda Evans, 2016Gloriavale: The Return — directed by Amanda Evans, 2018Gloriavale leavers describe fear, oppression in community — Logan Church, Checkpoint, RNZ, 14 November 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gloriavale Christian Community has found itself in the New Zealand media headlines on multiple occasions. Its founder was once jailed for sexual abuse, but community members were convinced that it he was jailed for preaching the gospel. Followers claim that their way of life is all about the common good and nobody having more than anyone else. Former members say their time there was dominated by endless work and an overriding sense of fear. Guests: Hannah Harrison, Liz Gregory Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Gloriavale Christian Community — official website, accessed March 2021Gloriavale Leavers’ Support Trust — official website, accessed March 2021The Christian Church Community Trust Charities Services Investigation — 22 December 2016, supplied under the Official Information Act to Newsroom and published 28 March 2017Lilia Tarawa — official website, accessed March 2021Who was Hopeful Christian and how did he rise to notoriety at Gloriavale? — by Brad Flahive, Stuff, 15 May 2018Gloriavale: A World Apart — directed by Amanda Evans, 2016Gloriavale: The Return — directed by Amanda Evans, 2018Gloriavale leavers describe fear, oppression in community — Logan Church, Checkpoint, RNZ, 14 November 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Violet Pryor told her followers that she was God. They gave up their money and possessions to keep her in comfort. David Ayliffe became one of her key Pillars, a right-hand man. After her death, he became the leader of the cult she had created in Sydney, Australia – the Zion Full Salvation Ministry. Guest: David Ayliffe Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:My Brother’s Eyes — by David & John Ayliffe, John Garratt Publishing, 2009David Ayliffe’s website — with links to the audiobook of My Brother’s EyesThe development of, and opposition to, Healing Ministries in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, with special reference to the Healing Ministry at St Andrew’s Cathedral 1960-2010 — by Paul Francis Egan, PhD thesis for Macquarie University, 2012Full Salvation Fellowship — Peter and Verlie Hobson’s website, accessed February 2021Omegaman Internet Radio Station — accessed February 2021Violet Dorothy Pryor — gravesite listing, Kangaroo Valley CemeteryWedding Bells: Wills-Pryor — Sunshine Advocate, 25 February 1944Violet Dorothy Wills — Victorian marriage listing with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, accessed February 2021 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As he was about to turn 17, Remy Attig was keen to get away from his parents’ fracturing marriage, and ready for something to give his life purpose. The Master’s Commission program seemed like just the thing to set him up for a life of travel and spreading the word of God. Instead, it ran him ragged, instilled fear, built on his internalised homophobia, and set him up for unhealthy relationships and trust issues. In hindsight, he believes that the Master’s Commission was a cult. Guest: Remy Attig Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Master’s Commission International Network (MCIN) — official websiteAthletes International Ministry — official websitePhoenix Megachurch Hosting Trump Rally Says It Has Special Coronavirus-Killing Air System — by Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, 22 June 2020AG Warns Phoenix Megachurch and Air-System Firm About Fraudulent COVID Statements — by Ray Stern, Phoenix New Times, 26 June 2020Without a Vision, You Perish — Trivita profile of Larry Kerychuck, unknown dateLloyd Zeigler — Jim Bakker Show profile, accessed January 2021Statement of Fundamental Truths — Assemblies of GodMy Cult Life — blog by Lisa Kerr, archived January 2014 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lindy Jacomb was born into the Exclusive Brethren in Auckland, New Zealand, and was told there was no longer a place for her there in 2008. Her family cut off all communication with her and she was forced to start a new life at the age of 20, without any of the people she knew and loved. Guests: Lindy Jacomb and Michael Bachelard Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Behind the Exclusive Brethren — by Michael Bachelard, Scribe Publications, 2008Separation from Evil - God's Principle of Unity — by John Nelson Darby, 1853BIG JIM TAYLOR, LEADER OF SECT — James Taylor Jnr. obituary, The New York Times, 17 October 1970"The Aberdeen Incident" July, 1970 — a compilation of material including a transcription of the Aberdeen Tapes, from the 25 July 1970 meeting following the incidentThe closed-door church: Inside the secretive and strict Plymouth Brethren sect in Manitoba — by Bill Redekop, Winnipeg Free Press, 10 May 2014Howard defends meeting the Exclusive Brethren — by Peta Donald, PM, ABC Radio National, 22 August 2007OneSchool Global NSW Enrollment Policy — accessed December 2020OneSchool Global — official website, accessed December 2020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lindy Jacomb was born into the Exclusive Brethren in Auckland, New Zealand, and was told there was no longer a place for her there in 2008. Her family cut off all communication with her and she was forced to start a new life at the age of 20, without any of the people she knew and loved. Guests: Lindy Jacomb and Michael Bachelard Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Behind the Exclusive Brethren — by Michael Bachelard, Scribe Publications, 2008Separation from Evil - God's Principle of Unity — by John Nelson Darby, 1853BIG JIM TAYLOR, LEADER OF SECT — James Taylor Jnr. obituary, The New York Times, 17 October 1970"The Aberdeen Incident" July, 1970 — a compilation of material including a transcription of the Aberdeen Tapes, from the 25 July 1970 meeting following the incidentThe closed-door church: Inside the secretive and strict Plymouth Brethren sect in Manitoba — by Bill Redekop, Winnipeg Free Press, 10 May 2014Howard defends meeting the Exclusive Brethren — by Peta Donald, PM, ABC Radio National, 22 August 2007OneSchool Global NSW Enrollment Policy — accessed December 2020OneSchool Global — official website, accessed December 2020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a disaffected youth, Shannon Bundock was drawn to progressive ideas. In her late teens she moved into the city, to a poor neighbourhood in Vancouver, Canada, where she became hyper aware of the inequality all around her. The activists who were trying to do something about this in the early 2000s ignited her passion for radical politics. At 19, Shannon was ready to dedicate herself wholeheartedly to doing her part to change the world for the better. Five and a half years later, she’d find herself flat broke and unable to make life decisions about the simplest things, like what to wear. Guest: Shannon Bundock Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:That revolution thing? My bad — by Erin Millar, Maclean’s, 12 March 2008No Fire No Time — Ivan Drury’s blog archive of materials around his and other ex-members’ experiences in FTT, accessed November 2020Cuba Solidarity in Canada: Five Decades of People-to-People Foreign Relations — edited by Nino Pagliccia, FriesenPress, 2 December 2014Battle of Ideas Press website — accessed November 2020Fire This Time website — accessed November 2020, including Derrick O’Keefe’s private emails still online“The Movement,” Mullahs and Liberal Muddleheads: From MAWO to Revolutionary Marxism — by Andrew Malieni, Spartacist Canada, No. 152, Spring 2007 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natasha Tiku wrote for Gawker in 2013, “Everyone is interested in doing fun things with their bodies. But the impulse to systematize, replicate, package, sell, and build an ideology around it is uniquely Silicon Valley.” She was writing about an organisation that was monetising the female orgasm. And they weren’t the only ones doing so. Guests: Christine Talbott Acosta, Ruwan Meepagala, Sasha Nelson Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. For sexual assault resources in Australia, visit www.1800respect.org.au, and in the USA, visit www.rainn.org. Links:The Pleasure Principle — by Patricia Leigh Brown and Carol Pogash, New York Times, 13 March 2009Lafayette Morehouse — official website, accessed October 2020Lafayette Morehouse, Inc. v. The Chronicle Publishing Co., No. A067522. — 37 Cal. App. 4th 855, 44 Cal. Rptr. 2d 46, California Court of Appeal, First District, Division 5, 9 August 1995Sgt. Bilko Meets The New Culture — by Robin Green, Rolling Stone, 9 December 1971Inside The Purple People House, The Freaky, Stand-Offish Sex Cult In Northern California — by Anna Lindwasser, Ranker, 7 November 2018The Truth about RJ Testerman — Christine... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natasha Tiku wrote for Gawker in 2013, “Everyone is interested in doing fun things with their bodies. But the impulse to systematize, replicate, package, sell, and build an ideology around it is uniquely Silicon Valley.” She was writing about an organisation that was monetising the female orgasm. And they weren’t the only ones doing so. Guests: Christine Talbott Acosta, Ruwan Meepagala, Sasha Nelson Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. For sexual assault resources in Australia, visit www.1800respect.org.au, and in the USA, visit www.rainn.org. Links:The Pleasure Principle — by Patricia Leigh Brown and Carol Pogash, New York Times, 13 March 2009Lafayette Morehouse — official website, accessed October 2020Lafayette Morehouse, Inc. v. The Chronicle Publishing Co., No. A067522. — 37 Cal. App. 4th 855, 44 Cal. Rptr. 2d 46, California Court of Appeal, First District, Division 5, 9 August 1995Sgt. Bilko Meets The New Culture — by Robin Green, Rolling Stone, 9 December 1971Inside The Purple People House, The Freaky, Stand-Offish Sex Cult In Northern California — by Anna Lindwasser, Ranker, 7 November 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laura McConnell was born into a fundamentalist Christian sect that claims it has no name. Former member Elizabeth Coleman told Nathan Jolly for news.com.au earlier this year that, “It is of utmost importance to them that they do not have an official name or headquarters or centrally identifiable presence anywhere on earth.” From his investigative reporting in 2013, journalist Chris Johnston estimated there were 20,000 members in Australia, and hundreds of thousands around the world. Sometimes referred to as The Truth, the Two by Twos, or the Friends and Workers, the sect has seen multiple leaders face accusations of child sexual abuse, some of which are currently in court. Laura and many former members believe that this highly secretive group should certainly be considered a cult. Special Guests: Laura McConnell, Chris Johnston Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Wings for Truth — support site for sexual assault survivors of the Two by TwosLaura McConnell’s website — including various blog posts and Links & Articles Related to The Truth SectFriends and enemies, truth and lies — by Chris Johnston, The Age, 23 September 2013Secrets, lies and sex abuse as ex-sect leader chooses life on the inside — by Chris Johnston, The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 July 2014The Truth Church: Inside the nameless church cult where TV and dancing are "the devil's work" — by Amy Clark, Mamamia,... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Zuman describes herself as “a tree-hugging dirt worshipper devoted to turning waste into food and the stinky guck of experience into fertile, fragrant prose.” Her memoir ‘Mating in Captivity’ details her experiences joining Zendik Farm, a commune in North Carolina with the motto ‘Stop Bitching, Start a Revolution’, which she came across in 1999. Helen stayed until 2004, but it wasn’t until the following year that she recognised she’d been in a cult. Special Guest: Helen Zuman Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 4 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Mating in Captivity: A Memoir — by Helen Zuman, She Writes Press, 2018The Green Alternative At Zendik Arts Farm, a Commune Strives for a Dollar and Change — by Fredrick Kunkle, The Washington Post, 22 January 2006Who Are These People? — by Ryan Grim, Washington City Paper, 4-10 November 2005Commune Unplugs From the World to Save It — by Tom Gorman, Los Angeles Times, 19 April 1987Leaving Zendik Farm — by Alison Rooney, The Highlands Current, 9 May 2017Wulf Zendik — Facebook pageArol Wulf-Zendik — Facebook profileThe Work of Wulf Zendik — online archive of Wulf Zendik’s writings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Journalist A.M. Gittlitz released his book I Want to Believe: Posadism, UFOs and Apocalypse Communism earlier this year. In it, he explores the fascinating world of the Posadists – a Latin American Trotskyist group who are best known today for their zany beliefs around extra-terrestrial and dolphin intelligence. But their movement had a lot more to it than this, and in its later days would devolve into a cult around the authoritarian leadership of J. Posadas.Gittlitz drew on considerable archival research and numerous interviews with ex- and current Posadists in writing his book, and he spoke to me about the more cultic elements of this unusual socialist movement.Special Guest: A.M. Gittlitz.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.LinksI Want to Believe: Posadism, UFOs and Apocalypse Communism — by A.M. Gittlitz, 2020 (Use code POSADAS20 for 20% discount)J. Posadas, the Trotskyist Who Believed in Intergalactic Communism — an interview with A.M. Gittlitz by David Broder, Jacobin, 5 April 2020A.M. Gittlitz on Twitter, and on The Antifada podcastPromo: The Troubles podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Children of God, later known as The Family, became notorious for their practise called “flirty fishing”. They believed in bringing up their children to have no inhibitions around sex, but the ramifications of their approach to this would echo through the generations as trauma, and result in a shocking murder-suicide committed by the very son prophesied as the Prince who would lead them through the End Times. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:The Origins of a Movement: From "The Children of God" to "The Family International" — website archive from thefamily.org, 29 April 2009The Children of God: The Inside Story — by Deborah Davis & Bill Davis, Zondervan Publications, 1984The Children of God — by Robert McFarland, MD, The Journal of Psychohistory, Volume 24 Issue 4, Spring 1994The Family in Transition: The Moral Career of a New Religious Movement — by Gordon Shepherd and Gary Shepherd, research paper presented at CESNUR International Conference 2002The "RNR"! Destruction of the Super-Blob & the New Nationalisation — by David Berg, Mo Letter, January 1978The Pubs Purges — scanned and archived on exfamily.org, June 1991 & March 1996Summit ’93 Mama Jewels! — No.2, portion of newsletter by Karen Zerby written in 1992 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Children of God, later known as The Family, became notorious for their practise called “flirty fishing”. They believed in bringing up their children to have no inhibitions around sex, but the ramifications of their approach to this would echo through the generations as trauma, and result in a shocking murder-suicide committed by the very son prophesied as the Prince who would lead them through the End Times. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:The Origins of a Movement: From "The Children of God" to "The Family International" — website archive from thefamily.org, 29 April 2009The Children of God: The Inside Story — by Deborah Davis & Bill Davis, Zondervan Publications, 1984The Children of God — by Robert McFarland, MD, The Journal of Psychohistory, Volume 24 Issue 4, Spring 1994The Family in Transition: The Moral Career of a New Religious Movement — by Gordon Shepherd and Gary Shepherd, research paper presented at CESNUR International Conference 2002The "RNR"! Destruction of the Super-Blob & the New Nationalisation — by David Berg, Mo Letter, January 1978The Pubs Purges — scanned and archived on exfamily.org, June 1991 & March 1996Summit ’93 Mama Jewels! — No.2, portion of newsletter by Karen Zerby written in 1992 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Robert Stevens wrote when he was just 14 years old: “My joy must be in doing His will, in being His slave, in the confidence that whatever comes to me, when following Him, is His doing. In a real sense, I make Him responsible for my life.” He was writing about Jesus Christ, but it would turn out in the decades following that he could well have been writing to his future devotees as to how they should feel about himself.UPDATE: The Oops! I'm in a Cult podcast found that John Robert Stevens' 'To Be a Christian' was plagiarised word for word from this text, published in 1897. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects. Links:I Saw Satan: Breaking away from a Boomer Christian cult — by Andrew Marzoni, The Baffler, No. 44, March 2019Vain Glory — documentary film by Tony Cox, 1986A Brief History of The Living Word Fellowship — internet archive of The Living Word Fellowship’s now defunct websiteThe Life of John Robert Stevens — website about John Robert Stevens by The Living Word, “a California nonprofit corporation”, accessed February 2020Frequently Asked Questions — Shiloh website, accessed February 2020An Open Letter to The Living Word Fellowship Congregation — from Shalom Abrahamson-Caples, 24 October 2018Shalom Abrahamson-Caples’ Facebook post — linking to the open letter, 25 October 2018Comparison of ‘To Be a Christian’ and excerpt from ‘The Call of the Cross’ — comparing John Robert Stevens’ 1933 text and George Herron’s 1892 text Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1996, journalist Madeleine Bunting wrote for The Guardian UK: “Most of the 130,000 Buddhists in this country are in the caring professions, or are academics, or are part of an ex-hippy culture; they are trusting, idealistic and naive. They thought Buddhism was immune to the fanaticism and hypocrisy which riddles all religions. The controversy surrounding the NKT is shattering illusions that Buddhism was the one fail-safe religion.” Twenty years later, clinical psychologist Dr Michelle Haslam joined the NKT under that very same illusion – one that she now feels obliged to help truly shatter herself. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:Geshe Kelsang Gyatso — biography by Tenzin Peljor and Carol McQuire, Tibetan Buddhism in the West blog, 2015To the Tibetan Buddhists around the world and fellow Tibetan compatriots within and outside Tibet — undated open letter with 15 Tibetan official signatoriesSeparate document regarding Geshe Kelsang's personal situation — Kelsang Gyatso statement on NKT letterhead, June 2008Recovery from The New Kadampa Tradition – A Resource Centre — website by Dr Michelle Haslam and former NKT membersPotential harm to mental and physical health through exposure to The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT-IKBU), Version 4 — by Dr Michelle Haslam, 17 January 2020Dr Michelle Haslam: Plagiarization & Misrepresentation of Research — website attributed to “Dr Robert Harrison”, archived as at 23 January 2020 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hare Krishnas are often seen as joyous, harmless people, dancing their way through the streets, chanting to bells in their colourful robes. But in one particular Australian offshoot, a young woman named Lina told me about her not-so-harmless experiences. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:About ISKCON — background at Krishna.com, accessed November 2019What You Need to Know About Hare Krishnas — by Barbara Bradley Hagerty, NPR, 22 May 2008Wollumbin — Geographical Names Extract, Geographical Names Board, accessed November 2019Wollumbin (Mount Warning) summit track — NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service listing, accessed November 2019Hardly Krishna — by Sushi Das, The Age, 2 June 2003Judge Rejects Charges of ‘Brainwashing’ Against Hare Krishna Aides — by Murray Schumach, The New York Times, 18 March 1977Krishna Expels Leader of Group Under U.S. Probe — UPI, Los Angeles Times, 18 March 1987 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

WANTED: families to volunteer to live for six months in the Australian outback “to advance the frontiers of social science.” Be part of a cutting edge research project to test the ideal human environment. In a country known for a population that loves to travel, the write-ups appealed to plenty of adventurous spirits. Little did they know the reality of what they would be getting themselves into. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:A snake in the grass — by Andrew Burrell, The Weekend Australian Magazine, 24 August 2019The Utopia Project — by Andrew Burrell, The Weekend Australian Magazine, 8 August 2015Cult friction — by Frank Robson, Good Weekend, 6 November 1999Cult leader James 'Taipan' Salerno jailed for repeated sexual abuse of teenage girl — by Rebecca Opie, ABC News, 29 July 2019Leader of Adelaide Cult the ‘Ideal Human Environment’ Has Been Jailed for Sexual Abuse — by Gavin Butler, VICE, 30 July 2019Salute to Adelaide Hills cult leader inspired by Gladiator movie, court told — by Rebecca Opie, ABC News, 19 October 2018 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Followers of The Move rejected mainstream society and headed into the wilderness in the 1970s, building isolated communities that were to set them up for the coming Apocalypse. Many ex-members would later tell stories of physical hardship, beatings, and worse, experienced in these communities. Move leader Sam Fife told devotees that should he ever die, they could consider it proof that he was a false prophet. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:Swindled by Faith: A Time For Reconciliation — by Richard A Kiers, Tellwell Talent, 2019Practices of Cults Receiving New Scrutiny — The New York Times, 21 January 1979From Survivor to Thriver — by Angela “Vennie” Kocsis, ICSA Today, Vol. 5, No. 3, 2014Vennie Kocsis’ website — includes various collected materials about The MoveBrother Sam Prepares His Flock For The ‘End Days’ — by Adon Taft, Charleston Daily, 10 April 1975Awaiting apocalypse in the Peace River Valley — by Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, 27 October 2016Peace River commune awaits imminent apocalypse: Christian community of 250 shuns TV and requires year-long courtship void of physical contact — by Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, 22 September 2003 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Australian esoteric healing organisation Universal Medicine teaches that entities known as The Four Lords of Form rule over 9-foot-tall spirits that are all around us, and that most people have lived at least 2,300 lives before. Former student Matt Sutherland told Sunday Night journalist Matt Doran that he would describe Universal Medicine’s founder Serge Benhayon as “a human wrecking ball.”CORRECTION: The 'groping' allegations were found to be conveyed by the publication but the court did not find that Esther Rockett had proven them true. Defences of honest opinion and qualified privilege were upheld for these allegations. This episode has been updated to remove these points. Also, Esther Rockett named herself "Darkly Venus" and "Pranic Princess", it was not Serge Benhayon who did so. Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention. Links:The Cult: International investigation into Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine — by Matt Doran, Sunday Night, Channel 7, 17 February 2019Australian cult leader Serge Benhayon targeted in international investigation — by Matt Doran, Sunday Night, Channel 7, 15 May 2019The Da Vinci Mode — by David Leser, Good Weekend, 25 August 2012Universal Medicine cult founder exposed as ‘charlatan’ — by Rhian Deutrom, news.com.au, 18 February 2019Universal Medicine 'cult' received hundreds of thousands in charity donations from prominent donors — by Josh Robertson, ABC News, 14 September 2019 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Edgar Bronfman Sr. of the Seagram liquor fortune once wrote a testimonial for a course he had taken through an organisation called Executive Success Programs, or ESP. He said, quote, “If everyone were to go through this training, the world would be a much better and safer place to live.” Seventeen years later, the leader and inner circle of that same organisation, now going under the name NXIVM, would be on trial for charges including sex trafficking, forced labour, fraud, extortion and child pornography.UPDATE: Keith Raniere sentenced to 120 years in prison. Allison Mack sentenced to 3 years in prison.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.With thanks to Audio-Technica, presenting partner for season 3 of Let's Talk About Sects.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:The Founder of “Nxivm,” a Purported Self-Help Organization Based in Albany, N.Y., Arrested for Sex Trafficking and Forced Labor Conspiracy — US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New YorkComplaint and Affidavit — US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New YorkJury Finds Nxivm Leader Keith Raniere Guilty of All Counts — US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the 14 June 2019, news broke in Australia that many people had been waiting on for a number of years. That news was the death of this country’s most notorious cult leader, Anne Hamilton-Byrne.In this bonus episode, I’m bringing you an interview with investigative journalist Chris Johnston, who has been looking into The Family for quite some time. He worked with director Rosie Jones on her recent documentary ‘The Cult of the Family’, and they also co-wrote a book together about the group and its history. Chris spoke to me from Melbourne.CORRECTION: In this episode I mentioned that Chris Johnston is a senior journalist for The Age. He worked with The Age for 20 years but is not currently working there.Special Guest: Chris Johnston.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:The Family: The shocking true story of a notorious cult — by Chris Johnston & Rosie Jones, Scribe Publications, 2016The Family — Documentary film website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chung Moo Quan positioned itself as a superior martial arts school that taught eight different practices at once. Though this may have originally struck prospective students as a bargain-and-a-half, many who chose to take it up would come out the other end having lost thousands of dollars, personal relationships and job opportunities, and even their sense of self. Before the school’s founder and four other defendants were jailed in 1995, various experts had told reporters that Chung Moo Quan fit their definition of a destructive cult.Special Guest: Russell Johnson.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:Deceived: The Moo Years — podcast by Russell Johnson, with many resources from his researchHerding the Moo: Exploits of a Martial Arts Cult — by Joe Smith, Trafford Publishing, 2006Investigators: Students take aim at martial arts school — by Chris Ingalls, KING 5 News, 16 February 2005The Cult and the Con — special report by Pam Zekman, CBS 2 Chicago, 1989Chung Moonies? Critics call martial-arts club a cult of violence and greed — by Ric Kahn, The Boston Phoenix, 25 October 1991Be True to Your School — by Jennifer Vogel, City Pages, 1 April 1992The Martial Arts Cult of John C. Kim — by Laurence Gonzales, unpublished article for Penthouse, 5 May 1992 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Order of the Solar Temple was a secret society that would go down sharing the pages of history with Jonestown, the Branch Davidians and Heaven’s Gate. But is it fair to compare the groups? When it comes to incidents of mass violence and cults, perhaps it may be unavoidable. Because whether they ended in mass murder-suicide or a different form of violence, in spite of the striking ideological differences between them, there were some similarities – in all of these groups that ended with such undeniable tragedy.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:Millennium, Messiahs, and Mayhem: Contemporary Apocalyptic Movements — by Thomas Robbins & Susan J. Palmer, Psychology Press, 1997Pont-Saint-Esprit poisoning: Did the CIA spread LSD? — by Mike Thomson, BBC News, 23 August 2010Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis — AMORC international websiteThe Tragedy Of The Solar Temple Cult — by Stephen Dafoe, TemplarHistory.com, 1 April 2010A Preacher With a Dark Side Led Cultists to Swiss Chalets — by Alan Riding, The New York Times, 9 October 1994The Order of the Solar Temple: The Temple of Death — by Professor James R Lewis, Ashgate Publishing, 2013Coroner's Report into the deaths at Morin Heights, Cheiry and Salvan — in French, June 1996"Our Terrestrial Journey is Coming to an End": The Last Voyage of the Solar Temple — by Jean-Francois Mayer, Nova Religio, 1999 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A New Zealand-born man who moved to Australia in the 1970s and started a sect, telling his eventual 9 wives and 60-plus children that he was Jesus Christ, was put behind bars for 7 years in Victoria in 2000. In spite of the fairly sensational nature of his lifestyle and crimes, his name is not well-known here, and his polygamous group gained the most media attention when a recent Bachelor Australia contestant was outed by the press for her childhood involvement.This episode we’re talking about a cult that didn’t officially have a name, but was unofficially referred to as The Seaside Sect.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:Abuser kept secret through cult of fear — by Naomi Larkin, NZ Herald, 12 August 2000Meet Sam and James, the Unsuspecting Villains of Netflix's 'Instant Hotel' — by Pippa Raga, Distractify, 11 January 2019Cult head, 71, molested girls, trial told — AAP, The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 July 2000'Harem' deserts convicted guru — AAP, The Age, 4 August 2000'Guru' jailed for child molestation — News24, 11 August 2000Polygamist guru faces new child sex charges — by Katie Lapthorne, The Courier Mail, 8 March 2003Ian Francis LOWE Death Notice — New Zealand Herald, 14 April 2012The Bachelor Cult Bombshell — Alison Petrovsky, A Current Affair, 8 August 2016 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joy Kuo and her husband moved to Sydney from Taiwan in 2000, and the couple both began working for the University of Sydney Library the following year. They both studied for and gained their masters degrees, and enjoyed their work. By 2012 they had had a son together, and Joy found herself wanting to help humanity in some greater way. She was looking for something she could really dedicate herself to in her career.Iphigenie Amoutzias moved to New Zealand from Germany in 1996. She completed postgraduate studies in her new home country, and had practised Buddhism for many years. By 2011 she had reached a point in her life where something seemed to be missing. She felt that the modern world was lacking in connection, that technology was driving people apart, and that she wanted to be surrounded with a greater sense of community.Both women came across the same new age group at this point in their lives. They had no idea that years later they would find themselves broke, emotionally affected, and questioning all of their previous decisions to become involved.Special Guest: Joy Kuo & Iphigenie Amoutzias.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:KF websiteBad Vibrations – The implosion of a New Age cult — by Steve Kilgallon and Tony Wall, stuff.co.nz, July 2018NZ Cult List — Entry for KFKF Foundation webpageKF Chronicles — blog credited to Ananya Bhakt NiranjanaAwakening with Joy — YouTube channel by Joy KuoJoy’s Story — by Joy Kuo, via the Cult Information and Family Support (CIFS) website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grace J. Adams and Poia Alpha are two sisters from New Zealand, who joined David Koresh’s Branch Davidians in the 1980s along with their other sister, the younger Rebecca. Poia left the sect in early 1990, and Grace in late 1991. Rebecca remained with the group at the compound in Waco, Texas, and perished in the fire of April 1993. Grace and Poia have recently released their memoir, called ‘Hearken O Daughter’, and I caught up with them on a recent trip to Auckland.Special Guest: Grace J. Adams and Poia Alpha.Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.Links:Hearken O Daughter — by Grace J. Adams and Poia Alpha, 2018Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships — by Janja Lalich and Madeleine Tobias, Bay Tree Publishing, 2006 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.