Cults to Consciousness

Blamed and shamed for sexual sin she never committed, Jess was forced into multiple IBLP training centers for “bad girls” where she was put on a no-speak order for weeks at a time. Punished for asking for basic needs during extreme manual labor in the intense heat, she constantly felt to blame for not measuring up to impossible standards. Her story is one of perseverance and strength as she finall...

When a young boy's family joins the Institute in Basic Life Principles cult (as seen on the "Shiny Happy People" doc), his life gets a lot more complicated. Shamed for having a girlfriend at 16, his family moves him out of state then sends him away to an IBLP training/rehabilitation center for "bad kids". The goal, to break his mind, body, and soul into submission. After leaving the cult at 18, he...

Finally! The details about our extra, over the top, Old Hollywood wedding at the Historic Los Angeles Movie Palace built in 1931! It was incredible and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We both were able to showcase our talents in unique ways and offer a production and wild experience for our guests! Make sure to keep your eyes on the screen for this one. There are a LOT of photos and...

Sentenced to 120 years in prison for racketeering, sex trafficking, and many more nefarious sexual offense counts, Keith Raniere once led the MLM cult, NXIVM, which at its height had 700 active members. Along with Sarah Edmondson, Mark Vicente helped recruit members, and then ultimately helped bring it down. Their departure from the cult is documented in the HBO documentary series, The Vow. In tod...

With the explosion of cult documentaries in the last 10 years, and the subsequent exposure and awareness it's brought, viewers are rushing to watch as many possible. But there may be some shocking ones you may have missed! In this episode, Dr. John Dehlin (Mormon Stories podcast), and I, break down our top 10 must watch cult docs of the past decade. Click here to watch on YouTube(Clickable Chapter...

**Content Warning: mentions of child SA** Emily Elizabeth Anderson—a featured survivor on the cult documentary “Shiny Happy People” exposing the IBLP— is an example of how abuse thrives within these extreme fundamentalist Christian teachings. She endured trauma after trauma which caused her body to shut down with Crohn’s disease. Once she recognized the abuse at the hands of her father and Bill Go...

**Content Warning: various mentions of CA** Upon watching the Shiny Happy People documentary, I realized they essentially had all the same rules as the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints group (FLDS) aside from practicing polygamy. Joined by Sam and Melissa from @GrowingUpinPolygamy , we dissect all the ways the IBLP (Institute in Basic Life Principles) mirror the FLDS.Click here to watch on YouTube...

**Content Warning: Brief mentions of child ab*se, domestic ab*se, suic*de ideation** The Institute in Basic Life Principles is an extreme Christian fundamentalist set of beliefs that took hold on society when The Duggars (from TLC’s “19 kids and Counting”) made it popular. These beliefs look “Happy and Shiny” from the surface, but deep inside rots the truth about the misogynistic, abusive and oppr...

The Kingston Clan is known for their incestuous polygamy in an effort to keep their "bloodline" pure. From deformities and infertility, to racism and coercion, take a peek inside "The Order"—an extremist off shoot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormonism) with Amanda Rae from the TV show "Escaping Polygamy".Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable chapter markers available...

"The Order" or the "Kingston Clan" is known for their incestuous practices of polygamy in an effort to keep their "bloodline pure". They are a fundamentalist branch of Mormonism in Salt Lake City where marrying 1st cousins and even half siblings is seen as perfectly fine. Amanda Rae, who was raised in this group, escaped at 17 and was seen on the TV show "Escaping Polygamy" helping others to do th...

**Content Warning: brief mentions of suicide ideation 1 hr 34 mins in** Within mainstream Mormonism is a fundamentalist group that takes the "Latter Days" incredibly serious. They are loosely known as the Doomsday or Prepper Mormons. Rachel lived in extreme poverty, rarely received any medical attention, had no power or running water and had no idea she was in a cult until years and years later. N...

**Content Warning: Mentions of SA** Raised in Scientology, at 12 years old, the church accused her of “Instigating” her own S.A., then sent her away to a Scientology boarding school, where the abuse continued. For the first time, Daisy opens up about her horrific childhood growing up in Scientology. Learn why scientologist perpetrators are often unpunished, while the victims suffer in silence. Lis...

Once excommunicated from the Jehovah's Witness faith, Rome's life completely changed. Shunned from his mother and other family members, he meets India, who slowly helps him deconstruct and acclimates him to a world full of Holidays and birthday celebrations. A beautiful love story of patience, understanding and acceptance. Click here to watch the episode on YouTube(clickable chapter markers availa...

**Content Warning: Brief mentions of Suic*de Ideation and R*pe**Daniella Mestyanek Young finally escaped the Children of God sex cult at age 15 desperately trying to acclimate to life in the US and starting school for the first time. Her accolades and honors would land her in the US military which not only compounded upon her growing mound of trauma, but eventually leading her to an impossible bre...

***CONTENT WARNING: Mentions of child sexual assault/physical abuse, child trafficking and sex***Please listen with care. This episode is very heavy and potentially triggering. This is, however, an important story to tell. Daniella Mestyanek Young was born and raised in the Children of God sex cult, who's goal was to raise sexually liberated children with little to no secular education. This is th...

You met Chavie in a previous episode. A determined mother who took a long hard road out of Hasidic Judaism so her children could have more choices that she did growing up. Now you get to hear from one of her children! Ruby recounts what it was like being forced to live a judge ordered Hasidic lifestyle, until they stood up and said no. From learning what they had been missing in school, to unearth...

Any day, the verdict will be in! Will Danny Masterson be charged for the violent r*pe of 3 different women? Joined by Aaron with @GrowingUpInScientology , we discuss his full live coverage of the May 2023 trial in Los Angeles and all the characters who are playing a role behind the scenes. From scientology lawyers, propaganda bloggers and even a reverend, to Leah Remini in the court room, there is...

For someone who planned to name their children using every letter of the alphabet, everyone was shocked when he left the fundamentalist Mormon church called The Work. He was dedicated, invested, had his first kiss at the alter of his arranged marriage, and ultimately his curiosity and empathy led him out. Calvin Wayman's journey is inspiring! Make sure to check out the first episode we did, explai...

Calvin and I dissect the world of Mormon Fundamentalism, from mind control, decision coercion, EXTREME racist teachings from the early prophets and the secret sauce to creating the most controlling cults. Learn the good and bad of growing up with 4 mothers and 44 siblings in the same home, and how they redefined the meaning of monogamy in unexpected ways. Click here to watch the episode on YouTube...

At 17 she realized she was in a religious prison. She had just been "arranged" to be married to a stranger and had been plotting her escape for 2 years. Determined not to become a plural wife for the sole purpose of having as many children as possible, she did whatever it took to leave and pursue higher education at a large cost. See how she transformed her life and navigated the hard lessons of t...

Isolated from the outside world while imprisoned in the FLDS compound, Judith Bateman breaks down her childhood in the Warren Jeffs polygamy cult. In a reality where “the more wives a husband has the more Righteous he is” Jude talks what it was like growing up with 17 siblings and 2 mothers, “demonstrating readiness" at 12 years old, being turned in to Warren Jeffs himself, how everyone’s pets wer...

A father fights the Quebec government after realizing the secular education both he and his children had gotten in their Hasidic Yeshivas, were intentionally not up to the legal state requirements. Struggling with ostracization, dishonor and a battle to keep their own children after leaving the sect, Yohanan Lowen continues to fight for the children who don’t know any better. Click here to watch t...

**Content warning: Sexual Abuse/Sexual Discussions** A brave and fierce mother, Chavie Weisberger, divulges the deepest, darkest corners of her life from growing up in a very strict ultra-orthodox sect of Judaism ran by her grandfather. She shares her heart-wrenching custody battle and how the courts forced her to conform to the religion years after she had left it behind. Listen with caution, thi...

Speaking the language of Angels, literal demons attached to people who were sinning, exorcisms of alcoholics and more. This church shaped Derek's early teen years until he tried many other denominations of Christianity in search of the right one. As a pastor in training, during his intense studies of the Bible, he ended up going an unexpected direction. Derek runs the Mythvision YouTube channel wh...

*Content Warning: Child abuse* No child should have to endure what Kelli went through. These abusive, Scientology practices were encouraged by the doctrine and the church throughout her entire childhood. I'm amazed at how she has risen above it all and truly embodies compassion and empathy for others who are or have gone through similar abusive situations. Click here to watch on YouTube(clickable...