jon atack, family and friends

Many young men are attracted to what some call 'toxic masculinity,' which rejects the equality of women and preaches aggression. This includes 'incels' or involuntary celibates. Most of these young men feel rejected, so they want to build their muscles and assert their maleness. Steve and Jon talk about the failure to teach our kids how to deal with rejection, how to communicate we...

Joe is a leading cult specialist with decades of experience. Today's discussion kicks off with a discussion of the origins of much of the 'New Age' in the Russian Empire - Blavatsky, Gurdjieff, Ouspensky, and Roerich were among the founders of our contemporary cultic groups. Throughout history, some of the most powerful and influential people have been believers in the occult. Abe Linc...

Felicia came to international fame when she helped to convict Larry Ray for sixy years. The documentary Stolen Youth shows how she was lured into the Sarah Lawrence cult after two of her siblings had joined. After asking Jon a couple of questions about Tom Cruise and Scientology, Felicia describes her recruitment while she was interning as a doctor at the University of South California. Felicia ha...

we project the virtues we lack into heroes. When we forget that our heroes have feet of clay, they become idols and we fall into adolescent awe of their abilities. Abilities that we have projected into them. Cult leaders are often deeply insecure people who fuel themselves with the adulation of their followers. Hoyt asks if any of Epstein's thousands of clients will ever see trial for their cr...

In part two of this two-part talk, recent Scientology defector Amir Essalhi talks with Jon about Jon's books, Scientology, its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and its current leader, David Miscavige. Amir describes Scientology leader David Miscavige's premature aging and shares examples of his cruelty and greed.  NOTE: this is part two of a two-part talk.  Part one is here Links:  Jon’s papers: N...

Amir left Scientology in January. He's now read Jon's books, Opening Our Minds and Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, and has a few questions about Scientology, its founder, L. Ron Hubbard, and its current leader, David Miscavige. Amir shares examples of the cruelty and greed he witnessed while in. Jon also talks about Ron Hubbard's cancellation of Dianetics because it is...

ICSA has long represented the interface between scholars and cult specialists in the US. Jon talks with Carol Merchasin about her own background as an advocate for survivors of spirtual abuse and the direction ICSA is taking. Links: ICSA's new website Scheflin’s Social Influence Model Steven Hassan’s BITE model And his Influence Continuum

Joe reflects on Ryan Gosling's movie - which he enjoyed - and human fascination with an escape to another and alien culture. He talks about his experience as a participant observer at a Catholic men's Wild Man gathering and displays the merch he picked up there - including illustrated advice to "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devi...

Håkan left Scientology in the early '80s - at around the same time as Jon - and followed a similar course, seeking to understand the deeply manipulative methods sold as therapy by Ron Hubbard. Håkan qualified as a psychologist and spent three years touring Swedish schools with a mentalist, showing teenagers how easily we can be tricked. It is surprising how few former Scientologists have reach...

Therapy can happen spontaneously. Trauma can lead to understanding. We often help others better because we've had a similar experience. A wide-ranging discussion about education, government, the media, and morbid entertainment, along with a critique of social attitudes towards offenders. More on the Mendota Study

a fascinating chat with Cara Cordoni, who escaped a tantric sex cult and is now working to help others make safer choices. Visit Cara's new channel on YouTube Listen to her podcast on Apple and on Spotify and check out Cara's Substack buy Jon's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World And listen to a free sample FREE download of our "human predator" poster Jon's site I...

Jon and Chris take apart Scientology's book of basics to help former members understand just how crazy Hubbard's ideas are. Many fascinating tales of early Scientology antics, many revelations, and much that is generally unknown.read Jeff Jacobsen's "The Hubbard is Bare" Read Jon's paper, "Possible Origins for Dianetics and Scientology" or watch the video: part...

Romey Beliles became obsessed with Scientology in High School. He spent 35 years trying to achieve the promises made in Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health, but was thwarted at every step by Scientology officials. Eventually, he took his own life in Clearwater, Florida, in the hope that he would be reborn in a Scientology family. Tony Ortega talks about the months he spent meticulously...

The inspiring real-life story of Kelvin Pierce, whose autobiography The Sins of My Father exposed the despicable behaviour of his father, author of The Turner Diaries and America's most outspoken Nazi. Kelvin shares his journey from the hatred instilled in him by his vicious father to compassion after he adopted two babies from the country of Georgia and through them learned how to love. Twent...

Cult specialist Joe Szimhart's next book will be about the 'siddhis' - the magical powers described in Sanskrit literature. We examine all eight of these powers - from the ability to shrink to the size of an atom to the ability to force your intention on others - and make detours into shamanistic, Carlos Castaneda, New Age, and Scientological belief.buy Jon's latest book, If Scient...

How do cults work to retain members? A big part of the process is isolation. Hoyt Richards joins Jon for an exploration of the sudden personality changes that can come with cult involvement and how to deal with these changes. They also trade some tips on how to reconnect with your family and friends after leaving a high-control relationship. Note: the title of Rory Stewart's book is "Poli...

Steve Moffic, MD (aka Dr Jazz) joins Jon in a wide-ranging conversation about cults, bullying, race, culture, jazz and Uncle Tom Cobley and all (and all).Here's the NYT editorial that started the convo Buy Jon's Opening Our Minds and Jon's latest book, If Scientology Ruled the World And listen to a free sample here Jon's translation of Tao Te Ching get your FREE predator poster dow...

Restart and Restore is Rachel's new step-by-step guide to cult recovery. Rachel is one of the few qualified and experienced counsellors with significant experience helping former cult members. She has distilled her experience into a highly accessible book that some with a handy-sized companion volume when you are out and about. If you’ve just left a ‘cult’ or are freaked out about your members...

Like many others watching what's been happening on YouTube, Spike has been really frustrated by the censorship, the hypocrisy of that censorship, and the general downfall of what used to be a great platform. Jon joins her for a good rant, pointing out how this is nothing new. They embark on a wide-ranging discussion on what we can and can't say - and why. Buy Jon's book here Listen to...

Allatra is what esteemed cult expert Joe Szimhart calls an 'autocratic self-sealing system,' which is to say that it traps followers in the imaginarium of its creator, as do all destructive cults. Allatra is a mish-mash of the usual supernaturalist notions channelled by its leader and recorded in an 800-page text that Joe has reviewed for an upcoming International Cultic Studies journal. A...

part two of chapter six: Hubbard the godmaker Like this sample? buy the whole book here Written by Jon Atack, author of the bestselling expose, Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, this book is a frightening look into an alarming possible future – and a fascinating deep dive into the history that could lead us there.#scientologycult #davidmiscavige

part one of chapter six: Hubbard the godmaker Like this sample? buy the whole book here Written by Jon Atack, author of the bestselling expose, Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, this book is a frightening look into an alarming possible future – and a fascinating deep dive into the history that could lead us there.#scientologycult #davidmiscavige

part two of chapter five: The Blood Ritual and The Fool Like this sample? buy the whole book here Written by Jon Atack, author of the bestselling expose, Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, this book is a frightening look into an alarming possible future – and a fascinating deep dive into the history that could lead us there.#scientologycult #davidmiscavige

part one of chapter five: The Blood Ritual and The Fool Like this sample? buy the whole book here Written by Jon Atack, author of the bestselling expose, Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, this book is a frightening look into an alarming possible future – and a fascinating deep dive into the history that could lead us there.#scientologycult #davidmiscavige

part three of chapter four: The Empress – Hubbard’s Holy Guardian Angel Like this sample? buy the whole book here Written by Jon Atack, author of the bestselling expose, Let's Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, this book is a frightening look into an alarming possible future – and a fascinating deep dive into the history that could lead us there.#scientologycult #davidmiscavige