jon atack, family and friends

Mark "Warrior" Plummer has had an amazing life, of which his membership in Scientology is only a small fraction - but a fascinating one! Join us as Jon and Mark talk about Mark’s early days in Scientology, his entrance into the Sea Org, and his eventual exit and first days protesting against Scientology abuses. Links: Mark's website for more on Gregg Hagglund, read Tony Ortega's...

In this heartwarming chat, Kelvin Pierce tells us about his work helping hundreds of children in the small country of Georgia. Kelvin wrote The Sins of My Father about his own terrible childhood as the son of America's leading neo-Nazi - the author of The Turner Diaries. His childhood left him angry and with no self-esteem. He has come to exemplify the thriving survivor. In 1995, he and his wi...

Documentarian, actor and former cult member Hoyt Richards talks with Jon about the need to take responsibility for what we did and said when in an authoritarian cult. It is important to understand how we hurt other people and not to excuse our misdeeds and harsh words by saying we were "in a cult". Once we've accepted our imperfect behavior, we can take steps to heal those we hurt an...

Kacey tells us about her Cult Vault project where she chats with survivors and experts about authoritarian cults and coercive control. Kacey also talks about Jon's Opening Our Minds and the pair discuss recent events relating to Harry and Meghan and whether the British Royal Family is a cult. Links: Blink, Think, Choice, Voice Spike's Blink, Think, Choice, Voice song Institute for propagan...

Chris Shelton has a master's degree in the psychology of coercive control. He was born into Scientology and has made a study of its use of mind control techniques. Jon explains his own extensive research into the real foundations of hypnotic susceptibility. Hypnosis is not something done to us but an aspect of our everyday processing of the world. Understanding this makes us much less vulnerab...

Harry Palmer transformed his Scientology Franchise into Avatar in the 1980s. Despite staff allegations of misconduct, he was able to create a worldwide movement with more members than the International Association of Scientologists. Ariela Sarai graduated from Columbia University in philosophy and religion and then spent six months working with Mother Theresa's outreach program before studying...

Karen and Jon talk about the humiliation of Scientology staff through sexual control, from the publication of their intimate details to enforced abortion. Links: Ramana's story in the Daily Mail Ramana's story⁠  in the Village Voice Links to Scientology deaths: Fandom Wiki's list Spike's own list Why are they dead? They should not have died Listverse: Ten Strange deaths connected t...

Mike Rinder, former head of harassment for Scientology, author of A Billion Years and co-creator of Aftermath shares insights about recovery from Scientology and prompts Jon to talk about how to maintain a relationship with a Scientologist. Also some conversation about the decline of Scientology and its causes - including Rich Behar's Time article and South Park's Come Out of the Closet. Links: &n...

Mark Bunker is one of those rare 'never-ins' who stood up to Scientology. He tells the story of his introduction to the subject and how his concerns grew until he moved to Clearwater to work with the Lisa McPherson Trust. In this talk, he shares the work he's done as one of Clearwater's five councilors and David Miscavige's hamfisted attempts to control the city. Mark is an inspiration to us all....

Documentarian, actor, and interventionist Hoyt Richards talks with Jon about the effects that cult involvement has on those close to a member. This subject is rarely discussed because the emphasis is on the damage done to the member. Hoyt talks about his brother's attempt at an intervention which severed their communication for years. Tips and strategies for helping members and a broad discussion...

Jon has been diving deep into the Chinese Thought Reform program, started by Mao and continuing to this day in Xinjiang. Jon explores parallels with the Thought Reform program and Chris's experience of Scientology's mind-bending Truth Rundown. Through "re-education" China and North Korea have created two of the most obedient societies of all time. To what extent does Scientology employ the same ap...

Mike Rinder ran Scientology's intelligence agency for years. He worked directly for Ron Hubbard and for David Miscavige. Mike talks about his dedication to Scientology and the complex network of circumstances that made him a true believer willing to harass and try to destroy critics of Scientology. Mike shows how a decent, compassionate, intelligent person can become the tool of an unscrupulous au...

As one of the eight most highly trained Scientologists on the planet, Karen was involved in applying Scientology to Lisa-Marie Presley from the age of eleven. Karen and Jon explain how even highly intelligent and successful people are lured into Scientology through the euphoric experiences it provides.   Links:   Ex-Scientology Kids    Australian Royal Commission

Jon talks with his longtime friend and colleague Steven Hassan, PhD. Steven is famous for his groundbreaking book, Combating Cult Mind Control, and his penetrative analysis, The Cult of Trump. In a wide-ranging discussion, Steven and Jon talk about authoritarianism, QAnon, psy-ops and the war against experts and explain why they both have hope for humanity, as long as we take responsibility and ov...

Jon reads a keynote paper given to the Europe-wide cult monitoring group FECRIS in Copenhagen. Jon challenges the peculiar IRS decision to allow tax-exempt status to Scientology and explains why this should be reversed.   To see the original paper, complete with footnotes and sources [scroll to page 68]

How Ron Hubbard rebranded childish ideas of magical belief into his 'science of mind'/'religion' Scientology. A deep dive into the relationship between 'intention' in Scientology and the 'will' of the Crowleyite magickal system. With diversions into loaded language and Ron Hubbard's perverted sexual behavior. Is Scientology a "gnostic" faith or simply a system of smoke and mirrors?   As...

in 1952, Hubbard explained how he was going to construct Scientology. As he said, Scientology is a game, but you may have wondered what the rules of the game are. Here Hubbard explains that he is the "game-maker" and that, at best, we are no more than players (more usually simply pieces). The first of a series of pieces that first appeared in Tony Ortega's Underground Bunker during its first decad...

Actor, documentarian, and Princeton graduate Hoyt Richards talks about his recovery from a small, isolated cult group. Hoyt found the aftermath of the cult even more challenging than his 20-year membership. He left the group because he believed he simply wasn't good enough. As with most members of authoritarian groups, he was constantly set up to fail and felt demeaned. Hoyt tells us how important...

Armed with fuzzy reindeer antlers, penguin earrings, and a healthy sense of humor, Spike joins Jon to examine the concept of Santa Claus, the way we treat faith in general, and the ubiquitous trope in holiday movies of unquestioning faith "winning out" over worldly skepticism. Grab your eggnog and a slice of mince pie; this is going to be a bumpy sleigh ride.   Links:   List of St. Nick...

leading cult specialist Joe Szimhart joins Jon for a discussion about the popular gurus who hold millions in their sway with their simplistic mysticism. Eckhart Tolle, Baba Ram Das, Jach Purcell and other channeling cults including Ramtha are all mentioned. The idea of the 'just world' or karma-vipaka is also discussed.   link to Joe’s channel Eckhart Tolle part 1 Eckhart Tolle part 2  ...

Through his YouTube channel Growing Up in Scientology, Aaron Smith-Levin has become one of the best-known critics of the cult. His mother joined when he was four and he left school at 12 to study. He was a Sea Org member for a decade before he withdrew and began to speak out. A fascinating interview. Jon demolishes fundamental Hubbard teachings about the eight dynamics and the ARC triangle.  ...

Scientology's former intelligence chief Mike Rinder gives his views on the deadlocked jury and the upcoming civil trial. Mike - who was part of the team that worked on the exemption - offers his opinion on the IRS's crazy decision to grant tax-exemption to the cult. Mike was part of the team that worked on exemption. Warning: this show contains humor.  Links:  Mike Rinder on Court TV (cu...

A review of Ron Hubbard's involvement with ritual magic from the age of 16 and into the Scientology years. Jon spent years unraveling Ron Hubbard's practice of sex magick from his first infatuation with Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law as a teenager to the attempt to incarnate the Whore of Babylon, the destroyer of mankind in 1946 and the incorporation of Crowley's ideas into Scientology. Jon ad...

Author Mark Laxer talks with Jon about the rise of disinformation in our society and some ways to help people - and especially the next generation - spot fake news, propaganda, and sales pitches.   links:  Bellingcat institute for propaganda analysis Take Me For a Ride free download

Yuval Laor, PhD, makes the case that Ron Hubbard suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy. Jon and Yuval examine the traits given by Bear and Fedio for TLE and show that Hubbard exhibited all of them. As Yuval says, this allows those harmed by Scientology to feel pity rather than rage for Hubbard.   Links:  the complete 2015 Toronto conference can be rented here Yuval and Chris' talk about H...