The CULTure

Anna and Mark are back!  They discuss what occurred that made them take a break and kick off the return by focusing on Jakob Amman and the Amish.  Birthed from the Mennonite but soon split due to belief issues, this group is often misunderstood due to television and movie stereotypes.  Anna explains the difference between old world and new world amish, and Mark officially declares t...

Anna and Mark have come up with a few more "Culty" things in society that they share with the fam.  They tackle dentist offices, timeshares, and many more.  If you have any suggestions for the next fun size episode, send us a DM!  Hope you enjoy cult fam!   Follow us on instagram for exclusive content @The. Cult.ure

Anna and Mark discuss Eugene Elbert Spriggs and his 1970s religious movement called The Twelve Tribes.  An attempt to prepare for the second coming of Christ, Eugene and his group go old testament with a long list of rules to follow including no personal wealth, community parenting and discipline and a dress code.  Anna is out on the low-key child labor while Mark is looking forward to v...

Click the link below if you want to support our podcast.  Thanks Cult Fam!  https://anchor.fm/theculturepod/support Anna and Mark discuss Sun Myung Moon's group who originated under the name of the Unification Church in South Korea.  Moon hears from God as a youth and must finish the work that Jesus started.  This group takes a lot from other spiritual beliefs in South East Asi...

Anna and Mark discuss Gwen Shamblin Lara's Remnant Fellowship on this weeks episode.  Due to the recent tragedy, they felt it was right to skip ahead in their timeline to give the info on this current group.  Gwen's first successful endeavor, The Weigh Down Workshop, was started in 1986 and quickly took Christian churches by storm.  This weight loss for Jesus movement inspired her t...

Anna and Mark discuss the tragic end of the Jim Jones and his Jonestown experiment in South America.  Anna breaks down daily life in Guyana with White Nights, a pet monkey named Mr. Muggs, and the ultimate sign of allegiance to the leader that lead to the largest cult suicide event in history.  Mark is stunned the entire episode and shocked to find out the real meaning of the expression...

Anna and Mark discuss Father Divine and his Peace Mission Movement that took place in the United States during the 1920s & 30s.  His humanitarian approach to Christianity provided him with a lot of support during the Great Depression as many Americans were struggling for food and shelter.  However, it was his failure to address the problems with race in America, thinking that we shou...

Anna and Mark sit down to discuss a drug rehab facility turned cult that took place in California in the late 1950s.  The leader, Charles Dederich, a former drug abuser and classic narcissist who somehow finds himself in charge of over 1,000 people who don't or cant leave the facility, even after they have been "cured".  With questionable tactics that he claimed would cure addition, he q...

Anna and Mark sit down to discuss the final chapter of the Heaven's Gate saga.  This one takes a left turn real quick.  For those who aren't familiar with the history, let's just say it is out of this world.  Its all for one and one for all as this interesting two-part story comes to a close.  Anna feels like she might have scarred Mark for life while he is out searching for a...

Anna and Mark introduce the cult of all cults, Heaven's Gate.  In pt. 1 Anna explains the history and the basic beliefs of Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, the founders of Heaven's Gate.  Citing the book of Revelation, these two claim to be the second coming as they solidify their small "crew" of followers.  They mix a little of every cult that we've mentioned so far this sea...

A 2-for-1 episode this week as Anna and Mark continue their historical look at cults by diving into the Theosophical Society.  From the symbol to the leader (Blavatsky), most aspects of this group have been borrowed from eastern tradition.  It follows the classic formula of divine teaching that has only been revealed to her, so everyone better fall in line.  Their roots are importan...

Anna and Mark keep it light with a Q&A episode.  Helping the listeners get to know the people behind the microphones.  Keep sending in questions on instagram and maybe it'll make our next Q&A episode.  From hobbies to post-pandemic travel plans, they cover a range of topics.  Enjoy cult fam!   Follow us on instagram for more content @The. Cult.ure

In Episode 7, Anna and Mark discuss the Institute in Basic Life Principles.  Started by Bill Gothard, these Christian extremists are big on disciplined behavior, modesty for women, and private academies to educate the youth of their group.  Anna got introduced to this group via a viral Tik-Tok, and quickly found out they have some "famous" advocates in the media.  Mark is unsupporti...

In Episode 6, Anna and Mark discuss the Aggressive Christianity Mission Training Corps.  An offset of The Salvation Army, Aggressive Christianity is exactly what it sounds like.  Hell, fire, and brimstone have these people letting you know exactly what you're doing wrong and why it is not good enough.  Although this group is small, they are mighty in force and have had no problem ma...

Anna and Mark discuss how prominent cult characteristics have made their way into the mainstream.  From Crossfit and veganism to tech companies and MLM's, there is a reason why they are successful and cult influence might have something to do with it.   Follow us on instagram @The. Cult.ure

Episode 5 covers the history of the FLDS church and its roots in the Mormon Church.  Anna and Mark discuss the bizarre practices they have and the fascinating history of the LDS church and its many offshoots.  Anna gets a little heated talking about Warren Jeffs and his nastiness, but he deserves it... Make sure to follow us on Instagram @The. Cult.ure and give us a 5-star rating on Appl...

This episode covers the Gnostic Mass which Thelemites celebrate as their main ritual.  Get ready to hear about some practices that may make your jaw drop and your skin crawl. Mark is stunned through most of the episode and we are hopeful he has the courage to return to the show next week.  Enjoy!  Follow us on Instagram for visuals and additional content @the.cult.ure Sources for th...

Episode 3 will uncover the weirdness of Thelema, a philosophical/ideological set of beliefs that focus on doing what you want!  Listen in for all the shenanigans as we start by discussing the founder, Aleister Crowley, and his spiritual awakening that include some borrowed ideas.  Try to keep from laughing as Anna is brought to tears and snorts over visualizing one of his ceremonies. &nb...

Welcome to the Bonus Ep!  The goal is to occasionally throw out bonus episodes with fan questions.  The first question asked was about the word 'cult' itself.  What does it mean, where does it come from, and why is there a negative connotation surrounding it.  Anna defends her stance and her love for all things 'New Religious Movements' while Mark gives a glimpse into why all t...

Episode 2 of the CULTure dives into the history, beliefs, and controversies associated with the Church of Christ, Scientist.  Picking up where we left off last episode, we start in the 1870s with a wild ride into modern day America, with a bit of ooze.  Give it a listen and let us know what you think!  

Welcome to the CULTure!  Episode 1 takes us back in time to the 1800s in the U.S. when Spiritualism was running wild.  This will serve as the jumping off point as we give a historical survey of cults in America.