Geopolitics of cults

Religious apologists have a playbook for scholars who get too close to the truth. That playbook is a dog-eared, reliable little volume passed down through g ...

Psychological war and geopolitics of cults

This week, we’re diving deep into the mind games with Harvard professor and author Rebecca Lemov, because if you’ve ever wondered whether brainwashing is real, the answer is a very unsettling yes. In Part 1 of our convo, we’re cracking open the origins of brainwashing—from communist re-education camps to the electric shock labs of the Milgram experiment—and asking why we still can’t seem to prove it in court. Rebecca's new book, The Instability of Truth, peels back the layers of mind control and thought reform, including what went down with Patty Hearst, why Stockholm Syndrome isn’t what you think it is, and how emotional trauma becomes the secret sauce in cult programming. We also get personal. NXIVM, anyone? The parallels between modern-day cults and Maoist “unity-criticism-unity” techniques are downright eerie... and maybe uncomfortably familiar. From groupthink to gaslighting to re-grounding in a new belief system, this episode might just mess with your head a little (in a good way). Trigger warning: once you see the matrix, it’s hard to unsee it. Find more about Rebecca Lemov and The Instability of Truth at rebeccalemov.com (https://rebeccalemov.com) . Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here (https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLR16M1R576DP/checkout/25UI2OVABMV3RD4YF55WQ755) Check out our lovely sponsors (https://alittlebitculty.com/sponsors) Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty) Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag (https://my-store-c9bd2a.creator-spring.com/) Support the pod and smash this link (https://donorbox.org/support-a-little-bit-culty) Cult awareness and recovery resources (https://alittlebitculty.com/resources) Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk (https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_edmondson_how_to_spot_a_cult?language=en) CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media (https://amphibian.media/) Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media (https://amphibian.media/)    Audio production: Red Caiman Studios (https://www.redcaimanstudios.com/) Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

Based on Luigi Corvaglia's investigation

Deep Dive: Fascists, spies and gurus · Episode

Losing a child to a cult is an excruciatingly painful ordeal. In this podcast/video I share my story in the hope that it will inspire other families who have lost a loved one speak out and contribute to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups. Freedom of religion, should never be an excuse to harm others. ➡️Inquiry details: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/cofg 📰Article mentioned: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/apr/06/weekend.jonronson1 🎥 Documentary “The Dark Reality of the Kidney Cult” https://youtu.be/M_D64VS-Owc 🌏More about coercive control and cults in Australia: www.recoverfromcoercivecontrol.com 00:00 Introduction 02:33 Being a parent of child who joined a cult 08:15 Email Surveillance in Cults 10:39: Cult sympathisers / cult apologists 14:20 cults demonise families 19:40 Suing a cult leader for defamation 27:50 Cult leader's use manipulative psychology 31:31 Brainwashing in cults is coercive control 33:28 Cross examined by the cult leader 39:00 Australia, a place of religious tolerance? 43:20 This is what Spiritual Abuse looks like 46:45 Christian lobbyist's interpretation of Freedom of Religion 50:18 Victorian Inquiry into cults and coercive control

The episode explores the complex and often contentious relationship between the Church of Scientology, various religious organizations, and governmental bodies, particularly the United States. It details Scientology's historical efforts to gain legitimacy and influence, including alleged CIA support in Greece and extensive lobbying efforts within the U.S. government, even influencing foreign policy. The source also exposes a network of academics and organizations acting as "cult apologists," seemingly working in concert with controversial religious groups like Scientology and the Unification Church to discredit critics and promote their interests. This is further highlighted by instances where these apologist groups have financially benefited from or directly collaborated with the organizations they defend, raising questions of impartiality and ethical conduct. Finally, the text examines instances of alleged complicity and influence between these organizations and high-ranking political figures, particularly within the American and Japanese political landscapes, showcasing how religious freedom advocacy can be leveraged to protect and legitimize controversial groups.

Rebecca Moore grew up in a loving Christian family in California with her two sisters, Carolyn and Annie. In the late 1960s, Carolyn joined Peoples Temple, a movement led by the charismatic preacher Jim Jones. Annie soon followed, and Carolyn ended up becoming one of Jim Jones' closest associates and had a son with him. Both sisters urged Rebecca to join, but she never did. As allegations of abuse and misconduct around Jim Jones grew, he and hundreds of his followers moved to a remote agricultural settlement in the rainforests of Guyana that became known as Jonestown. On 18 November 1978, after a visiting US Congressman and four others were murdered, more than 900 people died there, including Carolyn, Annie and Carolyn's young son, Kimo. For Rebecca, life became divided into "before Jonestown" and "after Jonestown." Determined to understand what had happened, she spent decades researching Peoples Temple, filing Freedom of Information requests, writing books and becoming a leading scholar of new religious movements. Along the way, she uncovered painful truths about her sisters' involvement in the events leading up to the tragedy. This programme contains references to mass murder and mass suicide. Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producer: Florian Bohr Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707 (Photo: A childhood photograph of Rebecca Moore with her younger sister Annie and her older sister Carolyn. They stand together in front of dense green shrubs. Rebecca and Annie both wear white dresses and Carolyn a red dress. Credit: Rebecca Moore)

Knihu CESTOU Z VĚŽEmůžete objednat na tomto mailu: petr.oprsal@curia.europa.eu Podpořte mě na Kofi https://ko-fi.com/jakubjahl nebo přes Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/jakubjahl či Revolut: https://revolut.me/jakubi1di Svědkové Jehovovi šíří paniku! https://youtu.be/GWcibkDXWyo Deregistrace Svědků Jehovových https://youtu.be/_0vwbBGs7gU Massimo Introvigne ve válce se Zdeňkem Vojtíškem https://youtu.be/aamLNJ2INgg Religionisté se zastali Svědků Jehovových https://youtu.be/nFWK4xU89xA Cestou z věže: kniha českého exjehovisty https://youtu.be/WbCtvRKvMb8 Cestou z věže 2: Zločiny Svědků Jehovových v Česku po roce 1989 https://youtu.be/-waGbZkHYEk CESTOU Z VĚŽE 3: Armageddon https://youtu.be/B8t7235D2Fg Transfúze u Svědků Jehovových https://youtu.be/oNlkis9IIxk Svědkové Jehovovi a odpadlíci https://youtu.be/Q1p6Wv3w-HU Svědkové Jehovovi a třída tzv. otroků https://youtu.be/-1LLUGuTPKY Jak Jehovisté v roce 2010 obešli české zákony https://youtu.be/4PLTxuq4vyc Svědkové Jehovovi bojují proti psům https://youtu.be/UVovYvqMJgA 7 let vězněm Strážné věže (svědectví ex-člena Svědků Jehovových) https://youtu.be/482WYyCjxb0 Jehova vrací úder https://youtu.be/YcMyz2eg9iU Postoj Svědků Jehovových k prostituci https://youtu.be/MS-8bIkcYlc Svědci Jehovovi, Vojtíšek a Nešpor lžou https://youtu.be/7VaZDWMxMU8 Svědkové Jehovovi vyhráli spor s českým ministerstvem https://youtu.be/Q5ruJgLauIE Svědkové Jehovovi zmírnili zákaz transfúzí? Spíš ne https://youtu.be/w72HclSg3TU Přečtěte si i můj blog: https://medium.seznam.cz/autor/ceske-sekty-a-sekty-v-cr-17247 Pokud máte zájem mě podpořit, můžete to udělat na IBAN: BG71INTF40012093916712

Hey guys! We’re now live on Spotify 🎧 Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/show/3K57vHeztR0HKUbKeXtEnx The 1970s are often remembered for freedom, self-discovery, and spiritual exploration but beneath the surface, a darker reality was unfolding. Across America, cults were quietly growing in power, control, and influence, often with devastating consequences for those involved. In this video, we uncover the dark side of 1970s American cults that rarely gets discussed. From psychological manipulation and isolation tactics to financial exploitation and abuse, many groups operated behind a façade of peace and enlightenment. As trust in traditional institutions declined, vulnerable individuals were drawn into tightly controlled communities that were difficult to escape. Resources: Cults in America: A Reference Handbook – James R. Lewis – https://www.abc-clio.com/products/a3867c/ Jonestown and the Peoples Temple – FBI Archives – https://vault.fbi.gov/jonestown The 1970s Cult Phenomenon – History.com – https://www.history.com/topics/crime/cults Understanding Cults and Psychological Manipulation – American Psychological Association – https://www.apa.org/monitor/nov02/cults

...the President of the Transylvanian Society of Dracula and a supporter of Scientology as well. Such credentials should not be ascribed to one greatly admired by a godly leader, or by any true Christian. Yet Witness Lee and his followers frequently have referred to Dr. Melton's "expertise" to validate "The Lord's Recovery" as not being a cult but rather associated with the Plymouth Brethren (not to mention that the Exclusive sect, which The Lord's Recovery aligned with, IS by most standards a cult)... Again and again in publications and websites associated with Living Stream Ministry/the Local Churches/The Lord's Recovery, J. Gordon Melton is appreciated and cited. His was a household name in my upbringing - hearing in many meetings about his expert defense. How much was he paid to testify on behalf of "The Lord's Recovery"/Witness Lee? And why did I only now learn that J. Gordon Melton was involved in (even President of) dark organizations such as the Transylvanian Society of Dracula, that he authored books about the "undead," that he passionately defended Scientology. I failed to share a resource I came across in which he states that Scientology involves worship just like any legitimate religion...... I don't have words, and feel brokenhearted just sharing about these matters. Dr. Melton is highly regarded by CRI, cited again in an updated article published just a few days ago: www.equip.org/articles/addressing-the-open-letters-concerns-on-lawsuits-with-evangelical-christians-part-5-of-a-reassessment-of-the-local-church-movement-of-watchman-nee-and-witness-lee/. Other resources I refer to in this video: www.ministrysamples.org/es/excerpts/DEFENSA-Y-CONFIRMACION.HTML contendingforthefaith.org/en/dr-j-gordon-melton-an-open-letter-concerning-the-local-church-witness-lee-and-the-god-men-controversy/ witnessleelehren.org/en/fuller-statement-en/ www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/txt/ram2.htm www.kelebekler.com/cesnur/txt/prop2.htm en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Church_of_Scientology_(Melton_book) Any true believer and follower of Jesus would not respect Dr. J. Gordon Melton's testimony. He lost ALL credibility in my eyes. Such a man should NOT have been paid as an expert to testify for any true Christian church. #drjgordonmelton #witnesslee #livingstreamministry #jgordonmelton #spiritualcounterfeitproject #defenseandconfirmationproject #dcp #cultrecovery #lsm

(Begins at 0:30:00) MTV's investigative report on alternative religions including the Church Universal and Triumphant, International Churches of Christ, and Scientology.

They called it “just a new religious movement.” But behind the PR lies a chilling truth about brainwashing, authoritarian cults, mind control, and how cult apologists funded by cult leaders and elites have helped whitewash decades of abuse. In this intensely personal response to Cult Chat Episode 67 (https://youtu.be/ETU_upReZaU?si=UlSofb1dgUpqq4j1) Dr. Steven Hassan, leading cult expert and author of The Cult of Trump, breaks his silence on the dark history of sociologists like Barker, who dismissed survivors' testimonies and denied the existence of brainwashing in The Moonies and other destructive cults. Key topics: - The truth behind Eileen Barker’s cult apologism - How the Moonies, Scientology, and Children of God manipulated sociologists to discredit former members - The founding of the Cult Awareness Network and ICSA (American Family Foundation) - Dr. Hassan’s BITE Model and its use in anti-trafficking - The AI-driven censorship of cult education by Big Tech elites like Musk, Thiel, and Bezos - What former cult members must do now to preserve history before it’s erased 📬 Subscribe to Dr. Hassan’s free Substack newsletter: https://stevenhassan.substack.com 🌐 Visit freedomofmind.com for courses, books, and recovery tools 📘 Read: Combating Cult Mind Control, Freedom of Mind, The Cult of Trump: http://bit.ly/shassanbooks 🧠 Know the signs. Fight back against mind control. And never forget: history is being rewritten. ******************************************** Take the BITE Model survey at https://bitemodel.com Enroll in my courses - https://courses.freedomofmind.com/collections Subscribe to the Freedom of Mind newsletter: https://freedomofmind.com/subscribe/ Read or listen to Steve's books: https://freedomofmind.com/books/

You'll love this pot luck session! Caz has just returned from the International Cultic Studies Association conference in Montreal, Canada. We’re joined in this episode with ‘friend of the show’ Maria Esguerra who also went to the conference. Maria and Caz fill Lindy and Liz in on their learnings from the conference, covering topics such as neurodiversity, financial abuse, cult apologists, the power of social media for cult survivor activism. We talked so much we had to do a second episode! Show Notes Website: International Cultic Studies Association Website: Get A Life Podcast Instagram: Ben Woodbury excultboy LinkedIn: Maria Esguerra LinkedIn: Heidi Clemons LinkedIn: Omar Saldana

Losing a child to a cult is an excruciatingly painful ordeal. In this podcast/video I share my story in the hope that it will inspire other families who have lost a loved one speak out and contribute to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups. Freedom of religion, should never be an excuse to harm others. ➡️Inquiry details: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/cofg 📰Article mentioned: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2002/apr/06/weekend.jonronson1 🎥 Documentary “The Dark Reality of the Kidney Cult” https://youtu.be/M_D64VS-Owc 🌏More about coercive control and cults in Australia: www.recoverfromcoercivecontrol.com 00:00 Introduction 02:33 Being a parent of child who joined a cult 08:15 Email Surveillance in Cults 10:39: Cult sympathisers / cult apologists 14:20 cults demonise families 19:40 Suing a cult leader for defamation 27:50 Cult leader's use manipulative psychology 31:31 Brainwashing in cults is coercive control 33:28 Cross examined by the cult leader 39:00 Australia, a place of religious tolerance? 43:20 This is what Spiritual Abuse looks like 46:45 Christian lobbyist's interpretation of Freedom of Religion 50:18 Victorian Inquiry into cults and coercive control

We’re back with Part 2 of our conversation with Jane Borden, author of Cults Like Us, where we pick up right where we left off – with the Puritans, of course. Because what’s more American than a doomsday cult in denial? In this half, we explore how their legacy of moral perfectionism, isolationism, and a rigid “us vs. them” worldview continues to shape American institutions, politics, and even pop psychology. Jane takes us through the cult wars of the ’80s and ’90s, the rise of deprogrammers and cult apologists, and the influence of Large Group Awareness Trainings (aka LGATs) like EST and Landmark on today’s self-help landscape. We also dive into the concept of normative dissonance, how political architects like Newt Gingrich exploited division for power, and why bridging social gaps might be the antidote to modern-day culty chaos. Along the way, Jane reminds us why humor can be a powerful tool for understanding even the darkest parts of our culture. If you missed Part 1, hit pause and go back. We promise it’s worth it! And be sure to check out Cults Like Us and more of Jane’s work at janeborden.com (http://janeborden.com) . Also… let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here (https://checkout.square.site/merchant/MLR16M1R576DP/checkout/25UI2OVABMV3RD4YF55WQ755) Check out our lovely sponsors (https://alittlebitculty.com/sponsors) Join ‘A Little Bit Culty’ on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/alittlebitculty) Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag (https://my-store-c9bd2a.creator-spring.com/) Support the pod and smash this link (https://donorbox.org/support-a-little-bit-culty) Cult awareness and recovery resources (https://alittlebitculty.com/resources) Watch Sarah’s TEDTalk (https://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_edmondson_how_to_spot_a_cult?language=en) CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Amphibian.Media (https://amphibian.media/) Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Writer: Kristen Reiter Associate producers: Amanda Zaremba and Matt Stroud of Amphibian.Media (https://amphibian.media/)    Audio production: Red Caiman Studios (https://www.redcaimanstudios.com/) Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin

Miriam O'Callaghan lifts the lid on Scientology in Ireland in this Primtime special from around 1997. #rte #ireland #scientology #primetime #dianetics

The Elon/Trump meltdown we’ve all been waiting for has happened. Elon calls Trump “ungrateful,” accuses him of being on the Epstein list. Trump suggested Elon is sad now that he’s no longer part of the administration– sometimes people leave and just miss working for him so much they become hostile, it’s Trump Derangement Syndrome. SUPER culty, he’s saying people who leave can’t be trusted, not unlike people so talk about their “crazy exes” or “disgruntled former employees”-- discrediting them. Too many narcissists at the top, just like I said. Diddy Trial: The trial continues apace. One important thing to think about with this trail is how people in the real world are processing the way people respond to it– which is why the “why didn’t they just leave?” or “she’s only in it for the money” rhetoric can be so dangerous. Someone in your life might be in a similar situation and decide not to disclose abuse or confide in you if you engage in this kind of victim blaming, the more the public discourse continues in this manner, the harder it becomes for people to talk about this if it’s happening to them. Mia, one of the victims (this is her pseudonym) was asked about supportive messages she sent him and why she continued to interact with him, she said “I was brainwashed” We know Diddy bribed hotel security to get his hands on the only copy of the video of him beating Cassie up as she tries to escape. Laura Richards, a criminal behavior analyst summed so much of this trial and issues around coercive control up so well when she said “when fear is present, consent is not.” Australia: Religious Sect Faces Scrutiny In Queensland, a conservative Christian sect known as "The Saints," led by Brendan Stevens, is under investigation following the death of an eight-year-old girl who was denied insulin for her diabetes. The group, which rejects modern medicine in favor of faith healing, has been labeled a cult by critics. Palm Springs Fertility Clinic Bombing On May 17, 2025, Guy Edward Bartkus, a 25-year-old self-described member of a "pro-mortalist" death cult, detonated a car bomb outside the American Reproductive Centers in Palm Springs, California. The explosion killed Bartkus and injured four others. Prior to the attack, Bartkus posted a manifesto declaring war against pro-lifers and criticizing IVF as epitomizing "pro-life ideology." The FBI labeled the explosion an intentional act of terrorism. 'Cult of Body & Soul' Podcast Investigates SoulCycle A new podcast titled "Cult of Body & Soul," produced by Jess Rothschild, delves into the history of SoulCycle, the high-intensity indoor cycling brand. The podcast explores the brand's rise and examines its internal culture through interviews with former instructors, revealing stories of partying, drug use, and a culture bordering on the cultish. CULT of MAGA Updates: Culting of America updates: Done, Jan 20, chapters recorded soon Events update Podcasts: Bookclub: GOFUNDME:

The political roots of CESNUR

The political roots of CESNUR